This article is in collaboration with Excalibur Solutions STEM Academy®.
Nowadays, everyone seems to be learning how to code. Coding teaches the student not just problem-solving skills but also critical thinking and persistence. There is a wealth of curriculum options for coding aimed towards children. Lots of products are screaming STEM (which is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). It is a challenge for parents to shift through them and properly evaluate the right STEM lessons and programs for their students.
Enter Excalibur Solutions STEM Academy Content Library (or Excalibur for short) developed by Excalibur Solutions STEM Academy®. The library is a collection of self-paced video lessons that teach computer programming, electronics, 3D design, and other areas of technology and engineering. It is divided into Content Library Jr. (for younger students and those with little or no prior experience with programming and electronics) and the regular Content Library (for students beginning in the 8th grade).
Short and Clear Videos For Stem Lessons
The short videos, two to ten minutes, are voiced by a pleasant-sounding teacher who guides the student step-by-step from the introduction to computer science to projects which use the open source, kid-friendly Scratch program. (Scratch is just one of the many free online platforms. It is not just kid-friendly but also kid-recommended.)
New terminologies appear on the screen during the lesson supporting visual learners. Lesson notes are also provided below the video, so the parent or student can print them out as necessary. The learner can post comments and questions below the video, giving them a very easy learning experience.
Excalibur is not just your regular how-to videos. It teaches coding concepts and more while focusing on the T and E in STEM. It helps students implement the stem lessons into actual projects. The addition of new technologies and coding langauges to study happen regularly. Older students will start to familiarize themselves with the programming language, Python. The STEM lessons are also interdisciplinary, identifying relevant connections to other subject areas such as the social sciences and language arts.
Some of the exciting projects that children will involve themselves in are making their own arcade game, constructing a working circuit, building a web-based calculator, and so much more. Many others are in development, such as drone programming and robotics. A few of the projects require an inexpensive physical electronics kit that is not provided with the subscription. Links in the lesson notes tell subscribers what and where to purchase online.
If the child is in the early grade levels, parental involvement is highly advised for ease of navigation inside the library and especially when using the internet. Aside from that, everything is simply play, pause, and repeat if necessary.
Beginner-friendly and Pocket-friendly
Excalibur’s STEM lessons are very gentle even to the student with no background in computer programming. Children start from scratch until they progress to Thinking Inside the Computer. They have a private Facebook group (subscribers only) wherein the parent and child can post questions. Excalibur is eager to help new learners reach their coding goals. They even offer a one-on-one virtual session!
Furthermore, don’t think of these STEM lessons as just another extracurricular activity in a child’s already filled-to-the-brim homeschool. Excalibur suggests that the student commit to coding 30 minutes per day, 3 days per week—and just that! Children should expect repitition in lessons since coding is highly technical. Therefore, this is where the value of STEM lessons in one huge library is appreciated. It is just one price for the Jr. and regular content. They offer monthly and yearly subscriptions and also a 30-day free trial (with unlimited access to the modules and lessons). Sign up now for the free trial and explore the various modules and lessons exactly as a paid subscriber would see them!
HomeschoolingFinds.com Author
Aside from God, her family, homeschooling (and books!), Katherine’s love lies in stationeries. She and her husband manages growing stationery brands ForestmillⓇ, PrevailedⓇ, and FengShui PowerⓇ in the Philippines.