Program Description: Welcome to Amity Middle School’s Gateway to Technology program. Gateway to Technology is a project-based, hands-on approach to STEM learning that includes both individual and team activities and projects which allow students to use the latest technology for problem solving.
The Gateway to Technology program addresses the interest and energy of middle school students, while incorporating national standards in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This activity-oriented, cutting edge program shows students how technology is used in engineering to solve everyday problems. During the Gateway to Technology experience, students will gain the skills they need to develop, produce, and use products and services. The curriculum relates technology to students’ daily lives. It promotes communication and collaboration by emphasizing a teaming approach in the instructional units. This approach utilizes the strengths of each team member to accomplish the goals of the curriculum.
Gateway to Technology: Design & Modeling (7th Grade). Students apply the design process to solve problems and understand the influence of creativity and innovation in their lives. They work in teams to design and construct various projects while applying the Engineering Design Process, capturing their research and ideas in their engineering notebooks. Using Google SketchUp design software, students create a virtual image of their designs and produce a portfolio to showcase their innovative solutions.
Gateway to Technology: Automation & Robotics (8th Grade). Students trace the history, development, and influence of automation and robotics as they learn about mechanical systems, energy transfer, machine automation, and computer control systems. Students use the VEX Robotics® platform to design, build, and program real-world objects such as traffic lights, toll booths, drag racers, and robotic arms.
Student Responsibilities Students are expected to be in class and in their assigned seat before the appointed time. Students are expected to bring a pencil to class each day and have their Engineering Notebooks in class. Students are to RESPECT other students' right to learn and RESPECT the teacher's right to teach. Students are to be attentive and participate in the learning process. If a student misses class, it is his or her responsibility to follow classroom management procedures to find out what they missed and schedule make-up work. I believe every student in the classroom has an obligation and the ability to behave in an appropriate manner. Rude behavior or misuse of property will not be tolerated. Behavior that interferes with the teaching and learning process in the classroom is not acceptable.
Grading: Students will earn grades through participation in daily activities, individual/team assignments & projects, team work, tests, and their tech notebook. Grades will be distributed through the standard grading scale:
100% - 90% = A
89% - 80% = B
79% - 70% = C
69% - 60% = D
Below 59% = F
Updated grade sheets are usually passed out by teachers on Wednesday and grades can be checked online at any time.
Make-up work for Absences or Incomplete Work: Because of the specialized nature of the programs and activities associated with Gateway to Technology, most work will be completed within the tech classroom. If a student is absent, it is the student’s responsibility to obtain information from the teacher about what type of work was missed and how to best make it up. Make-up will be determined on a case by case basis.
Engineering Notebook: The purpose of an Engineering Notebook is to document, in a time-sequential form, a student’s progress, ideas, notes, sketches, questions, and thoughts. It is evidence of the work the student has completed. If a student is absent, the missing items must be recorded and updated upon return to the classroom by obtaining the information from the teacher or a peer.
Contact: The easiest way to reach me is through email at mike.ludwig@amity.k12.or.us.
I also have a Remind account and periodically send out information regarding upcoming events in class. Class codes for Remind accounts are listed under “contacts” on the class web page.
The class web page includes the syllabus, class calendar, Remind class codes, and general information. It is located at: https://sites.google.com/amity.k12.or.us/mrludwigsstemclass/home