By Tabatha Williamson A question that I am constantly answering is “How does English class fit in STEM?” At first, this question was hard for me to answer because the answer was obvious, but I knew it was difficult for other people to comprehend. I know more than anyone else that being in a STEM Academy, English is probably not going to be many students' favorite subject, and they may not understand why they are in an English STEM class when they would rather be anywhere else. Despite this, I always start with a challenge to all my students, give me a chance to change your mind.
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The project began with the Biomedical Sciences students being challenged to focus on problems related to clinical care. Students research several types of clinic spaces and are asked to choose one that interests them. Healthcare facilities strive to provide quality care to all who enter, but time is of the essence. Timely patient care can make the difference between life and death. Students analyzed the workings of their healthcare facility, discussed inefficiencies, and worked with a team to design a more efficient medicine delivery system. Students were also tasked with innovating at least one area within the facility. The innovation could have been a new device, testing system, equipment, staffing procedure, or admission and testing procedure to highlight their innovations. The biomed students start with a basic design and plan for their facility which they present to their architect and interior designer. These experts help modify the ideas into a workable layout and a well-designed space.
“My favorite part of the design was the placement of the hydrotherapy and ice bath rooms. These rooms were placed very close to the therapist's office so that the therapist will have easy access to the patient in an emergency.” - Asa R. As students worked through their facility solution, they also reviewed research techniques and proper documentation of sources, practiced presentation skills, and discussed project management. One of the most challenging parts of the project is communication between team members. Since they do not have the same class period, much of the communication had to be done through email and shared online folders. Teams were able to meet several times during “Pack Time,” an embedded tutorial time that allows students to study with peers or seek tutoring from a teacher. “This project was definitely different than what we usually do in our classes, but it made us think more in-depth about how and why hospitals and medical facilities are built the way that they are.” - Adrianna K. Architecture students were responsible for creating several hand sketches of their clinical space. Each design was sent to the medical expert and returned with notes and suggestions. The students were able to finalize their designs and use AutoDesk software (AutoCad/Revit) to create floor plans and 3D renderings of the newly designed medical facility. Working with the interior design students, the renderings were updated to reflect the final finishes and furniture suggested by the designer. “This assignment was one of the most realistic projects we have done so far. We were provided with real world opportunities, such as, client communication, client relations, and creating our very first finish board.” - Crescent H. Interior Design students were tasked with creating a finish board that included finishes, furniture, art work and lighting for the space. In addition, the finish board included the rendering of the floor plan and a 3D perspective of the clients choice. Students in the interior design course created Gantt charts for their project elements and created industry standard furniture and finishes schedules. “One of the many facets of this project was the creation of a finish board which helps showcase different elements of a finished design, such as flooring, paint, fabrics, lighting, and other such items.” - McKenna M. For both the interior design and architecture students, a key skill gained from the project was the ability to work with a client, the Biomed student. Communicating, listening and being able to produce quality work that your client approves of are all important skills to learn. After the finish board, floor plans and clinical research is complete, the team members celebrate a project well-done! This project is in its 4th year at BNHS and every year the teachers have made adjustments for the following year to help ensure students are gaining the skills needed in each of their areas. We can’t wait to see what the clinical spaces look like next year! Want to explore more NISD CTE stories? Click here!
Use the Categories at the bottom of the screen to filter by topic. By Isis W., EHS Education Senior
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Use the Categories at the bottom of the screen to filter by topic. 3/4/2019 Making an impact at NISD ExpoStudents from every campus in NISD joined forces to make a big impact on student learning last week. The evening event is a yearly showcase of K-12 student knowledge and growth. Our CTE programs were involved on every level for this impressive evening from demonstrations, presentations, debates, robotics competitions, and interactive student showcases. Check out a few of the amazing things our CTE kids were involved in! Culinary Arts & Hospitality AcademyOur Culinary Arts & Hospitality Academy students served nachos, cream of mushroom soup, macaroni and cheese, and cheesecake as refreshments for all guests and presenters. The mac and cheese was a big hit with all visitors- yum! BusinessBusiness students shared their trade show booths in a demo site which allowed visitors to experience a VEI-like tradeshow and learn more about the student companies. Students also presented business models, student created brand constructs and business plans. An interactive demo site was set up to help visitors learn more about becoming Skilled. Credentialed. Ready. with CTE. Visitors were “surprised that there were so many certifications offered” to NISD students. Creative Media Production AcademyOur Creative Media Productions Academy gave tours of the newly updated, state of the art studio. Student producers were on hand to answer questions and explain the experience they gain from being involved in CMP. “It was awesome to see the behind-the-scenes parts of the studio” stated one tour participant. Architectural Design & Interior DesignWe had architecture and interior design students share their creative designs from master bathrooms to the NISD Aquatic Center. Each student showcased their design process and renderings from AutoDesk Revit. Software Design and DevelopmentSeveral students put their coding skills to the test by presenting their use of coding languages and apps created in courses at Eaton HS. Students enjoyed showing the audience the type of apps that were possible and the skills they gained through the creation. Cosmetology AcademyThe Cosmetology students from Shears of Steele were part of a demonstration zone and were braiding hair, doing nail art and make-up for guests. “We loved getting our hair braided!” stated several elementary guests. Microsoft MasterMicrosoft Master students were able to talk to EXPO attendees about the many certifications you can earn through Microsoft. Rachel Crawford, a Collegiate Academy and Microsoft Master student, was even interviewed live on NHSTV about her competitive advantage! These students are truly skilled, credentialed, and ready! Floral DesignThe floral design students from each high school campus were showcasing their floral arrangements based on the theme of the event “Impact Starts Here.” In addition, the students were sharing their eportfolios that showcase their growth as a student and floral designer. The portfolios are used in the certification process later in the spring. Guests were very impressed with the designs, proclaiming “I didn’t know flowers could be art!” Robotics ZoneThe Robotics zone had multiple presentations, a competition and build zone! There were several robotics and coding presentations from the elementary level all the way to high school, showcasing great learning on individual campuses. Our Elementary and Middle School Robotics competition was a BIG hit with visitors. Congratulations to the winning team! The Texan Robotics Team hosted a Lego build zone for learners of all ages to build and test their creations. “It was so fun to compete against other schools. We had a blast!” one middle school student exclaimed. Aviation and Aeronautics AcademyThe Aviation Academy was on hand to share their knowledge of flight and demo the flight simulators. “We had a great time sharing with the Expo attendees” stated Aviation student. AgricultureThe Agriculture programs were represented in various ways: one student presented their FFA project, a towable BBQ made from a 1960 Chevy, that has won multiple blue ribbons at stock shows. Visitors were overheard stating “wow,” “I want to buy it” and “what a great project!” The Bobcat designs, student enterprise at BNHS, showcased their metal works. A discussion on the aquaponics, a system that combines aquatic animals and plants , system at BNHS was held. Several agriculture students shared their competitive advantage by showcasing the skills, knowledge and certifications they have gained through their programs. Biomedical Sciences AcademyBiomedical Sciences Academy students hosted a night of demos and hands-on experiences over a variety of topics including diabetes, DNA electrophoresis and extraction, healthcare facility innovations, neural functions, antibiotic resistance, and an eye exam lab. In addition to several presentations that showcased student skills and introduced the world to “Todd the Mani” a mannequin used to help students learn more about the nervous system and human body. Health SciencesHealth Sciences students hosted a debate over euthanasia, sharing both sides of the argument based on health related research. Students also presented several projects showcasing the research on body systems and disease. The district EMT students hosted a demo space for guests to learn more about EMT, CPR and get their vitals checked! STEM AcademySTEM Academy students could be found in multiple areas including the Robotics Zone, presentations and demos. The 9th grade Intro to Engineering students held a live demo on designing in 3D using AutoDesk Inventor. Students were able to demonstrate to guests how to use the program and how to create technical drawings. The Civil Engineering and Architecture students presented their cross-curricular project with English on Banned Books - students designed houses based on characters in their books. The final designs were pretty cool! We also had students present their “Dream Bigger” projects from the summer reading and English course. This project helped students explore different career paths and what it takes to combine your passions and skills. Students in the Environmental Sustainability course hosted a panel discussion with the focus on “what can be do for our community to ensure food security?” Students shared results from their research, surveys and next steps to help the NISD community with food security. Two students presented their new business venture: custom 3D Printing! PLTW EngineeringOur Middle School PLTW Engineering courses were well represented with teams in the robotics challenge and presentations from the projects completed in class. Students presented their puzzle cube project where they designed individual pieces on SketchUp and then created a model of each piece that would fit together like a cube. Several teams presented their therapeutic toy designs for children with cerebral palsy. Students used the engineering design process to design, research and build prototypes of their toys. “I love this class! We have had so much fun learning about engineering” stated a Medlin MS PLTW student. Thank you!Thank you to all of our students who spent their evening sharing their passions and knowledge with the community. Special thanks to our teachers for helping grow our young CTE minds. Thank you to NISD Instructional Technology for hosting such an awesome event! Want to explore more NISD CTE stories? Click here!
Use the Categories at the bottom of the screen to filter by topic. 2/26/2019 HOSA - Future Health ProfessionalsBy Samantha E., BNHS Senior, and Macy H., BNHS Junior The mission of HOSA is to empower HOSA-Future Health Professionals to become leaders in the global health community through education, collaboration, and experience. The purpose of HOSA-Future Health Professionals is to develop leadership and technical HOSA skill competencies through a program of motivation, awareness and recognition, which is an integral part of the Health Science Education instructional program. They value leadership, learning, innovation, and service as those are the best ways to grow in oneself and contribute to the greater good of the world around us. At Byron Nelson, HOSA is an organization that excels in pushing students to be able to experience a career in the health field. The different events cater to the interests and needs of all types of student whether through a testing event, a project that is made beforehand, a speech given, or a project created at the event. It allows them to expand their knowledge on the healthcare field, as well as find what area they may be interested in going in to. Students truly love their events and want to do well at competitions. In January, we took over 30 students to compete at the Area 5 competition in Fort Worth, Texas. We successfully had 15 students place in the top 5 for their events and 10 competitors place in the top 3 for their events - those 10 are advancing to the State Conference in March. Here are the students advancing to State:
We are extremely proud of how our chapter performed at Area 5 this year, and look forward to the state conference in March! We encourage anyone interested in the healthcare field or just looking to have a sense of community to join our chapter. We can’t wait to see what the next few years have in store for BNHS HOSA. Want to explore more NISD CTE stories? Click here!
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CategoriesAll Agriculture Architectural Design Aviation And Aeronautics Academy Biomedical Sciences Academy Business Business Management And Entrepreneurship Academy Certified Medical Assistant Cosmetology Academy Creative Media Production Academy Culinary Arts And Hospitality Acaademy Early Childhood Development Education And Coaching Emergency Medical Technician Engineering Dynamics FCCLA FFA Floral Design Health Sciences HOSA Information Technology Interior Design Middle School PLTW Robotics Software Design And Development STEM Academy TAFE |