Explorations 5-8

Exploring Technology

Students develop an understanding of the progression and scope of technology through exploratory experiences. In group and individual activities, students experience ways in which technological knowledge and processes contribute to effective designs and solutions to technological problems. Students participate in design activities to understand how criteria, constraints, and processes affect designs. Brainstorming, visualizing, modeling, constructing, testing, and refining designs provide firsthand opportunities for students to understand the uses and impacts of innovations. Students develop skills in communicating design information and reporting results. This course is a cornerstone for a middle school technology education program.

Technological Systems

This course is intended to teach students how technological systems work together to solve problems and capture opportunities. A asystem can be a small as two components working together or can contain millions of interacting devices. We often break down the macrosystems into less complicated microsystems in order to understand the entire system better. Technology is becoming more integrated and systems are becoming more dependent upon each other than ever before. Electronic systems are interacting with natural systems as humans increasingly use monitoring devices for medical reasons. Electrical systems are interacting with mechanical and fluid power systems as manufacturing establishments become more automated. This course will give students a general background on the different types of systems, but its major concentration will be on the connections between these systems.

Discovering Technology

This course is introductory exploratory in all cluster areas. This course allows younger middle school students look at and apply activities and basic knowledge in many of the cluster areas per project. The course heavily utilises team work and guides students through the process of Technological literacy as well as, design and problem solving. Students produce basic introductory projects that tie to the various clusters. Focus is toward these main clusters: Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Arts A/V and Health.

Technology Education Exploration I

This course is a hands on activity based course utilizing many activities. The student mainly work in large groups and with a partner to solve problems and develop products. This course builds on the concepts and knowledge gained in the Pursuing Technology Education II course. This course allows the school and industry needs in occupational areas to be looked at as well as, tying through (TSA) Technology Students Association activities.

Technology Education Understanding I

This course builds on the concepts and knowledge gained in the Technology Education Strategies II course. This course if offered to Jr. High level students. The course builds on the concepts learned earlier through activities. This course is a cap exploratory course in all cluster areas. It's main focus on the school and industry need in the area. This course allows a look at the needs in the cluster areas. Students will be given the opportunity to gain hands on experience of different career areas of their interest.

Technology Education Understanding II

This hands on course infuses design and Technology to applied projectsThis course builds on the concepts and knowledge gained in the Technology Education Experience I course. This course if for Jr. High level students. This course is a cap exploratory in all cluster areas. It's main focus on the school and industry need in the area. This course allows a look at the needs in the cluster areas. Students will be given the opportunity to gain hands on experience of different career areas of their interest.

Pursuing Technology Education II

This is a beginning-level middle school course that utilizes basic Technological literacy and applies it to projects produced. The course also touches on many of the soft skills needed in all occupations and allows the student opportunities to skim through many cluster areas while keeping the students engaged in projects. This course is a beginning level exploratory course to include all cluster areas. This course builds on the concepts and knowledge gain in the Pursuing Technology I course. This course affords the student opportunities to touch on the school and industry occupational needs while also studying the activities in the area of Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Arts A/V and Health.

Technology Education Exploration II

This course is designed to cover the start of mid-level middle school exploration topics. This course builds on the concepts and knowledge gained in the Technology Education Exploration I course. This course has a focus toward the Technology literacy skills within occupational areas. The course allows schools to look at local industry and Technology Centers occupational needs in the area to fill the work force as well as, intoducing and accenting the areas of Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Arts A/V and Health.

Technology Education Investigation I

This course builds on the concepts and knowledge gained in the Technology Education Exploration II course. The course allows a look at the needs in the cluster areas common ones included are Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Arts A/V and Health. The students will apply Technology learned to projects used to score applications based on the Oklahnoma PASS and National standards.

Technology Education Investigation II

This course builds on the concepts and knowledge gained in the Technology Education Investigation I course. This course is a hands on application based course. It's main focus is on the school and industry needs in the area. The course allows a look at the needs in the cluster areas common ones included are Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Arts A/V and Health. The students will apply Technology learned to projects used to score applications based on the Oklahnoma PASS and National standards.

Technology Education Strategies II

This course builds on the concepts and knowledge gained in the Technology Education Strategies I course. This course is exploratory in all cluster areas. It's main focus on the school and industry need in the area. The course allows a look at the needs in the cluster areas common ones included are Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Arts A/V and Health. Students will be given the opportunity to gain hands on experience of different career areas.

Pursuing Technology Education I

This course is exploratory in all cluster areas. This course allows beginning-level middle school students look at the application of knowledge gained through activities and basic projects. This course utilises social skills in small and large team work and guides students through the process of Technological literacy as well as, design and problem solving. A focus of this course is toward these main clusters: Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Arts A/V and Health. The course builds on the concepts and knowledge gained in the Discovery course.

Technology Education Strategies I

This is a mid-level middle school course. This course builds on the concepts and knowledge gained in the Technology Education Investigation II course. It's main focus is on the school and industry needs in the area. The course allows a look at the needs in the cluster areas common ones included are Manufacturing, Construction, Transportation, Arts A/V and Health. Students will be given the opportunity to gain hands on experience of different career areas.

Invention and Innovation

Provides students with opportunities to apply the design process in the invention or innovation of a new product, process, or system. In this course, students will learn all about invention and innovation. they will have opportunities to study the history of inventions and innovations, including their impacts on society. They will learn about the core concepts of technology, and about hte various approaches to solving problems, including engineering design and experimentation. Students will spply their creativity in the invention and innovation of new products, processes, or systems. Finally, students learn about how various inventions and innovations impact their lives. Students participate in engineering-designs. Students are involved in activites and experiences where they learn about brainstorming, visualizing, modeling, constructing, testing, experimenting, and refining designs. Students also develop skills in researching for information, communicating design information, and reporting results.