STEM learning becomes far more powerful when students are actively building, testing, exploring, and solving problems. In this hands-on workshop, educators will be introduced to a collection of accessible STEM activities that can be implemented in classrooms, libraries, after-school programs, makerspaces, or summer camp settings with minimal resource needs.
Participants will explore how simple materials and thoughtfully designed challenges can be used to teach important concepts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics through inquiry, creativity, and collaboration. Rather than focusing on complex tools, this session emphasizes the mindset and instructional strategies behind meaningful STEM experiences.
Several low-cost, high-engagement activities will be demonstrated throughout the session to show how STEM learning can emerge through experimentation, iteration, observation, and playful problem-solving. Each activity will model ways to encourage critical thinking, student voice, teamwork, and reflection while connecting to real-world applications.
The workshop will also focus on how educators can adapt these activities across age groups while maintaining accessibility for diverse learners.
Taryn is a STEM educator at Creative Hut with a background in aerospace engineering and a passion for hands-on, student-centered learning. She designs and delivers engaging workshops rooted in engineering design, problem-solving, and introductory coding, helping students connect classroom concepts to real-world applications.
Educated as an aerospace engineer, Taryn brings a strong technical foundation to her work across a variety of educational settings, including schools, camps, tutoring programs, and immersive STEM experiences.
She is committed to making STEM accessible, inclusive, and exciting — empowering learners to think critically, collaborate creatively, and see themselves as capable engineers and innovators.
In this session, participants will explore how simple challenges can become rich STEM learning opportunities. We will dive into the practical aspects of facilitating STEM experiences, exploring questions such as:
Engineering Design: How do students brainstorm, prototype, test, and improve solutions through iterative thinking?
Systems Thinking: How can STEM activities help students recognize patterns, relationships, and cause-and-effect connections?
Facilitation & Reflection: What instructional moves help transform a fun activity into deeper conceptual learning?
By taking part in this session, participants will:
Develop Inquiry-Based Facilitation Skills: Practice asking guiding questions that encourage curiosity, experimentation, and student-led discovery.
Explore the Engineering Design Process: Experience how brainstorming, testing, failure, and revision support deeper learning.
Build Confidence with STEM Instruction: Leave with adaptable activities and practical strategies that can immediately be implemented in classrooms or enrichment settings.
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