Kellogg Community College’s Lifelong Learning Department will continue its expanding youth robotics initiative this summer with a series of four STEM Summer Camps in July.
The camps are designed to teach fifth through 10th graders basic to advanced STEM skills – that’s science, engineering, technology and math – with a focus on robotics, engineering and programming. Each camp costs $125 and will be held at KCC’s Regional Manufacturing Technology Center, 405 Hill Brady Road, Battle Creek.
The STEM Summer Camps at KCC are part of a larger youth robotics initiative at the college that includes a robotics competition team called the Bruin Bots, which competes in the fall; a Bruin Bots After-School Club held throughout the spring semester; and a pair of Spring Break Camps dedicated to LEGO engineering and robotics held in April.
Camps offered this summer include:
Introduction to LEGO Engineering: Simple Machines & LEGO Mindstorms
8 a.m. to noon Monday-Thursday, July 8-11
Using creativity, imagination and LEGOs, students in this camp will learn the basics of engineering simple machines and engineering concepts as they apply to LEGO and real world manufacturing. LEGO Simple Machine kits and LEGO Mindstorms kits will be used to as students engage in a hands-on learning experience that is sure to excite them. This camp will be beneficial to students with a basic knowledge of LEGO and requires no skills in engineering. By the end of the camp students will be able to build solid structures and simple machines with no help from adults or parents. This 16-hour camp will engage fifth- through ninth-grade students in a fun and interactive learning experience that will help develop the engineers of tomorrow.
Introduction to LEGO Robotics
1 to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, July 8-11
This is not science fiction – it’s real robotics. In this camp, students will learn the basic design concepts required to create functioning robots. They will also learn about different types of robots and where they are used in the real world. During the last part of the camp students will be introduced to LEGO Mindstorms sets and will have the opportunity to design and build robots that can perform certain tasks to complete challenges. This 16-hour camp will engage fifth- through ninth-grade students in an exciting learning experience focusing on the critical technology and design principles that can lead to the careers of tomorrow.
Advanced LEGO Robotics
8 a.m. to noon Monday-Thursday, July 15-18
Building upon the basic robotic concepts introduced in the Introduction to Robotics camp, this camp will take students further and expand their robotics knowledge. More complex design ideas that accomplish real-world challenges will be introduced as students learn more about the design process, engineering techniques and documenting and creating an engineering notebook. The teamwork and communication required to create robots will be central to this camp as will advanced robotic design ideas and concepts used in the manufacturing of robots. Students will also have the option to enroll in an afternoon session where they can learn to actually program the robots they have designed. Participation in the afternoon camp is not required, but morning campers will need to create engineering notebooks related to their designs so that afternoon campers can utilize this information as “programming teams” to bring the newly created robots to life in completing the assigned tasks. This 16-hour camp is designed for students in sixth through 10th grades.
Introduction to Robotic Programming
Noon to 5 p.m. Monday-Thursday, July 15-18
Calling all future programmers! This camp will build on previous LEGO Robotics camps and provide an introduction to programming robots using the LEGO Mindstorms system. Students will learn programming in both the NXT-G environment and RobotC. The camps will be a great introduction to those that have never programmed a computer or robot before. Utilizing the robots and design concepts created by the morning Advanced LEGO Robotics camp engineers, programmers in this camp will focus on making the robot designs come to life through robotic programming. This camp will give students the knowledge needed to make their robots function and will explore the possibilities of design improvements. Through the engineering notebook students will communicate their findings to the morning “design team” and suggest project improvements. Although this 16-hour camp builds upon previous camps, prior participation is not required. This exciting learning experience is designed for students in sixth through 10th grades.
Campers who register for both the Introduction to LEGO Engineering and Introduction to LEGO Robotics camps or both the Advanced LEGO Robotics and Introduction to Robotic Programming camps can pay a reduced rate of $229 for both camps. These campers must bring their own lunch to be eaten at a supervised location between camps.
If you have questions or would like to register for one or more of KCC’s STEM Summer Camps, call KCC’s Lifelong Learning Department at 269-965-4134 or email ll-info@kellogg.edu. Campers must be registered by Monday, July 1.
Partial scholarships are available for students who are on free or reduced lunch programs at their school. Contact the Lifelong Learning Department for more information.
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