Gear Car Kit
Explore the basics of gears with the Gear Car kit. The cars come in sets with two different gear ratios that allow students to investigate the effect of gear ratio on the car’s performance (speed and power). This tool comes with curricula that includes a powerpoint, a video link, and an investigation and can be used as is, or modified for your class. The lessons and cars can be used as a stand alone investigation or to prepare students for designing a Solar Car.
Germination Station
STEM Pre-Academy has put together a germination station to facilitate seed germination within the classroom. This kit provides a safe and controlled environment for seeds to germinate and grow, allowing optimal conditions before they are transplanted to the final grow-out placement.
Teachers have utilized this kit to involve their students in the germination process and teach them how to cultivate their own food.
The kit is versatile and can be used for hydroponics, aquaponics, or conventional soil farming techniques. It comes with an easily assembled PVC Frame, Grow light, timer, and a germination tray with a humidity dome.
As we have it available, rock wool will be included in the kit.
Global Warming Board Game
From the publisher:
Players work together to clean up the earth and slow climate change while the temperature rises with each turn. Can you and your friends slow it down before “Game Over” happens for you AND Planet Earth?
Draw and trade cards to find the best solutions to the environmental problems that emerge during the game – but make sure you have enough money to pay for those solutions. You may need to join forces with other players to avoid a catastrophe!
Playable by ages 10 and up, this game is especially fun for teens and adults!
Gyotaku Fish Printing – Fish Form and Function
This toolkit allows you to explore concepts of structure and function through gyotaku (fish printing).
From the manufacturer:
Dive into learning and art with this Sax Gyotaku game fish model set for schools and classrooms. Dating back to the mid-1800s, “Gyotaku” was used as a practical technique used by Japanese fishermen who made prints of the sea catches they made as a way to record the size and species of fish they caught. Today, Gyotaku art is a very popular art technique used around the world using Japanese fish prints. This fish print models set has aquatic life models that can be embellished with paint or printing ink with a foam brayer. Create realistic fish printing on Sax print paper, rice paper, fabric, t-shirts, and beyond.
Be sure to check out the Starter Pack resources below!
Heat Lamp Kit
STEM Pre-Academy has developed a heat lamp kit for testing solar ovens in the classroom or any situation that requires a constant heat source. Teachers often use this kit for the Solar Oven EDP activity, particularly on rainy days when the sun isn’t available.
The kit comes with an easily assembled PVC frame, two heat lamps, two thermometers, and a power cord.
Horizontal Wind Turbine Kit
Are you looking for a hands-on EDP Challenge for your students? University of Hawai‘i engineering students adapted a wind turbine generator to help teachers learn and teach the Engineering Design Process (EDP). The horizontal wind turbine activity challenges students to design and manufacture blades to transform wind energy into electrical energy using electromagnetism concepts.
Teachers use this tool to cover EDP, electromagnetism, and circuits. The kit includes: Wind turbine test frame, industrial fan, multimeter, and test lamp. (This kit does not include consumable supplies to build the blade.)
HyperDuino – Basic Starter Kit
HyperDuino is an incredible concept that was created by Roger Wagner (writer of the original Apple II documentation!). HyperDuino kits allow users in any skill range to build physical, interactive projects in no time at all using an Arduino and the HyperDuino board. Beginners might make an interactive display that lights up when you press the right button. An intermediate user might add interactive video to the display. And the advanced user can take full advantage of the power of the arduino and create something truly amazing. It’s quite stunning how quickly and easily these projects can be created.
Here are some links to HyperDuino documentation provided by the designer:
HyperDuino – Mini-Makerspace Class Parts Set
The HyperDuino Mini-Makerspace Class Parts Set contains everything you need to bring the HyperDuino Basic Starter Kits to a whole classroom full of students.
Here are some links to HyperDuino documentation provided by the designer:
Inclined Plane
The Inclined Plane is a classic tool for exploring force, motion, and mechanical advantage in a controlled, hands-on way. Students use the adjustable-height ramp to investigate how the angle of an incline affects the effort needed to move an object. With built-in pulley support and a stable base, this kit is perfect for conducting experiments on friction, acceleration, potential and kinetic energy, and Newton’s Second Law.
Kill-A-Watt Power Meter
The Kill-A-Watt power meter measures and records appliance power consumption and calculates power cost based on local power companies’ price per kilowatt. Students can investigate “standby power”, and explore the energy consumed by appliances even when they are turned off.
littleBits STEAM Student Set
littleBits are just what they sound like! Little bits of technology that can be magnetically attached together to make just about any electronics-based maker project. The STEAM Student Set includes all the bits to occupy 3 students, or 6+ if grouped. The set contains 19 Bits and 45 Accessories, 8 Challenges, 6 Step-by-Step Resources, and an Invention Guide Book. Even better, a wealth of community-created content and tips are just a Google search away!
Magnet Lab Kit
From the manufacturer:
This Classroom Attractions Magnet Lab providess educators with the tools they need to implement a comprehensive magnet study program. With the easy to use educational guide, teachers will have all the tools necessary to present an effective and creative magnetism unit. Each set contains materials for work groups of five to ten students and is packaged in a convenient storage box. The Level 2 Classroom Attractions is recommended for ages 6 to 9 and grades 1st to 3rd.
- Classroom kit provides all the magnets and accessories to complement a curriculum-based science program
- Builds foundational physical and earth science knowledge for students ages 6 to 9
- Included teacher’s guide helps create an effective study program that aligns with the Next Generation Science Standards
MakerBot in the Classroom
From the publisher:
Empower your students to design, collaborate, and create amazing things you never thought possible with MakerBot in the Classroom: An Introduction to 3D Printing and Design. Packed with resources, MakerBot in the Classroom gives you the basics of 3D printing and design as well as ideas, projects, and activities for integrating 3D printers in your curriculum.
Compiled by MakerBot Education
MakerBot Sketch 3D Printer
The MakerBot SKETCH is a classroom-friendly 3D printer designed to bring ideas to life through hands-on modeling, engineering, and iteration. With an intuitive interface, enclosed print chamber, and compatibility with cloud-based software (MakerBot CloudPrint), SKETCH allows students to design and fabricate real prototypes safely and reliably. Its manageable size and quiet operation make it ideal for classroom use, from daily STEM activities to long-term engineering projects.
MakeyMakey Designer Kit
MakeyMakey is a small circuit board that is connected to a computer via USB cable. The computer thinks that the circuit board is the actual keyboard! With alligator clips, students can attach various conductive objects to the circuit boards to design their own keyboards!
Normally, computer games and musical instruments are played using the standard keyboard. But with their very own MakeyMakey keyboards, just imagine the possibilities for students to design computer game controllers or musical instruments! MakeyMakeys have long been a student favorite for experiencing the engineering design process, learning about conductive and insulating materials, and as an introduction to circuitry.