Tag Archives: Stem

Toys

You CAN Do The Cube – Learn to Solve the Rubik’s Cube

You Can do The Cube

Last month I was able to have an online live tutorial on how to solve the Rubik’s Cube. The cube was invented the year that I was born but really didn’t get full blown popularity until the 80’s. Ever since then it has been all around and now there are major solving competitions where people solve the cube in seconds! You couldn’t even solve it that fast by pulling off all the stickers and putting them back on to look like you solved the cube.

The live seminar was very interesting. We not only learned techniques for solving the cube but we learned about the Rubik’s Brand’s You CAN Do the Rubik’s Cube program. The program teaches over 800K+ students a year. There are solution guides that I was given along with a 2X2, 3X3 and 4X4 cube. So far I have only been able to solve the 2X2 but eventually I will try for the 3X3. The 4x$ is going to Christmas is for kids. Maybe whoever gets it is up for the challenge to solve that one.

The Rubik’s Brand’s You CAN Do the Rubik’s Cube program is an educational community outreach program that provides Rubik’s Cube resources to thousands of educators and students in all 50 states to incorporate learning to solve the Cube into curriculum. Since 2008, almost 4 million students have had the opportunity to learn to solve the Cube – and now you can too!

There is even a cube lending program that educators can use to secure cubes for their students for six weeks and they need only pay for return shipping of the cubes, and guides. the program provides a Learn-to-solve Curriculum as well. You can even sign up for Virtual Teacher training. so what are you waiting for?

Review, Technology, Toys

Review: mPie is a Fun STEM Kit from Microduino

Andrew and the Mpie Ambulance

We received a copy of the mPie set from Microduino to play with and review. We did not keep this toy when we were finished with our review. Opinions are 100% our own.

I’m always looking for fun STEM projects to do with the kids. When I find those that can also incorporate LEGO and other building bricks then I am even more excited. I was offered the opportunity to review the mPie kit from Microduino. Here is the official description of the product.

mPie: A good transition kit that moves from the basics of circuitry and hardware components of its predecessor mPuzzle, to initial concepts of coding. Using mPie’s components, children will discover ‘hardware coding’ which helps visualize the logical order of things in a physical way. The mPie lessons link concepts between physical and virtual. The projects in mPie increase in their complexity to form the basis that the sequence of things is vital and when not successfully ordered leads to the start of problem identification and solving. 7+, $99 Continue reading Review: mPie is a Fun STEM Kit from Microduino →