Arduinos will be utilized in, at the very least, two of the payloads students are designing and building to do everything from releasing the High Hopes of the world – to monitoring solar energy output and more. So before the Sparks Middle School students that are designing how to open the High Hopes payload their colleagues at Sparks High School are designing, they have to know what Arduinos are and how to program them.
We delivered 6 copies of Sylvia’s Super-Awesome Project Book: Super-Simple Arduino, a couple Arduinos and some additional rocket parts to Kristie Parkers’ class so they can learn about Arduinos. Next, engineering students from the University of Nevada, Reno, will visit to mentor them in building rockets that include altimeters utilizing the Arduinos. Here is how we explained it recently:
“Sparks Middle School students will be learning about writing computer code and designing a system utilizing Ardunio micro-computers. They will conduct low altitude tests using model rocketry to determine an effective way of accurately measuring altitude using the Arduino system, and then use the knowledge gained from these tests to design a system to release the high hopes of the world at at least two different altitudes as the balloon is in flight.”
Great stuff! We stopped by quickly today to drop off a few more supplies and when we walked in they were hard at work with Arduinos completing the programming tasks in the book.
We’ll be back for a visit on Thursday to further explain the scope of the “High Hopes Project” and their role in it, and to answer their questions and concerns. They are off to a great start!