Grandview C-4 has had a long relationship with Project Lead the Way at the secondary level. In fact, Grandview was the first district in the region to incorporate Gateway to Technology (GTT) at the middle school level. This year we are excited about an expansion of that program that will offer Grandview students engaging and relevant experiences in Engineering, BioMedical Sciences, and Computer Science. Although we have always been proud of the GTT courses we have offered our middle school students, the ultimate goal of the GTT program is to introduce students to a variety of career pathways. Our previous offerings focused solely on the engineering pathway. These changes will ensure students are introduced to at least two additional pathways. Although the changes are only taking place at GMS this year, the plan is to make similar changes at MCM in the following year. An overview of the new courses is below.
Medical Detectives
8th Grade students at GMS will be participating in the new Medical Detectives course taught by DeeAnn Moore. In this course students assume the role of a real life medical detective. Students will analyze evidence found at a mock crime scene to learn about genetic testing, DNA, and disease through hands-on projects and labs. While the students have fun solving the mystery they will also be introduced to hundreds of career paths in the medical industry. Did I mention they get to dissect a sheep brain?! Interested students will be able to continue this journey in the BioMedical program that already exists at Grandview High School.
Energy and the Environment
7th grade students at GMS will be participating in the new Energy and the Environment course. This course is also taught by DeeAnn Moore. In this course students will collaborate around energy issues, and work to explore sustainable solutions to energy needs. This is a hands-on course in which students design, model, and evaluate energy solutions. Students who remain interested in the engineering career pathway will be able to continue their studies in the already established PLTW engineering pathway at Grandview High School.
Introduction to Computer Science
8th Grade students at Grandview Middle School will get the opportunity to learn about career opportunities in Computer Science by participating in the new Introduction to Computer Science course. This course is taught by Tynisha Watson. The course focuses on creativity and design while introducing students to computer coding. Students will design and create their own apps using MIT App Inventor. Students who remain interested in this career pathway will be able to continue their studies through Grandview High School's Computer Science course.
Thanks to our Teachers
These changes would not be possible without the dedication, enthusiasm, and time commitment of DeeAnn Moore and Tynisha Watson. Each one of these courses requires rigorous and time consuming training in the summer and a great deal of prep work before students even arrive. If you see DeeAnn and Tynisha please join me in thanking them for their dedication to expanding opportunities for our kids!
Scott Sisemore
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