What is a STEMist? STEM•ist n. Expert in applying science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Explorer, creator, inventor…STEMist!
Groovy Lab in a Box fosters imaginative innovation and encourages problem-solving through project-based learning. Each month’s box has a theme, such as What Goes Up, Blowing in the Wind, Greenhouses, and Fly With Me.
The Groovy Lab in a Box Notebook
Your homeschoolers will be delighted when they open their Groovy Lab in a Box to find all the supplies necessary to complete the investigations and engineering design challenge outlined in a retro-style custom, subject-specific lab notebook. The custom Lab Notebook is where your STEMists will find easy-to-follow directions for each investigation, take notes, draw each project's design plans and record their findings. "The lab notebook was set up to make it easy to record what we thought would happen, our actual results and what we thought of them. My oldest loves building and doing experiments, but usually hates the writing/data portion. The question prompts and simple charts to record info made it more fun," said Cheryl, the creator of Sew Can Do, and a self-taught crafter, designer and homeschooling mom of 3. Cheryl recently tried our “Here Comes The Sun” solar energy-themed box. "It gave us everything we needed for 4 experiments AND a bonus item (solar paper) to use as we wished. I sometimes found projects like this kind of confusing back when I was a kid, but the lab notebook gave really clear, step-by-step instructions," says Cheryl. "It was also nice to see the notebook reminding kids that failed results aren't something negative, but rather an opportunity to learn more and redesign an even better solution."
The Engineering Design Process for Project-Based Learning
Groovy Lab in a Box presents an engineering design challenge that takes great effort and requires STEMists to first identify the problem through investigative questioning, deduction and reasoning. Unlike the investigations, the Lab Notebook does not have instructions on how to complete the Engineering Design Challenge, making it the most challenging to perform. It’s true project-based learning where your homeschoolers will have to:
- Ask a question
- Investigate to solve the problem
- Brainstorm a possible solution
- Plan and then build their solution
- Experiment and run tests to see if the solution works
- Redesign to improve the original solution (because almost no one designs it perfectly the first time!)
Even more benefits for homeschoolers
STEMists also have special access to our online learning portal, "Beyond...in a Box". Interactive activities, videos and other information are available on the portal to help homeschoolers learn about that month's topic in addition to providing help to complete the engineering design challenge. Cheryl says, "What I thought was most fantastic was that one box could be used just as easily with a single child or as a team - we tried it both ways. Having several kids, at different levels, is sometimes a challenge for us in homeschooling, but Groovy Lab in a Box made it a lot easier." So, whether you are homeschooling one child or ten, Groovy Lab in a Box has you covered with our monthly subscription or our single box orders. Visit Groovy Lab in a Box today to bring unique STEM-related, project-based learning to your homeschoolers.