Young inventors converge on Trace Crossings Elementary School
Young inventors from schools across Hoover and surrounding areas recently got a chance to use their creativity in a “RoboGarage Makers Camp” at Trace Crossings Elementary School in Hoover.
Students from various neighboring schools attended the three-day camp held in early June. Besides Trace Crossings, participants were from the following elementary schools: Greystone, Deer Valley, Rocky Ridge, Riverchase, Oak Mountain, Mountain Brook, Shades Cahaba and Gardendale. Camp hours were from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and lunch and T-shirts were given to each camper.
A Maker's Camp is a camp designed for young inventors, artists and tech enthusiasts to come together in one building to create, code, build, tinker and explore using various tools and materials. You can find more information at makercamp.com.
The emphasis during Trace Crossings’ RoboGarage Maker's Camp was “making” things operate through coding. Students were able to experience coding with five different methods and experimented with fun activities such as Minecraft, Mods with Minecraft, 3D Printing, littleBits, MakeyMakey and Tinkercad.
Several coding websites and apps were introduced; students used soldering to create badges, and participated in engineering and other creative activities.
Through coding and making, campers were able to create:
- Light-Up Make Badges
- MakeyMakey Operation Game
- Experiment with 3D printing
- Design and create a working SCRIBBLEBOT
- Create art with the Ozobots and Spheros
- Use Spheros for bowling
- Create and publish their own game app
- Create Minecraft worlds
Camp leaders conducting this year’s “RoboGarage” Maker’s Camp included: Assistant Principal Amanda Stone; Dana Joyner, S.T.E.A.M. facilitator; Kim Cannon and Haley Brown, both fourth-grade teachers; Michelle Knutson, physical education teacher; and Minnette Wiggins, first grade teacher and Alabama’s 2015 Elementary Teacher of the Year.
Trace Crossings is the only elementary school in Hoover with a fixed Maker's Space area. It is provided for all students throughout the school year. For the 2015-16 year, Trace Crossings will be adding flexible Maker's Spaces as well as implementing a S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) model for students.