School is out, but VCU College of Engineering is offering free programs and resources to help keep kids learning and discovering for the rest of the school year and beyond.
A free online coding camp for middle school students called Code Beats will be offered next week by David Shepherd, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Computer Science.
With a multidisciplinary team of VCU faculty members, Shepherd is turning to hip-hop music as an effective — and more importantly, fun — way to teach basic computer science concepts.
While the coronavirus pandemic thwarted the original plans for an in-person event in early April, the team quickly pivoted to a virtual experience that can be offered to more students.
From Monday through Thursday, campers will go through a lesson and work on their own projects. On Friday at 5 p.m., the students will livestream a Friday Night Code Beats Tournament in which the students and families can vote for a winner.
To register for the camp, sign up for the newsletter at this link: codebeats.weebly.com/contact.html
VCU Engineering also offers a free, online Early Engineers Handbook of kid-tested engineering learning activities for students in grades K-8. This resource, provided by the Office of Community Outreach and Engagement, is designed to spark curiosity and introduce/reinforce STEM concepts. No special equipment is required; just ordinary household items such as marshmallows, toothpicks and paper towel tubes. There’s also a free, online book of paper airplane designs.