A few weeks back, we took a look at the E-Blox pARTS kits in the Eduporium Experiment and this week we have the E-Blox Circuit Builders kits on the schedule. Circuitry kits like this one are a great way to introduce elementary students to one of the most important STEAM concepts. And, this one in particular is especially versatile because it combines so many specific STEM disciplines in one dynamic tool.
As you learned if you read the previous feature of E-Blox on the Eduporium Experiment, E-Blox are electronic LEGO’s that teach kids how electricity can flow through its conductive parts and even how to avoid creating short circuits. With the Circuit Builders kits, there are also more parts to use and the same variety in the other kits that have been created. For example, there are three different versions with 59, 115, and 120 projects. As the projects progress, so to do the number of parts in the kits with the 120 kit topping out at 46 parts.
I got to work with a few goals in my mind and it didn’t take too long for me to confirm some of the things I was thinking. One of those was that the Circuit Builders kit combines so many relevant STEM disciplines in one. Kids will learn about engineering, DIY construction, conductivity, circuitry, and hands-on learning. There are probably even some more we could group in there if we had the time to do so. Even just in messing around and building some quick structures, I could see how this kit would be very useful in creating some early elementary STEM learning.
Since this kit is geared towards circuitry, the projects that come with it are designed to highlight some key concepts related to circuitry. These include voltage and currents among others and students could even construct a functioning FM radio. One of the other things I found to be very useful is that the components in this kit are compatible with those in the other E-Blox kits, including the pARTS kits. And, if you know anything about the minds at Eduporium, it’s that we love versatility and the ability to combine technologies in different ways.
The LEGO-like pieces in this kit actually look exactly like LEGO’s except for the fact that they are more transparent. All you need is three AA batteries and kids in third grade and up can bolster their hands-on skills. E-Blox is extremely similar to Snap Circuits - and that’s no accident either. They were actually created by the same family, so if you’re not sold yet, hopefully that will tip the scales a bit more.
If you want to combine a whole lot of STEM areas into one creative and beneficial learning experience, the Circuit Builders kits are an affordable way to introduce more innovation in the classroom this school year. Kids will learn all about electricity, what each of the parts can do, how to avoid making short circuits, and a whole bunch of projects from a magnetic lamp to a switch-controlled fan!
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