Curiosity Machine- A Great Website to Boost Students Creativity

September , 2015
Curiosity Machine is an interesting website that connects scientists and engineers with children inspiring them to be creative inventors. The site provides a wide variety of open-ended engineering design projects that are appropriate for K-12 learners. These challenges are hands-on projects inspired by the cutting-edge work of scientists and engineers. In each challenge, children are presented with a complex problem to solve, and they progress with support from a trained mentor who guides and encourages them to persist through failure and bring their ideas to reality.

Most design challenges will take about 90 minutes to plan, build, test, and submit to the site for mentor feedback. A mentor will respond within 3-5 days, and then you can start the redesign process! The redesign process can go on for as long as you can make improvements to the design--and the same mentor will be ready to offer feedback on every change you make.Mentors are professional scientists and engineers from all over the world who are dedicated to inspiring the next generation of inventors.

Anyone can create a Curiosity Machine account and access its videos and engineering design challenges for free. For schools and other groups interested in support and training, the site offers a paid membership. Watch the video below to learn more about Curiosity Machine

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Teacher-tested Tools for Nourishing Creative Minds

June 12, 2015
When a student is fully engaged with an instructional activity, learning can be fun and invisible. Here are some teacher-tested tools that have nourished minds and made faces smile.

Drawp for School 

Create and collaborate on interactive assignments for any subject. Includes design tools, teacher workflow and unlimited cloud storage. Download for iPad, Android, or Chromebook.

Math Fight 

 Have two students play against each other in sets of simple math games.

Snapsolve 

Students can take a photo of their homework and send it to an online tutor for instant help.

Pallet 

 Play a flattened version of a 2×2 puzzle cube by swiping to move and rotate colored dots around.

HaikuJAM 

Collaboratively create poetry and photo stories with friends and strangers around the world.


Want more? Check out these shelves of tools .

Math is FUN! 

This is  curated by 4th grade teacher Abby Leppien.

Fun Educational iPad and iPod Apps for Kids 

This one is curated by middle school teacher Cary Fields.

By Mike Lee co-founder of Edshelf.

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3 TED Talks to Unleash Your Creativity

January 4, 2015
Looking for some inspirational  ideas to unleash your creativity and kickstart the new year? The TED talks below are definitely a must watch. The start of a new year is traditionally the time that most people set out goals and resolutions and create to-do lists. These talks will help you come up with creative ideas to include  in your resolutions list and most importantly, will "offer the kick-in-the-pants you need to unleash your creative spirit.

1- Your Elusive Creative Genius by Elizabeth Gilbert

Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius. It's a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.

2- How to build your creative confidence by David Kelly

Is your school or workplace divided into "creatives" versus practical people? Yet surely, David Kelley suggests, creativity is not the domain of only a chosen few. Telling stories from his legendary design career and his own life, he offers ways to build the confidence to create... (From The Design Studio session at TED2012, guest-curated by Chee Pearlman and David Rockwell.)

3- Try Something New for 30 Days by Mutt Cutts

Is there something you've always meant to do, wanted to do, but just ... haven't? Matt Cutts suggests: Try it for 30 days. This short, lighthearted talk offers a neat way to think about setting and achieving goals.

Source: TED Blog

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