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We just completed another EEME project, Fade to Black! EEME generously provided this project for us to use, so we could share our opinions and review with you! And we loved Fade to Black just as much as we have all the EEME kits we’ve tried. It’s really just exceptional kid science.

And for any parent out there who wanted to know what Doc Brown’s “flux capacitor” really did….Fade to Black will unlock that mystery for you! 🙂

What is Fade to Black?

The Fade to Black project introduces kid scientists to the STEM world of LEDs, Farads, stored energy, circuits, and capacitors. This project, like all EEME projects, builds on the original breadboard and battery set that comes in the Basic 6-Project Set (in the first project, Genius Light, to be exact).

The new components in Fade to Black are:

an LED light
a transistor
long wires
resistors
Two capacitors
a push-button switch

With these components, the child will build four different circuits that accomplish four different jobs. As always, the project comes with a complete step-by-step video tutorial by EEME Dad Jack, with instructions, safety features, questions for the student, and scientific explanations for the whys and hows of the activities. An accompanying lesson summary can also be printed, if you’d like to have a record of what your child has studied and learned in this.

Some of the amazing things we saw in Fade to Black:

A push-button, which, when connected to the battery and LED lights via wires and resistors, caused the LED light to come on….as well as performing another important task!

Two kinds of capacitors! You can see one of them in the picture above; it’s the component with the blue arrow pointing at it. I want to tell you what it does, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers! (Yes, if you really want to know what the flux capacitor did, you’re going to have to try out Fade to Black for yourself!) I will tell you that there is a connection between the button, the capacitor, and the LED (no pun intended).

Those are only two of the builds/activities we completed in Fade to Black. As EEME Dad Jack has done in our other projects, he starts with the simplest build or activity to introduce the components and principles to the child. Then, each activity becomes a little more complex or contains more components and steps. But every single activity certainly contains the “Wow!” factor!

And finally….

Fade to Black was our 5th EEME project. And I noticed some really wonderful things as we worked through this one! First, Jackson has really grown in his understanding of circuits, electricity, technology, and the various components EEME has introduced him to. Other than taking the photos, I didn’t do anything on this project besides sitting and watching the teaching videos and Jackson’s construction of each activity! Second, he has really grown in his confidence in working with these technologies. He’s very comfortable watching the videos and following the directions EEME Dad Jack is giving. I am truly excited about this, because I know that he is REALLY learning. And I love that he’s learning these things now, because he’ll revisit these concepts again in high school, when he takes physics. EEME is an incredible, delightful, and truly wonderful addition to our science studies.

Jackson said, when I asked him if he could share a couple of things he liked about Fade to Black, “Of course! I loved the buttons!” So here are his impressions:

“This was our first EEME project to feature a push-button component, and I absolutely loved it. Pushing the button to make the light come on is fun, but it becomes even more fun and cool as the project progresses and when you let go of the button, the light fades. This project introduced me to some new components such as the button and the capacitors, and was a very well-done project.”

As you can see, he loved this project!

I’m very happy to recommend both EEME and Fade to Black to you! You can purchase Fade to Black from EEME, via their Basic 6-Project Set. Be sure to visit EEME and check out their free materials, which you can download directly from their website. I think you’ll be very, very impressed!

Enjoy—I know you will! –Wren

Disclosure: We at finchnwren may receive a free product or service in exchange for our honest opinions expressed in our blog. We are not required to write a positive or glowing review, nor are we additionally compensated for these reviews. We share our own (and our family’s) opinions of these products. We’re disclosing this in accordance with FTC regulations.