Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
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Play Together Learn Together: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math David Moursund Play Together, Learn Together: Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math Play Together, Learn Together: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math David Moursund "Mankind owes to the child the best it has to give." (United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child, 1959.) Origami. See Chapter 3. Second Edition (11/4/2011). The first edition was titled Expanding the Science and Technology Learning Experiences of Children and is archived at http://i-a- e.org/downloads/doc_download/207-expanding-the-science-and-technology-learning- experiences-of-children.html. Robert Albrecht. Editor and Content Consultant for the second edition. Available as a Free Download. The most recent version of this book is maintained by Information Age Education as a free PDF download at http://i-a- e.org/downloads/doc_download/212-play-together-learn-together-stem.html and as a free Microsoft Word download at http://i-a-e.org/downloads/doc_download/213-play-together-learn- together-stem.html. The book is free, but contributions are welcome. See http://iae- pedia.org/David_Moursund_Legacy_Fund. Copyright © 2011 David Moursund Page 1 Play Together, Learn Together: Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math About the Author David Moursund "In a completely rational society, the best of us would be teachers and the rest of us would have to settle for something less, because passing civilization along from one generation to the next ought to be the highest honor and the highest responsibility anyone could have." (Lee Iacocca, American industrialist; 1924-.) • Doctorate in mathematics, University of Wisconsin-Madison. • Assistant Professor and then Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics and Computing Center (School of Engineering), Michigan State University. • Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics and Computing Center, University of Oregon. • Associate and then Full Professor, Department of Computer Science, University of Oregon. Served six years as the first Head of the Computer Science Department. • Full Professor in the College of Education at the University of Oregon for more than 20 years. • Started the publication that eventually became Learning and Leading with Technology, the flagship periodical of the International Society for Technology in Education. • Founded the International Society for Technology in Education. Headed this organization for 19 years. • Author or co-author of more than 40 commercially-published books and several hundred articles. • Major professor or co-major professor for 82 Ph.D. students. See http://www.genealogy.ams.org/id.php?id=8415. • For more information about David Moursund, see http://iae-pedia.org/David_Moursund. Page 2 Play Together, Learn Together: Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math Table of Contents “Children are the message we send to the future.” (Abraham Lincoln; sixteenth US President; 1809–1865.) “Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future” (John Fitzgerald Kennedy; 35th US President; 1917-1963.) 1 Preface and Introduction .....................................................................................6 2. Important Educational Background Information ............................................12 Informal and Formal Education ..........................................................................12 Some Key Ideas in Education .............................................................................13 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math ....................................................16 Cognitive Development (Mental Maturity) ........................................................19 Final Remarks .....................................................................................................20 3. Arts, Crafts & Constructions..............................................................................21 Origami ...............................................................................................................22 Paper Airplanes ...................................................................................................24 Paper Snowflakes................................................................................................25 Bridge Building...................................................................................................25 Building and Flying Kites ...................................................................................27 Construction Projects ..........................................................................................28 Lego ....................................................................................................................28 Final Remarks .....................................................................................................29 4. Educational Puzzles .............................................................................................30 Free Puzzles Usually Come with a Price ............................................................30 Brainteaser—Think Outside the Box—Puzzles..................................................31 Toothpick (Matchstick) Puzzles..........................................................................34 More Logic Puzzles ............................................................................................34 Jigsaw Puzzles.....................................................................................................35 Sudoku Puzzles ...................................................................................................37 KenKen Puzzles ..................................................................................................39 Additional Types of Puzzles ...............................................................................42 Science-based Magic...........................................................................................44 Final Remarks .....................................................................................................45 5. Educational Games ..............................................................................................46 Play is a Child’s Job............................................................................................47 Competitive Games.............................................................................................48 Computer-based Games ......................................................................................49 Page 3 Play Together, Learn Together: Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math The Game of Tic-Tac-Toe ..................................................................................50 A Philosophy of Learning ...................................................................................52 Some Games Related to TTT..............................................................................53 Some Free Educational Games ...........................................................................54 Math Games ........................................................................................................56 Tetris ...................................................................................................................57 Card Games.........................................................................................................58 Final Remarks .....................................................................................................60 6. Virtual Aids to Learning and Teaching.............................................................62 The Web is a Virtual Library ..............................................................................62 Virtual Manipulatives .........................................................................................64 Virtual Field Trips...............................................................................................66 Virtual Calculators ..............................................................................................69 Virtual Microscope .............................................................................................69 Virtual Manipulatives and Science Activities.....................................................70 Final Remarks .....................................................................................................71 7. Digital Photography, Videography, and Graphics ...........................................72 Virtual Digital Photography................................................................................72 Brief History .......................................................................................................74 Learning to Use the Digital Photography Tools .................................................76 Creating Computer Graphics ..............................................................................77 Final Remarks .....................................................................................................78 8. Educational Videos ..............................................................................................80 Free Educational Videos .....................................................................................80 STEM Videos......................................................................................................80 Technology, Entertainment, Design Videos .......................................................82 Miscellaneous Topics..........................................................................................84