While having robots in the classroom may have seemed a bit farfetched in the past, including them in the curriculum is what that teachers and afterschool activity coordinators now are doing to ensure student participation and understanding of STEM concepts. The immediate response is that robotics keeps students engaged; however, some of the most important, most...
Read MoreAs video games become more complex, the opportunities their production and design hold for college graduates are endless. Currently, the field of game development employs nearly 35,000 people, and that number is only expected to rise. With industry revenue topping $10 billion each year, it is no wonder that more students are flocking to development roles than ever...
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The wonderful world of fair rides and their magical physic properties continue to flourish in the Lab! As the Fair approaches this weekend, students are inspired to recreate their favorite rides. From learning about types of motion to understanding how to create safe and fun rides, the Lab is quickly turning into a mini carnival itself. Roller coasters,...
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Project-based learning inspires students to thrive and grow using real world applications. It has been shown time and time again that relating concepts to the world around students is much more motivational than teaching in abstract terms (Taplin). Seymour Papert, MIT mathematician and expert on children and computing explained this theory, “we teach numbers, then...
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The origin of fair rides dates back to the late 1800s when George W. Ferris was given the task of designing an engineering masterpiece for the Chicago World’s Fair, which would rival the Eiffel Tower built only years before. The World Fair in 1893 was held to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ voyage to the United States, so much...
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A mechanism in engineering is typically described as rigid bodies connected by a joint to accomplish a specific force or transfer motion. To conclude this months topic on simple machines, students were challenged to create a mechanism with a simple machine! But first, a quick review on what makes a structure versus a mechanism was required. A structure must have a...
Read MoreDay Camps for STEAM Education
