STEM

5th Grade STEM is a semester-long course for all 5th grade students transitioning to 1:1 laptops with an emphasis on digital citizenship through keyboarding, coding, and software skills using Microsoft Office. Activities, projects, and problems include disease transmission, prevention, modeling, and simulation, as well as building and programming simple robots using VEX IQ.

6th Grade STEM is a semester-long course for all 6th grade students to further explore and develop skills in technology, robotics, and 3D design and modeling. Activities, projects, and problems include applying the engineering design process, coding in new programming languages, building more robust robots using VEX IQ, and an introduction to 3D design and modeling.

Computer Science for Makers is a semester-long elective course for 7th and 8th grade students to explore computer programming for the physical world by blending hardware design and software development, allowing students to discover computer science concepts and skills by creating personally relevant, tangible, and interactive projects using introductory programming languages.

Automation and Robotics is a semester-long elective course for 7th and 8th grade students to learn about the impact of automation and robotics upon society as students explore how to design and program systems using the VEX V5 Robotics platform and associated programming language. They collaborate as teams to design and program automation challenges as well as robots.

Advanced Computer Science for Makers is a semester-long elective courses for 8th grade students who have completed Computer Science for Makers in 7th grade. This course further explores advanced-level topics in programming and modeling. Prerequisite: Department approval and completion of Computer Science for Makers in 7th grade.

(New for 2022-2023) Advanced Automation and Robotics is a semester-long elective courses for 8th grade students who have completed Automation and Robotics in 7th grade. This course further explores advanced-level topics in robotics, programming, and modeling. Prerequisite: Department approval and completion of Automation and Robotics in 7th grade.

Medical Detectives is a semester-long elective course for only 8^th grade students to play the role of medical detectives as they collect and analyze medical data to diagnose disease. They solve medical mysteries through hands-on projects and labs, measure and interpret vital signs, examine nervous system structure and function, and explore dysfunction within the human body.