Brain Brigade
557 Followers
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, United States
About the store
As an educator for the past 40 years and as Wisconsin’s 2003 Teacher of the Year I have languished over the lack of hands-on learning in our schools. In 2008, my daughter and I started Brain Brigade with the idea of bringing hands-on learning to every child particularly in the area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
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EASY! Create a Light Up Card | STEM, STEAM, LEDs Circuits, Maker Space Activity
This step-by-step tutorial walks you through the process of making a greeting card where the Christmas Tree actually glows along with your children's faces! Fill your classroom with these cards of joy and deLIGHT your students and their parents! This holiday greeting card is constructed using various math and science principles including measurement, metric system and parallel circuits. The project is a great introduction to working with circuits, copper tape and LEDs. Once your students grasp t
3rd - 9th
Basic Principles
Designing a Maker Space & Implementing STEAM and STEM through Hands-On Learning
Brain Brigade's Designing a Maker Space is the ULTIMATE guide to establishing your own Maker Space written by Jerry Hoefs who has already done it - TWICE!
Create a classroom environment that enhances STEAM and STEM activities through hands-on learning. People also call Maker Spaces: Maker Labs, FAB Labs, Tinker Labs, Hack Centers. This concept is spreading like wildfire across the globe!
This guide will help you get a Maker Space started in your school. Whether you have a small corner in your
PreK - 12th
Applied Math, Basic Principles
Guide to Rockets & Space Flight | Maker Space, Make Activities, STEAM promoting
Make four rockets with this STEM activity. Explore basic rocket history and Newton's Third Law of Motion. Students will also use a grid to re-size a scale drawing of the Saturn V rocket, the largest rocket America has ever launched!
This resource can be adapted for grades 3 to 8.
Included in this download are:
-Balloon Rockets
-Straw Rockets (with template)
-Film Canister Rockets (with template)
-Saturn V Scale Drawing Activity using Grid Method
-Discussion of Newton's Third Law of Motion
-Tea
3rd - 8th
Basic Principles, General Science, Science
Bernoulli's Principle | Three Air Pressure Demonstrations & Experiments STEM
Engage your students with these three simple, but impressive, demonstrations of Bernoulli's Principle using a few inexpensive materials. Your students may not be able to see air, but they will begin to understand the effect that air has on airplanes flying! Illustrate the principles of flight and air pressure using these experiments. You will also demonstrate the movement of liquids and gasses over different surfaces.
The three demonstrations have full color photos, detailed instructions and ta
2nd - 8th
Basic Principles, Physics, Science
EASY Rudolph's Glowing Nose Holiday Christmas Card | LEDs Circuits Maker Space
Beginner Level 1 Circuit - Easy, Impressive, we provide links for all the items you need (cheap & they ship very quickly!). Fill your classroom with these cards of joy! DeLIGHT your children and their parents! Light up your classroom (and your children’s faces) with this radiant Rudolph holiday card! This step-by-step tutorial walks you through the process of making a greeting card where Rudolph's nose actually glows red! This greeting card is constructed using various math and science princip
3rd - 9th
Basic Principles
Ultimate Air Pressure Bundle - 5 downloads +FREE product! | Science Demos & FUN!
The Ultimate Air Pressure Bundle combines all of our air pressure downloads. We include Air Pressure I, II, III, IV, Bernoulli's Principle and a FREE download of Balsa Wood Airplanes. These classroom demonstrations help your students grasp air pressure and how it impacts us through practical, hands-on learning. Experiment with air pressure with these demos {which are sometimes hilarious - see Air Pressure II and III}. Try Bernoulli's Principle on an airplane you build. Buy this air pressure bund
4th - 8th
Basic Principles, General Science, Science
Variables, Rockets & Scientific Method | Make and Launch Rockets using STEM
This hands-on activity will give your students a great idea of the principles of Scientific Method, independent, dependent, and controlled variables. Use this activity to help students understand Scientific Method before a science fair or as a supplement to a classroom unit in rocketry. Students will build and launch paper rockets in a low cost and easy method. After launching, students will measure, record and graph data.
Included in this download:
*Six printable paper rocket patterns
*Step-by
3rd - 9th
Basic Principles, Measurement, Physical Science
7 Carbon Dioxide Science Experiments | STEM, Chemistry
Get your students excited with these hands-on science experiments about Carbon Dioxide. Your students will learn chemistry techniques and practical uses of CO2. Explore the Carbon Dioxide Cycle.
Included in this download:
-The Carbon Dioxide Story
-The Cycle Game
Experiments:
---Making CO2
---Catching CO2
---Capturing CO2 in Test Tubes
---Blast Off with CO2
---Carbon Dioxide in Food
---Carbon Dioxide in Fire Suppression
---Jug of CO2
3rd - 7th
Basic Principles, General Science, Science
Easy! Electrify Your Valentine! Make your own LED Pop Up Card|STEAM Maker Space
Electrify Your Valentine by making an inexpensive LED light up and pop-up Valentine's Day Card! We love this project and think you and your students will too! Light up your classroom (and your children’s faces) with this radiant lighted card! Intermediate - Level 2 Circuit - This level will challenge your students on circuit turns, but is still relatively simple and very impressive. **You CAN do this even if you have never done circuits and LEDs before, it's just slightly more complicated than
4th - 10th
Basic Principles
Air Pressure I: Can Crusher a Science Experiment on Air Pressure
Explore evaporation, condensation, air pressure, and vacuums. This download will walk you step-by-step through one simple and impressive air pressure experiment for your science classroom. All you need are a few inexpensive supplies. Your students will beg you to do this over and over!
Included in this download:
-Materials list
-Key words list
-Step-by-step instructions with color photographs
-Explanation page
We have an Air Pressure bundle that includes this download {Can Crusher}.
Buy FIVE
2nd - 8th
Basic Principles, General Science, Science
Air Pressure II: Air Pressure Prank (a Science Experiment!)
Explore atmospheric pressure and vacuums with this hilarious science prank. Air Pressure II is the second in a series of simple, cheap, and impressive (and ) air pressure experiments for your classroom. This download will walk you step-by-step through one simple and impressive experiment for your classroom.
All you need are a few inexpensive supplies and the included "Do Not Open" signage. Put your class clown in the hot seat while he or she demonstrates this simple air pressure principle. You
2nd - 8th
Basic Principles, General Science, Science
Air Pressure III | Fun STEM Activity, Science Experiment
Air Pressure III is an inexpensive and easy way to demonstrate air pressure in your classroom. By pressurizing a container, it will force liquid out. Your kids will be rolling on the floor with laughter and begging you to do this over and over!
Included in this lesson:
-Materials list
-Talking points
-Step-by-step instructions with color photographs
Help your students discover air pressure in a whole new way!
We have an Air Pressure bundle that includes this download {Air Pressure ANTICS}.
2nd - 8th
Basic Principles, General Science, Science
St. Patrick's Day Light Up Greeting Card | STEAM, STEM, Maker Space, Science
Engage your students with an amusing and fun activity for St. Patrick's Day while they learn about rainbows and circuits. This easy and inexpensive project will leave your kids smiling and your colleagues "green" with envy! Beginner - Level 1 Circuit - This level will excite your students with a simple and very impressive circuit. We we provide links for all the items you need - they’re cheap & ship quickly! This greeting card explores parallel circuits and is a great introduction to working w
3rd - 8th
Basic Principles, Science
Air Pressure IV: The BIG Can Crush | Demonstration of Area, Volume & PSI
My former administrator has a saying that I try to implement as often as I can. “Think Big. Now, Think Bigger”. With that in mind, I have tweaked this impressive, old experiment and implemented connections to math for use in your science/math classroom. You will explore area, volume, air pressure, and surface area in this air pressure demonstration.
If you have tried the can crusher (Air Pressure I), this is a take-off on that experiment, but it ratchets it up a bit.
We include a step-by-step
3rd - 8th
Basic Principles, Geometry, Science
Showing 1-14 of 14 results
About the store
Experience
As an educator for the past 40 years and as Wisconsin’s 2003 Teacher of the Year I have languished over the lack of hands-on learning in our schools. In 2008, my daughter and I started Brain Brigade with the idea of bringing hands-on learning to every child particularly in the area of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).
Teaching style
I believe that we need to get children and teachers out of their comfort zones by providing novel learning activities that challenge them and are applicable to real life. As teachers we need to awaken a child’s curiosity by providing dynamic learning experiences. There is nothing more fulfilling than seeing the eyes of a child sparkle after launching a rocket. This is what all learning should be about; children, who having a spark ignite a fire within, seek to discover more on their own.
Awards & shining teacher moments
2003 Wisconsin Teacher of the Year
2002 Herb Kohl Fellowship Recipient
2001 Teacher of the Year, Neosho School, Neosho, WI
1993 Taught a graduate course, Lego® Logo, University of Wisconsin, Madison
1990 Developed and taught a graduate course, Integrating Environmental
Education into the Curriculum, Aurora University
1988 Safari Club International Award Awarded tuition grant for outdoor education seminar,
Jackson Hole, WY
1980 Developed and coordinated Outdoor Education Program-Neosho Middle School, Neosho, WI
My own education history
Master of Education - National College of Education Evanston, IL
B.A. Elementary Education – 1973 Concordia Teacher’s College Seward, NE
A.A. - Concordia College Milwaukee, WI
Additional biographical information
As a newly retired teacher I have been cataloging my classroom resources designed to bring hands-on learning to every student and sharing them here with you. I also lead after school programs, tutoring and summer camps. We blog at BrainBrigade.org.
I spend my spare time with my wonderful wife, four daughters, three sons-in-law, five grandchildren, and even more grand-dogs. I love gardening and traveling. My wife and I are always up for an adventure! Whether walking 70 miles in a weekend or piling our grandkids into our car and taking them for a road trip – we are up for the challenge!
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