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The National Science Foundation STEM Guitar Project

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Presentation Schdule

Exploring Innovative STEM Education

Through Guitar Design and Manufacture

Partially Funded Through the National Science Foundation

NSF DUE ATE Grant 0903336

                                                                                                                                      

Hosted by EMP  &  Edmonds Community College

 

Taught by: Mike Aikens Butler County Community College-PA,

Tom Singer-Sinclair Community College-OH,

Steve Brown College of the Redwoods – CA

 

At the completion of this faculty development workshop, participants will have experienced an innovative project based STEM curricula including hands-on experiential learning and cutting edge technology for the day-to-day classroom experience.  The solid body electric guitar project will be introduced as an innovative vehicle for teaching concepts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

 

Sunday –

 

10am – 4:00pm           Room setup — Instructional staff only

·      Equipment and tool inventory

·      Table layout

·      Dust collection – floor covering

·      Materials sorted

·      Kits assembled

·      Purchase list of items

 

Monday-

AM SESSION

 

8:30 – 9:00                  Welcome

·      Introductions and Workshop Overview

·      Administrative Paperwork

o  Attendance Form, Photo Release Form, etc.

9:00 – 9:45                  Guitar Primer – Guitar terminology and history

9:45 – 10:00                Overview of Workbook and Learning Activities – Cost Analysis of Guitar project

10:00 – 10:15  Break

10:15 – 10:45  Guitar Headstock Design  – CAD design software / sketching  demo

10:45 – 12:00 Lab for Headstock Design, 3D Virtual Modeling and Cost Analysis of Guitar

12:00 – 1:00                Lunch

PM SESSION

 

Goal:  Body sculpted, neck and fretboard Glued (back of neck scraped)

1:00 – 1:30                  Shop Orientation, Safety and Component Selection

1:30 – 3:45                  Task 1 – Body Sculpting (optional) – Power planer, rasps & bladder sander

NO FLY ZONE ALERT

Task 2 – Neck – separate from blank, file/sand neck & headstock

NO FLY ZONE ALERT

 

Task 3 – Drill pickup access hole and Jack hole

Task 4 – Glue fret board onto neck

4:00 – 4:30                  Seal body with Bona Seal

5:00 – 5:30                  First application of clear Bona Mega

 

 

Tuesday-

AM SESSION

8:00- 10:00                  Technology & Math activities –   hands on activities for classroom use

10:00 – 10:15               Break

10:15 – 11:15              Science activities…. Waves, chemistry…. hands on activities for classroom use

11:15 – 12:00              Lab for STEM Activities  – Swirl Dipping  Guitars

12:00 – 1:00                Lunch

 

PM SESSION

 

Goal : Fret Board Radiused and finish coats (multiple on Body / Neck)

1:00-1:15                     Second coat of finish on guitar bodies

1:15-1:45                     Drill and install fret dots. (wood available)

1:45-3:00                     Sand 12” radius on fret board, shape/sand neck and headstock.  Apply sealer to fretboard

3:00-3:15                     Fretting demonstration – Swirl Paint Demonstration

3:15 – 5:15                  Fretting (seal fret board and neck before fretting)  & swirl paint bodies

5:15- 5:30                    Apply third coat of finish on body and first coat on neck

 

Wednesday-

AM SESSION

 

8:00-8:30                     Apply last coat of finish to body and neck

8:30-10:00                   Physics/Science Activity –  hands on activities for classroom

10:00-10:15                 Break

10:15 – 12:00  Curriculum development –

How can you incorporate this into your classroom?

12:00 – 1:00                Lunch– soldering Video

Introduction to soldering and electronics wiring harness

 

PM SESSION

Goal : Fretting and  wiring harness

1:00 – 2:00                  Complete Fretting and Install side markers.

2:00-2:15                     Fret Leveling demonstration

2:15- 5:30                    Fret Leveling and Install Hardware on body

Thursday-

AM SESSION

 

8:00 – 9:00                  Participant-centered discussion of newly developed learning activities

9:00 – 10:00                Networking and Learning Activity Development  – how to implement

10:00-10:15                 Break

10:15 – 11:30              Intonation and guitar setup Powerpoint

11:30-12:30                 Lunch  Video – Fender, Gibson , PRS  Plant tours

 

PM SESSION

 

Goal – Guitar Shaped objects!

1:00-1:30                     Hardware installation demonstration

1:30 – 3:00                  Solder wiring harness and install electronics

3:00 – 4:00                  Neck and string installation demonstration

4:00 – 5:30                  Attach Neck and string guitar

 

Friday- – ROCK STAR FRIDAY

AM SESSION

 

8:00 – 8:30                  Breakfast

8:30 – 9:00                  Distribute Materials to Support Activities

9:00 – 10:00                Intonation and tuning

10:00-10:15                 Break

10:15 – 12:00              Set-up, intonation and tuning

12:00 – 1:00                Lunch

PM SESSION

 

1:00 – 1:30                  Evaluation

1:30-2:00                     Group Picture – Jam

2:00 – ?                        Finish guitar set-up

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Updates

STEM Guitar Project Status Update from Principal Investigator, Tom Singer
 

 

© 2025 STEM Guitar Project

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