Article on Scratch

When I was in high school back in the early 80s personal computers were just becoming available to the average person. The school still managed report cards using punch out cards feed into a huge mainframe. The only programming we were exposed to was BASIC on Apple II computers. Today's kids can learn programming as soon as first grade depending on their natural ability using a simple, easy to use programming "language" called Scratch....

http://hubpages.com/hub/Kids-Learn-to-Program-with-free-Scratch-software-from-MIT

Teach the Controversy

“Teach the Controversy” t-shirts

Mindstorms NXT Pole Climber

I gave Caffrey a challenge to build a robot that could climb one of the classroom poles...



This is at my Mars Exploration class at the AVA Gallery in Lebanon, NH. We have a great space to work with, eight computers plus a teachers computer with digital projection. High speed internet. Plenty of room to spread out and build Lego machines, robots, rovers. Currently I am running a class on robotics and a class on Scratch programming. I'll have two sold out summer camps this summer. Planning out my fall offerings.

Lego Evolution

Robotic Zoo and MoonBots

I'm currently teaching a class on NXT Robotics at the AVA Gallery in Lebanon, NH. I have two more summer camps this summer at the AVA - both are sold out.

I also have a few kids working on the MoonBots challenge from Google.

Teaching - Upcoming Classes at the AVA Gallery in Lebanon NH

I'm currently teaching a class after school on Thursdays on creative programming with Scratch. You can still sign up for the next session. This spring and summer I'll be doing some cool robotics classes.

AVA Gallery and Arts Center
info@avagallery.org
11 Bank Street Lebanon, NH 03766

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The Robotic Zoo

April 29 - May 27

Thursdays, 4:00-5:30pm

Residents of a distant moon base miss the wild creatures of their home planet. Build and program wonderful creatures to fill their "Robotic Zoo!" Using Lego Minstorms NXT robotics systems, participants will create autonomous robots that seem to have a life of their own.


Robotics — Mission to Mars

July 12 - 16

Monday - Friday, 1:00 - 4:00pm

Participants will design and program rovers to complete missions on the surface of Mars, including delivery, retrieval, and activation using Lego NXT robots. Taught by an experienced First Lego League mentor, this course is a perfect introduction to Lego robotic systems as used in the First Lego League competitions.

Edward Fielding

Robotics — The Mayan Temple

July 5 - 9

Monday - Friday, 1:00 - 4:00pm

What secrets lie hidden in the recently discovered Mayan ruins? Using a simple programming language in AVA's Digital Arts Media Lab, participants will build Lego NXT robotic explorers to unlock these ancient mysteries! Taught by an experienced First Lego League mentor, this course is a perfect introduction to Lego robotic systems as used in the First Lego League competitions.

Vibrobot Family Workshop at the AVA Lebanon

Oct. 17th 2009 - Vibrobot workshop at Lebanon's AVA Gallery and Art Center.

The kids with help from their parents made some really cool Vibrobot creatures. Vibrobots are little robots made from recycled materials and powered by tiny cell phone or pager motors.

The kids brought their imagination to the table full of 3v batteries, pager motors, wire, solder, sticky table and a lot of hot melt glue.