IntroInfo

iSTEAM Center Programs (imagination, Science, Engineering and English, Art, and Math)
Using LEGO ^®Educational Materials
The programs are ideal for creative youngsters, budding engineers, architects, scientists, and designers alike, ranging from 3 to 14 years old.

Teachers provide a safe, constructive, and inspiring atmosphere where young minds can flourish.
Sessions of approximately 8 children run for a 5 day week or half day on Saturday.

Favorite topics, such as outer space, critters, machines, and land, sea and air travel, provide the platform for children's creative building and problem-solving activities, and are carried out in an open and brightly colored environment using a wide selection of LEGO ^®Educational Materials.

Young Builders See below
3-6+ years: Preschool, after school, field trips, and summers workshops
These activities are designed to trigger young children's lively imaginations and build their self-confidence.
Children work with themes such as animals, vehicles, and neighbors.
They listen to and invent stories, design and build models or play scenarios � constantly expanding on their ideas and finding new ways to express them.

Technology Building See below
7-12 years: School, after school, field trips, and summers workshops
These programs are design and technology oriented � great for children who enjoy tinkering with technology or have lots of great ideas.
Ideal for after school sessions as well as classroom excursions because children learn to apply principles taught in science, technology and mathematics through hands-on and fun activities.

Robotics See below
Ages 7-14 World of Robotics
Introducing the world of robotics � children learn to create simple computer programs that control the behavior of robots using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® software and Technic sets. Beginning for children 7 years old, the programs teach programming and building skills step-by-step through playful topics using WeDoTM. For older and more experienced children, the programs provide opportunities to develop creative designs and engineering solutions.

Art
All ages

Life skills

In the future, the ability to think independently and to be able to come up with original solutions will be among the most important skills for life.
The adults work as coaches and facilitators and to enhance students communication, social, teamwork, critical thinking, creative problem solving, concentration, and design skills.

"These skills are the very ones parents who use education centers are most concerned about,
because they are looking for after school activities that are not just a lot of fun, but are also educationally valuable."
http://www.lego.com/education/centers/default.asp?pagename=center_programs&l2id=5_2

Young Builders
Materials for 3 year olds to second grade -
http://netapps.marshall.edu/lego/lessonplans/citybuild.html
DUPLO® and LEGO® SOFT bricks, TOOLO, DUPLO® Early Simple Machines, Math Machines,
Letters and Numbers and Mosaic tiles, farm and zoo animals, trains.

Age 3 My World
Children explore their world of family, friends and animals. They become aware of differences between themselves and the people around them and develop the self confidence to express ideas as they build and play with simple DUPLO® and LEGO® SOFT bricks. For 3 and 4 year olds.
Age 4 My World Discovery
Children explore shape, size and color, and learn about how things work in the home and local community. They learn to classify, estimate and measure. Through story telling and creative building, they use increasingly descriptive language as they build a variety of solutions using DUPLO® and LEGO® bricks. For 4 and 5 year olds.
Age 5 My World Adventure
Children investigate air, sea, land and space travel; they design and build different types of vehicles and investigate how they move. They explore and design patterns, and invent and play a variety of games. This program combines imagination and story telling with simple exploration into geographical facts using a variety of LEGO® tiles, TOOLO and bricks. For 5 and 6 year olds.

Technology Building
Age 6 My World Inventions
Children explore ways in which people and things move. For example, how animal and human bodies bend and jump, and how machines lift or spin. They learn about simple machines in the home and local community, and design and build their own solutions using DUPLO® Early Simple Machines sets.
Age 7 World of Science
The 7+ program teaches children to build and design increasingly advanced mechanisms using LEGO® Technic and System sets.
Materials for third grade up - yellow mini sets for simple machines,
Motorized simple machines, Mechanical Engineering, pneumatics, blue sets.

Children learn about components such as gears, pulleys and levers, and use motors to power their great inventions. For 7 year olds and up.

Robotics
Ages 7-14 World of Robotics
http://www.lego.com/education/centers/default.asp?pagename=eight&l2id=5_2&l3id=5_2_8
Introducing the world of robotics � children learn to create simple computer programs that control the behavior of robots using WeDoTMand LEGO® MINDSTORMS® software and Technic sets. Beginning for children 7 years old, the programs teach programming and building skills step-by-step through playful topics. For older and more experienced children, the programs provide opportunities to develop creative designs and engineering solutions.

Materials NXT, RCX, EV3 and intelligent house, amusement park, Intelligent Transportation, bug and sports starter set
Intelligent Transportation Workshop - http://netapps.marshall.edu/lego/legoroboticsTransportationCamp.html

FIRST LEGO League and Jr.FLL teams also use center Team Time activities to prepare for annual contests.
Visit www.FIRSTLEGOleague.org on http://www.usfirst.org/ for more information on FLL and Jr.FLL.

Many of the past FLL themes and robotics tables are available for camps and practices.

Typical cost per hour is $25 for groups of 3 to 4.
Linda Hamilton hamilton@marshall.edu