This session will give you all the necessary resources needed for teaching basic electronics to students in either the grade 9 or grade 10 TAS course.  We will quickly go over the unit on electronics (look at the resources and how they are laid out).  I will then demonstrate how to use TinkerCad (a free online electronics workbench that runs on a web browser) and to give you a resource that you can share with your students so they can learn how to use TinkerCad.  Finally, I will show you how I would use the resources and material and apply it to the TAS curriculum.  Three final TAS Curriculum related assessments will be shared that are related to the unit. This is a resource-based session. (You won’t be building or creating anything, but you will have access to lesson plans, ppt’s, assessments, assignments etc.) Please do not share these resources with your peers if they did not attend the conference.

Part 1 of a double session. 

The primary objective of my session is to demonstrate how visualization software—specifically Blender—can be seamlessly integrated into the Design Process to enhance student creativity and problem-solving. By leveraging a tool with a minimal learning curve and modest hardware requirements, students can quickly begin exploring design concepts, iterating solutions, and producing both 2D and 3D visualizations. This approach empowers learners to engage meaningfully with the design cycle across a range of subject areas, fostering cross-curricular connections without the barriers of expensive software or high-end equipment.

Part 1 of a double session. 

This double session will start with an exploration of electronics and some of the key components that will be used with students in TAS. We will identify physical components and how components can be assembled to make complete circuits using a simulator (Tinkercad) and build and test circuits using breadboards (we will provide 20 breadboard projects for attendees to take home). The project that we will build is connected to the automotive sector and examples of how to incorporate the Engineering Design Process that you can use with your students will be provided. 

This session will also include guided demonstrations of safe soldering and there will be 5 soldering stations available for you to build your free LED flasher kit or the LED Ripple flasher kit that Abra has provided for every attendee. 

Part 2 of a double session. 

The primary objective of my session is to demonstrate how visualization software—specifically Blender—can be seamlessly integrated into the Design Process to enhance student creativity and problem-solving. By leveraging a tool with a minimal learning curve and modest hardware requirements, students can quickly begin exploring design concepts, iterating solutions, and producing both 2D and 3D visualizations. This approach empowers learners to engage meaningfully with the design cycle across a range of subject areas, fostering cross-curricular connections without the barriers of expensive software or high-end equipment.

Discover how ChatGPT and Gemini can become powerful teaching partners for the new Technology and the Skilled Trades curriculum (TAS1O and TAS2O). In this hands-on session, you’ll explore prompt wizards designed for lesson planning, assessment, and student engagement, and learn how to create your own custom GPT or Gemini Gem infused with the TAS curriculum documents. You’ll leave with practical tools, strategies, and ready-to-use resources to save time, align with curriculum expectations, and support student success in Ontario’s technological education classrooms.

This is session will be repeated in Block 2.

Part 2 of a double session. 

This double session will start with an exploration of electronics and some of the key components that will be used with students in TAS. We will identify physical components and how components can be assembled to make complete circuits using a simulator (Tinkercad) and build and test circuits using breadboards (we will provide 20 breadboard projects for attendees to take home). The project that we will build is connected to the automotive sector and examples of how to incorporate the Engineering Design Process that you can use with your students will be provided. 

This session will also include guided demonstrations of safe soldering and there will be 5 soldering stations available for you to build your free LED flasher kit or the LED Ripple flasher kit that Abra has provided for every attendee. 

Discover how ChatGPT and Gemini can become powerful teaching partners for the new Technology and the Skilled Trades curriculum (TAS1O and TAS2O). In this hands-on session, you’ll explore prompt wizards designed for lesson planning, assessment, and student engagement, and learn how to create your own custom GPT or Gemini Gem infused with the TAS curriculum documents. You’ll leave with practical tools, strategies, and ready-to-use resources to save time, align with curriculum expectations, and support student success in Ontario’s technological education classrooms.

This is a repeat of the Block 2 Session.

This comprehensive, hands-on workshop introduces the fundamentals of 3D model design and the complete 3D printing workflow. In this workshop, you will become familiar with the free, browser-based Tinkercad software to design and modify 3D models; partake the end-to-end process from digital design to physical output, including optimizing models for successful printing; and understand the critical role of the 3D slicer in preparing your exported design for an additive manufacturing machine, converting your model into the precise printer instructions (G-code). 3D printers will be on-site for small scale fabrication of your designs.

In this session we will explore how to incorporate Computational Thinking concepts and skills as students learn the fundamentals of coding. Our platform will be the Micro:bit Makecode environment (block-based coding) and we will examine various extensions and project ideas. The Engineering Design Process will be used in our student projects and there are so many different options for extensions with this platform. The final projects that we will explore include remote controlled robots and 3D printing parts for the robot to add additional functionality.