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EIN-O's Electromagnet Box Kit

Mindprint Rating

Tags

Science ^21st Century Skills MS/HS/College Game

Skills

Organization Verbal Reasoning Abstract Reasoning Visual Motor Speed Spatial Perception

Mindprint Expert Review

Pros

  • Many students would see this kit and be excited to try it.

Considerations

  • The instructions are difficult to understand and implement for children.
  • Once assembled, the electromagnet never works properly which can be very disappointing and frustrating for children.

Mindprint Expert Review

Ein-­O’s Box Kit – Electromagnet is designed to teach basic properties of electromagnets. According to the instructions, an eight-year-old child is expected to build an electromagnet from the parts provided. Unfortunately, even adult may find the instructions for assembly difficult to follow. Once assembled, the electromagnet falls apart easily and never worked effectively. Given the challenge of effectively engaging and sustaining most children's attention in science, this kit could easily do more harm than good by creating frustration and discouraging future experimentation.

Academic Benefits

Improves academic skills

  • Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
  • Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
  • Presents educational concepts accurately
  • Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
  • Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
  • Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
  • Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

Fun

Engaging for the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
  • Visually appealing to children in the target age range
  • Adults would enjoy playing with a child
  • For electronic games, gives positive or encouraging feedback
  • Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
  • Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

Easy to Use

Understandable for children in the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
  • Student should be able to use independently after first use
  • Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
  • Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
  • Does not require excessive set-up time after first time use
  • Can be fun as a single player game
  • Multi-player game which fosters collaboration or cooperation
  • Well-made for the cost
  • For electronic games, can play without sound
  • For electronic games, allows user to save work
  • For electronic games, voice/sounds are appealing and pronounces words properly
  • Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
  • Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
  • Overall - Easy to use

Cognitive Concerns

May not be advisable for students with the following cognitive needs

  • Abstract Reasoning
    • Directions may be confusing for students using independently
    • Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
  • Attention
    • Directions may be confusing for students using independently
    • Requires recall of text information without audio or visual reinforcement
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Fine Motor Skills
    • Requires challenging finger movements, motor precision or physical manipulation
    • Has small parts that may be difficult to manipulate (e.g. battleship pegs)
    • Assembly is difficult or product may break or fall apart easily
  • Flexible Thinking
    • Directions may be confusing for students using independently
  • Organization
    • Directions may be confusing for students using independently
    • Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Self-regulation
    • Assembly is difficult or product may break or fall apart easily
  • Spatial Perception
    • Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
  • Verbal Reasoning
    • Directions may be confusing for students using independently
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own
  • Visual Memory
    • Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
  • Visual Motor Speed
    • Requires challenging finger movements, motor precision or physical manipulation
    • Has small parts that may be difficult to manipulate (e.g. battleship pegs)
    • Assembly is difficult or product may break or fall apart easily
  • Working Memory
    • Directions may be confusing for students using independently
    • Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
    • Requires recall of text information without audio or visual reinforcement
    • Includes long written questions or text that students must be able to read on their own

Manufacturer Description

A valuable activity kit to explore the forces of electricity and magnetism. This box kit includes activities for an Electromagnet Ein-O's I Know Guide included. The kit includes compact workbench, connector springs, glow-in-the-dark thread, insulated copper wire, plain copper wire, iron rod, metal stand, paperclips, sandpaper, strong flat magnet and instruction booklet. The instruction booklet contains info-briefs on electricity, magnets and instructions for how to make an electromagnet and electric motor. Also, the instruction booklet has coated pages, so a bit more heavy duty for kids' use. Ages 7 and up.