Welcome to the PLIX Community Pinboard!
PLIX activities can be adapted in many ways — explore these project examples created across the PLIX Community for different library and community contexts.
Lurk, join, and share your ideas and creations on the PLIX Discussion Forum!
by PLIX Ambassador Dana Phelps, Hedgesville Public Library, WV
Designed for ages 5 and up, this board game can be used before OctoStudio to introduce early coding literacy. Includes printable resources!
Create different ways to track scores with peers, and reduce waste.
by Katie Storey, Liverpool Public Library, NY
This take-and-make activity invites learners and families to explore the influence of music on food, and slow down their eating!
By the PLIX Team
Level up STEAM learning by combining for complexity in this Beautiful Symmetry exploration with tessellation stamps!
by PLIX Intern Kailey Bridgeman, and PLIX Ambassador Katelyn Turner, Roswell, NM
In this co-designed workshop, multiple STEAM challenges are chained together into a giant Rube Goldberg contraption room.
by PLIX Intern Jessica Zheng (MIT Class of 2027), and PLIX Ambassador Jennifer Vinzons, Kapolei, HI
In this co-designed STEAM escape room, multiple PLIX activities are adapted for the local Kapolei, HI, community, with a focus on native birds
by Stephanie Skaryd, Jupiter, FL
As part of the centennial celebrations of Jupiter, FL, Stephanie S., adapted PLIX Spatial Poetry for her Palm Beach County Library branch, fostering creativity and local community connection for all ages.
By Janea Coker, Monett, MO
Check out how Janea introduced data literacy skills to older adults through a Walk with Ease program, and fostered cozy community connections.
by PLIX team
Fight evil with mustard! Superhero: Captain Condiment.
by PLIX team
Tapping the succulent makes the on-screen bug move!
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by PLIX team
A simple cardboard instrument in action. This project uses the micro:bit pins and the Scratch “When pin connected” block. (This project has sound too!)
by the PLIX team
A scent-creator that produces earthly scents (the smell of grass, rain, and home baked goods) for astronauts!
by PLIX team
Space chopsticks—for easy food-grabbing when objects float away in zero-gravity!
by the PLIX team
A device that uses the cold temperatures of space to create pastry dough!
by the PLIX team
A utensil set that easily attaches to spacesuits in zero-gravity environments and is self-cleaning to reduce the use of water onboard the ISS.
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by the PLIX team
Brought to life with air: a sleepy, snoring frog.
by Kyung Yun Choi
The bionic arm brings cardboard to life, using inflatable movements to mimic joints.
by PLIX Ambassador Allie Affinito
Surprise passers-by with this haunted house pop-up
by Kyung Yun Choi
This inflatable sculpture doubles as a grabber.
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by the PLIX team
A pneumatic doll that does endless sit-ups.
by Kyung Yun Choi
Transform a headband into lively bunny ears.
by Sami Kerzel
Create a street shape poem using topography (or elevation), rather than a birds' eye view.
by Savannah Hartje
This this found poem is titled "Life in Broad Brush Strokes".
by Ry Greene
Create an animated collage map investigating the Rio Salado (Salt River) and how it connects to environmental justice.
by Sam Lucius
Outlined place-names in an erasure poem.
by Jacqui Viale
Combine sculpture, collage, and poetry to create a "shadow box" found poem.
by PLIX team
A radial symmetry drawing interface using Scratch.
by the PLIX team
Use spreadsheets and unicode to make and break patterns
by the PLIX team
Patterns created by cutting potatoes and using them as stamps.
by the PLIX team
Look around and explore symmetry found in the natural world.
by the PLIX team
Song of Myself—a mason jar filled with bells that make sound when the user is jittery or nervous, creating an auditory way to express the mind-body connection.
by the PLIX team / Allie Affinito, NYPL
A circuit that tracks nerves/nervousness via tapping (using a Makey Makey coded with Scratch). When tapped enough times, the device tells its user to take a mental break from work (image: Allie Affinito, NYPL)!
by the PLIX team
Aura Brain Map Speculation—a brainstorm collage of a future, color-based MRI machine for detecting emotion and mood (image: Paige Normandin).
by the PLIX team
Texture Zoo—a desktop collection of different textures, made from recycled objects, that can help change the change of its user depending on which texture they touch.
by the PLIX team
A simple paper wearable that helps its user connect their mood to their daily water intake!
by the PLIX team
Try different ways to listen to each others’ crunching while you also eat!
by the PLIX team
Rate your favorite and least favorite foods in different ways. Add your own categories for ratings.
by the PLIX Team
An auditory dining experience in a box! What other ways can you change the sounds of your eating experience?
Get inspired by the art world, with this light up sculpture based on artist James Turrell’s work
Place LEDs strategically on a printed photo to get fun and sometimes creepy effects!
by the PLIX Team
Add some pizzazz to your Valentine’s card with this punny remix!
by PLIX Ambassador Dave Fink, Michigan City Public Library
Deck yourself with a glowing fashion statement with a wearable paper circuit!
by PLIX Ambassador Melissa Sprenne, Richland Library Ballentine
Create a playful and functional home decor with this paper circuits remix!
by the PLIX Team
Copper tape is hard to work with, try chenille stems / pipe cleaners!
by PLIX Intern Christy Ly
Christy uses this bracelet to remember how their friend Kathleen was feeling last time they talked.
by Doria Ramos, Santa Ana Public Library
This remix gives a glow up for a popular library program playing with fuse beads!
by the PLIX Team
Check out these creations by middle schoolers tracking data that’s meaningful to them! Bonus reflections by the PLIX Team!
by Kary Henry in Deerfield, IL
Track multiple goals: Kary uses this wearable data tracker to remind herself to move every hour, connect meaningfully with others, create a fun paper craft and ignore social media a little bit more!
by PLIX Ambassador Heba Thiele
Doodle a data journal: Heba shared how she keeps different things about her body over a month.
by PLIX Ambassador Mallory Parsons
Bring plush toys to life in this crafty and successful group project from PLIX Ambassador Mallory Parsons.
By PLIX Ambassador Jean Daley
This silly adventure of a little crab includes a photo from PLIX Ambassador Jean Daley’s library aquarium!
By PLIX Ambassador Emily Hutchison
Create a View (like curtains, windows, or picture frames): PLIX Ambassador Emily Hutchinson giggled a lot creating this dancing diva OctoStudio project, with paper curtains to add extra fun.
by Tyler Hahn of Cherokee Public Library, IA
This PLIX remix is designed to be a patron-powered activity that you can facilitate while working the circulation desk, asking the participants to do each next step as they complete the previous one.
by Joe Misterovich, Christian County Library in Sparta, Mo
Multiple ways to explore real and imaginary maps with Spatial Poetry, without needing to be physically present to facilitate!
Looking for a heat-free alternative to making inflatables? Check out the remix that only requires paper, tape, scissors, and a straw!
by Katie Pendley, Pioneer Library System, Norman East Branch, OK
This Beautiful Symmetry remix is designed for a rural young adults with Disabilities group and formatted it to their needs.
by Cheryl Gleaton of Lucy Hilton Maddox Memorial Library, Blakely, GA
Attract library patrons to visit weekly to participate in this multisession exploration of creating beautiful aquatic symmetry to decorate an aquarium diorama
Explore reflections on ways to “Control the Weather” from this Scratch remix
Explore winter symmetry through playing with snowflakes in this Beautiful Symmetry remix
by the PLIX Team
Add a handheld microscope to a phone or tablet to play in microscopic worlds with OctoStudio!
by the Tinkering Studio at the Exploratorium
Hide coded surprises inside the pages of a magazine.
by the Tinkering Studio at the Exploratorium
Arrange materials to make portraits and animate them with code.
by the Tinkering Studio at the Exploratorium
Use stories, scenes, and characters as inspiration for your projects!
by the Tinkering Studio at the Exploratorium
Dive into surprising ways to experiment with patterns, symmetry, and repetition.
by Tracy, Hennepin County Public Library
by PLIX Ambassador Dana Phelps, Hedgesville Public Library, WV
A remixed zine that helps learners get started step-by-step with OctoStudio
by April Griffith, Eureka Springs Carnegie Library, AR
This sustainable remix of PLIX inflatables introduces local Ozark flora and fauna to youth in an interactive playful exploration of pneumatics
by Mary Jo Parker, Lake Andes Carnegie Public Library, SD
This remix for a rural and tribal community introduces teens to a local tradition of giving a Native American Lone Star Quilt to teens upon graduating high school.
by Instituto Catalisador
Through a framework embodying creative learning, our Brazilian friends at Instituto Catalisador use their Circles of Invention to integrate reading, making, and narratives to bring OctoStudio to low-income families in São Paulo.
by the PLIX Team
For the ATALM 2022 conference, this workshop idea uses simple craft materials to uplift symmetries found in participants’ native cultural experiences
by Ada Ren-Mitchell, PLIX
Read about the work and inspirations behind PLIX Data Gems
by Jennifer Vinzons, HI
Consider tracking summer reading with button pins and beads in this creative remix
by the PLIX Team
Use tangible materials to collect data that’s important to you about your library program!
by the PLIX Team
What’s meaningful to teens? Check out some teen Data Gems creations from Somerville Public Library, MA