STEM Activities, Projects, and Maker Resources
Technovation Families Challenges
Free teacher-led online STEM makerspace challenges that guide students through designing, building, and problem-solving activities. The goal is to inspire young innovators to build and test real-world solutions.
SciGirls
Sharable project-based STEM activities and multimedia resources designed to engage girls in science learning.
Instructables
DIY platform hosting user-generated project guides across STEM, crafts, cooking, and maker formats.
Tinkercad/AutoDesk
Easy-to-use 3D design and electronics tools with K-12 classroom lesson plans and teacher guides.
Howtosmile
A database of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) activities for educators and parents.
National Informal STEM Education Network (NISE Network)
Additional museums-and-universities-sourced science-informal education materials focusing on nano and broader STEM topics.
National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO)
K-12 Educational units, virtual labs, nano activities, and educator guides from the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative.
Operation Outbreak
Outbreak simulation kits and lesson plans designed to teach epidemiology and public-health preparedness through games.
Explore Science: Zoom into Nano Kit
Classroom-ready modules and experiments introducing students to nanoscience and nanotechnology.
STEM and STEAM Curriculum and Lesson Plans
Mystery Science
Standards-aligned mystery-based lessons that encourage elementary students to explore and think like scientists. Featuring short videos and hands-on experiments.
Engineering is Elementary
Citizen science platform engaging students with real-world data collection and creative inquiry. Offers inspiring stories, lesson ideas, and civic engagement content for classrooms.
Planet STEM
A hands-on STEM challenge website offering lesson plans and outdoor-education activities
Beyond School Bell Curriculum
Out-of-school-time STEM curriculum modules (lesson plans and resources) to help youth build curiosity and critical thinking.
Science Take-Out
Free, hands-on STEM project kits and experiments that use everyday materials and teach foundational science concepts.
The Cornell Lab: K-12 Education
Bird science lesson plans, activities, and citizen science projects for young learners from Cornell University.
NCWIT.org Teach Engineering
A digital library of K–12 standards-aligned engineering lesson plans and design challenges.
National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) Playlists
National Science Teaching Association’s curated collections of lesson plans, activities, and multimedia aligned to specific science topics.
ORISE K-12 Lesson Plans
STEM lesson plans and educator resources developed by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.
IU14 PA STEELS Curriculum
Middle and high school STEM/engineering education curriculum tailored for Pennsylvania’s IU14 district educators.
STEELS Videos, Resources and Worksheets – ClickView
Video-rich STEM modules exploring metals and engineering concepts, aligned with K–12 curriculum.
Exploratorium
A collection of science, art, and math lessons and activities from the renowned San Francisco-based institution.
Universe of Learning Resource Catalog
A searchable repository of NASA-funded hands-on astronomy and space science resources. Includes NASA, Smithsonian, and other informal-education resources for educators and families.
Science Buddies
Information for educators on how to share and integrate Science Buddies’ project-based STEM resources.
Coding and Computer Science
Scratch
Free, beginner-friendly programming platform from MIT that allows users to create interactive stories, games, and animations using a visual block-based coding language.
Code.org
Free K–12 coding curriculum and tutorials to teach programming and computational thinking.
Digital Learning Tools and Simulations
PhET Interactive Simulations
Free, interactive research-based science and math simulations to visualize complex concepts in real time.
Desmos
Intuitive, browser-based graphing calculator and activity platform for exploring math concepts visually and interactively.
Concord Consortium
Interactive digital learning tools and open-source simulations for science and math education in K-12 classrooms.
3Blue1Brown
YouTube-based channel offering visual math explanations and animations exploring advanced math ideas in an intuitive, engaging format.
Teaching with ChatGPT
Guides for educators on safely integrating ChatGPT into teaching practices with practical lesson ideas.
Science and Nature Education
iNaturalist Educator’s Guide
Guidance and field-ready lessons for teaching biodiversity, species identification, and ecological observation.
Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Pollinator-focused educational tools and activities for teaching pollinator, insect, and habitat conservation.
NASA’s Educator Resources
Space exploration and aeronautics educational modules, activities, and multimedia from NASA for STEM educators and students.
National Geographic Educator Resources
Rich, multimedia lessons and activities covering geography, conservation, science, and culture.
Pennsylvania Statewide STEM Ecosystem (PSSE)
PSSE is a statewide, cross-sector network dedicated to advancing equitable STEM education and career pathways across Pennsylvania by fostering collaboration, supporting regional ecosystems, influencing policy, and connecting communities to opportunities and resources.