Welcome to the PLTW Curriculum Planning Guide
At PLTW, we know that great teaching starts with great planning. That’s why we’ve created this Curriculum Planning Guide help you succeed every step of the way.
You’ll find everything you need to align your instruction with real-world learning experiences that prepare students for success in college, careers, and beyond. Whether you're just getting started or have decades of experience, this guide is designed to support you every step of the way.
Table of Contents
Your quick guide to navigating this page for the most important resources and updates.
- Getting Started with PLTW
- Enhanced myPLTW Experience
- PLTW Program Updates
- End-of-Course (EoC) Assessments
- PLTW Capstone
- PLTW Voice-of-the-Customer Surveys
- PLTW Training Resources
- PLTW Grant Opportunities
Getting Started with PLTW
Set your classroom up for success from day one with these four essential steps. Whether you're continuing your PLTW journey or just getting started, these resources will guide you through a smooth and confident start to the year.
Step 1: Update myPLTW
- Log into myPLTW and confirm that all your contact information and roles are correct to help us provide you with the most relevant updates and support throughout the year. View step-by-step instructions.
Step 2: PLTW Core Training
- To effectively implement PLTW programs, all teachers must have completed or be scheduled to complete PLTW Core Training. Check out our list of upcoming training opportunities and secure your spot.
Step 3: Order Equipment and Supplies
- The PLTW Store is your one-stop-shop for all your classroom needs. Visit the PLTW Store today to explore our products and place your order. You can also view additional details about our equipment and supplies on the Store Resources page.
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Pro Tip: Utilize the “Optional” filter in the PLTW Store to find a curated selection of tables, workbenches, seating options, and other classroom essentials. To use, find the filter on the left side of the page and select Optional for PLTW Programs, then click "Update Filters".
Step 4: Roster Your Students
- Students must be rostered to access curriculum. There are four ways to roster:
Need Help? Contact the PLTW Solution Center
We’re here to support you every step of the way. Our team is available 7 a.m. to midnight ET, seven days a week. Contact us at 877.335.7589 or solutioncenter@pltw.org.
Enhanced myPLTW Experience
All students and teachers have now transitioned to the enhanced myPLTW platform in the 2025-26 school year. To get started, download the Enhanced myPLTW Experience Checklist or review the instructions and resources listed below.
- Update Links: Links that were used in the previous platform will no longer work. To ensure continued access, navigate to the course Table of Contents in myPLTW, select the desired activity, project, or problem, and copy the updated link (it should begin with classroom.pltw.org). Learn more.
- Review Settings: Schools that use more heightened security for content and web filtering may need to review the myPLTW Network Allow List and ensure that all websites listed are allowed.
- myPLTW: Comprehensive Guide: This on-demand training provides a quick, effective way to get familiar with the enhanced myPLTW platform. To access:
- Log into myPLTW, go to Professional Development > Dashboard
- Select myPLTW: A Comprehensive Guide.
(Master Teachers and Launch Lead Teachers: select your username in the bottom left and choose Switch to Learner to access the course.)
- Live Teacher Connections: Join us for these upcoming virtual sessions offered through October to help make your transition as smooth as possible. Each session will include an overview of the topic for the first 15 minutes, followed by 15 minutes of live Q&A. View topics and schedule.
Stronger Alignment Across Subjects and
Smoother Teaching Experience Coming to PLTW Launch
PLTW is introducing several enhancements to PLTW Launch designed to enrich student outcomes, streamline pacing, and make teaching even more engaging. These updates strengthen alignment across subjects, simplify planning, and reduce prep time—while keeping hands-on learning at the center.
Enhancements Across All Modules
- Stronger literacy and math connections, with explicit callouts in Teacher Guides
- Math performance tasks that extend beyond APB activities
- Teacher-facing AI guidance supporting responsible and ethical use in classrooms
- More PLTW-owned interactives, reducing external links
Updates to Four First and Second Grade Modules
- Observing the Sun, Moon, and Stars (updated name)
- Animal Adaptations
- Form and Function (updated name)
- The Changing Earth
Key improvements include stronger NGSS alignment, refined APB flow for easier pacing, and embedded Liftoff PD videos to build confidence quickly. Supply changes are minimal to support a smooth transition.
Introducing RosieCode: A More Secure Coding Solution
RosieCode—PLTW’s version of Scratch launching for the 2026-27 school year—addresses data privacy concerns while maintaining the same APB experience and functionality students love.
Will be available in:
- 2nd grade: Grids and Games
- 3rd grade: Programming Patterns
- 4th grade: Input/Output: Computer Systems
- 5th grade: Infection: Modeling and Simulation
What’s Improved
- No student login required
- No public student community
- Projects save locally to student devices
- Same interface, flow, and APBs
VEX Testbed: Back by Popular Demand
Thanks to strong feedback from the PLTW network, the VEX Testbed, removed in a previous rewrite, is returning to Robotics and Automation. It will appear as an optional activity with added guidance to support smooth facilitation. The activity is available now in English, with a Spanish version coming soon.
Rostering Made Simple
Rostering takes just a few minutes and doesn’t require creating any new accounts. It also helps us make informed planning decisions and ensures your class is included this fall. View instructions.
Spanish Launch Logs Transition to Digital
PLTW is moving to a digital-only format for Spanish-language PLTW Launch Logs. Educators will still be able to download and print the Spanish version through myPLTW, but bound booklets will no longer be available in the PLTW Store once supplies run out. Visit PLTW Store to shop now.
Angelina, Mylo, and Suzi Character Displays
You can now order mini stand-up versions of the PLTW Launch characters to add a visual element to your learning space. These 10.5" cutouts are available as finished items or as free downloadable files you can print locally on the material of your choice. View options and order.
Updated State Resources Available
Need to show how your curriculum aligns with state standards? Visit our Standards Connections page for the latest resources. We’ve recently added new Module Overviews, Standards Guides, and Scope and Sequence documents for more than a dozen states to support your planning and reporting needs.
Looking Ahead: Building for the Future
(A Reimagined Green Architecture)
Introducing Building for the Future—a reimagined Green Architecture unit aligned with industry trends and designed to broaden students’ exposure to construction-related careers, including skilled trades and design professions. Students will build foundational skills relevant to both college pathways and the workforce.
For the 2026-27 school year, both Green Architecture and Building for the Future will be available. In July 2027, Building for the Future will fully replace Green Architecture.
Highlights include:
- Analyzing and designing 2D floor plans, and building 3D models
- User-centered design and systems thinking
- Basic woodworking
- PVC plumbing system planning and prototyping
- HVAC and insulation exploration
- Site analysis and sustainable design
PLTW Core Training for Building for the Future will launch in May 2026. If you’re already certified in Green Architecture, your credential will automatically transfer. Please note: Green Architecture will not be offered in Winter/Spring PLTW Core Training.
Ready to explore how this innovative unit can benefit your school community? Request the Unit Outline and connect with your PLTW representative to learn more about the unique advantages Building for the Future brings to your students.
Updated Content in Four Gateway Units
Four Gateway units—Energy and the Environment (EE), Green Architecture (GA), Magic of Electrons (ME), and Science of Technology (ST)—have been refreshed to improve the student and teacher experience.
New Lesson AB in EE, GA, ME, and ST
Lessons A and B have been replaced with a new optional Lesson AB, which contains two activities:
- Activity AB.1 Instant Design Challenge
Students work in teams to design, build, test, and evaluate a solution to an instant design challenge. They then compare their process to the formal design process and set team norms. - Activity AB.2 Gateway Career Center
Students reflect on their strengths, interests, and ideal work environments before exploring aligned careers and sharing their findings with peers.
Additional Enhancements
- Teacher Guides have been reorganized to provide cleaner structure, with activity‑specific Teacher Resources that house guidance, facilitation notes, and answer keys.
- In Magic of Electrons, Activity 1.6: Hand Crank Generator is now required, with expanded content on generators, rotary motion, and power plants.
- ME materials no longer require VEX® components. The updated kit uses a pre-built hand crank generator, alligator clips, and Snap Circuits® components—all available in the PLTW Store.
For full details on individual unit enhancements, see the Curriculum Revisions document in the Teacher Guide.
Updated Medical Interventions Coming in 2027–28
PLTW is developing an updated version of the Medical Interventions (MI) course, launching in May 2027 for use in the 2027–28 school year. This reimagined course will better reflect today’s rapidly evolving biomedical field while building on the strong foundation educators know and trust—creating a more relevant, future‑focused learning experience for students.
Key planning milestones:
- Final equipment, supply lists, and costs available November 2026
- Updated materials added to the Store January 2027
- Teacher training for the updated course begins July 2027
Schools currently teaching Biomedical Science courses are expected to reuse much of their existing durable equipment. Current MI programs can also anticipate continuing to use most durable items, with new consumable kits and some additional equipment supporting the updated curriculum.
More information is available in the FAQ, with further updates to come.
Lab Kit Update for Principles of Biomedical Science
Activities 3.1.5 (Isolation) and 3.1.6 (Gram Staining) have been updated to use Edvotek Kit #460. All corresponding student and teacher resources have been revised to reflect this change, ensuring a smoother and more consistent lab experience.
Cybersecurity Course Alignment
PLTW is excited to begin a comprehensive revision of our Cybersecurity course to better prepare students for the rapidly evolving careers of the future. This update will continue to align the curriculum with the latest NICE and CSTA learning standards, incorporate emerging industry practices, and integrate new tools and concepts related to AI.
As part of this Cyber revision, we are working closely with the College Board to align with the new AP Cybersecurity exam and pursue official endorsement. Our shared goal is to expand opportunities for students to engage in rigorous, college level study in this dynamic field. The updated course is planned for release in August 2027, in advance of school year 27-28.
Trinket Status Update
Trinket recently announced plans to shut down in August 2026. Trinket is the platform embedded within CS courses and other courses that allows students to practice coding. PLTW is engaged directly with Trinket and we are collaborating on a solution that will maintain service. Our goal is to minimize disruption for schools and teachers for the next school year (26-27), and we’ll communicate instructions and support resources as soon as they are available.
Empower Students to Create and Innovate with AI
The new, one-semester Principles of AI course is available for implementation in the 2026-27 school year. Developed in collaboration with industry partners to ensure alignment with near-future careers and workplace expectations, this CSTA-approved course teaches responsible use, data literacy, prompt creation, and model building through the hands-on problem solving you trust PLTW to deliver.
The Principles of AI course can be implemented individually or as part of the PLTW pathway. Connect with your PLTW representative to learn more or request the course outline here.
Advanced Manufacturing Course Update
We’re excited to share that the new Advanced Manufacturing course, launching in Fall 2026, will incorporate the VEX CTE Workcell.
The VEX CTE Workcell allows students build and code a working manufacturing cell with a 6-axis arm, conveyors, sensors, and pneumatics to run real factory workflows like sorting and palletizing.
The estimated initial investment in durable equipment, including the VEX CTE Workcell, is $25,000-$30,000. A complete equipment and supplies list will be available in January.
For more information, reach out to your PLTW representative or visit our website.
PLTW Digital Electronics Course (Unit 4) for 2026-27
An updated version of Unit 4 in Digital Electronics is on the way for the 2026-2027 school year, featuring a renewed focus on the Arduino platform and the return of several well-loved activities, projects, and problems.
The updated unit will be available Dec. 19, 2025 to align with Spring and Summer Core Training sessions, giving educators ample time to prepare for full implementation for the 2026-27 school year.
This refreshed approach is designed to better align with modern classroom experiences and instructional needs—bringing back impactful learning opportunities based on educator feedback and advancements in technology. If you have any questions, please contact your PLTW representative.
What’s Changing—and What’s Staying
Please note: The current DE Unit 4 using Pi-Top will continue to be fully supported in the curriculum.
- Pi-Top equipment will remain available in the PLTW Store while supplies last.
- This update reflects our commitment to staying current with technology while continuing to support the tools and strategies educators rely on.
- Multisim Live, the browser-based version of Multisim will be sunset. This was a decision made by the parent company of Multisim, Digilent. To prepare teachers for the change, Multisim Live will no longer be supported in the curriculum with this new update.
Equipment and Supplies
- The new Arduino-based Unit 4 including new VEX build materials, sensors, and motors will be available in the PLTW Store beginning May 2026.
Training and Support
- To support the transition, the Teacher Guide will include an Update Training section to help you and your students prepare for the new content and tools.
- Looking ahead, Core Training will focus exclusively on the updated Unit 4 with Arduino. Educators who are new to the course or seeking training will receive instruction aligned with the new platform.
Autodesk Fusion UI Update Coming Soon
Autodesk recently announced that Fusion will receive a significant UI update on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. This update is designed to help users create parts and assemblies in a more modern, streamlined workflow while keeping the traditional Fusion design experience available.
To prepare for this change, please review the resources provided by Autodesk to explore what’s new and decide which interface is the best fit for your classroom needs and teaching style.
Autodesk Certification & Student Opportunities
Autodesk and Certiport have partnered with PLTW to expand student access to the Autodesk Certified User (ACU): Fusion exam. This collaboration is designed to help more students validate their CAD skills and gain industry-recognized credentials. This document outlines the steps for educator certification, exam preparation, and best practices for supporting student success.
Enhanced Teacher Lookup Tool:
Now Supporting Multiple State Standards
The A1A Teacher Lookup Tool just got a major upgrade! In addition to Common Core State Standards, you can now search and align lessons with:
- Texas TEKS standards
- Florida B.E.S.T standards
- New York Next Generation standards
This expansion means you can seamlessly integrate A1A lessons with your state's specific requirements, making lesson planning more efficient and ensuring comprehensive standards coverage.
PLTW End-of-Course Assessment Update Beginning May 1
Beginning May 1, 2026, PLTW will offer two assessment options for high school courses to better support classroom flexibility while maintaining a nationally standardized option when needed.
Two options available:
- PLTW Classroom Assessment (NEW): A flexible, instruction-focused assessment available year-round in KITE, with immediate results.
- PLTW National Assessment (formerly the EoC Assessment): Our standardized assessment delivered in a scheduled testing window.
- The 2025-26 EoC remains unchanged for this school year.
- In 2026-27, the PLTW National Assessment will move to a single May testing window.
No action is required at this time. More resources to support this change will be available soon. To learn more about the new PLTW assessment options, please review our FAQs.
Download the 2025-26 EoC Administration Manual to review everything you need to know before, during, and after the exams.
If you have specific questions, please contact your PLTW representative or reach out to the PLTW Solution Center at 877.335.7589 or solutioncenter@pltw.org.
PLTW Capstone
PLTW Capstone now spans all three of our high school pathways: PLTW Engineering, PLTW Biomedical Science, and PLTW Computer Science, offering a truly integrated approach to project-based learning.
PLTW Capstone also helps to represent a natural progression in our curriculum, offering students a more authentic, collaborative experience. We encourage all PLTW educators to consider incorporating this course into your teaching plans.
Key Features:
- Interdisciplinary Approach: Students from any pathway can tackle real-world challenges, mirroring professional collaboration.
- Expanded Accessibility: Open to all PLTW educators, not just those from EDD or Biomedical Innovations backgrounds.
- Comprehensive Training: Core Training is available to equip all instructors with the necessary skills to implement this course.
For more details, please refer to our FAQ Document.
PLTW Voice-of-the-Customer Surveys
PLTW regularly conducts Voice of the Customer (VOC) surveys with students, teachers, and administrators to better understand their experiences and needs. These surveys help inform decisions about updates and investments in PLTW’s programs, curriculum, and services.
Schools selected to participate will receive email invitations with details about the survey, including caregiver notification resources (for student surveys) and instructions for opting out when applicable. Teacher and administrator surveys are also sent directly to randomly selected participants.
If you receive an invitation to take part in a student or educator survey, we encourage you to participate—your feedback plays a vital role in shaping the future of PLTW.
If you have any questions about the surveys or the process, please contact the PLTW Research Team at research@pltw.org.
PLTW Core Training
PLTW Core Training is designed for flexibility and impact, these online sessions equip educators with the skills, confidence, and resources to bring real-world STEM learning to life.
View our 2025-26 Winter & Spring Training Schedule.
Need help registering? Access our step-by-step tutorial.
PLTW Grants
Start a new PLTW program or expand your existing program with one easy application!
Download our PLTW Grants Application Guide to learn more or visit the PLTW Grant Opportunities to see full details on each competition.
For nearly 30 years, Project Lead The Way (PLTW) has prepared PreK–12 students for careers, college, and life by equipping them with the STEM knowledge, credential preparation, transferable skills, and confidence to succeed. Our hands-on, real-world learning, deep industry partnerships and clear, scaffolded curriculum guide students from early career curiosity to postsecondary readiness. With strong professional development taught by a national network of more than 116,000 trained teachers in 12,200+ schools across all 50 states, PLTW enables schools to design scalable, future-focused programs that inspire students, empower educators, and connect learning to life after graduation. Learn more.
