This document provides a list of 35 online resources to encourage inquiry and inventive thinking in students. The resources include Lego building videos on YouTube, science videos from sources like ABC Splash and Mythbusters, websites with activities and projects from sources like Make Magazine and PBS Kids Design Squad, and ideas shared on Pinterest and Facebook pages about science, technology, engineering and math. The goal is to inspire students and provide a variety of options to engage their interest in these topics.

1. 35 Resources To Encourage Inquiry &
Inventive Thinking
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2. I’ve scoured theinternet, including all of my favoritesocialmedia sites, to
bring you a fantastic collectionofonline inquiryand inventive thinking
resourcesthat I know will inspireand motivateboth you and your students.
The collectionincludes Lego, science, practicalactivityideas, engineering,
videos, animation, technologyand a ton of fun facts – so thereis sure to be
something for everyone!
YOUTUBE & VIDEO
 Sean Kenney Lego Certified Master Builder’sYouTube
Channel: Best-selling author and artist, SeanKenney, uses LEGO toys
to build anything and everything you canimagine. Here’s an exampleof
one of Sean’s Lego building prompt videosthat would be perfect for use
with primary/elementaryor early secondaryaged studentsas a
springboard for their own creations.
 ABC Splash: A brand new world-classeducationwebsitefor Australia
packed with hundredsof videos, audioclips, teaching resourcesand up-
to-dateeducationnews.
 RubeGoldberg.comVideo Gallery: AsI have previously
shared, Rube Goldberg challenges providea wonderful basefor the
integrationof knowledge of simple machineswith theapplicationof a
rangeof architecturaland engineering based skills. The videos in this
gallery are sure to inspirestudentsto want to have a go for themselves.
 STEMbite YouTube Channel: STEMbitewascreated byAndrew
VandenHeuvel, a scienceand math teacher, mostlybecausehe needed
something todo with his Google Glass. Andrew loves trying to do
interesting and cool thingsrelated to science, technology, and learning.
 The Ellen Show Kid Inventors: Ellen DeGeneres featuresa seriesof
child inventors, inviting them to sharetheir latest invention with the
world.
 The Royal Institution: Explorethelatest research and investigate
key issues in science, technology, engineering and math as presented by
the Royal Institutionof Great Britain.

3.  9 TED Talks By Impressive Youths: TEDtalksspread ideas
through short, powerful presentationsthat makeyou think. These nine
youth TED talks areno different.
 MythBusters: Thisisa link to thefirst series of the fantastic
MythBustersTV show on YouTube(links to episodes in thesubsequent
series arealso available). For those unfamiliar with theseries, the
MythBustersteam takesa rather explosivescientific approach to
proving (or disproving) commonlyheld fact and myths.
WEBSITES
 CSIRO Crest: CREativityinScienceand Technology(CREST) is an
Australiannon-competitiveawards programsupporting studentsto
designand carryout their own open-ended scienceinvestigationor
technology project. Thiseducationprogram providesa rangeof support
materialfor both teachersand students.
 Make zine: Projects, how-tosand inspirationfrom geeks, makersand
hackers.
 PBS Kids Design Squad: Activities, animations, videoprofiles and
Design Squad Nationepisodesfor use in classrooms.
 Lego Ideas: Studentscansubmit their very own proposal for a new
Lego set and their designjust might beselected to be madeintoan
actualLego set to go on sale around the world.
 Google Science Fair: The Google ScienceFair is a global online
scienceand technologycompetitionopento individualsand teamsfrom
ages 13 to 18.
 Engineering is Elementary: Freecurriculum resourcesfrom the
Museum of Science, Boston. Includes The EiE Curriculum (Grades1-5),
Engineering Adventures(Grades3-5) and Engineering Everywhere
(Grades6-8).
 Project Based Engineeringfor Kids: A collectionof project-based
engineering lessons focusing on basic principlesofphysics, structural,
and mechanicalengineering.

4.  Get Caught Engineering:Lessons, ideas, and references for hands-
on engineering experiencesthat exciteand challenge
primary/elementaryschoolaged children.
 Steve Spangler Science: Steve Spangler is a teacher, sciencetoy
designer, speaker, author and an Emmy award-winning television
personalityand hissite aimsto educate, entertain, and inspirethe
imagination.
 Origin Energy’s Energy for Schools: A free curriculumaligned
energy educationresourcefor primaryand lower secondary students
and teachers. Includesa rangeof activities, gamesand educational
resources.
 Science Buddies: Build literacyinscienceand technologywith
hundredsof free project ideasand help in all areas of scienceand
engineering.
 Science Sparks: Fun scienceexperimentsfor preschool and primary
aged children.
PINTEREST
Pinterest isa veritablesmorgasbord ofgreat ideasacrossall gradesand
subject areas. Here areeight fabulous Pinterest boardsdedicated toscience,
technology, math and engineering ideasfor kids to start your search off
right.

5.  STEM Kids
 STEM
 STEM Education
 21st Century Learning
 DIY & the Maker Movement
 Stem!Stem!Stem!
 For Future Engineers
 STEM/STEAMLessons, Activities& Ideas
 Making and Tinkering
 STEM for Homeschoolers
FACEBOOK
Next timeyou’re hanging out on Facebookcheckout these great science
and engineering inspired pages. You might just find some fun factsor
interesting projectideastoshare with your kids.
 Science Alert: Interesting sciencefactsand findings.
 Inventables: A hardwarestorefor designerssharing interesting
inventionideas.
 NASA: Explore the universe and planet Earth with the officialNASA
pageon Facebook.
 Mythbusters: Pageofthe popular TV show MYTHBUSTERS, where
you’ll find an eclectic mix of scientific method, curiosityand plainold-
fashioned ingenuity.
 Wired Science: Reporting on new, interesting and relevant scientific
research.
 ScienceDump: Bringing backthefun, art and passioninto Science.
What are your favourite online resources for inspiring kids to
think?

6. You may also like
About the littleBIGideaCompetition– THIS COMPETITION IS
NOW CLOSED
For those in Australia besure to checkout Origin Energy’s
littleBIGideacompetition. It isone of the most exciting and innovative
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Three childrenwill have the opportunitytovisit some of the most
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finalistswill be flown to Sydney for thefirst ever littleBIGideasforum and
win prizesfor themselves, their teachersand their schools. Childrenin
gradesthreeto eight are invited to enter, sharing their most innovativeor
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to makelife easier; it really canbe anything at all. You can find out more
and enter your littleBIGidea here.
ChristieBurnett isan early childhood teacher, presenter, writer
and the editor of Childhood 101. Moreimportantly, she is a Mum who
believes wholeheartedlyin the value of childrenlearning through play, the
importanceofqualityearly education, and thetogethernessof family.