Lovejoy High School
Project lead the way
(PLTW)
Principles of
Engineering
(P.o.E.)
Overview
Brooks
2015-2016
Credit: 1 - Tier 3 (Currently)
(Selective College Credit available via qualifying End of Course Exam score.)
Preferred Prerequisites: PLTW Introduction to Engineering Design (IED)
Geometry
Physics (Concurrent enrollment)
Description: Principles of Engineering (PoE) is a Project-Based-Learning (PBL)
Applied Physics course with structure/curriculum developed by Project Lead the
Way (PLTW). PLTW is an organization committed to upgrading and accelerating
the STEM education available to USA students. PLTW courses currently exist in
over 8,000 K-12 schools nationwide.
The PoE course explores the basics of engineering work through both discussion
and construction and exposes students to concepts that they will encounter in a
collegiate engineering program. We then extend these concepts to real-world
application in the form of studying both the many avenues of engineering and
how engineers shape the world around us.
There is a strong emphasis on habitizing the steps of the engineering design
process while developing problem-solving skills. In addition, much of the course
material management will be handled via the Learning Management system,
Canvas, which is a very common learning management system used by many
colleges.
Lovejoy High School
Major Course Highlights:
-
The Engineering Design Process will become second-nature.
Regular practice functioning as a member of a research/production team.
Creating, evaluating, and troubleshooting simple and complex machines.
This year we have the privilege of using a new software tool, Mechanix,
supporting vector and truss analysis which is currently under development in
the Texas A&M Computer Science and Engineering Department.
Georgia Tech MOOC introducing ‘Statics’ (Truss analysis.)
Pursue detail on the many forms of alternative power/energy sources.
Compete for scholarships in an online bridge-building contest.
Use breadboards to evaluate electrical circuits.
Learn a Carnegie-Mellon developed, C++ based programming language.
Finish the year mixing complex machines with software to do work.
GoogleDrive: The Google Suite of tools is utilized as a classroom organization
system documenting assignments/activities/support and fostering online
communication. The school has provided each student with a Google account in
order to access this information.
PLTW Learning Management System (LMS) (Canvas): Canvas is a
common college course management tool of which we will utilize select elements
to build the student familiarity with the system in line with our quest for college
readiness. PLTW provides all their courses in their Canvas LMS.
Student Portfolio: A major emphasis of the year is for each student to
construct an online digital presence displaying their PoE products which they can
maintain going forward as a digital resume of their work. Students may choose to
build this view in Weebly or Wix. This is in addition to the traditional Engineering
Notebook that is to contain extreme detail on each of their activities. The
Engineering Notebook is a critical resource for practicing engineers and is often
cited as valid evidence in legal cases.
Classroom expectations: Come to class every day eager to learn differently.
Actively participate in classroom learning activities and let your curiosity rule.
Be smart and be safe.
Instructor:
Randy Brooks, Room E109
Randy_Brooks@lovejoyisd.net
(469)742-8700