Putting the "FUN" in Fundamentals
Field Trips and Team Projects
We’re well into this new school year. As always, some of my primary goals are to 1) make the curriculum more interesting and meaningful, and 2) instill a greater sense of ownership and responsibility for the students.
To this end, curriculum has been tweaked to combine fundamental drafting and CAD skills (using the same texts as KCC) with field trips and team projects. My goal is to begin each school quarter with taking a field trip to the offices of professionals who use drafting as a vital tool in their everyday work - architects, engineers, landscape architects, interior designers, and manufacturers.
Our first quarter curriculum was heavy on book work and drills in basic drafting techniques, and the equivalent CAD operations. The development of taking an idea into a finished product requires a progression from sketching to drafting to CAD. Whether you’re describing a house or some kind of gear assembly, this natural progression occurs.
The same is true within our curriculum. Students work on specific skill sets before doing projects. Although students are challenged, they will have the skills needed to succeed.
Our first field trip was to Art’s Landscaping. Art Mantoan is a long-time supporter of the Career Center. He was very hospitable to our students. Art's Landscaping has a full-service shop, providing landscape design, nursery products, as well as installation.
While visiting Art's Landscaping, the students were given the opportunity to do a landscape design for the front of a home. The students were so intrigued with the project, our bus driver found it necessary to come into the office and let us know it was time to return to the Career Center.
This trip provided a good lead into our first team project – A House For An Entertaining Family. This four-week project has the students designing and building a passive solar and sustainable home for a family of six, and is to include a pool, home theater and game room. Our four-person teams consist of students accepting a portion of the project as either an architect, landscape architect, engineer, or interior designer. The students were able to choose their preferred role. The way the work is shared between the members is very similar to what happens in a professional office.
The second-year Drafting/CAD students are the team leaders. They will share their knowledge learned last year in the various aspects of drafting, CAD and design standards with the fist-year students. Completion of this project will be near the end of the semester.
During the second semester, we will begin with more fundamentals work. Second-year students will move into 3D and animation programs and first-year students will continue in CAD.
Students will also engage in a joint project with the Business Technology and Management Students from Mrs. Zurek's class. This project was a great success last year. The Drafting/CAD students acted as designers for different businesses located in a community center / mall setting. The Business Management/Technology Students are the Business Owners/Clients.
Another component of our year will be the preparation for SkillsUSA. State competition has a similar project to design as our residential design in class, so my students should be very well prepared for competition. The first-place winner of the State competition is invited to compete at the National Level in St. Louis Missouri in June.
What a great year we have planned! I thank you for your children! They are doing well!
