Sometimes, it may seem like we’re hyping up the same STEM brands over and over. While it’s true that we do consider some EdTech tools to be complete game changers for educational purposes, we truly stand by every item and brand on our store. We often hear from educators who are looking for some of those big names and, while we know they’ll do well with them, we can sometimes tell that maybe another tech tool would work well within their class setting also. So, while some of the companies on this list might not be household names to all educators, we’re confident in saying that they’re very much capable of getting the job done! Click through to learn more about some of the other brands and STEM tools you can find on the Eduporium store.
E-Blox
To get started, we want to make sure that early grades educators are aware of E-Blox. At Eduporium, we love tech tools that teachers can use to teach students more than one STEM concept at a time and E-Blox is a pretty great example of that. There are a bunch of different E-Blox kits (nine on our store in total) and they come in various sizes with various components inside. The most important pieces are the building blocks, which very closely resemble LEGOs except for one major difference—the E-Blox blocks are also conductive! So, along with being able to use these blocks to attach them to others and build some pretty cool structures, students can also learn about conductivity and circuitry in the process—the biggest reason why E-Blox is such a valuable and versatile tool in STEM education.
As they build structures with E-Blox, students are exposed to various engineering concepts, such as making sure the base of their structure (the foundation) is secure and the fact that they can’t make the top half of their structure too heavy. With this introduction to engineering, however, also comes an important introduction to circuitry. Since electricity is able to flow through these blocks, students need to be aware of placing the blocks in their structures correctly. If they place them in correctly, for example, they should light up as long as a power block is present and turned on. If they’re placed in backwards, however, the blocks will short circuit, which could present a danger to users. Thankfully, when the E-Blox blocks are put together incorrectly, students are immediately alerted thanks to a loud buzzing sound that comes out of the blocks, helping them identify their mistakes and reassess how they’re building their structure.
In the various E-Blox kits come a host of pieces, including electronic, metallic LEGOS in various sizes, flashing LEDs in red, green, and blue, and small LEGO boards. Following guides or using their imaginations, students can construct small models that resemble anything from cars and planes to animals. As they connect the blocks, various parts of their structures can light up, helping them see how careful construction can lead to the results they want. With E-Blox, the projects start simple and can get a little bit tougher as they go. Students can also take their structures apart and then practice building something else to be sure they continue working on their STEM skills. To check out all of the E-Blox kits on the Eduporium store or to place an order, give it a search at the top of the page.
FlashForge
In the educational 3D printing market, there are some brands that are more well-known than others. Some of the first that come to mind are MakerBot and Dremel, but there are certainly others that can help turn a makerspace from something commonplace into something extraordinary. Depending on what it is that teachers and students need, there are other 3D printing options besides the obvious ones. And, one of those alternatives is FlashForge. Like many 3D printer companies, they have a handful of models that offer educators different features at different price points. If they need a lot of power for larger builds, for example, then they’ll have an option for that. If they’re only making smaller objects and looking to save on cost, there’s options for those educators as well. FlashForge is a great name to remember for anyone looking to try a new 3D printer or get started with 3D printing in their makerspace.
We currently have seven different FlashForge 3D printer models on our store, which hopefully can provide teachers with enough options to choose from. They range in price from $3,600 all the way down to just $449. We also carry a lot of different FlashForge filaments, so you could potentially get all you need to get started with 3D printing in one place. The FlashForge printers typically use PLA filament to print and we have spools available on our site in a variety of different colors. We also have a couple of warranty options available if you’re interested in protecting your printers and your investment. There is an option for a 6-month warranty and the option for a 12-month warranty. You can find all of those offers by searching for ‘FlashForge’ within our site.
The most affordable FlashForge printer is the FlashForge Adventurer 3 model. Despite its low cost, students can use this printer to generate large builds and learn the basics of 3D printing. It has cloud printing and data transfer features, a quick-removal nozzle, and automatic filament feeding among other features. Then, at the top of the list is the Hunter DLP Resin 3D Printer. This printer features a full HD 1080p light engine, an advanced dual-core processor, and a linear motion guide actuator among its most impressive qualities. It also comes equipped with an LCD touchscreen, making it pretty easy to use for students. They can use the FlashForge 3D printing software to create builds as large as 4.72” x 2.66” x 5.91” and at just 14.17” x 12.20” x 22.24” in size, the FlashForge Hunter DLP Resin 3D Printer won’t take up a ton of space. To check out everything we have from FlashForge on our store, click the 3D printing tab above.
MonkMakes
Next up on our list of STEM tools you should know more about is the line of cool tools from MonkMakes. Designed for makers, inventors, and anybody who like a good challenge, Simon Monk (get it?) created these kits to help make programming and prototyping more accessible to everybody. He has created various kits of his own and also accessories that go along with other popular MakerEd tools, like the Raspberry Pi and the micro:bit. Essentially, MonkMakes is a company that packages up all the components students and makers of all ages would need in order to try coding, including breadboards, microcomputers, jumper wires, and more depending on the kit they are using. On our store, there are 10 MonkMakes items overall—all with some fairly unique focal points.
The main MonkMakes kit in our eyes is the Electronic Starter Kit for Raspberry Pi. This kit comes with a bunch of hardware components and project cards so that students know exactly where to connect them on their breadboard. If you already have a Raspberry Pi, this is a great kit to try for adding to the possibilities. The components in the Electronic Starter Kit include resistors, LEDs, switches, a capacitor, a thermistor, a photoresistor, a buzzer, jumper leads, and 10 instruction cards that contain projects for students. It also comes with a small piece of paper known as the Raspberry Leaf. With this card, students can place it on top of their Raspberry Pi and use its markings to identify all the parts of the Pi as well as where they should place the parts needed for each project.
The project cards are simplistic, but detailed enough that students know exactly where everything should go. They can see and count the number of holes on the breadboard and see instructions for which end of the piece to insert in which location. Also, the projects that come on the cards start out on the simple side and then progress to those with a little bit more complexity. This helps students use the MonkMakes kits in different grade levels and with students of different abilities. The first project, for example, is simply making an LED blink while the 10th project in the progression is building an email sensor. Then, besides the Electronics Starter Kit, the other MonkMakes kits you can get on our store include the Starter Kit for BeagleBone Black, the Hacking Electronics Starter Kit, and the Servo Kit for Raspberry Pi among others. The accessories include the sensor for micro:bit, relay for micro:bit, speaker for micro:bit, and more!
Thames & Kosmos
If it’s a variety of STEM kits you’re looking for, Thames & Kosmos and its line of all-encompassing kits need to be on your radar. This company specializes in designing kits that highlight one specific area of STEM education and introduce kids to a number of concepts along the way. Each kit comes with a bunch of pieces that easily connect to all the others and project diagrams so students know exactly how to piece them together. The kits comes in a few different sizes and at a few different price points with the smaller and less expensive kits designed for the younger students. Overall, there’s a different Thames & Kosmos kit for just about every elementary school student no matter what it is they are most interested in!
Their kits cover all of the most important and popular STEM concepts that 21st century students need and want to know. At the top of that list is robotics and there are definitely some from Thames & Kosmos that teachers and students can use. The Robotics Smart Machines Kit is great because students are able to follow the guide and use the pieces to build different robot models. Some of the models are very involved and force kids to work on their engineering skills. After building it, they can program its actions with their device and the compatible app. Other kits kids can use to build things they can later set in motion include the Solar Mechanics Kit, Fuel Cell Kits, and Wind Power Kit. These help students learn about things like solar energy, alternative fuel sources, and about harnessing the power of wind energy!
As we mentioned, the Thames & Kosmos line includes a great variety of kits and here are some of the other STEM concepts kids could use them to learn about. They include magnetism, engineering, circuitry, electricity, physics, coding, hydropower, and more! The models students build represent replicas of authentic devices and they can clearly see how they work as they complete the activities and challenges that come in the kits. One other thing that’s great about the Thames & Kosmos kits is that the included manuals are so detailed and easy for students to follow. Step-by-step instructions helps ensure models are built correctly every time and there is also tons of valuable background information within them so that kids can learn even more about the concepts they’re covering!
Squishy Circuits
To wrap up this collection of EdTech tools for teachers to keep their eyes on, we’d like to introduce you to Squishy Circuits. These kits include conductive dough that kids can use to mold into all kinds of shapes that function as real circuits! Since the dough is conductive, electricity is able to flow through it and create a perfect representation of a circuit for them. Best of all, students can then use the dough they shape in various parts of their projects. If they’re building a model of the solar system, for example, (wondering if any classes still do that), then perhaps they could use the yellow dough to represent the Sun and light it up using an LED. As with most of the STEAM tools we offer, these kits come in different sizes as well and are suitable to be used by students starting early on (as soon as kindergarten) because of their simplicity.
There are four different Squishy Circuits kits on our store: The Lite Kit, Standard Kit, Deluxe Kit, and Group Kit. The Lite Kit comes with a battery holder (connected to jumper wires), 15 LED lights, and a container of conductive dough. The Standard Kit comes with a battery holder, a buzzer, 25 LEDs, a container of insulating dough, and three containers of conductive dough. The Deluxe Kit comes with the battery holder, buzzer, a motor with a fan, a switch, 40 LEDs, a set of sculpting tools, a rolling pin, one container of insulating dough, and seven containers of conductive dough. Finally, the Group Kit comes with 10 battery holders, 10 buzzers, 10 motors with fan blades, 10 switches, and 80 LEDs, but no dough. For educators, it’s best to combine this kit with one of the three kits mentioned previously to create a more complete learning environment!
In addition to these four kits, we also have the Squishy Circuits Dough Kit available. This option simply acts as a refill or supplement for any educators who would like some more dough to use with their students. It comes with seven containers that each hold seven ounces of conductive dough, which is two more ounces than the containers that come in the various kits. Each tub of dough is a different color, allowing kids to create more authentic models using the correct colors of many of the objects they build. It’s also a great way for students to create larger sculptures and see how electricity can travel through different conductive pieces as long as they are attached somehow. If you’re interested in trying Squishy Circuits in your early elementary classroom or over the summer in a camp setting, check out all of these options on the Eduporium store!
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