Kids Learn to Program Sphero at Google office in Boulder
Details
This will be our third Sphero Rangers meetup teaching kids how to program Sphero. If you don't know much about Sphero - check out this video (http://vimeo.com/51106808) or visit our website (http://www.gosphero.com).
This event is 3 hours long. There will be two sections - one for younger kids - 4th grade to 7th grade and a more advanced section for 8th graders through high school. This is just a guideline - happy to have kids with different skills sit in a group best aligned with their abilities.
The younger group will focus on learning to program Sphero using an app called MacroLab. It is a simple Android/iOS app that let's the kids write scripts to program Sphero to change colors and drive geometric patterns. Skills learned / reinforced: angles, basic geometry, top down programming, understanding time vs. distance traveled, heading angles, loops, and problem solving. It is a great way for kids to apply lessons in school to a real world object. No previous experience or knowledge of Sphero is necessary.
The more advanced group will learn to program Sphero with a soon to be released app called orbBasic. This is a variant of the old BASIC programming language from the TRS-80 computer. Students will learn everything above but the programming will require students to actually write lines of code. Additionally they will learn about variables, conditional statements, for loops, using mathematical operators, and syntax.
Food will be provided but we will not take a formal lunch break - just grab food when hungry. Instruction will happen for about an hour then kids will work on a series of challenges at their own pace but have instructors available to assist. Please try to arrive on time - if you'll be late don't worry, we can bring you up to speed but you might have to wait until the formal presentation is done.
BRING your own iOS or Android device if you have one - if not, one will be provided. We'll provide the Spheros.
PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS - just let us know how many are coming in your RSVP.
I want to thank Google for being so generous and opening up their facility to help us out - hope to see a lot fo Googlers at the event.