Renewable energy is that which is available in the environment. For example; solar energy can be naturally generated by using solar panels to convert sun’s heat into energy. Wind energy is converted when the wind turbines rotate with the force of the wind which powers the generator to make electricity. And hydroelectric power is sourced when the force of water pushes the blades of turbines in water to move & produce electricity, which is carried through pipes. Through this blog, we aim to highlight the many advantages of renewable energy & why it makes sense to invest in these natural sources, rather than depend on fossil-fuels. As of 2020, only 19.8% of the total energy supply is generated through renewable sources, and there is so much more to explore, to increase this figure.

Renewable Energy Does Not Run Out of Supply

Renewable means always capable of being renewed and therefore never being exhausted. Hence by definition, renewable energy is that which will never run out. The wind will continue to blow and the sun will rise & shine as usual for perpetuity. This important characteristic trait makes it a sustainable and reliable source of energy to work with verses the fossil fuels which will eventually run out in decades to come.

Renewable Energy Doesn’t Generate Emission

Any source of renewable energy that you make use of has no adverse effects, as it doesn’t generate harmful emissions into the atmosphere. On the other hand, fossil fuels contribute to greenhouse gas emissions such as; carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide that can have a negative impact on the climate and cause global warming. To run economies and cater to the ever-increasing population demands, industries such as- agriculture, transportation, electricity, and construction, are blamed to contribute to the release of harmful greenhouse gases and play havoc in the balance of nature on Mother Earth.

Renewable Energy Reduced Carbon Footprint

To put it in simple words, carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouses gases that we humans generate due to our own actions such as; travelling by car, excessive usage of AC or heating systems, wasting electricity, etc. The average carbon footprint that a person generates in the US was accounted to be as high as 16 tonnes. The aim is to lower carbon footprint and some of the ways to do so is by; going to a local supermarket by walking it up rather than taking the car, eating foods that are produced within your region to avoid waste associated with processing, shipping, and packaging, etc.

Cut Down on Water Usage

When it comes to converting non-renewable sources like coal & natural gas into energy, the process includes heating up huge gallons of water and creating steam to run turbines. As compared to that, the sun does not require water to generate electricity and neither does wind need wastage of water to generate energy. Also, hydropower is generated from the forceful current of water flowing downstream from rivers & dams and not by heating water & converting it into steam.

Reduces Costs

Renewable energy is not only good for the environment, but also friendly on your wallet. The sun, wind, and flowing water is free of cost and we do not have to pay any cost to replenish it. Also, the process by which these renewable sources are converted into energy, requires only one-time cost for set-up the upkeep & maintenance is comparatively inexpensive. As the demand & acceptance on ‘green energy’ increases, the cost of technology will also considerably drop & newer-cheaper inventions will come into existence. Our dependency on other coal will reduce greatly by shifting to renewable sources, and thus, it’s a clear win-win situation for consumers, suppliers, & government bodies.

Increase Independence of Economies

Recently we have witnessed the gruelling effects of raising oil prices, and how fuel for powering our cars & trucks are reaching sky-rocket rates. This is because of dominance & dependence of few countries such as – Russia, Middle East, and US, that are naturally blessed with oil. Therefore, there is no option but to rely on these oil producing giants. Renewable energy reduces oil imports and the pressure of having to pay exorbitant amounts to fulfil the requirements of the people. Renewable energy will reduce risk of energy crisis and contribute to a sustainable development.

Now that we know how important & urgent the need is to shift to renewable energy sources, why not make our children aware of this at an early age? Carolina’s Building Blocks of Science is bringing the importance of Energy Works, to classrooms all over the world, including Dubai, UAE and other GCC regions across the Middle East. The Energy Works module comes with a hands-on kit and all the essential supplies necessary to conduct experimentation to understand alternative, potential, and kinetic energy in systems powered by sun, wind, and water. So, are you ready to usher into an era of young Energy Savers!

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We must have heard stories of how accomplished and celebrated ‘Shakuntala Devi’ was for her astonishing ability to perform mental math problems and present answers even faster than it could be calculated on a calculator. Shakuntala was indeed a ‘Human Calculator’ and left a mark of legacy behind, which we proudly share with our children today!

What Is Mental Math?

Mental math is practicing math calculations & computing answers in your head, without the use of paper, a calculator, or computer. It is basically manipulating numbers in your mind and arriving at an answer verbally. Without even us realizing it, we do mental math calculations very often through the day. For example; calculating the amount of money as change you are to receive from the shopkeeper against the note you have given, is a good example of mental math function. Now that we are so dependent on our phones & iPads, that our kids have stopped exploring the power of their minds and instead rely on tools for doing even simple day-to-day calculations. However, we need to change this habit, as there are countless benefits to brain development of children who are able to practice math calculations mentally.

Making Children a Pro at Mental Math Can Help In:

#1 Boosting Brain Development

Being able to calculate & crunch numbers requires remembering formulae and applying them correctly in the appropriate situation. That requires good memory power & the ability to store information & retain it whenever required. Only when you use this superpower of mental application, will your brain power boost and it will benefit the child by being able to remember more & more details and concepts taught at school.

#2 Improves Concentration

The average concentration of a 13-year-old adolescent is only about 39 minutes. That means getting distracted is inevitable, especially when we have access to smart phones & social media, focusing on what is being taught in class takes a back seat. Mental math is a great tool for training the mind to focus on things that are important. Mental math is not just about getting the calculation right, it is a means to train the brain to filter out the chaos happening around us, and instead calmly draw more attention to more important tasks like; studying, becoming a better person, developing personality, and inculcating good habits.

#3 Enhances Confidence

As a beginner you would start by solving addition sums as simple as; 150 + 75 and be applauded for the right answer. With progress, the teacher increases the difficulty level of sums shot at the student. Now students are asked to mentally decipher; what is 3 (x-7), when x = 12? Getting to solve complex problems mentally, increases the confidence in oneself manifold. Confident individuals do well in life and they are not afraid of making mistakes, learning from them, & keep progressing in lives.

#4 Better Marks In Exams

A sharper mind, fetches better grades in exams! Students are able to perform well in most subjects, as their brain is now trained to withhold vast amounts of information and think quickly, thanks to constant practice of mental math activities. Not only with numbers, students are able to show good progress in other subjects, and overall push themselves to achieve excellence.

#5 Improves Mental Health

Science has proved that memory-based math activities stimulate a region within the brain called as dorsolateral prefrontal cortex which is linked to anxiety & depression. So, to keep that area of the mind active, it is vital to exercise or use it often. What better way to work your mind than to challenge It with calculations! Regular brain stimulation therefore leads to improvement in emotions and contributes to the child’s improved mental health.

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You must be familiar with Google Drive, which is a cloud-based platform that allows you to save files in the form of .pdfs, .jpgs, .excel, .ppt, .mp3 and many more such formats. Google Drive is a world-wide popular tool, used by over 1 billion people, with over 2 trillion files stored, that explains its magnanimous usage and user-friendliness which is appreciated by all. This universally accepted storage dump offers ‘free’ 15 GB of capacity across Gmail, Google Drive, and Google Photos. And if you ever cross this limit, you can purchase additional storage by upgrading yourself to a Google One account. Life is much easier and stress-free when you secure all important documents from your computer/laptop by uploading them as a back-up on Google Drive, because you never know when your device may crash and in-turn lose your day’s hard work.

Good Reasons to Stick to Using Google Drive:

Below are some good reasons to stick to using Google Drive:

#1 Easy to Manoeuvre

Once you log-in to your Gmail account from your laptop, simply click on the Google Apps button and click on Drive from the drop-down menu. There you go! The most recently uploaded or edited documents will be visible on the screen at first. Magic happens when you click on the + New button. Feel free to upload any type of files, if not, an entire folder from your local drive. Files that are shared by someone else, can also be viewed from the G-Drive. If you wish to retrieve a document, that was deleted by mistake, simply click on the ‘trash can’ icon and restore it. As the storage keeps getting used, check the % storage full vs. available from the G-Drive main screen.

#2 Friendly with Microsoft Office

You can create ‘Google Doc’, ‘Google Sheet’ or ‘Google Slide’ and saved it for later edits by your co-workers. However, if your project mate is not comfortable editing data on Google Drive itself, or if he doesn’t use this application at all, he can simply download the shared sheet and it will automatically be saved as a Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or Microsoft PPT file, from which you can make changes to the content easily. Therefore, instead of exchanging back-&-forth emailers, it’s so much easier to simply open the required document & edit it, without even having to take the trouble to click ‘Save’, as all changes made to the sheet by the participants are automatically ‘saved’ in real-time manner.

#3 Giving Different Levels of Access

A same Google Doc sheet can be shared with different audiences and each can be given a different level of access. Wow! That means, you need not worry about issues associated with mishandling of projects, as only the right person is given power to ‘edit’, while others can just be partial ‘viewers’. The ‘edit’ option gives the recipient authority to make changes to the file and even move the file to another path or delete it. One can even re-share the same document with whosoever they wish to. That means literally giving full-access to your work to someone else. Therefore, pass on the ‘edit’ rights to only those colleagues you truly trust. If you choose to assign ‘view’ rights, that means, the person will only be able to view the documents in the folder, but not be able to make any changes to them. There is one more special option called ‘can comment’, where the recipient can add comments and make suggestions on the sheet, but can’t edit it directly or share it with anyone else.

#4 Secured Encryption

Is Google Drive really safe to store confidential work or personal data on the cloud storage? The answer is, it is indeed secure, as Google encrypts every file that is stored and shared on this cloud. Google uses 256-bit advanced Encryption Standard (AES) on all its servers and Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocol to protect the data while sharing it further. However, to make this full-proof, make sure you login to the Drive only from your personal laptop and not on an unknown PC or borrowed laptop. Files from Google Drive get synchronized easily with the third-party laptop or PC, thereby increasing chances of vulnerability. And ofcourse, always use two-factor authentication to prevent hackers from performing mischievous acts to your folders.

TechnoKids Teaches Kids to Share Projects Via Google Drive

TechnoKids infuses students with Digital Literacy, and keeps them abreast of the latest technology that is used in the real world by people and corporates. The modules are designed keeping the STEAM curriculum introduced in most schools across the world, including Dubai & GCC regions of the Middle East. The hands-on project based learning, makes it fun & interesting for students to understand important computer skills, through playful activities, competitions & assignments.

To give you an idea TechnoKids Primary curriculum has the following lessons; TechnoPainter (creating art with Microsoft Paint), TechnoGallery (using Google Drawings and Slides to explore digital art tools) and TechnoBookmarking (creating a flip-book using PowerPoint). Students not only explore & curate interesting projects online, but also learn to share it with the teacher & classmates, via Google Drive. 

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While growing up, all of us must have had a chance to learn about legendary figures such as Aristotle or Galileo Galilei. They were considered one of the few people who pioneered techniques of logic, inquiry and observation, thereby making significant discoveries and spearheading the subject of science. While science by definition is the study of how the universe works but it is ever-changing in nature and a blessing to the human race. Science and scientific discoveries are the main reason why our lives have been enhanced in comparison to what it was in the earlier centuries. This is why brands like Carolina continue to provide top-notch educational kits and digital resources all across Dubai, UAE, GCC and the Middle East so students can get their hands on quality education in science. And to further encourage their interest in this subject, let’s understand the uses of science in our daily lives.

Examples of science being used in our day-to-day activities:

1. We use various types of automobiles such as cars, bikes; cycles etc. to commute daily, all of these are inventions of science.
2. All the packaged food products we have in our homes are also a result of scientific discoveries made in the food industry
3. Medicine itself is an excellent example of science playing an important factor in our daily lives as it has transformed the pharmaceutical industry all across the globe.
4. Even the use of soap is a scientific invention as soap is made with the help of multiple chemicals.
5. Cooking requires heat energy and that is also a scientific discovery.

From the clothes we wear to the programs we watch on our phones, all of these are consequences of the advancement of science. And platforms such as Carolina are encouraging students to understand the importance of it alongside feeding their curiosity for this unending subject.

The importance of science in daily life

While some refuse to understand the sheer importance of science in daily life, without it, our lifestyle would go back to what it was in the stone-age.

Medicine

This entire industry is largely based on scientific inventions and has largely influenced the lives of people in a positive way. All medicines that we use in everyday life are a result of science and even machinery, equipment and testing methods such as CT-scan etc. are scientific developments.

Communication

Today, we are living in a global village as science has transformed the way we keep in touch with people. The advent of 5G internet and high-quality video calling are all results of scientific research and inventions

Transportation

In earlier times, people discovered a wheel and that led to the scientific discovery of transportation. We started with horse carts and handheld carts and now our world is moving towards automatic vehicles and space cars. All of this is possible only through continuous research and scientific inventions.

Food

Agriculture and food is largely based on what we learn in biology and along with multiple technologically advanced scientific inventions, we have come a long way. From the kind of seeds we sow to the irrigation methods we use, all of this is given to us by science.

Our entire livelihood is based on science and it plays an important factor in how we enhance our standards of living. Science has made the world what it is and it continues to grow and open new possibilities of discoveries. If students today understand the true value of it, they hold the potential to do wonders in this world.

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The technological future of industries is indisputable. Coding therefore will play a pivotal role in shaping the skills of young individuals today.

Children as young as seven years old can begin coding and learning the fundamentals of programming. In reality, as technology becomes more integrated into daily life, coding for kids has grown in popularity significantly in recent years. Children who learn to code when they are young can pave the way for a lifetime of chances.

What is coding?

Computer programmers use coding (or programming) to teach a computer or machine how to complete a given task. It entails the use of computer programming languages such as Java or Python to create executable scripts.

Some people consider coding to be a form of computer communication. Programmers issue commands to computers, which the latter executes. Coders, programmers, and developers can make games, applications, computer software, websites, and interactive digital content

How does Matatalab help?

Matatalab is a technology education startup that aims to give new STEAM education solutions to schools and families throughout the world. The company’s vision is to deliver creative learning and entertainment experiences that are enabled by technology, to improve students’ talents and confidence in facing the dynamic world. Matatalab coding robots have now been adopted by over 4,000 kindergartens, primary schools, and educational institutions throughout the world and especially in Dubai, UAE, and the rest of the Middle East and GCC.

Coding Set Home Edition

The coding set created by Matatalab enables young students to learn hands-on coding with the help of simplified tools. Use colored plastic blocks to symbolize coding commands; no need for a screen; youngsters may build their comprehension directly with their hands.

There are 4 simple steps used by young learners to build their understanding of coding.

Step 1: Create your playground

Young learners can create their playground with basic building blocks. This enables them to establish their sandbox, which essentially acts as their canvas for any coding or programming that they apply to their build.

Step 2: Plan their route

Planning the route for the code in the Home kit allows the learner to chart their instructions to the playground that they have already created. The route determines which actions are executed and in what particular order. This is the step where the learner decides the primary function of their build.

Step 3: Go and observe

After the program is complete, the learner essentially needs to run their code. This is the most fun part of the process for the children. Seeing what they’ve built work in action, gives a sense of completion and accomplishment to the learner.

Step 4: Debugging

Debugging, like professional coding, is a very important part of programming anything. The functions that are correctly executed can be kept and the functions that caused a hitch in the execution can be altered to best suit the actual action that needs to be executed.

A favorable association between computer programming and cognitive ability has been discovered in several recent research. Students who knew how to code scored higher on cognitive ability tests than those who had little to no programming expertise, according to the findings. Computer programming, according to MIT research, may be beneficial to cognitive growth.

When children learn to code, they are taught how to break down big issues into smaller, more manageable chunks so that they may develop functioning scripts. This is known as decomposition, and it is a valuable ability that students will find extremely handy whenever they are faced with real-life problems.

As children learn to code, they grow more accustomed to the problem-solving process, and eventually comfortable with it. The more people write, rewrite, troubleshoot, and debug lines upon lines of code, the easier it gets for them to cycle through the procedures and execute them correctly.

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