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Creative Robotics Workshops @Build-It-Yourself

Workshop Application | Internship Program for Advanced Students

For boys and girls 8 - 14:
1) Build with artists, engineers, and teachers.
2) Merge the worlds of art and technology.
3) Learn techniques for solving complex problems.
4) Use materials in unusually creative ways.
5) Practice the art of presenting your ideas.
6) Have a blast!!!

Schedule:
Projects at the Build-It-Yourself Laboratory in Cambridge are completed in four 2.5 hour workshops.   Students are encouraged to work on their own time between workshops.  

Remote Control Goblins
Starting Oct 3, 2009 Saturday's 10am - 12:30pm and 1:30pm - 4:00pm
Starting Oct 4, 2009 Sunday's 10am - 12:30pm and 1:30pm - 4:00pm

Location:
The Build-It-Yourself Laboratory is at 269 Pearl Street, Cambridge, MA 02139.  Click on 'Contact Us' for a map.

Supplies:
Build-It-Yourself supplies all materials. Students are encouraged to collect a box of premium quality junk.

Fee:
The fee is $200 for four 2.5-hour workshops.  There must be 5 or 6 students in a workshop.

Application:
Workshops at Build-It-Yourself typically have 3-5 students.  Please read objectives for workshops at Build-It-Yourself.  If you and your child are comfortable with these objectives, please email   for information on the next workshop series.  When we have agreed on a schedule, please fill out the application and bring it to the first workshop.

Typical Project Challenges:

Wild Things: 
Did your mom ever tell you not to play with your food?  You'll need a good collection of funny-looking fruits and veggies, nuts, craft supplies and junk. Then you'll need to dream up some jokes and cartoon story lines. Finally, you've got to make your critter come to life and act out your storyline!
Dump Trucks:
Messy "no-gooders" are mucking up our earth by creating mountains of  garbage.   Your mission is to build a fleet of dump trucks to help haul away the mess.
Money Machines:
The global economy needs fixing.  Too many humans are looking for free rides.  Not enough people are building.  Your mission is to design a robot that can earn money ... that entertains or offers a service, puts people to work and pays it's inventors handsomely.
Friendly Dragons: 
The world is burdened with wars that are often the result of illogical prejudice.   Greed and ill will are rampant in much of the land.  Imagine if you were a dragon and everyone was trying to slay you.  Of course you’d be mean! Your challenge is to figure out what a dragon must do to win a friend.  Then you must build and present that dragon.
Mechanical Garden: 
Our good earth is getting fouled up 'cause too many people are throwing away their  junk.  We need to recycle our trash!  The Build-It-Yourself crew is on an important mission to turn trash into treasure.  Collect a compost pile of Popsicle sticks, bottle caps, plastic spoons, ribbons and other good junk.  Then grow a garden full of colorful, soulful, wild species ... exotic plants and animals never before seen.  Make them move.  Program them to interact.