MS-L Hacking a Robot Brain for Fun and Productivity

This 6-week workshop is for students in grades 8 through 12 who will explore the power and possibilities of the Arduino system. This will be a fun hands-on introduction to the Arduino programmable microcontroller system and many accessories and sensors, potentially leading participants designing and building their own project for fun or for a specific project.

Participants in this workshop will learn all about the Arduino family of microcontrollers, how to program them with freely available tools, and how to interface them to the world for input and output.  They will learn:

• The basics of programming an Arduino
• How to use the built-in light to 'blink' in Morse code
• How to use the input pins to respond to inputs like push buttons, light sensors, IR remotes, etc.
• How to use the output pins to control lights and motors
• How to use a breadboard to build circuity with the Arduino as the controlling 'brain' and more!

Pre-requisites: It is helpful, but not necessary, that participants have a foundation in coding (such as the completion of their school’s grade 7 coding class). They will need to purchase the Elegoo Mega R3 Project starter kit and bring it to the first day of the workshop. It is available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/2UiFPni

Makersmiths will provide participants with laptops with the Arduino program files loaded for the participants top use during the workshop sessions that will be held in the classroom at the Leesburg location.

New to Makersmiths? Parents of the participants need to sign the Makersmiths Waiver Form prior to the first day of the workshop. To fill out the form online, go to:

https://waiver.fr/p-NVPOj

Questions? Contact the instructor: Robert Shirley