New Kits, Robots, PD
Star Wars–themed robots and holograms are being used to spark career-focused STEAM engagement, TinkRworks is promoting build/code robot summer kits at 20% off, and PreK STEAM PD remains active despite resource challenges—signal: hands-on tech is circulating back into classrooms. These products and PD items give tangible entry points for makerspace and engineering units. (x.com) (x.com) (x.com)
WTOP reported March 17, 2026 that the Theresa Sondra Jacobs (TSJ) Foundation is bringing life‑sized R2‑D2, C‑3PO and other Star Wars‑themed droids, modified vehicles and holograms to classrooms and events to deliver hands‑on STEAM and career exploration across the D.C. region. (wtop.com) TSJ founder Eric Jacobs described the foundation’s i‑ARTS (interActive Robotic Teaching System) as a program that pairs functioning characters with classroom lessons, and WTOP notes the group has visited “dozens of schools” while also appearing at community events like the D.C. Auto Show. (wtop.com) TinkRworks’ public pages advertise a limited‑time summer offer listed as “Save 25% on STEAM Projects” and explicitly promote “free professional development with purchase” for their PreK–12 implementation packages. (steam.tinkrworks.com) TinkRworks lists TinkRbot as an early‑grade build/code robotics kit (Grades K–2) and describes a cloud‑based coding portal that supports both block‑based and text coding to control lights, motors and sound during project work. (tinkrworks.com) The Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education published an article on March 11, 2026 reporting that preschool teachers express positive attitudes toward engineering‑based STEM but face “shortages of materials, insufficient preparation, and uncertainty” about integrating engineering into existing curricula, and the authors called for more targeted PD support. (link.springer.com)
