Sixth Grade Technology Education

The focus of Technology Education in the sixth grade is on civil engineering and construction.  Students explore what forces act on structures such as tall buildings or bridges and what principles are used to design them. Students research how these structures remain safely in place under the stress of heavy loads or extreme acts of nature.

       After researching these concepts students design a bridge on the computer and use their design as a template to build a prototype out of balsa which is tested in the lab for it’s strength and efficiency. Students follow the eight step Engineering Design Process (from the curriculum frameworks) to design, test, and modify their structures.  

       Students are also responsible for maintaining a portfolio to store rubrics, worksheets, digital pictures, and a journal. At the conclusion of each class, students record their progress in the journal using engineering vocabulary words. Students are also introduced to digital photography and take pictures of their bridges for their portfolios.

Click HERE to view learning standards and benchmarks for grade six.