It is that time of year again – time to go back to school! I am always excited to start a new school year because I get to practice all the new things I learned during professional development sessions over the summer.

One project I always look forward to is my toothpick-bridge project with my physics class. Students love engineering projects, and the toothpick bridge is always a hit. Students realize quickly they must apply what they have learned in class to be the most successful.

I give students 250 wood toothpicks and a small bottle of Pitsco wood glue. I use the blue color so I can easily see how students have joined their toothpicks together. My students also use The Pitsco Bridge Book for background and helpful information to help them along the way. In the end, we test the load each bridge can hold with the Pitsco Structure Tester. My students are always amazed at how much weight their toothpick bridges can hold.

The best part of this project is that students must use their critical-thinking skills from start to finish. I love all the creativity involved too – I have seen some very interesting designs over the past 20 years!

When educators look to NASA for inspiration in STEM classrooms, they often focus on rocketry as exemplified by the powerful boosters that launch a craft into space. But a recent test by NASA shows the craft’s return offers some different science lessons.

Yesterday, NASA conducted the latest in a series of tests for Orion spacecraft’s parachute system. Still in development, Orion will be the most advanced spacecraft ever and will take astronauts farther into space than ever before. Slated for its first flight test in 2014, Orion is expected to officially launch in 2017.

The parachute test is key to ensuring that Orion will return safely by testing the maximum pressure the parachutes are expected to handle when returning from deep space. Dropped by an airplane, a dart-shaped test vehicle with simulated Orion parachutes fell 25,000 feet.

The parachute series consists of drogue chutes, several small chutes, and then three main chutes. Each main chute is 116 feet wide!

Considering this test event, an activity based on parachutes is also a great lesson for aerospace. Check out some of Pitsco’s activities here, which includes designing a chute to safely return an egg to the ground. Also, many solid-fuel and water rockets feature parachute recovery systems, so don’t forgot to point out and discuss the recovery system as well as the launch system with students.

Photo courtesy of NASA.

As homeschool teachers, one of the biggest challenges you face when trying to select the best curriculum or when choosing the best learning kit for your student, is to be able to understand exactly what is contained in the kit or curriculum, and how is it going to meet your teaching needs. Although reading reviews, and doing extensive online product research is helpful, sometimes you still have questions that need to be answered. Pitsco has a dedicated customer service staff that is based at the company offices right here in Southeast Kansas. These are real customer service people who are trained to know what is in the products and what the curriculum covers. If one of them does not know the answer, they will find it for you. Pitsco prides itself on having real people available to answer the phone. During regular business hours, although you might be placed on hold for a short time, a live customer service person will always answer and be available to answer any questions that you have. 

Product and Order Support: 800-835-0686

Technical Support: 800-358-4983

Another option is to send our customer support a direct email describing your problem or question.

http://forms.pitsco.com/inquire.asp?source=8

Pitsco knows that homeschoolers have to make the best choices for materials that they can, with a limited budget. You do not want to purchase something and find out later that it will not meet your needs or will not do what you need it to do. Our customer service department is here to help, and to make sure that you are informed and confident on any product or curriculum before you make the purchase. Our main mission is to make sure that students learn and teachers succeed, and one way we can help make that happen is through superior and live customer service.

To help with back to school costs, we are offering a great promotion for you! For a limited time, receive 20% off orders of $250 or more. Offer is only good online. Enter code: CPSEPT12 during checkout. One-time use; cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Visit the store and start shopping today!

Experts tell us we are living in a digital age, and learning digitally is the main thrust in the world of education. It follows that all students must have access to high-quality digital learning opportunities, and these demands are addressed enthusiastically through Pitsco Education and LEGO® Education curricular experiences. These educational necessities might seemingly be out of reach for some, but the availability of LEGO and Pitsco/Hearlihy/FTE grants makes accessibility to these materials more feasible. The LEGO Education Showcase Grant, the LEGO Education Workshop Grant, and the Pitsco/Hearlihy/FTE grant are on the horizon for those avidly seeking economic help. Following is information about the aforementioned grants and others that could satisfy the need for any desired digital technology:

September 2012 Grant Funding Leads (PDF)

Additional Grant Resources

As the morning air starts to feel the first chill of fall, our bluer-than-blue sky fills with early-morning balloonists. Many pilots from all over the world come for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiestato ride our world-famous “Box.” The air currents in Albuquerque’s valley enable pilots to take off and travel south along the Rio Grande for several miles while gaining altitude. They then catch a ride on another current that guides them north, back to the field. The colors are beautiful and excitement fills the air.

Last year PITSCO generously granted our school a scholarship for Hot-Air Balloons – Getting Started. More than one hundred students constructed and launched tissue paper balloons in our parking lot. A local pilot came to speak to the class and helped us launch the balloons. We had a wonderful time. The kindergarten classes came to give us a launch countdown and cheer on the balloons.

Students practiced following detailed procedures. They discovered the importance of measuring twice and cutting once. They used fortitude to troubleshoot faulty launches. They learned (the hard way) that balloons with holes don’t fly very well.

Our most successful balloons flew several hundred feet! Students recorded flight time and suggested improvements. They made engineering modifications to balloons between launches. Concepts studied were convection, conduction, heat transfer, aerodynamics, buoyancy, and weather.

Our (Grades 3-6) other favorite PITSCO activities are maglev vehicles, straw rockets, balsa bridges, and the parachute launcher (with an egg). This year we plan to try PITSCO’s solar cars for the first time thanks to TAG blog recommendations.

Are you looking for a great way to get your students interested in protecting our natural resources and helping to save the planet? Introduce them to the science and benefits of alternative energy in the form of Solar and Wind power.

Pitsco offers several kits including the Homeschool Wind Energy Kit, the Beginning Solar Vehicles Pack, the Advanced Solar Vehicles Pack, and the Solar Hot Water Heater Pack. These kits are a great introduction into learning about how Solar and Wind power can be useful in everyday activities.

With the solar kits, your students will learn about the different types of solar energy technology such as solar reflectors which use mirrors to concentrate solar energy and solar collectors which can be either active or passive energy gatherers. They will also learn about how a solar car works, the basics of gear ratios, and about basic electrical circuits. The solar hot water heater demonstration kit give your students a chance to see how the sun can be used to heat water in a system similar to a full sized solar hot water heater.

The Wind Energy Pack lets your students get experience in building two different wind turbines. The Eco-wind Gen will demonstrate basic wind power, while the sturdier Wind Gen kit will help your student learn about such topics as measuring wind speed and creating a model wind farm.

Whichever kit you choose, they all are great hands on introductions into the world of alternative energy.

Starting October 1, we are offering 40% off all Pitsco-exclusive videos, for a limited time only.

There are more than 50 titles to select from. Discount will be applied at checkout automatically.

Click here for the complete list.

My name is Paul Healy, and I teach 7th- and 8th-grade math at Sky View Middle School in Leominster, Massachusetts. Last spring, I entered the McGraw-Hill STEMIE Award video contest. Teachers could win up to $25,000 in grants for their respective schools. Each teacher had to make a 2.5-minute video sharing their most effective lessons/units and approaches to teaching science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

I worked with a small group of 8th-grade students. We developed a hands-on math video titled "Bridging the Gap in Geometry." It highlights bits and pieces of our Truss Bridge Unit, which couldn't have been completed without the resources and support of numerous Pitsco products. We did not win the major awards, but were selected as a finalist, and we are quite proud of this accomplishment. The following is a summary of our unit - and please check out the video!

Principles and Standards for School Mathematics Calls for Geometry to Be Learned Using Concrete Models and Drawings.

In this hands-on project, students will first design a blueprint and then build an authentic, replica scale-model version of a Warren/Pratt truss railroad bridge. Students will be able to recognize, apply, and reinforce numerous geometry standards by constructing a model truss bridge. The students will be actively engaged throughout the construction process, from the two-dimensional design of the bridge using numerous tools, rulers, protractors, and blueprints to the actual three-dimensional construction using real basswood stock and a miter box to make exact angle cuts (30/60/90 degree), which reinforce angle measurements and structural design. Through a hands-on approach, the students will develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills so necessary to maintaining strong, engaging, 21st-century math minds!

OBJECTIVES

• The students will reinforce their knowledge of geometry by first designing a blueprint of a Warren/Pratt railroad truss bridge using geometric tools (ruler, protractor).
• The students will enhance their background knowledge of geometry by participating in a hands-on approach while constructing a replica truss bridge.
• The students will demonstrate their knowledge of all the 8th-grade geometry standards through direct application showing evidence of mastery.
• The students will enjoy the bridge at home as it doubles as a DVD/CD or video game holder!

The students will be engaged throughout the whole hands-on construction process. All phases of construction are modeled by the teacher. The students love to take control of their own learning. They are in total control of the design and construction process, from cutting individual pieces using a miter box to sanding it down to make a better fit. They also get to add their personal uniqueness when they paint their bridge!

The students also explore the different design features of a truss bridge. The hands-on experience really reinforces their schemata and creates a sense of mastery when they continue to practice and make connections with the standards.

The standards and concepts are modeled and discussed in class. The students will document, apply, and demonstrate their knowledge in a five-page "connection" packet, which connects to all of the 8th-grade geometry standards. The students will be evaluated by a two-part rubric; one part evaluates their connection packet and the other part evaluates the actual construction of the truss bridge. Any re-teaching or remediation will be discussed with the students at this point. The students were administered the 3^rd Quarter Benchmark Geometry Assessment at the District Level. The vast majority of students performed Excellent and met all the standards!

Powered by simple hydraulics, the C-Bot mechanical bug was created to follow in the footsteps of Pitsco’s popular T-Bot II Kit.

Based on some bug-like robots that were remote controlled, the C-Bot is propelled forward by pushing the plunger of a syringe filled with water and connected by tubing to another syringe attached to the body of the C-Bot. A simpler build than the T-Bot, the C-Bot can be built and operated in short order.

Looking closely at the kit, one can see toward the middle of the body where it angles down and two body pieces connect – this angle enables the feet to move so that while one foot is up, the other three are down, supporting the foot going up.

Four other kits are in the research and development stage, including a line crawler, bipedal walker, and car. But unlike the C-Bot, all of these kits will turn linear motion from the syringes into rotary motion.

The C-Bot, which requires assembly with glue and screws, features laser-cut parts that go together quickly and easily. To learn more about the C-Bot, visit www.pitsco.com.

Over the years, I’ve represented Pitsco Education at the New Jersey Education Association Conference, which is for all teachers and not just for the science, technology, and math teachers we typically meet. The first time at the conference, I did not expect teachers of the humanities to be interested in Pitsco’s hands-on projects like rockets, robots, and solar cars.

But I was wrong.

Though sometimes these teachers inquire on behalf of their children or grandchildren, there are also many language arts, history, art, and music teachers that want to know how to connect hands-on STEM projects to their own subjects. A couple years ago, several English teachers were curious about it, saying they knew our projects would keep students’ interest. The next year, a couple music teachers asked for ways to connect science and technology to music.

Given these experiences, the next few Cause posts will look at ways that humanities teachers can use STEM activities. Check back tomorrow to learn a way to use hands-on STEM activities in language arts.

As a technical writer with a bachelor’s in English, I've seen up close how hands-on activities connect to the written and spoken language. Many people first think of marketing and public relations as real-world applications for writing – and that is certainly true. But there are a few ways to mix writing lessons with hands-on activities.

Process essays

Many language arts teachers cover the process essay, which describes the process or steps of how to do something. In the business world, this type of writing is applied to user guides, help files, safety procedures, and standard operating procedures – important print or digital documents to businesses and consumers.

An easy way to use a hands-on activity with this type of essay is to have students write a user guide for a STEM-based kit. Demonstrate to students how to put together the kit (I recommend a fun but less complicated one like Pitsco’s Catapult or SunZoon Lite Solar Car) as they take notes. Give students the same kit (with the user guides removed, of course) and have them use it and their notes to develop their own user guide.

This mimics the process between a product developer and technical writer to create user guides. It also makes a great team activity and can be pushed further to incorporate technical skills such as photography and digital page layout.

Alternatively, you can lead students through a process using software available in your classroom or school computer lab (it’s probably best to use the overhead projector connected to your computer). Then, have them write a help file covering that process.

Video scripts

The exercise above can be taken a step further – to the visual realm. Have students take the user guide they wrote and adjust it to a more conversational style for a video script focused on how to complete the process being described. Have them break down the steps into different scenes for ease of shooting and with directions for the on-screen talent (person on camera).

If a video recorder is available, the exercise can include actually shooting the video. Working in teams, students can play the roles of the on-screen talent, director, camera operator, and so forth. If you have an audio recorder but no video recorder, you could still have students record their script with that as it is a great way to learn the value of using words and constructions that sound pleasant and are easy to follow.

Note: The next part of this series will focus on history and hands-on STEM.

Check out our current promotion in the special offers section of the Homeschool Educators Resource Directory (HERD). Beginning on November 1st we are offering a 15%discount off any Homeschool order. The promotion runs through the 15th of December. Get your discount code now!

Because we are always trying to better understand the hands-on science needs of the Homeschool family, we will be conducting a short survey starting on November 1st. Everyone who completes the survey will be entered in a drawing to win a T-Bot II Robotic Kit. The survey will run through the 15th of November. Please check back soon for the updated post with the Survey link.

Enter the Survey Here:

https://s.zoomerang.com/s/PitscoHomeschool

Thanks again for all of your valuable feedback

Four hundred million dollars in grants made available through the US Department of Education is at the finish line for nearly 900 school districts seeking Race to the Top money. Those dollars can be used to create online courses and supplemental instructional programs that are becoming more common. In addition, money may be used for digital tools to create personalized learning environments through which Pitsco and LEGO® are furlongs ahead in the attempt to close the achievement gap. The technology race has influenced the desire for a variety of approaches such as the Common Core and the tests that are being developed to gauge student progress. In addition, there is the race toward the concept of flipped learning. An example would be an instructor videotaping a lecture and the student watching it outside of class, then discussing and evaluating during the regular class period. The headlong drive into the homestretch is directed toward helping state and local districts support reforms and innovations to close achievement gaps. Those Race to the Top funds are reachable, but in case the stretch run fails and you miss the winner’s paddock, other sources listed herein may be of assistance:

October 2012 Grant Funding Leads (PDF)

Additional Grant Resources

Looking for a great price on great hands-on products? Look no further, check out our Clearance Section!

It is with great honor that we award the fourth-quarter Pitsco Scholarship to Joseph Leonhard from Sheboygan, Wisconsin!

Mr. Leonhard has been the Technology Education teacher at Tower Academy for the last two years. He didn't always want to be a teacher, though. He was going to work for the family business doing construction and remodeling, but someone changed his mind.

"In my later years of high school, I had a few very influential teachers that really had me reconsidering," Mr. Leonhard explains."Don Schinke, my construction and woodworking technology education teacher, was an awesome inspiration to me and so I followed in his footsteps."

Tower Academy is an at-risk school of the Sheboygan Area School District. It is described as a self-contained program for severely emotionally disturbed adolescents from grades 9-12. The Technology Education program that Mr. Leonhard helped start provides a safe environment for students to learn the skills necessary to be successful citizens in the school, home, work, and community environments.

"Technology education is a very important part of the education of students, but for at-risk students it is very important on many more levels." He adds, "It not only teaches the students skills that they can utilize in their lives and workplaces, but it also helps students with the concepts of math, science, and engineering in a hands-on and real-world approach."

Mr. Leonhard believes that by using hands-on projects, students gain the real-world implementation. "Using hands-on teaching tools and products helps the students to use their previous knowledge and their new knowledge all in one," he says.

He plans on purchasing solar vehicles for the school so that they can implement sustainable energy into the curriculum.

Congratulations, Joseph! Thank you for choosing to inspire a new generation of students, just as you were inspired by your teacher. We wish you the best of luck in your Technology Education program at Tower Academy, and we are impressed by your motivation and dedication to make your students successful.

We will start a new scholarship contest in 2013. The first-quarter winner will be announced on March 1, 2013. If you previously applied for a 2012 scholarship and were not a recipient, you will need to reapply for a 2013 scholarship. Please complete the official nomination form and return it by fax to 620-231-6737, by e-mail to PitscoMarketing@pitsco.com, or by mail to the address below:

Pitsco Education

Catalog Marketing Scholarship Award

1004 E. Adams

Pittsburg, KS 66762

Applications will be kept on file for all of 2013, so a new form does not need to be sent each quarter to qualify for all four quarter scholarships.

To show our appreciation, Pitsco will award one educator each quarter in 2013 with a scholarship.

Each individual who is selected as the scholarship winner, by the selection committee, will be honored with a $500 gift certificate to Pitsco.

Please complete and return the official nomination form and return it by fax to 620-231-6737 or by e-mail to PitscoMarketing@Pitsco.com or by mail to the address below:

Pitsco Education - Catalog Marketing
Scholarship Award
1004 E. Adams
Pittsburg, KS 66762

If you previously applied for the 2012 scholarship and were not a recipient, please reapply for a 2013 scholarship.

Many of us grew up in a "print world" and look at education today as a challenge with the depth and breadth of information sources available to students. A wealth of technical solutions are available to students as well including the computer, Internet, television, cell phones, e-readers, and other sources of wireless communication. Teachers can familiarize themselves with the technological literacy available in the variety of experiences found in the LEGO® Education MINDSTORMS® curriculum. The science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) projects develop a vast range of skills. In addition, literacy is not ignored as researching, writing, and presentation skills are intertwined throughout the variety of projects available. Likewise, Pitsco Education offers a smorgasbord of technology-based options such as flight exploration, and the sky is the limit. There is a wealth of tech literacy surrounding the flight curricula. Regardless of where you begin, from straw rockets, AP rockets, and gliders to water rockets, solid-fuel rockets, hot-air balloons, foam wing gliders, and model airplanes, all integrate math, science, and technology. The accumulation of this treasure of curriculum enhancers will on occasion strain the pocketbook; thus in case so afflicted, here are some grant possibilities:

November 2012 Grant Funding Leads (PDF)

Additional Grant Resources

Recently, the blog DigitalEraMom.com posted a review of the Pitsco T-Bot II kit. She won this kit as a giveaway at a homeschool conference in Kansas City. Here are some excerpts from the review. Please visit DigitalEraMom.com to read the full review.

"The T-Bot II from Pitsco provided hours of entertainment and education to both Jeffrey and dad. Additionally, the teacher's guide is filled with challenges that will help Jeffrey continue to learn math and science while providing a tangible enhancement to his education.

It was amazing to see how he had learned how to build and operate the T-Bot II, and it was fantastic to see him working side-by-side with dad. We've already decided we will be getting more products from Pitsco in the future, because this was truly one of the best projects we've worked with all year. Jeffrey's fascination with it truly showed that this is an area that interests him.

 On the Pitsco website, there are plenty of options for amazing projects to help kids learn about robots, engineering, math, science, and more, in very tangible, hands-on ways. Jeffrey is such a hands-on learner that this is a great supplement to the other parts of his curriculum.

...I couldn't recommend this set even higher. It's an amazing tool to teach kids a lot of great technology."

 Check out the YouTube video that they produced to go along with the review.

http://youtu.be/KobxB1Ce-S0

New processes to invigorate academic growth often end up as irritants for those who seek to guide the development of a viable, progressive national education system. It is a given that unless school leaders pay as much attention to the processes as they do the outcomes, there will be little room for improvement. Fortunately, recognizable and battle-tested processes in the Pitsco Education and LEGO® Education arsenals have been demonstrated. The success of the Star Academy Program (dropout prevention), Pitsco Algebra, and the LEGO StoryStarter programs shine through brightly, particularly in light of the recent dip in SAT scores. These products address the Common Core State Standards. Those who teach must use real-world applications to teach students to think rather than to rely too much on technology or memorization. Those are the changes that the Common Core State Standards seek to correct. Pitsco Education and LEGO Education have proven records and build a foundation for the long-term success envisioned by educational theorists. Occasionally, funds may be in short supply for the acquisition of these teaching tools, so here are some potential funding sources:

December 2012 Grant Funding Leads (PDF)

Additional Grant Resources