Thurgood Marshall Middle School – Gateway to Technology Grade 8

Mar 2026 · 2nd Semester

The Gateway to Technology (GTT) curriculum provides project-based learning — a hands-on approach— that relates technology to students’ daily lives. It also promotes communication and collaboration by emphasizing a teaming approach in the four instructional units: Design and Modeling uses solid modeling to introduce students to the design process. Automation and Robotics traces the history, development, and influence of automation and robotics; Flight and Space introduces students to aeronautics, space and the use of design to help make aerospace engineering an important field; Science of Technology traces how science has affected technology throughout history; and The Magic of Electrons, through hands-on projects, explores the science of electricity, the movement of atoms, circuit design, and sensing devices. Students acquire and apply knowledge and skills in engineering problem solving and explore the many aspects of aerospace engineering. This course satisfies the MSDE Computational Thinking/Learning requirement.