Challenging Students with Squishy Circuits
Children often learn better when they’re having fun. That’s why we created Squishy Circuits — to teach science, technology, and engineering through play. We recently put out the call to educators and asked them about developing projects and challenging students with Squishy Circuits. Keep reading to find out what some students in Washington state created — and learned.
Presenting the Project to Students
Librarian Cheri Escobar spends her days with preschool through sixth-grade children. Recently, she and her students created STEM projects related to stories they were reading in the school’s library.
“We read a book that took place in a world with perfect pets,” she wrote.
Cheri went on to explain that in the story, the animals deemed failed experiments were kept in a secret lab, from which they decided to escape. The challenge she presented to her students was to use Squishy Circuits and create something to help the “failed experiments” escape faster.
Taking Creative Concepts a Step Further
Cheri’s elementary students accepted this challenge head on. Throughout the process, she noted that students were engaged and excited to learn. They did a lot of research, she said, to get a better idea of the project and the goal and how to use one to attain the other.
These young inventors and experimenters “loved learning how to use the Squishy Circuits and quickly became fluent in the process of connecting circuits,” Cheri wrote.
And that’s the great thing about Squishy Circuits. Once you understand the concept of circuitry, your creations are unlimited and can take you anywhere.
Using KWL Charts
To better help students learn to how to use Squishy Circuits, Cheri told us she used KWL charts. These tools outline what students Know about a specific topic, what they Want to know about it, and what they’ve Learned.
KWL charts provide a link between instruction and objective while identifying what students want and need. This strategy helps organize the learning process and allows students to track their progress. Cheri noted that using KWL charts provided students with a means to better understand how and what they were learning.
This group also used graphic organizers “so students could plan their ideas with the challenges,” Cheri wrote. Her youngsters took time to explore and experiment to become confident in their abilities and inventions, she said.
We’re Dedicated to Teaching
Challenging students with Squishy Circuits is an idea we encourage other educators – and parents – to try, too. Our colorful play dough allows young minds to create any kind of object, to which lights, buzzers, and other accessories can be added. Students learn about science and circuitry while having fun.
A child’s imagination knows no bounds, and Squishy Circuits wants to come along for the ride – to see what students can invent with our products. If you’re an educator who presents a project challenge to your students, tell us about it. And visit our website to learn more about our Squishy Circuits products and projects.
