10:00 – 10:50 Sessions

LAUNCH: Tying it Together While Keeping it Together- Making the Most Out of the Problem Step in Launch

Have you ever thought to yourself, “why are my students not using the knowledge they’ve gained throughout the module in the problem step?” Or “why, now, does getting students to work together feel like a constant battle?” If you are nodding your head, then this session is for you. We will work together to iron out the wrinkles during the problem step, and provide tips and tricks to facilitate a successful problem step while promoting student independence and collaboration. Geared towards teachers who have been teaching Launch for 2+ years.

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LAUNCH: Launch Teachers -- You went to Training, Now What's Next

​Did you attend PLTW Launch training but now are unsure of where to start with the modules you are going to teach? Join ​this session ​for support in how to unpack your specific module​s. We will look at ​how to frame your teaching so that it relate​s back to the problem ​students are focused on solving in the end. Spend time throughout the session ​working on your module so you feel ready to begin implementing in your classroom!

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GATEWAY: Tailoring Automation & Robotics Projects to Local Context to Drive Student Buy-In

Nervous about adapting the themes in the AR curriculum but looking to make changes that are more relevant to your students? In this workshop style session, we will dive into different examples of how to tailor the projects to be more relatable to your students and allow for meaningful connections to local industry.

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GATEWAY: Design and Modeling Puzzle Cube Deep Dive

From tree diagrams to building, a hands on experience with the Puzzle cube from the Design and Modeling unit

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HS CS: CS Student Collaboration through Pair Programming
Getting high school students to productively work together can be a quagmire! Come explore and discuss how to use a successful industry approach for facilitating collaboration in computer science — Pair Programming. The teamwork experience is enriching and the educational benefits are irresistible. Teachers should have a working laptop to take full advantage of this workshop
HS BIOMED: Pacing in the BioMed Classroom

Timing can be a challenge with the in-depth nature of PLTW courses. Come collaborate with other biomed teachers as we process planning Unit 2 (groups will be made for PBS, HBS, and MI) focusing on pacing, adjustments, utilizing distance learning supports, and real-life connections.

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HS ENGINEERING: What is CIM, and Why it Will Probably be Your Students' Favorite Class
Take a comprehensive look at the Computer Integrated Manufacturing curriculum, and get all of your questions answered. Spend time going over all kinds of support materials found on the internet and also experience some hands-on time with a few “industrial style” robots!
GW, CS, ENG: Coding with VEX V5 Sensors

Come hear from Alaina Caulkett, an Education Developer with VEX Robotics, about the sensors in the new V5 system. Are you new to VEX V5? Do you want to learn how to advance your student’s coding using sensors? Learn about the V5 Optical, Distance, Inertial, and Rotational sensors and how to code them in VEXcode V5. This demonstration-focused session will look at types of control and sensing blocks and how you can use these sensors in your classroom. Please note this session is focused on VEX and is not intended to speak to how VEX is used in the PLTW curriculum.

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ENGINEERING: Intro to Materials Science
Join WPI Materials Science & Engineering Assistant Professor Dr. Danielle Cote for a hands-on workshop on materials science. Materials Science & Engineering is focused on the ways in which materials are made, used, and recycled, on developing and processing new materials and products, and on the innovative use of traditional materials. This is an area of ongoing and cutting edge research and that is introduced in POE. Participate in some hands-on activities and learn about new research to take back to your students and help them see themselves in the future of STEM!
GEN INTEREST: Taking Collaborative Student Products & Presentations to the Next Level

Participants in this session will be introduced to innovative edtech tools and strategies that can help enhance the quality of student projects and presentations. With a focus on group collaboration, we will explore a variety of multimedia tools and platforms including audio, video, and AR / VR. (Tools featured in this session will focus on Google for EDU and other apps like Adobe Spark, CO Space and Canva that are accessible to students using a Chrome Browser.)

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