Announcing: KidzMash!
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Jim Holmes
Jan 4, 2008, 7:14:28 AM1/4/08
to CodeMash
CodeMash for kids == KidzMash.
Friday we will have the Acacia room set aside for some neat activities
targeted to the young, aspiring geeks running around while their geeky
parent is off at the main conference.
At 10:00 am Arnulfo Wing will be showing kids how to program using
Kids Programming Language. Arnulfo's got great experience with this
after having given a multi-week course at a Columbus school!
At 2:00 pm we're looking to have a demonstration of Lego Mindstorm
kits. I'm still nailing this one down, but one way or another we will
have something cool going on at this slot.
In between those times we'll have some other odds and ends going on
with other lego kits, USB rocket launchers, and whatever else we can
scrape out of the kitchen sink.
Feel free to pipe up if you have an idea to fill the time -- and are
willing to back it up with some effort to make it happen!
Friday we will have the Acacia room set aside for some neat activities
targeted to the young, aspiring geeks running around while their geeky
parent is off at the main conference.
At 10:00 am Arnulfo Wing will be showing kids how to program using
Kids Programming Language. Arnulfo's got great experience with this
after having given a multi-week course at a Columbus school!
At 2:00 pm we're looking to have a demonstration of Lego Mindstorm
kits. I'm still nailing this one down, but one way or another we will
have something cool going on at this slot.
In between those times we'll have some other odds and ends going on
with other lego kits, USB rocket launchers, and whatever else we can
scrape out of the kitchen sink.
Feel free to pipe up if you have an idea to fill the time -- and are
willing to back it up with some effort to make it happen!
Jim Holmes
Jan 4, 2008, 11:14:33 AM1/4/08
to CodeMash
One additional, critical point:
Children attending KidzMash events MUST AT ALL TIMES be accompanied by
their parent. We will have no child care provisions at KidzMash.
Children attending KidzMash events MUST AT ALL TIMES be accompanied by
their parent. We will have no child care provisions at KidzMash.
Jim Holmes
Jan 4, 2008, 12:14:39 PM1/4/08
to CodeMash
We're now settled for the afternoon session!
At 2pm Duane Collicott will be demonstrating 'LEGO Robotics' for all
interested participants.
Duane will also have part of his massive Lego collection on hand, as
well as a few robots he'll be driving around via his SmartPhone.
Sheer geekdom heaven!
At 2pm Duane Collicott will be demonstrating 'LEGO Robotics' for all
interested participants.
Duane will also have part of his massive Lego collection on hand, as
well as a few robots he'll be driving around via his SmartPhone.
Sheer geekdom heaven!
Melissa Insko
Jan 5, 2008, 7:16:40 PM1/5/08
to CodeMash
What kind of ages are we talking about here?
Dianne Marsh
Jan 5, 2008, 7:42:07 PM1/5/08
to code...@googlegroups.com
Melissa,
The vast majority of kids are in the 0-6 age group, but we will have a
handful of older kids as well. I don't think that my 4.5 year old has
the attention span to sit through anything formal. I'm suspecting that
this will mainly appeal to the over 6 crowd and for short periods of
time, since the water park will be demanding their attention as well!
Dianne
MikeWo
Jan 6, 2008, 9:57:34 AM1/6/08
to CodeMash
On Jan 5, 7:42 pm, Dianne Marsh <dmm...@gmail.com> wrote:
>I'm suspecting that this will mainly appeal to the over 6 crowd ....
LEGO Mindstorms and USB rocket launches may well attract the over 30
crowd as well.
>I'm suspecting that this will mainly appeal to the over 6 crowd ....
LEGO Mindstorms and USB rocket launches may well attract the over 30
crowd as well.
Mark Aufdencamp
Jan 6, 2008, 10:11:23 AM1/6/08
to CodeMash
My 9 yr old is excited about KidzMash. She's played with some Lego's
at school, and I've been asked to do a CS intro for her Math/Science
school class. KPL looks like just the project to work with them on.
I'd be real interested in a defined lesson plan for KPL if one is
available.
at school, and I've been asked to do a CS intro for her Math/Science
school class. KPL looks like just the project to work with them on.
I'd be real interested in a defined lesson plan for KPL if one is
available.
Dianne Marsh
Jan 6, 2008, 12:25:43 PM1/6/08
to code...@googlegroups.com
A tutorial was released (last week?) on how to build apps in Python for
the new XO (One latop per child) machines as well. I think that would
be ultra cool. http://tinyurl.com/yt8xys
Once we get past CodeMash, I hope to spend some time checking this out, especially since one of our employees (waving at Mike!) bought 2 XO's for his girls.
The Alice programming language is also very cool for kids. If someone has expertise in that, I hope that he or she will find time to convene a session!
BTW, I heard talk of an ArbParents Camp on a Saturday sometime this winter. This would be an open spaces event in the Ann Arbor area, and the idea is to provide activities for both kids and parents. KPL, Lego Mindstorm, Alice, and OLPC activities would certainly be sessions that I think would be appealing for the tech-savvy in that group as well, and being held on a Saturday would mean that perhaps older school-aged kids could come. I suspect people will be interested in that and so if no one minds, I'll post information on that if it materializes.
Dianne
Once we get past CodeMash, I hope to spend some time checking this out, especially since one of our employees (waving at Mike!) bought 2 XO's for his girls.
The Alice programming language is also very cool for kids. If someone has expertise in that, I hope that he or she will find time to convene a session!
BTW, I heard talk of an ArbParents Camp on a Saturday sometime this winter. This would be an open spaces event in the Ann Arbor area, and the idea is to provide activities for both kids and parents. KPL, Lego Mindstorm, Alice, and OLPC activities would certainly be sessions that I think would be appealing for the tech-savvy in that group as well, and being held on a Saturday would mean that perhaps older school-aged kids could come. I suspect people will be interested in that and so if no one minds, I'll post information on that if it materializes.
Dianne
phrogdave
Jan 18, 2008, 1:39:17 PM1/18/08
to CodeMash
Hi, I'm from the KPL/Phrogram team, just thought I'd reply to Mak.
KPL is the predecessor (freeware) version of Phrogram. KPL comes with
a beginner's tutorial that's there after you install it, or you can
download it from the "KPL downloads" section of the Phrogram site.
http://phrogram.com/files/folders/kpl_documentation/default.aspx.
There are also resources for Phrogram at the Phrogram site and from
several users. For example, http://michaelpatten.com. Michael created
this material to teach his 7 year old daughter how to program. He
uploaded it at the beginning of the month.
KPL may be better for the kids in this project because Phrogram is
more powerful, more geared to middle schoolers and above.
On Jan 6, 7:11 am, Mark Aufdencamp <M...@aufdencamp.com> wrote:
> My 9 yr old is excited aboutKidzMash. She's played with some Lego's
KPL is the predecessor (freeware) version of Phrogram. KPL comes with
a beginner's tutorial that's there after you install it, or you can
download it from the "KPL downloads" section of the Phrogram site.
http://phrogram.com/files/folders/kpl_documentation/default.aspx.
There are also resources for Phrogram at the Phrogram site and from
several users. For example, http://michaelpatten.com. Michael created
this material to teach his 7 year old daughter how to program. He
uploaded it at the beginning of the month.
KPL may be better for the kids in this project because Phrogram is
more powerful, more geared to middle schoolers and above.
On Jan 6, 7:11 am, Mark Aufdencamp <M...@aufdencamp.com> wrote:
> My 9 yr old is excited aboutKidzMash. She's played with some Lego's
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