3M has made an in-kind contribution of
250 700 Series Super Close Projection Systems, valued at about $720,000,
to the SME Education Foundation for distribution to the network of middle
and high schools across the country offering Project Lead the Way (PLTW)®curriculum.
“Our gift reflects 3M’s mission to
invest in teachers - giving them opportunities to introduce new ways
of learning into the classroom to make math and science relevant and
engaging for students - and Project Lead The Way curriculum does that,”
says Barbara Kaufmann, manager, Education Giving, and director, 3M Foundation.
All Project Lead the Way high school
and middle school engineering courses have several underlying content
areas in common. As students progress through the sequence they work
toward becoming proficient in: working as a contributing member of a
team; leading a team; using appropriate written and/or visual mediums
to communicate with a variety of audiences; public speaking; listening
to the needs and ideas of others; understanding the potential impact
their ideas and products may have on society; thinking; problem solving;
managing time, resources and projects; researching; going beyond the
classroom for answers; data collection and analysis; and preparing for
two- and four-year college engineering and engineering technology programs.
In an effort to recruit students into
the PLTW engineering coursework, the SME Education Foundation offers
the Gateway Academy, a summer camp that allows students to work together
in a fun and exciting environment. Students brainstorm ideas, solve
problems and learn the basics of engineering concepts involving alternative
energy, eco-design, robotics, manufacturing and aerodynamics, all in
a hands-on, project-based environment.
For more information, visit:www.pltw.com.