Project Lead the Way
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Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Pathway to Engineering™ program offers a dynamic curriculum where students experience real-world hands-on learning. RV students interested in pursuing a career in engineering, biomechanics, aeronautics, or another applied math/science area are encouraged to participate in the PLTW program. PLTW Pathway To Engineering™ is a four-year course of study combining our current math and science Honors/ AP level courses with PLTW electives. The PLTW courses satisfy the Career and Vocational-Technical Education (VOC) graduation requirement. The end-of-course assessments are designed by Project Lead the Way using a common standard for high school students. The two-part 90-minute exam is administered over two days and contains short answer, factual questions and hands-on course content application using math and English Language Arts skills. Students receiving a 70% or above on the Part C of the test, an 85% average for the course, and have completed their portfolio may be awarded college credit. Students enrolled in the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) Pathway to Engineering™ program may be required to participate in a project-based summer enrichment program. RV students successfully completing the four year program may be eligible for preferential admission to schools of engineering in addition to financial support. All courses are 18 weeks in length. Courses are open to individuals not enrolled in the PLTW program as electives provided seats are available and pre-requisites are met by the student. Please note that acceptance into PLTW does not guarantee necessarily enrollment in the program courses due to possible scheduling conflicts with other elective and/or required courses. Students are advised to select an alternate course when submitting their course request form. Courses INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING DESIGN – 731 (Honors) Grade Level: 9-12 Credits: 5 Length: 18 weeks Prerequisite: A grade of B or above in Algebra I 189 or equivalent Freshmen enrollment in this course is based upon an evaluation of 8th grade science grades and performance on the RV Science Assessment. Co-requisite: Geometry 218 Introduction to Engineering Design fulfills the Career and Vocational-Technical Education (VOC) graduation requirement. This introductory course focuses upon problem-solving skills with an emphasis on the development of three-dimensional solid models. Students use computer CAD software to produce, analyze, and evaluate models of project solutions. Students learn the history of the design process before developing and documenting their own engineering design portfolios. The course presents sketching and visualization techniques based upon the relationships related to forms and shapes, geometric constraints, the Cartesian coordinate system and the origin plane. Students apply communication techniques to develop presentation aids after studying manufacturing design, process planning, trends in automated manufacturing, materials procurement, handling, cost analysis, quality control, manpower and facility requirements, product cost analysis & packaging requirements. Students are highly encouraged to enroll in the Robotics course as part of the PLTW curriculum. PRINCIPLES OF ENGINEERING – 733 (Honors) Grade Level: 10-12 Credits: 5 Length: 18 weeks Prerequisite: Introduction to Engineering Design and a grade of B or above in Geometry 218 Co-requisite: Algebra II 203 Principles of Engineering fulfills the Career and Vocational-Technical Education (VOC) graduation requirement. This course provides an overview of engineering technology by tackling real-world design problems. Students learn how engineers working in teams develop products. The course includes a study of mechanical, electrical, fluid and pneumatic and control systems, scalars and vectors, linear and projectile motion, equilibrium, structural analysis, and strength of materials. Students learn about units and forms of energy, energy conversion, cycles, efficiency, energy loss, and conservation techniques. Discussions will address reliability, redundancy, risk analysis, factors of safety, liability, and ethics. DIGITAL ELECTRONICS – 732 (Honors) Grade Level: 10,11 Credits: 5 Length: 18 weeks Prerequisite: Digital Electronics and B or above in Algebra II 203 Co-requisite: Pre-Calculus 222 and Physics 281 or AP Physics 280 Digital Electronics fulfills the Career and Vocational-Technical Education (VOC) graduation requirement. This course introduces students to applied digital logic through an exploration of the smart circuit. Students design circuits to solve problems and export their designs to a printed circuit auto-routing program that generates printed circuit boards appropriate to build their designs. COMPUTER INTEGRATED MANUFACTURING – 734 (Honors) Grade Level: 11, 12 Credits: 5 Length: 18 weeks Prerequisite: Principles of Engineering and B or above in Pre-Calculus 222 Co-requisite: AP Calculus 223 and Physics 281 or AP Physics 280 Computer Integrated Manufacturing fulfills the Career and Vocational-Technical Education (VOC) graduation requirement. This course teaches the fundamentals of computerized manufacturing technology building on the solid-modeling skills developed in the Introduction to Engineering design course. Students use computer software to solve design problems and use prototyping equipment to produce 3-D models. Topics of study include parts modeling, prototyping, computer numerical control (CNC), robotics, and CIM system applications. ENGINEERING DESIGN & DEVELOPMENT – 735 (Honors) Grade Level: 11, 12 Credits: 5 Length: 18 weeks Prerequisite: Computer Integrated Manufacturing Recommended: Statistics 230 Engineering Design & Development fulfills the Career and Vocational-Technical Education (VOC) graduation requirement. This culminating capstone research course requires students to formulate the solution to an open-ended engineering question. Students work in teams with a local Lockheed-Martin engineer to design and build solutions to authentic engineering problems. Students keep journals of notes, sketches, mathematical calculations, and scientific research. Teams must present their final research paper and defend their projects to a panel of engineers, business leaders, and educators for professional review and feedback. |
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