Updated 6/17/24
Kid Inventors’ Day, a day to celebrate young inventors of the past as well as encourage today’s inventors, falls on January 17, each year – a fitting nod to inventor Benjamin Franklin because its the same date as his birthday.
Franklin, most famous for being one of the founding fathers of the United States, is also known for several inventions, including the swim fins he created when he was only 11 years old!
Topics: IN THE CLASSROOM, Middle School, Elementary School, High School, IDEAS & INSPIRATION, ROBOTICS, Resources, Authentic Learning, Activities, Hands-on Learning, innovate
(Authored by Jim Brown and James Jones, members of The Ambassador Group for Pitsco Education.)
Updated 6/18/24
Teachers of all grade levels face challenges on a daily basis, from elementary teachers tasked with teaching young students to read and recognize shapes and sounds to middle school teachers working with students who are beginning to gain more independence and figuring out their place in the world to high school teachers trying to prepare burgeoning adults for the real world.
In order to help students grow intellectually and emotionally, and to continue meeting their thirst for knowledge, we ourselves must stay thirsty – for knowledge, understanding, and new ways of teaching and reaching our students.
Topics: Middle School, Elementary School, High School, BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, IDEAS & INSPIRATION, Teacher Resources, Collaborations, Resources, Careers, Teacher Development, Professional Development, Conferences
Updated 6/11/24
Since its founding in 1998, the Urban Youth Racing School (UYRS) in Philadelphia has earned a fair amount of publicity for the spectacular opportunities it offers to inner-city students. Sneak a peek during the school’s Build A Dream summer program, and you’re likely to see students learning about engines, designing cars, and racing go-karts as part of a simulated racing team.
Topics: Middle School, High School, BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, Competitions, Science, STEM, Dragsters, Engineering, Careers, Authentic Learning, Activities, Future Ready, 21st Century Skills, Maker Ed, Hands-on Learning, STEAM, Workforce Development, Art
Updated 6/17/24
It’s a bit hazy and, arguably, debatable as to when STEM actually became a “thing.” Some contend it’s been around since the race for space was initiated in the late 1950s/early 1960s. Others say it‘s been present since the 1970s/1980s when huge technological advances were occurring (i.e., the Macintosh and first cell phone). Still others will proffer it was the 1990s when education councils were setting curriculum standards with more emphasis for science, technology, engineering, and math.
Topics: Middle School, Elementary School, High School, ROBOTICS, Science, Technology, STEM, Engineering, Coding, Authentic Learning, Activities, TETRIX Robotics, Hands-on Learning, STEAM, innovate, Inquiry-based Learning, Art
Updated 5/30/24
Nobody at Pitsco quite remembers for sure, but legend has it that the T in T-Bot® Hydraulic Arm stands for team.
It makes sense. The four syringes that drive the robot’s hydraulically powered movement can be held and operated separately. Each syringe affects a different axis. This naturally lends itself to several possibilities for problem-solving activities with multiple students. With a group of four students, give each student a syringe, assign the group a pick-and-place task, and watch all four communicate, cooperate, and think critically to get the job done.
Topics: IN THE CLASSROOM, Middle School, High School, Collaborations, Technology, STEM, Engineering, Authentic Learning, 21st Century Skills, Hands-on Learning, Math, Workforce Development
Like us! We already like you.
