The Squarebrain Space Helmet is a STEAM Project started by science teacher Burak Arnas, in order to teach kids about circuits. Arnas wanted to make circuits more fun and engaging; but over time, it morphed into a project that allowed kids to incorporate art, engineering, and science into their helmets.
Kids have reacted really positively to the Space Helmet project. Everyone comes away with something that is uniquely their own; in the past, kids have made Viking helmets, speaker systems, knight’s helmets, Minion’s heads… there’s so much room for creativity in the design, and even in the actual engineering and circuitry. You could scale up the circuits, make more add-ons, add in receptors, or include pretty much anything that you can imagine.
In building this Space Helmet, students are able to learn how circuits work, and how to build them. But they also learn how to construct a customizable exterior. Kids can paint the outside of the helmet however they want and can even add fun things like stickers or lights! The students’ creativity is the only limit.
At the risk of sounding gauche, kids can wear multiple different hats when making the Space Helmet; they can be a scientist, an engineer, and an artist, and really blend their understanding of all of these subjects. It’s an all-encompassing project, and there’s truly something in it for everyone. Arnas says that the project makes him feel like a superhero, because he’s able to teach the kids so much at once; the project is easy to implement, and it always yields more than the sum of its parts.
Here at Squarebrain, we have been lucky enough to work with the Space Helmet project and see its impact in action. And we have also been grateful to work with Arnas, who started the project as a way to teach science in a fascinating and engaging way. As a science teacher of many years, Arnas has had time to perfect and fine-tune this project; and we’re here to make sure that you all can experience the magic of the Space Helmet. That’s why we have put together a comprehensive instruction manual, to let you make your own helmet.
Clearly, Arnas has no regrets about starting this project, and allowing his students to run wild with creativity. “I wish I had known how straightforward it was going to be for me as a teacher, and just how much of an impact it would have on my students, so that I could have started it sooner.”
The passion for this project is so tangible; teachers are just as excited about this as the kids are, and that’s saying something! So, it would be a disservice not to share this amazing build and lesson with all of you, so that – as learners and teachers – you can be blown away by the simplicity and creativity of the Space Helmet.
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