Did you know the word Engineer comes from the Latin word meaning cleverness? Incredible, right? If you like to problem solve, plan, design and build… Engineering class with Mr. Cusick is for you. I love engineering class because of all the projects and designing we do. In the beginning of the year, our class problem was solved by making a paper water chute. We had to transfer water from one sink to the other without any water spilling out and onto the floor. We also learned about the different types of Engineers. I had no idea how many fields of engineering there were! There are electrical engineers, who work with anything electrical from iPhones to electricity, there are mechanical engineers, who work with cars, appliances and there are plenty of other fields people could go into. Engineers provide the foundation for what we use in everyday life, such as running shoes, headphones, and refrigerators. Engineers have to plan and make sure each product is the best it can be. Think of earphones. Engineers have to make them a certain way so you can hear the music without other people hearing it. They also have to be able to block out other sounds when playing music and should be able to fit in your ear. It is crazy to think of all the little details that go into products engineered by engineers!

In the second half of the semester, we built the set for the musical, The Secret Garden. It was so fun and interesting to be able to work with other classmates and hear their ideas. It transformed my perspective of set building and building in general. There was a lot more to building than I thought and a lot more requirements needed to be fulfilled when building. Building the set for The Secret Garden was a great experience and opened my eyes to a different type of engineering.

For the past two months we have been working on our next project, robots! What a cool experience. We broke off in teams and have now almost finished our robots. We had to work on the control part of the robot as well as the power part of the robot. The control part of the robot is all the electrical work and wiring enabling our robot to walk. The power portion is the structural forming of the robot and how it will be able to move. In the beginning of April, we will be able to compete in the Robot Challenge at the B&O museum! Wish NDP luck. This year’s Engineering class has been a great success and a ton of fun! Enjoy Engineering week 2/18/14 to 2/21/14 for even more fun facts and information about Engineering