STEM Classroom Supplies, Games, & Projects for Middle School

When middle schoolers think of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), we want them to feel an excited sense of adventure. But most straightforward lesson plans don’t inspire kids to learn these disciplines. The key to integrating STEM into the classroom is to keep every mind intrigued with the right supplies and easy STEM activities for middle schoolers. Inspire your students to start asking new and insightful questions!

STEM Classroom Décor and Theme Ideas

Set up your space for ah-ha moments! Start with a STEM classroom theme that triggers curiosity and aligns with the curriculum. There are many possible décor themes, including:

• Marine biology
• Weather
• Microscopic creatures
• Eco-consciousness
• The human body
• Electrical circuitry
• Famous inventors
• Rollercoaster construction
• Puzzles and riddles
• Mathematical patterns

Once you land on a theme, find basic classroom décor your students can (delightedly) help you add to throughout the year. Incorporate STEM classroom posters that match your theme. For example, if your theme is “the human body,” consider a skeletal anatomy poster and a human brain poster. Add décor that matches the posters’ color schemes and subject matter, like a desktop skeleton model named Marrowlyn Monroe that can accompany any skeleton STEM activities. 

Add more items that students can play with, as interactive supplies are some of the best STEM materials for classrooms. If your theme is “marine biology,” get a saltwater fish tank. Suppose your theme is “eco-consciousness.” Set up a recycling bin for specific household items for a craft later. Anything that builds excitement over time – or inspires students to suggest additions and improvements – is a worthwhile classroom feature.

STEM Games and Projects

Designing STEM projects for middle school students is tricky because the lessons need to be fun yet age-appropriate, which is a fine line to walk. STEM activities for junior high students can’t look or feel like elementary school activities. Your students will appreciate the opportunity to think like professionals in STEM-related careers while avoiding repetitive, dry activities.

These STEM activities for middle school strike that perfect balance.

Science: Worm Dissection Lab for Middle School

Students have no problem getting excited about hands-on anatomy STEM lessons, especially dissection labs. A preserved earthworm is one of the best introductory dissection specimens for students because it’s just the right level of complexity and doesn’t require much equipment. You’ll only need worms, a guide booklet, and basic dissection tools for this excellent anatomy activity for middle school.

Technology and Engineering: Aqueduct Challenge

These instructions from Discover Engineering make it easy to teach the engineering design process while allowing students to get a little messy. Students will work together to build aqueducts – either as a single team or competing teams. The exercise is also a fun way to teach history, physics, and social science (e.g., water access). Try this activity in an open space with hard floors, or take it outdoors on a nice day.

Math: DIY Chladni Plate to Visualize Sound Waves

While most middle schoolers aren’t immersed in trigonometry yet, they’re ready to learn the basics of periodic functions. Visual learning can be useful for these lessons. What does a sine wave look like? A DIY Chladni plate is a black plate topped with salt or sand that creates patterns from the nodes and antinodes of the vibration. This allows students to visualize sound waves and connect this to mathematical concepts.

Where to Get Essential Classroom Supplies

Even with a small classroom budget, you can find free and affordable supplies online and in local stores.

• STEM kits for middle school: Popular places to get various physical STEM kits include LEGO, Geyer, Anatomy Warehouse (that’s us!), World Wildlife Fund, and local hardware and craft stores.
• Lesson plans and instructions: Get inspiration and lesson plan resources from Exploratorium’s “Science Snacks,” NASA, National Geographic Learning, and many other sites.
• Digital tools: There are virtually endless online resources for digital STEM learning, many of them free, like MIT’s Scratch coding community.

A Student’s Perspective: Reasons for Learning STEM

From a student's perspective, one of the biggest STEM challenges in middle school is understanding why concepts are important and relevant in real life. Every child relates to a different reason for learning STEM, often shaped by lived experiences, so explaining as many reasons as possible is helpful.

STEM learning:

• Helps you understand how things work
• Makes it easier to solve problems
• Makes learning more fun
• Prepares you for a future career
• Leads to important innovations that make the world a better place

We hope you connect with each student’s reason this year and have so much fun teaching STEM! For expert help finding resources for STEM activities for junior high scholars, contact our team or build a quote today.