In partnership with Hofstra University

Description: 9-Week Summer course

Dates:
Starting Saturday, July 2nd Kickoff Parent/Student Orientation online

Time/Day:
1st session start time 10:00am - 11:30am EST

Method: Hybrid - On-Site & Online

Course Description

Summer 2022 STEM Session For Students Using the Raspberry Pi 400 Computer. Students will be assigned a Raspberry Pi 400 computer kit which is an educational tool designed to help the students learn coding, discover how computers work, and build their own fun amazing projects. After a brief history on computers with Computer Literacy (CL-101) video, students will get an overview of the desktop and Linux based Raspbian OS which will be used to learn basic Linux OS structure and commands. Students will learn coding with the popular high-level block-based visual programming language called SCRATCH to create fun programs. Students will also learn the basics of a very similar block based visual programming language called Microsoft Makecode in order to explore the world of physical computing. They will utilize not only the Pi 400 GPIO (General Purpose Input/Output) interface, but a Micro:bit microcontroller connected to our BFOW Digital Literacy Center custom two wheel drive robot. To help understand some of the basic engineering concepts such as the Internet of Things (IoT), each student will utilize various LED, temperature, distance, and light sensors to build and program our custom robot to do various tasks such as line tracing and obstacle avoidance. Students will also receive the Robox custom toolbox that not only holds all the connectors, sensors, etc,it stores your robot. Students will be able to test their robot's abilities at our robot challenge. When the students come to the center they will have everything they need in hand to innovate and complete the fun physical computing projects. Additionally, students will be taking a field trip to tour the Hofstra University Cybersecurity and Innovation Research Center in late July to get an greater overview of how their learning skills can be utilized in the future in the growing important field of cybersecurity. We will have cool show and tell sessions throughout our various meeting dates. We will also bring in special guest industry engineers and current computer science students via Zoom to speak to the students to enhance their STEM learning experience and perspective. Each student will also receive a Summer 2022 STEM T-shirt. First meeting starts Saturday July 2nd with the Kickoff Parents/Students Online Zoom Orientation meeting @ 10am to 11:30am. We will meet on-site at least three Saturdays spaced throughout the summer session starting July 9th on-site @ 10am to 12pm and then we will meet other Saturdays or midweek via Zoom thru to August 27th. See summer session schedule below for further details. Admin Fee is $35.00 per student. Ages 8 to 18 yrs. old. Internet connection required. Limited to 25 students max and students get to keep their computer if they finish the course!

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Tentative Schedule - Subject to change
Dates: Description
July 01
Send out Zoom and Canvas online classroom login information for Intro to Linux and Scratch programing classes – Course description- Expectations/Syllabus to read ahead of time.

July 02 On-Line
Kickoff Zoom Session! - Parents/Kids Orientation – Talk about summer session – give Brief intro & Bio Introduce instructors– PowerPoint – go over course description and syllabus- Note Students need Internet connection but have Hybrid on-site/online Zoom Sessions. Students to listen to CL-101 video on their own. Have students watch basic Linux videos ahead of Saturday on-site meeting
Time: 10am – 11:30am via Zoom

July 09 On-Site
Distribute Raspberry Pi 400’s in-house and students will setup and go over system in computer lab. Desktop/Raspbian OS session. Thoughts on CL101 -Q/A: At end give out cases and USB flash drive to each student – Students start Intro to Linux Online class work. Self-Paced Mods 1-4
Time: 10am – 12pm

July 16 On-Line
Go over PI Issues and discuss Linux questions- start Mod 5 to 8
Time: 10am – 12pm via Zoom

July 20 On-Line
Mid-Week Session - Go over Linux questions – start Mod 9-10 Start Scratch programming Mod 1-3 in second hour
Time: 6pm-7:30pm via Zoom

July 23 On-Site
Go over any Linux questions – Mod 10 etc. or Scratch etc. – Distribute Robot Kits -discuss build instructions – Scratch programming Mod 4-5
Time: 10am-12pm
[Possible Field Trip To Hofstra University Cyber Security Lab 1:30pm – Wear STEM T-Shirts]

July 30 On-Line
Go over Intro to Scratch Programming Questions Mod 6-7
[Possible slot for talking with industry engineers or computer science students] Time: 10am – 12pm via Zoom

Aug 03 On-Line
Mid-Week Session – Go over robot kit install questions
Time: 6:00pm – 7:30pm via Zoom

Aug 06 On-Line Session – Questions and start Scratch Mod 8-9 – Introduce Physical Computing with GPIO interface – Start engineering concepts discussion ie. basic circuits. Introduce Microbit- microprocessor and Microsoft Makecode – start tutorial basics.
Time: 10am – 12pm via Zoom

Aug 13 On-Site
Scratch Mod 10 Continue Physical Computing basics with Makecode basics – Help with testing robot – Continue discussing engineering concepts. Ie. Line tracing via IR sensors and avoidance using ultrasonic sensors – explain how reading signal distance works. Introduce PIR sensors for human detection – home alarm systems
Time: 10am-12pm

Aug 20 On-Site
Test robots tracking a line and obstacle avoidance challenge
Time: 10am-12pm

Aug 24 On-line
Midweek Session – Test robots – Control via IR Remote and Web.
Time: 6pm - 7:30pm via Zoom

Aug 27 On-Site
Final Session – Finish up with robot challenge and talk about upcoming Fall session plans.
Time: 10am – 12pm