This blog post, is about technology. Not a certain project, or unit, just technology, as a whole.

In technology, we did so much. We used so many tools and apps and as a class, we grew a lot closer together.
I would have to say my favorite unit in technology this year was probably the laser cutting unit. There are a couple reasons for this. For starters, when I got used to drawing and creating with the Vectornator app, it became really easy and fun. I found myself just making random designs that I would never submit, but I did enjoy. Another reason I loved the laser cutting unit, was because after you submitted your creation, you could watch it slowly be made in the cutter. We also learned about the process of lasers and how they work and were made, which made this unit all the more interesting. When watching the lasers slowly make your design a reality, you would witness the laser first engraving, and then cutting. You also got to see other people’s designs and what they chose to submit.
In technology I think we also grew closer as a class or group of people. I made a lot of friends in this quarter, just doing technology. I dont have any classes with a couple of these people, but I don’t think I would change the fact that these people were in my quarterly class and will be for the rest of the year.
Overall, having technology as our first quarterly really set is up for success. We learned things about the world, technology (obviously), and about eachother. I think in our future quarterly classes, we will be able to work togther and cooperate because technology brought us closer togther.

Our final tech unit was laser cutting. For this unit, the first thing we had to learn to do was use this app called Vectornator. Vectornator is an app were you can only draw with shapes and lines. The lines always connect.

To start off, we started by cutting out banners. Mr. Calvert created banner templates and we could write whatever we wanted on them! This was to teach us how to use text and show us how to put it on a curve. I just wrote my name on it, but I know a couple people wrote their nicknames, welcome/goodbye, and more!

After that, we could pretty much create anything we wanted! First, I made a necklace with a lily on it. This necklace was SO detailed. It took be a couple days just to get the design. Part of the reason I think it took me so long was because I was just learning to use vectornator, so it was a little different and difficult. Second, I made a book mark. It was pretty simple. It just said “Carlie’s Bookmark” with a little heart that looked like this “<3”. Next, I made something for my math teacher. I made him something called a Whitman Award. It was just a circle, in the size of a medal that had a large W and said AWARD along the bottom. You would have to be in Popham house to get the award and the story behind it. Then finally, I made a pair of earrings. They were EXTREMELY simple. The only thing they had on them were a big C.

I absolutely LOVED this unit. I found the laser cutting fascinating. We also learned about the science of the laser and how it was created. When my pieces were being printed out in the laser printer, I would always watch because I found it so interesting.

In technology, I’m looking forward too making, and learning new things. I’m looking forward too using the soldering iron, cutting with the scroll saw, doing things with the drill press, and using the electric sander! Plus so much more! I’m excited too see what we will make and lessons that will help us in the future.

I’m sure you’ve used a flashlight I mean who hasn’t! In tech, we just concluded our flashlight unit. In this unit, we worked on blueprints, designing, circuts, cutting pipes and wires and finally soldering.
To start our flashlight, we began with simply just putting pipes together in hopes of finding a nice design that we are happy with.
Eventually, after we got our final design, we had to measure our pipes. after we got the correct dimensions, then we started to plan our flashlight using a blueprint. We spent a couple days learning about blueprints and how to use them to prepare us for this. After we finished our blueprint and made sure it was to scale, then we decided where we place our light, switch, battery, and all of the wires in between. Then, it was time to start.

First, we cut our wires and prepped them. For me, my positive wire was red, and my negative wire was gray. Everyone had to have 3 wires in total. One would go from the light to the battery, and then one that went fron the light to the switch. Finally, a last gray wire that went from the switch to the battery. We measured the wires on our blueprint to scale so we knew the length to cut them to. To prep them we stripped the ends to make it just metal, and made the ends into hooks. After that, we assembled the pipes for the light. This part was quick and easy. You could have done it before prepping the wires, but I did it after.

Lastly, we soldered. To help us solder the switch together, we used something I like to call “helping hands”. It was a couple alligator clips attached to some type of adjustable arms. Before we could solder at all, we at do define to positive side of our light. You had to grab a pair of pliers and kink the positive side, which was longer. Then, add hooks to both sides. Then when we soldered everything together, you just hooked the 2 pointed that you wanted connected together and added a little flux, and then soldered!

In technology, we just finished our flashlight unit. First, we had to learn now to use blue prints. In a blue print, you have a box grid. The grid responds to a scale, from what we learned you have to use a pencil on blue prints. I’m assuming its so you can erase mistakes and add things easily. Also when you want to make circles to use a compass. We mostly used prints with a scale where a box is equal to .25 inch.

The final game of our technology switch unit was to pretend to drive a car. Your 2 teammates would flip over cards and that would show you what to do. If there were 2 reds you had to stop, 2 blacks you just wouldn’t do anything, and whatever side the red was on you would have an obstacle. One switch would be turn left, and would be turn right, and the last one would be to stop. There was also one more person who would time you and see who had the fastest time. You would play until the card deck ran out.

In technology, we started a switch unit. This was a unit making switches that were like circuits, and it was all leading up to a game where you pretended to be driving.

First you have to sketch out your designs on notability or on paper and submit them, and then you could get to working. We used the scroll saws, hot glue guns, and the drill presses. In my switches, you hand too move down a lever, push down another bar, and finally push down a square of cardboard that is attached to rubber bands.

In technology, the first thing we made and the first time we used the soldering iron was for our jewelry pieces, and I chose to make a pendent that looked like a key.

I was one of the first people to go, so when Mr. Calvert changed the technique so it would look nicer and be much easier, I had to restart. But I didn’t mind it because my piece ended up looking much better! My first piece was all brown for some reason, and I’m not sure why. My new piece looked so clean, you couldn’t even tell it was a soldered! Okay, maybe you could. They key also turned out much better. My new piece let me change my design for a pendent, to just a charm or maybe even a book mark!

The process of is actually much easier than expected, despite having an 800 degree tool in your hand. The first time, you just kind of pre heated the metal and then put the tip of the tool on the solder to get it on the tip of the tool and then put that on the joints, but the new method Is MUCH easier. You put the flux on the joints first with a toothpick, because it is highly poisonous and if you eat it, the outcome wont be good for you. Then after, you just get some solder on the tip and put it on the joints, and then it flows like liquid straight through the joints and make it look almost seamless. Looking back, this project was so fun and I would definitely do it again if I had extra time or a workshop day in technology.

Have you ever done an escape room? In technology we did something similar. We played this game called breakout. It was similar to an escape room. The room was split upo into 2 and those were the teams. There was a box locked with a 4 fidget number lock, and 5 digit letter lock, and a direction lock! Inside there was a box with a key too unlock the closet, where the safety goggles were “mysteriously locked away”. There was also a small box, and inside a small black light flashlight was located. This box was not crustal to winning, but it would have helped a lot. If you put the flashlight on the “safety in the technology room is the 1st priority”, you would get the answer too the lock. We had 30 minutes to complete  this.
Even though my team didn’t win, we still had a lot of fun!