Maplewoodshop iBlock Topics

Design Your Own Escape Room

iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

Escape room games are a fun amusement, but they also provide an opportunity to explore the history of new gaming formats, problem-solving skills, and even storytelling. In this Design Your Own Escape Room PBL iBlock, students will learn more about the history and culture of this “new” form of entertainment, and then plan, design, and construct their very own!
  • Grade Band: 9-12
  • Primary Focus: Design Thinking
  • Secondary Focus: Problem Solving, Engineering
  • Additional Foci: Advanced Literacy, Transferable Skills, Social-Emotional Learning
  • Suggested Product Category: 3D Modeling (incl. 3D printers, laser & craft cutters), Mobile App Development, Video Game Creation/Gamification, Electronics/Circuitry Kits, Physical Computing
  • Teq Product Alignment: 3Doodler, Bloxels, Breakout EDU, ClassVR, Cricut, Formlabs, Makerbot, Makey Makey, Maplewoodshop, Shaper, Ultimaker, xTool
  • Academic Alignment: Coding, ELA, Engineering, STEM, Art & Design
  • CTE Alignment: Arts, Entertainment, and Design, Hospitality, Events, and Tourism, Advanced Manufacturing
Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:
Evaluate applications of cryptographic methods. (NYS Comp. Sci. & Digital Fluency: 9-12.CY.4)
Evaluate the effectiveness of an image or images to influence ideas, feelings, and behaviors of specific audiences.(National Core Arts Standards: VA.Re.7.2.IIa)
Breakout EDU
Escape Room iBlock now with Breakout EDU
Breakout EDU provides an opportunity for students to play active roles in their classrooms. Watch engagement soar as students become immersed in the game – asking questions, solving problems, and participating in group discussions.

Designing a Board Game

iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

Board games are experiencing a tremendous revival, fueled by new styles of gaming. A shift from luck and conflict to strategy and cooperation has brought new players into the genre. In this Designing a Board Game PBL (Project-Based Learning) iBlock, students will plan a game, research game mechanics, design their play area and pieces, and then determine how to play-test their creation. Finally, they’ll examine how to package and publicize their game, and maybe even present a sales pitch to interested buyers.
An iBlock matches skills to standards (like Common Core or NGSS).
Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:
Demonstrate persistence in developing skills with various materials, methods, and artmaking approaches in creating works of art or design. (National Core Arts Standards: VA.Cr2.1.7a)

No Poverty and Zero Hunger

iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

When the United Nations created its Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, they stressed the importance of addressing world poverty and hunger. The first goal aims to eliminate poverty, while the second goal aims to end hunger, achieve food security, and promote sustainable agriculture. In this No Poverty and Zero Hunger PBL (Project-Based Learning) iBlock, students will work to help the UN achieve these goals by designing a window planter that will produce low-cost, high-yield crops in the most efficient manner possible.
  • Grade Band: 6-8
  • Primary Focus: STEM
  • Secondary Focus: Mathematics
  • Additional Foci: Advanced Literacy, Transferable Skills, Social-Emotional Learning
  • Suggested Product Category: 3D Modeling (incl. 3D printers, laser & craft cutters), Hydroponics Units, AR/VR, Data Loggers
  • Teq Product Alignment: ClassVR, Makerbot, Maplewoodshop, Merge, Shaper, Ultimaker, xTool
  • Academic Alignment: STEM, Mathematics, Science, Engineering, Hydroponics, Social Studies
  • CTE Alignment: Agriculture
An iBlock matches skills to standards (like Common Core or NGSS).
Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:
Changes in biodiversity can influence humans’ resources, such as food, energy, and medicines, as well as ecosystem services that humans rely on— for example, water purification and recycling. (NGSS: MS-LS2-5)

Rube Goldberg Machines

iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

Rube Goldberg Machines accomplish a simple task through an elaborately humorous and overcomplicated method. In this Rube Goldberg Machines PBL (Project-Based Learning) iBlock, challenge your students to think outside the box and discover the unexpected kinetic properties in everyday objects as they design their own Rube Goldberg Machine (RGM). In order to build their contraption, students will research and explore simple machines and chain reactions and how they both relate to the world around them. From ideation to interaction, students will engage in creative thinking, critical reasoning, and teamwork as they engineer these truly unique machines.

An iBlock matches skills to standards (like Common Core or NGSS).
Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:
Make observations to provide evidence that energy is conserved as it is transferred and/or converted from one form to another. (NGSS: 4-PS3-2.)

Tiny Houses

iBlocks Project Based Learning Objective:

With the world population estimated at around 7.7 billion, concerns rise over issues like housing, natural resource use, and environmental impact. Tiny houses have emerged as a movement and potential solution to mitigate our demands on energy consumption and our lifestyle footprint. Throughout this Tiny Houses PBL (Project-Based Learning) iBlock, students will explore energy consumption and efficiency, identify ways in which tiny homes can address efficiency concerns, design and engineer a tiny home solution model, and present their models at their very own home show.
An iBlock matches skills to standards (like Common Core or NGSS).
Here is a sample content standard for this iBlock:
Obtain and combine information from books and other reliable media to explain phenomena. (NGSS: 4-ESS3-1)

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