Legos at OMSI!

Over Spring Break, I had the chance to teach a VR class at OMSI, Portland's prestigious science museum. While teaching the class, I took opportunity to chat with the folk who direct and teach different camps using Lego elements! The OMSI catalogue offers BRIDGE BUILDING AND PORTLAND BRIDGES, AMAZING MACHINES ( including an ALL GIRLS version! ) among others.

OMSI has many Control Lab interfaces and a variety of kits, including the "Manufacturing" kit and a bunch of homegrown projects! ( They collected all the parts needed for the "paper crinkler" and put them into small cardboard boxes with a OMSI label. Plans were included to build the "paper crinkler." ) I observed lectures to the group of 30+ students about the interface with the interface screen projected on the wall. The classes were built around a simple machines curriculum and use of the interface to develop a manufacturing process...in this case the drilling and refining of oil. ( The first picture included below is an oil drill! )

Overall, I was very impressed. While I enjoy the quality of the PCS environment, OMSI is no institutional slouch and has a great staff! The students all immensely enjoyed the program to a person. They had a grasp of Logo programming. Many of the devices they invented were clever. I look forward to the day they invite me to teach some of their Lego curriculum!

Here are some shots of what they use at OMSI!

A Machine OMSI students built using the Control Lab!

I would like to thank Matt Miller, who took very good care of us while teaching at Little OMSI!

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