STEM Classroom Activities

littleBits Making a Heartfelt Difference in STEM Classrooms

Turning on the power of our imagination with littleBits :)

Harnessing students natural curiosity to build authentic understandings.

What happens when the teaching tool is taken out of their learning cycle? Nothing good :(

Read the letter from littleBits Customer Success Director here.

You helped us get back on the road to discovery!

Why I Chose littleBits as an A+ Partner
for the Joy School STEM and GATE Programs

I have some of the world's greatest minds in my classroom. (Yes, we all do!)  And like many of my peers I enjoy taking time to research  and evaluate resources for the STEM/Gifted K12 classroom. This year I focused on incorporating resources that would help bridge the power of play while building upon students conceptual understanding of physics. To support this goal I began using our Pro Library of littleBits with intention and consistency throughout the year.

Students used the littleBit circuits in every way possible to investigate new theories and ideas connected to our physics theme. The only issue we faced as a class was the durability of certain littleBits. Each time a circuit snapped apart a teaching tool was taken out of the learning cycle. 

The price point and cool factor of littleBit circuits make it hard to just toss them out. Students would often attempt to repair  the circuit with no success. Based on the quality of the product I never really considered littleBits as a consumable activity in my classroom. I was stuck on what to think as far as incorporating them into my curriculum again next year.

By April, I became discouraged to see the number of littleBits that had ended up in our "someday box." (A box that holds things that "someday" I may just figure out how to fix, repurpose or get grant money to replace.)  The "someday box" is meant to be an opportunity for what is broken to be made new again with a purpose and value that wasn’t easily seen before. I had no idea that it would become a box to create meaningful partnerships in education. 

A few weeks ago a I filled out a survey sent to me from the makers of littleBits. To my AMAZEMENT I was contacted by the Director of Customer Success at littleBits in response to my feedback. The letter in the left column speaks volumes of the value littleBits places on their customer's experience. I could not ask for a better authentic partnership in STEM education.