Sci-fi science camp applies hands-on learning

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Ryan, left, and Dean, right, build a robot using LEGO Mindstorms and will program the robot for a race afterwards. (Nikita Ganovicheff/meadowlakeNOW staff)

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Each concept has a project connected to it where the kids can apply what they’ve learned.

“They like being able to actually do some hands-on science work as opposed to science just told to them,” Hinatsu said.

The projects are separated into different age groups and taught at different levels to match their education. Children from grades 6 to 9 learn the same concepts as the children from grades 3 to 5 but are taught a little more about the concepts.

The children learned about kinetic energy through building a marble roller coaster and how to program by using LEGO Mindstorms and Ozobots to build and race robots.

Tana programs the Ozobot by running the sensors over a black line. If the sensors detect a certain pattern of colors then it will preform a specific action. (Nikita Ganovicheff/meadowlakeNOW staff)

The Ozobot is a small toy robot with sensors on the bottom. The sensors recognize lines, colors and codes which will program the robot to perform a specific action like move backwards or turn left.

Chelsey, one of the campers, said her favourite part of the camp was building a village for the Ozobots with her friends.

“We made houses for everyone and we made a trampoline park, a pool and a whole bunch of stores,” Chelsey said. “[The Ozobots] follow black lines and you can make codes that tell them to go fast or slow.”

Blake, another camper, said he liked building and programming the LEGO robots.

“We actually got to create what we wanted other than having something built for us,” Blake said.

The University of Saskatchewan holds science camps every summer throughout Saskatchewan.

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nikita.ganovicheff@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @Nikitaganov