Raspberry Pi summer camp

Josh wanted to go to a programming summer camp, but the Unreal Engine 4 was sold out.

So I wondered if we might get our own programming camp going. Maybe invite a few of his friends who are in the 13- to 15-year-old range. 

Here are some of the things we'll need.

Hardware

You can start with the Raspberry Pi: https://smile.amazon.com/Raspberry-Pi-RASP-PI-3-Model-Motherboard/dp/B01CD5VC92/

The basic computer-on-a-board will set you back about $36. You will have to buy the following to get it going:

• Micro USB power supply (the kind that powers many cell phones; see if you have one lying around the house)
• A Micro SD card (about $12)
• Cat 5 (network) cable, to plug the computer into your LAN at home (about $2)
• HDMI cable, so your computer can display on your big, home TV (about $6)
• OR (this will help you watch Netflix and let your mad scientist work in his room)
• HDMI to VGA adapter (https://www.amazon.com/VicTsing-Gold-Plated-Converter-Adapter-Desktop/dp/B016HL4CAY/, about $10)
• Use a VGA monitor that you have around the house.
• A keyboard and mouse (for example, https://smile.amazon.com/Logitech-Desktop-MK120-Mouse-keyboard/dp/B003NREDC8/, about $15)
• Optional:
• A USB hub and a USB to Micro adapter cable to provide power
• You could also attach your mouse and keyboard here
• A Raspberry Pi case. (Note that 13- to 15-year-olds have the right kind of Legos to build their own Raspberry Pi case.

They also have starter kits that include the Raspberry Pi, a power supply, and a case, such as https://smile.amazon.com/CanaKit-Raspberry-Premium-Supply-Listed/dp/B01C6EQNNK/ ($50). But you still have to  buy the other required items, and you might be happier doing this with your kid. 

Books

Adventures in Raspberry Pi (about $22). This one gets you started with sprite animation in a basic adventure-type game. It also teaches you the Python language, has some basic text-based games, has some Minecraft programming, and ends with a flashing LED. Each child should have his own. 

Raspberry Pi Projects for the Evil Genius (about $17). This one starts with the flashing LED and has projects combined with Python code. Some projects are fairly involved, and require the use of a breadboard to wire together components like motors and lasers. 

What the camp might look like

I'm thinking that we could all buy the Raspberry Pi kit and the Adventures book and work our ways through it. Maybe the first week we could set up one Raspberry Pi at someone's house and then the kids could help each other set up the rest. Everyone would take his computer home. Then we're off to the races.

Second week would be some homework + kid work + dad work as we download software and turn the kids loose on the adventure game. Let's continue working through the chapters of the Adventures book, have the kids go to each other's houses to debug and program, while dad's cheer them on with a beverage in hand. Maybe weekly meetings to show off what everyone has done and get everyone on the same page. 

Fourth or fifth week would be to build the flashing LED project. Then, on to the Evil Genius book, and have the kids pick what would be their favorite project. Each family would order their own parts and breadboard. Then we'd work from the simplest project to the most complex, with a small army of teenagers blazing the trail. 

Thoughts? Questions?