It's another hot week in the DMV, but we're staying cool in STEM camp! In Arlington, we're coding our adventures in Scratch, getting into Turtle Art with Python, creating wearables using micro:bits, and learning about the fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence. In Bethesda, we're building games in Scratch and building robotics using micro:bits.
Our Board will also be stopping by this Friday at 2:30pm to see the presentations and meet everyone!
Click the link below to take you to more information about your camp.
Arlington - Marymount
Mid-Week Update
Taylor Swift is the theme of the week for many of our Scratch campers! We have projects in the works featuring Taylor's music, outfits, and her concert.
Now that we've wrapped up our first micro:bit wearable devices projects (fitbits and step trackers), campers are working on their final projects for Friday. Some projects include motors and moveable micro:bit creations -- we can't wait to see how they turn out!
Python Turtle Art campers are now planning their final projects (art pieces). Many projects are themed towards topics they love such as Minnie Mouse or animals they are interested in.
In our AI camp, we've learned how to train our own models on training buckets. Campers are now finishing up their projects to begin on their chat boxes for their final presentation project for Friday.
Check out more on each camp below!
Scratch 2: Code Your Own Adventure
In our Code Your Own Adventure camp, your children are creating their own interactive choose-your-own-adventure stories in Scratch by coding flow charts, user inputs, and conditionals to move their original story along. Along the way, the player makes choices in the story that takes our adventurer in different directions.
This week, campers started by creating flowcharts for their adventure stories/games that will allow the user to take different paths depending on their input. Some projects include horses going on a quest to defeat evil, having a vacation at the beach, and getting to experience a virtual Taylor Swift or Beyonce concert.
- Scratch is available for free at https://scratch.mit.edu/
- You can create an account and save all your children’s projects online and share them with the rest of your family and friends.
Question to ask your budding computer scientist: Who are your main characters (sprites), and where is their adventure heading?
micro:bit Wearables
In our micro:bit Wearables camp, your children are working on their very own prototype designs such as wearable art, fitness apps, or wearable safety devices like the bike helmet with turn signals.
So far this week, campers learned how to use the 'radio' feature on the micro:bits to send signals between two micro:bits. Then we learned how to program the LED light strip, made sketches for our wearable designs, and starting to create prototypes.
Question to ask your budding inventor: What kind of wearable are you creating, and what will it do?
Python 1: Turtle Art
Your children have been learning about the basics of how to code in Python. They are learning various aspects of coding such as variables, functions, and libraries. The children are creating digital art using a code library called Turtle.
This week, campers are working together to write code using loops and variables to create a circle with a gradient effect. We started creating shapes and recently learned how to use X,Y coordinates to make original art using the Python Turtle library. Then we began changing the color of the pen to add color to their artwork.
- A free development environment you can use to code in Python at home is https://trinket.io
Question to ask your budding computer scientist: What kind of art are you creating?
Introducing Artificial Intelligence
In our Exploring Artificial Intelligence Class camp, your children are applying their coding knowledge in Scratch in their projects such as creating their own AI Chatbots that tells puns and dad jokes and developing a calculator that squares roots.
This week, we have been practicing making a language translation bot that allows the user to enter a phrase and get the translated phrase back in visual or audio format. Campers have used various AI bots such as Sketch-RNN and Teachable Machine. They learned about why AI exists, what kind of AI exists, and the benefits and drawbacks of it. Now we are starting to learn how to make their own chatbot in Scratch.
- Scratch is available for free at https://scratch.mit.edu/
- You can create an account and save all your children’s projects online and share them with the rest of your family and friends.
Question to ask your budding AI engineer: What kinds of questions are you asking your Chatbots?
Friday Update
Special Guest Speaker
Leslie Welch, Principal Fellow of AI & Analytics at Excella, came to speak to our Python, micro:bit, and AI students on Friday. Leslie spoke about the fundamentals of AI/machine learning and data analytics. Campers learned about the different ways data can be collected and organized for analysis, and they worked together to practice gathering and analyzing data about their favorite foods and places to have fun.
Small Group Python Pilot
This week one of our instructors, Kade, pulled out a small group of more experienced coders in the micro:bit wearables camp. This group applied their knowledge of Python to code their micro:bits in Python instead of the normal block coding. This was a preview of new curriculum for the fall clubhouse and next summer when we will offer lessons in Python on the micro:bit. We love seeing the instructors take the initiative and create new learning opportunities for the campers.
Board Member Visit
On Friday we were also joined by members of the Boolean Girl Board of directors. They were thrilled to see how successful the new-ish AI camp and the brand new Web Development camp have been, and to hear and see the results of the micro:bit Python trial. They have asked that we look at two additional ideas for new curriculum: 1) App Development, building an app for mobile devices; 2) Cyber Security.
We value parents' input! If you have thoughts you would like to share on these new camps, we would love to hear from you at info@booleangirl.org.
Marymount Fall Clubhouse Dates Announced!
On Saturday mornings this Fall, we'll be hosting mini camps at Marymount called Clubhouse. These camps run from 9am-Noon and are a great place to pick up where you left off at summer camp and reunite with your STEM friends! Mark your calendars for October 5, 19, 26, and Nov 9, 16, 23.
You can sign up for Clubhouse here!
Bethesda
Mid-Week Update
micro:bit Robotics
Your children are learning about how to create inventions by programming micro:bit microcomputers with an online software called Microsoft Make:Code. They are digging deep into their creative sides to design, build, and code their own inventions. So far, they've been working on building their own robotic pets and will soon be adding various motors and sensors to them.
- To learn more about Microsoft's Make:Code projects, you can access their website here: https://makecode.
microbit.org/
Build Games in Scratch
After learning how to create stories in Scratch, our advanced Scratch campers are exploring how to create their own gaming platform like the classics, Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, and so many more. We're going through many advanced game components, such as keeping score, adding timers, and leveling up, while also learning the basics of video game player movement. Campers are starting to make their sprites run, jump, and interact with objects and other sprites!
- Scratch is available for free at https://scratch.mit.edu/
Question to ask your budding computer scientist: What kind of game are you building, and what are your sprites doing?
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