Tinker Nest

You can find cardboard just about anywhere and for cheap, if not free. It’s versatile, easy to use, and an excellent teaching tool. At my home and school this the first thing that I like to give to the kids so that they get the opportunity to embrace STEM activities with a simple and inexpensive material: cardboard. In this project, I'll share how to make a Cardboard Horse and make it run with the help of Power Of Science, without any battery or wheels.  "This is my opening lines in the class before I start with this activity." Time Required: 45  min What:  Horse made out of cardboard which will move with the help of fluid pressure. Why:  Hands-on fun activity on liquid pressure. How:  Read-along... Things We Need 1) Cardboard 30cm*30cm 2) Glue Gun and Glue Sticks(2sticks)  3) X-ACTO knife  4) 2 10 ml Syringe  5) 1 foot of clear plastic tubing that fits the syringe tips  6) A pair of Scissors  7) 1 Toothpick piece  8) Straw, One, 2c...

From switching a light bulb in our house On and Off to sending and receiving signals to the Mars rover, electrical circuits are ubiquitous in our day-to-day lives and Ohm's Law (V = IR) is as fundamentally important in electronics as Einstein's Relativity equation (E = mc²) is to physicists. Ohm's law is the basis of all electrical systems. Electrical engineers use this equation to guide the design of electrical systems. Students need a strong foundation in Ohm's law while designing circuits on their own but it is observed that students often get confused between Voltage(V) and Ampere(I). As a teacher, I have always been an advocate of Montessori education. I always try to include hands-on activities, role-plays, and games in my lesson plan to amplify the engagement, understanding, and learning of my students. So, here  I'm sharing an activity that my students love doing while understanding the difference between Volt and Amps . Things We Need 4 Large balloons Elect...

Circuit bugs are a simple and fun way to introduce children to electricity and circuitry and tie them with a STEM-based curriculum. This cute bug incorporates a great fine motor and creative crafting skills, working with electricity and circuits that will keep your kids enthralled and challenged. Things We Need 1) 2 LED Lights. 2) Insulated PVC coated wire. 3) Batteries – CR2032  3V. 4) Electrical Tape. 5 Clothespins. 6) Pipecleaners/chenille sticks 7) Wirestripper. 8) Plier. Cut and Remove End to End Coating If you have a thick wire you can use wire strippers but if you have a thin wire you can cut the wire using scissor. Cut your wire in equal lengths. Cut after measuring the length of the wire equal to the length of the clothespin. It is recommended to cut it a bit long and trim it later to the final length. You want enough length for a good connection but not too much that you raise your risk of circuit interruption. Have students cut their wire into four equal pieces. Show stu...

  No doubt students learn more when they are mentally and physically engaged in the learning process, regardless of the subject they are studying, and when it comes to STEM education, hands-on experiential learning is an indispensable part of the learning process. In this hands-on activity, we will make a water sprayer using two straws, and experience Bernoulli’s Theorem. Category:  Physics Sub Topic:  Fluid Pressure Time Required : 20-30 min Difficulty:  Easy Things We Need 2 Straws (4 inches each) Insulation Tape Eraser Scissors A glass of water Assembly Pic 1:   Cut two insulation tape pieces and attach them to either end of both the straws. Pic 2:   While attaching the tape, make sure to leave some space from the end(4-5mm approx). Pic 3 : Tape the 1st straw(I used Green straw as 1st) to the eraser so that the straw is exactly aligned with the edge of the eraser. Pic 4:   Next, tape the second straw(I used Orange straw as 2nd) to the edge of the er...

  Everybody loves bubbles, regardless of age. But why all the bubble wands needs to be flat and bubble always spherical. In today’s project, we will break these stereotypes and build some 3-dimensional bubble wands and learn structural engineering. We'll also make an inverted bubble cube that mimics a tensile structure. These simple demonstrations will introduce basic geometric shapes and complex engineering concepts to kids, visually. Things We Need Plastic straws Pipe cleaners A pair of Scissors Bubble Solution, Homemade  or store-bought. Bigmouth bowl or container (not in the picture above) Pyramid Bubble Wand To built this Tetrahedron (Pyramid) Bubble Wand: Cut six straws of 2 inches each. Thread a pipe cleaner through one straw and bend the end of the pipe cleaner to secure it at the end. Then thread two more straws onto the pipe cleaner. Bend the long end of the pipe cleaner back to meet the starting point and twist the two ends around each other. Add two more straw sect...