For Abstract thinking with tangible results

Circuits Camp

Where the teams with substantial technical rigor must also pitch their idea persuasively.

in-person workshop · no experience required

See the modules Get the materials

Let's build (a prototype)! In this program, students work together to learn and apply the fundamentals of the ESP32. Instructors will teach them the core concepts, but they are encouraged to exercise their own critical thinking skills in applying them and solving problems. In the end, they construct and present a prototype to address a real-world problem, and you can run an awards ceremony based on their solutions!

electronics to solve real problems

It turns out people are willing to sit at a table with a circuit for hours a day if they feel and embrace the challenge. This one turned out to be much more expansive than I anticipated!

I think this one is better for actual career-prep. The presentation at the end means your participants need to pitch their ideas, like they would in an actual job.

"When I started my first workshop I never imagined how many young minds it would go on to inspire."

What You'll Need

logistics for running this camp

  • 1 ESP32 kit & laptop for every 2–3 students
  • venue with Wi-Fi, a big screen, and tables
  • recommended 8–12 students per instructor/assistant

Modules

This works nicely as a week-long camp, but can also be a workshop with 3-6 recurring sessions.

  1. P

    Introduction & Orientation

    Kickoff: What is STEM? What is a circuit? Introduce the roadmap along with your instructors and host organization.

  2. 1

    Power in Circuits, Coding Output

    Introduction to electricity flow & grounding, and controlling them with GPIO pins.

  3. 2

    Using Manual I/O to Power the Circuit

    Input Introduction: How interruptions to current can be read to trigger other events.

  4. 3

    Using Sensors and Making Interpretations

    Input Applications: Using other sensors (temperature, humidity, soil, pressure) and linking them with responses.

  5. 4

    How the ESP32 Is Used in the Real World

    Brainstorm ideas so the ESP32 and provided sensors can act as a prototype for a solution to a real-world problem.

  6. 5

    How We Can Share and Present New Innovations

    Apply presentation skills, which are growing increasingly important, to present prototypes to parents and a judge panel.

Impact

>50
student participants
18
hours of workshops

Meets Industry Trends

Students are rewarded for having strong technical abilities and packaging their product into a professional presentation.

Materials

IN PROGRESS: I'm currently working on formatting the Circuits Camp resources to serve your workshop well! For now, check out the Robotics Camp!