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UNI_Technology&Engineering WHAT'S NEW?
UNITE Brochure
UNITE stands for UNI_Technology&Engineering -- our schoolwide STEM program that blends technical and workplace skills (CTE; career and technical education) with academic learning. We offer PLTW Engineering classes and STEM projects for students to work on beyond the school day. Girls are especially welcome -- no experience or background required. Students learn by DOING, MAKING, CREATING in order to thrive in a world that values collaboration, initiative, perseverance, flexibility, empathy, curiosity, and creativity. We have a laser-like focus on providing students with authentic, real-world learning experiences, and setting up the right conditions for them to develop skills and practice habits that enable college/career/life success many years down the road. We take an iterative approach to projects because failure is always an option when calculated risk taking is encouraged. Our predisposition is to take action and make things happen instead of spending much time talking about it upfront, i.e. lead by example. We, along with our partners in education, industry and non-profit sectors, invest a lot of time, effort and resources into achieving desired outcomes for students who are in our program. We have a relentless pursuit of learning new things and a passion for work-based learning.
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Intro to Engineering Design (IED) |
Principles of Engineering (POE) |
| UC Approved | Yes; "g" elective | Yes; "g" elective |
| Curriculum |
Design Process; Technical Drawing/Sketching; Measurement & Statistical Analysis; 3D CAD Solid Modeling; Reverse Engineering |
Energy & Power; Materials & Structures; Control Systems; Statistics & Kinematics (more physics and math) |
| Materials/Tools |
CAD software; 3D printer; CNC mill; Engineering notebook; Calipers; Spreadsheet |
VEX equipment; Breadboard; Microcontrollers; ROBOTC; Physics equipment |
| Workload |
All work done in class; Very little homework |
Most work done in class; Minimal homework |
| Student Readiness Consideration |
Concurrent enrollment Math 1; Basic computer skills; Growth mindset |
Completion Math 1 with "C" or higher; Concurrent Math 2; Basic computer skills; Growth mindset |
| Teaching/Learning Methods | Learn by doing and experimenting; Just-in-time learning using online resources | Learn by doing and experimenting; Just-in-time learning using online resources |
To earn the recognition, a student must satisfactorily complete three courses in the pathway – one AP course; one PLTW course; and a third course, either AP or PLTW – and earn a qualifying score of 3 or higher on the AP Exam(s) and a score of Proficient or higher on the PLTW End-of-Course (EoC) assessment(s). The application process for the 2017-18 AP + PLTW Student Achievement opens on September 1, 2017. Once a student submits an application, he or she will be evaluated each summer to determine eligibility.
Students can earn Irvine Valley College credit by taking UNITE engineering classes. Read the articulation agreement and fill out the IVC CTE credit request form.
Example:
Student takes UNITE's Intro to Engineering Design (PLTW) course. She receives a “B” or better as a final grade. Intro to Engineering Design is articulated with IVC’s DR 50 (3 units) and DR101 (3 units). This means that student is eligible to receive 6 units at IVC for completing Intro to Engineering Design with a grade of “B” or better. However, she must first enroll at IVC and complete a 3 unit course (any course). Or, if she already has 3 units, then what is called “unit-residency requirement” is met. Student fills out the IVC HS Articulations Credit Request Form and submits with her high school transcript. IVC Admissions Office verifies that student took Uni’s Intro to Engin Design course, got “B” and fulfilled IVC’s 3-unit residency requirement. IVC Admissions okays the request.
Career Programs offered by Orange County Community Colleges (all sectors)
Career Pathways Description (all sectors)
| Project | Description | Culminating event | Sign up |
| Solar Rollers | Build a solar powered RC vehicle; race other schools | May 2019 race event; N.Calif | Sign up CLOSED |
| Hydrogen Horizon Automotive Challenge (H2AC) | Design and build RC fuel cell car; perform renewable energy experiments | SoCal Regional Race Final Feb 10 CSUDH; State Final March 10 | Sign up FULL |
| Irvine Cubesat | Assemble, test and launch nanosatellite into low Earth orbit | IRVINE01 Launch Apr 2018; IRVINE02 delivered Aug 2018, launch Q4 2018 | Application CLOSED |
| OC Maker Challenge | Create a prototype using 3D printing; video; display board | Deliverables due early April | Project idea submission CLOSED |
| C-STEM Linkbots | Program linkbots to move around a mat and perform tasks | Saturday May 19, 2018 RoboPlay Competition event at Uni | Sign up CLOSED |
| UCI Rescue Robotics | Build drone or ground robot for rescue | May competition event | Project on hiatus for 2017-18 Video from previous competition |
| World Educational Robot | Program robot rover to follow a map and perform tasks | Competition event Aug 2018 | Sign up CLOSED |
| VEX Robotics | Build clawbot | April competition event | Project on hiatus for 2017-18 |
| GAMA Build A Plane Aviation Design Challenge | Use flight simulator software to design most efficient plane (all on computer) | Deliverables due April | Sign up CLOSED |
| CyberPatriot National Cyber League |
Team of newly hired IT professionals tasked with managing the network of a small company (all on computer) | April through November; includes summer | Sign up CyberPatriot Sign up National Cyber League |
| MIT Launch | Develop entrepreneurial skills and mindset by launching startups | USA West Regional Pitch event March 18, 2018 @ USC; International Demo Day Apr 28 @ MIT |
** All UNITE projects are student-driven. Students decide the level of commitment, time and effort to put forth. Student teams determine work schedule, team organization and what they want to get out of the project. Project work typically occurs after school several days a week and runs from October through May.
UNITE students have been accepted for STEM jobs and internships at these companies:
Source: Brookings Institute, Digitization and the American Workforce
Jobs
Where the STEM Jobs Are (And Where They Aren't)
A New Kind of Tech Job Emphasizes Skills, Not a College Degree
Tons of $80,000 entry-level jobs going ignored -- cybersecurity jobs
Report: Narrowing the Jobs Gap
Success in the New Economy
Report: Job Growth and Education Requirements through 2020 (Georgetown University)
Coding
Learning to Think like A Computer
Learn Python: A Free Online Course from Google
The Ultimate List of Best Websites to Learn Coding
Computer Science video courses (thorough compilation)
Want to make an app? There are free classes for that
Technology
8 Industries Being Disrupted by Elon Musk and His Companies
Screen time boosts depression and suicidal behaviors in teens, especially girls
Free Microsoft e-books here
The Tiny Satellites Ushering in the New Space Revolution
Short Documentary A.I.-powered future of self-driving cars
Personal Growth & Development
How to Prepare for an Automated Future
How to Learn Faster and Better Than Everyone Else
4 Skills & 4 Steps to a successful career
Four UNITE seniors receive Gene Haas Foundation Scholarship for postsecondary pursuit of manufacturing/engineering
Uni High ranks #19 Best STEM High School 2017 according to US News & World Report
World Educational Robot (WER) project signup
UNITE awarded 3D printing package through GE Additive Education Program
