Business, Tech & Engineering

Semester Course: 2.5 credits
Open to:  Grades 9-12
Prerequisites:  None

Students will engage in creative minds on and hands on product development, business and marketing experiences, grounded in 21st century marketing technologies and strategies.  Communication, leadership and collaborative skills will be employed to ensure individual and team success. Small teams of students will apply business formation and marketing skills to develop, plan, and market their quality products and/or services. Outside organizations and individuals will mentor students to review their work. Students will leverage fabrication technologies, current social media outlets and mentors to produce and promote quality products and/or services.

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Business Fundamentals
Business Organizations, Formation, Funding, Taxation, Liability, Business Ethics; Franchising
Marketing & Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Scarcity, Economic Reasoning, Market Spectrum
Supply & Demand and Financial Literacy Principles
International Trade & Market Systems
National Economic Performance & the Role of Government

Semester Course: 2.5 credits  
Open to:  Grades 10-12
Prerequisites:  None

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

What is a computer?
What is programming and what are algorithms?
Python and Higher Level Programming Languages
What are Internet Protocols and what role do they play in cybersecurity?

Semester Course: 2.5 credits
Open to:  Grades 9-12
Prerequisites:  1 recommendation by a Tech/Engineering or Math or Science teacher.

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Computers and Computing
Building Blocks of Programming
Putting the Blocks Together
Thinking Computationally
Design, Elegance, and Efficiency
The Internet and Society
Data Compression and Data Visualization

Two Semester Course  2.5 credits per semester

Open to:  Grades 11-12                           

Prerequisites:  Successful completion of AP Computer Science Principles and teacher recommendation from AP Computer Science Principles

AP Computer Science A is equivalent to a first-semester, college-level course in computer science. The course introduces students to computer science with fundamental topics that include problem solving, design strategies and methodologies, organization of data (data structures), approaches to processing data (algorithms), analysis of potential solutions, and the ethical and social implications of computing. The course emphasizes both object-oriented and imperative problem solving and design using the Java language. These techniques represent proven approaches for developing solutions that can scale up from small, simple problems to large, complex problems. The AP Computer Science A course curriculum is compatible with many CS1 courses in colleges and universities.

Semester Course 2.5 credits
Open to:  Grades 11-12
Prerequisites: None

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Editing and Software Orientation
Camera Controls and Operation
In the Field News Gathering Production
News Program Production
Post Production

Semester Course: 2.5 credits
Open to:  Grades 9-12
Prerequisites:  None

This course is an introduction to the basic elements of traditional animation (drawn, stop motion, claymation). The theory and practice of creating still artwork and turning into animated sequences will be introduced and put into practice. This includes planning and storyboarding to the final process of assembling a narrative animation on the computer.  Drawing the human figure and animals in motion and developing an understanding of how a figure moves will also be an emphasis of the curriculum. 

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Editing and Software Orientation
Camera Controls and Operation
In the Field News Gathering Production
News Program Production
Post Production

Semester Course: 2.5 credits

Open to:  Grades 9-12 

Prerequisites:  None

Take a trip back in time to not only learn about historical engineering projects, but to also touch and experience their ‘failure’ and redesign. Students will be excited to learn about historical engineering projects and then be set forth to improve upon their original designs with kinetic and design activities.  Historical works will be based on but not limited to: Civil, Architectural, Nasa / Aeronautical, Mechanical, and Marine. Students will leverage the engineering design process, failure analysis, root-cause analysis, as well as fabrication technologies to successfully change history by improving designs or engineering that failed.  Come see how you can rewrite history through engineering.
 

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Safety and Tool Usage
Design and Failure Analysis - Hedgerow Cutter
Archimedes Principle - (and Principles of Buoyancy)
Space, NASA, and the Shuttle Program (Newton’s Laws, Space Race)
Sound waves, resonance, and structural forces (Bridges)

Semester course  2.5 Credits

Open to:  Grades 9-12

Prerequisites:  None

Engineering students will exercise a higher level of thought while employing the engineering design process in collaborative teams. Creativity will flourish through production of various types of fun and competitive projects. The projects will include but are not limited to: Inventive light systems, Toys, “Rube Goldberg” Machines, and projects that benefit outside groups (example: Hopkinton First Responders). Local Engineers serving as mentors will contribute to the course by discussing design options with students.

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Safety and Tool Usage
Engineering Design Process and Modeling
Invention and Circuitry - 'Lighting' Invention
Energy - Rube Goldberg
Consumer Products - Inventive Toys
Inventing for Beneficiaries - First Responder Invention

Semester course    2.5 Credits
Open to:  Grades 9-12
Prerequisites:  None

Students will develop solutions to real-world global problems using the engineering design process. Students will work in teams to identify root causes of problems, ideate solutions and fabricate functional prototypes.  Projects will include but are not limited to: Energy, Health, Safety, Environmental.  Students will be encouraged to design solutions that can have an immediate impact in our local community.

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Safety and Tool Usage
Hydropower
Assistive Device
Structures - Emergency Shelters
Alternative Energy Vehicle - Solar

Semester Course   2.5 credits

Open to:  Grades 9-12

Prerequisites:  None

Robotics students will utilize the engineering design process to design, build and program robots to accomplish competitive tasks similar to robots used throughout the world. Using LEGO MINDSTORMS components, students will learn problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills. Students will program their robots to autonomously complete tasks.  The programming language and robotics kits used in this class are designed to allow all skill levels (novice - expert) to learn at an appropriate level.

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Robotic Swarm - Wave Bot
Light Sensor Programming - Dragster
Autonomous Robotics - Sumo Bot
Programming Structures - Line Following 'Back To The Future' Robot
Commercial Robotics - Tightrope

Two Semester Course    2.5 Credits per semester

 *Honors students required to attend at least 2 ‘out of’ school 8 hour interscholastic competitions

Open to:  Grades 9-12

Prerequisites:  None Course may be repeated

Students will engage in exciting interscholastic robotics competitions (VEX VRC) as part of HHS Hopkinetics Robotics. Students will work in small collaborative teams to design, build and program robots that are focused on the current VEX challenge. Students will acquire and utilize the following skills:  Engineering design, Leadership, Project management, CAD, Electronics, Programming, Fabrication, Failure analysis, Field preparation, Presentation and Writing.  Once you enroll in this course, you will be hooked and want to spend more time in the shop. The programming language and robotics kits used in this class are designed to allow all skill levels (novice - expert) to learn at an appropriate level.  VEX Robotics is recognized globally by educational institutions and industry. VEX scholarships are available. This course may be repeated as each year brings a different VEX robotics challenge.

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Safety and Tool Usage
Team Communication
Identify Problems and Goals
Brainstorming and Rapid Prototyping and Design Selection
Fabrication and Structure
Programming
Documentation of Processes
Communicating Knowledge
Executive Functioning and Tournament Preparation

Semester Course  2.5 Credits

Open to:  Grades 9-12   Prerequisites:  None

Fab Lab is an interdisciplinary course that will encourage students to learn using an art and engineering design thought process.  Students will work through a series of Design and Build Challenges that expand their skills and design thought process. The course covers technologies such as, 3D printers, laser cutters, and computerized cutting systems.  Students will also study building techniques like triangulation, post and beam structures and folded materials, to enhance their understanding of how things are built.  Examples of some of the challenges are; furniture designs(cardboard chair), 3d printed hinges(moving parts), laser cut 3d projections, patterns to create a 3d volume, and folded 3d paper forms. This culmination of this course will be the design, construction and presentation of a larger final project of the student’s choice. This course will serve those interested in: Art, Architecture, Engineering, Sculpture, 3D Design, Fabrication.

Curriculum Units and Learning Outcomes:

Staircase Design
Windmill Design
Planer Chair Design
Shelter Design
Amorphous Volumetric Form