Course Syllabus

Faculty: Nathan Reimer

First Peoples Principles and Land Acknowledgement 

I acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), and Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. We are honoured to live, work, and play on this land together. 

As part of contribution to reconciliation, Electronics and Robotics 9 makes the following First Peoples Principles visible in class by providing students with an experiential, hands-on program of learning through design and creation: Learning involves patience and time.  Learning is holistic, reflexive, reflective, experiential, and relational. Learning requires exploration of one‘s identity.

Course Description

The ability to design, make, acquire, and apply skills and technologies is important in the world today and key in the education of citizens for the future.

The Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies (ADST) curriculum fosters the development of the skills and knowledge that will support students in developing practical, creative, and innovative responses to everyday needs and challenges.

In Electronics and Robotics 9, students grow through the use of design thinking principles to construct a robot that meets an identified need. This approach helps them gain understanding of how to apply their skills to both finding challenges and solving them in creative ways, using appropriate technologies for the task at hand.

Design involves the ability to combine an empathetic understanding of the context of a challenge, creativity in the generation of insights and solutions, and critical thinking for analyzing and fitting solutions to context. To move from design to final product or service requires skills and technology. Students will use their design to develop their understanding of sensors, control systems, circuits and programming. 

Contacting Me

Assessment and Evaluation

A student's final mark will be determined by evaluation of their ability to demonstrate proficiency in these skills and learning these concepts.

Major assessments for this course include:

  • Self-reflections
  • Presentations of learning 
  • Evidence of design thinking demonstrated in class and collected in journals 

A student's final mark will be determined by evaluation of their ability to engage in the design process as outlined by the BC ADST Curriculum:

  • Understanding Context by engaging in research and observation
  • Defining the problem by choosing a design opportunity and identifying users, criteria for success and any constraints
  • Ideating by taking risks in generating possible design ideas, keeping criteria and constraints in mind.
  • Creating and keeping a record of multiple prototypes, making changes to design, tools and technology based on testing. 
  • Making a final version using appropriate tools and minimizing waste.
  • Sharing their work and providing critical reflections on the success of the design and their design thinking and process.
  • Identifying and learning the appropriate skills and technologies required to complete their design.

Using the design process as our framework, students will challenge themselves to learn and demonstrate their understanding of some of the following topics:

  • uses of electronics and robotics
  • components of an electric circuit
  • ways in which various electrical components affect the path of electricity
  • Ohm’s law
  • platforms for PCB (printed circuit board) production
  • basic robot behaviours using input/output devices, movement- and sensor-based responses, and microcontrollers
  • mechanical devices for the transfer of mechanical energy
  • mechanical advantage and power efficiency, including friction, force, and torque
  • robotics coding
  • various platforms for robotics programming with a particular focus on Arduino microcontrollers.

Resources 

  • All current unit and major assessments for the current term, and a plethora of helpful learning resources can be found on our Canvas page.

There are a variety of academic supports available at St. George’s for students. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the range of supports available to them which include:

  • Faculty support
  • 5th Block
  • Head of Grade
  • Student Success Centre
  • Personal Counselling

Course Expectations

  • Because all coursework will be posted on Canvas, students should check the Canvas page to find assignments and handouts if they are away from class.
  • Unless otherwise noted, all work should be submitted through Canvas.
  • Students are expected to arrive on time, with a functioning laptop capable of running the required software for class, and power cable in case the laptop battery is out of charge. 

Learning Plan

Unit

Learning

1


Sept - Nov

Understand

(Big Ideas)

Design can be responsive to identified needs.

Complex tasks require the acquisition of additional skills.

Do

(Competencies)

Define a design opportunity

Ideate possible solutions

Plan and Prototype, making changes as needed

Test prototypes, make changes and test again

Plan for production, identifying and using appropriate tools, technology and materials. 

Share and describe process

Identify and develop skills as needed

Select, and as needed learn about, appropriate tools and technologies 

Know

(Content)

Uses of robotics in local contexts

Types of sensors

User and autonomous control systems

Uses and applications of end effectors

Movement- and sensor-based responses

program flow

The VEX platform for robotics programming

2


Dec - Jan

Understand

Complex tasks require the acquisition of additional skills.

Complex tasks may require multiple tools and technologies.

Do

Define a design opportunity

Ideate possible solutions

Plan and Prototype, making changes as needed

Test prototypes, make changes and test again

Plan for production, identifying and using appropriate tools, technology and materials. 

Share and describe process

Identify and develop skills as needed

Select, and as needed learn about, appropriate tools and technologies 

Know

interpretation and use of schematics for assembling circuits

identification and applications of components

3


Dates

Understand

 

Do

 

Know

 

 

Literacy and Numeracy

This course makes literacy/numeracy visible by using the following comprehension tasks and strategies 

Presentations
Reflective writing
Measurements and calculations in design and programming tasks.

Core Competencies

Students will have the opportunity to communicate with peers in group work/projects/design opportunities, presenting ideas to groups of peers and receiving and responding to feedback.

Students will think critically and creatively to solve design problems.

Through individual and group work, students will demonstrate self-respect and perseverance, they will set goals and monitor their progress, and they will empathize with their classmates and group members. 

St. George's School Student Code of Conduct

St. George’s School shares a proud tradition as a learning community committed to both academic excellence and character development. We strive for growth within our personal lives while maintaining respect for and contributions to the broader community.

The purpose of the Student Code of Conduct is to ensure that:

A safe, caring, and productive teaching and learning environment exists.
We maintain appropriate balances among individual and collective interests and responsibilities.
There is clarity around standards and expected student behaviour at school, in the community, and online through social media.
We encourage and practice environmental stewardship.


The core values which provide the foundation for the Student Code of Conduct are:

Empathy
Humility
Integrity
Respect
Responsibility
Resilience


Conduct Expectations

  • I commit myself to strive for honourable behaviour in my daily life, according to the standards as set forth by the School.
  • I will try to be faithful to my parents, my School, my friends, and myself.
  • I will avoid bringing any ill-repute to the School at any time, including evenings, weekends, or over any school break or holiday.
  • I will comply with all school policies as they relate to upholding the standard of excellence of St. George’s School at all times.
  • I understand, accept, and will respect all of my school-related commitments and responsibilities.
  • I will arrive to school on time and attend all classes, assemblies, practices, rehearsals, and field trips as outlined by my teachers.
  • I will obtain necessary permission to leave class or school.
  • I will take pride in my personal appearance.
  • I will be dressed appropriately at all times for all events as outlined by the School.
  • I will abide by the grooming rules as outlined in the Standards of Dress and Appearance section and always observe the accepted standards of personal hygiene.
  • I will behave in a way that always brings credit to the School, with integrity, empathy, respect, and humility.
  • I recognize that the taking of tests and exams requires an exemplary standard of honesty and will not misrepresent myself by cheating, copying, or plagiarizing.
  • I recognize that integrity is a clear expectation and that borrowing of possessions of others without their consent is stealing.
  • I will care for all property, whether it is public or a peer’s personal possessions.
  • I will avoid disruptive behaviour at all times, and will strive to treat all others with great respect.
  • I will adhere to the School’s policies regarding the appropriate use of technology, including online communication, electronic devices, and the internet.
  • I will avoid any possession, use, or distribution of alcohol, cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cannabis and illicit drugs or related paraphernalia, weapons, replica weapons, or any other dangerous or illegal items or substances.
  • I will demonstrate responsible use and protection of the natural environment through conservation and sustainable practices.

Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity means honesty and responsibility in scholarship. It is the commitment and obligation of all students, faculty, parents/guardians, and administration to ensure that all academic work stems from the student’s own efforts. Academic Dishonesty erodes the ethical climate of honesty, respect, responsibility, fairness, and trust in our school community. At St. George's School, Academic Dishonesty to any degree is not acceptable. In addition to any other consequence, students found to have engaged in Academic Dishonesty shall not receive a mark for work that is the result of Academic Dishonesty.

Academic Dishonesty includes any conduct with the intent to gain an unfair advantage in connection with an academic assessment. Academic Dishonesty can occur in many ways. Common forms of Academic Dishonesty include, but are not limited to, cheating, falsification, plagiarism, and tampering.

Cheating occurs when an individual undermines the integrity of an assessment (including homework and other assignments, reports, projects, quizzes, tests, exams, or other forms of performance evaluations).

Examples of cheating include:

  • Copying any part of an assessment;
  • Allowing others to copy any part of an assessment;
  • Improperly giving or receiving assessment information;
  • Using unauthorized resources for or during an assessment;
  • Submission of the same assessment more than once; and/or
  • Skipping classes to avoid an assessment.
  • Falsification: occurs when an individual has changed information in order to make one believe something that is not true. Examples of falsification include:
  • Falsifying research findings, whether in laboratory experiments, field trip exercises, or other assignments;
  • Alteration or falsification of academic reports or other academic records for any purpose;
  • Submission of false credentials;
  • Making false representation on an application for admission; and/or
  • Requesting the extension of a deadline or delaying the taking or sitting of an assessment citing reasons known to be false, including submitting false documentation supporting that request.
  • Plagiarism: occurs when an individual submits or presents the work and/or idea of another person as his or her own, in essence lying. This includes the copying of images, sound, video, and other forms of intellectual property.
    • Examples of plagiarism include:
      Lack of recognition given to the original author for phrases, sentences, and ideas of the author incorporated in a paper or project; and/or
      A portion of a document is copied from an author, or composed by another person, and presented as original work of the student.
  • Tampering occurs when individual has interfered with information for the purpose of academic gain.
    • Examples of tampering include:
      Unauthorized access to, use of, or alteration of computer data and information;
      Gaining academic advantage by using technology that inhibits the use of the resources by others;
      Damage to or destruction of library or laboratory resources; and/or
      Willful or negligent damage to the academic work of a fellow student and/or teacher.

Bullying

St. George’s School does not tolerate bullying. Students are prohibited from bullying.

Bullying is conduct that is unwelcome to others, including other students and faculty members. This includes conduct which a reasonable person knows, or ought reasonably to know, is unwelcome to the recipient. Unwanted physical contact, verbal abuse and threats, unwelcome remarks including jokes, innuendo, or taunting (in verbal, written or digital form) about a person’s body, race, gender, attire, (perceived) sexual orientation, or religion are all forms of bullying.

Other examples of bullying may include but are not limited to:

Physical violence such as hitting, pushing or spitting at another student;
Interfering with another student’s property, such as by stealing, hiding, or damaging it;
Using offensive names when addressing another student;
Teasing or spreading rumours about another student or their family;
Belittling another student’s abilities and achievements;
Writing offensive notes or graffiti about another student;
Unreasonably excluding another student from a group activity;
Ridiculing another student’s appearance, way of speaking or mannerisms; and/or
Misusing technology (internet or mobiles) to hurt, intimidate, embarrass, or humiliate another person.
Anyone who is the target of bullies is encouraged to report the bullying and not to suffer in silence. Speaking out and reporting bullying ensures the School can appropriately address the bullying and may help prevent other students from future bullying.

Students are required to:

  • Refrain from engaging in any kind of bullying;
  • Intervene to help support any student who is being bullied, unless it is unsafe to do so; and
  • Report to a member of faculty, staff, or administration any witnessed or suspected instances of bullying.