Engineering

All freshmen at CAMS take Introduction to Design and Engineering (IDE), a foundational course from PLTW.

COURSE OVERVIEW:
PLTW Introduction to Design & Engineering (IDE) is an introductory level general Career Technical Education (CTE) high school engineering course in the PLTW Engineering Program. In Introduction to Design & Engineering, students explore engineering tools and apply a common approach to the solution of engineering problems, an engineering design process. Utilizing the activity-project-problem-based (APB) teaching and learning pedagogy, students progress from completing structured activities to solving open-ended projects and problems that require them to plan, document, communicate, and develop other professional skills.

Through both individual and collaborative team activities, projects, and problems, students apply systems thinking and consider various aspects of engineering design including material selection, human-centered design, manufacturability, assembly, and sustainability. Students develop skills in technical representation and
documentation especially through 3D computer modeling using a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) application.  As part of the design process, students produce precise 3D-printed engineering prototypes using an additive manufacturing process. Student-developed testing protocols drive decision-making and iterative design improvements.

To inform the design and problem solutions addressed in IDE, students apply computational methods to inform design by developing algorithms, performing statistical analyses, and developing mathematical models.  Students build competency in professional engineering practices including project management, peer review, and environmental impact analysis as part of a collaborative design team. Ethical issues related to professional practice and product development are also presented.

Unit 1 Design and Problem-Solving
Unit 2 Assembly Design
Unit 3 Thoughtful Product Design
Unit 4 Making Things Move

The units of study that are included in the course are aligned with Next Generation Science Standards; Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Practice (HS); Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts; and Standards for Technological Literacy. Presentations, activities, projects, and problems are
provided directly to the student through a Learning Management System (LMS). Teachers are provided with teacher notes and supplementary materials, including answer keys and instructional videos when appropriate.  The course is planned for a rigorous pace, and it is likely to contain more material than a skilled teacher new to
the course will be able to complete in the first iteration. Building enthusiasm while learning real-world skills related to engineering is a primary goal of the course. Teachers are encouraged to emphasize content that will be fresh and exciting to students, and the course is structured to facilitate local adaptation to a particular group of students’ prior knowledge and experience.

This course has also been developed to include engagement in the arts through the design process. Students will learn to develop and refine their drawings, use written and verbal communication in a variety of forms to convey the meaning of their designs and works, and use the artistic design process to analyze and share feedback on the design choices, impact, and purpose of their products. The revision to the curriculum also includes opportunities to acknowledge and/or incorporate the expertise of diverse communities, their cultures, and their historical and contemporary experiences through culturally relevant topics and activities, real-world problems, and applications appropriate to the engineering and design content.

Principles of Engineering is a full-year course designed to be a high school student’s second exposure to the PLTW Engineering program and is appropriate for students in grades 9-12. In Principles of Engineering, students explore a broad range of engineering disciplines, careers, and solve real-world engineering problems.  This course introduces students to engineering concepts that are applicable to a variety of engineering disciplines and empowers them to develop technical skills through the use of engineering tools such as 3-D modeling software, hands-on prototyping equipment, programming software, and robotics hardware to bring their solutions to life.
Students apply the engineering design process to solve real-world problems across a breadth of engineering fields such as mechanical, robotics, infrastructure, environmental sustainability, and product design and development.  Using PLTW’s activity-, project-, problem-based (APB) instructional approach, students advance from completing structured activities to solving open-ended projects and problems that provide opportunities to develop planning and technical documentation skills, as well as in-demand, transportable skills such as problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and ethical reasoning. The last is particularly important as the course
encourages students to consider the impacts of engineering decisions. Through individual and collaborative team activities, projects, and problems, students create solutions to problems as they practice common engineering design and development protocols, such as experimental design, testing, project management, and peer review.  The following is a summary of the units of study that are included in the course. The course requires a rigorous pace and contains more material than a skilled teacher new to the course will be able to complete in the first iteration. Giving students exposure to various engineering disciplines, developing their enthusiasm for engineering, and understanding the role, impact, and practice of engineering are primary goals of the course.

Principles of Engineering Unit Summary
Unit 1 Product Design and Development
Unit 2 Designing Infrastructure and Developing Sustainability
Unit 3 Mechanical Design
Unit 4 Application of Robotics
 

 

Aerospace Engineering ignites students’ learning in the fundamentals of atmospheric and space flight. Aerospace Engineering is one of the specialization courses in the PLTW Engineering program. The course deepens the skills and knowledge of an engineering student within the context of atmospheric and space flight. Students explore the fundamentals of flight in air and space as they bring the concepts to life by designing and testing components related to flight such as an airfoil, propulsion system, and a rocket. They learn orbital mechanics concepts and apply these by creating models using industry-standard software. They also apply aerospace concepts to alternative applications such as a wind turbine and parachute. Students simulate a progression of operations to explore a planet, including creating a map of the terrain with a model satellite and using the map to execute a mission using an autonomous robot.

The following is a summary of the units of study that are included in the course. The course is aligned with Next Generation Science Standards; Common Core State Standards for Mathematical Practice (HS); Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts; and Standards for Technological Literacy.

The course is planned for a rigorous pace, and it is likely to contain more material than a skilled teacher new to the course will be able to complete in the first iteration. Building enthusiasm while learning real world skills related to the Aerospace industry is a primary goal of the course. Teachers are encouraged to emphasize content that will be fresh and exciting to students, and the course is structured to facilitate local adaptation to a particular group of students’ prior knowledge and experience.

AE Unit Summary

Unit 1 Introduction to Aerospace (28%)

Unit 2 Aerospace Design (29%)

Unit 3 Propulsion (18%)

Unit 4 Alternative Applications (25%)

Digital electronics is the study of electronic circuits that are used to process and control digital signals. In contrast to analog electronics, where information is represented by a continuously varying voltage, digital signals are represented by two discrete voltages or logic levels. This distinction allows for greater signal speed and storage capabilities and has revolutionized the world of electronics.

The major focus of the DE course is to expose students to the design process of combinational and sequential logic design, teamwork, communication methods, engineering standards, and technical documentation.

Utilizing the activity-project-problem-based (APB) teaching and learning pedagogy, students will analyze, design, and build digital electronic circuits. While implementing these designs, students will continually hone their professional skills, creative abilities, and understanding of the circuit design process.

Digital Electronics (DE) is a high school level course that is appropriate for 10th or 11th grade students interested in exploring electronics. Other than their concurrent enrollment in college preparatory mathematics and science courses, this course assumes no previous knowledge.

The following is a summary of the units of study that are included in the course. Activities, projects, and problems are provided to the teacher in the form of student-ready handouts, teacher notes/lesson planning resources, and supplementary materials, including simulations, instructional videos, and online resources as appropriate.

While many students may have been exposed to basic circuits and electricity in a science course, Digital Electronics is typically a unique experience for students because of its focus on understanding and implementing circuit design skills. The course is planned for a rigorous pace, and it is likely to contain more material than a skilled teacher new to the course will be able to complete in the first iteration. Building enthusiasm for rigorous exploration of electronics and circuit design for students is a primary goal of the course.

Engineering Design and Development (EDD) is the capstone course in the PLTW high school engineering program.  It is an open-ended engineering research course in which students work in teams to design and develop an original solution to a well-defined and justified open-ended problem by applying an engineering design process.  Students will perform research to select, define, and justify a problem. After carefully defining the design requirements and creating multiple solution approaches, teams of students select an approach, create, and test their solution prototype. Student teams will present and defend their original solution to an outside panel. While progressing through the engineering design process, students will work closely with experts and will continually hone their organizational, communication and interpersonal skills, their creative and problem-solving abilities, and their understanding of the design process.

Engineering Design and Development is a high school level course that is appropriate for 12th grade students. Since the projects on which students work can vary with student interest and the curriculum focuses on problem solving, EDD is appropriate for students who are interested in any technical career path. EDD should be taken as the final capstone PLTW course since it requires application of the knowledge and skills introduced during the PLTW foundation courses.

The Engineering Design and Development course of study includes:

Engineering Design Processes

• Project Management

• Documenting an Engineering Design Process

• Teamwork and Professional Skills

• Problem Identification and Justification

• Research

• Intellectual Property

• Design Requirements

• Project Proposals

• Design

• Virtual Design and Testing

• Preliminary Design Reviews

• Prototyping

• Testing a Prototype

• Presenting the Process and Results

The structure of Engineering Design and Development is aligned to the Engineering Design Process Portfolio Rubric. Students in this course are encouraged to format their Engineering Design Process Portfolio according to the Components and Elements defined within this rubric.

Student may also wish to capture the Engineering Design Process Portfolio through the online Innovation Portal ePortfolio system. This free collaborative tool allows students to share their work securely with key stakeholders and experts in order to receive feedback throughout the design process.