List of Available Classes

MassMind Classes (from easy to advanced)

*note: Class presentations are open source, and you are free to copy and use them. We can provide an instructor to present these classes online and help you collect the materials at your location after hours or weekends. Prices reflect materials cost only. No instructor cost if at least 10 students attend. More individual instruction to be negotiated.

Plastics casting with 3D printed molds. Mold your own glowing heart, skull, etc... from natural, reusable, low temp thermoplastic; light it up with an LED and coin battery. Learn to quickly form multiple objects from low cost molds. Pictures. $3 (10 K-12 and up) Combines nicely with Electronics Intro class as the throwie can light up the cast object making it a "Glowie". We can also teach mold making with Oogoo (a low cost rubber based on hardware store 100% silicone caulk mixed with half as much corn starch and a little paint). Or you can cast with Oogoo from a 3D printed mold. 20160107,
Collaboration - Google Docs / Drive and how to use it to collaborate on the internet. $0 (10 to 30 middle school and up)
Video Game Programming in Scratch (A visual block language)
Internet: Web / HTML / Javascript* / IOT Intro $0 (up to 20 middle school and up) See also JavaScript Programming (a more advanced class)
- Intro to Web pages / HTML - Learn how to make a web page with HTML and Javascript (HTML5)
- Intro to Web apps - Learn how to make a portable HTML5 web page that can be installed as an app on any SmartPhone.
- HTML5 web apps interfacing to the physical world.
  *Javascript is one of the most sought after programming languages.^ ^
Electronics Intro - Basics of electricity, LED's, batteries, current limiting resistors. Make an LED Throwie $2 (up to 20 K-12 and up) Combines nicely with plastic casting class, or make Pocket LED flashlights with this great activity by Denise Santoro, or LED Popup cards.
- Electronics 201 - Breadboarding circuits. Covers: Electricity, Current, Voltage, Resistance, Ohms law, Circuits, Schematics, Breadboards, Wires, Resistors, LEDs, Switches, Motors. $20 (5-10 middle school and up)

Soldering - Learn how to solder electronic circuits.
- Soldering 101 - Basic Technique $2 (5-10 middle school and up)
- Soldering 102 - Build a Makerbot badge $5 (5-10 middle school and up)
- Soldering 201 - Full instruction, and build a regulated power supply for a PC interface card $10 (5-10 high school and up)

Digital Logic Intro - How one simple (NAND) logic gate can be used to build every computing function. Learn how machines think! $0 (30 middle school and up, requres Internet Explorer with Java enabled for student participation, but can be presented from the instructors station only)
Arduino - Learn how to connect, program, and interface the world to a small Arduino clone. Make lights blink and pulse, sense light levels, and (extra cost/requirements) make things move with servos! Includes instructions for connecting to many devices in the real world. Automate!
- Cheap Intro with AdaFruit Trinket, $10 (take soldering first and pay $18 to include servos) (10 middle school and up)
- Arduino Intro with AdaFruit Trinket Pro (Arduino Uno clone) - $15 (take soldering first and pay $25 to include servos) (10 middle school and up)

Cardboard Combat Robots with the ESP-8266. Ultra low cost (~$15) robot, controled via WiFi connection from your smart phone with a built in Web server, and Javascript based GUI. Part 1, 2, and 3. To avoid the Arduino IDE setup (parts 1 and 3), and the soldering (part 2) you can also just purchase the Boffinboard from Addicore.com.
Raspberry Pi Intro - Connect and program your Raspberry Pi computer - $0 without the RasPi, $80 for a Model B w/ power supply, wifi, case, cables. ^. NOT including monitor, keyboard, mouse. Venue must have wifi with accessble router. (10 senior high school and up)
Introduction to 3D printing - how to take a design file (.STL) and slice it for printing including printer tuning and troubleshooting. (10 high school and up) The 3D printed object can then be used to make an Oogoo mold for quick reproduction of additional copies in thermoplastic, epoxy, or other riged plastics. Or you can 3D print the mold directly and cast with Oogoo^, or other flexible materials. To make metal parts, print a positive in PLA, make a mold from plaster^ or casting sand, and poor in molten metal to burn away the plastic, or make a two part mold and remove the original before casting.
Introduction to OpenSCAD - Coding Reality: Basics of designing real physical objects with a programming language. $0 (20 senior high school and up).

For a more traditional CAD system see FreeCad
Introduction to G-Code for 3D Printing - Advanced class in how G-Code controls 3D printers, what the codes mean, and how to write custom G-Code for tricks! $0 (10 senior high school and up)
Motion control - Connect your computer to the real world and make it move with servos and stepper motors. $50 (10 senior high school and up)
JavaScript Programming Completely free online class. See also Internet: Web / HTML / Javascript* / IOT Intro (a less complex class)
Using GIT version control and using the GitHub web interface.
Lemons to embedded solutions: Complexity and noise in the world of embedded engineering and how to make it work for you $0 (10 senior high school and up, after programming and electronics 101)
- Tips and Tricks
- Measurement Errors - How to make them... or not.
- Signal Noise - A very common problem.
- Extra, unused pins
- The Read, Modify, Write mistake
Advanced robotics with JavaScript Available online via Github repo with instructor feedback through raising Issues. Access to some robotic systems will depend on local purchase of supplies. In most cases, simulations can be used instead.
Cisco ASA 5505 / 5500 Series Setup Basic setup and configuration of a firewall / router for a small server system. $0 (5 senior high and up, after Soldering, Internet, Raspberry Pi)
AI / Machine Learning:
- Rapid Automation and its Effect on Human Worth $0 (High School to College level) A Seminar on the Advantages, Dangers, and Effects of Automation at the pace we are experiencing it today.
- Machine Learning: $0 (College level, after Algebra, Programming) Technical lecture on how Machine Learning actually works.
NEW: Water Conservation: Basic presentation on the lowest cost (mostly free) ways to use significantly less water automatically. $0 (any number of adults / homeowners) Sections can be expanded
- Grey water
- Rain Catchment / Swales
- Automated plant watering (coming soon)

Interested? Have a space and a group that wants to learn after work hours? Contact me: STOPspamBondFigSPAM at gmail.com or STOPspamJamesNewtonSPAM at MassMind.org

In development:

Other good online courses:

Why airplanes fly, how much energy is required, and how to find the best speed
http://www.wired.com/2012/10/can-we-build-a-more-efficient-airplane-not-really-says-physics/
http://code.org/ Very basic intro to programming
http://euclidthegame.com/Tutorial/ Geometery is very important to physically making things. E.g. layout out lines to cut.
http://makezine.com/2015/04/01/installing-building-arduino-sketch-5-microcontroller/ The $5 WiFi uC ESP-8266 can be programmed as easily as an Arduino.
http://www.theeducatorsspinonit.com/2015/01/stem-activities-for-kids.html#_a5y_p=3186570
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/getting-started-with-arduino-a-beginners-guide/
http://sagebrush4hrobotics.blogspot.com/ An excellent series of classes / learning guides by a local (Lakeside) 4H leader.
https://github.com/jjsnyder619/Simplest_arduino_robot Great idea for a simple Arduino based robot.

MassMind Classes (from easy to advanced)

Welcome to massmind.org!

Welcome to massmind.org!