Hello everyone! I recently conducted a workshop on Sonic Pi for children aged 10-14.
The difficulties @mkpi shared recently really resonated - we got only 3 signups but went ahead regardless. We adopted the title from a recent Sonic Pi video. Even with a tiny class, the workshop itself was quite chaotic, with everyone playing all kinds of sounds at the same time, but the kids had fun. Would love to hear how people generally deal with this.
I’ve made all the materials public here (CC0). Much of the content of the workshop is remixed from existing material (mostly from this forum and mehackit), and perhaps the most notable new part is the handout we made. Feel free to use any of it, I hope it inspires you if you want to do something similar!
Lastly, thanks for everything you all have done to make Sonic Pi free for people to use this way!
Hi well it seems the same happens with my course. 9 teenagers , all around 15Years old, 3 of them participating on their choosing, the rest assigned from other Courses who wer overpopulated…
Just one of them plays an instrument, two have played one once ago, the rest had no experience except from listening popular music.
The course went for 4days / 6 half-days Slots. So We started with some historical background on Programming Music. Some short Videos from Music Dose and punch card programming to recording music to Elektronik and digital Music. Then they had to punch holes in a card strip that went along with a small Drehorgel. That catched their attention and was fun. Finishing with the Marble Machine Video.
The Second Slot we started watching a LIVECODING: Performance and discussing what they heared - what is happening. I told them some Stories and showed them how to install Sonic PI. …
Three Slots we worked on Sonic PI, 2 Slots We went on excursion visiting a Museum of Musikautomaten, ending the sixth slot with recording theirs best Sonic PI Code, covert it to an mp3, upload to their phones and installing it as ringtone. Planed was a small phone orchestra Performance … But Pizza was ready…
Looking back I think the hands on punch card session helped an all were motivated starting with sonic pi. Some lost interest during the second slot but wer remotivated on our trip to the Museum.
to Elektronik and digital Music. Then they had to punch holes in a card strip that went along with a small Drehorgel. That catched their attention and was fun. Finishing with the Marble Machine Video.
was ready…