From Tesla to the Transistor: An Intro to Electronic Circuits

Classroom

What is electricity? This course will aim to shed light on the elusive, invisible force that has become an integral part of our lives. Through hands-on experimentation in a small classroom environment, participants will learn to detect, quantify, and manipulate electricity in the tradition of the great pioneers of this science such as Michael Faraday and Nikola Tesla.

This two-session introductory course will start by outlining the basic laws and characteristics of electricity, and then go on to introduce and explain the components that come together to make amplifiers, musical synthesizers, clocks, and computers. We will learn to read schematic diagrams and will be guided through the construction of a few basic circuits and will then work our way up to building a simple music synthesizer . Participants will leave the course with electrical confidence and hunger for gadgetary exploration. $30 materials fee included in the price buys an extensive kit of materials for further experimentation.

Project Guide by David Sheinkopf

David Sheinkopf has taught in the NY school system for 10 years and has spent the last 5 of those years developing a curriculum for teaching analog and digital electronics to high school students in order to prepare them for life in an increasingly-electrified world. Before teaching, Sheinkopf worke... view full bio