[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]PLTW
CAS Elementary, Middle and High Schools has improved the strength of its STEAM
program by implementing Project Lead the Way (PLTW) in K-12 th grade for the first time in the
2018-19 school year. PLTW is a non-profit organization that provides a transformative
learning experience for K-12 students and teachers across the U.S. Coral Academy believe
that providing researched based curriculum opportunities for all our students will help ensure
that more of our students continue to take STEM classes in high school and in college. This
program offers a hands-on curriculum that aligns with the Nevada Academic Content
Standards. We believe a program of this caliber will help fully engage all students in our STEM
curriculum. Project Lead the Way describes itself as being a curriculum that empowers
students to develop and apply in-demand, transportable skills by exploring real-world
challenges. The result is that PLTW students outperform their peers in school, are better
prepared for post-secondary studies, and are more likely to consider STEM related careers
compared to their non-PLTW peers. Students find PLTW programs relevant, inspiring,
engaging, and foundational to their future success
Coral Academy Middle School will offer several PLTW modules in 2018-2019, and hopes
to continually add additional modules in to the curriculum. In the 2018-2019 year the
following PLTW courses are offered at Coral Academy Middle School:
Design and Modeling: Students are introduced to the design process and have multiple
opportunities to practice the design process. Examples of challenges are creating an
ankle foot orthosis, solving a foam puzzle, and designing a wooden cube puzzle.
Students also learn how to draw isographic and multiview sketches to present their
designs. Their final challenge is to design a toy for a child with cerebral palsy.
Science of Technology: Students apply the concepts of physics, chemistry, and
nanotechnology to STEM activities and projects, including making ice cream, cleaning up
an oil spill, and discovering the properties of nano-materials. After learning about simple
machines, students work together to create a class Rube Goldberg machine.
Medical Detectives: Students play the role of real-life medical detectives as they analyze
test results to diagnose disease. They solve medical mysteries through hands-on
projects and labs, investigate how to measure and interpret vital signs, and learn how
the systems of the human body work together to maintain health. The final project is to
diagnose a patient with a mysterious neurological disease and confirm that result.
Computer Science for Innovators and Makers: Throughout the unit, students learn
about programming by blending hardware design and software development, allowing
students to discover computer science concepts and skills by creating projects with the design process. Most projects are centered around the micro:bit, with a strong focus on
teaching students how to collaborate. The final project is to create a micropet, a
creature made from recycle materials and can speak, walk, or do other actions.
App Creators: This unit exposes students to computer science as a means of
computationally analyzing and developing solutions to authentic problems through
mobile app development, and conveys the positive impact of the application of
computer science to other disciplines and to society. Students build apps using the MIT
App Inventor, such as apps for identifying food types, navigation, and disease tracking.
For additional information about the PLTW program, please visit their website:
www.pltw.org.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
