Academy

List of 16 items.

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  Engineering & Robotics I

  Engineering and robotics 1 students will be introduced to Computer Aided Design(CAD), 3D printing, laser cutting, and fabrication processes through a project based learning structure. After developing sufficient skills, students will build and program Tetrix style robots to compete in a classroom competition composed of autonomous and tele-op challenges in small teams against classmates, it is a lot of fun and requires no previous engineering experience. The last quarter of the semester focuses on producing an independent engineering project which incorporates the CAD and fab skills students have learned throughout the semester.
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  Engineering & Robotics II

  Engineering and Robotics II is designed to reinforce and further develop students’ design and fabrication skills. Early in the semester students practice and refresh 2D/3D CAD and Fab skills through mini projects such as building a mini solar powered light box, students also begin learning and practicing metalworking skills with a mini mill and lathe project which requires understanding and proper use of a range of large and small machine shop tools. Students will build and program Arduino robots as well as underwater exploratory robots to experience a variety of robotics mechanical and programming platforms. The last quarter of the semester focuses on producing an independent engineering project which incorporates the CAD and fab skills students have learned throughout the semester
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  Engineering III: Industrial Design

  Engineering III Industrial Design continues development of Design Thinking in conjunction with increasingly sophisticated fabrication techniques. Students continue to develop technical skills such as advanced computer-aided design and drafting, advanced prototype fabrication, as well as final product finishing and presentability. Students broaden their design methods with product planning, cost analysis, visual statistics, material properties, manufacturing methods, and consumer psychology.
  This course is designed in part to give students both introductory theory and hands-on experience in a fast-paced, rigorous, multi-disciplinary class that provides a spectrum of skills in programming and operating CNC machining equipment. Emphasis is placed on understanding the underlying practices, with special emphasis on work set up and machine operation. Students analyze job orders, drawings, blueprints, specifications, and design data to calculate dimensions, tool selection, machine speeds, and feed rates, as well as observe machines on trial runs or conduct computer simulations to ensure that programs and machinery will function properly and produce items that meet specifications. Students learn to enter computer commands to store or retrieve parts patterns, graphic displays, or programs that transfer data to other media, and modify existing programs to enhance efficiency. Other aspects of the class include drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment — Providing documentation, detailed instructions, drawings, or specifications to tell others about how devices, parts, equipment, or structures are to be fabricated, constructed, assembled, modified, maintained, or used.
  This project based class provides students with the tools to take creativity to an elevated technical level.  
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  Engineering IV: Electric Vehicle

  Engineering 4 EVT (Electric Vehicle Team) challenges engineering students to research, design, build, and operate an electric vehicle. The class is a carefully structured to be a deeply meaningful learning experience through an applied approach (theory-to-practice) to sustainable transportation. Students are introduced to Electric Vehicle Propulsion Systems to provide practical training in the theory and design of battery-powered electric systems. Topics include the rationale for electric vehicles, safety, battery technologies, basic battery testing, electric machine (motor) types, electric machine operation, power management, power inverters, DC converters, and accessory systems. Students apply their new knowledge and skills in combination with design, fabrication and coding skills mastered in Engineering 1, 2 and 3 to achieve this creative and innovative goal.
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  Engineering V: Advanced Engineering Projects

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  Product Design for Sustainable Entrepreneurship

  Global Sustainability by Design
  Product Design for Sustainable Entrepreneurship is an interdisciplinary course that prepares students to build a better world through design and entrepreneurship. Students will use the principles of design and design software and technology to create products that help address a real-world problem. They will learn how to develop an entrepreneurial mindset while championing an idea. Some of the questions students will explore are: Why is culture and place important when designing for sustainability? What kinds of responsibilities does a designer and entrepreneur have to an audience, a consumer, and the environment? How can design inspire positive action?

  While working on projects connected with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, students will expand their understanding and practice of visual art. Application of the Elements and Principles of Design along with design process and thinking will provide a foundation for all student work. Techniques and concepts related to foundational drawing, 3d and sculptural design will be developed/understood through traditional and emergent technologies. The use of CAD and 3d modeling combined with rapid prototype machines such as 3d printers, laser cutters and CNC routers will facilitate student understanding of the relationship between process and product. Students will practice reading, writing, presentation, and critical thinking, with a focus on formulating a thesis with clear supportive evidence.
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  Science and Engineering for Sustainability

  Global Sustainability by Design
  Science and Engineering for Sustainability is an interdisciplinary course that prepares students to build a better world through sustainable engineering challenges. Students will use the design process to fabricate design solutions (ex. windmills, solar charging stations, etc.) that serve a real-world problem that they identify in their communities. Students will explore questions such as: How can the scientific process help us engineer a sustainable future? How can curiosity and experimentation lead to innovative and enduring work?

   

  While working on projects connected with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, students will deepen their understanding of the scientific processes by identifying sustainability problems, performing proper research, formulating hypotheses, gathering data, analyzing, forming conclusions, and re-evaluating. They will practice reading, writing, presentation, and critical thinking, with a focus on formulating a thesis with clear supportive evidence.
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  Place, Perspective, and Partnership

  Global Sustainability by Design
  Place, Perspective, and Partnership is a trans-disciplinary course that prepares students to build a better world through research and storytelling. Students will use interviews, historical inquiry, and systems thinking to strengthen written and oral communication skills and to challenge their definitions of storytelling. By reading the world through an analytical, critical, and empathetic lens, students will develop a deep understanding of place and community perspectives. 
  
  While working on projects connected with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, students will expand their understanding of textual analysis, broadening their definition of art and storytelling. Students will develop a class community to practice reading, writing, presentation, and critical thinking skills, with a focus on formulating a thesis with clear supportive evidence that analyzes a central argument. Finally, students will be empowered to address global stories, conflicts, and challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice. 
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  Reclaimed Woodcraft

  Reclaimed woodcraft offers students opportunities to learn higher level woodworking skills through the process of reclaiming discarded materials. Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value is one of the class cornerstones.
  
  

  Students visit various sites, such as Rocky Hill, to harvest discarded raw materials such as wood pallets to be brought to the wood shop for projects. Students use design thinking and the design process to apply woodworking techniques and processes to reclaimed materials for the fabrication of assorted products using a full shop of hand and power tools in a safe manner.
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  Hawaiian Voyaging, Ka Halawai Hou

  Wayfinding is a way of understanding not just the external world of wind, waves, stars and the creatures of air and sea, but of understanding one's internal world as well. It is a way of navigating one's life journey. 
  
  This course will introduce the basic skills and concepts of Hawaiian Voyaging. Students will have opportunities both indoors and outdoors to learn the foundations of wayfinding, cultural protocols, seamanship skills, and the history of Polynesian Voyaging in the Pacific. Throughout the course there will be several opportunities to be on the water sailing a double hulled voyaging canoe. *Although it is recommended to start with Ka Halawai Hou, students can take both semester courses, Ka Halawai Hou and Na Kelamoku independently.
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  Hawaiian Voyaging, Na Kelamoku

  In this course, students will engage in hands-on, project based activities that focus on developing their seamanship skills and wayfinding techniques. Multiple off campus trips will occur utilizing both Punahou?s paddling canoes and sailing canoe.

  
  

  Wayfinding is a way of understanding not just the external world of wind, waves, stars and the creatures of air and sea, but of understanding one's internal world as well. It is a way of navigating one's life journey. As Nainoa Thompson put it when he made the connection between Odysseus and the ancient Polynesians, the navigator becomes "the ultimate problem solver who learns the importance of home and the necessity of finding accord with one's fellow humans and environment.
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  Hawaiian Voyaging, Na Ho`okele Wa`a

  This course can only be taken after satisfactory completion of both semester courses, Ka Halawai Hou and Na Kelamoku or significant service demonstrated in the voyaging club.
  
  This course builds upon the lessons learned in the previous semester courses by giving students opportunities to be both crew and leadership on land and at sea on our canoes. Students will put their skills into practice by sharing their knowledge with underclassmen, and the broader Punahou community. They will also engage in learning more about the design, rigging techniques, fabrication and maintenance needed to keep our canoes sailing into the future.
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  AR Explorations

  In this explorations course students will learn to create immersive augmented reality experiences using the Unity development platform.  Students will tell stories and learn through the development of AR applications that will be deployed to mobile devices and can be used anywhere in the world.  The only limitations are your creativity and imagination as we learn to design enriching digital content that makes the world around us come to life.  Reach back into the past and see history, help others learn about the present or even show what our future may hold.  All these possibilites and many more await those who learn to use AR to see the world around them in this exciting course.
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  Intro to Computer Science

  Students gain an understanding of fundamental concepts of computer science by exploring web design and creating 2D programmatic art. They also learn computational thinking skills such as collaboration, iterative design, and developing critical thinking by debugging code. This is a one-semester course designed to prepare students for further computer science study. No previous coding experience is required.
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  AP Computer Science

  This course is an introduction to the intellectual enterprises of computer science and the art of programming. By focusing on critical thinking and problem solving skills, the course offers creative problem sets based on forensics, biology, finance, game design and cybersecurity topics, and students must find the appropriate solutions through rigorous testing and iterative design. The course also involves an independent programming project of the student’s choice. The course covers the fundamentals of programming such as abstraction, encapsulation, data structures, security and software engineering, and provides an excellent foundation for any of the other computer science courses at Punahou. Previous programming experience is not required. However, willingness to work hard, collaborate with others and ask for help when necessary will greatly help students to succeed in this course.
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  Advanced Topics in Computer Science

  Building upon the foundations learned in AP Computer Science, students continue their learning by being introduced to one of the hot topics in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence.  From creating a computer AI to play against you in tic-tac-toe, having an AI find its way out of a maze, recognizing handwriting, to discovering the shortest distance from your location to the nearest hospital; AI has and will continue to revolutionize modern society. This course will explore these concepts as well as Neural Networks, Image Recognition, and Machine Learning. Through hands-on projects, students will use python to solve real problems, and have experience using standard libraries that will help them solve problems of their own.
   
  Prerequisite - AP Computer Science