February 22, 2006

Secrets of the Toy Industry

I was contacted several months ago by Julia Ann Charpentier, a Milwaukee-based freelance writer and an editor for book publishers, for a future article in the trade journal TD Monthly Magazine. If you're interested in learning more about the world of educational toys... or you are curious about how Steve Spangler Science got it's start, just click on the link below. Read the article

January 28, 2006

We Hit the Target with Science

Maybe I should say we hit all of the Targets with our new science products. If you stroll through the toy isles at Target stores, you might stumble across some old Steve Spangler Science classics along with a few brand new science kits. All of these kits are part of our product license agreement with Be Amazing Toys, a Salt Lake City company specializing in hands-on science kits and toys for children who want to learn how to do something amazing. On the shelves at Target you'll find Blizzard in a Bucket, Fun-damental Science, Water Wizardry, Fire and Ice Mountain, Jungle Quicksand, Insta-Worms, Morphin' Gators, F/X Snow, Terrific Twisters and the best selling Test Tube Wonders. Thanks to everyone who emailed when they saw our creations at their local Target store.

December 29, 2005

Scientific Explorer Lawsuit Settled

This statement was released earlier today regarding the lawsuit filed in district court in August 2005: "Scientific Explorer, Inc. and Steve Spangler, Inc. reached a settlement with regard to the lawsuit filed by Spangler in district court on August 16, 2005. Steve Spangler is no longer affiliated with Scientific Explorer nor does he endorse any Scientific Explorer product."

September 12, 2005

The “how to” on Science Centers

A hot topic with new teachers, especially primary teachers right now is how to set up a Science Center. Kindergarten teacher extraordinaire Julie Gintzler from Maywood Elementary in Indiana has 18 years in teaching. 18 years ago they didn't have centers, just a bucket of toys and a nap. Julie does Science Centers in two different ways. First, there are Subject Centers which focus on projects we have done already, the things the kids would like to revisit, and the living creatures we would like to experiment on. Julie also does Theme Centers, like a Snow Center that has instant snow in a tub, a center for books about snow, and a center where kids are making polar bear paws. Centers are a great way to expose children to various forms of thought to see these items in different settings. There is a difference between guided inquiry and self-directed inquiry. When we teach, kids we give them guided inquiry "” the steps to achieve a particular goal. Self-guiding is when a child can play and learn by making and doing. There are always times that guided instruction is necessary, but there is some wonderful learning that can take place when the teacher steps outside of that … (more...)

September 3, 2005

Magicians do the impossible first

People often ask how I got excited about science. Who was the great chemist who influenced my life? I grew up in an unusual family. My first recollection was when I was three years old, peeking through the curtain at the Paramount Theater, watching my dad cut my mother into three pieces. Dad would close the show by eating fire. That my Dad could eat fire had amazing applications to my days in kindergarten - I took my Dad to "show and tell"?. Growing up in a family of professional magicians, I learned how to think like a magician. Magicians always start with the impossible and move to the possible. All things are possible. The difference between magic and science is the secret. Unlike magicians, science teachers get to create intrigue and wonder, but also reveal the secret. It is a beautiful approach to use when we are teaching science. Listen to my podcast on magicians and teachers (File size is 1.1 MB) (Show length 4 minutes 20 seconds)