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Turing Tumble: Gaming on a Mechanical Computer
SKU
072136
Grade 3-AD
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Teaching Method
Traditional
Teacher-centered curriculum commonly used in classrooms that may include a text, teacher manual, tests, etc.
Charlotte Mason
A methodology based on the work of a 19th century educator who maintained that children learn best from literature (Living Books), not textbooks.
Classical
A methodology based on the Latin Trivium (three stages of learning), including the grammar stage (memorization and facts), logic stage (critical thinking), and rhetoric stage (developing/defending ideas).
Unit Study
A thematic or topical approach centered around one topic that integrates multiple subject areas.
Montessori (Discovery)
A methodology based on the work of a 20th century educator that emphasizes student and sensory-driven discovery learning and real-life applications.
Other
Other methodologies
Religious Content
Secular
Contains content contrary to common Christian beliefs (i.e. evolution).
Neutral
Avoids religious or theoretical topics or presents multiple viewpoints without preference.
Christian/Religious
Faith-based or including instructional religious content.
Learning Modality
Auditory
Learns through listening, talking out loud or reading out loud.
Visual
Learns through seeing, prefers written instructions and visual materials.
Kinesthetic/Tactile (Hands-On)
Learns through moving, doing and touching.
Multi-Sensory
Curriculum that employ a variety of activities/components.
Presentation
Sequential
Curriculum progresses through well-defined learning objectives. Emphasizes mastery before moving to the next topic.
Spiral
Topics and concepts are repeated from level to level, adding more depth at each pass and connecting with review.
Conceptual/Topical
Focus is on the “why,” often with a unifying concept as well as specific skills; coverage may be broader.
Teacher Involvement
Low Teacher Involvement
Student-led materials; parent acts as a facilitator.
Medium Teacher Involvement
A mix of teacher-led time and independent student work.
High Teacher Involvement
Teacher-led lessons; may utilize discussions, hands-on activities and working together.
Additional Materials Required
No other materials needed
Everything you need is included.
Other Materials Required
There are additional required resources that are a separate purchase.
Other Materials Optional
There are additional resources mentioned or recommended but are not absolutely necessary.
Consumable
Consumable
Designed to be written in; not reusable.
Non-Consumable
Not designed to be written in; reusable.
Our Price
$69.95 
Description
If you've never heard of him, Alan Turing was the "father of modern computing" and played a pivotal role in developing machine computing as we know it. I think he would be proud to have his namesake attached to such a brilliant teaching tool! Part programming and part logic puzzle, the Turing Tumble begins as an unassuming peg-board with slots for falling marbles; think "Plinko machine." The goal is to turn the board into a simple computer using six marble-carrying analog equivalents of digital machinery: Ramps (direct balls down the board - circuits), Crossovers (change the direction of balls - also circuits), Bits (can be turned "left" or "right" - represent 0 or 1), Interceptors (prevent a marble from releasing more marbles - a "STOP" command), and Gears / Gear Bits (store information by being pointed "right" or "left" - a sort of register). When one marble reaches the bottom, it triggers either a Blue (left) or Red (right) marble to fall. The key to programming the Turing Tumble is controlling where these marbles end up!
To accomplish this, a 60-puzzle activity book accompanies the board. Each puzzle is styled & illustrated as part of a simple computer program that needs solved: an Objective ("Let exactly 9 blue balls reach the end. Intercept the 10th."), Required Output (a pattern of Blue and/or Red marbles), a Starting Setup (a clear picture of the parts which start on the board), and Available Parts (the parts you should use to accomplish the objective). The process begins with trial & error as kids figure out how each piece functions; but once they understand the correlation between "plastic pieces" and "programmable puzzle," it becomes all about logic!
Interwoven into the puzzle book is the story of a young space engineer who must escape an abandoned planet. Each puzzle brings her closer to rescue, seamlessly integrating the story and activity to help keep kids engaged. Perfect for learning logic, basic computing, and good, clean, screen-free fun! Includes 30 Ramps, 6 Crossovers, 10 Bits, 3 Interceptors, 4 Gears, 8 Gear Bits, 20 Red marbles, 20 Blue marbles, and 30 counterweights.
Publisher's Description of Turing Tumble: Gaming on a Mechanical Computer
Turing Tumble is a new type of game where players (ages 8 to adult) build mechanical computers powered by marbles to solve logic puzzles.Use ramps, crossovers, bits, interceptors, gears, and gear bits to build marble-powered computers that can generate patterns, do logic, count, add, subtract, multiply, divide, and much, much more.
This is the standard Turing Tumble kit, which includes everything you'll need to start building computers:
Computer board
Computer stand
30 Ramps
10 Bits
8 Gear bits
6 Crossovers
4 Gears
3 Interceptors
1 Presser
Puzzle/comic book with 60 puzzles
20 Red marbles
20 Blue marbles
30 Counterweights
Discover how computers work!
Details
| Product Format: | Other |
|---|---|
| Brand: | Upper Story |
| Grades: | 3-AD |
| EAN/UPC: | 868605000401 |
| Length in Inches: | 13.375 |
| Width in Inches: | 18.625 |
| Height in Inches: | 3.875 |
| Weight in Pounds: | 6.3 |
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