PRODUCT REVIEW
by Rayondon Kennedy editors@ccgmag.com
Education, Inspiration, and Imagination These Products make STEM fun for everyone! Tinker Crate
Piper Computer Kit
T
he need for STEM professionals in America is at an all-time high, but an introduction to STEM ideas and concepts early in life can increase the pursuit of a STEM-related career path. Every day we hear from successful STEM professionals that they knew from childhood they would be an engineer because they couldn’t put their Lego set down, or that they were constantly taking apart the electronics around their home and putting them back together. You never know which spark will light the path of your future. The STEM products listed below will entertain and educate your future STEM professional. They trigger imagination, introduce basic STEM concepts, and produce hours of fun with your family. Let us know what your favorite STEM toys are by messaging us at:
Hydropower
Tinker Crate Tinker Crate is a monthly subscription service that encourages kids ages 9–16-plus to discover and learn about science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM) through hands-on activities. Each month,
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Tinker Crate will send a kit with a new STEM project to build. The kits are made to be fun and to increase problem-solving skills and confidence. The kit will include all the materials needed to build the project, illustrated instructions, and a link to a step-by-step video. For more information on Tinker Crate and other products from KiwiCo, visit its page at www.kiwico.com
Piper Computer Kit v.2: The Piper Computer Kit provides the user with everything needed to build their very own fully functioning computer. This DIY kit aims to teach the user exactly what goes on behind the screen of a computer. The Piper Computer Kit provides an engineering blueprint enabling students to engage in a sensory experience that bridges visual and tactile learning. PiperCode uses Blockly by Google, a drag-and-drop coding language that enables students to modify and change how their electronics work on the Raspberry Pi. Learners can also explore the virtual world of the Raspberry Pi Edition of Minecraft and learn electronic concepts through engaging, interactive game levels. You can learn more on the Piper Computer Kit by visiting Piper’s website: https://www.playpiper.com/
Hydropower Hydropower is a renewable energy science kit aimed to teach the user how different devices are used to extract useful energy from moving water, from a waterwheel in a small stream to a giant turbine in a tidal power station. The science kit will give the user the option to build 12 different models including a watermill, a sawmill, or a hammer mill, to name just a few. The user will be able to explore the power of water and conduct experiments such as constructing a hydroelectric power station that can generate electricity and light an LED. The science kit comes with a 32-page direction manual with step-bystep instructions. Explore some of the other products by Thames and Kosmos at their website: https://www.thamesandkosmos.com/
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