Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a project and problem-based STEM curriculum in place at several District schools.
Through PLTW, students become immersed in hands-on activities, projects, and problems that build upon each other and relate to the real world. They experience integrated learning that blends computer science, engineering, biomedical science, and more.
All modules are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards. Throughout the modules, students in kindergarten through the fifth grade apply math and English Language Arts skills, learn science to standards, and adopt skills that are foundational across disciplines.
Highland Park Elementary STEM Magnet School and Bessemer Academy were the first D60 elementary schools to adopt the PLTW curriculum, in 2016.
Franklin School of Innovation is beginning its third year, with Pueblo South Park Elementary Parents PLTW for the first time.
At each school, all educators were trained by D60 STEM Teacher on Special Assignment Karlie Zabukovic,
“The main goal of PLTW is to expose students at a young age to real-world projects and problems,” said STEM TOSA Zabukovic. “It encourages students to discover and explore interests, imagine and design solutions and become independent, confident problem solvers. Every module is designed around activities, projects and problems that are student centered, meaning that students are driving the instruction. Each module has a story that introduces the problem the students will solve.
“If you walk into a classroom, you may see students designing a water filter to remove salt and dirt from water; a group of students may be making a podcast to provide information on how to identify if a person has a concussion; creating a glider to deliver resources to a hurricane disaster site; or collaborating with a partner by writing code to design a digital game. Students might also be using the scientific inquiry process to perform an investigation on what environmental forces cause the most erosion by using sand tables to test wind, water, and earthquake erosion.”
At the elementary level, students participate in the PLTW Launch curriculum that introduces them to engineering, biomedical engineering and computer science pathways.
“This will prepare our students with the background knowledge and vocabulary to continue on to a PLTW middle school and then high school,” STEM TOSA Zabukovic explained. “Each module provides students with exposure to different STEM careers and allows them to explore those careers by presenting real-world challenges where they develop and apply in demand transportable skills.
"It also utilizes and assesses the, 4 Cs -- Creativity, Collaboration, Communication, and Critical Thinking -- which are 21st century skills that help students develop the knowledge, skills, and expertise they need to succeed in today's global community. They are not taught through traditional textbooks or lecturing, but rather through action-based activities that require group interactions. These activities help students develop other skills, such as confidence, empathy, and creative problem solving.”
At Franklin, the Bobcats engaged in a PTLW project centered on the world of matter.
“The students were able to explore and classify materials based on observable properties like color, texture, and how well they conduct heat,” said Principal Dana DiTomaso Junkman. “Through hands-on investigations, they discovered the differences between solids, liquids, and gases, and learned how temperature can cause matter to change states.”
The ultimate challenge of the project saw Bobcats tasked with designing and building an insulator to keep an ice pop frozen for 30 minutes,
“This module fosters critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, as students experiment with different materials and test their prototypes,” added Principal DiTomaso-Junkman.
