Updated 6/18/24
I’m writing this while sitting in a coffee shop at a table near the door. Every time a new customer enters, I’m hit with a swirl of arctic air that chills me to the core. For me, that prognosticating groundhog can’t come out of his den soon enough.
Topics: IN THE CLASSROOM, Middle School, Elementary School, IDEAS & INSPIRATION, Homeschool, Science, STEM, Activities, Hands-on Learning, STEAM
Updated 5/30/24
A great physical science education tool isn’t just exciting while you’re using it; it continues to provoke thought and make real-world connections well after you’ve placed it back on the shelf. Case in point: I recently spent time exploring Pitsco’s T-Bot® Hydraulic Arm. It was a fun challenge using the hydraulic robot arm to pick up and move blocks, and I thought about links to automation and heavy machinery as I used it. But, to my surprise, after I put the device away, what I really couldn’t stop thinking about was my own arm.
Topics: IN THE CLASSROOM, Middle School, Elementary School, High School, ROBOTICS, Teacher Resources, Science, Technology, STEM, Authentic Learning, Activities, Hands-on Learning
Updated 6/18/24
My favorite part in the movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is when Clark Griswold’s 250 strands of lights on his house finally turn on. If you haven’t seen Christmas Vacation, Clark decorates his entire house – and I mean the ENTIRE house – with holiday lights. He brings out his whole family to see the lights all turn on at once. But, as he brings the two power cords together to turn it on, nothing happens. Later, after his wife flips the correct switch, all the lights flicker on, lighting up basically the whole city. A holiday miracle!
Although we might not go as all out as Griswold on our holiday lights, they’re a key piece in building the holiday spirit. And, as we’re getting into the holiday cheer at Pitsco, what better way to brighten our spirits than by learning the ins and outs of a string of lights?!
Topics: BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, IDEAS & INSPIRATION, Science, Technology, STEM, Engineering, Activities, Hands-on Learning, Art
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
Like us! We already like you.
