[Week 04] Afternoon ProgramsSummer Programs 2023

NOTE: We are still processing all the photos taken this week. We will continue to update this post with more photos as they are uploaded.

CREATOR SPACE
This week we got bright and messy by making tie-dye t-shirts. Then we began putting together drawings and collages for our open house display.  We hope you can see our work at Open House next week!

DRAMA: SUMMER STARS ON STAGE

MINECRAFT
The students began the week by completing two of Minecraft Education’s Hour of Code assignments.  They moved on to tackle puzzle-based story assignments that required them to use their new coding knowledge (either with blocks or python depending on their experience with coding) to solve a great number of puzzles. Students had to complete each assignment in order as the story builds upon each “hour of code” lesson.
Students ended the week by beginning to work on their “final projects,” implementing the different concepts they have learned in Minecraft class this summer. The final project will require them to work together to make a “functional community/city” in Minecraft.

ROBOTICS WITH LEGO EV3
This week, the students are working on projects of their own choice. They have the option to come up with their own ideas, improve on something they’ve done before in this class, or create something that they found online. Some ideas that the students started building include robots that can hold a pen and draw with it, a mechanical bug, and a rover-like vehicle that combines the robot arm that they worked on last week.

ROBOTICS WITH LEGO WEDO
The students explored how better methods of sorting recycling can aid in cutting back the amount of waste that is discarded and built a model truck that sorts objects using their physical properties, including shape and size. With some time left, the students made paper airplanes out of recycled scrap paper (reuse!) and had a team battle to see whose airplane flew the farthest. Some students challenged themselves to fold a more complicated airplane while others taught classmates how to fold an airplane.
Next, the students designed their own space rockets with an astronaut attached. They learned how rockets fly and what a space station is. The students also explored how a moon base is possible before designing a robot that can move on the surface of the moon to assemble a base, which human hands can’t do.
Our next lesson demonstrated the difference between a crocodile and an alligator. The goal was to build and program a mechanical crocodile that makes sounds and is motorized to open and close its jaw. They seem to really enjoy having their fingers chomped on by the Lego-Crocodile.
Finally, the students drew a sea creature of their choice; sharks and dolphins seemed to be a popular choice. The goal was to build and program a mechanical shark to mimic the movements of a real shark when swimming in the ocean, and understand why sharks are misunderstood and important to our oceans.

ROBOTICS WITH VEX
During the fourth week of the VEX Robotics class, students focused on their open house projects, refining their robot designs and programming them for specific tasks. They learned about different sensors and how to incorporate them into their robots to enhance functionality. The completion of their robots was followed by coding servo modules and configuring the joystick as a controller, allowing for precise control and interactivity. The week emphasized the integration of mechanical, electrical, and programming skills, culminating in the successful development of fully functional and innovative robots for the open house showcase.

JOURNEY TO THE STARS
In week four of Journey To The Stars, we are bringing our attention to the different types of galaxies as well as the different types of stars that fall within galaxies. We have created galaxy models, star models, and have watched videos on the comparison of stars and other terrestrial space objects to gain perspective on size.

STORY ART, SMART ART, LET’S GET ARTED
This week, the kids are starting to enhance their art and writing skills by creating a personal narrative. With this personal narrative, the children will create their own stories that are facilitated by different genres that they may choose. With flexible accommodations, the kids had a choice to either type or write out their narrative, but illustrations are hand-drawn.

UNDERSEA EXPLORERS
This week has been filled with captivating scientific explorations and captivating hands-on activities. Our students embarked on a fascinating experiment, crafting blubber replicas and testing their quality within frigid waters. Additionally, they delved into the intricate anatomy of a squid, meticulously constructing intricate 3D replicas that brought these remarkable creatures to life. We also looked into the mechanics of a hydraulic arm and students created one themselves! To culminate this week’s scientific discoveries, we engaged in an investigation into the realms of echolocation and sonar, immersing ourselves in a captivating sonar activity right within our classroom.