My summer at Ply Gem will be perfect for the seventh grade Science Curriculum, that is as long as it doesn’t change too much in the next month or so, and if it does, lol, so will I!
I am learning tons of great things, as I have the pleasure of watching some amazing people work in a lean manufacturing facility. This plant has ZERO waste! The actual Plant has no waste all is reused in the plant, or sold to a recycling company to be up cycled into other things, like alternative fuel sources . I hate to admit it but my family of 6 actually wastes more than this factor that is producing thousands of pounds of Polypropylene products daily. (Polypropylene is a really cool chemical compound used to make durable plastics) Which is coincidentally one of the things I will be taking back with me, I am almost finished with a unit on Stewardship. This unit talks about Human Impact on Earth, and changes that we can all make. This was not the lesson that I envisioned when I first visited the sight, it is actually a fun bonus.
My initial plan was to create an interactive lesson showing how Simple Machines, can grow into amazing complex machines. Ply Gem has 32 injection molding presses, and is heavy laden with all sorts of really cool robots! My kids will love it. I am crazy busy asking tons of questions, and filming videos to use in class.
I have also been blessed with the amazing opportunity to work with Dr, Laura Bottomley, an Engineer in the Education Department at NC State, she is graciously sharing a few ideas with me in an attempt to implement a true “Engineering” component to my classroom.
Currently I have two pretty amazing units that I have began to work on. These units will cover around four weeks of my instructional time, even more if I can stretch it out and get the field trip that I am hoping for!
One of many recycling sites at Ply Gem. Notice how clean it is, the floor by my trash can in class has far more trash on it!
This is a Rethermalization unit. In normal language, it takes the harmful bi-products (VOC’S) created in the manufacturing process here and turns them into an environmentally safe way to heat. Rethermalization is one of many lean processes here at Ply Gem