Modules
STEAM Lessons
Choose a module below. Each contains hands-on labs, simulations, and interactive experiences.
Modules 13
Visible 13
Lessons 0
Themes 6
Mathematics 15 live · skills spiral
Math Natural Sciences 61 live · physical, living, Earth, and space systems
Science Technology 27 live · computing, AI, and game systems
Technology Engineering & Materials 19 live · design, circuits, fabrication, and constraints
Engineering Visual Design 3 live · perception, color, and spatial media
Art Level 1 · Foundations (K–2) Concrete number sense, sensory measurement, shapes, time, and pattern recognition before heavy symbolic abstraction.
Skill · Numbers & Counting · Place Value · Fractions Intro The Story of Numbers Trace the evolution of counting from tally bones to binary code. Understand how integers, primes, and the concept of zero form the bedrock of computational logic. Skill · Measurement · Length · Size Measuring Length Explore 61 orders of magnitude from the Planck length to the observable universe. Discover why standardized measurement is the crucial first step in all scientific inquiry. Skill · Measurement · Time · Cycles Clocks & Telling Time Journey from ancient sundials to precise atomic clocks and time dilation. Learn how measuring time enables everything from global navigation to relativistic physics. Level 2 · Core Arithmetic (3–5) Fluency with operations, fractions, decimals, units, area/perimeter, data, and the first idea of an unknown.
Skill · Basic Operations · Expressions · Order PEMDAS & Order of Operations Master the order mathematicians use to evaluate expressions. Practice parentheses, exponents, left-to-right multiplication/division, and left-to-right addition/subtraction. Skill · Ratios · Proportions · Percent · Scaling Proportional Reasoning Master unit rates, scaling, percent change, and similar figures. See how this hidden backbone supports physics, finance, engineering, maps, models, and 3D prints. Level 3 · Pre-Algebra Systems (6–8) The primary mastery band: variables, functions, graphing, geometry, probability, statistics, and logical problem solving.
Skill · Probability · Statistics · Simulation Probability Simulator Run thousands of virtual coin flips, dice rolls, and card draws to see the law of large numbers in action. Skill · Probability Distributions · Expected Value Pachinko Probability Lab Explore pachinko-style peg boards, binomial distributions, bias, sample size, and expected value through a classroom-safe simulator. Skill · Geometry · Triangles · Pythagorean Theorem Pythagoras & Triangles Discover the foundational theorem connecting every right triangle. See how this simple geometric rule powers modern architecture, GPS, and 3D computer graphics. Skill · Circles · Pi · Area · Circumference Pi & Circles Investigate the infinite, irrational ratio hidden inside every perfect circle. See how π bridges simple geometry with the complex rhythms of the natural world. Skill · Functions · Coordinate Plane · Graphing Graphing Calculator Translate algebraic equations into visual geometry in real time. Learn how graphing reveals the hidden shapes of data, motion, and physics. Level 4 · Algebra & Structure (9–10) Abstract structure emerges through linear and quadratic functions, exponents, factoring, sequences, and the beginning of formal proof.
Skill · Quadratics · Roots · Radicals · Parabolas Completing the Square Turn quadratics into perfect squares. Learn the half-and-square move, solve a worked example, and see why the method leads to vertex form and the quadratic formula. Enrichment · Proof · Symmetry · Group Structure The Math of the Rubik's Cube Dive into group theory and permutations using the world's most famous puzzle. Learn how algorithmic thinking untangles seemingly impossible complexity. Skill · Sequences · Recursion · Growth Patterns Fibonacci Sequence Build the famous recursive number pattern one term at a time. Connect addition rules, growth, ratios, spirals, and the golden ratio through an interactive sequence lab. Level 5 · Advanced Systems (11–12) Math connects to physics, computer science, music, engineering, and data through vectors, modeling, calculus ideas, distributions, and waves.
Skill · Trigonometry · Periodic Functions · Fourier Series Fourier Series & Transform Decompose any wave into pure sine tones. Build square, triangle, and sawtooth waves by stacking harmonics — then explore how the Fourier Transform powers MRI, JPEG, and WiFi. Capstone Layer · Meta-Mathematics Spirals across every level: mathematics as language, pattern, logic, and reality modeling.
Capstone · Number Theory · Infinity · Mathematical Reality Riemann Hypothesis Explore mathematics' greatest unsolved mystery regarding the distribution of prime numbers. Understand how abstract number theory forms the basis of modern encryption. Level 1 · Physical Intuition (K–2) Touch, motion, falling, floating, light, sound, heat, and cause-and-effect before equations take over.
Skill · Pushes & Pulls · Cause and Effect Van de Graaff Balloon Observe electrostatic attraction and repulsion at a human scale. See how induced charges and the triboelectric effect manipulate physical objects. Skill · Floating & Sinking · Density Intuition Archimedes' Principle Discover the relationship between volume, mass, and fluid displacement. Learn the physics that allows steel ships to float and submarines to dive. Level 2 · Measurable World (3–5) Introduce quantification: distance, time, speed, mass, simple systems, waves, light, color, and material behavior.
Skill · Intro Electricity · Charge Separation Van de Graaff Generator Watch a moving belt accumulate hundreds of thousands of volts. Understand how continuous charge separation enables high-energy particle physics. Level 3 · Classical Physics (6–8) The core teaching band: Newton's laws, gravity, energy, fluids, pressure, waves, optics, electricity, and magnetism.
Skill · Simple Machines · Mechanical Advantage · Three Lever Classes Levers: The Original Force Multiplier From the Egyptian shaduf (~5000 BCE) to scissors, bicycle brakes, and piano keys — explore all three lever classes, the Law of the Lever (F×d = F×d), and why Archimedes claimed he could move the world. Interactive balance lab + class explorer included. Skill · Simple Machines · Mechanical Advantage · History of Technology Wheel & Axle From Sumerian pottery wheels (~3500 BCE) to jet turbines — 5,500 years of rotational mechanical advantage. Explore MA = R ÷ r, trace the wheel through ancient history, the Industrial Revolution, and modern engineering with two interactive simulations. Skill · Kinematics · Motion · d·v·a Graphs · Projectile Kinematics: Motion, Speed & Acceleration Describe any motion precisely before explaining why it happens. Explore position, velocity, acceleration, the kinematic equations, and the calculus connections through interactive graphs and projectile simulation. Skill · Energy · KE · PE · Work · Conservation Conservation of Energy Energy is the universe's bookkeeping invariant — a number that never changes. Explore kinetic energy, potential energy, work, power, conservative vs. nonconservative forces, and the law that makes nature's books always balance. Skill · Newton's Laws · Force, Mass & Motion Newton's Laws of Motion Explore the universal rules of inertia, force, and reaction. Master the equations that predict everything from a falling apple to orbital mechanics. Skill · Gravity & Orbits · Inverse-Square Thinking Universal Gravitation Understand the invisible tether connecting every mass in the universe. See how a single equation keeps planets in orbit and galaxies bound together. Skill · Waves · Amplitude · Frequency · Speed Point Wave Visualize how energy propagates outward in expanding rings. Understand the relationship between amplitude, frequency, and distance in wave mechanics. Skill · Sound · Harmonics · Tuning Systems Physics of Music Trace music from vibrating strings and simple ratios to equal temperament, resonance, harmonics, and the ancient idea of the music of the spheres. Skill · Oscillation · Resonance · Matter Do Atoms Make Music? Connect guitar strings, heat, light, electricity, radio waves, molecules, and atoms through one big idea: the universe is rhythm all the way down. Level 4 · Fields & Systems (9–10) Physics becomes mathematical and unified through vectors, work, oscillation, superposition, circuits, fields, induction, and optics.
Skill · Vectors · Components · Dot Product · Symmetry Vectors Master the mathematical language of direction. Decompose any force, velocity, or field into components, add vectors tip-to-tail, compute dot products, and understand why rotational symmetry demands vector equations. Skill · Momentum · Collisions · Impulse · Newton's 3rd Law Conservation of Momentum Every collision, explosion, and rocket burn obeys one law: total momentum never changes in an isolated system. Explore elastic and inelastic collisions, impulse, the center of mass, and how this law survives into relativity. Skill · Four Forces · Friction · Pseudo Forces · Nuclear Fundamental Forces Only four fundamental forces govern everything in the universe. Explore gravity, electromagnetism, the weak force, and the strong force — plus friction, molecular forces, and the fictitious pseudo forces of rotating reference frames. Skill · Biomechanics · Torque · Angular Momentum · Impulse Biomechanics: The Physics of Sports Apply kinematics, projectile motion, torque, conserved angular momentum, impulse, and elastic energy to real sports — free throws, javelin, figure-skating spins, and landings — with two interactive simulators. Skill · Kinematics · 2D & 3D Motion · Vectors 3D Motion Break complex trajectories into independent X, Y, and Z components. Learn the vector math required to guide drones, missiles, and spacecraft. Skill · Periodic Motion · Oscillation · Energy Exchange The Pendulum Watch gravity and momentum trade potential and kinetic energy in perfect rhythm. See how periodic motion gave humanity its first accurate timekeepers. Skill · Wave Interference · Superposition Huygens' Principle Discover how every point on a wavefront acts as a new source of ripples. This principle elegantly explains why light bends around corners and through slits. Skill · Standing Waves · Resonant Modes · Bessel Functions Cymatics: The Geometry of Sound Watch sand, water, and non-Newtonian slime reveal the invisible shape of a vibrating plate. A real 2D and 3D standing-wave engine — modal superposition and Bessel functions, not a canned animation. Skill · Coulomb's Law · Electric Fields & Forces Coulomb's Law Explore the inverse-square law governing electric charges. Discover the fundamental force that drives chemistry, lightning, and all modern electronics. Skill · Electric Fields · Shielding · Systems Faraday Cage See how a hollow conductor instantly cancels out external electric fields. Learn the principle protecting airplanes from lightning and data from interference. Skill · Magnetic Fields · Induction · Lenz's Law The Falling Coil Watch mechanical motion transform into electricity as a magnet falls. Witness Lenz's Law in action as induced currents fight the motion that created them. Skill · Faraday's Law · Current · Generators Faraday's Law Learn how changing magnetic fields induce voltage across a wire. This single breakthrough is the foundation of every power grid and electric motor. Skill · Maxwell's Equations · Light · EM Spectrum · History of Science James Clerk Maxwell Meet the physicist who unified electricity, magnetism, and light into four equations — predicted radio waves decades before Hertz, and took the world's first colour photograph. Explore the full EM spectrum interactively. Skill · AC Power · Resonance · History of Science Nikola Tesla Trace the life and inventions of the man who electrified the world. Explore AC motors, Tesla Coils, the War of Currents, and Tesla's visionary dream of wireless energy. Skill · Radioactivity · Atomic Decay · History of Science Marie Curie Discover how Marie Curie coined radioactivity, identified two new elements, and became the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two sciences. Explore exponential decay with an interactive atom simulator. Skill · Electromagnetism · Electron Beams Cathode Ray Tube Steer a beam of electrons through a vacuum using electromagnetic fields. Explore the technology that powered early televisions and discovered the electron. Skill · Electron Optics · Resolution · Imaging Electron Microscopes Use accelerated electrons as tiny waves to see viruses, nanomaterials, and atoms. Compare SEM and TEM while tuning voltage, focus, and resolution. Level 5 · Modern & Advanced Physics (11–12) Physics reaches relativity, quantum states, waves as data, signal processing, thermodynamics, astrophysics, and cosmology.
Skill · Speed of Light · Special Relativity The Speed of Light Explore the absolute speed limit of the cosmos. See how constant light speed forces time and space to bend in Einstein's Special Relativity. Skill · Quantum States · Qubits · Measurement World Quantum Day 2026 Meet the qubit through an interactive Bloch sphere. Rotate quantum states, apply gates, and see how superposition and phase differ from ordinary bits. Skill · Signal Processing · Waves as Data · Fourier Bridge Digital Signal Processing Decompose sound into pure sine waves, build audio filters, and visualize how digital systems isolate, amplify, and reconstruct signals. Skill · Heat · Work · Entropy · Engines Thermodynamics Explore heat flow, internal energy, entropy, and engine efficiency. Use a live model to see why temperature differences make work possible. Skill · Thermodynamics · Entropy · Second Law Entropy Explore why mixed states are more probable than ordered ones. Connect microstates, heat flow, information, and the Second Law in an interactive particle lab. Level 1 · Matter & Senses (K–2) Concrete chemistry begins with what students can observe: solids, liquids, gases, heat, color, smell, mixing, and separating.
Future Slot · Matter · States · Properties Matter Explorer Sort solids, liquids, and gases, compare physical properties, and watch melting, freezing, boiling, mixing, and separating in a safe visual lab.
Level 2 · Building Blocks (3–5) Introduce models: atoms as matter units, elements, molecules, mixtures, solutions, safe acids and bases, and conservation of matter.
Skill · Atoms · Matter Units · Scientific Models The Feynman Foundation: Atoms & Reality Start with Feynman's most important fact: everything is made of atoms. Explore the atomic hypothesis, particle motion, temperature, pressure, and scientific prediction. Skill · Elements · Periodic Table Intro · Matter Units Periodic Table of Elements Decode the blueprint of matter. Explore atomic structures, electron shells, and the periodic trends that govern how all elements interact. Level 3 · Atomic Structure & Reactions (6–8) The core teaching band: protons, neutrons, electrons, periodic trends, ionic and covalent bonds, reactions, balancing, and particle models.
Skill · Molecular Structure · Polarity · Hydrogen Bonds Water: The Architecture of H₂O Explore the bent geometry, polar covalent bonds, and hydrogen-bonding network that make water the most extraordinary molecule in chemistry. Three interactive simulations. Skill · Chemical Bonds · Ionic & Covalent · Structure Molecular Bonding Lab Watch atoms share and transfer electrons to achieve stability. See how the octet rule builds the molecules that make up our physical world. Future Slot · Reactions · Balancing · Conservation Reaction Simulator Balance chemical equations to satisfy the law of conservation of mass. Watch atoms dynamically rearrange themselves in real-time simulations.
Level 4 · Quantitative Chemistry (9–10) Chemistry becomes mathematical and predictive through moles, stoichiometry, concentration, rates, equilibrium, acids, bases, pH, and energy transfer.
Skill · Concentration · Solutions · Acids & Bases Titration Discover how chemists measure unknown concentrations with extreme precision. Master the meticulous drop-by-drop process used in real analytical labs. Skill · Reaction Rates · Activation Energy · Kinetics Catalysts & Activation Energy See how catalysts lower energy barriers to dramatically speed up reactions. Learn why these chemical shortcuts are crucial to both industry and biology. Level 5 · Advanced Systems & Modern Chemistry (11–12) Chemistry connects to biology, physics, engineering, and environmental systems through carbon, materials, batteries, proteins, analysis, industry, and cycles.
Bridge · Thermochemistry · Materials · Industrial Systems Chemistry of Steam Machines Connect combustion, phase change, gas pressure, corrosion, and water treatment to the steam engines that reshaped work, travel, cities, and industry. Skill · Radioactivity · Nuclear Chemistry · History of Science Marie Curie Discover how Marie Curie coined radioactivity, isolated polonium and radium from tonnes of pitchblende, and transformed atomic chemistry. Explore exponential decay with an interactive simulator. Capstone Layer · Meta-Chemistry Spirals across every level: chemistry as transformation, energy exchange, structure to function, and system interaction.
Level 1 · Living vs Nonliving (K–2) Direct observation: living and nonliving things, needs of life, plants, animals, body parts, habitats, and life cycles.
Future Slot · Classification · Needs · Life Cycles Living Things Explorer Sort living and nonliving examples, match organisms to needs and habitats, and trace birth, growth, change, and reproduction.
Level 2 · Organisms & Systems (3–5) Structure and simple systems: cells as life building blocks, plant and animal systems, ecosystems, energy flow, adaptations, and inherited traits.
Future Slot · Ecosystems · Food Chains · Energy Flow Ecosystems & Food Webs Trace the flow of energy from producers to apex predators. Simulate how adding or removing a single species impacts the entire ecological web.
Level 3 · The Living World (6–8) The core teaching band: cell structure, organelles, DNA, heredity, proteins, genetics, evolution, ecosystems, adaptation, survival, and taxonomy.
Skill · Cell Structure · Prokaryote vs Eukaryote Types of Cells Compare the architectures of bacterial, plant, and animal cells. Learn how specialized organelles function together to sustain complex life. Skill · DNA · Heredity · Traits · Probability DNA & Heredity Trace how traits are encoded in the double helix and passed between generations. Use Punnett squares to predict genetic inheritance. Skill · Proteins · Amino Acids · Structure to Function Amino Acids & Proteins Explore the 21 proteinogenic amino acids — their categories, properties, and how peptide bonds link them into the proteins that drive every process in your body. Skill · Classification · Taxonomy Systems Animalia: Kingdom Classification Interactive three-tier learning system. Start with the Phylum Sorter game, advance to the Taxonomy Lab for deep research, then test mastery with the Quiz. Skill · Extinction · Food Webs · Deep Time · 3D Models The K-Pg Extinction Move beyond the single-asteroid story. Trace impact winter, Deccan volcanism, marine plankton collapse, survivor niches, and extinct species in embedded 3D. Skill · Deep Time · Evolution · Body Plans · Creature Creator Cambrian Explosion 541 million years ago, nearly every animal body plan appeared in a geological eyeblink. Meet trilobites, Anomalocaris, Hallucigenia, and Opabinia — then design your own Cambrian creature in the interactive lab. Future Slot · Evolution · Natural Selection Natural Selection Lab Apply environmental pressures to virtual populations over many generations. Watch how natural selection drives adaptation and evolutionary change.
Level 4 · Biological Systems (9–10) From parts to interactions: cellular processes, gene expression, homeostasis, body systems, population dynamics, evolutionary mechanisms, and microbiology.
Skill · Development · Adaptation · Regeneration Axolotls & Neoteny Explore how axolotls keep juvenile traits into adulthood, stay aquatic, regenerate complex tissues, and give us a metaphor for curiosity and beginner's mind. Skill · Microbiology · Emergent Behavior · Stigmergy Slime Molds & Swarm Intelligence Meet Physarum polycephalum, a brainless single cell that solves mazes and rebuilds rail networks. Grow a live swarm-intelligence simulation inspired by the 2010 Tokyo rail experiment. Level 5 · Advanced & Applied Biology (11–12) Biology connects to technology, ethics, and engineering through molecular biology, genetic engineering, biotech, immunology, neurobiology, development, systems biology, and bioinformatics.
Bridge · Genetic Engineering · Synthetic Biology · Ethics CRISPR & Synthetic Biology Lab Design a guide RNA, cut a bacterial genome at a precise location, and watch how CRISPR-Cas9 rewrites genetic code — including engineering bioluminescence. Capstone Layer · Meta-Biology Spirals across every level: life as information, life as system, structure to function, and evolution as optimization.
Level 1 · Earth & Sky (K–2) Immediate observation: land, water, sky, weather, day and night, seasons, rocks, soil, oceans, and continents.
Skill · Seasons · Daylight · Sky Patterns Seasons and the Heavens Simulate Earth's axial tilt and orbital path to understand why seasons exist. Observe how celestial mechanics creates the dramatic changes in daylight and temperature throughout the year. Level 2 · Surface Systems (3–5) Visible Earth processes: water cycle, weather vs climate, weathering, erosion, rivers, oceans, rock types, soil formation, maps, and models.
Skill · Water Cycle · Hydrology · Energy Flow Water Cycle Trace water's journey through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Model how solar energy drives the hydrological cycle that sustains all life on Earth. Skill · Rock Types · Weathering · Earth Materials The Rock Cycle Trace how igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks transform through cooling, weathering, erosion, compaction, heat, pressure, melting, and plate tectonics. Level 3 · Dynamic Earth (6–8) The core teaching band: plate tectonics, continental drift, earthquakes, volcanoes, rock cycling, atmosphere, oceans, climate basics, and energy balance.
Skill · Plate Tectonics · Continental Drift Pangaea & Continental Drift Watch Earth's tectonic plates shatter and drift over 240 million years. Connect continental movement to ocean formation and mountain building. Skill · Volcanoes · Geological Forces · Hazards Volcano Simulator Trigger historic eruptions in 3D to study geological pressure release. Analyze ash columns and pyroclastic flows to understand tectonic volatility. Skill · Ocean Zones · Pressure · Light · Deep-Sea Life Ocean Zones & Deep-Sea Life Dive from the sunlit surface to the Mariana Trench. Watch light vanish, pressure crush, and temperature plunge as anglerfish, giant squid, and hadal snailfish appear at their real-world depths. Level 4 · Planetary Systems (9–10) Earth as an interacting system: climate feedbacks, carbon, hydrology, deep time, fossils, glaciation, atmospheric chemistry, hazards, and risk.
Skill · Earth Models · Measurement · Geodesy Measuring the Earth Recreate Eratosthenes' genius 240 BC experiment using just shadows and geometry. See how ancient mathematics first grasped the true scale of our planet. Bridge · Atmosphere · Water Droplets · Optics Rainbows Explore the physics of light dispersion, refraction, and reflection. Create and analyze rainbows to understand how water droplets split white light into the visible spectrum. Skill · Structural Geology · 3D Modeling · Data Interpolation Structural Geology: 3D Subsurface Modeler Turn sparse field data into full 3D geologic models — layer-cake stratigraphy, folds, faults, and unconformities — using the same implicit interpolation behind real geomodeling software. Level 5 · Earth in the Cosmos (11–12) Earth as a planetary system in space: habitability, planetary comparison, climate change, remote sensing, resources, human impact, and sustainability.
Bridge · Climate Modeling · Feedback Loops · Human Impact Climate Modeling Simulator Tweak greenhouse gases, ice coverage, and deforestation on a live 3D Earth. Observe how slight atmospheric shifts trigger cascading systemic climate changes. Capstone Layer · Meta-Earth Systems Spirals across every level: Earth as system, cycles and feedback loops, energy flow through Earth, and human interaction with systems.
Level 1 · Sky & Observation (K–2) Start with what students can see: the Sun, Moon, stars, day and night, Moon phases, constellations, patterns, and the night sky.
Skill · Constellations · Night Sky · Observation Constellations Connect star patterns into scientific sky maps. Explore Orion, Ursa Major, Cassiopeia, and Cygnus while learning how brightness, seasons, and navigation shape the night sky. Level 2 · Solar System (3–5) Concrete celestial structure: the Solar System, planets, orbits, gravity, moons, asteroids, comets, rockets, probes, telescopes, and exploration tools.
Skill · Space Exploration · Rockets · Mission Systems How America Got to the Moon The Apollo 11 mission, orbital mechanics, Newton's laws, the people who did the math by hand, and why the onboard computer had less memory than a modern key fob. Level 3 · Planetary Systems (6–8) The core teaching band: heliocentrism, gravity, orbital motion, planetary formation, asteroid resonance, exoplanet systems, Mars, habitability, and scale.
Skill · Heliocentrism · Model Shift · Orbits Heliocentrism — The Sun at the Center Compare the messy geocentric model with the elegant heliocentric reality. Discover how Kepler's math and Galileo's telescope finally disproved an Earth-centered universe. Biography · Pre-Telescope · Scientific Revolution Tycho Brahe — The Last Naked-Eye Astronomer He lost his nose in a duel over mathematics, built a castle observatory on a Danish island, and produced the most accurate star catalog in history — all without a telescope. His data launched Kepler's laws. Skill · History of Science · Instruments · Observation Uraniborg — Astronomy Before the Telescope Europe's first great research observatory opened in 1576 — 32 years before the telescope was invented. Explore how brass quadrants and naked-eye precision changed astronomy forever. Skill · Asteroid Belt · Resonance · Small Bodies The Asteroid Belt Explore the rocky region between Mars and Jupiter. Model Ceres, Vesta, Kirkwood gaps, meteorites, and why Jupiter kept the belt from becoming a planet. Skill · Orbital Mechanics · Ellipses · T²∝a³ · Kepler Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion Discover the three mathematical laws Kepler found by staring at Tycho's data for a decade — elliptical orbits, equal-area sweeps, and T²∝a³. Watch Newton later prove they follow inevitably from the inverse-square law of gravity. Skill · Planetary Systems · Formation · Exoplanets Planetary Systems Explore how gravity binds planets, moons, and debris around a central star. Learn what makes our Solar System unique among thousands of discovered exoplanets. Skill · Mars · Habitability · Applied Physics Mars Rover Landing Manage fuel, drag, and thrust to safely touch down on the Martian surface. Apply atmospheric physics to master the "seven minutes of terror." Level 4 · Stars & Galaxies (9–10) Zoom beyond the Solar System: stars, fusion, black holes, galaxies, the Milky Way, telescopes, light, observation, and interstellar space.
Skill · Black Holes · Telescopes · Observation Arrays Event Horizon Telescope Synchronize a global network of radio dishes to image a black hole's shadow. Discover how interferometry turns the entire Earth into a single telescope. Level 5 · Cosmology (11–12) The edge of knowledge: expanding space, redshift, Hubble's Law, Big Bang models, background radiation, dark matter, dark energy, fate, and cosmic structure.
Skill · Expanding Universe · Redshift · Hubble's Law The Expanding Universe In 1929 Hubble proved the universe is growing. Explore redshift, Hubble's Law, and what an accelerating expansion tells us about the ultimate fate of the cosmos. Capstone Bridge · Intelligent Life · Fermi Paradox Searching for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Evaluate humanity's attempts to detect and contact alien civilizations. Use the Drake Equation to confront the profound silence of the Fermi Paradox. Capstone Bridge · Interstellar Communication The Arecibo Message Decode the 1679 binary digits humanity broadcast toward the M13 star cluster in 1974. Explore what we chose to say about ourselves — and what it reveals about us. Capstone Layer · Meta-Cosmology Spirals across every level: scale of the universe, observation vs reality, models vs truth, and humanity's place in the cosmos.
Capstone · Scale · Perspective · Humanity's Place Pale Blue Dot — Scale of the Universe Scale the cosmos from Earth's surface to the edge of the observable universe. Cultivate an astronomical perspective on humanity's fragile place in space. Level 1 · Tools, Materials & Making (K–2) Start with safe making habits: tools, materials, joining, testing, cause and effect, and the idea that designs can be improved.
Skill · Tools · Joining · Safety · Craft Soldering Learn why we solder, how to make a reliable joint step by step, what each tool does, and when a breadboard or crimp connector is a smarter choice. Level 2 · Components & Simple Systems (3–5) Concrete engineering systems: parts, power, simple circuits, gears, forces, motion, and how small pieces combine into useful machines.
Skill · Electronic Parts · Inputs · Outputs Electronic Components Learn how to identify resistors, LEDs, capacitors, diodes, transistors, buttons, and photoresistors, then decode resistor color bands with an interactive guide. Skill · Prototyping · Simple Circuits Breadboard Basics Build your first working LED circuit and understand how solderless breadboards turn ideas into testable electrical prototypes. Skill · Simple Machines · Torque · Gear Ratios Mechanisms and Gear Systems Trade speed for torque using interactive gear trains. Discover the mechanical advantage principles that drive everything from bicycles to industrial robotics. Level 3 · Design, Circuits & Structures (6–8) The core engineering band: define constraints, prototype, read diagrams, calculate circuit behavior, test loads, collect sensor input, and iterate.
Skill · Structures · Load · Constraints · Iteration Bridge Over Troubled Water Balance tension, compression, and material costs to span a dangerous gap. Learn how civil engineers design structures that won't fail under dynamic loads. Skill · Circuit Math · Voltage · Current · Resistance Ohm's Law Master the single most important equation in electronics. Calculate voltage, current, and resistance, size LED resistors, and understand series and parallel circuits. Skill · Schematics · Circuit Diagrams · Debugging Electronic Schematics Learn to read the universal language of electronics. Decode every symbol from resistors and capacitors to transistors and ICs, then trace a full circuit diagram step by step. Skill · Sensors · Inputs · Embedded Systems Sensor Modules Kit Sort a beginner sensor kit into useful categories, learn the most practical starter modules, and review power, wiring, and project ideas. Skill · Robotics · Biomimicry · Emergent Behavior · Bristle Bot Bug Bots: Genghis & the Insect Robots How MIT's six-legged robot Genghis walked without a central brain using subsumption architecture — and how you can build the same physics with a toothbrush and a vibrating motor. Level 4 · Systems, Signals & Control (9–10) Engineering becomes mathematical and dynamic: feedback loops, control systems, signal processing, stability, noise, response, and real-world tuning.
Skill · Signals · Filters · Fourier Bridge Digital Signal Processing Decompose any sound into pure sine waves using the Fourier Transform. Build audio filters and visualize how digital systems isolate, amplify, and reconstruct signals. Skill · Feedback Loops · Stability · Control PID Control & Feedback Loops Tune a proportional-integral-derivative controller to stabilize a drone in real time. Understand the feedback math behind autopilots, thermostats, and self-driving cars. Skill · Live Sound · Gain Staging · Signal Flow Live Audio Signal Chain Trace a voice from mic to speaker through every stage of a live sound system. Set gain without clipping on real meters, hear what distortion sounds like, and ace the XLR-TRS-TS cable challenge. Skill · Stage Lighting · RGB Color · Cues Stage Lighting Design Lab Light a virtual performer from the front, sides, and behind. Mix RGB washes, discover why warm and cool light tell different stories, then save your looks as cues and run your own show. Level 5 · Integrated Engineering Systems (11–12) Large engineered systems combine physics, circuits, controls, materials, safety, energy, cost, reliability, and human needs.
Capstone · Transportation · Electromagnetism · Control Maglev Train Engineering Tune magnetic lift, payload, air gap, and linear motor thrust to keep a high-speed train floating safely above its guideway. Capstone Layer · Meta-Engineering Spirals across every level: define the problem, model the system, build a prototype, test with evidence, and iterate toward reliability.
Level 1 · Logic & Instructions (K–2) Before computers, computation begins as precise thinking: step-by-step instructions, patterns, decisions, debugging, and humans executing rules.
Skill · Logic · Automata · Thinking Machines Before Computers: Myths, Logic, and AI Imagination Trace humanity's ancient dream of building thinking machines. See how philosophical logic and mechanical automata set the stage for modern computing. Level 2 · Programs & Representation (3–5) Code becomes language and data becomes symbols: variables, loops, conditionals, events, binary, pixels, samples, text, and encoded information.
Skill · Commands · Symbols · Events & Interaction Blocks World Parser Issue commands to a symbolic physics engine inspired by 1970s AI. Learn how early natural language processing mapped words to concrete digital actions. Skill · Text as Data · Probability · Prediction N-gram Text Predictor Build a probability-based text predictor using Claude Shannon's early models. Understand the foundational math behind modern large language models. Level 3 · Algorithms & Systems (6–8) The core teaching band — where ideas become engines. Students master search and optimization, design state machines and simulations, watch emergence arise from simple rules, and wield data structures, graphs, and grids to tell fast algorithms from slow ones.
Skill · HTML · CSS · JavaScript · Publishing Build Your Student Page Build the page you'll publish on this very site — in a live editor with instant preview. Structure it in HTML, style it with real color theory, add one interactive element in JavaScript, and watch the checklists grade themselves. Skill · Algorithms · History of Computing · Pioneering Women Ada Lovelace Meet the world's first computer programmer. Learn how Ada described loops, conditionals, and subroutines for Babbage's Analytical Engine in 1843 — a century before any computer existed. Skill · Algorithms · Efficiency · Complexity Sorting Algorithms Compare the performance of Bubble, Merge, and Quick sorts. Visualize algorithmic complexity and learn why Big-O notation is critical for scalable software. Skill · State Machines · Memory · Transitions State Machines Program digital behaviors using distinct states, inputs, and transitions. See the discrete logic driving traffic lights, network protocols, and game characters. Skill · Search · Optimization · Heuristics A* Pathfinding Agent Guide an autonomous agent through a maze using cost heuristics. Master the pathfinding algorithm that navigates video game NPCs and real-world GPS routing. Skill · Simulation · Emergence · Cellular Automata Life Lab: The Game of Life Apply simple survival rules to a grid of cells to watch complex, lifelike behaviors emerge. Experience the chaotic beauty of Conway's cellular automata. Skill · Procedural Systems · Noise · Generation Perlin Noise Generate organic textures and infinite landscapes using mathematically smoothed randomness. Master the procedural generation technique behind modern video games. Skill · Fluid Simulation · Wave Physics · Rendering CGI Water: From Physics to Pixels Discover how movies simulate water using Navier-Stokes equations, SPH particles, Gerstner ocean waves, and the optics of reflection and refraction. Run a real height-field water simulator in your browser. Level 4 · Architecture & Computation (9–10) Structure determines capability: memory, abstraction, recursion, graph theory, networks, efficiency, encoding, security, and cryptographic systems.
Skill · Graph Theory · Networks · Greedy Algorithms Minimum Spanning Tree Optimize a network layout using Kruskal's greedy algorithm. Learn how telecommunications and power grids connect maximum nodes with minimum material. Skill · Cryptography · Encoding · Security Cryptography & The Enigma Step through three eras of encryption: Caesar shift ciphers, the Nazi Enigma machine, and modern RSA key exchange. See how codebreaking at Bletchley Park changed the war. Level 5 · Intelligence & Learning Systems (11–12) Machines model intelligence through symbolic AI, adversarial search, probability, neural networks, machine learning, agents, environments, and AI ethics.
Skill · Intelligence · Simulation · Evaluation Alan Turing and The Turing Test Play the role of judge in Turing's famous Imitation Game. Examine the philosophical debate over whether simulated conversation equals true intelligence. Skill · Adversarial Search · Game Trees 1v1 Game AI: Minimax Explore the adversarial search algorithms that powered the first chess computers. Learn how game trees help machines anticipate and counter human strategy. Skill · Strategy Games · Rules · History Chess: Origins and How to Play Trace chess from chaturanga to the modern game, then practice board setup, piece movement, captures, check, and checkmate with an interactive movement lab. Skill · Search History · Heuristics · Engines AI Chess Through History Play against historical algorithms from Turing's paper engine to Deep Blue. Trace how computing power and heuristics evolved to conquer human grandmasters. Skill · Symbolic AI · Pattern Matching AI Origins: ELIZA Chatbot Recreate the 1966 program that fooled users into thinking a machine was empathetic. Analyze how simple pattern-matching scripts mimic human conversation. Skill · Expert Systems · IF/THEN Reasoning Rule Engine Expert System Build a diagnostic tool using cascading IF-THEN logic and confidence scores. Discover how 1980s expert systems attempted to encode human professional intuition. Skill · Neural Networks · Training · Inference Perceptron Lab Train a single-layer neural network to classify simple data points. Understand the mathematical foundation of modern deep learning architectures. Skill · MCTS · Neural Search · Hybrid Intelligence Deep Blue to AlphaGo: The Go Challenge See how Monte Carlo tree search and neural networks conquered the world's most complex board game. Understand the shift from brute-force math to machine intuition. Capstone Layer · Meta-Computer Science Spirals across every level: computation as abstraction, information as structure, algorithms as thought, and intelligence as process.
Level 1 · Design Thinking (K–5) Before any code, games are ideas: goals, rules, feedback loops, and the design choices that make play feel fun. No programming required.
Skill · Game Design · MDA Framework · Creative Thinking What Makes a Game? Break any game into Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics. Explore game genres, identify the 4 core elements of every game, and use the MDA framework to design your own concept — no code required. Level 2 · From Scratch & Your Tools (3–8) Build a game with pure HTML, CSS, and JavaScript — then set up a professional game dev workspace in VS Code with Live Server and essential extensions.
Skill · HTML5 Canvas · Game Loop · Vanilla JavaScript From Scratch: Build a Browser Game Write a real dodge game with zero libraries. Learn the update/render loop, canvas drawing, keyboard input, and AABB collision detection — then play your creation directly in the browser. Skill · VS Code · Live Server · Extensions · Workflow VS Code for Game Dev Set up a professional game development workspace. Install Live Server, Prettier, and ESLint, organize your project files, and use keyboard shortcuts that cut development time in half. Skill · Python · Pygame · Game Loop · Delta Time Python & Pygame: The Game Loop Watch real Pygame code run its input-update-render loop live, in slow motion, or one frame at a time. Break your frame rate on purpose, master delta time, and drag AABB collision boxes until colliderect makes sense. Level 3 · 2D Game Engines (6–10) Game engines handle sprites, physics, audio, and scenes so you can focus on what matters: designing fun. Compare Kaplay and Phaser 3 side-by-side.
Skill · Kaplay · Phaser 3 · Sprites · Scenes · Physics 2D Game Engines: Kaplay & Phaser Compare two powerful browser-based 2D engines. See the same feature written in both. Learn when to use an engine versus coding from scratch — and what scenes, sprites, tilemaps, and tweens are. Level 4 · 3D Game Development (9–12) Add a dimension: 3D scenes, cameras, lighting, and spatial physics in a free, open-source engine designed for students and indie developers.
Future Slot · Godot · 3D Scenes · GDScript · Nodes 3D Game Development: Godot Basics Navigate the Godot editor, build your first 3D scene with a camera and lighting, and write GDScript to move a 3D object. Learn the Node/Scene system that powers all Godot projects.
Capstone · Game Jam Week (6–12) Apply everything in a timed challenge: design, build, and ship a complete playable game in five days — from blank page to classroom showcase.
Capstone · GDD · Scoping · Sprint Planning · Showcase Game Jam Week: From Idea to Demo The complete Game Jam playbook. Write a Game Design Document, use the scope checker to plan a build you can actually finish, follow a day-by-day sprint, and demo your game on showcase day. Chapter 1 · Measurement & Physical Properties (K–2) All engineering begins with measurement: length, mass, volume, temperature, density, hardness, flexibility, texture, states of matter, and basic tools.
Skill · Measurement Models · Spatial Tools · Constraints Camera Controls in 3D CAD Master orbiting, panning, and spatial navigation in a 3D digital environment. Build the fundamental viewport skills required for modern engineering and design software. Chapter 2 · Material Behavior (3–5) Materials are not static. They respond to force and energy through strength, compression, friction, resistance, elasticity, thermal behavior, and insulation.
Skill · Resistance · Friction · Fluid Behavior Viscosimeter Measure fluid resistance by dropping a sphere through various liquids. Understand how drag forces shape the design of pipelines and aerodynamics. Lab · Soft Matter · Rebound · Material Memory Squishy Science Lab Engineer classroom-safe squishy materials, compare elasticity and viscosity, then design a stress object that rebounds, flows, or slowly returns to shape. Chapter 3 · Energy, Heat & Phase Systems (6–8) Energy changes material state and behavior through heat transfer, phase changes, pressure, temperature, fluids, viscosity, energy loss, and efficiency.
Skill · Thermal Behavior · Phase Change · FDM Materials 3D Printing — Settings, Rules & Perfect Prints Manipulate slicer settings to balance print speed, structural strength, and resolution. Learn how fused deposition modeling turns digital geometry into physical objects. Skill · Tool Safety · Freehand Curves · Wood Sculpture Bandsaw Design Lab — Cuts, Curves & Creative Inventions Learn to operate a bandsaw safely, master blade selection and relief cuts, then create fish, animals, characters, and imaginary creatures from wood using the full creative power of the bandsaw. Chapter 4 · Waves, Light & Signals (9–10) Materials shape how information travels through reflection, refraction, absorption, lenses, imaging, sound propagation, and signal transmission.
Skill · Refraction · Dispersion · Optical Materials Newton's Dispersive Prism Recreate Newton's 1666 experiment proving white light contains all visible colors. Explore refraction, wavelength dispersion, and Snell's Law. Skill · Lenses · Imaging · Reflection & Refraction Optics — Mirrors, Lenses & Light Trace how light rays reflect and refract to form focal points and images. Learn the physics underlying telescopes, cameras, and the human eye. Skill · Stereoscopic Optics · Spatial Audio · Presence Virtual Reality — How It Works & How to Build It Explore the optics, stereoscopic rendering, and spatial audio that trick the brain into believing virtual worlds. Discover how to engineer presence and immersion. Skill · Signal Interfaces · Mixed Reality Systems XR: Extended Reality — OpenXR & WebXR Map the spectrum bridging augmented, mixed, and virtual realities. Learn how open web standards are democratizing the development of immersive computing. Chapter 5 · Electromagnetism & Electronic Materials (10–12) Modern civilization runs on material-electromagnetic interaction: conductivity, resistivity, semiconductors, magnetic materials, fields, and transmission loss.
Future Slot · Conductivity · Semiconductors · Loss Electronic Materials Lab Compare conductors, insulators, magnetic materials, and semiconductor behavior to see how fields move energy through real materials.
Chapter 6 · Advanced Materials & Real-World Systems (11–12) Choosing the right material solves the problem: composites, alloys, smart materials, nanomaterials, failure analysis, selection, and tradeoffs.
Future Slot · Failure Analysis · Selection · Tradeoffs Materials Selection Lab Choose materials for weight, strength, heat, cost, conductivity, safety, and failure modes, then test whether the design survives the constraints.
Chapter 1 · Seeing & Light (K–2) Vision begins with light: eyes, seeing, shapes, recognition, brightness, darkness, and visual patterns.
Future Slot · Light · Eyes · Recognition Seeing Light Lab Explore how light enters the eye, why brightness changes what we notice, and how simple shapes become recognizable objects.
Chapter 2 · Color & Visual Elements (3–5) Visual elements are the alphabet of design: hue, saturation, value, primary and secondary colors, contrast, lines, shapes, texture, and pattern.
Skill · Hue · Saturation · Value · Contrast Color Theory Lab Manipulate hue, saturation, and value to create psychological impact. Master the mathematical color harmonies that designers use to guide the human eye. Chapter 3 · Composition & Layout (6–8) Where things go matters as much as what they are: balance, symmetry, scale, proportion, alignment, spacing, visual hierarchy, framing, and focus.
Future Slot · Hierarchy · Scale · Spatial Rhythm Typography Hierarchy Studio Organize information visually using scale, weight, and spatial rhythm. Learn how typographic hierarchy subconsciously directs a reader's attention.
Chapter 4 · Depth, Perspective & 3D Space (9–10) The brain reconstructs space from cues: perspective, overlap, size, lighting, camera framing, angles, 3D visualization, motion, and parallax.
Skill · 3D Space · Scale · Spatial Navigation Virtual Reality Museum Upload your 3D models of artifacts, landmarks, and animals to a shared immersive museum. Explore at human scale in VR, AR, and on desktop browsers. Chapter 5 · Visual Systems & Media (10–12) All visuals are engineered systems: pixels, resolution, RGB and CMYK color models, rendering, graphics pipelines, typography, readability, and UI/UX principles.
Bridge · Signals · Interfaces · Audio-Visual Systems Music Lab Studio Shape raw electronic signals into musical instruments using ADSR envelopes and modular synthesis. See the underlying physics of sound waves and harmonics. Chapter 6 · Perception, Illusion & Immersion (11–12) Perception is constructed: optical illusions, attention, visual bias, Gestalt principles, VR and AR perception, presence, and immersion.
Future Slot · Illusion · Attention · Gestalt Perception Lab Toggle illusions, depth cues, contrast, and layout changes to feel how design manipulates attention, meaning, and perceived reality.
Chapter 1 · Foundations of Language Language begins as sound becoming symbol: phonics, syllables, grammar, expression, and vocabulary in context.
Skill · Phonics · Word Building · Reading Fluency Language Foundations Lab Connect sounds, letters, syllables, words, sentences, speech, reading, and writing into one living symbol system. Students begin with alphabet sounds, build words through phonics, clap syllables, arrange sentence tiles, and discover that language works like code for thought. Chapter 2 · Reading & Interpretation Reading becomes active meaning-making: main idea, inference, sequence, context, figurative language, and point of view.
Future Slot · Inference · Context · Perspective Reading Interpretation Lab Move from decoding to understanding by tracing evidence, context clues, summaries, literal meaning, and implied meaning.
Chapter 3 · Stories, Genres & Imagination Students model how stories work: character arcs, genre, science fiction, fantasy, myth, poetry, rhythm, and dialogue.
Future Slot · Narrative Structure · Genre Story Systems Lab Map conflict, character, setting, plot, theme, genre expectations, and imaginative worlds as systems that simulate experience.
Future Slot · Poetry · Rhythm · Dialogue Voice, Rhythm & Dialogue Listen for compression, line breaks, repetition, subtext, dramatic speech, and the sound patterns that carry meaning.
Chapter 4 · Tradition, Canon & Culture Texts become historical systems: myth, folklore, wisdom literature, canon, apocrypha, translation, and language change.
Future Slot · Myth · Folklore · Wisdom Ancient Myths & Folklore Study oral tradition, parables, proverbs, mythic patterns, canon formation, apocrypha, and the memory systems of cultures.
Skill · Language Across Cultures · Cultural Transmission Language Across Cultures Use Babel, Alexandria, and the Internet to trace translation, shared memory, lost knowledge, and the dream of universal communication. Chapter 5 · Rhetoric, Media & Expression Language becomes persuasive and systemic: truth, bias, argument, satire, media literacy, drafting, and revision.
Skill · Truth · Bias · Perspective Truth, Bias & Perspective Apply critical thinking tools to claims, sources, and cognitive bias so reading becomes an act of careful judgment. Future Slot · Argument · Media · Revision Rhetoric & Media Lab Build arguments, analyze persuasion, compare satire and tone, judge media forms, and refine writing for audience and purpose.
Chapter 6 · Narrative, Meaning & Human Systems Language becomes philosophy and systems thinking: allegory, narrative psychology, worldview, and shared civilization-scale stories.
Skill · Symbolism · Allegory · Worldview Symbolism & Allegory Use Plato's cave to examine how stories, images, shadows, and symbols carry deeper claims about truth and perception. Future Slot · Narrative Psychology · Worldview Stories as Systems Model stories as compressed idea systems that organize memory, identity, belief, interpretation, and civilization.
Chapter 1 · People, Communities & Cooperation Human systems begin with interaction: families, roles, rules, fairness, sharing, traditions, and community helpers.
Future Slot · Rules · Fairness · Cooperation Community Systems Lab Model how people form groups, assign roles, share resources, resolve conflict, and create customs that hold communities together.
Chapter 2 · Trade, Resources & Organization Societies coordinate labor, resources, exchange, value, settlements, borders, government, and law.
Future Slot · Trade · Value · Settlements Resources & Exchange Lab Compare needs, wants, barter, money, maps, borders, and simple governance as tools for coordinating human life.
Chapter 3 · History, Civilization & Power Students model historical systems: ancient civilizations, empires, worldview systems, institutions, and society-changing technology.
Skill · Geography · Networks · Open Source The Roads to Rome Built on ORBIS, Stanford's open-source geospatial model of the Roman Empire. Explore how road, river, and sea — and the sailing season — turned map distance into travel time and cost. Chapter 4 · Philosophy, Ethics & Human Meaning Human systems emerge from ideas and values: logic, ethics, freedom, authority, responsibility, justice, identity, and belief.
Skill · Philosophy · Logic · Knowledge Systems The School of Athens Explore Raphael's fresco as an interactive exhibit. Click philosophers and scientists, compare their influence, and trace how ideas move through societies. Chapter 5 · Economics, Media & Networked Society Modern civilization becomes interconnected and emergent through markets, incentives, media, algorithms, globalization, and organization.
Skill · Law · Media · Cultural Systems The History of Copyright Law Trace the tension between protecting creators' rights and fostering a shared public culture. Discover how technology forces the continuous rewriting of intellectual property laws. Skill · Algorithms · Data Privacy · Media Influence Social Media Algorithms Model how recommendation systems observe data, predict engagement, reinforce infinite scrolling, and deliver personalized ads. Practice habits for staying in control of attention and influence. Skill · Economics · Markets · Incentives Stock Exchange Simulator Navigate a live simulation driven by supply, demand, and unpredictable headlines. Experience the complex psychological and systemic forces that steer global financial markets. Skill · Organization · Focus · Review The 10-80-10 Productivity Process Adopt a disciplined framework for focused execution and continuous improvement. Learn how structuring your time combats distraction and elevates creative output. Chapter 6 · Emergence, Systems Thinking & Civilization Futures Students model civilization as a complex adaptive system: feedback loops, collective intelligence, collapse, resilience, AI, and long-term design.
Skill · Deep Time · Civilization Futures The Ages Trace mankind's evolution through civilization from the Stone Age to modern day, then hypothesize future ages shaped by AI, biotechnology, clean energy, spaceflight, and climate science. Skill · Game Theory · Collective Action Tragedy of the Commons Run a multi-agent simulation of shared resource depletion. Experience the tension between individual self-interest and collective survival — and explore governance solutions.