SOIC and Friends Picture Books

Name: SOIC and Friends Picture Books
Brand: Pragma Mediahttps://pragma.media/

by Pragma Mediahttps://pragma.media/

ScienceGrades Pre-K–5

About This Curriculum

A picture book series introducing children to electronics and engineering through stories of personified microchips on adventures through assembly processes, static electricity scenarios, and thermal management challenges.

What makes it unique: Makes complex electronics and microchip concepts accessible and engaging to young readers through narrative-driven storytelling with personified chip characters, rather than direct instruction.

SOIC and Friends Picture Books: Story-Based Electronics Introduction

A three-book picture book series that introduces PreK-5 students to electronics and engineering concepts through narrative stories featuring personified microchips. The curriculum uses storytelling rather than direct instruction to embed scientific concepts about circuit boards, static electricity, and thermal management into engaging adventures.

Best for

Families or teachers seeking engaging story-based introduction to electronics concepts for young children interested in STEM, particularly those already using unschooling approaches

Evaluation Criteria

4 concerns · 2 neutral · 1 insufficient evidence

Teacher TrainingConcern

Limited teacher support beyond supplemental online materials for one book.

Only the first book includes 'supplemental material including videos from manufacturers available free online' with no mention of teacher guides or professional development

Direct InstructionConcern

The curriculum deliberately avoids direct instruction in favor of story-based concept embedding.

Author 'gives computer chips personalities and feelings, creating storylines' rather than using information books, and 'scientific and manufacturing concepts are embedded in the stories rather than taught directly'

Retrieval PracticeConcern

No evidence of retrieval practice or spaced review mechanisms in the curriculum.

Reviews focus on storytelling approach and supplemental materials but mention no quizzes, recall exercises, or review components

Hands On IntegrationConcern

Limited hands-on activities are included, with only basic static electricity experiments mentioned.

The second book 'includes a few experiments with static electricity' and supplemental online materials include manufacturer videos, but no systematic lab integration is described

Knowledge RichNeutral

The curriculum introduces specialized electronics concepts but embeds them in stories rather than building systematic content knowledge.

Books cover circuit boards, manufacturing, soldering, static electricity, and thermal management, but concepts are 'embedded in the stories rather than taught directly' according to the Cathy Duffy review

Scientific VocabularyNeutral

Technical vocabulary is introduced through context in stories rather than explicit instruction.

Children encounter terms like 'circuit boards, manufacturing, soldering, and interactions between chips' through the narrative, but no explicit vocabulary instruction is mentioned

Ngss AlignmentInsufficient Evidence

No explicit standards alignment mentioned, though content touches on engineering design concepts.

Reviews discuss electronics and engineering content but make no reference to NGSS alignment or three-dimensional learning framework

Sources: cathyduffyreviews.com, readitdaddy.blogspot.com