Course Descriptions

Aerospace

Introduction to Engineering Science

Mechatronics

Engineering Design

Sojourner on Mars

Aerospace

Grade: 9  

Prerequisite: None
Homework: 1-2 hours/week

This course is a yearlong course giving an introduction to Technology, Engineering and Manufacture using a collection of modeling and design hands-on projects to motivate the conceptual study of the physical principles of technology and some practical components of design and materials processing associated with manufacture.  Each block is four to six weeks in length.  New blocks may be designed to match local industry themes or projects as they are researched.  Each block has a hands-on project for all students.

A unified approach will show students the commonality of physical principles that describe many different systems.  The four major system areas are mechanical systems, fluid systems, electrical systems, and thermal systems.  The common threads of physical principles are force (pressure, voltage, temperature), work, rate, resistance, energy, power, force transformers, momentum, waves and vibrations, energy converters, transducers, radiation, light and optical systems, and time response of systems.

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Introduction to Engineering Science

Grade: 10 (and advanced 9'th graders)

Prerequisite: Algebra I (enrolled in Geometry or higher)

Homework: 2-4 hours/week

Earns Science Credit for HS graduation
Accepted by UC for Lab Science Entrance Requirements
Accepted by MIT in place of regular science courses

Engineering means building things based on understanding of concepts and theory and this first course gets you ready to build by surveying hands-on physical science, mechanics, electronics, computers, and the engineering design process.  Students survey physical science from properties of matter to astronomy with many hands-on opportunities.  In practical lab work, students learn the basics of circuits and how mechanical devices work.  A computer lab allows for animated physical science instruction, student report and presentation development, as well as, introductory computer programming lessons.  Students participate in design teams to brainstorm, design and build a hardware project, like the classes own model rocket launch stands and launch control complex.  Other projects can range from telescopes, to gear and motor cars, to aerodynamics of airplanes, as well as, fun and useful electronic circuits.

Mechatronics

Grade: 11 (and advanced 10'th graders)

Prerequisite: Geometry (enrolled in Algebra II or higher)

Homework: 3-5 Hours/week

Earns Science Credit for HS graduation
Accepted by UC for Lab Science Entrance Requirements
Accepted by MIT in place of regular science courses
Honors credit (pending final approval by UC)

Engineering science course covering the physics topics of mechanics, electricity and magnetism, and their engineering applications.  Hands-on lab demonstrations give students an understanding of the uses of theory and problem solving in building practical systems in a variety of career fields.  Students learn to breadboard electronic circuits, and work with simple mechanisms for transferring motion and energy.  These practical experiences in applying physics and mathematics to real systems prepares the students for the 'Learn by Doing' challenges of college and career.  In the second semester, they combine the physics theory and practical experience to build, describing and present electromechanical robotic projects.  Digital electronics is introduced and students breadboard, and report on, the building blocks of computer circuits and systems.

Engineering Design

Grade: 12 (and advance ll'th graders)

Prerequisite: Algebra II (enrolled in Trig. or Calculus)

Homework: 3-5 hours/week

Earns Science Credit for HS graduation
Accepted by UC for Lab Science Entrance Requirements
Accepted by MIT in place of regular science courses
Honors credit (pending final approval by UC)
Accepted by CalPoly for "Special Consideration" on admissions application

Design lab project-based course that first introduces topics in digital electronics, instrument design, engineering mathematics and engineering mechanics.  First semester is an advanced physics course that also introduces solutions to college-level dynamics problems using the applied math and mechanics covered.  Force and moment systems are introduced as well as beginning engineering structural applications.  Other engineering science topics are introduced in preparation for, or as part of the second semester conceptual design project.  These topics include digital electronics, experimental design, materials science, thermal sciences, and fluid mechanics.  The course culminates in a design project using several of these topics, as well as, engineering software tools that are introduced with the design project.