AnnMarie Thomas: Hands-on science with squishy circuits
(338,623 Views)
In a zippy demo at TED U, AnnMarie Thomas shows how two different
kinds of homemade play dough can be used to demonstrate electrical properties -- by lighting up LEDs, spinning motors,
and turning little kids into circuit designers. http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/apthomas/
Ayah Bdeir: Building blocks
that blink, beep and teach (394,840 views)
Imagine
a set of electronics as easy to play with as Legos. TED Fellow Ayah Bdeir introduces littleBits, a set of simple,
interchangeable blocks that make programming as simple and important a part of creativity as snapping blocks together.
http://market.littlebits.cc/
Pranav Mistry: The Thrilling Potential of SixthSense
Technology (12,727,433
Views)
Pranav Mistry, a PhD student in the Fluid Interfaces Group at MIT's
Media Lab, is the inventor of SixthSense, a wearable device that enables new interactions between the real world and the world
of data. This talk includes a deep look at his SixthSense device and a new, paradigm-shifting paper "laptop".
In an onstage Q&A, Mistry says he'll open-source the software behind SixthSense, to open its possibilities to all.
You can learn more at Pranavmistry.com/projects/sixthsense, And as promised, you can get theopen-source code here.
Minecraft is a game about breaking and placing blocks. At first, people built structures to protect
against nocturnal monsters, but as the game grew, players worked together to create wonderful, imaginative things.
It can also be about adventuring with friends or watching the sun rise over a blocky ocean. It’s
pretty. Brave players battle terrible things in The Nether, which is more scary than pretty. You can also visit a land of mushrooms if
it sounds more like your cup of tea.
Poptropica®
is a virtual world in which kids explore and play in complete safety. Every month, millions of kids from around
the world are entertained and informed by Poptropica's engaging quests, stories, and games.
Kids
create a "Poptropican" character to travel the many Islands of Poptropica and use gaming literacy to
enjoy a narrative that is often rooted in factual history. Problem-solving skills are honed as kids discover and
solve mysteries unique to each Island.
There are always new areas to explore in this ever-expanding
world where kids can collect objects, read digital books and comics, watch movies, and compete in head-to-head
competition. Parents can always trust that their children are playing-and learning-in a safe, online environment.
Multiplication.com Techniques, tips,
and secrets used by master teachers. Used by over 20,000 teachers, their system for teaching the times tables includes
pictures for the visual learner, stories for the auditory learner, and activities for the kinesthetic
learner. Multiplication.com offers lessons, activities, books, flash cards, games and more. They
currently add one new game per month. Each game is free and designed to help students learn the times tables.
Since 1997, kids, teachers, librarians, and parents have enthusiastically
turned to Funbrain for its free educational games, online books, and comics. Funbrain, created for kids age preschool
through grade 8, offers more than 100 fun, interactive games that develop skills in math, reading, and literacy. Plus, kids
can read a variety of popular books and comics on the site, including Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Amelia Writes Again,
and Brewster Rocket.
Parents can
trust Funbrain to deliver a fun and safe experience for even the youngest children. The Playground helps parents introduce their preschoolers to the Internet and teaches them how to manipulate the mouse
and keyboard. Selected by FamilyFun magazine in its September 2010 issue as one of the top ten websites for kids, Funbrain is committed to providing a safe gaming environment that bridges learning and entertainment.
Minecraft is a game about breaking and placing blocks. At first, people built structures to protect
against nocturnal monsters, but as the game grew, players worked together to create wonderful, imaginative things. 
players battle terrible things in The Nether, which is more scary than pretty. You can also visit a land of mushrooms if
it sounds more like your cup of tea. 
