"FIRST Classes" - High School robotic science class offerings and syllabi

[aka Scott White]

Montclair High, in Montclair, NJ has offered a Robotics Class for two years now. Last year, there were very few people in the class, and it was mostly spent designing robots, and then building the robot itself for the competition. This year, there were a ton of kids in the class, (mostly freshmen) so we decided to teach some basic physics and design concepts to them, including technical drawing, gear ratios, torque, power, etc. Unfortunately, our robotics teacher was sick for most of the year, so the course was shortened to a half year for all people not on the robotics team. Since the class was offered 8th period, at the end of the day, we could begin working on the robot then (and for some of us seniors, start working during lunch, and straight through 7th period study hall and into 8th). We had planned to order several Stamp Board Robotic Projects, but we never got around to doing it. We did remove all the components from last years robot and explain how they worked and mounted the whole system on a table (last year's teeter-totter turned upside-down on 4x4's). Next year, the robotics program is going to be taught by one of the physics teachers, so we should be able to get the class together a little better.