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- Duluth HS
- STEAM
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STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math) related jobs are the fastest growing sector in our economy. To prepare our students for success in the 21st century workforce, we believe a robust curriculum emphasizing these fields and developing the skills of collaboration, communication, creativity, and critical thinking is essential. STEAM helps to make learning more fun and engaging, not to mention provide students opportunities to use content knowledge and skills in ways that are practical and applicable to the real world just like they would if they were working on science or engineering projects in the field.
We also know that the value of STEAM is great when considering the kinds of jobs our future workforce will have the greatest need to fill. Georgetown University conducted a study on job growth and education requirements across the workforce through the year 2020. The study found that almost 5 million jobs will go unfilled because of skills gaps, particularly in the growing fields of healthcare and STEM.
If most jobs are in STEM field, then why include the Arts? The answer is creativity. The most influential innovators of the 20th and 21st century (Steve Jobs, Albert Einstein, Marissa Mayer, for example) have been highly skilled in their fields but also highly creative people. Educating one side of the brain is simply not enough. Furthermore, studies show that students who study the arts for four years in high school, average 98 points highers on their SAT's compared with those who studied for half a year or less. Here are some other concrete benefits to incorporating the arts into science and engineering:
- It helps to remove idea inhibition (there's no wrong answer in Art!)
- It focuses on the process which helps drive innovation.
- It teaches the power of observation, of people, and your surroundings.
- It helps hone spatial awareness and mathematical concepts like geometry.
- It helps teach how to experiment with new ideas and how to channel creativity into something productive.
Source: Soule, Helen. “Why STEAM Is Great Policy for the Future of Education.” P21, 31 Mar. 2016. www.p21.org/news-events/p21blog/1900-why-steam-is-great-policy-for-the-future-of-education
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Our Tradition:
Duluth High School has a tradition of excellence in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) fields. Our record of student achievement in computer science, visual and performing arts, the sciences, engineering and robotics, and mathematics is a point of huge pride for us.
The Future of STEAM at DHS:
The future of STEAM at Duluth High School is very bright as we continue to build on our already exemplary instruction for all students by putting an emphasis on more cross-curricular collaboration between all course teams. As part of our school-wide STEAM initiative, here are just a few of the exciting changes in motion at our school:
- STEAM related blended courses available to all students
- DREAMS -- Integrated STEAM focused project-based learning curriculum
- STEAM industry partnerships
- Summer Technical Enrichment Program (STEP)
STEAM Course Offerings
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Engineering & Math
- Project Lead the Way Curriculum: Foundations of Engineering, Engineering Applications & Engineering Concepts
- Industry certification (March 2017)
- We offer Dual-Enrollment calculus classes which are taught by Georgia Tech professors
- Our FIRST Robotics team, "The Metal Crusaders" has qualified for the FIRST State and FIRST International competitions. We also offer a VEX robotics team through our Technology Student Association (TSA).
- We offer the following Advanced Placement (AP) courses:
- AP Calculus AB
- AP Calculus BC
- AP Statistics
- Dual-Enrollment Calculus classes are taught by Georgia Tech professors.
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Science
We offer the following Advanced Placement (AP) courses:
- AP Biology
- AP Chemistry
- AP Environmental Science
- AP Physics I
- AP Physics II
- AP Physics C
In our Healthcare Science pathway, students will become Certified Nurse Assistants at the end of the program which enables them to be gainfully employed in all healthcare facilities upon certification. Students will receive high school and college credit while enrolled in the program.
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Fine Arts
Band:
- Marching band is undefeated in all competitions for the last three years.
- Wind ensemble has earned superior ratings at Large Group Performance Evaluation for past five years.
- Students are consistently selected to participate in All-District, All-State & collegiate band events.
Chorus:
- Select Women's Ensemble won the 2017 Georgia Southern Invitational.
- Hosts the annual Peach Jam Music Extravaganza
Orchestra:
- Chamber Orchestra has performed at Gwinnett Music Educators Association State Conference three times, the American String Teachers Association National Conference twice, & the Midwest Clinic, an International Band and Orchestra Conference, twice.
- Chamber Orchestra has won the American String Teacher’s Association National Orchestra Festival twice, & placed first at National Band and Orchestra Festival at Lincoln Center at Avery Fisher Hall.
- Five ensembles annually attend Gwinnett Music Educators Association Large Group Performance Evaluations and consistently earn superior ratings.
- Members are consistently selected to GHP, Georgia All-State Orchestra, The Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, Emory Youth Symphony, and Gwinnett County Youth Symphony & Kendall Youth Orchestra.
Theater & Visual Arts
- Regional Best Ensemble & Actor (2017-2018)
- 2018 GA High School Musical Schuler Award
- High AP Studio Art portfolio scores
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DREAMS Classes
DREAMS classes are designed to bring real-world and cross-curricular context to academic learning. Students that complete at least four DREAMS classes during high school will receive special recognition at graduation.
- 9 LA / Biology with embedded Oral & Written Communication (3 credits in 2 periods)
- Accelerated Science Block (Bio/Chem) (2 credits in 1.5 periods)*
- Chemistry and Scientific Research (2 credits in 1.5 periods)
- Accelerated PreCalculus and AP Computer Science (2 credits in 1.5 periods)**
- 11 LA / Audio Visual Technology (2 credits in 1 period)
- AP Physics I & Engineering Concepts (2 credits in 1.5 periods)***
- 12 LA / Dramatic Screenwriting (2 credits in 1 period)
- DREAMS Internships
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
___________________________________________________* Biology & Chemistry is a gifted block
** Prerequisite of Accelerated Geometry
*** Prerequisite of Foundations of Engineering is requiredNOTE:
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Classes that use 1.5 period take the place of the student’s C25
STEAM Resources
- Edutopia (latest news and topics in STEAM education and project-Based Learning)
- Tech & Learning
- P21: Partnership for 21st Century Learning
- Buck Institute for Education (BIE) (curriculum training for teachers and schools for project-based learning)
- Engineer Girl (a website of resources for girls seeking a future in Engineering)
- STEAM Carnival: (STEAM projects from around the country)
- Make (publication devoted to projects, skill-building tutorials, and in-depth reviews and inspirational stories)
- STEM Georgia (additional resources from the Georgia Department of Education)
- Georgia Department of Education--STEM