Setting up a proper STEAM lab for your elementary classroom involves getting the right equipment and supplies, and Sarah Lalonde of StemActivitiesForKids.com has written a nice starter guide for teachers who need advice and tips.
One of Lalonde’s best bits of advice to educators is to not go it alone. Teachers can often fill their list of needs from other teachers or from their school’s storage room, who may be able to provide the materials for a lab. “In many districts, science is getting squeezed due to the emphasis on ELA and math test scores,” she said. “Teachers often have equipment that they are willing to donate! Many of the materials that are used in a STEM lab are things that are readily brought in by fellow teachers and students.”
Tables may seem like a simple selection for a lab, but SchoolSpeciality.com recommends that they allow for a different way of teaching. They think “student stations (should be) modular, allowing for the project-based, multimodal learning outcomes that STEAM requires. Student spaces can be grouped or spread out in the event of a large-scale demonstration.”
As far as equipment, here is a list of items Lalonde recommends to get your STEAM lab started.
Here is a list of supplies that teachers can have donated to the lab.
Click the links below to get more recommendations for STEAM lab setups.
Sources: Stem Activities for Kids, SchoolSpecialty.com