MAKER BOX
August 19/20, 2023
The MakerBox workshop series is an engaging opportunity for educators to learn about computer science in a fun and exciting way at Space Trek at Kennedy Space Center over two days. The Arduino-based kits are versatile and can be utilized at each grade level band. The workshop addresses each of the seven competencies of the Florida Certification Examination for Computer Science.
Curriculum Components:
- Knowledge of computational thinking and problem solving
- Knowledge of data types and structures
- Knowledge of programming logic
- Knowledge of programming languages
- Knowledge of computer hardware, software, and networking
- Knowledge of the historical aspects and social issues related to computer technologies
- Knowledge of computer science pedagogy
Workshop Schedule
- 10:00am
- Arrival – Our classroom will be open for you starting at 10:00am. If you arrive early you can come in and see our class and lab. If you would like to go into the park you are welcome to leave your stuff in our class. Please ensure you are in the class by 12:00pm so that we can start the workshop on time.
- 12:00pm
- Workshop Begins - Introduction & Distribute Hardware Kits
- 12:30pm
- Getting started with Arduino – Basics of the IDE, how to connect to the board and uploading your first program
- 2:00pm
- Structure of Arduino Programs – Understanding the various parts of an Arduino program and how they affect program execution – Blink Example
- 2:45pm
- Break
- 3:00pm
- Variables – Declaration/Initialization, scope, and data types. Work through light sensor example
- 3:45pm
- Programming Logic – Conditional statements and loops. Look at touch sensor and speak pi examples
- 9:00am
- Output – Getting information to the user or performing a task. Sending data to the serial terminal or sounding a buzzer
- 9:45am
- LCD Display – Learn how to output useful information to a 16x2 character LCD display.
- 10:30am
- Break
- 10:45am
- User Input How to capture user input and react to it – IR Remote
- 11:30pm
- Sensor Input – Reading sensor data – Temperature Display
- 12:15pm
- Lunch
- 1:15pm
- Act on sensor input - Sound an alarm when water is detected
- 2:30pm
- Playing music and sounds from the MP3 player
- 3:15pm
- Break
- 3:30pm
- Final Project – Combine what you have learned to create a device that has a sensor. Output the sensor value to the LCD screen and say the value with the MP3 player when a button is pressed
- 4:30pm
- Closing announcements and certificates
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Day One will focus on understanding the basics of Arduino and introduce basic programming information. You will receive a hardware kit and start programing your Arduino board.
Day Two will focus on using the hardware in your kit. We will go through using several of the devices in the kit one at a time and then build programs that use multiple devices in combination to make a device that will monitor sensors, displaying their data on screen and performing a task if certain conditions are met.
Registration fees are $795 per participant and includes parking at Kennedy Space Center for both days, one MakerBox kit (a $127.95 value), and lunch on the second day of the workshop. Additional MakerBox kits are available for purchase. A discounted room block at the Marriott TownePlace Suites in Port Canaveral has been reserved for those who need accommodations ($195/room). Please select this option when registering. The hotel is approximately 20 minutes from Kennedy Space Center.
