Where do you start with snap circuits?

[praisefor3]

I want to get ds11 his first snap circuit kit but have no idea what to start with at that age. Any suggestions?

[JWSJ]

We started my ds7 with the larger kit. He enjoys it, but we need to use it more. He's loved the concepts since the first time he saw them on display (at a HS conference).

He also enjoys taking things apart, lego, etc.

[Julie in MN]

My ds (12) enjoys building the circuits. I'd get as large a set as you can, because there are specific parts for building specific things, so the more the merrier.

There are student & teacher guides for sale a few places (Home Science Tools, etc.). I always have them on my wish list, but haven't ever seen them in person. The one for older kids is called Snap Circuits 500.

I hope you get more responses from creative folks so I can read them, too!
Julie

[Capt_Uhura]

I have the Teacher's guides. IF you have any questions, I'll try to answer them.

[Julie in MN]

I have the Teacher's guides. IF you have any questions, I'll try to answer them.

Oooh, tell me about it!

Do you have the one for 7-12th grades?

Is yours homeschool friendly?

Is it something I could plug into the end of our science class, in a short but consistent time frame?

Are there specific lessons and clear learning goals?

Do you need anything other than general Snap Circuit kits?

Do you have the student manual? How is that different from the teacher manual?

Anything else?

[JudoMom]

Get the biggest set you can afford. The bigger the set, the more you can build.

[Capt_Uhura]

I don't see a grade level on what I have.

OK I found a link that has a pdf with sample pages. http://www.snapcircuits.net/learn.htm
If you scroll to the bottom of this page http://www.elenco.com/snapcircuits.html you can see the manuals I have. I don't see anything about grade level. Do you have info that there are different grade levels?

Student Guide for Electronic Snap Circuits MOdel SC-300R
Student Guide for E. Snap Circuits Model SC-500R
Student Guide for E. Snap Circuits Model Sc-750R
Teacher Guide for E. Snap Circuits Models SC-100R, SC-300R, SC-500R, SC-750R.

The Teacher's guide is just quizzes to be given to the students and nothing more.

Ok from the SC-300R student guide:

Chapter 1: Basic components and circuites: electricity, wires, batteries, the switch, the lamp, etc
chap 2: motors and electricity: motors, motor circuits, fuses, your electric company etc
chap 3: resistance: resistors, LEDs, resistors in parallel and series
chap 4: capacitors
chap 5: transistors
chap 6: oscillators and electronic sound
chap 7: integrated circuits
chap 8: electromagnetism and radio

the manuals are in color. they are in fact color-coded. Much of the test is green and blue. the orange boxes are more advanced material while the brown boxes are considered additional/background material, either can generally be omitted w/out a significant impact on the course.

each chapter introduces new parts, gives info of real life use of that part, you then build some circuits to learn about that part.

another ex: it talks about how the base grid is like a PC Board and differnet items PC Boards are used in, in your home and about wiring inside your house. I see there are also quick quizzes and a summary at the end of the chapter. There is also a Quiz that has practice problems some of which are ciruits and you ahve to answer a question about the circuit such as
3. Three of the choices of circuits below are the same circuit with the parts arranged in different ways. Which choice is a different circuit?

4. Which of these circuits is a short circuit? (4 snap circuits are pictured).

does that help?


I haven't used these but i think they are wonderful for HS. WHen I bought these, my son wasn't quite ready for anything formal. Was hoping Dh would pick up the torch with this but he hasn't. My boys love making circuits. This is my 1st year HSing so before this, we didn't have the time for anything formal. Probably not this year, but in the summer, I'll plan on doing a formal course where we'll start w/ the first student book (SC-300R) and work through it sequentially perhaps get a couple of kids together.

[AnnetteB]

Our kids have enjoyed their Snap Circuits 300, but they say bigger would've been better...whatever you can afford :) The pieces are very durable and after 9 kids we still haven't broken a piece or lost one! Amazing when I think about it.

[HappyGrace]

of pieces, for any age? Looking at these for ds5 and dd8 (a few months shy of 6 and 9.) Or are there different sets for different ages? I was trying to figure it out looking at it in the Rainbow Resource Christmas catalog and I'm not sure.

[JudoMom]

The only difference is the number of pieces included. We got the 500 set for my boys for Christmas 3 years ago (they were 6 & under at the time).

[HappyGrace]

Wondered if it might be too hard for ds5. Thanks!

[Jen3boys]

I bought the SC100R and SC300R for my boys. They really enjoyed playing with them, so the next year I bought them each an upgrade kit. (100 to 300; 300 to 500) I bought through www.cs-sales.net and found their customer service excellent. I had no problem getting a quick replacement piece for a piece that wasn't working, at no charge, several months after I had received the kit. (It was a Christmas gift). I don't know if they have the cheapest prices though.

[6kids2luv]

My boys love their snap circuits sets. We started them around age 7-8 with the Elenco Jr. (100 projects) set. Then the next year for Christmas we got the 300 project add-on kit. And, we'll keep adding to it over time. We don't spend a lot for gifts ($20-25/child) so this worked great for us & we found starting with the small was all they needed at first. I don't have the IG but, the student manual has a lot of information in it. They have spent hours with them.

[Julie in MN]

I don't see anything about grade level. Do you have info that there are different grade levels?

Here it says grades 7-12 for the teacher, as well as all 3 student versions, when I clicked on the student guides:
http://www.hometrainingtools.com/product_categories/197/products/6540-snap-circuits-teacher-guide


Your review was very helpful. Somehow just reading it on a site where they're selling it doesn't do enough for my brain. Thanks so much!

[Capt_Uhura]

Julie,

Those look like the books I have. They are probably rated high b/c the students are expected to read the student books themselves but for science-minded kids, these can be done much younger IMHO.

[Julie in MN]

Julie,
Those look like the books I have. They are probably rated high b/c the students are expected to read the student books themselves but for science-minded kids, these can be done much younger IMHO.


Great to know!

[profmom]

I did a search for "snap circuit" and read some of the threads (including this one -- thanks!). I see that there is a Snap Circuit set with a rover & remote. What do you guys think of this one? Is it better to just get the 300 or 500 set?

Does Michael's carry them? I have some 40% off coupons!

[Jen3boys]

Ds10 got the snap circuit rover last christmas. He spent one day with it and ....it has been sitting on his shelf all year. He's used the regular sets more often. (YMMV)
I have never seen snap circuits at Michaels.