This summer we brought back our robotics summer camp with two amazingly successful weeks! The summer camp originally started in the summer of 2019, but due to covid-19 we didn’t repeat it till this year. This summer both of our camp weeks followed the same procedure, spending the majority of the day working on build challenges, with breaks for snack and outdoor games.
Our first challenge on day one was to build a structure out of popsicle sticks and other assorted materials. Campers aimed to make their structures reach as far and as high as possible. After the first round they would look at every other groups’ ideas and then do a second round of the competition using strategies they learned from other teams. This helped the kids learn two important things: first the value of Coopertition, which means that while yes all the teams were competing, it’s still important to be gracious, to help and to learn from your competitors. The campers also learned that iterating on your design is constant in robotics, and it’s okay, and sometimes necessary, to restart from the ground up to create the best product in the end.
The second challenge campers worked on during day one was to create a structure out of aluminum vex kit bars. The structure had to hold a cube 18 inches off the ground, and hold it in place after being shook on a table. These requirements were met by all teams! This activity served as an introduction into the metal pieces, the stationary brackets, the nuts, bolts, and the tools that we would be using throughout the week. It also gave campers a chance to practice reading directions, and identifying their goals, and constrictions in a challenge.
On the second day of camp, campers worked to create motion in their structures. The campers were introduced to the six simple machines: the screw, incline plane, wedge, wheel and axle, gears, and finally the pulley. Campers were then tasked with creating a structure similar to the first day, but with the inclusion of motion. Teams used rack and pinion systems, conveyor belts, pulley systems, and dumping baskets. For this activity, campers were also required to make a design poster with their group that they presented to the rest of the campers which explained their design, how it works, and what simple machines their design used. This process was meant to emulate what speaking to judges is like at robotics competitions. You and your team have to explain your robot, its design process, and any struggles you faced to a panel of judges.
On the third, fourth, and fifth days of camp, campers created their final robots, using the skills and motion systems they learned in the days prior. These robots were for our Moon Mining Competition (More details on the game later on)! Teams spent the two and a half days creating, fixing, improving and testing their designs. This is the same process all robotics teams have to go through, although in a longer time frame. Campers were also required to create a flag for their robot to signify when they had a block in their possession. This flag also was a way to encourage team spirit among the campers. The teams also received bonus points for the potential team cheers, hand shakes and dances they created. Team spirit is a big part of robotics, not only does it make the competitions more fun, but there are also awards for it. Teams additionally had to create another design poster for their robot for the same reasons as before, though on the second run through of presentations teams were also asked a question to further emulate the judging process.
Finally, each week came to an end with the Moon Mining Competition!! Campers competed in the form of cooperative matches, with individual scores tracked. At the end of the matches, the team who had the most points across all their matches would be declared the winner. This game is a simplified version of a real contest NASA has for college students across the country. We chose to do this as it shows the campers that what they learn in robotics has real world applications, and the problems they simulate solving are real and important.
Thank you to our campers for attending, and all of the parents for sending your kids to this camp, and for cheering your campers on! We hope to see all of our former campers at the robotics club in the fall!
Greenhills Robotics 