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I've been following the "maker" movement for several years and recently attended my second MAKER Faire in Menlo Park, CA. This year a major theme of the fair was education and how students today can benefit from making things. With the incredible advances and cost reductions in maker technology like 3D printing (3DP), Computer-numeric-control (CNC) routers/cutters, and laser cutters it's easier than ever before for students with no technical background to become overnight industrial designers. Although there doesn't seem to be any debate that engaging students in the engineering/design process is incredibly beneficial it wasn't clear to me how this process gets brought into a traditional classroom bound by 45min periods and beholden to state standards and tests. Has anyone used these technologies in your STEM classroom? How? For more info checkout: http://makered.makezine.com/ http://constructingmodernknowledge.com/cmk08/

I've found a lot of great science experiments/labs from the Make magazines. There are projects for all branches of science. I have been using the Arduino microcontroller with my students for the last three years in my physics and engineering classes.

I've taught light/waves while making interactive mood lights. We make vibration activated games to learn about sound waves. I'm currently working on a robotics curriclum to teach forces and motion. Many of the traditional physics equipment can be easily replicated with the arduino and cheap components. Instruments like photogates, rangefinders, speedometers, accelerometers, temperature probes, conductivity, and more can be made with the Arduino.

Making things gives students a sense of pride and ownership of what they've learned. I buy a lot of my equipment/sensors from Sparkfun.com. They are also developing curriculum to help teachers learn about and best use the Arduino.

I'm doing this with my regular physics class. I teach at an alternative school with at risk teens so I have some flexibility with projects. It's the usual trade off with projects, fewer standards, but more in depth and variety of topics. Circuits is obviously a part of all projects.

The programming language for Arduino is very similar to the Processing language. For some units we'll program simulations. It's a fun way for students to use physics equations to make objects move on the computer or to even make simple games. You can even use the Arduino to make game controllers for games students make on the computer...

Here's a sketch (program) we made in physics class when learning about probability and randomness. This sketch is the final project where students made computer generated art that relies on randomness. http://nupen.us/2012/01/generative-random-art/ Students modified the sketch in a variety of ways and then printed a screenshot to hang on the wall. It was a fun activity that again relates to many areas outside of physics.