Montague Township School District
STEM: Engineering & Robotics Curriculum Guide
Grade 6
2025-2026
Kayte Snyder
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Description
This trimester STEM course introduces middle school students to critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and the Engineering Design Process through hands-on projects. Students explore the field of engineering across multiple disciplines while applying basic physics concepts such as gravity, load, structure, beams, force, tension, and compression. The course emphasizes a student-centered, active learning approach that engages students in building physical prototypes and using Computer Aided Drafting (CAD) as a tool for design visualization. Throughout the trimester, students work with real-world constraints and limitations to develop solutions to design challenges, primarily within the civil engineering branch.
Big Ideas
- The engineering design process provides a systematic approach to solving real-world problems with constraints and trade-offs.
- Engineers apply physics concepts and materials knowledge to design structures and systems that meet specific criteria.
- Collaboration, iteration, and evaluation are essential to creating effective engineering solutions.
- Computer-aided design tools enhance precision and communication in the engineering field.
- Civil engineering addresses infrastructure and structural design challenges that impact society.
Essential Questions
- What safety precautions are critical to follow in an engineering environment?
- What is engineering and how does it fit into STEM education?
- What are the necessary steps to efficiently solve a problem using the engineering design process?
- How do design constraints influence the solutions engineers develop?
- What is the relationship between structure and function in engineered designs?
Engineering Design
Ethics and Culture
Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science
Geometry
Science and Engineering Practices
Standards for Mathematical Practice
Students follow multistep procedures when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, and performing technical tasks related to engineering design challenges and material testing.
Students engage in collaborative discussions with peers, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly during design challenges and team-based projects.
Students make sense of problems and persevere in solving them, reason abstractly and quantitatively, construct viable arguments, model with mathematics, use appropriate tools strategically, and attend to precision when working with geometric measurements and design calculations.
Assessment in this course uses a balanced approach of formative, summative, alternative, and benchmark assessments. Projects comprise 50% of the grade and include in-class design challenges that require group planning, problem-solving, and the creation of physical prototypes that address stated limitations and criteria. Classwork and homework comprise 25% of the grade and assess students' daily understanding of foundational skills needed for unit objectives. Assessments and quizzes comprise 25% of the grade and range from mini-projects and challenges to presentations, digital forms, and exit tickets. Benchmark assessments are administered throughout the trimester to gauge progress for students in grades 6 through 8.
| Unit | Formative | Summative | Benchmark | Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Lab Safety/What is Engineering? | ✓ | ✓ | — | ✓ |
| 02The Engineering Design Process | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 03Design Challenges and Problem Solving: Civil Engineering | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | 3/3 | 3/3 | 2/2 | 3/3 |
| Unit | IEP | 504 | MLL | At-Risk | Gifted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01Lab Safety/What is Engineering? | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 02The Engineering Design Process | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 03Design Challenges and Problem Solving: Civil Engineering | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Coverage | 3/3 | 3/3 | 3/3 | 3/3 | 3/3 |