Welcome to the first iteration of the redesigned Activity Kit site! We’d love to hear how we can keep improving. Please take this short survey.

Take the survey

Tell us what you think

Activity Kits FAQ

Activity Kits Archive

Resources

The latest from IBM Citizenship from events to news in the world.

Cybersecurity

Diversity & Inclusion

Experiments

IBM Technology

Sustainability

Workplace Skills

Themes

Activity Kits

This Activity Kit introduces students to a user-centered way of thinking. It puts their innovative and creative skills to the test. Design Thinking is practiced by professionals everyday to solve human problems in the workplace and ensure solutions are meeting users' real needs. It is a way for them to create user-centered outcomes and incorporate user feedback as well as team reflection.

The Activity Kit features two parts. You can choose to run only one part or both. Part 1 and Part 2 can be run consequently or on different days. Click the link under Facilitation Materials to access the guides for Part 1 and Part 2. There are guides for both virtual and in-person workshops. 

All Resources

IDEO Blog

How Design Thinking Transformed Airbnb from a Failing Startup to Billion Dollar Business

40 Design Thinking Success Stories

Design thinking – what, how, why, when? | Paweł Żebrowski (18 min) | TEDx talk

English

Activity Duration

Preparation Time

Estimated Cost of Materials

Audience Age

Topic

Languages

Design Thinking is a user-centric framework used to solve problems in a creative and practical way.

Design Thinking Workshop

IBM has partnered with Plastic Bank to help the world stop ocean plastic and improve the lives of the people who help collect it. This Activity Kit provides turnkey resources to help you teach your family, friends or community group about plastic pollution, remotely or in person. 

This Activity Kit enables you to teach others about their plastic footprint and how blockchain technology and Design Thinking principles can help solve environmental and social issues. The Activity Kit includes a Plastic Footprint Calculator developed by Plastic Bank that estimates a person’s plastic consumption and recommends actions they can take to reduce their plastic consumption and pollution.

This Activity Kit can be used in two ways:

Personal Activity: Share the Plastic Footprint Calculator with colleagues, friends and family. Access the calculator here.

Community Activity: Give a presentation about ocean plastic, IBM Blockchain, and introduce the Plastic Footprint Calculator to students or another community group. This presentation includes a Design Thinking activity to reinforce learning and can be run remotely, too!

Explore the Plastic Calulator & share with friends, family and colleagues

Community Activity: PowerPoint Presentation

For students

For teachers

IBM Blockchain videos

Teach your colleagues, family, friends or students about their individual plastic footprint and help them learn how Design Thinking and blockchain technology can be applied to help solve social problems.

Reduce Your Plastic Footprint!

 In this Activity Kit, children will get familiar with the properties of acids and bases by exploring what happens when an acidic element reacts with a basic element. Through the two experiments presented below, kids will learn that the product of this reaction is carbon dioxide, released in the form of gas. 

Presentation Deck

All Activity Resources

Adventures in Chemistry

Elementary & Middle School Chemistry Resources

Open P-TECH

Teach children about the basics of chemical reactions between acids and bases in this fun activity you can do at home!

Experimenting with Acids and Bases

In this Activity Kit, children will have the chance to learn about optical illusions by creating one: the thaumatrope. From being a popular toy in the Victorian era, to being the antecedent of 20th century animation films, the thaumatrope is now a fun toy you can help children create themselves.

Watch What is Persistence of Vision?

Optical Illusions for Kids

Estimate Cost of Materials

Help children recreate a popular toy from the 19th century to learn about optical illusions.

Exploring Optical Illusions with Thaumatropes

In this Activity Kit, volunteers present cloud concepts and terminology to students and use interactive games and activities to reinforce their learning. Students will learn real-life examples of how the cloud is used today. They will partake in a virtual scavenger hunt that uses cloud-based maps, compete against their classmates using an online game and put their creativity and team working skills to the test by participating in a "Hackathon" to develop a new cloud-based mobile app.

All Activity Kit Resources

St. Anthony Middle School students create App

IBM Cloud docs

Use this Activity Kit to introduce students to basic cloud concepts using interactive games and activities.

Get Your Head in the Cloud

In this engaging Activity Kit, volunteers will help students learn about blockchain through an interactive coffee trading game. This game simulates a blockchain and allows students to run a virtual coffee harvesting or brewing business and trade their coffee products a using a browser on any platform. Through this fun and competitive game, students will gain a basic understanding of what blockchain is, how it works, and how blockchain will change the way we exchange goods and services.

Presentation deck

Language Kit

Blockchain for dummies

Transparency from farm to cup

Students become coffee growers and traders with this interactive game that teaches participants about blockchain networks.

Trading Coffee with Blockchain

Register for IBM Cloud

More information about IBM Cloud

More information on recent internal changes

IBM employees are encouraged to use their internal IBM Cloud accounts, which include all Lite services at no charge. IBM volunteers can also register for a Lite account following the link below. Questions can also be posted on the IBM Volunteers Slack channel.

Both IBM volunteers and non-IBM volunteers who require Cloud access beyond a Lite account are encouraged to request access to the IBM Citizenship Cloud by sending an email to citizenshipcloud@ibm.com with the following subject line “Citizenship Cloud Access.” In the body of the email, please outline what cloud resources you need and which Activity Kit will be used. Students will get appropriate access directly from their teachers. Volunteers who only require a Lite account do not need to ask for access to the IBM Citizenship Cloud.

In this Activity Kit, you will help students train simple machine-learning models and use them to play games and complete interactive projects. This Activity Kit introduces students to the principles and implications of machine learning and artificial intelligence. In this activity, you and your students will input data and the machine creates links that help it answer questions that are not in the data. You can pick from over two dozen activities to fit your time and audience age requirements.

Machine Learning for Kids Help Guide

Machine Learning for Kids Help Site

Machine Learning for Dummies

Data science and machine learning

Choose from a variety of hands-on activities that introduce simple machine learning models to students through games and interactive projects.

Machine Learning for Kids

This Activity Kit introduces students to Watson Assistant, a cognitive chatbot that understands questions by learning. The Activity Kit enables anyone to configure a bot that can understand words, speak and respond to simple tones associated with emotions. Students will learn how Watson Assistant works using a hands-on approach. The volunteer instructor will present different chatbot case studies and will guide students through co-creating a chatbot for an imaginary business together as a class. This Activity Kit will help students become familiar with the technology increasingly used in call centers, automobiles, and such services as smart speakers (e.g. Alexa). This class is led by the teacher to avoid having students acquire IBM Cloud credentials.

Watson Assistant

Learn more about Chatbots

"Build Your Own Chatbot" Badge

Create Your Own Chatbot!

Activity Kits allow volunteers and teachers to bring important STEM learning to a classroom. This Activity Kit introduces students to core cybersecurity concepts and reinforces their learning through a Design Thinking and classroom debate exercise. You'll help students understand how to protect their data, how to take control of what they share online and learn more about careers in cybersecurity.

IBM Design Thinking Field Guide

Cybersecurity Activity Kit

From mobile phones to smart thermostats, internet connected devices and apps are a part of our children’s everyday lives. In this Activity Kit, students will learn about the Internet of Things (IoT) and the importance of following cybersecurity best practices when connecting to their devices. We have designed this workshop particularly for girls in response to the significant gender gap in the cybersecurity profession. Though this CyberDay4Girls Activity Kit was designed to be used in a classroom, it can also be adapted to be used with your children at home.

Securing the Internet of Things Activity Kit Facilitator Materials

Internet of Me Activity Kit

Learn more with Open PTECH

Help students understand the risks associated with the use of internet connected devices and apps. This is a CyberDay4Girls Activity Kit.

Securing the Internet of Things

Blockchain offers all parties involved in a business network a secure and synchronized transaction from beginning to end. This is done through digital ledgers, a chronicle version of the list of events designed to be unhackable. The list of the events are blocks; the blocks are distributed across multiple computers. In order to make a change to the list, or blocks, each party has to agree. This Activity Kit is designed to teach students about blockchain through an interactive game called Are the fish safe to eat? They will learn every step of the blockchain process by figuring out who touched the fish starting from the fisherman, all the way through the importers, exporters, and distributors. 

Intro to Blockchain Activity Kit Facilitator Materials

Learn more on Open PTECH

Intro to Cryptography Activity Kit

Help students learn about blockchain technology through interactive puzzles through this CyberDay4Girls Activity Kit.

Introduction to Blockchain

Do you ever think about how the digital life you lead can affect your real life? This Activity Kit is designed to bring awareness to the dangers children face every day in the digital world and what they can do to better protect themselves. The Activity Kit consists of three main sections built to: 

1. help students become aware of cyber crime

2. educate them about personal data and digital footprints

3. teach them how to create strong passwords while using secure mobile devices

Internet of Me Activity Kit Facilitator Materials

Help students learn how to protect their personal data and identity online through an interactive lesson and a hands-on password game with this CyberDay4Girls Activity Kit.

Internet of Me - Protecting Your Online Identity

Both IBM volunteers and non-IBM volunteers who require Cloud access beyond a Lite account are encouraged to request access to the IBM Citizenship Cloud by sending an email to citizenshipcloud@ibm.com with the following subject line “Citizenship Cloud Access.” In the body of the email, please outline what cloud resources you need and which Activity Kit will be used. Students will get appropriate access directly from their teachers. Volunteers who only require a Lite account do not need to ask for access to the IBM Citizenship Cloud. Find details on how to link a Physical TJBot to the Swift Playground below.

This activity introduces students to cognitive technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) by helping them build a simple robot that they can bring to life using Watson™ cloud services. In addition to using existing programming recipes, students can unleash their creativity and create new recipes to bring TJBot to life using Watson™ services. Follow instructions below to help students create either a physical TJBot.  The Physical TJBot requires the purchase of an accurately cut cardboard bot and a Raspberry Pi that provides sounds and connectivity to the Watson services that make it possible for the TJBot to respond. There is also a virtual version of this TJBot Activity Kit that does not require the purchase of a cardboard kit or Raspberry Pi. Please see additional information on the Virtual TJBot.

Virtual TJBot

Buy your students their TJBot Kits

TJBot Blogpost

Artificial Intelligence Today

French

Introduce programming, cognitive technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) to students by helping them bring their own TJBot Robot to life!

TJBot

The use of cryptography began thousands of years ago as a way to protect secrets using codes and ciphers. However, it wasn’t until the 20th century that mechanical systems such as the Enigma rotor machine made encryption an efficient and effective way to protect information. Today, encryption methods used to make ciphers has become more complex and even harder to break. This Activity Kit gives students an introduction into cryptography and includes hands-on exercises designed to teach students how to encrypt and decrypt messages using ciphers.

Intro to Cryptography Activity Kit Facilitator Materials

Internet of Me

Learn about cryptography, ciphers, plaintext, ciphertext, and how you can teach young minds about the wonderful world of encryption in this CyberDay4Girls Activity Kit.

Introduction to Cryptography

Continue learning about this activity kit by exploring the following educational resources

Explore this cybersecurity site to learn more about how to keep yourself and the people you care about safe online.

Resources for teachers

Resources for parents

Digital experience for students

Additional resources

Additional resources for teachers

Let's Talk Safe Tech Activity Kit

Explore these resources to help you share cybersecurity learning with others.

Additional Resources

Malware

Phishing

Ransomware

Spear phishing

Spyware

Learn more about what they do

Cybersecurity at IBM

Have you been up to date on how to protect yourself and your devices? Test your cybersecurity know-how in this quiz.

What's your cybersecurity style?

A team of designers and developers built this site, and even we have been hacked!

Stories

How safe have you been online?

looping background video clip of "The Talk"

Personality Details

How many browser tabs do you have open right now?

From a digital catalogue, like on iTunes, or your local library.

On a user-generated video platform like YouTube.

On a streaming service like Netflix, Hulu or Crave.

A friend is coming over to watch a movie. Where are you most likely to watch it?

What is the first name of the first person you kissed?

What is the name of the hospital you were born in?

What was the name of your primary school?

Which security question do you usually pick?

Use my own portable battery charger and cable.

Ask to borrow a charger from someone nearby.

Your phone's battery is running low! How do you charge it?

Interesting articles, funny memes, whatever I think other people should see.

What do you usually share on the internet?

Create a private event and invite people.

Make a public post and tag everyone in it.

You're hosting a party at your house. How do you get the word out?

I keep it more organized than a library; everything is exactly where it should be.

Full of screenshots, random photos and downloads; I haven't seen the wallpaper in months.

Kinda messy sometimes but I think I know where the important stuff is.

There's nothing there. I like seeing my wallpaper.

What does the desktop of your computer look like?

I make folders of my desktop on my desktop.

I use an external hard-drive, every once in a while.

I keep everything in the cloud or schedule backups to the cloud.

Who knows the password to your main email account?

I have one where I switch up characters and add in numbers and symbols here and there.

All of my passwords are completely randomly generated.

You're signing up for a new service and need to create a username. Which do you choose?

<div class='ibm-type-serif iods-type-body-02'>
 Best practices for taking control of your data: 
 <ol>
 <li>Be mindful of what you're putting out there
 <ul>
 <li>What have you consented to sharing?</li>
 <li>How will it be used?</li>
 <li>Is the network of the provider secure?</li>
 <li>What responsibility does the provider/app/company take for securing your data?</li>
 <li>Are you able to request your data that is being held?</li>
 <li>Are you able to delete your data?</li>
 </ul>
 </li> 
 <li>Understand what data is being collected about you and how it will be used
 <ul>
 <li>Opt out of unnecessary tracking</li>
 <li>Read terms and conditions before using a new app</li>
 </ul>
 </li>
 <li>Keep your device secure
 <ul>
 <li>Keep it up to date</li>
 <li>Keep apps up to date</li>
 <li>Keep your bluetooth and wifi off whenever possible</li>
 <li>Avoid public wifi networks</li>
 <li>Use a password manager</li>
 <li>Auto-generate safe passwords</li>
 <li>Don't use the same password for any two accounts</li>
 </ul>
 </li>
 <li>Ask how your data will be used
 <ul>
 <li>By mobile apps</li>
 <li>By retailers</li>
 <li>By your doctor</li>
 <li>By insurance companies</li>
 <li>When banking</li>
 <li>When at work</li>
 </ul>
 </li>
 </ol>

 

 Protecting Kids Online:
 The opportunities kids have to socialize online come with benefits and risks. Adults can help reduce the risks by talking to kids about making safe and responsible decisions.

 <a href='https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/topics/protecting-kids-online' target='_blank' class='ibm-mt-2 u-display-inline-block '>More info</a> 

 
 </div>

As a parent, you know that children are driven to explore and try new things, but you also want them to be safe. Educate yourself on some additional quick tips below so you can be a strong cybersecurity role model for your kids.

Resources for Parents

<div class='ibm-type-serif iods-type-body-02'>Use the Activity Kit resources below to bring even more cybersecurity learning into your classroom. Help your students learn about how to protect themselves online and inspire them to pursue a career in cybersecurity! 
 
 Let's Talk Safe Tech Activity Kit
 This Activity Kit enables you to lead an interactive cybersecurity overview with your students — including team exercises to get your students engaged.
 <a href='/activities/cybersecurity' target='_blank' class='ibm-mt-2 u-display-inline-block '>More info</a> 

 The Internet of Me Activity Kit
 The Internet of Me program is designed to help raise cybersecurity awareness among students aged 12-15. The goal is to capture imaginations by offering encouragement and support to counteract the social and peer pressures that discourage too many talented young people, especially women, from pursuing their interests in STEM.   Audience: Ages 12-15 (Middle grade students)
 <a href='https://www.ibm.com/ibm/responsibility/initiatives/activitykits/internet_of_me/' target='_blank' class='ibm-mt-2 u-display-inline-block '>More info </a> 

 Introduction to Cybersecurity Activity Kit
 This Activity Kit teaches students about the importance of cybersecurity and having strong passwords. It also introduces students to ciphers and basic codebreaking skills.  Audience: Ages 11-14 (Middle grade students)
 <a href='https://www.ibm.com/ibm/responsibility/initiatives/activitykits/csec/' target='_blank' class='ibm-mt-2 u-display-inline-block '>More info </a> 
 </div>

With computers in classrooms, cybersecurity also needs to be discussed so that your students can explore technology safely and confidently.

Resources for Teachers

I hadn’t even had my first cup of coffee when the phone rang. It was a police officer. He sternly told me his name and title and then confirmed mine.

I was shocked. Why would the police be calling me? I never break the law — any law, even minor bylaws.

I don’t even step on the grass if a sign says, “Keep off the grass.”

The officer explained he was calling because I hadn’t paid my international student tax fee of $4,000, which was overdue.

WHAT?!  $4000???  I started to panic. I didn’t have $4,000; I don’t have anywhere close to $4000! How was I going to get that kind of money?

He told me they sent several notices, but I hadn’t responded.

I hadn’t gotten any notices. Or had I? Did I just miss them? I open my mail the day it arrives; how could I have missed multiple notices?

I asked him to confirm my mailing address and as he did, I could barely hear his words over my pounding heart.

He told me this needed to be paid today, or a government official would come to my house. I could either do a money transfer or he could take my credit card information over the phone.

How come nobody had told me about this tax? The student aid office should have said something! I was terrified that they’d make me leave the country… but wait. Credit card? Had he said credit card? I was pretty sure I had some room on my card, so I asked him to hold on while I got my wallet.

I ran to my wallet, pulled out the card and ran back to the phone. But then, as I read out the first few numbers a thought struck me: The police take credit cards? For this much money? Over the phone?

I stopped reading the numbers, and explained that I was uncomfortable doing this over the phone. I asked for their office address, so we could do this in person.

The “officer” hesitated, mumbled something about getting back to me, and quickly ended the call. It was amazing how quickly his stern tone turned to hesitation.

It was a scam, and a good one at that. The caller had me scared, nervous, and not thinking straight — perfect conditions to get me to do something rash, like paying money that I didn’t owe.

When someone like a police officer calls you about an urgent issue, it's easy to get tricked into taking action without following proper precautions. If you get a call asking for information or for money, verify that person's identity before doing anything else. For example, if your someone from your bank calls, take the caller's name and call back using the phone number on your credit or confirm the phone number on their website.

A good social engineer knows just which buttons to push. Can you spot a phisher trying to steal from you?

The police take credit cards?

My phone was in the other room and I ignored the first few pings, but after the 5th ping in a minute, I picked it up and saw a string of messages from a website I recently used to book a bed and breakfast:

“Thanks for verifying your card.”

Saving your credit card information to your account makes it easier to shop, but who else are you making it easier for?