Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Jewelry for teens activity at Anythink Library


Looking for great gifts for the Holidays or just want to try how to make a jewelry? Join IDEA it Lab, at Anythink Library Perl Mack, Dec 3, 2016.

We'll be exploring metal stamping, caged or wrapped jewelry.

To register, please go to Anythingk Library website https://www.anythinklibraries.org/events/art-kids-and-teens-making-jewelry-idea-it-lab

Sunday, October 2, 2016

C3DO, One of The Imaginarium Design Contest Winner 2016



C3DO ( Connected 3D Object) won Imaginarium Design Challenge 2016. C3DO created digital hands-on tools, connected using blue tooth to computer, so students can do experiments and see the result in a computer. Currently, C3DO is focusing on science. If you are a teacher, who would like to have a pilot in your classroom, please contact us, info(at0ideaitlab (dot) com

Sunday, September 25, 2016

Best coffee comes in small packages...



Coffee... it has becomes a commodity where everyone can make it. We found a special coffee that it's worth backing. Opal Coffee is running an Indiegogo campaign at https://igg.me/at/opalcoffeeco
Other that it's taste great, you can feel good for supporting a women owned small business. If you are on the fence, this is the only chance to try it. Don't delay or forever hold your peace...:). Please support it now...

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Paper geodesic dome activity, an idea for teachers or summer enrichment activity.

Inspired by our last posting on plastic straw geodesic dome, we decided to build a kid size geodesic dome from paper.
In my experience, it's very helpful to build straw model. I keep revering back to the model when building the kids size one. This is a great exercise for kids to learn to make a model before making a real size.
Here what we did.

Tools: Masking tape, paper punch, brads, measuring tape, markers, scissors and really strong hands.
Materials: 130 pieces of really large paper.

1. Roll them to a thin pipes, tape them tight. Make a total of 65 pipes.
2. Measure 35 paper pipes to 71 cm, and 30 paper pipes 63 cm.
3. Cut them to size and group the according to the size. We will call them long and short.
4. Lay down 10 long pipes.


5. Get two long pipes and two short pipes and put them on each connections. Form triangles as pictured and connect the "base" of the triangle using brads and paper punch.
6. Get three short pipes and connect those to the short triangle. I see an imaginary "pentagon" forming. Please see picture.


7. OK.. now it gets a bit challenging. Get 4 longs and 1 shorts and connect those to the top of the top of the "pentagon".  You can refer to the second picture of this blog to help visualize. http://bigibdesigns.blogspot.com/2014/12/winter-break-activity-build-geodesic.html
8. As you connecting the pentagon and the hexabon, the dome will start to form. I use brass brad to connect because it will allow the pipe to rotate. Prop them up with chairs or get more kids to help.
 
9. Connect the top 5 short pipes together. After about total 3 hours ( excluding the paper rolling), we have a pretty sturdy dome that is great for kids or adults (kids at heart) to play.

Teachers, if you have a limited time to work, I'd recommend making a straw model. Then if you have time, then probably it's fun to make a kids size dome.
Reflections:
1. You can relate this with grit.
2. You can relate this with math. ( ratio, geometry, measuring)
3. You can relate this with the strongest shape in geometry ( triangle)
4. You can relate this with creativity, try to think outside the box. You can tell a story that you stranded in an island, can can only find short sticks and you need to make a shelter.
5. For moms, I think this is a fun activity together... Would you agree?



Saturday, April 23, 2016

Tekdry saved my day...

I don't usually do this, but this is so magnificent and I need to share it... My daughter, a 9th grader, was going to PRA Sound of Music play today. I wasn't home so she was getting ready to put her stage make up on by herself. She is a novice and she ended up messing her eye make up. She was looking for an eye make up remover, opened the lid and accidentally knocked it over. The eye make up remover was all over her phone, all the way in the phone. She wiped her phone dry but when she swiped the phone to answer a call, it didn't work. She called my cell from our home phone, panic... I am at the other end thinking that "Oh no, I am going to spend some $$ to buy a new phone..." I can swear the higher power is watching over me. Mirela, our neighbor, Tekdry owner, was planning on taking her to PRA. And when my daughter told her that she couldn't answer her call because the phone didn't work, she said she is going to try to help. Later today, I got a text from my daughter's phone. " Hello Conny, her touch screen is working again..:)" It's from Mirela...! She saved my daughter's phone...! She saved the $$ that I think I need to spend to get a new phone... When I picked up my daughter from her play later today, she was really worry. As I handed her phone, she looked at it... not sure what to do...touch screen... and it works..... She had a relieve face and said " Thank you, Mrs. Cookson..." I really truly want to thank Mirela and Adam Cookson for his ingenious tool to "revive" dead cell phones from drowning... I highly recommend their service to save your phone from water. Mirela and Adam, from the bottom of my heart... thank you so much...