Day 1 of LEGO+Minecraft Camp

The school has been quiet a few weeks and it was great to have students back in the building learning and having fun. We started the day by setting up team groupings and team names. We also assigned LEGO kits to each group and started to build what LEGO calls the driving base. The driving base is the main robot we will be using this week to execute the various programming challenges. When completed the driving base will look like this:

The robot used two large motors for driving and one medium motor to lower and raise the robotic arm.  Several of the groups have already finished the build and are ready for programming.  There will be mini challenges with each unit as well as a final big challenge per unit which is a simulation of a real robotic task.  The first big challenge involves programming the device like the Sensabot.  The Sensabot is an inspection robot used to safely and effeciently inspect industrial facilities.  For the challenge students will need to have their robot drive precise distances and perform and three inspections (raising and lowering the robotic arm) and then return to the home base for charging.

Lego programming and building is great fun but for some of our "campers" the main event of the day is Minecraft.  Today was a bit of freeplay session as we helped campers get their accounts accessible and ready to go for the rest of the week.  Tomorrow's Minecraft work will involve a tutorial for those students interested in learning more about Minecraft basics such as building and mining and surviving.  We will also play a game called The Walls which involves applying Minecraft survival skills in a timed environment.  Should be fun!