Construct your own Radio,
18 - 22 December 2023: Face to Face at Baden-Powell House, 65 Queens Gate, SW7 5JS
Our December holiday STEM camp features problem solving maths, practical programming and a superb hands-on project where pupils build their own portable FM radio.
This camp will appeal to children interested in understanding the practical application of programming, electronics and exciting maths concepts - in this case in the third dimension.
Specific learning points include:
Maths, where we will be discovering 3D geometry, heading beyond the curriculum into the mathematics of shapes in three-dimensional space, Combinatorics, nets and Platonic solids
Programming, from Scratch to Arduino C depending on each child’s age and experience in the subject
Our pupil to teacher ratio is always 6 to 1 with participants taught in small classes based on their age and experience in each subject.
Places are limited, please register your interest HERE.
In Electronics and Robotics, children will work on different projects by age group:
Building, wiring and operating an FM radio for pupils aged 7 to 10
Alongside Coding and Mathematics, children will be working on an exciting electronics based project. This will be fun, extremely satisfying to build and has a practical and enjoyable outcome - ownership of the pupil’s own hand built FM radio. The educational benefits to pupils are:
scientific knowledge: about radio technology, exploring the science behind FM radio transmission and reception and understanding how FM radio waves work, how they can be received, and how they are converted from a signal to a broadcast
electronics: what an electrical circuit is, how it works plus safety with electronics
problem solving: to complete the project pupils will encounter challenges and obstacles that require problem-solving and critical thinking. They will need to troubleshoot issues, find solutions and make adjustments to ensure the components operate correctly
Building and programming an FM Radio with ESP8266 microchip and Potentiometer for ages 11 and over
In this hands-on programming and electronics project, children will have the opportunity to build their own FM radio using an ESP8266 microcontroller, an FM Stereo Radio Module and a potentiometer.
This engaging project not only introduces pupils to the world of practical electronics and programming but also allows them to create a functional and useful device they can use to tune in to their favourite radio stations.
The project offers an exciting hands-on experience and equips pupils with valuable knowledge and skills that can serve as a foundation for future endeavours in programming, electronics and technology. It also encourages creativity, problem-solving, and a deeper understanding of the technology we use in our everyday lives.
Learning outcomes - on completion of this project, pupils will:
discover the fundamentals of how a radio works and the relevant electronics as they identify and understand the purpose of electronic components like the ESP8266, FM Stereo Radio Module, and potentiometer
understand how to connect these components on a breadboard, create circuits and troubleshoot common electronic issues
learn practical programming skills: study and apply the Arduino C programming language that controls the ESP8266 microchip, write code to interface with the FM Stereo Radio Module and control its functions and understand how to use analog input from the potentiometer to tune into radio stations
hands-on problem solving: encounter and solve real-world technical challenges that may arise during the building and programming phases of the project and develop critical thinking and troubleshooting skills
learn about radio technology: explore the science behind FM radio transmission and reception and understand how the FM Stereo Radio Module works to capture and decode radio signals
Campers will be working with and assembling the following components: ESP8266 microchip, FM Stereo Radio Module, potentiometer, breadboard and jumper wires, headphones, USB cable for programming, laptop computer with Arduino IDE installed. All components and the laptop are provided by LondonSMP as part of the camp.
This is a take-home project and pupils can use it as part of their skills portfolio right up to university application level.
Places are limited, please register your interest HERE.
In Maths we will dive deep into the subject of 3D geometry. We live in a three dimensional world but school curriculum geometry hardly goes beyond 2D.
During the camp we will explore basic 3D shapes such as the sphere, cube and tetrahedron. We’ll discover Platonic Solids, unfold solids to discover their nets in the plane or investigate planar sections of 3D shapes to describe these better. Which theorems and rules of plane geometry apply similarly in space? Which have to be modified? Can the geometry of spaces help us to solve hard problems in the plane?
Here are more details of what will be studied by each Year group during the camp:
Years 3-6
We will be solving geometry problems, working with nets of 3D shapes and building models of Platonic solids.
9am to 10am Optional Problem Solving: In problem solving lessons, pupils will work on past problems from UK and international mathematics competitions relevant to their ages.
Years 7-9
Working with and enjoying the wonders of the Polydron Geometry Set. Discovering theorems about the combinatorics of such structures. Platonic and Archimedean solids. Shortest paths on surfaces.
9am to 10am Optional Problem Solving: Combinatorial questions about graphs, cubes, cones and spheres where we consider the number of faces and vertices.
Years 10-11
The elementary geometry of points and lines in space. If two lines are not in the same line then how many lines can intersect both? Plane sections of figures. The magical properties of the tetrahedron.
9am to 10am Optional Problem Solving: Combinatorial questions, calculating with polyhedra, regular and semiregular solids, graphs, cubes, cones and spheres.
The camp offers children the chance to engage in hands-on experiments and projects designed to teach electronics and robotics, programming and maths. Whether your child is already a confident programmer or just starting out, we will create the most appropriate small study group for them, based on their age and experience.
Each group of participants is taught in their own separate classroom, maximising the learning opportunity.
Format and fees for the senior face to face camp:
- pupil to teacher ratio of 6:1
- participants are taught in small groups, tailored by similarity of age and ability, in individual classrooms
- camp times: 10am to 3pm
- or from 9am for an extra hour of problem solving and/or from 3pm to 4pm with our chess class. There is a supplement of £25 for each additional session booked
- fees are £595 for five days. It is not possible to join for a shorter period
Places are limited, please register your interest HERE.
