Movie making - Day 2

Lights, Camera, Action! We start filming our masterpiece today. A little late for the Oscar nod, but we're well on our way.

PNG Soldering: Day 2

Day two of making our own voice changer! We got at soldering our actual kit once we got the hang of using the soldering iron.

We are well on our way to having a finished product!

Movie making! - Day 1

The agenda for today in our first movie making class was doing what all the great directors and writers do: Script things out! We learned the basics of what it takes to create our very own film and got down to some plot scripting. The actors and actresses are going to have to bring their A-game next class!

PNG Soldering: Day 1

Today was the first day of soldering.  The kids got hit with a big dose of soldering safety, does and don'ts.

When they were ready to get started we busted out the hot soldering irons for some practice and got ready to take on the main project of making our own voice changers!

Paint your Face Photoshop - Day 2

Today we wrapped things up! We had some new comers that made some pretty awesome stuff and the others continued to add details to their already awesome pictures! We all made our very own pieces of contemporary art. 

Paint your Face Photoshop - Day 1

In this class, students created their very own self portraits using a camera and Photoshop! We are putting pictures of the students under tracing pads and coloring them on Photoshop. The results are looking pretty cool!

TinkerCAD - Last Day

Today was the last day of TinkerCAD, our 3D designs are finished and looking awesome.  Now to way 19 hours for them to print.

BristleBots!

What do you get when you combine a toothbrush, a battery, and a motor? Hours of fun, of course!. The kids had a blast today making their own dental hygiene robots. We had a battle of the bots when all was done.

TinkerCAD - Day 3

We are nearing the end of TinkerCAD this time around and the designs are getting pretty refined!

The students spent today finalizing their designs and putting the finishing touches on their 3D models.  Thursday, they will export their models into files usable by our 3D printer.

Hour of Code!

This is our monthly code session where we hang out and practice coding. If you're new to coding you can dip your toe in the water by visiting www.Code.org and on www.Khanacademy.com.

We continue to learn more and more about the big world of coding!

Look out for future coding programs!

TinkerCAD - Day 2

We continued our 3D design projects today.  Students are encouraged to take their time and make their projects awesome!

That means detail, thought and effort!

Thanks are "shaping up" nicely.

TinkerCAD - Day 1

A new TinkerCAD class for the new year!  We've got a return of our TinkerCAD experts who are going to use TinkerCAD.com over the course of the next 4 classes to create some mind-blowing 3D objects to be printed out on our Makerbot Replicator 3D printer.

First they just have to remember where the Undo button is!

Hour of Code!

This is our monthly code session where we hang out and practice coding. If you're new to coding you can dip your toe in the water by visiting www.Code.org.

We learned the basics of "block coding" and hope to move on to JavaScript very soon!

Look out for future coding programs!

Winter 2016 Classes!

Winter is upon us!  That means it's time for a whole new batch of Technology Classes at Elmwood Park Public Library.

Project Next Generation has officially suspended all activities due to the Illinois state budget crisis.

We may not have any PNG funding, but we can still hold classes just like before (for the time-being).  We've removed PNG from the title, but if you're familiar with our previous PNG offerings then you know what to expect!

This time around however we're making one additional change.  We're going to offer 7pm classes and we're opening those classes up to 4th and 5th graders!

All classes are 1 hour long and meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Sign up online and make sure if you sign up for a multi-part class you show up for every class!

So here's what's slated for December, January and February:

7pm - 8pm classes (4th grade and up)

Google Smarty Pins - 12/3
Test your geography skills with an hour of playing Smarty Pins.  Smarty Pins is a Google Maps game that tests your geography knowledge with trivia questions.  Let's see who can get the high score!

Hour of Code - 12/17
Hour of Code - 1/7
Not only is coding massively important to the fabric of your digital world, coding can also be pretty fun!  Sign up for this quick introduction to activities on Code.org and play fun games while learning the fundamentals of basic coding!

Bristle Bots - 1/12
What happens when you combine a toothbrush, a tiny motor and an electric current?  Bristle Bots!  Sign up to construct your very own Bristle Bot and then race them against your classmates! 

Photoshop FacePaint - 1/19 - 1/21
Join this Project Next Generation class if you want to learn Adobe Photoshop basics.  We'll use a combination of cameras, tracing on paper, and Photoshop to produce a one-of-a-kind self portrait! 

Movie Making - 1/26, 1/28, 2/2, 2/4
Lights, Camera, Action!  Let's write a script, shoot some footage and edit it into a movie!

Hour of Code - 2/18
Not only is coding massively important to the fabric of your digital world, coding can also be pretty fun!  Sign up for this quick introduction to activities on Code.org and play fun games while learning the fundamentals of basic coding!

7pm - 8pm classes (6th grade and up)

Hour of Code - 12/15
Hour of Code - 1/5
Hour of Code - 2/16
Not only is coding massively important to the fabric of your digital world, coding can also be pretty fun!  Sign up for this quick introduction to activities on Code.org and play fun games while learning the fundamentals of basic coding!  If you've already mastered the basics try your hand at some more advanced stuff from Kahn Academy!

4pm - 5pm classes (6th grade and up)

TinkerCAD - 1/5, 1/7, 1/12, 1/14
Let's use the computer to create 3D models and then print them out on the Makerbot Replicator!  This 4-part class will teach you the basics of 3D design and how to use Tinkercad.com to create 3D objects that can be printed on any 3D printer!

Soldering - 1/26, 1/28, 2/2, 2/4
Join this Project Next Generation class if you want to learn how to solder!  We've got cool electronics kits that light up, drive and scurry.  When you're finished you can take your creation home with you and you'll be an expert in circuitry and soldering!

Vinyl Cutter - 2/16, 2/18, 2/23, 2/25
Learn how to compose a photograph, and how to use Photoshop along with our awesome Silhouette Cameo electronic cutting machine to add a really unique and artistic presentation to your photos!

Hour of Code!

This is our monthly code session where we hang out and practice coding. If you're new to coding you can dip your toe in the water by visiting www.Code.org.

Today we got to try out Code.org's new Minecraft coding game! Slowly but surely we are getting pretty advanced in the world of code.

Look out for future coding programs!

Thanksgiving Tablescapes - Day 2

Today is the second and last day of Thanksgiving Tablescapes.  We made great progress and the results are awesome!  Can't wait to put these around the table on the big day!

Thanksgiving Tablescapes - Day 1

Today was the first day of our Thanksgiving Tablescapes program!  We're getting ready for Turkey Day by making name cards for our Thanksgiving table places.

TinkerCAD - Final Day

Today was the last day of TinkerCAD.  Every single person finished a design!  I will post pictures of each one as they come off of the Makerbot Replicator!

Stay tuned!

TinkerCAD - Day 3

Today was the 3rd day of TinkerCAD.  Some students are finalizing their first designs and moving on to work on something new and fresh while other students are continuing to work on their original design to make sure they are as awesome as possible!

TinkerCAD - Day 2

Today was our 2nd day of TinkerCAD and some of our 3D designers really kicked it into gear and finished their first designs.  But this is a 4-part class so it's only going to get better from here, right?!