Exploring Heat Transfer with a MEL Science Kit

My kids were so excited to try out another MEL Science kit. In the Heat Transfer set we completed activities that taught us about heat. Through the use of a thermochromic screen included in the science kit we were able to actually see heating and cooling. 

This was a very engaging set that kept the kids busy long after the original activities were completed. Read on to learn more about our experience this physics set from MEL Science and for an exclusive promo code!

This post contains affiliate links meaning I receive a small commission from purchases made from these links at no additional cost to you. Please see disclosures for more information.

Heat Transfer Physics Kit from MEL Science

The Heat Transfer kit from MEL Science includes everything you need to complete three physics activities. We were able to make heat visible in the "heat trace" activity, explored evaporative cooling, held a thermal race. 

Directions for each activity are in the kit, and you can also follow animated step-by-step instructions on the free MEL Science app. 

This kit is intended for ages 8 and up. As I was doing the experiments with my kids, my 8-year-old and her 5-year-old sister worked easily and safely together. Although the younger one didn't grasp as much of the science, they both found these activities engaging and fun. 

Making Heat Visible

The activities in the Heat Transfer physics kit make use of a thermochromic screen. Thermochromic means a substance that changes color as it changes temperature. 

Thermochromic pigments and liquid crystals are used in familiar items such as color-changing mood rings, forehead thermometers, or if you grew up in the late 80's and early 90's like me, those popular Hypercolor shirts! (If you are looking to share a little nostalgia with your kids, you can still get heat-sensitive color changing shirts here.)

The thermochromic screen makes an excellent tool for allowing students to see heat in action. You can see how heat transfer through conduction works if you press your hand on the screen for a few seconds. You can also see how warm your breath is if you breathe on it through a straw. This particular screen changed color in a temperature range of 75-93 degrees F. 

Evaporative Cooling

Another way heat is transferred is through evaporative cooling. This is when temperature is reduced due to moisture evaporating and removing heat from a surface. When we sweat we cool down due to evaporative cooling.

We once again experimented with the color changing screen. It was neat to see the heat dissipate as the water from a paintbrush evaporated. My daughter explored painting with water on the thermochromic screen for quite a while. 

Heat Conduction: A Thermal Race

Lastly we experimented with two different metals to see which would be a better conductor of heat. It's so cool to be able to see the temperature change! 

Heat Transfer Kit

The Heat Transfer Physics Kit from MEL Science got a big thumbs up at our household. My kids also really enjoyed building a music box while studying sound waves with a MEL Science STEM Kit. You can read our review of the Sound Waves kit here. 

MEL Science also offers subscription plans and bulk prices for schools and other groups. You can learn more about school and bulk ordering here.

If you'd like to try out MEL Science kits in your home or school, use our promo code: SHAREITSCIENCE for 50% off your first box. 

Thermochromic Fun

The thermochromic screen in our kit has really been put through its paces, but I'm sure it will be played with more before it is worn out. When the time comes, we would be excited to order this heat sensitive color-changing sheet. It's bigger too, so many possibilities!

If you are looking for another heat transfer project with thermochromic pigment, try this project about ectotherms (cold-blooded) and endotherms (warm-blooded) creatures!

STEM Learning with Makeblock's mBot Ultimate 10-in-1 Coding Robot Kit

We have been enjoying playing with our new mBot Ultimate robot from Makeblock. I was fortunate to be asked to review this product, and the kids and adults in our house have had fun building and experimenting with our first build, the "Robotic Arm Tank" robot. 

 

Makeblock creates products for STEAM education that help people turn their "ideas into reality". The mBot Ultimate 10-in-1 coding robot kit will certainly inspire teens and families who love to build and engineer to explore robotics and coding in depth. Read on to find out what we liked best about this robot building kit.

 

 

Please note: I was given this product free of charge and invited to honestly review this product and become an affiliate of Makeblock. I was not otherwise compensated to write this post. This post contains affiliate links, meaning I receive a commission from purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you. Please see disclosures for more information.

Unboxing mBot Ultimate 10-in-1 Coding Robot

The mBot Ultimate comes with a ton of pieces and components to build 10 robots with different features. It's essentially a modern erector set with metal support pieces, motors, sensors and a circuit board. 

 

 

The box consists of 2 layers of pieces. The instruction booklet has a detailed listing of parts with illustrations. After building our first robot, I would highly recommend familiarizing yourself with all the parts prior to building. Some of the hardware is very well organized and labeled, while other parts are not. If I was going to use this in a classroom, after-school team or club setting I would be sure to either label the hardware in advance or dedicate time to allow students to identify which piece is which. 

 

The instruction manual has the directions for the Robotic Arm Tank, which is what we built, the Beverage Robot, and the Camera Dolly.  You can follow a link in the manual to directions for the other builds, however if you speak and read English you will have to translate the page to English with your web browser. In order to download further instructions you must create a free account on the site. After quite a bit of digging, we found easier access to the additional builds. You can find the instructions for the additional robots here in .pdf form. 

 

You can also find additional help and resources for the Ultimate 10-in-1 Coding Robot here.  

Building the mBot Ultimate Robot

This was not a quick build, but it resulted in a sturdy robot that my kids want to keep playing around with. I would highly recommend this kit for the teen who has a vested interest in engineering and robotics. Like any building project there is some trial and error especially when building with so many small parts. Patience and the willingness to make adjustments as you go is key! The mBot Ultimate would be perfect for an older child who has experience creating with LEGO, or building with tools. However, it would also be a great project for any age with help from an adult. 

Even my preschool and elementary school aged children enjoyed tinkering around with the pieces and built their own creations as we went. 

 

There are no special tools needed to assemble the robot. The one screwdriver needed is included in the kit. 

Coding and Playing with Makeblock's mBot Ultimate Robot

Once the robot was built, it was not difficult to get it up and running. There are many options for coding the mBot Ultimate robot. Beginners can use the mBlock app for simple block coding. For more advanced coding it is compatible with Arduino or Python coding combined with Raspberry Pi. 

We used an iPad to remote control our robot with the app available from Makeblock. Here is a peek into what the app looks like as you are using it to control the robot, and while you are coding. 

https://www.makeblock.com/?ref=UJWJzPw-bQClUh&utm_medium=5544&utm_source=influencer 

And here is our robot in action, helping us tidy up! 

 

 

Makeblock mBot Ultimate 10-in-1 Robot: Summary

Overall, we really enjoyed the process of building, coding and interacting with our Makeblock mBot Ultimate robot kit. I would recommend it based on the quality of the parts, the versatility of the components and the ability to build 10 different projects with one kit. I liked that the compatibility of the robotic components with various coding apps and languages, such as Arduino, Python and components compatible with Raspberry Pi, gives basic coding options for beginners, and gives experts the opportunity to try something new. 

 

The robot kit is STEM through and through with a good combination of each STEM discipline: technology through coding, science and technology through the use of sensors, math in the measurements and sizes of components, the engineering process through building, testing, trial and error.

The kit comes at a higher price point, but for the right kid or family the mBot Ultimate would be a great investment as there is a lot of play and learning value here. There are also many other robots and products available from Makeblock in a range of prices that would meet the need of different budgets, ages and learning goals. 

Use code: SAVE10 for $10 off your first purchase!

Teachers can join Makeblock's discount program and purchase kits for their classroom. Learn more here.

Would we recommend Makeblock's mBot Ultimate 10-in-1 Robot Kit? Definitely. We are already thinking of what we might be able to do with our next mBot Ultimate build. Check out Makeblock! I think you and your favorite little (or big!) engineer will be glad that you did.

Two Thumbs Up for Generation Genius Home Science Kits!

I don't know about you, but I think it's pretty cool to get fun projects and activities in the mail. It beats junk mail and my kids certainly look forward to receiving them. We have used a few subscription boxes over the years and were very excited to be invited to review the new subscription home science kit from Generation Genius! The home kit is designed for kids aged 9 and up, and delivers three fun, safe and engaging science activities to your mailbox each month. With an option for a 3-month subscription, these are great activities to keep the kids busy over summer vacation. The children (and grown-ups!) in this house had a blast exploring the activities included in our sample, and we are sure you will too.  

Please note: I was invited to honestly review this subscription box and become an affiliate of Generation Genius. This post contains affiliate links, meaning I receive a commission from purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you. Please see disclosures for more information.

Engaging Science Activities at Home

 

Generation Genius home science kits are the most recent product from Generation Genius, who has been successfully creating standards aligned science and math lessons in partnership with NSTA. Teachers rave about the science and math videos they have been successfully using in their classrooms. So, it is exciting that there is now an opportunity for taking part in similarly engaging science activities at home.

Short on time? Here's the quick review:

If you are in a hurry, we get it! Here is the bullet point version of our review. Read on below for a more detailed review. 

 

Did we like the Generation Genius home science kit? YES!! 

 

• The projects were fun and interesting.
• Everything necessary for completing the project was included in the box, no running around the house to find anything. 
• The cost of the subscription is reasonable considering what was included. You wouldn't be able to DIY your own project for the price right now.
  
• The video directions were clear, easy to follow and well-paced.
• There are enough materials to complete each experiment more than once or have more than one person participate.  
• The chemicals for the experiments were fairly common household materials that when used properly were safe but kids still got that real science lab feel.

What is in the Home Science Kit Box?

Upon opening the box I was instantly impressed with how much was crammed into it. 2 pairs of safety goggles, three pairs of latex gloves in various sizes, a sticker, all the materials needed for three activities. I love that we didn't have to find any other supplies around the house before beginning the projects, it was all included and we could just begin. 

 

We received Science Kit 4, which included the following experiments: "The Disappearing Beaker", "The Goldenrod Paper" and "Make Branching Colors". My kids decided to try the 2 colorful experiments first, so those are what I will share here.

I thought it was great that more than one person could participate. There were enough supplies to have two people complete the project more than once. It was really nice not to worry we were going to accidentally use something up before we were through. 

 

The directions for the projects are given via video by Dr. Jeff, creator of Generation Genius. You can learn more about Dr. Jeff here.  The directions are demonstrated in a clear and understandable way and you can turn on an auto-pause feature to pause the video at each step. The pacing of the instructions was perfect, it worked out great for us. 

The Science Experiments

Here are some images from the two of the projects in our science kit. My kids gravitated immediately to the colorful experiments in the box: "The Goldenrod Paper" and "Make Branching Colors."

The Goldenrod paper experiment explored pH and using indicators to learn more about the properties of liquids. I have found that pH experiments are usually a hit as they tend to be interesting and fun as the color changes are instant and fascinating.

The first step was to see what happens when you add different liquids to a universal indicator. The kids were so excited to use the chemicals. Although these were all common household liquids, the little bottles and containers are so alluring!

After making a rainbow of different liquids with the universal indicator, they investigated how a baking soda mixture interacted with the goldenrod paper, which also works as an indicator.

It was cool to see the prints left behind after spraying hands with the baking soda mixture. They do look a little bloody, and it instantly made sense to me why people like Steve Spangler always use this as a Halloween demonstration. Will have to keep it in mind as a way to make some fun decorations next October. 

In the branching colors experiment the kids played around with what happens as food coloring spreads through liquids of different viscosities.

It was so interesting to watch the colors branch out. It reminded me of fractals and the similar branching we see inside out own bodies and elsewhere in the natural world.

It was great that there were enough supplies and the invitation in the instructional video to continue to explore and play around with the color branching. It kept my kids engaged for quite some time!

Generation Genius Home Science Kit Review

I would highly recommend the Generation Genius science kit. They are reasonably priced and you have the choice of three different subscription plans including a 3-month. 

My kids enjoyed the projects. They were interesting and included enough supplies to do the experiment more than once. Each project was open-ended to keep kids engaged for a while, it wasn't just a quick one and done. 

 

Try out Generation Genius! I think you'll be happy you did! 

Turning Screen Time into Reading Time!

In our house we read books every day. Yes, the "old-fashioned" type of books, made of paper. Although we would never give up reading this way, we were excited to give Epic! book service a try when offered a free trial.

We found all of our fiction favorites like Where the Wild Things Are and Clifford, and chapter books like The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and the Ramona Quimby books. 

Not only were there great fiction titles, we were excited to see lots of non-fiction too. There was a whole DIY section ranging from eco-crafts, to keeping chickens and gardening. There were books on building contraptions and a variety of titles from National Geographic Kids.

This post contains affiliate links, please see disclosures for more information. 


Epic! has been touted at the "Netflix of children's books".  With tens of thousands of kid's book titles available, this moniker is really accurate. The service works on any device, is free for educators, and is reasonably priced at $7.99/month for others.



I really liked that the variety of non-fiction titles allowed kids and students to do quick research on something they were interested in without me having to worry about what misinformation or inappropriate content they might stumble upon on a regular Google search of a particular subject.

Recommendations are made based on what kids have read already. I liked that kids could have control over tracking their reading progress with weekly logs, and incentives to read with badges to earn. I can see this as being really motivating for reluctant readers.

A selection of read-aloud stories, like those from Sid the Science Kid and many others are fun for those still too young to read themselves, or anyone who likes to be read to (and who doesn't?).



Although we love the feel of a good book in our hands, and no device can replace that, after using Epic! I can see a lot of merit to subscribing to this book service as an option for the most voracious and reluctant readers. It would be excellent on a long trip, or when you can't haul a big bag of picture books along with you.

The opportunities for tracking reading progress and allowing kids opportunities for non-fiction project research from actual books would be invaluable in a classroom.

If your kiddo already has screen time each day, why not make it reading time too?  We highly recommend Epic! Learn more and try it out here. 

Disclaimer: I received a free two month trial subscription of Epic! for this honest review of the service. All opinions are my own and I was not otherwise compensated for writing this review.

25 Engaging STEAM Projects for the Season: STEAM Kids Christmas

If you loved the STEAM Kids (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) book I reviewed earlier this fall, then I'm sure you're excited to find out that the latest from this team of scientists, artists, educators and moms launches today. STEAM Kids Christmas features 25 holiday themed STEAM activities. That's right, you could do one activity a day as an advent activity!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) if you make a purchase after clicking a product link. Please see disclosures page for more 
details. 

 

Just like the original STEAM Kids book, the activities here encourage kids to question like a scientist, design like a technologist, build like an engineer, create like an artist, deduce like a mathematician and play like a kid. I am impressed with how the authors have done just that...again. I was not surprised when the first book was an Amazon best seller within the first week!

Click on any image in this post for more information about the book.

25 STEAM Activities for December

It is not hard to have favorite activities from STEAM Kids Christmas. Who wouldn't love combining art, science, etc. with the most wonderful time of the year? I have fond memories of watching a candle carousel spin at my Grandparents house on Christmas Eve. I was very excited to see that a project for building a DIY one is included in the book. There are so many different aspects of this project I never thought of before, engineering, designing, the science of convection currents, etc. There are lots of opportunities for learning.



I also adore the 3-D advent calendars. You can choose from a penguin or Santa template to print out and build. Put math and engineering concepts to work to fabricate these little advent boxes, then fill them up with goodies to discover each night until Christmas.



I bet you've never thought to make tangram Christmas cookies before, or create a soft circuit ornament that lights up. I'm looking forward to trying both.

Christmas STEAM Activities

I think this book series is great, not only because of the fun activities, but also the fact that it is designed to be user friendly. It is a great resource for families, teachers, after school programs or day care. With printable STEAM challenge cards and links to 25 extension projects, there are many more than 25 Christmas activities here.

The book also includes weekly activity planners and shopping lists, making it easy to plan a week full of projects. (Great for winter break!) The index is written 2 ways, one is organized by STEAM concept: Science activities, Technology activities, etc. The other is alphabetically.




Readers who live in the VAT countries can purchase the e-book here. 

You can also purchase the book in paperback on Amazon.

Looking for even more STEAM activities? Check these out.