Meredith Williams, an 8th grade science teacher at Freedom Middle School (Orlando, FL), incorporates a variety of 3D-printed manipulatives so her students have something hands-on to observe, analyze, and form ideas around. She regularly implements and provides feedback on MyStemKits lessons and activities, which she uses in conjunction with her 3D printer. As a MimioSTEM Master, she has been sharing her and her students’ experiences using the MyStemKits curriculum. In this lesson, she is helping her students compare planets. 

Makerspaces, or a collaborative workspace in a classroom, school, library, or other setting, are increasing in popularity in schools because of their many benefits to student learning. These benefits include, but are not limited to, providing students with  

Believe it or not, this generation of young people is interested in data – likes, shares, comments. They sometimes use this data to create content, even apps, to address what they perceive as needs observed. How can this translate to STEM learning in the classroom? When problems are addressed within real-life contexts, this generation of students – digital natives who are accustomed to using technology to find answers and research information – are more likely to be engaged in the learning process. 

It has become obvious that the inclusion of STEM – science, technology, engineering, mathematics - in a well-balanced instructional plan is critical. With the growing need for STEM-educated individuals to fill STEM jobs, students in schools today need the skills necessary for these jobs. This includes critical thinking and reasoning skills, collaboration and communication skills, and developing creative solutions to problems. Students clearly need consistent and varied STEM learning experiences.