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Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Last week of Legos

The summer has gone fast and so did Lego Robotics II in Buffalo Grove. I hope to get some pictures up at Flickr and some videos up via youTube onto my page. Hope this doesn't have a steep learning curve. There are some nice features to Mindstorms NXT 2.0. It can recognize color now and there is also an image editor. I shall spend the rest of the year learning the new features and posting information on my web page at www.dwna.net. Wish I could just teach Lego robotics all year. Except for the lack of imagination in COLORS!

Monday, July 5, 2010

Forgetful's Last Day Letter

Computer Lego Robotics
Worlds of Wisdom and Wonder
Summer 2010 Gurnee

Dear Parents,
I just love working with your children and teaching them how to control Lego robots. They get so excited and come in with a happy attitude. Our format does not allow them to do long term projects, because each day we have to share materials among three classes.

The students are wonderful, though. They listened courteously when I spent a short time explaining some simple programs up front. They take videos and pictures of their robots, some of which I hope to have posted on the Center for Gifted web site. If you can’t find them there, please go to my Lego page and I will post them there.

Don’t forget to go to nxtprograms.com to download free programs off the Web. The link is on my web page, as well.
If you would like to purchase Lego Logo Equipment, you may contact Steffanie Forbes, LEGO Education representative for the Midwest. Her email address is sforbes@legoeducation.com.

There are teams in First Lego League (http://usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/fll/default.aspx?id=970) for students to join. There is an annual competition and last year it was in Arlington Heights!

There is also a Brickworld competition in June for any team that wants to join – even a family. Here’s the link: http://www.brickworld.us/bw2010/.

My library of Lego Mindstorms books keeps growing. This summer I added
The Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 Discovery Book, by Laurens Valk.
Previously, I have suggested
The Unofficial Lego Mindstorms NXT Inventor’s Guide, by David J. Perdue
The Lego Mindstorms NXT Idea Book, by Martin Boogaarts, et. al.
Thanks for sharing your child with me this summer. It has been a wonderful experience.

Linda Wallin