STEM Academy for Ages 8+
Science-Technology-Engineering-Math programs focused on Computer Science & Robotics
Invest in your child’s technology education and enrichment today to set them on a path to excel in the ever accelerating technical, automated world of their future. Located in Coralville, IA.
- Transforms students into Creators of Technology, not just consumers.
- Every student builds a Digital Portfolio
- Comparable costs, commitment to other enrichment programs like music and sports
- Small classes (6-8 students), industry-experienced instructors, high quality equipment
- Project-based curriculum focused on 5 core skills: Problem Identification, Learning to Learn, Critical Thinking, Solutions Design and Project Management
SUMMER 2019 SESSIONS: JUNE 3 – AUGUST 9. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
Course options, schedules, pricing and additional details below:
Web Programming I, II and Robotics I are 2 week courses with deep, structured curriculum for ages 10+
Junior Robotics-Web and Digital Media courses provide a technical foundation and starting digital portfolio that then allows students to create multiple projects with progressive complexity at their pace – these courses can be taken multiple times to build a portfolio of skills and projects.
Open Makers Labs – it is recommended that students take one of the above courses to establish their digital portfolio prior to enrolling in the labs. This summer, in addition to numerous robotics kits and parts and digital media tools, students will have sessions in electronics, circuits, Arduino programming, intro to VR and other special topics. This course can also be taken multiple times to build student skills and portfolios.
Math Tutoring & Enrichment will be offered 2, 3, or 5 times a week with the goal of building the foundation required to support more advanced technology courses. Two or three students will be assigned a tutor based on enrollment. Each 2.5 hour session will approximately break down as follows: 50 minutes one-on-one tutoring to focus on student-specific math gaps, goals and interests, 50 minutes of supervised student practice, 50 minutes of games and activities that use applied math and logic.
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | |
| JUNE 3 – JUNE 7 | JUNE 10 – JUNE 14 | JUNE 17 – JUNE 21 | JUNE 24 – JUNE 28 | |
| AM | Web Programming I – HTML/CSS (Ages 10-16) Week 1 | Web Programming I – HTML/CSS (Ages 10-16) Week 2 | Web Programming II – JavaScript (Ages 10-16) Week 1 | Web Programming II – JavaScript (Ages 10-16) Week 2 |
| AM | Digital Media – Graphic Design (Ages 9-16) | Digital Media – Video (Ages 9-16) | Digital Media – Graphic Design (Ages 9-16) | Digital Media – Video (Ages 9-16) |
| AM | Math Tutoring: Mon-Wed-Fri and/or Tues-Thurs (Ages 9-16) | Math Tutoring: Mon-Wed-Fri and/or Tues-Thurs (Ages 9-16) | ||
| PM | Robotics I (Ages 10-16) Week 1 | Robotics I (Ages 10-16) Week 2 | Open Makers Lab (Ages 8-16) | Open Makers Lab (Ages 8-16) |
| PM | Digital Media – Video (Ages 9-16) | Digital Media – Graphic Design (Ages 9-16) | Junior Robotics-Web (Ages 8-11) | Junior Robotics-Web (Ages 8-11) |
| PM | Math Tutoring: Mon-Wed-Fri and/or Tues-Thurs (Ages 9-16) | Math Tutoring: Mon-Wed-Fri and/or Tues-Thurs (Ages 9-16) |
| Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | |
| JULY 8 – JULY 12 | JULY 15 – JULY 19 | JULY 22 – JULY 26 | JULY 29 – AUGUST 2 | AUGUST 5 – AUGUST 9 | |
| AM | Web Programming I – HTML/CSS (Ages 10-16) Week 1 | Web Programming I – HTML/CSS (Ages 10-16) Week 2 | Web Programming II – JavaScript (Ages 10-16) Week 1 | Web Programming II – JavaScript (Ages 10-16) Week 2 | Open Makers Lab (Ages 8-16) |
| AM | Open Makers Lab (Ages 8-16) | Open Makers Lab (Ages 8-16) | Junior Robotics-Web (Ages 8-11) | Junior Robotics-Web (Ages 8-11) | Math Tutoring: Mon-Wed-Fri and/or Tues-Thurs (Ages 9-16) |
| AM | Math Tutoring:(Ages 9-16) 1 spot left |
Math Tutoring:(Ages 9-16) Class is Full |
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| PM | Robotics I (Ages 10-16) Week 1 | Robotics I (Ages 10-16) Week 2 | Digital Media – Graphic Design (Ages 9-16) | Digital Media – Video (Ages 9-16) | Open Makers Lab (Ages 8-16) |
| PM | Digital Media – Graphic Design (Ages 9-16) | Digital Media – Video (Ages 9-16) | |||
| PM | Math Tutoring: Mon-Wed-Fri and/or Tues-Thurs (Ages 9-16) | Math Tutoring: Mon-Wed-Fri and/or Tues-Thurs (Ages 9-16) |
Summer Hours: All day and Half day options.
- Morning Session: 9:00am – 11:30am – Drop off starts at 8:30am
- Lunch and Break Activities: 11:30am – 1:30pm *
- Afternoon Session: 1:30pm – 4:00pm
- After School Activities: 4:00pm – 5:30pm – $125 per week *
*Bring your own lunch and snacks. Lunch supervision and activities are included if registered for morning and afternoon classes – otherwise $100/week. Activities include outdoor/indoor physical activities, games, board games, Legos, and much more!
Pricing (see cancellation and other policies here):
- Robotics I (Ages 10-16) – 2 week sessions $800
- Web Programming I – HTML/CSS (Age 10-16) – 2 week sessions $750
- Web Programming II – JavaScript (Web Prog I prerequisite) – 2 week sessions $800
- Junior Robotics (Ages 8-11) – 1 week sessions $250
- Open Makers Lab (Ages 8-16) – 1 week sessions $250
- Digital Media – Video (Ages 9-16) – 1 week sessions $250
- Digital Media – Graphic Design (Ages 9-16) 1 week sessions $250
- Math Tutoring & Enrichment (Ages 9-16) – 2x/week $100, 3x/week $150, 5x/week $250
REGISTER HERE or CONTACT US (info@stairway5.com / 224-637-5514) with any questions
Iowa Tech Chicks – STEM Innovation Fund Grant
We’re proud to partner with the Iowa Tech Chicks as the provider for the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council Innovation Fund Grant Award. This Spring, the Fund will provide scholarships with support from Iowa Tech Chicks for 6 girls to attend the Web Programming course at StairWay5.
Technology Education Curriculum Highlights below:
Web Development I (WEB01) Ages 10-16 Take a bold step into the world of programming. Build critical coding knowledge that will serve as the technical base for further programming languages. Create a Digital Portfolio. Learn and practice:
- Information flow, Internet and website architecture and elements – how web pages, servers and browsers function.
- HTML, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and JavaScript within the industry standard Eclipse Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
- Design, plan, implement and present multiple web page projects that increase in complexity.
- Code concepts such as inputs, variables, data processing and functions as well as debugging and testing code
Follow this link for additional course details. Students will be provided space to begin their Digital Portfolios to showcase their projects.NEXT LEVEL: Students in Web Development II (WEB02) will launch into building more complex Web applications utilizing JavaScript. These include highly interactive websites and game development. More advanced software application design, algorithm development, coding principles and tools will be practiced through individual projects.
Robotics I (RBT01) Ages 10-16 Delve into the world of robots and learn to make them function to accomplish desired results. This class covers multiple plan, design and build projects to gain a basic understanding of robotics through the following:
- Mechanisms that push, pull and lift – using wheels/axles, inclined planes, wedges, lever, pulleys and screws.
- Machines with motorized movement – motors, gears, drive-trains. Understand speed and torque.
- Machines that use plows, scoops and friction grabbers for object manipulation mechanisms.
- Articulation such as rotating joints and linkages.
- Programming the robot’s computer for processing inputs and performing tasks through simple visual programming
- Sensors to detect inputs such as light, color, objects and motion
Variations from design intent, issues encountered, and lessons learned will follow each project to instill the 5 core skills. Follow this link for additional course details. Students who have completed Programming I can add their Robotics projects to their Digital Portfolios.NEXT LEVEL: Students in Robotics II (RBT02) will build more complex robots and graduate from graphical interface programming to ROBOTC, a powerful C-based programming language which is a cross-platform solution that is used in advanced courses and professional applications. Programming I is a prerequisite.
Makers Lab I Makers Lab provides additional space and time for students who are currently enrolled in or have completed Programming I and/or Robotics I to continue to expand on their projects or design and build new projects. Students will be provided access to computers, robotics kits and other materials like Arduino processor boards. They can choose to work individually or set up teams and collaborate with others for their projects. Students are encouraged to work independently and practice their technical skills and 5 core skills. Instructors will provide guidance and mentoring as needed to ensure students meet the objectives they have set for themselves. Projects completed during the Lab can also be be added to each student’s Digital Portfolio.