What is PLTW Gateway?
6th Grade primarily uses a curriculum called Design and Modeling. Students discover the design process and develop an understanding of the influence of creativity and innovation in their lives. They are then challenged and empowered to use and apply what they’ve learned throughout the unit to design a therapeutic toy for a child who has cerebral palsy. The curriculum focuses on creating prototypes to solve real-world problems, collaboratively.
7th and 8th Grade primarily use a curriculum called Automation and Robotics. Students are given the opportunity to combine mechanisms with input and output devices to automate the mechanisms. Construction and programming skills are layered, and projects and the problem provide students the opportunity to connect their learning throughout the lessons in the unit. Students take on the role of interns, and work in teams to identify design requirements and create prototypes to meet the needs of clients. They also explore different aspects of automation and robotics, and experience how solving real-life problems involves the teamwork of mechanical engineers, software developers, and electrical engineers.
For more information, click this link or watch the videos below (in English and Spanish)