Blog Posts

TETRIX® VR simulation software: A game changer?

Posted by Patty Cooke on March 17, 2022

I have a confession to make: I’m not a hands-on learner. I realize that might be a scandalous statement, seeing as how I work for a hands-on education company.

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Topics: ROBOTICS, Technology, Engineering, TETRIX Robotics, 21st Century Skills, Hands-on Learning

Activity: T-Bot® offers leverage for exploring simple machines

Posted by Admin on January 19, 2022

A great physical science education tool isn’t just exciting while you are 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.

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Topics: IN THE CLASSROOM, Middle School, Elementary School, High School, ROBOTICS, Teacher Resources, Science, Technology, STEM, Authentic Learning, Activities, Hands-on Learning

Making spirits bright with the science of Christmas lights

Posted by Molly Underwood on December 20, 2021

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 Christmas 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 Christmas miracle!

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Topics: BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, IDEAS & INSPIRATION, Science, Technology, STEM, Engineering, Activities, Hands-on Learning, Art

Let’s travel to the future – yours

Posted by Admin on December 08, 2021

December 8 is Pretend to Be a Time Traveler Day, the day we use our imaginations to travel to the past or future. You’ll find yourself in the future eventually, but it’s natural to want a sneak peek. Will we have flying cars at last? Will the world still revolve around silly dances on TikTok?

Not even our imaginations can answer for sure.

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Topics: IDEAS & INSPIRATION, Science, Technology, STEM, Engineering, Careers, Coding, Future Ready, Hands-on Learning, Math, Workforce Development, Women in STEM

Are you Kitting me?!

Posted by Preston Frazier on November 24, 2021

Let’s be clear. I’m the proud father of a four-year-old daughter, who will be jumping into kindergarten very soon. When I mean soon, I mean like next year soon.

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Topics: IN THE CLASSROOM, Elementary School, BEYOND THE CLASSROOM, ROBOTICS, Teacher Resources, Technology, STEM, Resources, Social and emotional learning, Future Ready, 21st Century Skills