There does seem to be a gap in programming education. Synthesis. Are there any resources that take someone from knowing the syntax of a language and into grad

There does seem to be a gap in programming education. Synthesis. Are there any resources that take someone from knowing the syntax of a language and into gradually larger and more complex projects? Not step-by-step walk-throughs but actually evaluating the all-important steps of knowing what to do in the first place and putting the individual pieces in place as needed? Synthesis? I've seem plenty of tutorials on putting together a large project, but they are all step by step. They cover 'what' and the 'how' but are universally missing the 'why'. And without the 'why' a student does not know what to do when confronted with a problem.