CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Beginning Lego® Engineering: (This is a summer class only)
 Ages 6-7 (kindergarten with experience following Lego directions): In this class children will be introduced to simple machines while having fun learning about mechanical building concepts. Using special Lego kits, and easy-to-follow instructions, children will get hands-on experience working with gears, pulleys, and electrical motors. Some of theprojects include: an amusement park ride, crane, miniature table saw, washing machine and a variety of cars some with real working headlights. This class uses the kits in the blue boxes, 4-volt electric motors and battery controls. All equipment in provided and returned to teacher at end of class.

Robotics with Lego® Mindstorms RCX: Ages 7 and up (younger with previous Lego building experience)
 Imagine what you can do when you combine Lego bricks with computers! The Lego Robotics Workshop is an introduction to building and programming machines using the Lego Mindstorms Invention System 2.0. Students will have fun designing programmable machines that can walk on legs, or move about on wheels, to find their own way to avoid obstacles. Using Lego blocks, motors and sensors, you will learn mechanical design, construction, programming and teamwork skills. Students use a laptop computer to program their machines to move, react, and make sounds in order to solve challenges (laptops are provided). All equipment is returned to instructor at end of class.

Robotics with Lego® Mindstorms NXT: Ages 8 and up
 The latest generation of Lego Mindstorms has arrived! Now you can create the smartest, strongest and most advanced LEGO® robot ever! Using the NEW and improved Mindstorms NXT kits beginners and experts alike can create vehicles, machinery, and animal robots that obey every command. Incredible new hi-tech sensors combine with the power of the NXT Intelligent Brick to let your robot do just about anything you can imagine. You will learn to use sound sensors, touch sensors, and light sensors. All programming is icon based drag and drop. This is a great way to learn about mechanics, physics and computer programming. All necessary equipment is provided. Robots will be disassembled and returned to instructor at end of class.

Lego® Pneumatics - Machines that run on Air Pressure:        Ages 8 and up
 In this workshop students will explore the functions of air compression as they build and operate
Lego pneumatic models. Using special instruction books, they will build a variety of projects such as: a Pneumatic Press, Jaws of Life, and a Pneumaticc Arm that moves and picks up Lego people, as well as vehicles using pneumatci devices. Each will be operated using a miniature air compressor and switches. All of the machines will incorporate the use of pneumatic cylinders, pumps, hoses, switches and air tanks. In addition to pneumatics students will use the Mindstorms RCX kits so they can add the pneumatic devices to a programmable vehicle.

Computer Animation and Digital Cartooning         : Ages 8 and up 
This exciting class is an introduction to computer animation using Macromedia Flash. Kids will have fun making and assembling a basic animated cartoon using movie symbols, sound, and animated text. The animations will be burned onto CD’s and MAILED home for following week.

Lego® Movie Maker Video Production:       Ages 8 and up
This workshop is an introduction to stop-motion video. Students wil build their own mini Lego movie sets and select the mini-fig characters. Using webcams and Microsoft Movie Maker software, they will create an original movie using stop-motion and live video techniques. They will edit the movie and add exciting sound effects, music, narration and titles. The finished movies will be burned on a CD and MAILED home the following week.