Thursday, September 8, 2016

Schematics for the Year to Come - 2016-2017 4-H Robotics

Greetings, come in, join me as I spin you a tale.  A tale of wondrous technological wizardry, artificial intelligence, and scientific wonder.  We begin our journey in just a few short days, and I would hate for you to miss it!


(Dates subject to change)
September 17th, we will learn of light and wires, and the tale of how the magical properties of crystals empower everything we use today.
October 15th, we explore the theory behind the fear of robots, and we implant digital life in an empty shell.
November 19th, an exploration of the sense of smell, our new robot will hide behind the looking glass and tell us just how “fair” is our air.
December 17th, we begin the exploration of self-driving vehicles, starting with the “Photovore.”
January 21st, continuing our vehicular designing, we embrace the gift of sight and introduce collision avoidance.
February 18th, adding auditory sensory capabilities akin to the whale or bat, our intrepid bot takes on a more rugged, and shall I say, handsome appearance.
March 18th, ready, set, go!  We will be racing our little smart ‘bots at the Art and Design Day event at the Lakeside Rodeo Grounds!
April 15th, command your robot to submit to your will, remotely control its actions, and customize your final builds.
May 20th, Don’t have a time machine to turn back time?  No problem!  We’ll be doing a make-up session to get us ready for the East County Junior Fair!

For those revisiting these ventures, we have plans to expand, improve, and further explore the inner workings of the robot senses and mind.




We have many events to enjoy and participate in during the coming months, and I would hope to entice a few volunteers for one in particular.

October 1st and 2nd, the San Diego Maker Faire will be held in Balboa Park.  I’ll be walking around, talking tech and enjoying the Faire, and I’d love some company. http://sandiego.makerfaire.com/

November 5th and 6th, the Santee Barnes and Noble will be holding a Mini Maker Faire, and we will be displaying our club for the public.  If you have the time, please spend it with us as we show off projects from this and past years, as well as a few extra surprises and activities for our volunteers and the public to enjoy! http://www.barnesandnoble.com/h/makerfaire

December 3rd, the San Diego STEAM Mini Maker Fest will be at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.  This is the best educational faire for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Mathematics that I have seen in San Diego County.  We won’t have a booth this year, but I definitely will be attending, and I think all of you would really benefit from it and enjoy it, too! http://www.sansmf.org/


I would not be so bold as to promise you mastery over all that is electronic, but should you endeavor to do so, you might enjoy the acquisition of some level of technological prowess to flaunt amongst your peers.  What do you say?  Will you follow me down the rabbit hole?

Your professor of artificial apparatus,
Jason Groce

“The electric things have their lives, too. Paltry as those lives are.” – Philip K. Dick, Do Robots Dream of Electric Sheep

2015-2016 Lesson Plans

As one year closes, yet another begins!

See below for the lesson plans for last year:

http://jasonmgroce.webs.com/2015-2016_Advanced_Lesson_1.pdf
http://jasonmgroce.webs.com/2015-2016_Beginning_Lesson_1.pdf
http://jasonmgroce.webs.com/2015-2016_Beginning_Lesson_2.pdf http://jasonmgroce.webs.com/2015-2016_Beginning_Lesson_8.pdf