PLTW GATEWAY PROGRAM At THOMAS JOHNSON MIDDLE SCHOOL

PLTW GATEWAY PROGRAM At THOMAS JOHNSON MIDDLE SCHOOL

BACKGROUND INFORMATION • Gateway To Technology (GTT) started at TJMS in SY- 2012 -2013. • 1 – GTT Teacher – 110 students • 2014 - GATEWAY (GTT) Expansion – STEM Coordinator • - 2 STEM Teachers •

THOMAS JOHNSON MIDDLE SCHOOL • • • Student Population: Total No. of Students - 1000 Asian 31 Black/African American : 563 Hispanic/Latino: 370 White: 20

THOMAS JOHNSON MIDDLE SCHOOL

THOMAS JOHNSON MIDDLE SCHOOL • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Mnz. D 9 N Hypc. Q

What I always do in my Gateway Class • I make my class fun and exciting – Always prepare short and exciting hands-on motivational activities to start the lesson • I design activities that are Challenging – I always prepare the activities as a class challenge, and always announce the winner of the challenge (reward with certificate, medal or jaguar bucks) • I make them analyze the STEM principles in their challenge – Students must analyze “what is the STEM component/principles in every design challenge that they do”. • I relate the challenges/activities to real-life problems – Design challenges that have connection to students’ life or experiences and to what are the global problems. • I allow my students to present their work (slide presentation, video or poster board. (Finally, differentiate instruction/tasks to suit the needs of your students. )

SCHEDULING • • • GATEWAY courses is under Creative Arts. This full year course. Students courses are either in A-day or B-day 25 – is the maximum number of students/class Rostering of Students in LMS is done by our Data Coach/Testing Coordinator 6 th Grade – Introduction to STEM (Tech. Integ) 7 th Grade – Design and Modeling 8 th Grade - Automation and Robotics Specialization Courses (FS, ST, EE)

Ways to Encourage Students to enroll in the GATEWAY Program q- Meeting with all the counselors of the feeder elementary school q- Invite student to come and visit the school to see/observe the Gateway program. q- Attendance to Academic Fairs and Academic Showcases q- Organizing STEM Activities (STEM Family Night, STEM Career Night, STEM Festival) q - Incoming 6 th grade night at TJMS

STEM ACTIVITIES FOR PARENTS • STEM Informational Meeting • STEM Family Night • STEM Career Day

STEM ACTIVITIES FOR STUDENTS • • Final Frontiers STEM in the Garden Cardboard Design Challenge (Global Day of Play) Car Design Challenge STEM Family Night STEM Festival Sea. Perch Challenge STEM Quiz Challenge

STEM PARTNERSHIP • Provides opportunities for our students to be more interested in STEM • - US Naval Academy – – – ASCE Washington Space Business Roundtable Open. Gov TV Discover. E Nifty Fifty STEM Professionals

AFTER SCHOOL STEM ACTIVITIES – First Lego League (FLL) – Civil Engineering – Aerospace Engineering – e-Girls Club – Sea. Perch – Green Team – Math Counts • On Spring – Computer Science – Video Game Design – Materials Science

CHALLENGES • 1 ST Year - The lack of materials • 2 nd Year – Software • Scheduling of Students

SUCCESSES • Expansion of the Gateway Program • Increase the number of qualifiers in the tested high school program/academies • Increase achievement of students in statewide and school wide challenges • - Samsung Solve for Tomorrow -2013 • - MESA, Sea. Perch, Final Frontiers • - Solar System Competition • Outstanding Educator – Discover. E Educator Award

Thank you. Daisy Rayela STEM Coordinator Gateway (GTT) Teacher Thomas Johnson Middle School daisy. rayela@pgcps. org