6th Grade Technology and Engineering Education:

The sixth grade Technology and Engineering class is a nine week course which provides students opportunities to apply the design process to creatively solve problems through the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Design and Modeling curriculum. Students are introduced to the unit problem in the first activity and are asked to make connections to the problem throughout the lessons in the unit. Students learn and utilize methods for communicating design ideas through sketches, solid models, and mathematical models. Students will understand how models can be simulated to represent an authentic situation and generate data for further analysis and observations. Students work in teams to identify design requirements, research the topic, and engage stakeholders. Teams design a toy or game for entertainment, fabricate and test it, and make necessary modifications to optimize the design solution.

The seventh grade Technology and Engineering class is a six week course designed to teach students problem solving and the engineering design process by using the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Flight and Space curriculum and additional projects highlighting aspects of transportation technologies.  The curriculum will reinforce why the design process is important and engage students in hands-on experiences.  Students will learn Newton’s laws of motion and lift, weight, thrust and drag concepts through hands-on activities, such as rockets, hot air balloons and kites to make real world connections to the content. Students will examine the directions of airplane motion: pitch, yaw, and roll, test airfoils on a model jet, and propose modifications to improve the accuracy of the model jet’s flight path. Students will also explore concepts of transportation safety and space exploration through discussion, design, modeling, and testing.

The eighth grade Technology and Engineering class is a twelve week course in which students study areas of STEM including, but not limited to, Robotics, Electronics, Computer Integrated Design, Game Development, and Advanced Manufacturing. Projects and problem solving methods will be a focus with the continued study of engineering, design, modeling, coding, and troubleshooting.  Students will use VEXCode IQ to program robots through various challenges addressing sensor feedback and behaviors. This course will also be enhanced with the newest technologies including 3D printers, laser engravers and CNC routers, along with traditional tools and machines exposing students to a well-rounded experience.  An emphasis is also placed on safety, quality control, processes, evaluation of feedback, and recognition of technological problems to develop solutions.