Payne Junior High School



Payne Junior High School

8th Grade Engineering Elective

Project Lead the Way

Mr. Nedow

Website:

Email: nedow.eric@

Phone: (480)224-2439

What Is PLTW?:

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) prepares students to be the most innovative and productive leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and to make meaningful, pioneering contributions to our world. PLTW partners with middle schools and high schools to provide a rigorous, relevant STEM education. Through an engaging, hands-on curriculum, PLTW encourages the development of problem-solving skills, critical thinking, creative and innovative reasoning, and a love of learning. The PLTW middle and high school STEM education programs give students a brighter future by providing them with a foundation and proven path to college and career success in STEM-related fields. STEM education is at the heart of today’s high-tech, high-skill global economy. For America to remain economically competitive, our next generation of leaders must develop the critical-reasoning and problem-solving skills that will help make them the most productive in the world. PLTW sparks the ingenuity, creativity, and innovation within all of our students.

Course Outline:

Project Lead the Way’s cutting-edge program addresses the interest and energy of middle school students, while incorporating national standards in math, science and technology. PLTW is "activity oriented" to show students how technology is used in engineering to solve everyday problems. The instructional units excite and motivate students to use their imaginations and teach them to be creative and innovative, while gaining the skills they need to develop, produce and use products and services.

Materials Used:

• Project Lead the Way has a variety of lessons that were designed by both teachers and professors in the engineering field of study.

• Various NASA flight simulator software

Materials Needed:

• 1” Binder (Engineering Notebook), Pencils, and FLASH DRIVE

• EXTRA CREDIT: 1 ream of paper or 1 tissue box (Maximum of 4 please)

Focused Topics:

Quarter #1: -Energy and the Environment, Basic Electronics, Nanotechnology & Simple Machines

Energy Unit: Students investigate the importance of energy in our lives and the impact that using energy has on the environment. They design and model alternative energy sources and participate in energy expos to demonstrate energy concepts and innovative ideas. Students evaluate ways to reduce energy consumption through energy efficiency and waste management techniques. Basic Electronics Unit: Through hands-on projects, students explore the science of electricity, the behavior and parts of atoms, circuit design and sensing devices. Students acquire knowledge and skills in basic circuitry design and explore the impact of electricity on our lives. Nanotechnology/GPS Unit: Students will understand the world of nanotechnology through hands–on activities related to this up and coming field of engineering. They will also explore the Global Positioning System and participate in a real outdoor Geocache/scavenger hunt on the school property. Simple Machines Unit: Students will wrap up the quarter by exploring how simple machines work by creating their own Rube Goldberg contraptions.

Quarter #2: -Flight and Space

Flight and Space Unit: Students will study the history of aerospace through hands-on activities, research and a presentation in the form of an infomercial. Students explore the science behind aeronautics and use their knowledge to design, build and test various flying machines. Also, simulation software is used to expose students to traveling and living in space. They will use their knowledge of aerospace engineering to create their own air compressed dragster cars along with compressed water rockets.  

Grading Policy:

The Project Lead the Way course will be graded on the various projects, class work and occasional homework that will be given out throughout the semester.

Late Work Policy:

Homework/class work will only be accepted 1 day after the due date for a 50% reduction in grade. After the 1 day, there will be no credit given for that assignment. All late assignments must be hand delivered to Mr. Nedow for review.

Make-Up Assignments/Tests/Labs:

Students will only be given the same number of days that they were absent to make up the work that they missed.

Grading Scale:

97 – 100% = A+ 83 – 86% = B 70 – 72% = C- 59% or Lower = F

93 – 96% = A 80 – 82% = B- 67 – 69% = D+

90 – 92% = A- 77 – 79% = C+ 63 – 67% = D

87 – 89% = B+ 73 - 76% = C 60 – 62% = D-

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I have read this PLTW syllabus for Mr. Nedow’s classroom and understand what is expected of my son/daughter!

Parent Signature _______________________

I have read this PLTW syllabus for Mr. Nedow’s classroom and understand what is expected of me as a student!

Student Signature_______________________

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download