No. 75 — LEGO Dots ⫶ Parallel lives ⫶ Reproduction
Indistinguishable From Magic
My name is Linda. I write a bi-weekly newsletter about computer science, childhood, and culture.
One final story from my trip to Winchester. I’ve been captivated by the idea of using LEGOs for printmaking after encountering Roy Scholten’s work. There is something so delightful about repurposing an everyday item for an art project. Plus the shapes made me think of semiconductors, another area I’ve wanted to discuss with children.
We began by reading Hello Ruby: Journey Inside the Computer and discussing the varioud components within a computer. The first graders then designed their microchip models using LEGO Dots and created prints with them. Afterwards, we explored potential use cases for these microchips and spent a little while wondering the world of nanometers. (And maybe the microchip designs will serve as charming bookmarks afterwards!)
LEGO Dots were prefect for this project because they come with a base board and numerous small, flat shapes to attach, though other types of bricks would likely work as well. We used plain index cards and stamp pads for printing. I particularly loved the gold and silver colors; include those if possible.
While our activity was probably closer to block printing, it was exhilarating to see how quickly the children began experimenting with blending and overlapping colors, and varying the techniques of applying ink. Here are two great tutorials to watch with the kids: Printing with LEGO and Using LEGO Bricks as Printing Plates
Reserve some time for cleaning and disassembling the LEGO boards. A follow-up activity in class-room could be Software or Hardware.
My first foray into the world of microchips was Indistinguishable From Magic: Manufacturing Modern Computer Chips. Despite being a grainy, ten-year-old video, it remains one of the most charming and information-rich introductions to a field that is currently the center of attention. The numerous innovations in chemistry, materials science, photography, and lithography required for microchip production can all be explored hands-on while building and printing with LEGO.
Linked List
In computer science, a linked list is a linear collection of data elements whose order is not given by their physical placement in memory. But here it is a selection of things I’ve been reading lately.
Parallel Lives is a neat little tool that showcases the age of famous people every year in history. I love tools that help us see larger arcs in history—realizing who brushed shoulders with whom can have a lasting impact on our understanding of the world. Pair with World History Timeline and Polish system.
Error handling in baby toys. Now, where is my screwdriver?
Reproduction by Louisa Hall is a book I often recommend and for a reason. The book blends the story of Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, with miscarriage, IVF, pregnancy, and all the hazards and rewards involved in creating a new life. Her other book, Speak, on AI, also looks fascinatingly genre-defying.
Classroom
I’m hoping to surface and share stories from all of you and I’d love to see your creations! Here are a few teachers using Ruby in creative, fun and inspiring ways.
Nice little video of the paper computer activity. This activity turns ten any time now. Still downloadable here.
I love seeing libraries recommend the book - here in latvian.
This is a story of a dad visiting his son in kindergarten and exploring together computers and coding. Days like these are so valuable - both for the kids and the parents.