We have two programs, one with a local library which centers around the Lego Mindstorm robotics kits as a vehicle to teach engineering, programming, and modeling. This has been on-going for about two years, and has been very successful.
The second is with an underprivileged middle school (a charter school.) The school has extra-curricular clubs, and after we hosted an Engineering Day at our facility they expressed an interest in a science/engineering club. Here we begin with simple ideas of building towers or bridges with different materials (toothpicks and marshmallows vs. linguini and gumdrops vs. index cards and paper clips vs. Lego blocks, for example.) We'll move on to Lego Mindstorms in the coming weeks. Another possible idea we're considering is exploring flight with paper airplanes. At the library we once did a program with model rockets. This charter school program is much younger and quite different from the library program.
Both of these programs have been recognized by our company's charitable foundation, and have been awarded with donations. And the kids really do just eat it up. (Not to mention the marshmallows and gumdrops.) Thusfar we have mostly targeted students from ages 7 through 13.
Simple suggestions: Local libraries can be a great community resource, and should be put to use if they are willing collaborators. This plays into the my second suggestion: Don't pattern it after school work. Make it fun! Tap into your most subversive notions to make the kids see that this is not just geek stuff. Check out Chris Rogers' site at Tufts.
And finally, stale marshmallows are the best. They are more structurally rigid and less likely to be eaten.
Slashdot Mirror
We have two programs, one with a local library which centers around the Lego Mindstorm robotics kits as a vehicle to teach engineering, programming, and modeling. This has been on-going for about two years, and has been very successful.
The second is with an underprivileged middle school (a charter school.) The school has extra-curricular clubs, and after we hosted an Engineering Day at our facility they expressed an interest in a science/engineering club. Here we begin with simple ideas of building towers or bridges with different materials (toothpicks and marshmallows vs. linguini and gumdrops vs. index cards and paper clips vs. Lego blocks, for example.) We'll move on to Lego Mindstorms in the coming weeks. Another possible idea we're considering is exploring flight with paper airplanes. At the library we once did a program with model rockets. This charter school program is much younger and quite different from the library program.
Both of these programs have been recognized by our company's charitable foundation, and have been awarded with donations. And the kids really do just eat it up. (Not to mention the marshmallows and gumdrops.) Thusfar we have mostly targeted students from ages 7 through 13.
Simple suggestions: Local libraries can be a great community resource, and should be put to use if they are willing collaborators. This plays into the my second suggestion: Don't pattern it after school work. Make it fun! Tap into your most subversive notions to make the kids see that this is not just geek stuff. Check out Chris Rogers' site at Tufts.
And finally, stale marshmallows are the best. They are more structurally rigid and less likely to be eaten.