STEM Electives

Aerospace & Engineering is a lab-oriented course that involves the exploration of the history and dynamics of flight, rocketry, Newton’s Laws of Motion, astronomy, and the future of space exploration, including introductory robotics. It gives students the opportunity to develop skills and understanding of course concepts through activity-, project-, and problem-based learning.
Unit 1: Air Pressure/Bernoulli’s Principle
Unit 2: Principles of Flight
Unit 3: Human Requirements of Flight
Unit 4: Principles of Navigation
Unit 5: Astronomy
Unit 6: History of Space Exploration
Unit 7: Rocketry
Unit 8: Shuttle Program/International Space Station
Unit 9: Future of Space Exploration
Unit 10: Robotics

Concepts of Engineering and Technology, 8th grade
The major focus of the course is to expose students to design process, research and analysis, teamwork, communication methods, global and human impacts, engineering standards, and technical documentation. It gives students the opportunity to develop skills and understanding of course concepts through activity-, project-, and problem-based learning.
Unit 1: Development of Engineering
Unit 2: Society and Ethics
Unit 3: Technical Communication
Unit 4: Safety in the Workplace
Unit 5: Teamwork
Unit 6: Problem Solving, Design and Modeling
Unit 7: Engineering Systems
Unit 8: Electronics
Unit 9: Biotechnology
Unit 10: Team Project
Unit 11: Service Learning Project
Unit 12: Personal Career Portfolio

The GEE project allows Clifton Magnet/GT girls to experience an informal, non-competitive learning environment that includes hands-on activities utilizing various engineering principles. It gives students the opportunity to develop skills and understanding of course concepts through activity-, project-, and problem-based learning.
Unit 1: Development of Engineering
Unit 2: Society and Ethics
Unit 3: Technical Communication
Unit 4: Safety in the Workplace
Unit 5: Teamwork
Unit 6: Problem Solving, Design and Modeling
Unit 7: Engineering Systems
Unit 8: Electronics
Unit 9: Biotechnology
Unit 10: Team Project
Unit 11: Service Learning Project
Unit 12: Personal Career Portfolio

Course Description: Since seventy-five percent of our planet is covered by water, there are plenty of things to see and research in all that water.  Understanding our oceans, seas, and lakes is essential for our survival.  In this course, you will join a marine expedition that will circle the earth.  You will see everything from the warm waters around Central America to the Challenger Deep nearly seven miles straight down in the Pacific.
As a member of the expedition crew, you will conduct research, perform experiments, and discover man’s interrelationship with the marine environment.  You will learn about the nature of science, the origins of the oceans, the chemical and physical structure of the marine environment, and the ecologies of the different places you visit.
As President John Kennedy once said, “Knowledge of the oceans is no longer a matter of curiosity; our very survival may hinge upon it."  After taking this course, you will have the knowledge.
Course Goals:

• Content Goals provide students with a solid background in:
  • The primary sciences and mathematics, including proficiency in chemistry, physics, calculus, computer applications related to the natural sciences, and laboratory techniques;
  • Marine science, including proficiency in marine biology, introductory oceanography, marine ecology, chemical oceanography, and physical oceanography;

Topics:

• Fisheries
• Invertebrates
• Plants
• Ecology
• Earth and Ocean Basins
• Waves and Beaches
• Physical Oceanography
• Chemical Oceanography
• Transportation

This course introduces students to environmental concepts and issues from an interdisciplinary approach. Environmental issues and controversies will be explored from ecological biological, social, economic, ethical and governmental policy positions. The students will gain an understanding of the basic scientific method, tools and techniques needed to understand and analyze environmental issues such as populations growth, resource depletion, industrial and municipal pollution (air, water & trash), global warming and ozone depletion. Students will be required to make several field trips to environmental sites as part of this course and will complete a project dealing with a current local environmental issue.

Course Topics:

• Wildlife populations
• Habitats, ecosystems, and niches
• Interdependence
• Changes and adaptations
• Biodiversity
• Water/land use
• Atmosphere, climate, and weather
• Alternative/green energies
• Sustaining fish and wildlife resources
• Cultural perspectives, Economic, commercial, and recreational considerations
• Historical and legislative framework

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an overview of new media technology through working with various multimedia and Web-based tools.  Students will be given an opportunity to learn various tools concentrating on different aspects of the technology: text, graphics, audio, animation, and video. Through working with these tools, students are expected to develop an understanding of how such technology can be applied in STEM settings.

This course enables students to understand the technological and computer concepts they will need in order to design, develop, and build usable products or to deliver services, as well as to pursue further technological studies. Students will use the technological design process and a variety of tools and software to solve problems, complete projects, and strengthen their communication skills.

Provides proficiencies in designing, importing, and manipulating advanced text, graphics, audio, and video used in presentation management, multimedia productions, publishing systems, and merging technologies.