Heating up the STEAM Lab

This year, Searsport District Middle/High School is creating its very own Makerspace, joining a growing number of libraries and schools around the country. Called the "STEAM Lab", the SDMHS makerspace will provide a work area where students have access to tools and supplies to create, invent, tinker, design and problem-solve. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math.

The space can meet a variety of needs and enable students to engage in a multitude of different activities, depending on the space, tools and supplies. This could include:

• computer building and programming
• digital art or video creation
• sewing or textile fabrication
• 3D design and printing
• cardboard or wood construction
• product prototyping
• basic building and crafting
• robotics
• whatever creative tinkering and making they are interested in

A good STEAM Lab or Makerspace is flexible, adding tools and work areas as needed. The STEAM Lab will supplement the tools teachers already have, as well as being a repository of recycled and reusable supplies like cardboard, plastic tubing, fabric, etc.

Tools and supplies could include:

• fabric, yarn and other craft supplies
• 3D Printers
• paint, markers, pencils, crayons
• cardboard, posterboard, paper
• power tools like drills, dremels, saws
• computer repair tools and supplies
• sewing machines, fabric and notions
• computers with graphics or video editing software
• soldering iron & related materials
• LEGO or other building blocks
• computer kits like the Raspberry Pi
• robotics kits and supplies

We recently received a Donors’ Choose grant for some of these supplies, and a Title VI grant secured a starter-model 3D Printer. Community members have donated sewing machines and some hand tools, as well as materials that can be used in projects and crafts.