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Super Mario Coloring Pages (Free Printable Pixel Color by Number) - In The Playroom

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Super Mario Coloring Pages (Free Printable Pixel Color by Number) - In The Playroom

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Today we have some free printable Super Mario coloring pages to share. These Mario coloring sheets are a bit different, create your favorite characters pictures in a fun way by completing the color by number pixel by pixel.

Fans of Super Mario bros. will love coloring these famous character from their favorite video games. Whether you love Super Mario Kart, Super Mario 3D World, or Mario Party, there are lots of loveable characters, and villains to color in bright colors.

These coloring pages are great for older kids (although can be enjoyed by kids of all ages) and will keep them busy for a long time - as well as strengthening up those fine motor skills and building concentration.

We also have four traditional coloring pages with pictures of Mario cartoons to color as an extra bonus, these are great for the younger kids.

Free Printable Mario Coloring Pages (Color by Number Pixel Art)

Here's a run through all the pages included in this free printable pack

Mario Coloring Page

Luigi Coloring Page

Toad Coloring Page

Yoshi Coloring Page

Goomba Coloring Page

Super Mario Bros Game Scene Coloring Page

Mario Piranha Plants Coloring Page

Chain Chomp Coloring Page

The Koopa Troopas Coloring Page

Super Mario Bros Boo Ghost Coloring Page

Princess Peach Coloring Page

Spinies and Blue Shell Coloring Page

All 12 of these Mario coloring sheet are available to download in a handy PDF file at the end of this blog post, to print at home.

These Mario coloring pages are great for boys and girls, and would be a great activity for a Mario birthday party.

How to Use Pixel Color by Number

Just like with a regular color by number page, kids need to follow the color key to fill in all of the spaces on the picture, and complete their coloring page.

The difference with pixel color by number is that when you look at the page, you can't tell what the picture is even going to be. So there is an element of mystery!

Color by number pages are a great way for kids to work on color recognition, number recognition, fine motor skills and hand eye coordination.

This is lots of fun especially for older kids. It can be a little more challenging for younger ones, since there is more detail to color and you need to go square by square to complete the entire picture. These can be very satisfying to complete, and the pixel art concept ties in so well with the Mario series, because of the arcade game style.

The resulting finished coloring page looks just like an old school video game graphic, from the super Mario galaxy. Very cool!

Favorite Super Mario Characters

Color the two Italian plumber brothers, Mario and Luigi. The main character Mario, with his famous red cap and blue overalls his twin brother Luigi with the green cap - Both with the matching black moustache.

You can also color Princess peach of the mushroom kingdom, and one of our favorite characters the anthropomorphic dinosaur Yoshi. Yoshi is a super popular character, loved by all because he is so cute!

Another of the characters my kids are most fond of from the Mario video game series has to be Bowser, and his kid Bowser Jr.

The Super Mario Bros franchise was created by Shigeru Miyamoto in 1985 with the platform game Super Mario Bros.

If you're wondering how old is Mario, check this link for more information.

More Fun Coloring Pages to Print for Your Kids

If your kids enjoyed the mystery of the pixel color by number, then they are also going to love these Secret Coding Picture Activity for Kids - give it a try!

Easy Super Mario Bros Coloring Pages

Here are the four simple Mario coloring pictures

Mario Coloring Page

Mario Toadstool Coloring Page

Mario's Hat Coloring Page

Super Mario Games Gold Coins Coloring Page

Download Pixel Coloring PDF

Download the free Mario coloring pages. This pack contains 12 printable pages.

Click the download button below for your free instant digital download of all the Super Mario Bros. characters color by number pages in one convenient PDF file.

Terms of use: free for personal use / free for classroom use.

Download Mario Cartoon Coloring PDF

There are 4 simple Mario character coloring pages included in this PDF file.

Super Mario Coloring Books and Toys

Here are a few super cool and fun Mario coloring books and toys that your little Mario fans are sure to love.

Amazon affiliate links included.

We hope you enjoyed these free printable coloring pages.

Please share with friends and family so that all Super Mario Brothers fans can benefit from this free resource. Ask your friends to visit this blog post and download their own copy of the Mario Coloring Sheets.

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Super Mario Coloring Pages (Free Printable Pixel Color by Number)

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Today we have some free printable Super Mario coloring pages to share. These Mario coloring sheets are a bit different, create your favorite characters pictures in a fun way by completing the color by number pixel by pixel. Fans of Super Mario bros. will love coloring these famous character from their favorite video games.

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Makerspace Manual for K-12 Schools - The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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Makerspace Manual for K-12 Schools - The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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Ready to create a school makerspace? Use this manual to decide what items you need, what you don't, and how to get your space up and running.

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Makerspace Manual for K-12 Schools - The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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Makerspace Manual for K-12 Schools - The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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The Institute for Arts Integration and STEAM

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Ready to create a school makerspace? Use this manual to decide what items you need, what you don't, and how to get your space up and running.

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What Is A Makerspace In Education? 6 Benefits | Puzzle Shift Create

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What Is A Makerspace In Education? 6 Benefits | Puzzle Shift Create

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I'll be writing about my experience with middle school makerspaces, since that is what I am familiar with. High-school and elementary makerspaces are similar but with more or simpler machines and supplies.

On to the question: What is a makerspace in education?

A makerspace in education is a place where students can come together to create and invent. It's a space where students can learn by doing and learn a lot of soft skills in the process. It benefits for students, including honing problem-solving skills, encouraging teamwork and collaboration, promoting design thinking and creativity, and providing hands-on learning experiences.

What will students learn?

Problem-Solving Skills

Makerspaces are ideal places for problem-solving activities. This type of environment encourages students to think outside the box and explore different solutions to solve problems. By working on practical projects in a makerspace, middle schoolers will be able to develop their critical thinking skills while also learning how to manage their time effectively as they work towards completing their project goals.

Teamwork & Collaboration

In addition to developing critical thinking skills, makerspaces also promote teamwork and collaboration among students. Working on projects together allows them to share ideas with one another and build upon existing ideas. This type of collaboration helps foster an environment where students feel comfortable sharing their thoughts and opinions with each other. Plus, working together on creative projects gives students the opportunity to practice communication skills that will benefit them throughout their academic career as well as in life beyond middle school.

Design Thinking & Creativity

One of the main advantages of makerspaces is that they provide an environment where creativity thrives! Students can use various digital tools such as 3D printers or robotics kits in order to turn their ideas into reality. They also get to experiment with different materials in order to create something new or solve a problem they may be facing. Design thinking encourages out-of-the-box thinking which leads to more innovative solutions!

Hand-On Learning Experience

Makerspaces give students the opportunity to get hands-on experience with technology, robotics, and other areas of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math). This provides an ideal environment for students to flex their creative muscles outside of traditional classroom settings. By providing access to tools like 3D printers, laser cutters, and soldering irons, makerspaces allow students to explore and experiment with technology in ways that would not be possible in a typical classroom setting. Additionally, this type of learning environment encourages collaboration among students as they work together on projects and learn from each other's discoveries.

Innovation Through Playful Exploration

Makerspaces also give students the freedom to explore their interests more deeply by tinkering with various projects. This gives them an opportunity to explore different ideas without worrying about being wrong or making mistakes. Instead of learning through structured lessons or lectures, makerspace education encourages creative problem solving through exploration and experimentation. This allows kids to try out different methods until they find something that works for them-which is an invaluable skill for any student in any field.

Developing Future Skillsets

Makerspaces are also great for developing future skillsets such as coding, engineering, design thinking and more. By exposing middle schoolers to these topics early on in life, they can begin honing those skills right away so that when they enter high school or college they have already built up a strong foundation of knowledge on which they can build upon later on in life. Furthermore, makerspace education teaches kids important real-world skills such as working collaboratively with others while still fostering individual creativity.

Free tools that are used by makerspaces in education

If a makerspace has a 3D printer, students will need to 3D design! The best tool I have found for doing this is TinkerCAD. Its fun and intuitive. check out my lessons above to learn how to use it!

Conclusion:

Incorporating makerspace in education curriculums offers many benefits for both teachers and students. It promotes collaborative learning experiences while giving young minds the chance to explore different solutions through design thinking and creativity. It provides hands-on experiences that allow them to apply what they have learned in the classroom so that when they graduate from high school or college they are better prepared for success in life beyond academics. Makerspaces in education are an excellent way for educators to engage young minds while preparing them for successful futures ahead.

I am creating this site to advance student creativity and help students to take ownership of their learning. The resources on this site are intentionally open-ended and a part of my Innovative Arts curriculum.

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What Is A Makerspace In Education? 6 Benefits | Puzzle Shift Create

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I'll be writing about my experience with middle school makerspaces, since that is what I am familiar with. High-school and elementary makerspaces are similar but with more or simpler machines and supplies. A makerspace in education is a place where students can come together to create and invent.

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Why Your Students Need a Makerspace - The STEM Maker Lab

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Why Your Students Need a Makerspace - The STEM Maker Lab

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Why Your Students Need a Makerspace - The STEM Maker Lab

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The National Inventors Hall of Fame discusses how to help your students excel by creating a makerspace at your school.

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ai weiwei recreates claude monet’s water lilies using 650,000 LEGO bricks

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designboom | architecture & design magazine

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The Design Museum in London has unveiled a significant new piece by Ai Weiwei in advance and in time for his first design-focused exhibition Ai Weiwei: Making Sense, which will premiere starting April 7th, 2023. Weiwei reproduces one of Claude Monet's most well-known paintings for the exhibition made entirely out of 650,000 LEGO pieces.

It is Weiwei's largest Lego creation to date which is over 15 meters long piece, titled Water Lilies #1. It covers the entire length of one wall at the Design Museum gallery and is built of 22 different colors. By recreating this famous scene, Ai Weiwei challenges our ideas of reality and beauty. The new image has been constructed out of Lego bricks to strip away Monet's brushstrokes in favor of a depersonalized language of industrial parts and colors.

These pixel-like blocks suggest contemporary digital technologies which are central to modern life, and in reference to how art is often disseminated in the contemporary world. Challenging viewers further, included on the right-hand side of Ai's version is a dark portal, which is the door to the underground dugout in Xinjiang province where Ai and his father, Ai Qing, lived in forced exile in the 1960s. Their hellish desert home punctures the watery paradise.

images courtesy of Design Museum | photos © Ela Bialkowska, OKNOstudio

LEGO Water Lilies by AI WEIWEI

Water Lilies #1 will be seen alongside another major new Lego artwork by Ai Weiwei, which is also making its international debut at the Design Museum. First announced in January, Untitled (Lego Incident) is part of a series of five expansive 'fields' where hundreds of thousands of objects will be laid out on the gallery floor.

In this field, visitors will see thousands of Lego blocks which were all donated to the artist by members of the public from around the world, in response to Lego briefly refusing to sell their products to him in 2014. These donated bricks are presented at the Design Museum for the first time as fully-formed artwork. Ai Weiwei: Making Sense will be the artist's very first exhibition to focus on design and architecture. It sees Ai using design and the history of making as a lens through which to consider what we value.

Other highlights of the exhibition include dozens of objects and artworks from throughout Ai Weiwei's career that explore the tensions between past and present, hand and machine, precious and worthless, construction and destruction, such as his Han dynasty urn emblazoned with a Coca-Cola logo, which epitomizes these clashes.

project info:
name: Ai Weiwei: Making Sense

exhibition location: The Design Museum

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ai weiwei recreates claude monet's water lilies using 650,000 LEGO bricks

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The Design Museum in London has unveiled a significant new piece by Ai Weiwei in advance and in time for his first design-focused exhibition Ai Weiwei: Making Sense , which will premiere starting April 7th, 2023. Weiwei reproduces one of Claude Monet's most well-known paintings for the exhibition made entirely out of 650,000 LEGO pieces.

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The third activity in our Summer of LEGO series with Twinkl is making a LEGO maze. We didn't really plan ours, but you could use this printable from Twinkl to plan and then assess afterwards which features worked the best.
Things to think about

How wide does the path need to be?

Will you use any obstacles?

What about ramps?

Is there anything you could add to make the journey through the maze smoother?

What do you think of our first attempt? It features a dead end, a ramp and a space for the marble to end up.
Improvements and Amendments
The first time we tried the maze the end passage was too narrow for the marble and had to be widened.

We would like to add some obstacles too.
Extension Activities

Is it easier with a smaller or bigger marble?

Can you make a bigger maze?

Could you add some letters and try to spell a word with your marble?

Don't forget to try the maze planner from Twinkl.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest to stay up to date with our latest experiments

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The third activity in our Summer of LEGO series with Twinkl is making a LEGO maze. We didn't really plan ours, but you could use this printable from Twinkl to plan and then assess afterwards which features worked the best. Things to think about How wide does the path need to be?

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Art Lesson w/ Ms. Jennifer: Pixel Art — Blowing Rock Art 

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About the Art

Pixel-based images began with early video gaming systems in the 1980's. Game characters such as Sonic, Mario, and Minecraft are based on these early images made of colored squares. Now, we see pixels in TVs, games, phones, watches, and even billboards and road signs.

Materials: Instructions:

Write your name or a mantra word as pixel art. Each letter will be made of squares only. How do you handle the curves in letters like "s" and "o"?

After looking at pixel art from your favorite video games, decide on an animal or scene to depict. Use larger block graph papers for simpler, blockier characters, smaller blocks for more detailed images. has many graph paper templates as well as customizable sized graph papers to print at home. I am going to draw my puppy!

Sketch your character's outlines using a pencil. You must use whole blocks for each shape. Evaluate your sketch to see if you need to include or delete any blocks to clarify the image.

Fill in colors. Original pixel art was limited in the number of colors available. A 24 or 48 pack of pencils or markers would accomplish the same effect. Make your drawing more 3 dimensional by using darker colors as shadows at the edge of a shape, and lighter colors in the middle of a shape.

Continue coloring until all pixels have been filled.

If you wish to digitize your artwork, PixilArt.com* is a great free resource. There are ads and this is a community platform, so adult supervision is advised. See how one teacher safely uses this Pixilart.com in her classroom . You can even animate your creations! Save images as PNG files to use them in other programs. Share your images with Jennifer@BlowingRockMuseum.org Here is a cat I drew:

A simpler, safer way to create pixel art is also available by using t his teacher created Google sheet . Read the directions on the first tab, and get digitizing! Example art from Google sheet

Pixel art concepts can also be applied to tile mosaics, counted cross stitch, needlepoint, rug hooking, crochet, and knitting patterns!

For Doodlebugs Ages 2-5:
Materials: Instructions:

1. Draw a pixel art smiley face (using squares only) on your child's paper. Allow them to color it block by block.

2. Help your child draw another object such as a tree or house using pixels, and color it with crayons or markers.

About the Art

Pixel-based images began with early video gaming systems in the 1980's. Game characters such as Sonic, Mario, and Minecraft are based on these early images made of colored squares. Now, we see pixels in TVs, games, phones, watches, and even billboards and road signs.

Materials: Instructions:

Write your name or a mantra word as pixel art. Each letter will be made of squares only. How do you handle the curves in letters like "s" and "o"?

After looking at pixel art from your favorite video games, decide on an animal or scene to depict. Use larger block graph papers for simpler, blockier characters, smaller blocks for more detailed images. has many graph paper templates as well as customizable sized graph papers to print at home. I am going to draw my puppy!

Sketch your character's outlines using a pencil. You must use whole blocks for each shape. Evaluate your sketch to see if you need to include or delete any blocks to clarify the image.

Fill in colors. Original pixel art was limited in the number of colors available. A 24 or 48 pack of pencils or markers would accomplish the same effect. Make your drawing more 3 dimensional by using darker colors as shadows at the edge of a shape, and lighter colors in the middle of a shape.

Continue coloring until all pixels have been filled.

If you wish to digitize your artwork, PixilArt.com* is a great free resource. There are ads and this is a community platform, so adult supervision is advised. See how one teacher safely uses this Pixilart.com in her classroom . You can even animate your creations! Save images as PNG files to use them in other programs. Share your images with Jennifer@BlowingRockMuseum.org Here is a cat I drew:

A simpler, safer way to create pixel art is also available by using t his teacher created Google sheet . Read the directions on the first tab, and get digitizing! Example art from Google sheet

Pixel art concepts can also be applied to tile mosaics, counted cross stitch, needlepoint, rug hooking, crochet, and knitting patterns!

For Doodlebugs Ages 2-5:
Materials: Instructions:

1. Draw a pixel art smiley face (using squares only) on your child's paper. Allow them to color it block by block.

2. Help your child draw another object such as a tree or house using pixels, and color it with crayons or markers.

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Art Lesson w/ Ms. Jennifer: Pixel Art - Blowing Rock Art & History Museum

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About the Art Pixel-based images began with early video gaming systems in the 1980's. Game characters such as Sonic, Mario, and Minecraft are based on these early images made of colored squares. Now, we see pixels in TVs, games, phones, watches, and even billboards and road signs.

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How to Successfully Teach Pixel Art in Your Classroom — Griffin Education Enterprises

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During semester one of this year I came across a new style of art called Pixel Art. I was sitting in one of the classrooms of Bassendean Primary School listening to a presenter speak. As I looked around the room, I saw some Pixel Art self-portraits displayed on the walls. After having a good look at the amazing work the students created, I did some research into the Pixel Art niche.

Before I explain how I used Pixel Art in my classroom, I must offer up a word of warning.

Don't let your students blindly search for Pixel Art on the internet by themselves. They might accidently come across *cough* some inappropriate content. Search up 'Pixel Art' in Google Images and you'll know what I mean.

I strongly suggest that you upload appropriate pictures and website links to Connect or another platform that allows you to safely distribute digital content to your students. Set your rules about what they can and cannot look up and make sure they, and their parents, have all signed an 'ICT Code of Conduct' form.

Now don't let these precautions put you off from running Pixel Art in your classroom. There is some amazing content out there that students will love to recreate and will help provide inspiration for their own original creations.

So let's dive into 'How to Successfully Teach Pixel Art in Your Classroom'.

WHAT IS PIXEL ART?

Pixel Art is a form of digital art that focuses on one thing, the humble square shaped pixel. Your computer monitor, smart phone and even the old Nokia 3310 has a liquid crystal display (LCD). LCD screens are made up of thousands of pixels. Pixels are the tiny squares that change colour in response to the image displayed on your screen. If you squint hard enough, you can probably see them on the device you are currently reading this blog on.

When video games became popular in the 1980's, computer game developers only had a limited number of pixels and colours to work with. These technological limitations are why the 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation of video game characters looked 'blocky'. But the children (and adults) who played video games back then didn't care about the graphics and I'd make the argument that their original design forms a large part of why video games are still popular today.

I cannot imagine the original version of Mario, Sonic or Mega Man looking any different.

PIXEL ART PAPER

Firstly, you're going to need some graph paper; however, the graph paper you order from Office Works might not be suitable. Your classroom's needs will depend upon what sort of Pixel Art you want your students to create. The good news is that there are many websites on the internet that can meet this requirement. Here are a list of sites that can generate the necessary graph paper templates that you'll be needing for Pixel Art:

To create the original blocky feeling from the Nintendo Entertainment System, Atari 2600 and even the latest generation of games with a retro feel, then you're going to need graph paper with larger squares (1 - 0.75 cm).

As newer video game consoles were released (SNES & Mega Drive) the pixel count increased on the character sprites. In this instance, you might need graph paper with smaller squares (0.5 - 0.25 cm). This type of graph paper is also useful for students whose Pixel Art will contain a lot of detail, detail such as backgrounds, characters, trees etc.

See the guide down below for more information.

When creating your graph paper in Incompetech, I recommend setting the number of squares to 300 across by 300 down. I recommend using this setting for three reasons:

1. This will maximise the space that students can work with.

2. If students want to cut out their Pixel Art images, then any leftover paper can be saved for smaller pieces of Pixel Art.

3. This also prevents graph paper from being wasted.

PIXEL ART IDEAS

Now that we have the paper, it's time to get started with the ideas!

My year 5/6 classroom loved creating Pixel Art sprites based around popular culture and video game characters. Examples include:

I conducted a survey of what things my students wanted to replicate on paper and then went about screen-shooting their Pixel Art requests. My students requested characters like Luigi, Pikachu, Steve from Minecraft, Charizard, Finn, Jake, Princess Bubblegum, Bowser, Ralph from Wreck It Ralph etc.

Once I had an impressive collection of Pixel Art images on my computer, I then uploaded these pictures onto Connect. I was pretty strict with making sure that my students only used Connect to access these 'teacher approved' pictures. On a side note, Google's kid friendly search engine Kiddle blocked out all images of Pixel Art. So unfortunately this search engine, which is usually very useful, won't be of any help.

Once my students had recreated a few pieces of their favourite Pixel Art images, I got them to brainstorm ideas for their own original creation. I kept this particular task open ended and I allowed my students to choose what they wanted to create (assuming it was appropriate of course). They needed to create a digital version of their Pixel Art image at PixelArt.com and they also needed to create their art form using graph paper.

Once the digital version of their Pixel Art images were finished, students emailed me copies of their Pixel Art. We established the assessor & assessee protocols and then went about evaluating the quality of each other's work against a jointly created assessment rubric.

Here are some examples of what my students created.

PIXEL ART WEBSITES
1st Recommendation for Digital Designs - PixelArt.com
If you want students to create a digital version of their work in the Pixel Art format, then you're going to need some tools to do so. I used PixelArt.com, however, you need to be aware of the drawbacks with using a free website like this:

There are ads that regularly pop up (I didn't see any inappropriate ads during my time using this website)

Like the coding website Scratch, there is an online community of users

Students can import various templates (sprites/backgrounds) to use in their work

I didn't see any inappropriate templates when the students were creating their artwork; however, I cannot guarantee that they don't exist on this website. PixelArt.com does have an online community and whenever you have an online community you cannot guarantee a 'G' rated viewing experience. I browsed through the online gallery and I recommend that primary school students don't access this part of the website.

PixelArt.com claims to monitor this content, however, the content that is in some of the galleries is still inappropriate. See the image down below regarding what precautions Pixel Art.com takes when monitoring community behaviour.

To get around this concern of mine, I kept the students to the draw page and they had to inform me of when they were using the website. Make sure you are doing your due diligence by closely monitoring the classroom whenever your students are the internet. I never permit my students to message anyone or leave comments on a webpage. The only exception to this rule is when they need to send an email to a fellow student from their email account and the email must be school work related.

Students can save their design as a as '.pixel' file on their computer and they can also download their final image as a '.png' file.

2nd Recommendation for Digital Designs - Brik.co
Another option, that is less advanced than PixelArt.com is Brik.co. There are less features to use for your Pixel Art, however, it doesn't have the constant ad popups. BRIK is perfect for single image sprites that students want to create. You cannot create moving sprites, but their Pixel Art website does have an awesome trace image feature with their online creation tool.

Unfortunately BRIK does not allow you to save your work; however, once students have created their single sprite image, they can always screenshot this image as a way of saving it.

BRIK also has an online community and there is a gallery for Pixel Art. I haven't come across any inappropriate Pixel Art images on BRIK; however, make sure you have a closer look at this part of their website. Please keep in mind that BRIK is a company that also sells BRIK related product such as greeting cards, laptop display panels and marble runs.

HOW YOU CAN USE EXCEL TO CREATE PIXEL ART

During term 3 2020, I can across a fantastic YouTube channel called Technology for Teachers. I have embedded a video which shows teachers how they can use Excel to create Pixel Art. I highly recommend that you take the time to watch this video.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Even though I finished this unit of work 10 weeks ago, students regularly ask me if we can create Pixel Art images again. I occasionally find students of mine making Pixel Art images in their spare time and I still come across students who bring in images that they have created at home. Just on this fact alone, you could say that this unit of work was very successful. It's an absolute joy to see students using the skills you have taught them; it's even better when you see them use this knowledge to make even more advanced Pixel Art images and animated character sprites.

Thank you for reading this week's blog and I hope you are now inspired to run Pixel Art in your classroom. If you got something out of 'How to Successfully Teach Pixel Art in Your Classroom' then I want to hear from you. Don't be afraid to reach out to me on social media or send me an email.

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How to Successfully Teach Pixel Art in Your Classroom - Griffin Education Enterprises

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During semester one of this year I came across a new style of art called Pixel Art. I was sitting in one of the classrooms of Bassendean Primary School listening to a presenter speak. As I looked around the room, I saw some Pixel Art self-portraits displayed on the walls.

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Balloon-Propelled CD Hovercraft- #Marthaandfiggy - YouTube

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Balloon-Propelled CD Hovercraft- #Marthaandfiggy - YouTube

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Bring the challenge of an escape room to the classroom to engage students in learning through gamified content. Students solve clues to break open physical and/or digital locks.

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At first sight, this is total mumbo jumbo. But if you tilt your device, you may be able to read a secret message. Wtf, this pen exploded recently? Any...

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As a content teacher in high school, I knew that if I was going to find a place for Breakout Tasks in my classroom, I would need to find a way to satisfy two primary goals

1. Content Based - I wanted any tasks that I did to be rich in content. In my mind, there shouldn't really be any locks that can be opened without students first demonstrating their understanding of the content that I want them to practice.

2. Groupworthy - It is important to me that by the end of the task, everyone in the class should feel like that they were able to contribute to the success of their group. In order for this to happen, a couple of things need to be considered.

1. There should be some "divide and conquer" moments designed into the task. If groups are presented with a handful of separate cards, they are much more likely to divide the tasks and get everyone involved. As one of my students reflected, "it was just faster to get everyone involved than for one person to do it all." BINGO!

2. Groups should be small. I've found the sweet spot to be groups of 4 to 6. Three or less students in a group leads to more roadblocks and more than 6 is just too many to keep everyone involved. Because of this, my classes of ~30 students require several set ups. To save money, I made my own breakout boxes with items from Amazon for around $70 each. CLICK HERE to read the step by step for DIY Breakout Boxes.

Ultimately, the goal is to design clues that guide students to the combinations or keys for the different locks. This could be a 3 or 4 digit number combination, word combination, or hiding place for a key. BreakoutEDU has some great videos describing techniques for writing clues. I have compiled some of my favorite techniques below:

QR Code Generator -
https://www.qr-code-generator.com/

Cut up a message, diagram, or QR code (see template linked below) into multiple pieces that need to be assembled before understanding the entirety of the clue

Consider placing these in separate locations so that the puzzle is revealed as they uncover more clues

Use invisible UV pens to write out information that can only be revealed with a UV flashlight
Missing (but essential) information in a problem or diagram

Build a google form with data validation so that the clue isn't revealed unless the form is submitted correctly. This is an easy way to include content questions that unlock more information

Update the confirmation message to include the next clue or part of a clue

Create a google site with information, images, or hidden clues

Easily linked to a QR code or short URL

Use colors to help combine the answers of multiple problems into one combination
Mathematical Combination
Use a mathematical operation to help combine the answers of multiple problems into one combination. (for example: add up all of the individual answers to reveal the combination)
Scattered Inputs ("Big Reveal")

Break up a word problem so that the needed inputs are found in multiple locations so that the problem can't be solved until all of the information has been found first

Make sure that all parts are needed to solve the puzzle

Remove a row of information in a QR code so that it doesn't scan unless the proper boxes have been filled in. See the template file below to customize your own.

"Secret note" that is stretched out and hidden so it can only be read at an angle

Cards have two pieces of information on them. Sorting by one value makes the other value read out the desired combination

Encode a clue using a cryptography cipher

For some ideas or resources to provide for students, see Cryptography Resources

Provide one clue that helps give meaning to another

Example: one clue provides the instructions on how to decode a previously undecipherable clue. Could work with the cryptography clues above

Create an email account and set up "Vacation Reply" so that any emails that are sent to that address receive a message in return

To see this in action, email something to breakoutemail3@gmail.com

It is useful to think about the flow of the task as you are figuring out how the individual clues will interact with each other. I have found that it helps to visualize this flow in a diagram like the one below to detail the Energy Breakout that I wrote:

In this process diagram, you can see that some clues, like the QR codes on the top lead directly to the combination for one of the locks while others require information hidden elsewhere like the small lock box before they can be solved.

As I mentioned above, I have found that the group work is the most effective if the task includes some "divide and conquer" moments. In the energy task flow shown above, the students have 7 separate cards that they can work on right away and anther 6 once they open up the small lock box.

Thinking about the flow is important in designing a rich groupworthy task. It allows you to ensure that there are some parallel options that give students choice without many bottlenecks that place too much pacing importance on a single clue.

There are many different techniques that you can use to mix things up so that using multiple tasks with a class throughout the year doesn't start feeling repetitive

Storyline
If you have ever been to an escape room, you've seen that there is usually some sort of story that goes along with the task of "break out of the room". These stories help provide motivation and excitement to the task. For the breakouts that I have designed I have decided to focus solely on the content and clue design rather than writing an integrated storyline. If I had more time, I would love to add this sort of layer but I would recommend starting with the task itself and build that out first.

Red Herrings
​ If you have already done a few breakout tasks with your class and want to raise the challenge, consider adding some clues that don't actually lead anywhere. That way they can get more practice with the content and take a little more time trying to figure it all out :)

Lots to Set Up
As you might imagine, getting 8 sets of breakout boxes ready for a class is a pretty big task. Although it makes more work up front, I have found that laminating all of the clues makes for less work overall. This encourages students to write more with dry erase markers and makes it so that you don't have to have fresh clues ready to go for every single section of the day. It should also make it a little less work when you pull out the materials in future years. So, find some colleagues to help out and have a little party as you cut out clues and update lock combos :)

Having so many groups working on individual breakout boxes also makes it challenging for any classes that meet back to back. While it wouldn't be too hard to reset one or two boxes during passing time between classes, it isn't feasible to try to do them all yourself. Instead, I have found a lot of success in having students reset their own boxes when they finish. To ensure that they do this correctly, it works well to put together a set up diagram of Reset Instructions to guide them along. Below is an example of the reset instructions for my Lots to Reset
Circuits Breakout.

One final step for your task is to share it with others! These activities truly are a bunch of work to design but it is all worth it when someone else can also benefit from the work that you've done :)

In communicating these tasks through my blog, I've developed an outline that others have found helpful in understanding and implementing these ideas. The links below contain a template that can be used to help with the creation process or just document so that others (colleagues, friends, other teachers online) can learn about your brilliance :)

One easy way to get started is to modify a pre-existing breakout task to work with your context. For example, you could take the same process and general set up to create a math task out of my Circuits Breakout. You could either design problems that fit the numbers that I used or just use the structure and make your own combinations.

Here are some tasks to get you started:

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As a content teacher in high school, I knew that if I was going to find a place for Breakout Tasks in my classroom, I would need to find a way to satisfy two primary goals Content Based - I wanted any tasks that I did to be rich in content.

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5 Ways to Bring #Breakoutedu into Your Classroom (on a budget)

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5 Ways to Bring #Breakoutedu into Your Classroom (on a budget)

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5 Ways to Bring #Breakoutedu into Your Classroom (on a budget)

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The Cool Cat Teacher blog is written by a classroom teacher for classroom teachers.

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1.1k votes, 12 comments. 2.4m members in the crafts community. Share your crafts, tutorials, tips, and questions on all things craft related!

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Bunny cups from crafts

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Our goal is simple: innovation education for all.

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Build a Mini LED Lightsaber | STEM Activity

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Build a Mini LED Lightsaber | STEM Activity

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Summary

Introduction

Build your own mini LED lightsaber with a straw in this quick Star Wars-themed STEM activity. May the Force be with you!

This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation.

Materials

Prep Work

Coin cell batteries are dangerous if swallowed. Keep them away from small children and pets.

Instructions

Tape one of the LED legs to one side of the battery. Make sure there is a gap between the other side of the battery and the other leg, so the LED only turns on when you squeeze them together. Notice the gap in the picture.

What Happened?

When you connected the LED to the battery, you made a very simple circuit. LEDs only let electricity flow through them in one direction, which is why they will not light up if you connect them backwards. Many times, circuits with LEDs require another part called a resistor, but you do not need a resistor when using a coin cell battery. See the Digging Deeper section to learn more.

Digging Deeper

Many electronics projects use breadboards for building circuits with LEDs, and the circuits in these projects frequently require AA, AAA, or 9V batteries. These batteries can provide a lot of electrical current-so much that they will quickly burn out the LED (or even cause it to explode!) if it is connected directly to the battery. To prevent this, we use an extra part called a resistor. It "resists" the flow of electrical current and limits the amount of current flowing, keeping it to safe levels for the LED.

Coin cell batteries cannot provide as much current as AA, AAA, or 9V batteries. They have a much higher internal resistance. This limits the amount of current that can flow, even when you connect an LED directly to the battery. This makes it safe to build a simple circuit without a separate resistor, making it convenient for you to build a compact circuit that fits directly into the handle of your lightsaber!

Ask an Expert

For Further Exploration

What is your favorite color lightsaber from the Star Wars series? Try making different-colored lightsabers using different-colored LEDs and straws. Time for a light-side vs. dark-side battle!

Try using two LEDs to build a dual-bladed lightsaber (Hint: you still only need to use one battery).

Links

Careers

Electricians are the people who bring electricity to our homes, schools, businesses, public spaces, and streets-lighting up our world, keeping the indoor temperature comfortable, and powering TVs, computers, and all sorts of machines that make life better. Electricians install and maintain the wiring and equipment that carries electricity, and they also fix electrical machines. Read more

Electrical engineering technicians help design, test, and manufacture electrical and electronic equipment. These people are part of the team of engineers and research scientists that keep our high-tech world going and moving forward. Read more

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Build a Mini LED Lightsaber | STEM Activity

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Build a mini LED lightsaber in this fun Star Wars-themed STEM activity.

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Build a Paper Airplane Launcher | STEM Activity

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Build a Paper Airplane Launcher | STEM Activity

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Summary

Introduction

Here's a challenge: Try throwing a paper airplane by moving just your wrist (don't move your elbow or shoulder). It's hard, isn't it? How could you get a paper airplane to fly far if you can use only a short distance to launch it? Try this activity to find out!

This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation.

Materials

Construction materials to build a paper airplane launcher. You can use whatever materials you have available. Examples include cardboard, building toys such as LEGO® or K'NEX®, or wood.

Open area to launch paper airplanes (without wind or strong drafts)

Prep Work

To do this project, you will need to know how to build a basic paper airplane. Follow these paper airplane instructions if you need to learn how.

Instructions

1. Build several paper airplanes to test. Because paper airplanes can get bent or destroyed easily, it's a good idea to build more than one. Ensure that they are all built the same for this activity.

2. Tape or staple a paper clip to the nose of each paper airplane. The outer straight part of the paper clip should point backward parallel to the bottom of the plane, so it can serve as a hook to attach to the rubber band. There will be some pull on the hook, so make sure it's secure.

3. Practice throwing your paper airplane using your entire arm. How far can you throw your plane? How much do you move your arm when you throw it?

4. Now try to throw your airplane only using your wrist. Keep your shoulder and elbow still. How far can you throw the plane now?

5. Next try launching your airplane using a very simple "catapult." Hook one end of a rubber band around the end of a pencil (such as around the metal ring by the eraser). Hook the paper clip on the nose of a plane around the other end of the rubber band, and pull it back to stretch the rubber band. Aim the plane forward and release. How far does the plane go now? How far did you have to stretch the rubber band compared to how far you moved your arm or wrist?

6. Now use the engineering design process to build a more permanent launcher for your airplane. Think about the criteria for your design. You will need to build a device to support the rubber band. It will need to be strong enough that it does not collapse when you pull back on the rubber band. You will also need to make sure the paper airplane does not get caught or snagged on the device when you launch it. Draw a few sketches of your design ideas, and pick one to build.

7. Build a prototype of your design. You might find that things don't fit together like you thought they would, and you need to change your design. That's okay! This picture shows three different designs built with different materials.

8. Test your airplane launcher. It probably won't work perfectly on the first try. What changes can you make to your design to make it better?

9. Keep improving your launcher and testing it again (and, if necessary, again). This process is called iteration, and designers and engineers use it often in their work. How does the plane's flight distance compare to when you threw with your arm or with your wrist?

What Happened?

You probably found that it was very difficult to throw your paper airplane very far when using only your wrist. Your wrist has a much smaller range of motion than your entire arm, and it's difficult to get the airplane going fast enough for a long flight. A rubber band, however, can store quite a bit of energy in a relatively small distance when it is stretched. A launcher built with a rubber band can get the paper airplane going fast over a much shorter distance, allowing you to launch it much farther than you can with just your wrist-possibly even farther than you could with your entire arm!

Digging Deeper

In order to take off, an airplane has to generate enough lift (upward force due to air pushing on the plane) to overcome its weight (downward force due to gravity). The faster an airplane goes, the more lift it generates. This is why airport runways are usually very long (sometimes longer than a mile): because planes need a lot of space to gain enough speed to take off. They also need a lot of space to land safely and slow down from such high speeds.

Aircraft carriers are large ships with runways on them that allow aircraft to take off and land in the open ocean. Although aircraft carriers are huge compared with most other ships, they are very small compared with land-based airports and runways. The largest aircraft carrier is just longer than 1,000 feet, which is still less than a quarter of a mile. Airplanes can't gain enough speed to take off on their own over such a short distance, so they get an extra boost from a type of catapult (not the big wooden kind you might imagine flinging stones at castle walls). This catapult provides extra energy from a source such as compressed air or electromagnets to help the plane gain extra speed. The catapult hooks on to the plane and helps it accelerate over a much shorter distance so that it can get enough speed and lift to take off.

You don't need any compressed air or electromagnets to build your own airplane catapult, however. In this project you built one using a rubber band. It stored potential energy, which gave extra kinetic energy (motion energy) to the paper airplane-even over a short distance. It's much more effective than just using your wrist!

Ask an Expert

For Further Exploration

How does the angle at which you launch the plane affect its flight distance?

Try using different lengths and thicknesses of rubber bands. Do some work better than others? Why do you think that is?

Project Ideas

Science Fair Project Idea

Naval fighter pilots seem to defy physics each time they fly their jets off of an aircraft carrier. Normal runways are thousands of feet long so that airplanes can develop enough lift to fly. But a runway on an aircraft is much shorter. How can naval pilots get their fighter jets into the air without falling off the carrier into the ocean? Well, because they get a boost from a catapult! Sounds unbelievable? It's not, and you can find out more about catapult-assisted takeoff in this aerodynamics... Read more

Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

Aircraft carriers are much shorter than a typical airport runway. How do airplanes manage to gain enough speed for takeoff over such a short distance? A catapult gives them an extra boost! In this lesson, your students will practice engineering design as they build their own paper airplane launchers, while learning about kinetic and potential energy. Read more

Careers

Humans have always longed to fly and to make other things fly, both through the air and into outer space-aerospace engineers are the people that make those dreams come true. They design, build, and test vehicles like airplanes, helicopters, balloons, rockets, missiles, satellites, and spacecraft. Read more

Mechanical engineers are part of your everyday life, designing the spoon you used to eat your breakfast, your breakfast's packaging, the flip-top cap on your toothpaste tube, the zipper on your jacket, the car, bike, or bus you took to school, the chair you sat in, the door handle you grasped and the hinges it opened on, and the ballpoint pen you used to take your test. Virtually every object that you see around you has passed through the hands of a mechanical engineer. Consequently, their... Read more

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Build a Paper Airplane Launcher | STEM Activity

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Build a rubber band paper airplane launcher in this fun STEM activity.

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Mario Day Activities — Bring Mario World to Life with Hands-on STEM! | Science Buddies Blog

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Mario Day Activities — Bring Mario World to Life with Hands-on STEM! | Science Buddies Blog

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By Amy Cowen on March 3, 2023 8:00 PM
Try these clever STEM activities to connect hands-on science and engineering to the ever-popular world of Mario! Let's-a go!
Your kids and students probably know Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, Bowser, and the Mario World gang, and chances are you do, too!

March 10 is Mario Day, so known because in the right typeface, looks like . (Once you see it, you see it!) This is the kind of clever correlation that pop culture loves. When you can tie in fun science and engineering activities, you've got the recipe for an epic win-win with students in the classroom or kids at home.

Level Up with Mario Basics

In the Super Mario games, Mario and his brother Luigi are plumbers in Mushroom Kingdom. Their mission is to rescue Princess Peach (aka Princess Toadstool) from Bowser, King of the Koopas. In the classic version, they journey through stages of the side-scrolling platformer game, kicking Koopa shells, hitting question (?) blocks, breaking brick blocks, picking up coins, dropping down tube-like warp pipes, trying to master difficult jumps, and questing for power-ups like Super Mushrooms, Fire Flowers, and 1-Up Mushrooms.

With his overalls, M-emblazoned red cap, and determined attitude, Mario is a super popular video game character (and game franchise). While there isn't a lot of "science" to pull out of the Mario gamescape, there are lots of hands-on STEM activities you can do with kids to tie into the Mario storyline. With these free activities, you and your students can use science and engineering to build your own version of Mario World.

(For a Super Mario Bros. refresher and some Mario history, just follow this warp-pipe tunnel down to the backstory (aka bottom of this post).

Boss Level Tip: Small toys or minifigures can be used with many of these activities to combine storytelling and imaginative play with STEM learning. If you don't already have a supply of minifigs, you might find that having small characters (like these or these) boosts the imaginative play value and engagement.

Science and Engineering Activities with a Mario Twist

1. Classic Super Mario Bros. is a side-scroller game, but when he and Luigi jump into a warp pipe, they are transported to a new location. With theBuild A Wall Marble Run activity, kids can build their own network of "tubes," "tunnels," and "warp pipes" to create a Mario World of their own-on the wall! Pro Tip! Be sure to add in some fun lightweight obstacles (like Koopas) for your marble run object to push through. Add in a few power-ups, too, for extra fun!

2. Mushroom Kingdom isn't all about mushrooms! There are numerous power-ups in Mario World. When Mario eats a Wind Flower, he can blow gusts of wind at enemies, and eating an Ice Flower lets Mario throw ice balls that freeze things. With theBuild A Vortex Cannon! activity, kids can master the physics of wind gusts using balloons to build their own vortex cannons, no flower-eating required!

3. Although there is a popular quadcopter Mario toy, there isn't really a Drone Mario in Super Mario World. But there is a Propeller Mario! When Mario eats a Propeller Mushroom, he gets a propeller-head helmet, flight suit, and blue shoes! Using directions in theDIY Mini Drone activity, kids can build their own drones with colorful propellers, craft sticks, and a simple circuit. Tip! You'll need to set up a string or dowel to contain your drone's flight, but this is a drone that works great indoors!

Kit available! The DIY Mini Drone Kit contains the specialty items you need to build the basic mini drone.

4. Eat a Fire Flower, and Mario gains the ability to throw fireballs as he moves through Mario World. "Taste disgusting, but if I eat them, I can shoot Fireballs," says Mario. With ahomemade cotton ball launcher, kids won't need to eat anything disgusting to shoot soft cotton balls and pretend they have Mario-like power-ups. Bonus! This simple launcher is made from a recycled cardboard tube. (See other great STEM activities that use cardboard tubes.)

5. Once you get a cape feather in Super Mario, you can use Mario's cape to fly. Take a running start and jump (holding down the correct button, of course), to make Cape Mario take off. Using the cape requires some maneuvering with the controller to stay in the air, but this power-up gives Mario a new way to reach coins up high. When Cape Mario lands, the cape functions like a parachute and helps drop him safely to the ground. In theMake a Parachute activity, kids can experiment with cape-like parachutes to explore how forces like gravity and air resistance make them work. These forces are invisible, but you can see them in action when dropping toy figurines (with parachutes attached!) from high distances. Bonus tie-in! Mario Kart fans can connect parachute science with the parachute glider.

Note: for an educator lesson plan that explores forces using simple parachutes, see Skydive Into Forces. See also Forces and Laws of Motion Lessons.

6. Computer graphics have come a long way since Mario first appeared in 8-bit form. The "look" of 8-bit images has remained popular thanks to contemporary games like Minecraft, which isn't 8-bit but features a pixelated, block-like image style. Mario is a good bit more detailed today than in the 80s, and most gamers are happy that advances in technology have brought much more detail to game images. 8-bit Mario characters are still fun for kids to draw. With graph paper and markers or crayons, kids can use the Seeing Science: Why do Video Game Characters Look Better Today? activity to see how the number of pixels relates to the amount of detail you see in a character. ( Power-up! Interested students can also do a version of this exploration as a science fair project.)

7. In Super Mario Galaxy, jumping on a Launch Star is a way to transport Mario to another planet or world. We think apopsicle stick catapult is a great way to bring the Launch Star sensation to your home Mario World. Kids can envision their Mario jumping onto the catapult's base (the lid) and then being catapulted to another location. Challenge kids to experiment with launching to be able to accurately launch Mario to another part of your homemade Mario World! Launching mini Koopas? We can see that happening, too! ( Tip! They might want to build in a soft landing area.)

8. In Mario Kart, there are a bunch of different gliders you can use, depending on the kart. If you look at the lineup of gliders from a STEM perspective, you might notice that the different shapes and designs would probably play a significant role in how well they work! In the game, the physics of the glider may not matter, but for a fun STEM tie-in, kids can experiment withwind-powered cars to explore how different design features would change the speed and functionality of a glider in the real world.

9. Mario doesn't appear to be very tall, even in relation to other characters in Mushroom Kingdom. While height doesn't matter in terms of how much ground he covers as he runs and jumps through Mario World, in real life, height and stride go together! With theStepping Science: Estimating Somebody's Height from Their Walk get-moving STEM activity, kids can experiment to correlate stride length with height. How might the difference in someone's height change how much time it takes to walk a certain distance? ( Bonus! You can find lots of speculation online for exactly how tall Mario and other characters are!)

10. With the pipe- and tunnel-like network central to many Mario World stories, it is easy to think about taking things a step further with a cleverRube Goldberg machine. For a real challenge, challenge kids to start with a wall marble run (see above) and have that connect as part of a DIY Rube Goldberg machine's chain of events. What will the final "task" be that the machine accomplishes?

11. With their turtle-like shells, the Koopas show up in a range of colors (green, blue, yellow, red, etc.), and there are several Koopa subtypes in the different games, like Koopeleons, which can briefly turn invisible. What if the colors of Koopas were related to how easy or difficult they were to defeat? What if their colors allowed them to blend into the environment differently? Would they be easier for Mario to overlook as he runs through a level? What would a chameleon power-up do? It isn't hard to think about Koopa colors in terms of the way animal species adapt and the ways in which some animals use camouflage as a survival technique! The simpleCandy Camouflage activity uses colorful candies to let kids explore, firsthand, how camouflage works. For a similar activity with colored toothpicks, see Can You Hide in Plain Sight?.

12. Shadow Mario is an evil Mario doppelgänger. He looks like Mario, but he's translucent, all blue, carries a Magic Paintbrush, and is out to steal Princess Peach! Using the science of light and shadow, kids can set up a Mario World scene for Mario to run through and then have lots of fun putting on a show. Homemade shadow puppets made from paper and craft sticks are a great way to turn Mario play into a creative STEM adventure! TheMaking Shadow Puppets activity has directions for making and using DIY shadow puppets.

13. Mario Kart features all kinds of different "kart" models, including ways you can customize your kart with different wheels or gliders. Specs for your kart include speed, acceleration, weight, handling, and traction. In the game, durability isn't a key concern, but in the real world, designing cars that can withstand crashes is important! TheEngineering Car Crash Safety with Newton's Third Law lesson is a great way to have kids use engineering design to think about ways to make cars better able to withstand crashes. A good bumper system is a power-up every cart or kart can use!

14. Kids interested in game design and computer coding can explore game creation science with projects like Want to Make a Video Game? Here's How! andPower Play: How Does Animation Timing Affect Your Perception of Game Action? and others included in the 25+ Coding Projects for Beginners and Beyond collection.

Mario History

Mario Bros. first debuted in 1983 as an arcade game. Super Mario Bros. followed in 1985 as the first in a series of Super Mario platformer titles for Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Super Mario Bros 2 followed in 1988 and then Super Mario Land in 1989. With more than a dozen title releases after that, Mario, the video game plumber on a quest to save Princess Peach from Bowser, is a classic in the world of Nintendo gaming.

Tip: The 1983 debut wasn't Mario's first game appearance. If your gaming knowledge goes far enough back to the 1981 Donkey Kong arcade game, you might remember that Mario was the character trying to rescue his girlfriend.

2020 marked the 35th anniversary of Super Mario, and the Mario series continues to attract gamers of all ages. The most recent Mario releases include: Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Nintendo Switch), New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe (Nintendo Switch), and Super Mario Maker 2 (Nintendo Switch), a game that enables players to create their own maps to rebuild Princess Peach's castle.

Level-up Tip: For other clever "day" tie-ins, don't miss Pi Day (on 3.14) and Star Wars Day (aka May the 4th be with You) on May 4.

See also, Imagine Your Story - STEM Activities for Storytellers of All Ages!.

You Might Also Enjoy These Related Posts:

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Mario Day STEM - Bring Mario World to Life with Hands-on Science and Engineering Activities! | Science Buddies Blog

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Try these activities to connect hands-on science and engeering to the ever-popular world of Mario!

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Science activity: build a simple brushbot robot

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Summary

Introduction

It's gooey. It's sticky. It's slime! Learn to make your own homemade slime with this quick and easy recipe.

This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation.

Materials

Washable PVA school glue (like Elmer's®)

Baking soda

Contact lens solution (must contain both boric acid and sodium borate in ingredients)

Food coloring (optional)

Measuring spoons

Measuring cup

Mixing bowl

Resealable plastic bags or food storage containers

Prep Work

Instructions

1. In the mixing bowl, thoroughly mix 1/2 C water, 1/2 C glue, and a few drops of food coloring.

2. Add 1/2 tsp baking soda and mix completely.

3. Add 2 tbsp contact lens solution and stir vigorously until the mixture starts pulling away from the edges of the bowl.

How does the thickness of the slime change as you stir?

4. Use your hands to knead the slime for 5-10 minutes until its texture stops changing. Do not worry if the slime is very runny and sticks to your hands at first. It will get easier to peel the slime off your hands as it gets thicker.

How does the texture of the slime change as you knead it?

5. Have fun playing with your slime!

What happens when you stretch your slime? Squish it? Roll it into a ball and bounce it?

Cleanup

Store your slime in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. Dispose of any excess bits of slime in the trash-do not pour them down the drain, or they could cause a clog.

What Happened?

Glue is very runny. When you mix contact solution with glue, a chemical reaction occurs that causes the glue to get thicker. This reaction takes some time, which is why you have to stir and knead the slime. Eventually the slime will become rubbery and stretchy instead of "liquidy." Read the Digging Deeper section to learn more.

Digging Deeper

Glue is made from long, skinny, chain-like molecules called polymers. These molecules can slip and slide around each other, kind of like the noodles in a big pot of fresh-cooked spaghetti. That is why the glue is very runny and can flow easily when you squeeze it out of the bottle. When you mix a chemical called borax with the glue, it causes links to form between the polymer chains. This process is called crosslinking. Once crosslinks form, it becomes harder for the polymers to slide over each other, making the glue thicker and creating "slime."

In this project, you used contact lens solution instead of borax as one of the ingredients. Contact lens solution contains other chemicals called boric acid and sodium borate. When mixed with baking soda, these chemicals react and produce borax.

Ask an Expert

For Further Exploration

There are many different variations of the basic slime recipe. Try adding one of the following ingredients to change the properties of your slime:

Try changing the amount of one ingredient in your slime recipe, for example, by using more or less contact lens solution. How do the properties of the resulting slime change?

To make "fluffy" slime, use 3 cups of foam shaving cream instead of water in your recipe.

Science Buddies, a 501(c)(3) public charity, and keep our resources free for everyone. Our top priority is student learning. If you have any comments (positive or negative) related to purchases you've made for science projects from recommendations on our site, please let us know. Write to us at Disclaimer: Science Buddies participates in affiliate programs with Home Science Tools, Amazon.com, Carolina Biological, and Jameco Electronics. Proceeds from the affiliate programs help support scibuddy@sciencebuddies.org.

Project Ideas

Science Fair Project Idea

Have you ever wondered how fun toys like Silly Putty®, Gak™, and Slime™ are made? These products are so much fun because of the properties of polymers, which make them delightfully bouncy, stretchy, sticky, moldable, breakable, hard, soft, and just plain fun! In this science project you can be the developer of your own slime product by changing the amount of a key ingredient. By observing the physical properties of your results, you can choose the best recipe for your new... Read more

Careers

Chemical engineers solve the problems that affect our everyday lives by applying the principles of chemistry. If you enjoy working in a chemistry laboratory and are interested in developing useful products for people, then a career as a chemical engineer might be in your future. Read more

What makes it possible to create high-technology objects like computers and sports gear? It's the materials inside those products. Materials scientists and engineers develop materials, like metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites, that other engineers need for their designs. Materials scientists and engineers think atomically (meaning they understand things at the nanoscale level), but they design microscopically (at the level of a microscope), and their materials are used macroscopically... Read more

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It's gooey. It's sticky. It's slime! Learn to make your own homemade slime with this quick and easy recipe. This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data.

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Popsicle Stick Chain Reaction | STEM Activity

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Popsicle Stick Chain Reaction | STEM Activity

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Summary

Introduction

If you enjoy chain reactions and spectacular sights, this activity is for you! Who knew weaving unspectacular tongue depressors could set off a chain reaction of sticks flying in the air? Try it out and see for yourself!

This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation.

Materials

Tongue depressors, at least 50. If these are not available, large somewhat flexible craft sticks are a good alternative. Avoid the thicker, more rigid popsicle sticks.

Markers, 4 different colors

Prep Work

1. Make a piece to start your chain by placing three tongue depressors parallel to each other. Leave about two centimeters between the depressors.

2. Turn over and glue two depressors on the other side to help keep the three staggered depressors in place.

Instructions

1. Slip the next depressor under the shorter one until it sticks out a little, and over the longer one, parallel to depressor 1.

2. Repeat step 8 to build on.

3. If finding the two parallel depressors that are sticking out is hard, you can also rely on the colors to build the chain. Notice how in these pictures, the sequence is red, light blue, orange, dark blue and then back to adding a red depressor. In this case, the red depressors always go under a dark blue one and over a light blue one. Orange depressors go over the dark blue and under the light blue ones or light blue depressors go under red and over orange ones, etc.

4. Once you are ready, let the last depressor go, but be ready to step back and watch.

5. Build longer chains and see how the chain reaction changes as the chain gets longer. If you have a video camera available, take a video of the chain going off, preferably in slow motion.

6. For a challenge, make your stick bomb make a bend or make it go over obstacles.

What Happened?

You probably saw the depressors jump up in the air as soon as you release the last one, and maybe even before you planned to let them go.

You may have noticed that you had to bend the depressors in order to make them fit into the chain. With each bend, you added energy to the system. Did you feel how the chain was under tension, how you had to hold the last couple of depressors to keep them in place? When you let it go, all this tension is released in a chain reaction. It starts with the last depressors straightening up. This releases the next depressors in the chain, and so on. Soon, all the depressors fly in the air, releasing the energy stored in them and you have a whirlwind of depressors flying around.

Digging Deeper

Energy is never created; it gets transferred from one kind to another. For the stick chain reaction built in this activity, you push each depressor as you bend it to weave it into a chain. The depressors store this energy as elastic potential energy. If you have stretched a rubber band, you have felt how it wants to come back to its original length. Scientists say that a stretched rubber band is loaded with elastic potential energy. In a similar way, the depressors store elastic potential energy when bent. When you allow the stick to go back to its flat state, it releases this energy. When one depressor releases its stored energy, nothing spectacular happens, but when a chain of depressors release their energy, you get a dramatic effect. If the chain reaction happens on a hard floor, the sticks will push themselves off of the floor and fly high into the air. The elastic potential energy is transformed into movement, also called kinetic energy. As they fly up, the depressors gain height above earth, which translates into gravitational potential energy or the energy due to the fact that it can fall to earth. Eventually, the depressors lay flat on the ground. The energy once stored in the chain has been transformed into heat and sound energy.

It is much harder to weave small popsicle sticks together. These popsicle sticks do not bend easily, instead, they tend to break. They are not as well suited to store elastic potential energy. Jumbo popsicle sticks (7 3/4 inch long) are more elastic, they can be woven into a chain and are a nice sight when being released. The tongue depressors (5 3/4 inch long) give the most spectacular result.

If you assemble your chain and leave it out for a day or so, you might notice your depressors do not jump as high when you release the chain. Over time, the depressors yield under the tension and become permanently deformed. Part of the elastic potential energy went into deforming the material.

If you tried to release the chain on carpet or any other soft ground, you might also have noticed the depressors did not jump as high. The depressors cannot bounce off the soft ground that easily because the ground absorbs part of their energy.

Ask an Expert

For Further Exploration

Compare the chain reaction exploding on carpet to a similar chain exploding on a hard floor. Which one makes the sticks jump up highest? Why would this be the case?

Make chains from jumbo popsicle sticks and tongue depressors. Can you explain why the result is different?

Project Ideas

Activities

Lesson Plans

Lesson Plan Grade: 6th-8th

NGSS Performance Expectations:

MS-PS3-5. Construct, use, and present arguments to support the claim that when the kinetic energy of an object changes, energy is transferred to or from the object.

Links

Careers

Physicists have a big goal in mind-to understand the nature of the entire universe and everything in it! To reach that goal, they observe and measure natural events seen on Earth and in the universe, and then develop theories, using mathematics, to explain why those phenomena occur. Physicists take on the challenge of explaining events that happen on the grandest scale imaginable to those that happen at the level of the smallest atomic particles. Their theories are then applied to... Read more

Mechanical engineers are part of your everyday life, designing the spoon you used to eat your breakfast, your breakfast's packaging, the flip-top cap on your toothpaste tube, the zipper on your jacket, the car, bike, or bus you took to school, the chair you sat in, the door handle you grasped and the hinges it opened on, and the ballpoint pen you used to take your test. Virtually every object that you see around you has passed through the hands of a mechanical engineer. Consequently, their... Read more

You use mechanical devices every day-to zip and snap your clothing, open doors, refrigerate and cook your food, get clean water, heat your home, play music, surf the Internet, travel around, and even to brush your teeth. Virtually every object that you see around has been mechanically engineered or designed at some point, requiring the skills of mechanical engineering technicians to create drawings of the product, or to build and test models of the product to find the best design. Read more

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Popsicle Stick Chain Reaction | STEM Activity

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If you enjoy chain reactions and spectacular sights, this activity is for you! Who knew weaving unspectacular tongue depressors could set off a chain reaction of sticks flying in the air? Try it out and see for yourself! This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project.

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500pcs Vibrating Pager Motors Mini Dc Motor 5x6mm Vibration Pager Micro Motor With Contacts Spring Pins For Bristlebot Vibrobot - Dc Motor - AliExpress

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500pcs Vibrating Pager Motors Mini Dc Motor 5x6mm Vibration Pager Micro Motor With Contacts Spring Pins For Bristlebot Vibrobot - Dc Motor - AliExpress

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82.68US $ 6% OFF|500pcs Vibrating Pager Motors Mini Dc Motor 5x6mm Vibration Pager Micro Motor With Contacts Spring Pins For Bristlebot Vibrobot - Dc Motor - AliExpress

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Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

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Build a Bristlebot, a Tiny Toothbrush Robot | STEM Activity

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Build a Bristlebot, a Tiny Toothbrush Robot | STEM Activity

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Build a Bristlebot, a Tiny Toothbrush Robot | STEM Activity

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Simple step-by-step instructions showing how to build bristlebots.

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Build the Best Paper Bridge | STEM Activity

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Build the Best Paper Bridge | STEM Activity

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Build the Best Paper Bridge | STEM Activity

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Summary

Introduction

Do you like arts and crafts projects like drawing, painting, cutting shapes out of construction paper, or origami? Instead of drawing that bright sun or lights in a house, imagine adding real lights to your artwork! This project will show you how, by introducing you to the world of electronics with "paper circuits." Paper circuits are made with just a few simple items; you can use a battery and some copper tape to add tiny lights to your project. The best part is that it is easy to do, and you do not need to know anything about electronics to get started!

This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation.

Materials

Additional materials you will need from home:

Instructions

1. Cut two long strips of copper tape. Remove the paper backing from the tape, and place them near the edge of a piece of paper, parallel to each other. The strips should be about half an inch apart, and one strip should not go all the way to the edge of the paper.

2. Carefully bend the leads of the LED, and use Scotch tape to attach each lead to a strip of the copper tape. The LED should be pointing upward. Important: Make sure to place your LED's leads as they are labeled in the figure. The longer lead should be on the outer strip of copper tape (the one closer to the edge of the paper), and the shorter lead should be on the inner strip.

3. Fold over the corner of the piece of paper so the second strip of copper tape contacts the top of the battery. This should cause your LED to light up.

1. If your LED does not light up, you probably have either the battery or the LED leads backwards. Try flipping one of them around, then try again.

2. If your LED still does not light up, try pressing down harder on the battery, and press down on the LED leads. The battery and LED leads must be in good contact with the copper tape to complete a circuit and cause the LED to light up.

4. To add more LEDs, simply tape them down the same way you taped down your first LED.

1. Make sure the LED's long leads are all touching the same piece of copper tape, and the short leads are all touching the other piece of copper tape.

2. If an LED does not light up, try flipping around its leads. If it still does not light up, make sure it is taped down securely so the leads are in firm contact with the copper tape.

3. You can mix and match red, green, and yellow LEDs, and they will all light up. However, the blue LEDs will not light up if they are matched with red, green, or yellow LEDs. You can only use blue LEDs with other blue LEDs (this has to do with something called voltage; blue LEDs require more voltage than the other colors).

5. The copper tape, Scotch tape, and metal LED leads might interfere with your artwork a bit. To make your artwork look less cluttered, you can poke holes in the paper so the LEDs stick through to the other side, and all the other parts are hidden on the back of the paper. Follow the sub-steps below to do this.

1. Bend the LED leads down and tape them to the copper tape. Important: Remember that the LED's long lead should touch the outer piece of copper tape (the one closer to the edge of the paper), and the short lead should touch the inner piece of tape.

2. If your LED does not light up, try flipping the battery around.

6. Now, what if you want to spread your LEDs out, all around a piece of paper? You can do this by using longer pieces of copper tape. You can kink or bend the tape to create curved shapes. Just make sure the two pieces of tape do not touch each other (this will create a short circuit and prevent the LEDs from lighting up).

Cleanup

What Happened?

You should have been able to get multiple LEDs to light up by connecting them to a battery using copper tape. This is because you built an electrical circuit. The battery provides electricity to the LEDs, causing them to light up. See the Explore More tab to learn more about circuits.

Digging Deeper

When you connect an LED to the battery using copper tape, you complete a closed circuit. In a closed circuit, electricity can flow through a loop, from the battery, to the LED, and back again, causing the LED to light up. If one or more of the connections is broken (for example, one LED lead is not touching the copper tape), this creates an open circuit. Electricity cannot flow in an open circuit, so the LED goes out. Finally, if your two segments of copper tape touch each other, this creates a short circuit, which would also cause the LED to go out.

When you connect multiple LEDs next to each other, you create a parallel circuit. A parallel circuit is useful because even if one LED becomes disconnected, the other LEDs will stay on. This is different from a series circuit, where if one LED goes out, all the other ones will go out, too.

Ask an Expert

For Further Exploration

Can you try to create something that uses all four colors of LEDs? Hint: Use your second battery and a second set of copper tape to power the blue LEDs separately from the red, green, and yellow LEDs.

What happens if you try to connect the LEDs in a series circuit instead of in a parallel circuit? Can you do more research and explain which is better for connecting LEDs?

Project Ideas

Science Fair Project Idea

Do you like playing with play dough; or modeling clay? Wouldn't it be cool if you could add lights, sound, or even motion to your play dough creations? In this project, you will use play dough that conducts electricity, which will allow you to connect lights to your sculptures! This project is the first in a three-part series on play dough circuits, which can all be done with the same materials. We recommend doing the projects in order. Read more

Science Fair Project Idea

Have you tried our first electric play dough project, and now you are looking for more to do? Do you want to learn more about circuits and add even more lights? Check out this project for part 2 of our play dough circuits series! Read more

Science Fair Project Idea

Have you tried our first and second play dough circuits projects? Are you a master circuit artist, ready to try something even bigger and better? Try this project to see if you can build a three-dimensional light-up sculpture. Read more

Careers

Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do you like arts and crafts projects like drawing, painting, cutting shapes out of construction paper, or origami? Instead of drawing that bright sun or lights in a house, imagine adding real lights to your artwork! This project will show you how, by introducing you to the world of electronics with "paper circuits."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Summary

Introduction

Do you like arts and crafts projects like drawing, painting, cutting shapes out of construction paper, or origami? Instead of drawing that bright sun or lights in a house, imagine adding real lights to your artwork! This project will show you how, by introducing you to the world of electronics with "paper circuits." Paper circuits are made with just a few simple items; you can use a battery and some copper tape to add tiny lights to your project. The best part is that it is easy to do, and you do not need to know anything about electronics to get started!

This activity is not recommended for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation.

Materials

Additional materials you will need from home:

Instructions

1. Cut two long strips of copper tape. Remove the paper backing from the tape, and place them near the edge of a piece of paper, parallel to each other. The strips should be about half an inch apart, and one strip should not go all the way to the edge of the paper.

2. Carefully bend the leads of the LED, and use Scotch tape to attach each lead to a strip of the copper tape. The LED should be pointing upward. Important: Make sure to place your LED's leads as they are labeled in the figure. The longer lead should be on the outer strip of copper tape (the one closer to the edge of the paper), and the shorter lead should be on the inner strip.

3. Fold over the corner of the piece of paper so the second strip of copper tape contacts the top of the battery. This should cause your LED to light up.

1. If your LED does not light up, you probably have either the battery or the LED leads backwards. Try flipping one of them around, then try again.

2. If your LED still does not light up, try pressing down harder on the battery, and press down on the LED leads. The battery and LED leads must be in good contact with the copper tape to complete a circuit and cause the LED to light up.

4. To add more LEDs, simply tape them down the same way you taped down your first LED.

1. Make sure the LED's long leads are all touching the same piece of copper tape, and the short leads are all touching the other piece of copper tape.

2. If an LED does not light up, try flipping around its leads. If it still does not light up, make sure it is taped down securely so the leads are in firm contact with the copper tape.

3. You can mix and match red, green, and yellow LEDs, and they will all light up. However, the blue LEDs will not light up if they are matched with red, green, or yellow LEDs. You can only use blue LEDs with other blue LEDs (this has to do with something called voltage; blue LEDs require more voltage than the other colors).

5. The copper tape, Scotch tape, and metal LED leads might interfere with your artwork a bit. To make your artwork look less cluttered, you can poke holes in the paper so the LEDs stick through to the other side, and all the other parts are hidden on the back of the paper. Follow the sub-steps below to do this.

1. Bend the LED leads down and tape them to the copper tape. Important: Remember that the LED's long lead should touch the outer piece of copper tape (the one closer to the edge of the paper), and the short lead should touch the inner piece of tape.

2. If your LED does not light up, try flipping the battery around.

6. Now, what if you want to spread your LEDs out, all around a piece of paper? You can do this by using longer pieces of copper tape. You can kink or bend the tape to create curved shapes. Just make sure the two pieces of tape do not touch each other (this will create a short circuit and prevent the LEDs from lighting up).

Cleanup

What Happened?

You should have been able to get multiple LEDs to light up by connecting them to a battery using copper tape. This is because you built an electrical circuit. The battery provides electricity to the LEDs, causing them to light up. See the Explore More tab to learn more about circuits.

Digging Deeper

When you connect an LED to the battery using copper tape, you complete a closed circuit. In a closed circuit, electricity can flow through a loop, from the battery, to the LED, and back again, causing the LED to light up. If one or more of the connections is broken (for example, one LED lead is not touching the copper tape), this creates an open circuit. Electricity cannot flow in an open circuit, so the LED goes out. Finally, if your two segments of copper tape touch each other, this creates a short circuit, which would also cause the LED to go out.

When you connect multiple LEDs next to each other, you create a parallel circuit. A parallel circuit is useful because even if one LED becomes disconnected, the other LEDs will stay on. This is different from a series circuit, where if one LED goes out, all the other ones will go out, too.

Ask an Expert

For Further Exploration

Can you try to create something that uses all four colors of LEDs? Hint: Use your second battery and a second set of copper tape to power the blue LEDs separately from the red, green, and yellow LEDs.

What happens if you try to connect the LEDs in a series circuit instead of in a parallel circuit? Can you do more research and explain which is better for connecting LEDs?

Project Ideas

Science Fair Project Idea

Do you like playing with play dough; or modeling clay? Wouldn't it be cool if you could add lights, sound, or even motion to your play dough creations? In this project, you will use play dough that conducts electricity, which will allow you to connect lights to your sculptures! This project is the first in a three-part series on play dough circuits, which can all be done with the same materials. We recommend doing the projects in order. Read more

Science Fair Project Idea

Have you tried our first electric play dough project, and now you are looking for more to do? Do you want to learn more about circuits and add even more lights? Check out this project for part 2 of our play dough circuits series! Read more

Science Fair Project Idea

Have you tried our first and second play dough circuits projects? Are you a master circuit artist, ready to try something even bigger and better? Try this project to see if you can build a three-dimensional light-up sculpture. Read more

Careers

Reviews

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Do you like arts and crafts projects like drawing, painting, cutting shapes out of construction paper, or origami? Instead of drawing that bright sun or lights in a house, imagine adding real lights to your artwork! This project will show you how, by introducing you to the world of electronics with "paper circuits."

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Secret Messages With Invisible Ink! | STEM Activity

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Secret Messages With Invisible Ink! | STEM Activity

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Secret Messages With Invisible Ink! | STEM Activity

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This fun science activity will show you how to write secret messages with invisible ink -and how to reveal them again!

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Build a Popsicle Stick Catapult | STEM Activity

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Build a Popsicle Stick Catapult | STEM Activity

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Catapults were mighty handy for pirates in the golden age of piracy (during the 17th century). And medieval knights used them centuries earlier for taking down massive castle walls. Even Greeks and Romans used catapults about 2,000 years ago! These simple machines are quite handy, as long as you know how to aim them! In this science activity you will try your hand at catapult technology. Can you predict where your cotton ball will land?

This activity is not appropriate for use as a science fair project. Good science fair projects have a stronger focus on controlling variables, taking accurate measurements, and analyzing data. To find a science fair project that is just right for you, browse our library of over 1,200 Science Fair Project Ideas or use the Topic Selection Wizard to get a personalized project recommendation.

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Build a Popsicle Stick Catapult | STEM Activity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Catapults were mighty handy for pirates in the golden age of piracy (during the 17th century). And medieval knights used them centuries earlier for taking down massive castle walls. Even Greeks and Romans used catapults about 2,000 years ago! These simple machines are quite handy, as long as you know how to aim them!

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Junkbots: Robots from Recycled Materials | STEM Activity

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Junkbots: Robots from Recycled Materials | STEM Activity

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Junkbots: Robots from Recycled Materials | STEM Activity

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Build a balloon car from recycled materials in this fun STEM activity.

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Build a balloon car from recycled materials in this fun STEM activity.

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Build a Paper Roller Coaster | STEM Activity

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Build a Paper Roller Coaster | STEM Activity