The Town of Surfside Parks and Recreation Department is proud to present Snapology: Space War Robotics, a program that allows children to learn about space and technology by building their own LEGO robots. Snapology is an educational program that offers hands-on interactive learning through the use of building materials and focuses on teaching kids the principles of STEM.
STEM refers to the science of technology, engineering and mathematics. Teaching children these fundamentals at a young age will prepare them for a future in which society will continue to rely on these specific skills to solve everyday problems.
"This is my favorite day, I come to learn here," said with excitement seven-year-old Surfside resident Julia Wengier-Fridman about the program.
Julia is part of the Spring Cohort which has a total of seven kids led by STEM instructor Eduardo Gonzalez. In the March Spring Camp program, a total of 23 kids joined the Surfside Snapology course.
According to Eduardo, kids who understand how these fields work will be more capable of finding innovative ways to improve their own lives as well as those around them. The reason why kids must learn STEM principles at a young age is that it will help them as adults in their careers and become more successful individuals, who can contribute to society by solving real-world problems.
The goal of the program is for participants to learn about STEM concepts while having fun. The skills they will be learning are transferable and can be used when learning about science and technology-based subjects in school, such as chemistry or physics.
"Snapology is an important program Surfside offers the community," said Acting Town Manager Hector Gomez. "STEM education teaches students to think critically, take initiative and problem solve. These skills are vital for all children to develop. It's important to learn as early as possible that science, technology and engineering are conservative fields of study - that is, they need a certain amount of hard work and persistence to succeed in them," he added.
Snapology: Space War Robotics Program is a highly interactive, engaging, and fun program that inspires children to explore the wonders of space. The program was inspired by Star Wars, which features characters who travel across galaxies in spacecraft.
In this program, students learn about different types of space vehicles and how they work together to make traveling in outer space possible. They also design their robot using snap circuits that can move around on their own through programming skills taught by the instructor.
The Benefits of Robotics
The benefits of robotics are many; it can help children develop problem-solving skills as they build their robots, learn about science through hands-on experiments, and improve their communication skills by working together with other students in teams. The best part? It's fun!
Robotics is especially beneficial because it combines so many different subjects into one activity--it teaches math while also teaching kids how to work on projects together. The Snapology: Space War Robotics Program is designed specifically for kids ages 7-14, but all children can participate too if they're interested in building robots or learning more about space exploration.
Program Details
The Space War Robotics Program is a seven-week long program where kids ages 7-14 learn how to build and program their robots. The class runs from March 9 through April 27, 2023, every Thursday (except March 23) from 4-5 p.m.
The next session will be four weeks long in the spring mini term that runs May 4 through May 25, 2023, every Thursday from 4-5 p.m.
What Kids Use
Participants will be provided with all the necessary materials and equipment, including:
- LEGO bricks
- Detailed how-to guide on an electronic tablet
- Batteries (AA)
- Wires (male-to-female)
Instructors
The instructor for this program has a background in robotics and programming, and he is excited to share their knowledge with the kids!
Instructor Eduardo Gonzalez is a highly capable STEM aficionado. He is completing high school while simultaneously earning his college degree at Florida International University via the rigorous Dual-Enrollment program. To date, he has earned the status of a college sophomore.
What Kids Learn
- The basics of robotics
- How to program a robot using Snapcode
- How to use the Snapcode app to control your robot's actions and movements
Projects
The Town of Surfside Parks and Recreation Department's Snapology: Space War Robotics Program is a great way to learn about robotics and space travel. It will help kids develop problem-solving skills and teach them how to build a robot that can compete in a tournament. The activities in this program include building and programming robots using Snap Circuits Jr. kits. Students build a new robot each day.
Cost and Registration
The cost of the regular term program is $84 (Resident) or $119 (Non-Resident) per student. The cost for the spring mini-term is $48 (Resident) or $68 (Non-Resident).
If you have any questions about this program or would like more information about Snapology or other programs offered by the Town of Surfside Parks and Recreation Department, please contact the Surfside Community Center at (305) 866-3635.
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