Scope of Curriculum

YWiC first incorporated the LEGO Mindstorms NXT Robotics curriculum into the 2006 summer camp for high school students. This robotics curriculum has been a camp staple and the duration of instruction ranges from 1 – 2 weeks. The course is generally taught by graduate students involved with the program.

YWiC LEGO robotics courses for middle and high school students serve as an introduction to robot programming. Using the LEGO Mindstorms Education NXT Base Set and the LEGO Mindstorms Education Resource Set, students learn the basics of building robots and programming. The courses are very interactive and allow students to express their creativity while developing their logical skills. A few popular projects are detailed below.

Mouse Trap
“This NXT Mouse Trap quickly snaps closed when the mouse steps on the plate when trying to get the bait. However, this trap is computerized and motorized, so it can reset itself automatically if it senses that the mouse was missed or escaped, and get itself ready for another try.”


Flipping Gymnast
“Like a real gymnast on the high bar, this robot will swing its legs back and forth to get swinging higher and higher, then it will tuck and roll for a back flip around the bar!”

Line Follower
“This robot vehicle uses a light sensor to follow a color boundary on a smooth surface, such as the thick black line.” Each summer, campers team up and participate in a RoboRace using this model.

Robotics Race

For more information about LEGO Mindstorms NXT Robotics and
projects visit: http://www.nxtprograms.com/