The Infinity Project Newsletter

November 2009: Volume 7 – Issue 1
 

Educating Tomorrow’s Technology Leaders

By Tammy Richards, P.E.
Executive Director, The Infinity Project

What do you want to be when you grow up? We tell students they can do anything, but often fail to prepare them for their choices.

This trend is starting to reverse as advances in the state of engineering education are taking place all over the country. Government, industry, and schools are working together to support science, technology, engineering, and math education in the classroom. This is being done with one goal in mind – educating the next generation to become the technology leaders of the future.

Texas is helping to lead this effort by including engineering as a choice for graduation credit. Beginning with the 2010/2011 academic year, juniors and seniors may add engineering to their schedules to meet science graduation requirements, prepare themselves to major in engineering at the university level, and eventually succeed in fields reporting a critical shortage of qualified graduates.

The Infinity Project engineering curriculum is well positioned to help principals and superintendents, challenged to fill fall schedules with expanded science and math classes, adhere to new 4x4 graduation requirements. Curriculum focused on the disciplines of electrical, mechanical, environmental, and biomedical engineering will be incorporated into the year-long course. This honors level material will comply with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) requirements and provide one science credit for graduation.

Over 400 middle schools, high schools, and colleges in 38 states are utilizing The Infinity Project as a turnkey solution to quickly add flexible, rigorous, and relevant engineering courses. Students are learning to analyze, break down, and solve complex problems – critical skills in all professions.

We are on the threshold of extraordinary advances in science, technology, engineering and math education. The steps we take now to expose students to the opportunities a career in engineering has to offer, the better prepared they will be to succeed in the area of their choice.

Introducing Engineering to Middle School Students

An interview with Bianca Coker,
Instructor at Coppell Middle School North

What can you tell me about your school and why you chose The Infinity Project?

Coppell Middle School North is a traditional middle school with nearly 900 6th-8th grade students. We are one of three middle schools in a district of approximately 10,000 students. Coppell Middle School North is located just north east of DFW airport in the city of Coppell, Texas.

The CISD middle schools began offering a set of Gifted and Talented (GT) designated courses designed to meet the needs of student identified as GT in math and science three years ago. Since engineering is the application of math andscience to solve a problem in the community, we felt that the curriculum The Infinity Project offers is a perfect fit! It is quite difficult to find appropriate engineering curriculum for the middle school student.

How did you hear about The Infinity Project?

I first learned about The Infinity Project at CAMT (Conference for the Advancement of Mathematical Teaching in Texas) the summer of 2007 at a session hosted by Rosemary Aguilar, The Infinity Project Director of Curriculum & Professional Development. I spoke with her later and found out they were beginning work on middle school curriculum. I was very excited to learn this because of the new Advanced Problem Solving course I would be teaching. The thought of taking high school engineering curriculum and somehow making it work for middle school was a little overwhelming!

How will students be introduced to the concept of engineering?

I hope to first expose the students to the world of engineering and let them know about the exciting work and opportunities the field offers. Second, I hope that students realize that the engineer’s approach to problem solving is quite useful in their everyday lives. Third, I believe that the activities will be completely engaging and students will learn more than I could imagine or even think to teach. Finally, I hope the students have fun doing math and science!

How will you teach the curriculum and what do you expect students to gain?

At Coppell Middle School North, The Infinity Project curriculum will be taught as part of the 8th grade Advanced Problem Solving course. The students enrolled in this class must qualify as Gifted and Talented and have an interest in math and science. Currently, 72 students are enrolled in three sections of the 8th grade APS. The second semester of the course will use The Infinity Project curriculum and focus on applications of math in science. We will begin with the Robotics module and end the Rocketry module. We have done some work related to the topics in the prior two years of the course, but The Infinity Project curriculum will really enhance and make relevant our activities. The math and science incorporated into the modules is excellent and so much more than I could have created on my own. We will not only be launching model rockets, but the students will have a deep understanding of the science related to rocket flight. While we won’t be doing the calculus required, the students will predict heights of the rockets using some simpler equations and measuring the flights using geometry and trigonometry!

On-line Training Available

The Infinity Project middle school curriculum has been expanded to include on-line training for 4 new three-week modules focused on the disciplines of Civil, Environmental, and Electrical Engineering. Modules may be incorporated into 6th – 8th grade math, science, technology courses or grouped together and taught as a standalone course. The curriculum reinforces key math and science concepts while exposing students to the fun of engineering!

Material is focused on the following topics and will be offered in fall 2009 and spring 2010. Dates for spring on-line training will be available at the beginning of next year.

  • Structures: Building from the Ground Up                                       October 19 – 30, 2009

Discover the concepts behind solid structures and their ability to stand the test of time

  • Global Climate Change: Engineering Our Planet’s Future              November 9 – 20, 2009

Explore how the Earth’s climate is changing and how new technologies will meet the challenge

  • Watt’s Up in Power?                                                                       Nov. 30 – Dec. 11, 2009

Uncover the secrets behind electrical power generation and transmission

  • Engineering in the Natural World                                                   January 11 – 22, 2010

Increase awareness of environmental issues & the use of technology to develop solutions

On-line instruction in the use of the text and material is available at a cost of $125 per module.  Instructional materials will be provided for each module selected and include:  Text with Instructor Notes, PowerPoint Lecture, Daily Lesson Plan Guide, Activities and Exercises with Solutions, and Module Exams. 

If you are interested in expanding your curricular offerings to include these topics, complete the application and we will contact you.

Funding for High School Engineering Education!

The Infinity Project is pleased to announce two funding opportunities available for eligible Texas high schools interested in implementing engineering education in 2010-2011.

Professional Development Scholarship

In partnership with the Texas Engineering & Technical Consortium and Texas Workforce Commission, The Infinity Project is offering professional development scholarships to high school teachers planning to implement the program in the fall of 2010. 

Scholarships will fund the cost of professional development at a week-long summer institute.  Instructional materials and one Infinity Project technology kit for use in conducting lab activities will also be provided.  Travel and lodging are not included with the scholarship.

Scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis.  Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Texas public high school
  • School must have applied and been admitted to The Infinity Project
  • School must have identified a qualified teacher and population of students for the Infinity Project’s engineering curriculum.

 

Region IV High School Grant

High schools in Region IV are eligible for up to $7,500 in funding to implement The Infinity Project engineering curriculum through the Houston Endowment.  The grant will cover the following expenses: 

  • Week-long professional development  
  • Instructional materials
  • Technology applications

 
Region IV schools in the following districts have already taken advantage of this opportunity to introduce state-of-the-art engineering into their classroom:  Aldine, Alief, Brazosport, Channelview, Dickinson, East Chambers, Ford Bend, Galveston, Galena Park, Goose Creek, Hempstead, Houston, Liberty, Needville, Pasadena, Spring, Texas City. 

The Region IV Grant is available on a first-come, first-served basis.  Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Texas public high school in Region IV area
  • School must have applied and been admitted to The Infinity Project
  • School must have identified a qualified teacher and population of students for the Infinity Project’s engineering curriculum.

 

Applications for the 2010-2011 school are year are currently being accepted.  Schools may apply for one of the funding opportunities by completing the application.   For more information, contact Dianna McAtee, Director of Academic Relations, at 214-768-1920 or dmcatee@infinity-project.org. 

Educators | Parents & Students | Newsroom | Contact us | Join