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I have used Snap Circuits, too, they really are wonderful.  They also 
unleash some interesting "creativity"!
Beryl

Anna Grace at Explorit wrote:
> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
> institutions.
> ***************************************************************************** 
>
>
> You should look at a product called Snap Circuits.  We sell them in 
> our store and have used them on the exhibit floor.  They are very 
> popular.  They are similar to your magnetic ones, but they snap 
> together, thus eliminating the need for magnets.
>
> Anna
>
> On May 19, 2008, at 10:45 AM, Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill wrote:
>
>> ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology 
>> Centers
>> Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related 
>> institutions.
>> ***************************************************************************** 
>>
>>
>> We have a circuitry bench (designed for children 10 and under) that 
>> we designed and fabricated a few years ago. We are in the process of 
>> developing a similar circuit component for a new exhibit and are 
>> trying to improve upon it.
>>
>> Currently we have a series of electrical blocks that have a disk at 
>> each end that are magnetic.  In the current blocks, there are both 
>> north and south magnetic poles in each end. The problem is that 
>> sometimes you need to adjust all of the pieces slightly in order for 
>> the norths to meet all of the souths exactly -- something that can be 
>> difficult and frustrating with those with little hands to do. We are 
>> thinking about recreating the pieces so that one side of the magnet 
>> is only north and the other only south and label each piece as such 
>> (and create signage explaining why north to south).
>>
>> We are also playing with the idea of creating different blocks that 
>> interlock like a puzzle, rather than touch. The benefit of this is 
>> that we get around having to talk about the whole magnetic thing, 
>> something that might be confusing when talking about electricity.
>>
>> I've seen other variations of this, like what is in the Cookbooks. 
>> Because we have very young children in this area, we'd prefer not to 
>> have wires and other small loose parts. What other variations are out 
>> there?
>>
>> I posted a photo of our current bench (with a few of the blocks in a 
>> circuit) at:
>> http://steppingstonesmuseum.org/public/circuitbench.jpg
>>
>> Many thanks,
>> Sheri
>>
>>
>> Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill
>> Director of Exhibit Design
>> Stepping Stones Museum for Children
>> Mathews Park, 303 West Avenue
>> Norwalk, CT 06850
>> 203 899 0606 ext. 234
>>
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>
> __________________________________
> Anna Grace
> Exhibit Coordinator
>
> Our mission: "To involve people in science experiences that touch our 
> lives."
>
> Explorit Science Center
> 2801 2nd Street (Main Public Site)
> 3141 5th Street (Mace Park Branch)
> P.O. Box 1288 (mailing address)
> Davis, CA 95617
> 530.756.0191
> fax 530.756.1227
> http://www.explorit.org
>
> Explorit has been growing into our new site along I-80 which opened on 
> September 23, 2006 at 2801 2nd St..  Learn more about our Expanding 
> the Explorit Experience project and on-going capital campaign at 
> http://www.explorit.org/expansion/index.html and upcoming events at 
> http://www.explorit.org/calendar.html.
>
>
>
>
> ***********************************************************************
> For information about the Association of Science-Technology Centers 
> and the Informal Science Education Network please visit www.astc.org.
>
> Check out the latest case studies and reviews on ExhibitFiles at 
> www.exhibitfiles.org.
>
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-- 
Beryl Rosenthal, Ph.D.
Director
Tsongas Industrial History Center
Boott Cotton Mills
115 John Street
Lowell, MA 01854
(978) 970-5081 (t)
(978) 970-5085 (f)
[log in to unmask]
www.uml.edu/tsongas/index2.htm

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