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Site Review: You Can Do the Cube

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Site URL:    YouCanDoTheCube.com 

Content:  More than just a “how-to” regarding the Rubik’s Cube, this site offers unique lessons and materials for teaching a variety of concepts to students using the famous hand-held puzzle.

wings for kids

Design:  Bright and fun, YouCanDoTheCube reads like a fan page dedicated to the most famous puzzle of all time. Don’t be fooled, though. Users clicking through to any of the dedicated areas of the site will find a treasure trove of classroom-related content.

A main content area dominates the homepage, beginning the tutorial on how to solve the Rubik’s Cube. A main navigation bar across the top directs users to sections such as the teachers’ area. Everything is very logical in layout and simple to navigate. Visitors won’t find any misleading headers or shady tricks that make them click through five pages to read an entire piece of content.

Review: Apart from the “how-to” feature, which is particularly interesting to anyone who grew up the 1980s, the rest of the site’s content is terrific. Lessons help students master important math concepts including area, perimeter, volume, angles, algorithms and enumeration, among many others. Some teachers are even using the Rubik's Cube to teach life lessons and 21st century skills such as focus, following directions, memorization, sequencing, problem solving, critical thinking and perseverance.

The people behind YouCanDoTheCube have taken steps to ensure that all lessons meet National and Common Core Standards. Newer lessons feature a specific focus on STEM concepts. 

Additionally, the site offers a ton of downloadable content—everything from award badges to activity sheets to instruction manuals.

Bottom Line: Putting a fun twist on math lessons can be tough, but YouCanDoTheCube makes it a bit easier.

 

Article by Jason Tomaszewski, EducationWorld Associate Editor
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