Tinker Nest

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...

Last week one of my students send me this link of this  Endless Calendar  asking me that could we make this using a 3D printer. Woodworking has not yet started for these 5th graders. Tinkercad is a pretty safe option for them. I loved his idea and decided to give it a try using Tinkercad. In this assignment, students will use Tinkercad to construct their own endless calendar. I have leveled this assignment according to the skill level of my 5th-grade students who have just started 3D designing and have basic knowledge of using Tinkercad. This project will further sharpen and strengthen students' measurement, perception, and logical thinking skills which is vital for 3D designing. Things We Need 1) Computer with an internet connection 2) Tinkercad account Copy and Tinker With each task, I have shared the templets. Please click the template link provided with each task, login to your Tinkercad account. Then click on the "Copy and Tinker" icon on the left. The task will open...

Origami: an Art Form for All Subjects What do pizza boxes, car airbags, and fancy napkins have in common? Well, you might have guessed it -- Origami. Composed of the Japanese words O R U (to fold) and K A M I (paper), this ancient paper-folding art origami can make an impact in today's education too. This art form engages students and sneakily enhances their skills -- including improved spatial perception and logical and sequential thinking. Science:  Origami is a fun way to explain physics concepts. A thin piece of paper is not very strong, but if you fold it like an accordion it will be. Bridges are based on this concept. Also, origami is a fun way to explain molecules. Many molecules have the shape of tetrahedrons and other polyhedra. Technology:  What if you could swallow a robot that could move about inside your body to perform simple surgical procedures? Researchers at MIT have created an origami-inspired bot that folds small enough to fit in a pill; once inside the body...

Cardboard Automata are a playful way to explore simple machine elements such as cams, levers, and linkages, while creating a mechanical sculpture. Working with simple materials, this activity is easy to get started, and may become as complex as your mechanical sculpture ideas. So far I have worked only with Automata having gears inside a cardboard box and the main figure or say sculpture outside the box, so for this project I decided to try making Automata with gear and figure/sculpture inside a 3d printed box. Things We Need Design program - I'm using Tinkercad Slicing Software - I'm using FlashPrint 3D Printer Filament - I'm using PLA 3D Printer The Bot Head: Create a Box for the face. Then use 2 Hole Box and play around with the rotation angle. This to give the bot's face a sideways look/appearance. Next drag two Half Sphere to the Workplane for the bots ears. Two cylinders rotated at 90 degrees angle for bot's antennas. Create one more Box for the neck. Next Gro...

  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...