East Side Engineering Club Weekly Updates

East Side Engineering Club Weekly Updates

Week 1-

Welcome to STREM HQ!  We are so excited to be sharing our knowledge with your Stremtists!  We also like to share our knowledge with you so that you can have a great discussion about class with your child/ren.  This week in Engineering Club, we explored some of the basics of aerodynamics. 

We had a discussion about:

• The science of flight
• Propeller action
• Aerodynamic Forces- thrust, weight, lift, and drag
• Turbulence
• The Wright Brothers
• The Bernoulli Principle
• Newton's 3rd Law
• Types of Wings

Next, our Stremtists put their brilliant minds and hands to use to build paper airplanes from a template.  The whole class took turns flying their creations and discussed what made some fly faster and farther than others!  Here are some pics from class-

Can we just tell you how amazing and creative your Stremtists are, we're so proud of them!  Stay tuned because we also have a monthly blog.  You can also check out our older blog posts for more fun tech knowledge to share with your child at http://stremhqblog.blogspot.com/!  Remember to email us with any questions at info@STREMHQ.com.

CLICK HERE To Visit www.STREMHQ.com

Week 2

Welcome to STREM HQ!  We are so excited to be sharing our knowledge with your Stremtists!  We also like to share our knowledge with you so that you can have a great discussion about class with your child/ren.  This week in Engineering Club, we continued to explore aerodynamics!

We had a lot of activity this week-

• We started with a vocab review.
• Our Stremtists used their new knowledge and fabulous imaginations to create their own paper airplane.
• Last week, we completed paper airplanes with a list of instructions.  Our progress has dramatically increased and our Stremtists planes flew much farther and higher this week!
• Next week, we will be using electronic attachments on our planes, progress continues!

Can we just tell you how amazing and creative your Stremtists are, we're so proud of them!  Stay tuned because we also have a monthly blog.  You can also check out our older blog posts for more fun tech knowledge to share with your child at http://stremhqblog.blogspot.com/!  Remember to email us with any questions at info@STREMHQ.com.

CLICK HERE To Visit www.STREMHQ.com

Timber Ridge Robotics Club Weekly Updates

Weekly Update for Timber Ridge Robotics Clubs

Week 1

Welcome to STREM HQ!  We are so excited to be sharing our knowledge with your Stremtists!  We also like to share our knowledge with you so that you can have a great discussion about class with your child/ren.  This week in Robotics Club, we explored some of the basics of robotics by learning some different parts and handling robots.  We had a discussion about:

Touch Sensors- A device that detects objects through physical contact with them. These sensors may be used by robots, for example, to determine the location, identity, and orientation of parts to be assembled.

Infrared Sensors- A Light sensor is used to detect light and create a voltage difference. The two main light sensors generally used in robots are Photoresistor and Photovoltaic cells. Other kinds of light sensors like Phototubes, and  Phototransistors are rarely used.

Gyro Sensors- Also known as angular rate sensors or angular velocity sensors,  they are devices that sense rotational motion and sense changes in orientation.  They are used to effectively augment human motion.

Our Stremtists took their newfound knowledge about which project you could make from each sensor and then had their first robot build.  Can we just tell you how amazing and creative your Stremtists are, we're so proud of them!  Stay tuned because we also have a monthly blog.  You can also check out our older blog posts for more fun technical knowledge to share with your child this month when we send out our first blog!  Remember to email us with any questions at info@STREMHQ.com.

CLICK HERE To Visit www.STREMHQ.com

Week 2

Welcome back to STREM HQ!  Our Stremtists started their first robot build this week.  The kids were successfully able to create their first robots- "the Riley Rovers"!  These include large motors and UV sensors.  Attaching the wires and getting the pars where they are supposed to go is crucial for build of a good robot.  Please check out some of the amazing class pics from our first robot designs  below!

Week 3

Welcome back to STREM HQ Robotics at Timber Ridge!  We only had class last Thursday as Monday's class was on hold for Labor Day.  Just a quick update for the Thursday Stremtist parents-

• We learned about logic statements
• Converted the process to code system following code instructions
• Created a pseudo code to a process for making pb&j
• Studied the importance of pseudo code

Don't forget to ask your Stremtist about Robotics class this week for a full update on how much fun they had!

Week 4

Welcome back to STREM HQ Robotics at Timber Ridge!  Our Stremtists were so busy this week.  There was so much information to absorb and they did an awesome job of taking it all in.  This week we-

• Began our Intro to Software
• Had a programming lesson on forward motion.
• Built robots to test forward motion with Sec, Rotations, and Degrees.
• Completed a worksheet on our new knowledge of forward motion.

Can we just tell you how amazing and creative your Stremtists are, we're so proud of them!  Stay tuned because we also have a monthly blog.  You can also check out our older blog posts for more fun tech knowledge to share with your child at http://stremhqblog.blogspot.com/!  Remember to email us with any questions at info@STREMHQ.com.

CLICK HERE To Visit www.STREMHQ.com

East Side Technology Club Weekly Updates

East Side Technology Club Weekly Updates

Week 1-

Welcome to STREM HQ!  We are so excited to be sharing our knowledge with your Stremtists!  We also like to share our knowledge with you so that you can have a great discussion about class with your child/ren.  This week in Technology Club, we explored some of the basics of 2D and 3D modeling.  We had a discussion about:

• The distinction between 2D and 3D design. 
• Expanded the X, Y, and Z axis.
• Took the students through the engineering design process. 
• Brainstormed to discover what each child would like to ultimately create in 3D and shared with the class.
• Utilized our computers to show them the most important element in the software while making any 3D project, how to navigate in the software. 
• Tech 2 was able to move a little further in the software and started to place objects on the 3D plane.

Can we just tell you how amazing and creative your Stremtists are, we're so proud of them!  Stay tuned because we also have a monthly blog.  You can also check out our older blog posts for more fun technical knowledge to share with your child at http://stremhqblog.blogspot.com/!  Remember to email us with any questions at info@STREMHQ.com.

CLICK HERE To Visit www.STREMHQ.com

Week 2

Our Tech Stremtists began to edit objects in the 2D/3D software this week.  They learned texture painting as well.  They were challenged to create a Pokeball and use texture color to make it look as true to a real Pokeball as possible.  It's probably no surprise that our Stremtists love Pokémon like everyone else right now!

Week 3

Welcome to STREM HQ!  We are so excited to be sharing our knowledge with your Stremtists!  We also like to share our knowledge with you so that you can have a great discussion about class with your child/ren.  This week in Technology Club, we explored-

• Adding, subtracting, and intersecting objects on our 2D/3D software.
• We used multiple objects to make creations of our own.
• The challenge was to make caves by using subtraction and merging software tools.

Can we just tell you how amazing and creative your Stremtists are, we're so proud of them!  Stay tuned because we also have a monthly blog.  You can also check out our older blog posts for more fun technical knowledge to share with your child at http://stremhqblog.blogspot.com/!  Remember to email us with any questions at info@STREMHQ.com.

CLICK HERE To Visit www.STREMHQ.com

5 Vital Considerations When Selecting The Right Tech Camp For Your Child

5 Vital Considerations when selecting

the right Tech Camp for your Child

So your child likes technology or you want them to give it a shot; Summer Camps are the best way to introduce your child to any discipline.

Technology now is something that is like Math was a couple years back. You have to know it’s ins, outs, and abouts, and you have to keep up with its ever evolving pace.

Summer is around the corner and we want to make the best of it. Despite all that there are so many options and it’s hard to determine the best place to send your child. “Where will they have a great time? Where will they learn?” It’s a tricky situation to be in, there are so many ads, and each one says something different!

Here are 5 things to consider when looking for the right Tech camp:

1. Ratio

The right balance of Student to teacher ratios determine how smoothly the class goes, and how much attention the instructor is able to pay to the children. If there are too many students to one teacher, the instruction time will be fine, but when it comes to individual problem solving it is important that the instructor is able to attend to your child.

Pro-tip: The adequate amount of student teacher ratio is 10:1 or 20:2, it is important that the ratio is just right. If there is too less students, there is less social interaction and children tend to get bored quickly. A class of 9/10 will be a good social atmosphere and will also challenge the child to perform.

2. Equipment

All STEM fields need the students to work hands-on. It is essential that the student gets their individual parts or laptops/ desktops to work with. This will enable your child not only to learn at their own pace, but to actually come out with a sense of achievement.

Pro- tip: Does the provider have individual machines for students. Is there any hidden costs associated?

3. Quality

Quality equipment is needed to ensure quality learning. For instance, if you are trying to run a graphic software on a chrome book, it simply won’t work! And what more, the student will get frustrated. Whether they have PC’s or Mac’s, the configuration of the device is important. Are the programs built around cutting edge technology and are they laying a solid foundation for advancement?

Pro Tip: What kind of machines do they use? Example: an EV3 is a newer model robot than NXT’s; A laptop should have enough RAM (min 4GB) and Hard drive space (500GB+) etc. One of the latest buzz in tech is ‘3D’ and programming languages like JAVA never get old.

4. Variety

You want your child to be engaged and try out various things in the summer. Variety will enable your child to explore different aspects of the very vast technology field and determine what they like best.

Pro-Tip: If a camp has variety in their offerings, you will have more options for your child; and what more, you might even get multi-enrollment discounts!

5. Age Division

For the class to run at an equal pace, it is important that the students are grouped properly. If not, the older students might end up moving faster and the younger ones. And in the end, the take away is very little.

Pro-tip: Check if the elementary and middle school ages are grouped together or separately.

Barkha Suri

CEO/ Co-founder STREM HQ

STREM HQ Is Breaking Down Barriers in Education And Diversity

We are proud to announce the publication of an interview with one of STREM HQ's founders in Diversity in Action magazine entitled, Impacting The Next Generation Of STEM Students.  STREM HQ is the brainchild of 16 year old Aditya Suri, a national first prize winner of the Samsung App Academy. It is Aditya's vision to motivate youth towards STEM education and to "pay it forward" to the community. According to Aditya, "instead of saying 'when I grow up ...' and postponing your dreams to a future date, create your future starting now!"

Please Click The Link Below To Read Aditya Suri's Interview On The Impact Of STEM On Your Child And All About Our Program STREM HQ!!!

IMPACTING THE NEXT GENERATION OF STEM STUDENTS

The Revolution of Minecraft and How It Educates Your Child

As parents, you know that Minecraft has been a revolution for your kids.  What you may not realize is that Minecraft has created a revolution in educating children as well.  Minecraft is a game built on the principles of engineering and coding.  At STREM HQ, we utilize MinecraftEDU to capture those principles of engineering and coding to teach to your children.  Here at STREM HQ, we're hoping this article helps you to expand the conversation with your child.  When they jump into the back seat of your car excited about what we're doing and accomplishing at STREM HQ together, you'll be an expert too!

Minecraft is referred to as an open world or "sandbox".  It is a 3D environment that allows its players to spawn, move, and interact in the Minecraft environment.  It can be played in four modes: traditional survival, adventure, hardcore, and creative modes.

• Traditional Survival: Players can gather, create, and stay alive.
• Adventure: Players wander and interact.
• Hardcore: Players can stay alive or lose everything.
• Creative: Players build together freely, from huts to immense and intricate castles, etc. 

MinecraftEDU is run on a local server controlled by a teacher.  This allows the teacher to play directly with the class and allows the kids room to explore and interact with the teacher and each other.  Classmates can work to independently code and build, or work together on a myriad of projects that would not be accessible to them in the real world. 

Minecraft also enables kids to learn to program in the Java Programming Language. Students who want to write their own Mods have to learn the basics of Java in order to do so.  Students gain a foundation in computer knowledge and language.  For example, Minecraft players begin talking about IP Addresses, Servers and Clients, and Command Line operations.

One researcher in engineering education, Professor Debbie Chachra of Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering states in an article for Quartz, “To me, the remarkable part of students teaching themselves engineering with Minecraft is not what they’re learning, but how.  They’re intrinsically motivated to learn—they’re learning because they want to, not because someone or something else is making them. They’re working autonomously but as part of a community, and they are learning as they make more and more challenging structures and devices.”

Cody Sumter of MIT Labs in Wired Magazine points to the coding and computer science potential of Minecraft, "Minecraft is accidentally, but quite stealthily, teaching some of the basics of engineering software to its millions of players. Notch hasn’t just built a game, he’s tricked 40 million people into learning to use a CAD program.”

The Gift Of A STREM HQ Education!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM THE STREM HQ TEAM!

This season the best gift you can give your children is the gift of education and a bright future.  At STREM HQ we are offering both as a last minute gift during this holiday season.

 

Gift certificates are available in any amount you choose to purchase at:

www.STREMHQ.com

"Resourcefulness is the new smart. With technology and the power of the crowd and the cloud, the game has changed. Survival has always depended on problem-solving, especially social-problem solving. These days problem solving is faster and more complex, and our brains need to keep up."

Rick Ackerly- Educator and Author