Tag: EEME

DIY Display Project from EEME: Review

Grace-Filled Writer

Time for another review of the EEME monthly projects! These are becoming quite popular in our home, especially with Beth who is my little mathematician. 
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This project uses the base project from the first month of lessons and all the extra pieces needed to complete this. Beth was excited that this would display numbers. I have to say all the wires feel intimidating to me at first, but my girls don’t feel that way at all and I’m glad for that. The video step-by-step instructions are very easy to follow. 

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Beth prefers using the the iPad for the instructional videos over the computer. I agree that the touch screen makes it more user friendly for my kids to run the videos on their own without having to navigate the mouse. This means when she needs to pause the video or back it up a little she can do so much more quickly. 
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Beth’s favorite way to to put these projects together is to watch the video all the way through, then go back and watch it again as she puts it together. While she doesn’t always do this, she is a whole-picture kind of kid and this way seems to go more smoothly for her. In contrast, her older sister, Rose, likes to do a single part at a time and work through the video by pausing a lot. It’s interesting to see how each of the girls attacks problem solving differently. 
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My wireless keyboard comes in handy for answering the questions which pop up after the sections. I love this part of the project because it helps the kids process what they are doing and help see how they are not just building, but also understanding. 
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These lessons are an incredible addition to our homeschool. This is an interactive experience like no other which I don’t think would be available to my kids in a typical traditional school. If you have a child who loves to take things apart and put them together, this would make a wonderful gift for them!

EEME Electronic Kits for Kids: A Review

Grace-Filled Writer
My daughters enjoy trying all sorts of new things.  Beth, my middle daughter, is especially interested in how things work. I gave her a box of old electronics and a couple of screwdrivers earlier this year. She was over the moon taking everything apart and seeing what the insides of everything looked like. I realized I needed to begin to look for different ways to encourage this new interest. 

We were all excited to learn more about electronics with EEME and this opportunity came at just the right time for Beth. This service is a monthly subscription which provides a new project each month for students to create and inspire them to do more.
The basic project we experienced was the Genius Light. Everything was included in this basic kit which we needed to create a working LED light. All of the instructions are online and easy to access and clearly explained. This was really important to us because I have no experience with circuitry. 

The video is taken from the same view as the project builder has which is very helpful. Beth did have trouble sometimes reversing the direction, but we would just back up a bit and she would work through it. She is 8, so on the younger end of the projects suggested range (7-12). She did great, but I think this contributed to some of the trouble with reversal. 
The project is small, so it was helpful to be able to pause the video whenever we wanted. However, even though the project is small, the wires are easy to insert. 
Rose took over about half-way through the project. They took turns working on this project. Rose is 10, so right in the center of the age range for the projects. She very easily followed the instructions although I had to help her keep things a little neater. Rose’s only difficulty was wanting to get ahead of the directions! 
So this was what Grace did during the project! The sweet little thing wanted to be right in the middle of things, but she is only 5 and really isn’t quite ready. She did also help out by finding some of the different parts for her sisters. She did pick up on quite a few things as well which was fun to see. Pretty soon she will be building a circuit all on her own!
This nice big picture shows what the girls created! The LED light is shining here. They also worked at creating a dimming version and learned how motion sensor lights work. 
Sometimes homeschooling can be tedious. Other times I sit back, completely blown away by the opportunities we have for learning. Working with this EEME project was definitely one those WOW moments for me. Seeing my girls learn about circuitry in an hands-on and meaningful way was so much fun. The best part as a parent was just that. It was an opportunity for me to merely observe learning. I’m right in the trenches with them every day and sometimes I don’t get to just appreciate all which is happening in our schoolroom. Moments like these give me moment to really relish in what a blessing this educational journey really is for our family. 
Disclaimer: I received this project in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. These opinions are my own.