QUESTION: Activate and a tech club

[Kelly Farrow]

Hi!! I have two questions for everyone, and I thought this would be a good group to start with. Has anyone used Activate Games to have their students create video games ( http://scholastic.com/createvideogames/ and more specifically: http://www.activategames.org/ )? I'd love to hear how the Activate unit went. What successes did you and your kids experience? What challenges did you run into? Did you have to really "sell" this unit to administrators or colleagues?

Then, on a related note, I'm thinking about using the Activate unit as the basis for a tech club in my K-6 building. I've been kicking around the idea of a tech club for awhile now, but now it's moving from the back burner closer to the front as I look at this unit and see all the cool things we could do. Has anyone run a club like this before? What are the ramifications of setting up an afterschool club? Is it just as simple as meeting w/ the principal, selling the idea, getting approval, then getting parent sign-offs and such? This is new to me.

Thanks a lot for all your help on both fronts!

[Mary Beth Hertz]

Hi Kelly,

I just recently started up an all-girls robotics club. I helped Curriki pull together a kit for starting an after school club.  Maybe it would interest you?

http://www.currix.com/products/how-to-create-a-technology-club

 

 

[Kelly Farrow]

Wow!!! HUGE props to you for your girls' robotics club!!! How awesome is that??? I did end up using Scholastic's program for younger users, called Gamestar Mechanic, to start my club. We're halfway through the first club session (we're going to have a fall one and a spring one), and it's going AWESOME. The kids love it, we have tons of fun each week, and everyone's learned a lot. I'm so glad I did it! I hope your club is as successful.  :)

[Mary Beth Hertz]

Very cool! I've never heard of Gamestar Mechanic, but I will definitely be checking it out.