Adventures in Programming
Scratch Coding Camp for kids ages 6-9
Course Description
In Vision Tech’s Adventures in Programming Camp, kids will take an adventurous journey to learn programming and coding using the world famous Scratch visual programming language, a project developed by the MIT Media Lab. The Scratch programming language is a great stepping stone to learning how to program using its drag and drop event driven programming.
Using Scratch, students will learn how to manipulate active objects, known as sprites, using either pre-rendered graphics or drawing their own art. The visual programming system allows kids to visually comprehend their program instructions as they watch their graphics move and animate as kids program them. Even though this camp is a programming camp, this course is highly interactive and allows students to have lots of fun while learning programming in a creatively flexible environment.
At the end of the week, students will take home their completed projects and art so they can continue working at home.
Information
Programming Skills Learned
Campers learn :
- The Scratch Programming Language
- Control and Motion Blocks
- Adding and editing sprites in Scratch
- How to create animations in the Scratch Programming Language
- Global Variables and Local Variables
- Creating animations, computer games, and interactive projects
Prior Programming Understanding
The Scratch programming language was developed by MIT and is one of the easiest computer languages to introduce kids to programming. Vision Tech Camp’s Adventures in programming camp is an introductory coding class and does not require previous programming skills but students should be comfortable using a computer and browser. Vision Tech Camps offers computer programming classes for kids in a variety of technology fields. Check out our programming summer courses for kids here.
Equipment and Software Used
In this camp, each camper will have access to a computer. Students will be using a variety of tools to help them learn programming, including Scratch Programming and others throughout the course.
Sample Day
Each day at Vision Tech Camps is carefully planned to ensure a personalized learning experience and to ensure that each student meets their individual goals. Our flexible schedule provides time for group instruction, one on one attention, project completion, and teamwork exercises.
7:30 am: Extended Care Check In
Early check-in for campers who have chosen the AM Extended Care Option – students can choose from a variety of pre-camp activities.
8:30 am – 9:00 am: Rolling Drop off
Check-in and pre-camp activities, including introductions & hardware & computer distribution
9:00 am – 9:15 am: Welcome and review of daily schedule
Students connect with instructors, ask questions, and instructors go over the course outline
9:15 am – 10:30 am: Core Tech Modules
This hour is reserved for work on course skills and may include small group learning, individual learning, or class-wide instruction depending on the particular tech modules being taught
10:30 am – 11:00 am: Break
Students can spend their free time having snacks, drinks, continue working independently, play, reading, or relax on the sofa
11:00 am – 12:00 pm: Core Tech Modules
This hour is reserved for work on course skills and may include small group learning, individual learning, or class-wide instruction depending on the particular tech modules being taught
12:00 pm – 1:00 pm: Lunch Break
Kids & teens who have ordered our Meal Plan will be provided their hot lunch. Other students may bring their own bag lunch and eat outside under the supervision of camp staff. Students may utilize nearby parks to play and experience the outdoors.
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Core Tech Modules
This period is reserved for work on course skills and may include small group learning, individual learning, or class-wide instruction depending on the particular tech modules being taught
2:30 pm – 3:30 pm: Break
Students can spend their free time having snacks, drinks, continue working independently, play, reading, or relax on the sofa
3:30 pm – 5:00 am: Core Tech Modules & Wrap Up
This period is reserved for work on course skills and may include small group learning, individual learning, or class-wide instruction depending on the particular tech modules being taught. Kids & teens wrap up the day’s projects.
5:00 pm – 5:15pm : Pick up Time
Parents pick up kids & teens who are not enrolled in extended care.
5:15pm – 6:15pm: Extended Care Pick Up Time
Students in extended care are picked up
Vision Tech Camps Instruction
Real Instruction. Quality STEM Summer Tech Projects
We believe that learning technology should be part of kids & teens summer camp experiences. Summer tech camps offer kids a relaxed and fun way to explore their tech interests and gain an edge for college or university. At Vision Tech Camps, we pride ourselves on building STEM curriculum with concrete learning goals, where teachers initially lead students through lessons with a projector, followed by students doing their own projects on their computers. This way, kids & teens learn the basics and go on to explore their interests, resulting in tech projects that students are proud to call their own at the end of the course.
Beginner through Advanced Students
Our STEM summer camps are designed to accommodate a wide skill range, challenging the most advanced students, while encouraging beginners to take that first step into the field. We achieve that through hiring instructors who are tech savvy, and a technology curriculum that is adjustable for all skill levels. In addition, our low student-to-instructor ratio, which is kept at 8:1 instructor to student ratio – *not* a staff ratio, allows plenty of personalized one-on-one attention during the summer course.
Comfortable & Private Facilities
Since we own our two tech camp facilities at Danville & Saratoga, students feel comfortable and at ease at our facilities. As these are our permanent summer camp locations, we are able to minimize technical difficulties ahead of time and provide the most advanced tech hardware, custom-built computers, and professional grade software to our campers for a more enjoyable summer tech camp.
The Best Computer Camp Instructors
Vision Tech only hires the most passionate and caring instructors who are also experienced in the individual course material they are hired to teach. We train each instructor personally and instill them with Vision Tech teaching practices and values, ensuring that all students have fun in our summer camps, learn skills, and most importantly are inspired to continue their journey long after they have left our summer tech camps.
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