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Maple's PLTW classes attend engineering design class at Glenbrook North

Maple School's Project Lead the Way (PLTW) teacher Kristen Leverson took her seventh-grade Automation and Robotics students to visit Glenbrook North's PLTW classes on May 1.

They had an opportunity to judge "Automata Box" design projects in Glenbrook North's Introduction to Engineering Design (IED) class.

An automata box uses simple mechanisms to move visually appealing objects throughout the machine. The engineering design students were given the problem of designing and building an automata box from scratch, and our seventh-grade students served as the clients.

"Our students observed several high schoolers putting the finishing touches on their projects. Students learned how 3-D modeling software, laser engraver machines, woodworking equipment, and 3D printers were utilized to create each element of the automata boxes. At the end of our visit, our students voted on the best designs. The high school students worked very hard to make their designs appealing to Maple students!," Leverson said.

Two of the high school Project Lead the Way teachers, Jason Berg and Christi Rose, along with a former Maple student and lab assistant Daniel Fliman, also gave everyone a tour of the PLTW and Tech Ed classes.

Maple students then had the opportunity to ask questions and share constructive feedback about the project.

Students in Glenbrook North's Introduction to Engineering Design create automata boxes that use simple mechanisms to move visually appealing objects throughout the machine. Courtesy of District 30
Maple School's Project Lead the Way students visit the Automation and Robotics class at Glenbrook North May 1. Courtesy of District 30
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