East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies

Engineering Design and Development Syllabus

Course: PLTW Engineering Design and Development

(EDD)

Teacher: Katie Johnston

Term: Fall/Spring 2023-2024

Room #: L302

Email: kathryn_johnston@charleston.k12.sc.us

Phone: 843.856.5800 ext 1098

Extra Virtual Wednesdays at 7:45am-8:10am or

Help: In Person Tue./Thu. 7:45am-8:10am

*Click to go to the course Canvas page*

Course Description: Please CLICK HERE for our Program Pathways.
Engineering Design and Development (EDD) is the capstone course in the PLTW high school engineering
program. It is an engineering research course where students will perform research to choose, validate,
and justify a technical problem. After carefully defining the problem, teams of students will design, build,
and test their solutions. Finally, student teams will present and defend their original solution to an outside
panel. While progressing through the engineering design process, students will work closely with experts
and will continually hone their organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills, their creative and
problem-solving abilities, and their understanding of the design process.

Engineering Completer with Program Industry Certifications:

Engineering Major Completer Requirements: Students are required to complete PLTW Engineering
Essentials OR PLTW Introduction to Engineering Design AND PLTW Principles of Engineering, plus two
more classes from the following:
● PLTW Aerospace Engineering
● PLTW Civil Engineering and Architecture
● PLTW Computer Integrated Manufacturing
● PLTW Digital Electronics
● PLTW Environmental Sustainability
● PLTW Engineering Design and Development (Capstone Course)
And Earn Career Ready status by passing at least 1 of the following:
● CAD Mechanical Design 1 Precision Exam
● Electronics 1 Precision Exam
● Autodesk Inventor Certified User Exam
Week of Ceremonies: Please CLICK HERE for our Week of Ceremonies requirements.
Senior Engineering Scholars will be invited to participate in this year’s Week of Ceremonies scheduled for
the week of May 20th (specific program dates will be announced later this year).
Engineering Scholar: Hardhat
● Earn PLTW Engineering Completer Status
● Complete 4 Engineering courses including 2 of the following: PLTW EES or IED and PLTW POE
● Earn a combined average of 85%, or higher, in your top 4 Engineering courses.
Engineering Scholars with Distinction: Hardhat and PLTW Stole
● Earn a combined average of 95% or higher in your top 4 Engineering courses
● Score “Accomplished”, or higher, on your top 4 Engineering courses’ PLTW EOC’s
● Earn Career Ready status by passing at least 1 Industry Certification Exam (listed above)
 East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies
Engineering Design and Development Syllabus
Course Overview:
Component 1: Research
Researching a Problem
•Identification and Justification of the Problem
•Documentation and Analysis of Prior Solutions
•Presentations and Justification of Solution
Requirements
Component 2: Design
Design
•Design Concepts Generation, Analysis, and
Selection
•Application of STEM Principles and Practices
•Consideration of Design Viability
Component 3: Prototype and Test
Prototype and Test
•Construction of Testable Prototype
•Testing, Data Collection, and Analysis
Course Materials:
●Chromebook or Laptop or Desktop
○ Homeschool provided
● Headphones/ Earbuds
● Geometer’s Drafting Kit:includes
protractor, ruler, compass, eraser
● Mechanical Pencil, 5-7mm
● 1 GB(minimum) flash drive
● Scientific or Graphing Calculator
MATERIALS DUE: Mon. Aug. 28, 2023
*Please see me if payment for ANY required
course materials creates a hardship.
Major Assessments:
● Problem Proposal
● Preliminary Design Review
Component 4: Evaluation of Project Process
Evaluation of Project and Process
•Documentation of External Evaluation
•Reflection on Design Project
•Presentation of the Designer’s
Recommendations
Component 5: Reflection and Presenting the
Design Process
Reflection and Presenting the Design Process
•Presentation of Project and Project Portfolio
•Final Portfolio Evaluation
Apps for Download:
● Gmail for CCSD Account
● Google Drive
● Canvas Student
● Cisco WebEx
● Convert Units
● CamScanner(or Scanning App)
Canvas Website:
For the syllabus, modules, assignments, and due
dates, please visit my Canvas Website
Canvas Usernames and Passwords will be
assigned per student(same as CCSD Username
and Password). Canvas is where all course
content can be found.
Also visit my class website:
engineeringjohnston.weebly.com
Select the course
View Monthly Calendar for assignment dates
For assignment content; Click on ‘Curriculum
Access’ or directly through the Canvas Website:
https://ccsdschools.instructure.com/
● Final Presentation to Panel of Experts
● Portfolio & Engineering Notebook
 East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies
Engineering Design and Development Syllabus

Exam Schedule: (As of 8/23/23: Subject to change)

Senior 2nd Semester Exam Week: May 20, 2024 through May 23, 2024
2nd Semester Exam Week: May 29, 2024 through June 3, 2024
No Exam Exemptions-All students are required to complete the Final Presentation to a Panel of Experts
and complete the Team Portfolio and Engineering Notebook for your Exam Grade.

CCSD Exam Exemption Policy:

The superintendent may exempt from final examinations only seniors enrolled in courses earning a full
Carnegie unit both first and second semesters for high school diploma credit who have an average of 90
or above for the second-semester course, effective August 19, 2016. All underclassmen students will take
final examinations. The superintendent may not exempt students from final advanced placement
examinations, state end-of-course examinations, or one-semester one-half Carnegie unit course
examinations.

Grading Procedures:
At the East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies, three (3) school-wide categories are used to distinguish
assignments. Those categories and approximate target weights are:
● Major (tests, projects, lab reports, etc.): 50%
● Minor (quizzes, collaborative assignments, etc.): 30%
● Daily (classwork, homework, etc.): 20%
Engineering Department policy dictates:
Grades will be determined using a point system not a category weight system. Each graded project,
activity, quiz, homework, exam, or other assignment will be assigned a point value based on the time
required to complete the assignment and the importance of the assignment. The student’s overall grade
will be calculated by dividing the total points earned by the total number of points possible and converting
them to a percentage.

Students are not allowed to retake an assignment for a higher grade unless the teacher decides to
re-administer the assignment to the entire class. Several projects span multiple weeks in this course. It is
expected that no single-day absence, that occurs four or more days before the due date, will impact the
project's due date.

Students that participate in field trips will receive no extension. If a project is due on the day of a field trip,
the student is responsible for turning it in prior to leaving on the trip. It is the expectation of teachers that
students who know of an absence will work ahead of schedule to meet the project's due date.

Any major or minor assignments submitted five (5) or fewer school days past the original due date will
receive a max grade of 80%. Any major or minor assignment submitted more than five (5) school days
past the original due date will receive a max grade of 50%, subject to mitigating circumstances agreed
upon by the teacher. Any major or minor assignments not turned in for grading will receive a 33%,
assuming the student demonstrated progress toward completion of the work. Any daily work turned in late
will receive a maximum of 50% and any daily work not turned in will receive a 0%.
Late major or minor Late daily assignment: Example Grade:
assignment: Late: 50% max A student turns in a Major
89% max, up to 5 days late. Not turned in: 0% Project late. The student’s
50% max over 5 days late. maximum score will be 89%
Not turned in: 33% which is (40pts*0.89) = 35.6pts
 East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies
Engineering Design and Development Syllabus

Year Grading Weights: Semester Grading Weights: Grading Scale:

Quarter 1 = 20% First Nine Weeks = 40% A = 100 - 90%

Quarter 2 = 20% Second Nine Weeks = 40% B = 89 - 80%
Quarter 3 = 20% Semester Exam = 20% C = 79 - 70%
Quarter 4 = 20% D = 69 - 60%
Final Exam = 20% F = 59 - 0%

Daily Classroom Procedures:

1. Student Identification Cards

a. The teacher will greet students at the door to check for IDs.
b. Each student must have a valid identification Card to be admitted to class. If a student
does not have an ID, they must purchase a temporary ID.
c. IDs must be displayed in an appropriate manner at all times, around the neck.
2. Attendance and Tardies
a. Attendance is extremely important and many lessons/activities build on one another.
b. In the event of an absence, students are required to complete any missed assignments.
c. Students must present a readmit slip indicating an excused absence. All make-up work
must be completed within five days of returning to school, subject to mitigating
circumstances. Students should check Canvas and print any missing assignments.
d. Multiple absences in a semester may result in denial of credit.
e. Tardies will be processed using the “Tardy Card” method. Upon entering the classroom
tardy, students will be required to provide their Tardy Card. For a full explanation of the
ECCAS Tardy Policy, CLICK HERE. Excessive tardies will result in a meeting with an
ECCAS Administrator.
3. Workstation Preparation
a. Students should be prepared with all necessary materials when class begins.
b. Students should not alter the computer settings-i.e. screensavers, screen backgrounds,
mouse pointer, etc. (for computer-based courses)
4. Class Participation and Assignments
a. Students are expected to “actively” participate in daily discussions and activities.
b. Students will submit assignments digitally in Canvas or directly in person.
5. Cell Phones
a. Cell phones will be used for class learning purposes only when directed by the teacher.
6. Dismissal
a. The teacher is responsible for dismissing the class daily. The ECCAS will operate a
7:40am, 8:30am, and 3:34pm bell but otherwise will operate under a “no bell” policy,
therefore, requiring the teacher to notify students for class dismissal.
b. Students will be given time at the end of class to prepare their workstations for dismissal.
Students should throw away trash, straighten their work area, shut down computers,
return materials, etc.
 East Cooper Center for Advanced Studies
Engineering Design and Development Syllabus

Course Communication Plan:

If you should ever need me, I can be reached at 843.856.5800 ext. 1098 or by email at
kathryn_johnston@charleston.k12.sc.us. Email is the most effective way of communication and I will
respond to any messages within 24 hours. To keep up with class assignments and key dates, please
consider joining the following:
● Visit the ECCAS Faculty/Staff Directory LINKED HERE
● Canvas: This is an ‘all in one’ platform for curriculum deployment and video conferencing.
Students should plan on accessing this platform daily.
○ Create a parent observer account for the class- directions here.
● Remind: 3rd Period- text @edd3rdper to the number 81010
● ParentPortal: Check on grades any time through the parent portal.

If parents would like to set up a conference with me, please email

kathryn_johnston@charleston.k12.sc.us or call 843-856-5800 to make an appointment.

Discipline Plan: Consequences:

For each infraction, a PS Log Entry will be
generated

● Be polite and respectful; treat your ● 1st infraction: Verbal Warning

classmates and teacher with respect ● 2nd infraction: Parent Contact
● Follow all policies and procedures in the ● 3rd infraction: Teacher-managed Referral
“CAS Bring Your A Game: Classroom and parent notified
Version” ● 4th and/or severe infraction:
● Follow the teacher’s directions when they Administrative-managed referral and
are given parent notified
● Be seated with all appropriate materials
when the tardy bell rings *In the case of severe disruptions, the above
● Keep hands, feet and objects to yourself consequences may be bypassed and the student
● Remain seated and quiet unless you have reported directly to the Assistant Principal.
permission from the teacher
● Respect the classroom equipment and
surroundings
Please use this link for information about Chromebooks, Parent Portal, student password resets, Tech
Support for families, Clever, and Canvas 

Once you have reviewed the syllabus, please scan the QR code below or visit this site and complete the
Google Form by September 1. https://bit.ly/3ACxDhe