Courses

July 22-26, 2013: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
July 22-26, 2013: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
July 29 – August 2, 2013: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
July 29 – August 2, 2013: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

July 22-26, 2013: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Fun with Fairy Tales

Ages: 4-5
Instructor: Kristen Johnson
Tuition: $195
Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, and Jack and the Bean Stalk: What do these all have in common? They are famous fairy tales. Come learn about a variety of fairy tales while creating these beloved stories with LEGO®. Participants will even have the opportunity to use LEGO® to build fairy tales of their own!

Exciting Energy

Ages: 6-7
Instructor: Shirley Versemann
Tuition: $195
Charge up your summer while playing hands-on with different forms of energy. We’ll pull, push, race, lift, and have fun during our study of energy with horizontal yo-yos, soup can races, and much more.

Wild Animals with LEGO® WeDo Robotics (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 6-7
Instructor: Carin Smith
Tuition: $270
Come join us on a Wild Animal adventure as we create robotic animals with LEGO® WeDo and learn about their behaviors and wild habitats. Use your imagination to create a new creature for your classmates to discover. It is sure to be a ROOAAARRRing good time!

Science Meets Art: Adventures in New Environments (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 7-8
Instructor: Prof. John Baltrushunas
Tuition: $250
This class uses art to envision the plants and animals of imagined ecosystems. Drawing, collage and assemblage will make the concepts real with a final product of an accordion book. At the end of the course there will be an exhibit of each student’s work.

Introduction to WeDo Robotics (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 7-8
Instructor: Julie Ream
Tuition: $270
Create all sorts of robots! Participants will learn the basics of the LEGO® WeDo robotics set and will build and program many different animals and machines.

World Cup Soccer Challenge with WeDo Robotics (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 7-9
Instructor: Gretchen Mollison
Tuition: $270
World Cup challenge! Participants will build machines based around a soccer game using LEGO® WeDo robotics. During this course, participants will learn how to build and program robots to play soccer while investigating how they work!

Creative Construction with WeDo Robotics (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 8-10
Instructor: Karen Engelkenjohn
Tuition: $270
Get creative with STEM learning! Working in groups of two, participants will use LEGO® WeDo robotics with expansion sets to build models that will develop skills in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Once familiar with the basics, participants will be encouraged get creative with their model designs and programs.

Mathematically Artistic

Ages: 10-12
Instructor: Kim Lewis
Tuition: $195
Think math and art don’t go together? Having an artistic eye often takes mathematical scale and reasoning. Participants will take a look at different genres of art and classify them in geometric themes. We will also discover how all of us are proportional in a unique way.

FIRST LEGO® League Competition Simulation with LEGO® NXT Robotics (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 9-12
Instructor: Kathie Reuter
Tuition: $270
Compete! Participants will receive an introduction to the LEGO® NXT robotics set while they design, build, and program a LEGO® NXT robot. Participants will compete with their robot in missions on past FIRST LEGO® League competition fields.

NXT Robotics Sumo Wrestling (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 12-15
Instructor: Evan Goff
Tuition: $270
Design a sumo wrestling LEGO® Mindstorms NXT robot to grapple processor-to-processor and force your opponent outside the ring. Implement effective programming strategies to leverage the robotic sensors you have chosen and earn the rank of yokozuna (“grand champion”). Students will learn how to use ultrasonic, touch, light and other useful NXT sensors that will be helpful in the design of their sumo wrestling NXT robots. Robust programming design will be emphasized, including the use of NXT loops, switch statements and data wiring. Dynamic use of variables will also be taught with the intent of showing students how to account for different scenarios their robots might encounter… Ganbatte!

LEGO® Engineering: Electricity and Magnetism (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 12-15
Instructor: Michele Perrin
Tuition: $270
In 2012, NASA sent the Curiosity rover to Mars. Now you can build your own robots for exploring the Martian surface just like NASA’s Curiosity rover. Learn to build and program a solar tracker, a battery tester, and a magnetic rock detector while investigating concepts in planetary science, electricity, and magnetism.

July 22-26, 2013: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Traveling Transportation

Ages: 4-5
Instructor: Kristen Johnson
Tuition: $195
Planes, trains, boats, automobiles, and space craft are a few of the ways we travel though our world and beyond. Participants will explore and use LEGO® to build a series of different means of transportation. Participants will use their creativity to create new modes of transportation! This session will be an exciting trip, exploring transportation!

Amazing Mechanisms with LEGO® WeDo Robotics

Ages: 6-7
Instructor: Carin Smith
Tuition: $270
Do you love LEGO®? Do you love science? This is the place for you! In this class we will be learning about simple machines and how they work in our world. Come ready for exploration in machines and WeDo robots!

Adventure Stories with LEGO® WeDo Robotics

Ages: 7-8
Instructor: Julie Ream
Tuition: $270
Who is ready for a LEGO® Adventure? Listen to some thrilling stories and create a soaring airplane, a vicious giant, and a rocking sailboat! You can then use your mechanical creations and imagination to create an Adventure story of your own!

WeDo Challenge (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 7-9
Instructor: Gretchen Mollison
Tuition: $270
Catapult to success! Participants in this class will be engaged with building machines to meet a challenging task such as launching a paper ball a long distance and creating a car that can run straight up a steep ramp.

Fun and Games with the LEGO® NXT

Ages: 8-11
Instructor: Karen Engelkenjohn
Tuition: $270
Game on! Participants in this class will work in teams of two to build and program robots to run obstacle courses and play a variety of games such as: Follow the Leader, Baseball, and Sumo. Students will develop engineering and technology skills using the gears, motors, and sensors for the LEGO® NXT robots. Some NXT experience is helpful.

The Physics of Toys (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 8-10
Instructor: Michele Perrin
Tuition: $250
It’s amazing how many toys are designed using physics. Explore inertia, kinetic energy, laws of motion, and friction while using K’NEX pieces to build levers, balances, tops, and other common toys.

Algebraic Exploration

Ages: 9-11
Instructor: Kim Lewis
Tuition: $195
Explore algebraic concepts through the use of hands-on experiments, competitions, and gaming. Concepts include balancing equations, solving for unknown variables, and fluency in algebraic thinking and problem solving.

Science Meets Art: Adventures in New Environments

Ages: 10-12
Instructor: Prof. John Baltrushunas
Tuition: $195
This class uses art to envision the plants and animals of imagined ecosystems. Drawing, collage and assemblage will make the concepts real with a final product of metalsmithing/jewelry work. At the end of the course there will be an exhibit of each student’s work.

NXT Robo Challenge Cup Soccer (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 12-15
Instructor: Evan Goff
Tuition: $270
Engineer an NXT soccer robot that accurately locates the game ball, takes possession, and moves the ball downfield to shoot and score! The challenge is not only avoiding your opponent, but programming your NXT soccer robot to stay oriented and get to the ball first. Students will learn how to use ultrasonic, touch, light and other useful NXT sensors that will be helpful in the design of their soccer robots. Effective programming techniques will be emphasized, including the use of NXT loops, switch statements and data wiring. Dynamic use of variables will also be taught with the intent of showing students how to account for different scenarios their robots might encounter. Are you up for the challenge?

July 29 – August 2, 2013: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Our Community

Ages: 4-5
Instructor: Kristen Johnson
Tuition: $195
Firefighters, police officers, grocery stores, and restaurants are just a few of the people and businesses that make up a community. Through the use of LEGO®, participants will explore and build communities as well as have the opportunity to use their own creativity to create a community all their own!

Introduction to LEGO® WeDo Robotics (Repeat) (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 6-7
Instructor: Gretchen Mollison
Tuition: $270
Create all sorts of robots! Participants will learn the basics of the LEGO® WeDo robotics set and will build and program many different animals and machines.

Amazing Mechanisms with LEGO® WeDo Robotics (Repeat) (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 6-7
Instructor: Bea Wilmering
Tuition: $270
Do you love LEGO®? Do you love science? This is the place for you! In this class we will be learning about simple machines and how they work in our world. Come ready for exploration in machines and WeDo robots!

Adventure Stories with LEGO® WeDo Robotics (Repeat)

Ages: 7-8
Instructor: Jessica Kammerer
Tuition: $270
Who is ready for a LEGO® Adventure? Listen to some thrilling stories and create a soaring airplane, a vicious giant, and a rocking sailboat! You can then use your mechanical creations and imagination to create an Adventure story of our own!

Science Meets Art: Adventures in New Environments (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 8-9
Instructor: Prof. John Baltrushunas
Tuition: $250
This class uses art to envision the plants and animals of imagined ecosystems. Drawing, collage and assemblage will make the concepts real with a 3-D diorama as the final product. At the end of the course there will be an exhibit of each student’s work.

WeDo Plus Scratch (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 9-11
Instructor: Karen Engelkenjohn
Tuition: $270
Are you a highly creative, self-motivated student who loves technical challenges? Then you will enjoy learning Scratch, the programming language from MIT for kids to create your own animations and video games. To make it more exciting, Scratch connects with LEGO® WeDo sensors and motors. This programming-focused class requires a high level of concentration and motivation.

Newton’s Laws of Motion

Ages: 9-11
Instructor: Shirley Versemann
Tuition: $195
Where do different forces come from? How are forces applied? How do forces affect movement of objects? We’ll use toys and games to look at Newton’s understanding of force and motion including Newton’s Car, pop can “Hero Engine,” and a balloon powered race car!

NXT Robo Challenge Cup Soccer (Repeat) (Sold Out)

Ages: 9-12
Instructor: Evan Goff
Tuition: $270
Engineer an NXT soccer robot that accurately locates the game ball, takes possession, and moves the ball downfield to shoot and score! The challenge is not only avoiding your opponent, but programming your NXT soccer robot to stay oriented and get to the ball first. Students will learn how to use ultrasonic, touch, light and other useful NXT sensors that will be helpful in the design of their soccer robots. Effective programming techniques will be emphasized, including the use of NXT loops, switch statements and data wiring. Dynamic use of variables will also be taught with the intent of showing students how to account for different scenarios their robots might encounter. Are you up for the challenge?

LEGO® Engineering: Tanks, Treads, and Tires (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 9-12
Instructor: Michele Perrin
Tuition: $270
Can you build a robot that can climb stairs, roll up a ramp, or travel across a rope like a tightrope walker? Learn how tanks, treads, and tires can influence your LEGO® robot’s ability to increase friction, balance without a gyro sensor, and conquer gravity.

FIRST LEGO® League Competition Simulation with LEGO® NXT Robotics (Repeat) (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 12-15
Instructor: Kathie Reuter
Tuition: $270
Compete! Participants will receive an introduction to the LEGO® NXT robotics set while they design, build, and program a LEGO® NXT robot. Participants will compete with their robot in missions on past FIRST LEGO® League competition fields.

July 29 – August 2, 2013: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!

Ages: 4-5
Instructor: Kristen Johnson
Tuition: $195
In this session participants will use LEGO® to learn about and build a series of fun, interactive, and engaging animals and their habitats. Participants will explore land, aquatic, and prehistoric animals. A perfect class for a budding zoologist!

Exploring the Coral Reef (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 6-7
Instructor: Jessica Kammerer
Tuition: $270
What’s so amazing about Coral Reefs? Come and find out! We will submerge ourselves in learning the beauties and wonders that abound on one Earth’s most precious ecosystems with LEGO® WeDO Robotics! We will build a mechanical scuba diver, manta ray, tropical fish, and a sea turtle which will help us create some amazing Coral Reef stories!

Creative Writing with LEGO® WeDo Robotics (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 7-9
Instructor: Bea Wilmering
Tuition: $270
Ready for to write a story based on your robotic creations? Let’s go! We will be creating working LEGO® WeDo robots and writing awesome creative stories to bring them to life. Bring your exciting ideas and join us for some writing and building fun!

WeDo Robotics Challenge (Repeat) (SOLD OUT)

Creative Movement with LEGO® NXT Robotics (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 9-11
Instructor: Karen Engelkenjohn
Tuition: $270
What do cool cars, dog sleds, frogs, spiders, and windmills have in common? They move in a variety of ways! Participants will have the opportunity to build and program a variety of LEGO® NXT robotic designs that move in different ways. Participants will develop their technical building skills and learn to apply engineering principles while testing their creative thinking. Some NXT experience is helpful.

The Physics of Roller Coasters (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 9-12
Instructor: Michele Perrin
Tuition: $195
Investigate the ways engineers create chills and thrills in rollercoasters. Learn to calculate speed and acceleration, and to analyze the effect of gravity on “g” forces in dips and turns. Use your imagination, teamwork, and engineering skills to build a model of your vision, and compete against others for the most exciting ride!

NXT Robotics Sumo Wrestling (repeat) (SOLD OUT)

Ages: 9-12
Instructor: Evan Goff
Tuition: $270
Design a sumo wrestling LEGO® Mindstorms NXT robot to grapple processor-to-processor and force your opponent outside the ring. Implement effective programming strategies to leverage the robotic sensors you have chosen and earn the rank of yokozuna (“grand champion”). Students will learn how to use ultrasonic, touch, light and other useful NXT sensors that will be helpful in the design of their sumo wrestling NXT robots. Robust programming design will be emphasized, including the use of NXT loops, switch statements and data wiring. Dynamic use of variables will also be taught with the intent of showing students how to account for different scenarios their robots might encounter… Ganbatte!

Super Science

Ages: 12-15
Instructor: Prof. Jennifer Yukna
Tuition: $270
From the super hot to the super cool, this class will take chemistry to a new frontier. Learn the chemistry and physics behind a variety of reactions from making molten iron to making ice cream with liquid nitrogen.