PLTW

What is Project Lead the Way?

PLTW is a national non-profit organization that partners with schools to implement a curriculum that emphasizes hands-on experiences in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in an effort to prepare students for academic and professional success in these disciplines. PLTW provides rigorous and relevant experiences through activity-, project-, problem-based curriculum that encourages students to explore and learn more than one way to solve problems. While solving problems, students will gain life-long skills in communication, collaboration, critical- thinking, and creativity.

Why is STEM education important?

As the world continues to rapidly change, students need to be prepared to compete in a global economy. According to U.S. Department of Education, students need to know information, but they also need to know what to do with that information. They need to have the knowledge and skills to solve problems, gather evidence, evaluate data, and make sense of the world around them. The knowledge and skills the students obtain in a STEM will allow them to be college and career ready.

Design and Modeling

Students apply the design process to solve problems and understand the influence of creativity and innovation in their lives.

Curriculum

PLTW: Design and Modeling (DM) Course Outline

In this unit, students begin to recognize the value of an engineering notebook to document and capture their ideas. They are introduced to and use the Engineering design process to solve problems and understand the influence that creative and innovative design has on our lives. Students use industry standard 3D modeling software to create a virtual image of their designs. Students will bring their virtual images to life by building and testing their prototypes in a real world setting.

Lesson 1.1 What is Engineering?

Performance Objectives

• Assemble an engineering notebook and a portfolio.

• Explain the relationship between science, technology, engineering and math.

• Distinguish between invention and innovation.

• Describe engineering.

• Explain how engineers participate in or contribute to the invention and innovation of products

Lesson 1.2 Design Process

Performance Objectives

• Describe the design process and how it is used to aid in problem solving.

• Use the design process to solve a technical problem.

• Describe the purpose and importance of working in a team.

• Explain a design brief and apply the concept when using the design process.

• Describe the elements of design and apply this concept to the design process.

• Use a decision matrix to select the best solution to a design problem.

Lesson 1.3 Measurement

Performance Objectives

• Demonstrate the ability to measure accurately with different devices and scales.

• Measure using both the Standard and Metric systems

Lesson 1.4 Sketching and Dimensioning Techniques

Performance Objectives

• Use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometrics to sketch multiple dimensional shapes.

• Recognize and create thumbnail, perspective, isometric, and orthographic sketches.

• Recognize and accurately interpret one and two point perspective drawings.

• Communicate ideas for a design using various sketching methods, notes, and drafting views.

• Dimension an orthographic sketch following the guidelines of dimensioning.

Lesson 1.5 Designing for Production

Performance Objectives

• Create a three-dimensional (3D) model of an object.

• Apply geometric and dimension constraints to design modeled parts.

• Assemble the product using the modeling program.

• Demonstrate the ability to produce various annotated working drawings of a 3D model.

• Identify the difference between a prototype, a model and a mock-up.

• Brainstorm and sketch possible solutions to an existing design problem.