Welcome to Mrs. Kathy Starr’s Gateway to Technology Class

What is GTT? GTT (Gateway to Technology) Incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Activity oriented Project based-learning/hand-on approach Promotes teamwork, collaboration and communication Challenging COURSE DESCRIPTION: The Gateway To Technology® (GTT) cutting-edge program addresses the interest and energy of middle school students, while incorporating national standards in mathematics, science, and technology. GTT is “activity oriented” to show students how technology is used in engineering to solve everyday problems in units of study. There are currently four instructional units that excite and motivate students to use their imaginations and teach them to be creative and innovative, while gaining the skills they need to develop, produce, and use products and services.   The GTT curriculum provides project-based learning—a hands-on approach--that is exciting and fun for the full-range of students in today’s grade 6–8 classrooms and that relates technology to students’ daily lives. It also promotes communication and collaboration by emphasizing a teaming approach in the instructional units. This approach utilizes the strengths of each team member to accomplish the goals of the project, while offering students learning challenges at all ability levels. The mathematics, science, and technology integrated GTT program helps students develop and hone skills in middle school that enable them to enter the high school program with foundation knowledge and skills for success in Pre-Engineering and Science.

It also allows students to reinforce, apply and transfer their knowledge in Math, Science and other core areas to a variety of interesting and relevant hands-on activities.

The following units will be covered : Unit 1: Design and Modeling Topics: What is engineering? Design process Measurement Sketching and dimensioning techniques Designing for production This unit begins with students learning how to create and use an engineering notebook. They will use the engineering notebook throughout the GTT course. Students will complete one of six career activities. The course provides one career activity option for each of the six units. In Lesson 1 What is Engineering? students learn the steps of the Design Process and how to use the Design Process to solve problems. Lessons 1 and 2 of this unit should be the first course material covered with students, regardless of what unit is taught first. In Lesson 3 Measuring, students practice using historical and current techniques for measuring in both metric and customary systems and are introduced to precision measuring tools. Lesson 4, Sketching and Dimensioning, teaches students to identify and create thumbnail, perspective, isometric, and orthographic sketches and to dimension them correctly. In Lesson 5 Designing for Production, students use Autodesk® Inventor® to learn how to create 3D models. Students will complete all steps of the Design Process while solving the Playground Design Problem.

Unit 2: Science of Technology Applied Chemistry Nanotechnology Applied Physics This unit begins with Lesson 1 Applied Chemistry, where students will have the opportunity to solve problems similar to those that a chemical engineer would experience. Students will make and test the characteristics of ice cream or yogurt. Then they will make and test the qualities of glue. Finally, students will clean up an oil spill. Lesson 2 Nanotechnology will teach students how to manipulate objects at the nano scale and how material properties change at this scale. Students will identify how nanotechnology impacts electronics, materials, manufacturing, energy, environment, health, medicine, national security, and space exploration to name a few. In Lesson 3 Applied Physics, students will identify simple machines and determine their appropriate use and mechanical advantage. They will learn about energy, energy conservation, and potential and kinetic energy by designing, building, and testing a model roller coaster. Students will then learn about systems and subsystems and have the opportunity to create one of the following products: Rube Goldberg device, Dragster, or VEX Amusement Park Ride.

Unit 3: Automation and Robotics What is automation and robotics? Mechanical systems Automated systems Unit Overview This unit begins with students understanding what robots are used for and the effect they have on our lives. Students will experience how a robot receives information through various sources. Students will complete one of six career activities. The course content provides one career activity option for each of the six units. In Lesson 2 Mechanical Systems, students use VEX components to create mechanical systems and determine their purpose and real-world use. In Lesson 3, Automated Systems, students will use VEX components and ROBOTC programming language to build, model, and test solutions to automated problems.

Unit 4: Magic of Electrons What is electricity. Electronics. Digital electronics. Unit Overview Magic of Electrons begins with Lesson 1 What is Electricity? In this lesson students will learn the difference between a conductor and an insulator, how to measure current, voltage, and resistance, and how to convert energy into electricity. Students will design and build models of an electromagnet, a DC motor, and a generator. In Lesson 2 Electronics, students will learn how to model an electrical circuit using Snap Circuits. They will learn how to identify electrical components by their symbols and how to create and read a schematic diagram. Students will breadboard, test, and build a night light circuit. Lesson 3 Digital Electronics introduces students to the digital world of cell phones, computers, MP3 devices, and many other modern conveniences that rely on binary digits and logic gates. Students will solve several logic problems using Snap Circuits.

II-Class Expectations: 1.) Follow directions the first time they are given. 2.) Be on time to class. 3.) Bring materials. 4.) Keep on task. 5.) There will be no rude language or profanity.   CLASSROOM RULES: Be seated and silent before the tardy bell rings. I will usually have an assignment already posted that you will need to begin working on immediately. Tardies will be documented and reported to the office for after school detention. You will also be required to fill out the Tardy Log completely. ~1st tardy is a warning. Any subsequent tardy is automatically assigned after school detention. Restroom privileges are limited to 6 per nine weeks period. ~Please do not ask to go to the restroom the first or last 10 minutes of the class period. Participate actively and work cooperatively with others. Please raise your hand if you have a question or would like to respond to a question. On a similar note, only one person talks at any given time. Come prepared to class each day with all necessary materials (pencil, pen, notebook, planner, etc.). Students who have an activated or visible pager and/or cell phone or students who have a pager and/or cell phone that causes a disruption during class time shall be subject to predetermined disciplinary consequences outlined in the STISD Telecommunication Devices Policy. Printing of non-school related material is not allowed. This includes song lyrics, pictures, emails, etc. Caps are not to be worn in class. All students’ handbook rules, regulations, and dress code policies apply in this class. EXPECTATIONS OF BEHAVIOR: Be silent and respectful at all times to your teacher, classmates, and any visitors. This means no harassment, put-downs, or profanity of any kind. Show proper knowledge, trust, and responsibility in the manipulation and management of information and data from the computer. Any attempt to use, alter, or damage another students’ work will not be tolerated. More so, printing and turning in your work for another student, using someone else’s file, sending attachments via e-mail to use as your own will result in zeros being given to both parties as well as a student, parent/guardian, and teacher conference. All assignments will be saved to your network and flash drive. Nothing is to be saved on the computer. Check your computer at the beginning of every class period and report any damages or malfunctions as soon as possible. Failure to do so may result in you being held liable for the damages. Be responsible and maintaining a clean work area. Absolutely no food or drinks in the lab. There will be no free time on the Internet. Any non-school related online activities such as checking email (yahoo, hotmail, etc.), playing games, streaming audio/video, and chatting will not be allowed and may be subject to an after school detention. Please no sleeping in class or putting your head down. If you are feeling ill, please notify me so that I can send you to the Health Center for evaluation.

Students must also comply with STPA technology use guidelines (available in the student’s handbook) and the Lab Safety procedures.

IV- Textbook: Technology Interactions Engineering Graphics Essentials Modeling with Inventor 2010 Gateway to Engineering 2010 Autodesk Inventor 2011

V-Grading: 50% Daily work (Participation, Lab work, etc) 30% Tests 20% Quizzes Grading System 100- 90 = A 79-70= C 89- 80 = B 69 and below is failing

VI- Retesting Nine Weeks and Semester Exams are not retested. The highest grade on a retest is a 70.

VII- Make up work Students who fail a major test/assessment (below 70%) will be allowed to retake or correct up to a 70% grade. This does not include final semester examinations. When a student is absent from class for any reason, it is the STUDENT’S responsibility to schedule time to come in and make up the missed work. IF a student is absent from a lab activity or a test, it is the STUDENT’S responsibility to find time to come in and make up the missed activity or test. Failure to show up at a scheduled appointed time will get a grade of ZERO.

The student is responsible for making up any tests or assignments when absent. Failure to do so will most likely result in a failing grade.

VIII-Borderline Failing If a student is failing with a 65 to a 69 at the end of a nine week period, they will be given the opportunity to be placed on a course contract. Student/Parent/Teacher course contract work will only allow the student to receive an average of no higher than a 70.

IX-Tutoring Student must check with teacher for these days. Student needs to fill out the Tutoring Log for record verification.

"There is absolutely no research correlation between success and family background, race, national origin, financial status. Or even educational accomplishments. There is but on correlation with success, and that is ATTITUDE."