​Project Based Learning Electives provided by the Berrien Springs Virtual Academy​​​​​​​
FLC Tech Classes                                          Spring 2019

 
On-Site Instructor:  Paul Oblak
Contact: taraj@andrews.edu or  poblak@gmail.com      #269-697-0069
Location: Basement of 111 Main Street, Niles  MI  49120
Classes begin January 21
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Additional registration at location is required.

Tinkering
Grades: 3rd - 5th 
Wednesdays, 1:30-2:30 PM
Description: This class will have a series of hands-on projects for kids to create – from making slime to building a catapult (examples of previous crates). Using Tinker Crates students will explore physics, electronics, and engineering. We will also complete a series of projects involving electric motors from the Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst Kit (and the accompanying booster kit). 
Course Overview
Syllabus

Building Beyond LEGOs   ***CLASS CANCELED***
Grades: 3rd - 6th 
Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30 PM
Description: Students will go beyond ordinary LEGOs and learn to build creations that bend, light up, and incorporate walls/ceilings – including teaming up with classmates to make a Rube Goldberg Machine. After the class ends, students can take home their own set of Flexo, a copy of Lego Chain Reactions (with build components), and some Lego tape + receiver tape to continue designing and creating without limits! 
Course Overview
Syllabus

Intro to Electronics       ***CLASS CANCELED***
Grades: 4th – 8th
Wednesdays, 12:30-1:30 PM
Description: Students will learn about basic circuits and electronics without soldering. They will learn how hardware and software interact with some simple programming and have fun making lots of cool projects – some of which they can take home to keep! 
Course Overview
Syllabus

Build and Program Your Own Computer   ***Returning fall students only***
Grades 4th - 8th
Wednesdays, 11 AM-Noon
Description:  Students will start with their very own Piper Computer Kit—which they get to assemble into a small, working computer! We then jump into a world of computer code, starting with the drag-and-drop Blockly programming language and moving on to some more challenging coding in Python. Python is a programming language used by everyone from beginners to professionals, so it is a great skill to learn. This class is meant for students with little or no experience with programming; we will cover everything they need to know in class and in our online videos. With the Piper Computer Kit, students will not only get to make fun and simple programs on computers they built, but they will also get to make and test their code in Minecraft! The computers we build allow us to write and edit code within Minecraft so, in a way, students will be making and playing their own personal version of the popular videogame!
Course Overview - this is a full-year class but students must re-register for it each semester.
Syllabus
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Drone Building           
Grades: 5+
Wednesdays, 10-11 AM
Description: In this class, students will learn all about drones – including comparing various designs, basic flight principles, what drones are commonly used for (as well as some history of drones and various types of UAVs), and how to build + fly them! We will build various drones throughout the class and try out some that are pre-built, including racing drones and drones that use cameras + VR headsets! We will begin by exploring the Flybrix drone kit, which allows us to test out quad, hex, and octo airframe designs! We will compare different designs and discuss basic electronics and flight techniques. Then, students will try out designing their own drone. Students will go on to learn how to solder, and practice by making their own small, batterypowered, LED circuit. Once they’re comfortable soldering, students will be ready to build and test their own drone – using Radio Shack’s DIY Drone Starter Kit. Students will get to take this drone home to keep. 
Course Overview
Syllabus

*Please note: it is important to make as informed a decision as possible when choosing your student's Community Resource classes. Most locations will allow a student to drop a class after one meeting, at no charge if it wasn't a good fit for the student, but not all. Some classes plan ahead based on the number that have signed up and have purchased materials, hired teachers, etc. and there might be a fee for class time or materials given to the student if the student drops after one or two meetings. The school cannot pay for classes that students do not complete, so choose wisely; if you do not take the class off of your student's schedule by the deadline, you may be asked to pay for the class time incurred prior to dropping the class.
Teacher of Record: Tom Hurst