Beginning Robotics

This lab is a study of robots and robotic arms. Students will build mock robots, automatons, robotic vehicles, arms and end effectors.

Calculating Machines

By exploring the machines that made math calculations faster and more efficient, students experience the excitement of exploring math mechanically.

DaVinci II

Students will build various machines invented by Leonardo DaVinci (1452-1519). These include his Rotating Bridge, Odometer, Scaling Ladder, Wire Tester, and the like. This series of fun projects makes history come alive.

Gear Trains- Power Transfer

Students become familiar with different power transfer systems including belt and chain drives, idler gears, and universal joints.

Mars Rovers

Using LEGOs, students design and build their own unique Mars Rovers, based on the real NASA rover that landed on Mars January 2004. Students build the rover according to given design challenges which set specific limits. These can include a certain weight, or with a certain number of parts, or rovers that operate at certain speeds, or withstand certain conditions.Students then use their rovers to explore a completely new environment, just as scientists explore the strange surface of Mars.

Physics and Science

Students explore different aspects of physics and general science. They will recreate famous experiments: Falling Bodies, Mass, Volume & Density, Potential and Kinetic Energy.

Principles of Architecture

Students design and build a model of a pyramid, pagoda, and castle. Students compare and contrast the differences between structures based on the culture each represents. This is a great program for world history classes.

Simple Motorized Machines (Position & Motion of Objects)

Students will learn to explain the operation of simple machines (lever, wedge, pulley, wheel and axle, inclined plane and screw) through creating them. Each student will be able to demonstrate how simple machines can reduce effort and force and build a compound machine to illustrate this principle.