Starting a STEAM initiative in your school can be intimidating… and many times, costly. But it doesn’t have to be!

Take a look at our favorite budget-friendly STEAM tools and resources for your school, as recommended by the educators of Teq’s NYC STEAM Committee.  

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Tinkercad

Learn to design 3D prints without spending on the printer 

3D printers are one of the most popular STEAM tools in schools today, but if they’re not in your budget, 3D printing may feel out of reach. Thanks to Tinkercad (www.tinkercad.com), you can still expose your students to 3D printing by teaching them the design process behind 3D prints. 

Tinkercad is a free web-based 3D design tool where students can create and manipulate their own objects. With tools accessible to beginners and experienced designers alike, your students can use their creativity to tackle design challenges.  

And printing student designs isn’t necessarily off the table. If your students create something you want as a print, Tinkercad can print it for you at a low cost.  

For educators, Tinkercad’s website features video tutorials, a community blog, and group settings for easy classroom management.  

To learn more about Tinkercad, take a look at our blog post, Tinkercad, and STEAM: 3D Design and Printing. 

Engineering with Cardboard

During the summer of 2011, 9-year old Caine Monroy set up shop in his father’s used auto parts store and ran his own little business—Caine’s Arcade. Constructed entirely out of cardboard, tape, and other found materials, Caine’s innovative arcade caught the eye of filmmaker Nival Mullick, who released a short documentary about Caine and his summer project.  

Since the release of the film in 2012, Caine’s Arcade has inspired over 750,000 people worldwide to participate in the Global Cardboard Challenge and create their own low-budget, highly-imaginative projects. 

For next-to-nothing, you can do the same in your classroom. Watch the film below to spark inspiration for your own cardboard challenges, and find free Caine’s Arcade Curriculum and Activity Kits at cainesarcade.com/schools/activitykids.  

Code.org

Free Curriculum and Open-Source Technology

Code.org is a site where students can learn computer science for free. According to their website, 25% of U.S. students have accounts on Code.org, with 11 million of those students being female. The site’s original purpose was to increase participation by women and underrepresented minorities but has become massively popular for all students across the U.S., with over 800,000 teachers using Code.org in instruction.  

With guided activities, tutorials, and special features available for teachers and students, Code.org is a wonderful (and wonderfully free) way to introduce your students of all ages to computer science. 

Join the NYC STEAM Committee

Teq is looking for motivated NYC educators who have a passion for improving student outcomes to join the NYC STEAM Committee! Whether you are just starting your school STEAM program, or consider yourself a STEAM expert, we welcome you. Every 6 weeks, the committee meets in New York City to discuss best practices, STEAM solutions, and network, all with the goal to improve STEAM learning in their students. It is free to join. If you are interested in attending a future meeting, please contact Nina Sclafani at ninasclafani@teq.com.