Expanding Elementary STEM Programs

During the 2015-2016 school year 5th grade students at Belvidere Elementary participated in a pilot of the Project Lead the Way Launch (PLTW) program. PLTW Launch is a Project Based STEM curriculum that introduces students to career paths in Engineering, Computer Science, and the Biomedical Sciences. This year 5th grade students at Meadowmere and Butcher-Greene are joining in the fun. 5th grade students in these three buildings will be participating in the following PLTW modules as a part of their science curriculum this year.

1. Infection Detection- Students explore transmission of infection, agents of disease, and mechanisms the body uses to stay healthy. Through a simulation, they compare communicable and non-communicable diseases. In the design problem, Suzi comes down with a fever and sore throat, and her friends wonder how this illness might have spread across the school. Students tackle the design problem by examining evidence to deduce the agent of infection, the likely source of the outbreak, and the path of transmission through a school. They design and run an experiment related to limiting the spread of germs and apply results to propose appropriate prevention methods.
2. Stability and Motion-  Students explore simple machines such as wheel and axles, levers, the inclined plane, and more. They investigate the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces on the motion of an object. Angelina, Mylo, and Suzi go on a field trip to the zoo and are faced with the design problem of how to rescue a trapped tiger. Students then apply their knowledge of forces and devise a way to rescue a heavy zoo animal while keeping it safe throughout the process.
3. Energy Collisions- Students explore the properties of mechanisms and how they change energy by transferring direction, speed, type of movement, and force. Students discover a variety of ways potential energy can be stored and released as kinetic energy. They explain the relationship between the speed of an object and the energy of that object, as well as predict the transfer of energy as a result of a collision between two objects. The design problem is introduced by Angelina, Mylo, and Suzi watching amusement park bumper cars collide. As students solve the problem for this module, they apply their knowledge and skills to develop a vehicle restraint system.
4. Robotics and Automation-  Students explore the ways robots are used in today’s world and their impact on society and the environment. Students learn about a variety of robotic components as they build and test mobile robots that may be controlled remotely. Angelina, Mylo, and Suzi are tasked with designing a mobile robot that can remove hazardous materials from a disaster site. Students are then challenged to design, model, and test a mobile robot that solves this design problem.

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Each PLTW Launch Module requires students to collaborate around a design problem and work together, problem solve, and create solutions for that problem. Students who become interested in the three career pathways offered through PLTW have opportunities to further explore those fields through programs available at GMS, MCM, and GHS.

​Tyler Stolberg (BV), Samantha Dane (BG), and Peter Norgren (MM) are leading the program in their respective buildings. They have done a lot of hard work to train and prepare in order for their students to be able to benefit from these great activities. In addition, Mr. Stolberg and Diane DeLaTorre, our district PLTW Launch Trainers, have done an incredible job of training and supporting our two new PLTW Launch Teachers. Please join me in thanking all four for their hard work to make this opportunity available for our students. If you would like to learn more about PLTW Launch just click here.

Scott Sisemore