Rima Martin is someone you’d want with you on a spaceship going to Mars.
She is a science fiction writer, a contributor for Radical Science News platform, and a former IT specialist, who seems to be everywhere on social media.
Her character in the novel, United States Marine Corps Sergeant, Rama Montaigne, debuts in this Saturday’s release of the sixth installment in the Mars is for Misfits novel.
Author Allen Crowley, and collaborator Mike Acerra, ask people they find interesting to be the muse/models for Mars is for Misfits.
Rima, tell us a little about yourself.
I was born and bred in Fiji. A few years later I migrated to Australia to further my studies in IT Support. Now I’m working in retail in Queensland.
I've always been a free thinker and a science enthusiast. So when I’m not working, I’m writing short science fiction stories and researching new science topics to write articles for Radical Science News which is a multi faceted platform for global science articles. I am currently writing an anthology which will feature short stories of multiple genres.
I've always had broad scientific views and I like to participate in science and technology chat groups. I absolutely love reading and will devour any book within my vicinity. I also enjoy learning about artificial intelligence and other science topics. My longtime dream is to change the world with my diverse positive thinking.
What’s your favorite quote or motto?
Hmmm. Favourite quote - “ If you can dream it, you can do it...”
What do you think about being the model and the muse for a character in a novel? Isn’t it weird?
It is weird and that’s why I agreed to be a part of this novel. Everything and anything that is weird has appealed to me since I was a child. Normal is overrated. I think it’s extremely exciting to be a muse for Mars is for Misfits. I always wanted to be in sci-fi movies or tv shows and this is the closest I’d ever come to be a part of it! I can't wait to be a muse for a book character and bring it to life.
How did you come to know Mike Acerra and get involved with this project?
I met Mike through a mutual friend on Facebook, the Queensland science researcher, Ken Killen, and we started talking about his LuxBlox product. He was kind enough to send me a box of LuxBlox for my son, which he still plays with! I remember mentioning that I’m a writer and he asked me if I wanted to be a part of a science fiction book and I didn’t hesitate at all to say yes!
You are a very creative person. What advice do you have for kids who want to pursue their creativity?
I believe I’m a kid at heart myself and I have no plans of growing up so here’s my advice for kids:
Be yourself - your creative nature comes from a very deep place within you. It is all You, not anybody else. Listen to that inner voice it won’t steer you wrong. As Oscar Wilde said once -“ Be yourself; everyone else is already taken”.
Be positive - when you are a kid who wants to pursue his or her creative path, it’s easy to fall back when things don’t go well. But remember it’s not the end. Being positive no matter what is hard but not impossible. Be mindful of your own thinking and the messages you sent to your brain. If you send positive messages you will definitely get positive results.
Pursue your passions - if you love dancing, acting, writing or drawing, please never ever stop pursuing any of the above or more! Keep at it. Consistency is the key.
Be in the Now. Don’t worry too much about the future.
Create your creative foundation and adjust as you go. No need to worry about something that hasn’t happened yet.
If you want something, go and get it. Don’t wait for it to fall on your lap. Make it happen.
Why do you like science?
Because science is what will evolve our thinking and it’s what will move us faster into a better future.
How many languages do you speak?
I speak English, Hindi, a little bit of Fijian and I’m learning Russian.
What is it like where you live?
I live on the sunny side of Australia, Queensland. It’s warm and full of creepy crawlies. We have birds, possums and skunks that frequents our yard every now and then.
What is something you know that you wish more people knew?
I know from the depths of my heart to be kind and empathetic and that’s what makes this world go round and can make it a peaceful existence. I wish more people knew how to be kind.
What is something you think Americans may not know about where you live ?
Did you know that The Selfie was invented n Australia?
We totally did not know that.
Check out Chapter Six of Mars is for Misfits: Girls go to Mars! This Saturday at www.luxblox.com. You can read Rima’s science reporting at Radical Science News.
Here is an excerpt from Chapter Six of Mrs is for Misfits:
In 2010 they began a project with their children and their friends called “Project Lux”. They had play groups in which they worked in a back yard maker space creating different types of toys and construction methods. The Lux Project became an obsession, and the Acerra household was taken over by the sights, sounds and smells of 3D printers, tubs and tubs of prototype construction toys, and a small army of neighborhood kids testing out ideas and drawing AutoCAD designs.
By 2013 the Acerra’s submitted drafts of their first patents and began developing what would be the first Lux part.
American Made
The Acerra's were determined to make their product in the USA and continue to keep their company’s values centered on the families and communities that helped them develop Lux.
When they first began creating the product they had the raw materials sent from factories around Illinois to a barn in the forests of Cameron , Illinois.
During the summer and most of the fall of 2015, with the help of friends and children (usually only being paid in toys and pizza), they worked tirelessly, packaging, and shipping out the first Lux products.
As orders began piling in from around the nation and overseas, the Acerra’s realized they needed help. In what seemed like serendipity they were approached by a local organization called Bridgeway, a not-for-profit agency, that empowers people with disabilities by offering training opportunities and the creation of meaningful employment. The folks at Bridgeway were interested in helping a new local company and were excited by the prospect of making toys.
This partnership was a Godsend for the Acerras and offered their young company a manufacturing solution that met with their values of making a product in the US as close to home and with as much community involvement as possible.
Today Lux products are made and supplied by partners in Missouri , Illinois, and Wisconsin, and are centralized between Galesburg and Macomb. Many of those same children and their families continue to be a vital part of the company and many of them are still working for Lux as designers, draftsman, testers, and video instructors.
Lux is and will continue to be all about making connections and finding meaning through work and play.
Mike Acerra
Lux Blox is not just a construction block; it's a manifesto in plastic form, screaming that the universe's building code is far more bizarre and wonderful than we ever imagined.
]]>Mom, U.S. Marine, and now she’s a character in a Science Fiction Novel based on a toy?
A new novel, which creates a world around the Lux Blox toy series, Lux Force, features the likeness of local hero, Marine Staff Sergeant Alexandra (Gordon) Vanscoyk.
A couple of years ago, when we created Lux Force, our action-adventure line of military vehicles, we created a story about the Lux Force that involved Marines going to Mars to help the colonists fight this creature called the Phage. We wanted to base one of these future Marines on a real-life hero and we found one right here in Galesburg, Illinois, where we make Lux Blox.
We were all very proud of Alexandra (Gordon) Vanscoyk, a local girl, for deciding to become a Marine and serve her country. We considered her to be an amazing role model. So we asked her if we could use her likeness for one of the Marines in Lux Force. She said “yes!, and her picture and a little background about her character, Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Athena Tripi, went into the instructions of our Lux Force Raider.
From a Toy Story to a Toy Novel
Recently, the Fort Worth Texas based science fiction author, Allen Crowley, joined the project and started to turn the “toy-story” into a novel called Mars is for Misfits. The novel started coming out in installments on this blog on July 4th. The story takes place in the year 2043 and is about children who live on Mars and who use science to outwit and fight back against a scary monster.
We caught up with Alex between her many duties and asked her a few questions.
Lux Blox “Hi Alex. What were your thoughts when you were asked to be the model, and kind of the inspiration, for the main character in both a toy and an upcoming science fiction novel, Mars is for Misfits?”
Alex “I come from a very small town, so being able to be a part of something this cool is pretty amazing! I can’t wait to see the final product and read the novel!”
Lux Blox “What made you want to join the Marines?”
Alex “I joined the Marines because I wanted to be a better role model for my nieces and nephews (and now for my own kids). I wanted to show them that women can be strong, powerful leaders.”
Lux Blox “Before you were a Marine you were a competitive bodybuilder and even now as a Marine you organized many runs outside of your normal Marine Corps duties. What motivates you to be so fitness-minded?”
Alex “I love fitness because it’s part of my job and because that’s what our body was made for! I like pushing my body to see what it’s capable of. I also love the way I feel after a really good workout. It just makes me happy!”
Lux Blox “Now you have a family! Three kids and a Marine Corps husband to boot! What is that like?”
Alex “It’s very hard being a full time working mom! Before I had kids my entire life was the Marine Corps. I could volunteer all of my time on the weekends to my Marines and now it’s very different. Now I’ve got my own baby girl and two stepchildren. Our nights are full of studying for school and the weekends are full of playdates. It’s hard. It’s very hard to manage but again it allows me to show my kids what a working family looks like!”
Lux Blox “Did you ever think you’d be married to a Marine?”
Alex “It was always difficult finding civilians who wanted to date a ‘female Marine.’ I’m not really sure why. My best guess is our job title is intimidating to most civilians and we usually have an alpha personality which can also come off as intimidating. It also made conversations easier. We use so many acronyms and random jargon that most people will never understand, no matter how many times you tell them. So, for me, dating a Marine was what seemed realistic.”
Family first, mission always.
Lux Blox “Under normal circumstances, childcare is a major issue for households with working parents. But having two full-time Marine parents must present you with major challenges.”
Alex “Since we are both active duty it’s very difficult to come up with a solid routine while the daycares are closed. We’ve got two kids at home — one school-aged who needs to complete online classwork and an infant who needs constant attention. Thankfully our command has been very helpful but I know other dual couples who have not been as fortunate. The commanding officer at my first unit had a motto: “family first, mission always.” At the time I didn’t have a family but it stuck with me. At my second unit, I had two different COs and both were huge family men. Seeing them, 15 years plus into their career and still having a strong family made me realize it is possible to have the best of both.”.
Both of the Vanscoyks have their sights set on serving in the Marines for the long haul, with Alexandra weighing the idea of either pursuing warrant officer school or becoming a career recruiter. Happy 4th of July to this amazing couple who are defending the civil liberties we all hold dear and inspiring future generations to build a better world … and beyond.
Special thanks to Bianca Strzalkowski and Military Families Magazine for generously sharing excerpts and photos from their May 26th 2020 issue with us.
Chapter one of "Mars is for Misfits" is available to read now by clicking here
]]>From our series "Achieving Greatness……..Our Greatest Teachers"
Written by Steven Kerno
When describing people, the words ‘trailblazer’, ‘pioneer’, and ‘innovator’ get their fair share of use. However, this frequent use, over time, tends to dilute their true meaning. Consider the life and accomplishments of Maria Montessori. Born in 1870 in Italy, her original scholarly intent was to study engineering – almost exclusively the purview of men in the late 19th century. Upon graduation with a certificate in physics-mathematics, she decided upon an even more unconventional career path – medicine. Although Maria Montessori encountered opposition and harassment from many fellow students, her chosen specialties – psychiatry and pediatrics – would be invaluable to her later educational pursuits. Upon graduating from the University of Rome in 1896, she continued research in working with ‘phrenasthenic’ children – what today would be considered a cognitive challenge, delay, or disability. She quickly became a champion for such children, and in the late 1890’s advocated for the development of special classes and schools, along with specialized training for their teachers. By the beginning of the 20th century, Dr. Montessori had established an Orthophrenic School, or ‘medico-pedagogical institute’ for training these teachers, where she was co-director. Her time spent at this school was invaluable in the development of the curricula that would be used very soon with mainstream children – and which would also bear her name. Building upon these successes in educating children, Dr. Montessori then left the Orthophrenic School for the purpose of re-enrolling at the University of Rome to learn more about psychology (at the time, this was within the discipline of philosophy). She also undertook independent study to both observe and perform experimental research in elementary schools.
Casa dei Bambini
In 1906, Dr. Montessori received her first formal teaching invitation. San Lorenzo was an inner-city district in Rome, with many children of modest means. Despite very humble circumstances, and with children considered by others to be unable to learn, she set to work. Eschewing the more accepted classroom environment of the time, Dr. Montessori provided tables and chairs that were appropriate for children, and which they could move themselves. Learning materials were placed on accessible shelves, and an emphasis was placed on practical, hands-on activities. Although the children were somewhat rambunctious at first, as they acclimated to a classroom with activities suited to their personal interests and needs, their behavior improved. With a little time and patience, the children were more calm, agreeable, and capable of applying themselves to a task. Interestingly, when give a ‘free choice’ activity, the children tended to choose more practical ones instead of toys, and were not particularly motivated by food or similar rewards. Out of these experiences emerged children that were motivated to learn, who were self-disciplined, and independent. By focusing on the unique characteristics of each child, the children were much more likely to learn and to fulfill their inherent potential. In short, Dr. Montessori had tapped into each child’s natural desire to learn and personal initiative.
Success Brings Attention – from Around the World
Dr. Montessori was able to achieve so much with children who weren’t expected to succeed – ‘miracle children’, as they were called. Within a few years, adherents of the ‘Montessori Method’ had established schools on five continents. In 1911, the first Montessori School was opened in the United States, in Tarrytown, New York. Leading figures of the era, such as Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell, were willing to lend their support. Dr. Montessori traveled extensively to promote her method, to teach others how to best apply it within a classroom, to demonstrate its effectiveness for observers, and to continue to develop her pedagogy and model for helping children to learn – at their own pace, in their own way.
The breadth, impact, and legacy of Maria Montessori’s work is unquestionably profound. She was both an engineer and physician and would have excelled in either discipline. But her true calling, her passion was teaching, and for that adherents of the ‘Montessori Method’ are eternally grateful.
]]>By Emma Helferich
Our next Lux Blox Super Fan is Jonah Yaffe. This ultimate Lux builder is from Severn, Maryland, and is just nine years old. Jonah has been building with Lux Blox since he was 6 years old. In the last three years, Jonah has grown to love the endless possibilities Lux Blox has to offer.
“It's the flexibility with Lux. If you were playing with any other blocks you couldn’t make the same things you can with Lux. That is why they are my favorite toy!” The flexibility that comes with building Lux Blox allows an opportunity to test engineering and physics theories.
Jonah and his 7 siblings are homeschooled. In their free time, they spend hours building different creations with Lux Blox in their basement, “It is my go-to during my break”, says Jonah. Although it depends on his mood, Jonah said his favorite thing to build with Lux Blox is an ax or a sword. One of his biggest creations was a Double-barrel Shotgun, reaching about 2 1⁄2 feet. Jonah said, “I destroyed it afterward, it was fun!”
Another unique creation Jonah created was a tread for a tank he and his dad wanted to build. This was unique because Mike Accera, the co-creator of Lux Blox, used this tread for his tank as well.
Jonah is an inspiring young man and continues to spread his love for Lux Blox by building with his family and friends.
]]>
“Lux is a wonderful classroom tool. I have used multiple of their classroom sets for so many projects…… It is my go to! I have saved so much time in lesson planning with these.” says Ms. Sophia Wood, Canadian math teacher and homeschool mom. Lux Blox is more than a great way to keep your child entertained for hours - these small building blox provide an inquiry-based learning experience to teach STEM topics at home and in the classroom.
When looking for a great free time reward, Julie Hirschfield, Albuquerque public school teacher, recommends Lux Blox. “When I give my kids the option between Lux Blox and playground time, 9/10 times they choose the Lux!” Lux Blox are great for developing fine motor skills, enhancing spatial intelligence and keeping students minds and hands engaged. Because Lux Blox can build static or dynamic models, they lend themselves to projects to support learning objectives across the curriculum. “My kids visually see, pull, touch, and play with math.”, says Ms. Aly Eastman, a 1st grade teacher at Coast Catholic Academy. Ms. Hill, a Junior High Science teacher at the same school says “I’ve used Lux Blox many, many times in the classroom. We use them for making models of structural things like bridges, viruses, and water molecules...students are very engaged when using LuxBlox. They are fascinated by the endless opportunities and new things they can create.”
Lux Blox is popular in design challenges and classrooms because it demonstrates engineering principles like tensile construction, corrugation, and the min/max principle.
To learn more about what teachers have to say visit our Educators Homepage. https://www.luxblox.com/pages/education
]]>
As Lux Blox becomes more popular in homes and classrooms throughout the world, we wanted to start a series highlighting some of our Lux Blox super fans. Our first super fan is from Barrington, Illinois and has built hundreds of projects with Lux Blox.
Timothy Price is 16 years old and has been a loyal fan of Lux Blox for the past year. Some of his favorite things to build are ground vehicles and spaceships. Timothy discovered Lux Blox through his friends who were fans and it didn’t take long for Timothy to get hooked.
Timothy said the durability and creativity that come with Lux Blox are simply unmatchable. His most recent creation has been named, “Cortex Class Assault Cruiser,” this happens to be one his biggest - 7 by 8 inches wide. Timothy has models utilize all of the Lux Blox parts - squares, trigons, and axles. And while he has built hundreds of models, so far, his favorite creation is a “Head Hunter Class Medium Tank.” Timothy stated that this was the first time he had pictured one design he planned to build but ended up with something completely different than he had imagined. Timothy stated, “I really like the fact that they (freestyle sets) do not come with any instructions. I can create whatever my imagination comes up with.” One of the most unique things about Lux Blox is some sets come with instructions and others are all up to your imagination.
Although Lux Blox is known to boost creativity, these blocks are also the perfect construction tool. Last school year, Timothy took a class called Project Lead the Way (PLTW). This is a STEM inspired class and when asked to build a project, Timothy built a “projectile launcher” (or slingshot) made from Lux Blox and a few additional materials - landing him an A in the class!
Timothy is an inspiring young man and continues to spread his love for Lux Blox by building for the Luxforce. Check out some of his work:
]]>
By Emma Helferich
As we head into the peak of summer, kids are getting excited to play outside and have some fun! Here we have gathered three fun and easy, DIY summer activities for kids.
Sidewalk chalk drawing is always a fun activity for kids. Take it to the next level with this Puffy Sidewalk Paint recipe. With 1 cup of flour, 1 cup of water, 1 TBSP of dish soap, and a piece of chalk, you can create hours of outdoor fun.
Instructions:
This is an easy way to keep kids entertained throughout the day while also getting them involved with mixing it up in the kitchen!
After a fun day of playing outside, who wouldn’t want ice cream? In just fifteen minutes you can have your own ice cream ready to eat without leaving your house! Follow these steps to make ice cream in a bag:
There’s just something about a covered play area that opens up a kid’s imagination. Creating a fun area for your kids to relax or read a book doesn’t have to be difficult. With just a few household supplies you can have a Hula Hoop Tent up in minutes.
What you need:
First, hook each ring, with the shower curtain attached, onto the hula hoop. Next, cut your rope into four equal strands (about 2 feet in length). Then cut one additional fifth strand longer, depending on your ceiling/tree branch height. Finally, Attach one end of each of the four equal-length strands to the hula hoop, spread out evenly around the hoop. Gather the untied ends of the four strands and tie in a big strong knot. Then, tie the extra-long strand to the knot you just created. Hang it on a safe branch or ceiling hook and enjoy days of fun!!
https://www.capitalgazette.com/cg2-arc-140323style-pin-sisters-20140323-story.html
]]>By Emma Helferich
We have always heard that hands-on learning will help with a child's brain development, but why is that? Children of all ages - preschool through teenage years - are continuously growing and developing. These are critical periods; the more a child can engage in different activities and create different projects, the more motivated they will be to continue pursuing new challenges and learning new skills. Hands-on learning allows someone to develop intelligence as they use their vision and other senses while touching, pulling, and playing. This type of learning can be applied to something as simple as basic math or as complex as the structural design.
While there are many benefits to hands-on learning, one of the greatest is it engages both sides of the brain. According to Goodwin University, “Research done by Cindy Middendorf, an education consultant, has shown that between the ages of four and seven, a child’s right side of the brain is developing, and the learning derives clearly through visual and spatial activities. The right side of the brain, which involves more analytical and language skills, is said to develop later in childhood, around 10 years old.” Being able to touch something is much more engaging than simply reading about it. Hands-on learning requires children and teens to multitask by talking, listening, and moving, and manipulating, which stimulates and develops multiple areas of the brain.
In another study done with animals, it was proven that experience increases the overall quality of the functioning of the brain. In this experiment, rats were placed with the presence of a changing set of objects for exploration to encourage play (Rosenzweig and Bennett, 1978). These animals performed better on a variety of problem-solving tasks than rats reared in standard laboratory cages. It was also observed that animals raised in these complex environments had a greater volume of capillaries per nerve cell (therefore a greater supply of blood to the brain) than those who did not experience the environments full of manipulatives with which to play.
There are numerous studies that support the effectiveness of hands-on learning. We encourage you to create challenges and projects for your family to enjoy.
https://www.goodwin.edu/enews/benefits-of-hands-on-learning/
]]>By Emma Helferich
As stay at home orders were put into place, schools closed and activities paused, allowing children more free time than ever before. What some did to ‘do their part’ during these uncertain times is truly inspiring.
As the coronavirus spread, face masks became scarce. A group of Detroit students - aged 8 through 13 – created non-surgical masks for healthcare professionals. Providing instruction online, fashion designer Elena Victoria taught the students to sew masks for medical professionals, which they shipped to local hospitals. These children have created hundreds of masks which are being used all over the United States.
Millions of healthcare workers have been risking their lives each day to help care for patients with COVID-19. Some are isolating themselves away from their family and close friends, which can take a toll on a person’s mental health. One inspiring family from Arizona has found a way to put smiles on the faces of these front-line workers.
Tory Pottinger Feiler and her two boys, Luke and Colin, started making cards for healthcare providers. It didn’t take long for this to become a huge hit in their community. Tory created a Facebook page - “Cards for Hospitals and Nursing Homes”. The community grew quickly as the page has over 500 members from across Arizona.
Members of the group post pictures of the cards, allowing the children to display their creativity before sending them to the health care workers. Both the authors and the recipients received a boost of positivity from the cards. According to the Greater Good Magazine, research shows writing letters of gratitude once per week can help with mental health significantly, even up to three months after writing them.
Instead of asking for birthday presents, Domonic Mercado, a 12-year-old from New Jersey, asked his community members for non-perishable foods for the local food pantry in his hometown. Spirit & Truth Ministries Kitchen said this was the largest donation they had seen in years - - 5 SUV’s! This act is truly inspiring due to the rising number of people who have had to rely on local soup kitchens to feed their family during this pandemic.
While the pandemic and quarantines have cost many lives and done great damage to our economy, it is comforting to know that children, working with adults, have been sparked by their caring into action which helped those in need.
]]>Cave paintings made using charcoal and other materials have been dated as early as 30,000 years BC 1. A beautiful charcoal drawing of a mammoth from Rouffignac at Lascaux in France is shown below. These pictures would have been made using charred sticks taken from a fire.
The most famous painter of the Italian Renaissance was Raphael. He did most of his preparation drawing in charcoal. Here is an example of one of his charcoal drawings:
If you want to make your own charcoal for drawing watch this great video below. It is easy to do as long as you have a charcoal grill or fireplace or place in your yard to make a fire.
The charcoal I use in my tutorial is made from willow saplings.
Here is an amazing blog about where the finest willow charcoal is made. It is fascinating.
Charcoal is a wonderful medium because it is soft and responds to the pressure and direction of your hand. It is a very expressive drawing material and it is great for “doodling” around.
]]>Don Cahill grew up in Brooklyn, New York, in the 1930’s. He is a former teacher, school superintendent, software creator, and author. Don has 10 children, 21 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren. Below Don recalls the joy of building model airplanes.
My brother Jack was a year older than me and was probably the one who taught me about building model airplanes. And not just any model airplanes but flying models. We would walk down Jamaica Ave some blocks to Tex Foster's shop which, as you entered, had finished models hanging from the ceiling.
I don’t know if he sold anything else besides model kits and loose balsa wood strips and blocks, but it was where we would pick out our next projects in kit form. Ten cents would get you a kit for a 12-inch wingspan plane. Cessna, Stinson-Reliant, Piper Cub, Focke-Wulff, Spirit of St. Louis, and others. We would make our buys and rush home to start the new project.
The kit contained: strips of balsa wood, a thin sheet of balsa with the outlines of necessary shapes for wing and fuselage, a propeller, long rubber band, wire hooks to hold the rubber band at the back and to the prop, a vial of glue, a sheet of thin rice paper to cover the surfaces, and, of course, the plans.
You were expected to supply your own straight pins to hold pieces to the plans while the glue dried, and a single-edge razor blade for cutting out the wing ribs and rounded tips of wings, rudder, and elevator, as well as the strips for forming the skeleton of the plane.
I would feverishly go to our room and pin the plan to a flat piece of cardboard so I could push pins into it and set to work. Next, I would cut out all the parts from the balsa sheet. Long balsa strips were pinned in place on the plan and connected with little dabs of glue.
As each assembly was dried, I removed it from the plan. The fuselage (the body of the plane) required two sides to be constructed and then pieced together with cross pieces and rounded formers if called for. The wing was a single unit as were the rudder and elevator (the control surfaces).
Gradually the whole skeleton grew into a unit lacework of balse which now required covering with the provided paper. Piece by piece the paper was glued to the outside of the plane. We would work for hours after school and sometimes even on the weekend until interrupted (“Dinner is ready.”; “Have you done your homework?”; “Time for bed!”) When it was all trimmed and lightly sanded, water was gently brushed onto all the paper surfaces and allowed to dry, shrinking to a taut surface, provided no wrinkles had been allowed to form. Finally, after hours and days of delicate laboring, the plane was ready to try out.
First the prop, now connected by a rubber band to a hook at the rear of the fuselage, had to be wound just the right number of times to tighten the band enough to make it whir for the few seconds required to make it actually fly! But, first, you had to test its glide over a soft surface (a bed would do) and balance it with judicious weight fore or aft. Then, the acid test: wind it up and launch it by hand. Oh, the wonder of it as it wobbled through the air... the thrill ... the power... and frequently the awkward nalding which might snap a wing or rudder. Back to the room to see what repairs were possible.
Of course, Tex Foster also sold 25 cent kits for models which had a wingspan of 2 feet or so. These were sturdier and more likely to fly better and with less accident proneness. But, we seldom could afford the upgrade.
-
Don Cahill
If you have an inspiring story about building, send us your story to be featured on our blog - Lux Corner.
Did you know that you can build planes with Lux Blox? Check out our Airplanes and Banshee Helicopters!
]]>In Peoria, Illinois, Lux Blox found their way into the bathroom and the kitchen.
In this video a mom and her son show off their toothbrush holders in Minnesota.
Ben from Texas built a bridge for his cars with his Dad.
When Ben first played with Lux at his grandparents’ house, he was only three. He tiled their floor with Lux Blox.
Many children help their parents stay organized by making them baskets to hold things like mail, magazines, and napkins.
These girls in Bloomington, Indiana made iPhone holders for their teacher.
Have you or your children created new uses of Lux Blox at your home? Let us know in the comments below!
]]>Here we show how Lux Blox trigons can be used to understand the building blocks of life.
The video demonstrates how Lux Blox can model the basic structures that make things like viruses, cells, and microscopic organisms.
The trigons can give kids the opportunity to model chains of amino acids, called polypeptides, and how these β-strands (beta-strands) can be folded into the β-sheets (beta-sheets) that build the β-proteins (beta-proteins) that build things like viruses and cells.
Trigons come in black, white, and olive green and are available here
Visit our store to see more.
Did you miss our drawing lessons? Check out our video lessons on how to draw by clicking here!
]]>By Mike Acerra
If you missed our previous lessons, you can find them by clicking Lesson One and Lesson Two respectively.
In this video you will doodle simple forms such as prisms, pyramids, cylinders, cones, and spheres with the illusion of three dimensions.
Then, you will learn to slice these forms into pieces, called truncations.
Finally, you will learn to create a powerful form called the lune. The lune is the shape of a lemon wedge. It is called a ‘lune’ after the word luna, which means the moon. Nature loves this form and uses it everywhere. Even our eyelids are lune shaped!
It is exciting to be able to see and draw the shapes that form the building blocks of the complex structures in our world.
Compound forms are combinations of parts of multiple forms. Almost everything in life - from man-made to nature-made - is a compound form.
Doodling these forms will give you an ability to see the forms within things and have artistic X-RAY EYES!!
]]>
By Mike Acerra
#LuxQuarantineArtClub #luxcorner
In this lesson, we will learn to doodle three views of the head. The side, or profile view, the front view, and the three-quarter view. We will rely on the S and C rules we learned in the last lesson.
In this video, we learn how to draw the side view or profile view of the head. We will use the number nine to help us organize the head into different parts.
In this video, we will cover doodling the front view head so that all parts are placed correctly. You will learn to utilize an egg shape to divide the face evenly in half horizontally and vertically to ensure symmetry and proper eye placement.
The three-quarter view is the view between the front view and the profile (side view). When we draw the three-quarter view we will use another “rule of nine”.
Remember that this is doodling, so it should be fun and even funny! There is a long tradition of drawing people out of proportion and incorrectly on purpose. Leonardo da Vinci’s comedians are a very famous drawing of caricatures, shown below:
The French Impressionist painter, Claude Monet, made his classmates laugh when he would doodle funny pictures of their teachers. Shown below.
]]>Now is a fantastic time to learn drawing. The Doodle Method was created to teach kids a natural and fun way to draw the world.
Before my wife Heather and I created a construction toy to get kids building using nature’s design principles, we had an art school in our home.
We created what we called the Doodle Method. It is based on using the lines that are already natural for our hands to form. Children old enough for handwriting lessons are of the appropriate skill level for these lessons.
This method will help your child to:
Connecting children to nature through drawing and other hands-on activities is a rewarding exercise with long-lasting benefits. It builds foundational skills and knowledge to enhance understanding of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) subjects through awareness of the patterns found in nature and mathematical relationships.
An Example From History
Greek ceramicists painted decorative patterns on vessels such as the one shown on this 2700-year-old ceramic pot to make them more attractive and easier to sell in ancient marketplaces. This type of doodle art was used on ceramics in civilizations throughout the world.
Start with Baby Steps
Like learning to walk, it is best to take small steps at first when learning to draw. It is important to understand the true power of the doodle and the scribble. When people scribble and doodle they are usually very relaxed and their mind is often occupied with other things. They are merely making lines that are easy and pleasurable for their hands and images that are simple and pleasant to their eyes. This is a very natural state of “art play”.
In this video series, you will learn fundamental drawing skills by doodling with letters.
In the first video, we learn the S-rule. The S-rule is a powerful technique for drawing and design because it creates the illusion of three dimensions- what I call “punching the form” with the S. The S traces the curviness of natural things, which tricks the eyes into believing that what it is looking at is three dimensional. The S is a very natural line to draw and the more comfortable you become making S’s the more fun drawing will be.
In the Daily Doodle #2, we continue exploring the S rule and the C rule as a way to learn the illusion of overlapping perspective. In this video, I show you how we can use the S and C rule to create plants, animals, and even the human face using the visual shorthand developed in the Italian Renaissance.
The Z-Rule is another powerful technique to help you make mandalas and the illusion of knots using simple natural lines. This Z or zigzag rule has been used by artisans for thousands of years. It's an effective means of creating the illusion of three dimensions from one simple line. In this video, I also explore other doodling techniques like creating rosettes and geometric spirals.
Nature gave us a wonderful gift - it builds itself with spirals! Learn how the S-rule and the C-rule, when combined with the speed and power of the spiral, works to bring three dimensions into view.
Take your time. Remember, this is just doodling! Make your own designs with the S-rule. Make mistakes and have fun! And if you want to learn it faster, teach someone else what you just learned!
Want to learn more? Continue on to lesson 2 by clicking here.
]]>Today's post was kindly submitted to us by Bailey Cavanah a 2nd Grade Teacher at Nielson Elementary School.
Hi everyone! I’m Bailey and have been a second-grade teacher for over 10 years. I have been using Lux Blox in my classroom and at school for two years now and wanted to share with you my top 5 ways to use Lux Blox in your school.
5. Conflict Resolution - At my school, my principal holds meetings with students who need help resolving a problem. During this time, students can build together with Lux Blox while they are working through their problems. The outcome is a really cool creation and at the same time, it allows the students to work through their problems.
4. Reward - As we all know, each and every student is motivated in different ways. I like to use Lux to reward positive behavior and for meeting goals. I had a student in class who loved to build things, so he picked Lux Blox as his reward for meeting his goals. When the goal was met, he would leave the room for 10 minutes to build. This allowed the student to have a break and get to build something of his choice.
3. Calming Corner - I have a Calming Corner in my classroom where my students can go when they are feeling big emotions. While in the Calming Corner, my students use strategies to help them calm down and then return to the lesson. Lux Blox are one of the manipulatives available to assist my students in calming down.
2. Indoor Recess Choice - Inside recess isn’t usually as much fun as playing on the playground. However, my students love to play with Lux Blox during inside recess! I like letting the students use Lux during inside recess because it allows them to be creative and keeps them thinking and problem solving. This year, my class enjoyed making Beyblades out of Lux and having battles.
1. STEM Bins - My favorite way to use Lux Blox is in my STEM Bins. My students have the choice of many different materials when building with STEM Bins, but Lux are always the first to be picked. Lux Blox allow my kids the flexibility to build specific things and be creative, but also challenges their thinking.
In what ways do you use Lux Blox in your home or classroom? Tell us by leaving a comment down below!
Interested in purchasing a set for your classroom? We have sets tailored for teachers available here
]]>