STEM Projects that Work in the Class OR as Take Home STEM Activities

Utilizing high-interest STEM challenges that tie into literature, history, and real world problems is essential for any STEM classroom.

However, sometimes you end up with dozens of projects. Projects that students worked hard on. Projects you have NO ROOM for.

These projects then get forgotten about, disassembled, or trashed. This is particularly upsetting if you are eco-conscious. Certainly there is something that you can do about this. Enter USEFUL STEM.

The 3D printing age has made it possible for even elementary school students to design something USEFUL for their classroom, and then actually CREATE it! Any adult will appreciate how truly special this is. I’ve got you covered! I have developed a series of useful STEM challenges that can actually benefit your classroom, tech lab, or students’ homes in some way.

What better way to encourage kids to get into STEM fields than for them to see their ideas and designs put to practical use by their peers?

STEM Activities that are Useful in the Classroom

STEM Reading Tool:

Have students create a tool to help them keep their place in a book or track reading line by line.

STEM Eraser Dispenser Challenge:

Do you use mini erasers as math manipulatives, rewards, etc.? Have students design create a dispenser for each set of erasers.

STEM Activity – Design and Create a Tablet Stand:

Do you create stop motion animation videos with your students? Do you have students watch or listen on tablets, and think a stand might be useful?

STEM Activity – Design and Create Earbud Storage:

How many hours of your life have you lost untangling a tangled mess of cords or headphones? There is a better way! Design and create a storage system or device for earbuds:

If you have access to a 3D printer, most of these ideas can be designed in your favorite CAD program an then printed out. If not, you can absolutely have students at least design their ideas in CAD. You can send the designs out to a 3D printer to have them printed if funds permit. To minimize costs, have students vote on the BEST design for each challenge, and then have a batch of the same design printed. For low-cost parts, you can even sell the items as a fundraiser for your STEM class!

These are just four of many ideas in this useful STEM series available for purchase in my Teachers pay Teachers shop.

Try the ideas above and let me know how they go, or pin these ideas for later: