Yes, WhyMaker actively accepts Purchase Orders (PO). Head to the webstore, make a list of the items you would like to purchase and the quantities. Then send an email to info@whymaker.co with the products & quantities you would like to purchase & the shipping address. We will get back to you with a quote that includes shipping. We will also send a W9. If you have any requirements or limitations please include it in the email. We also accept Purchase Orders for Professional Development. Schedule a call to discuss your need: BOOKING LINK

STEM Education is a mindset that we want to install in our students. Having a STEM mindset allows students to be problem solvers, interdisciplinary critical thinkers, collaborators and allows them to express themselves creatively and passionately. STEM education sets up learners to be involved citizens ready to tackle problems, manage jobs, think critically about situations and have compassion for others.

Every class! It is for all students in all classes. WhyMaker has tons of lesson ideas for English classes, foreign language classes, music, art, technology, science, math, history, social studies class and everything in between. Also STEM is great for all ages - Preschool, Elementary School, Middle School, High School.

STEM teaching includes using a design process and a project based learning approach to help students learn content by solving a meaningful problem by designing solutions for people. They may be constructing physically with cardboard and building blocks, or drawing plans on paper, or using a 3D printer and coding platform, or making a stop motion animation video. The key is to remember that it does not have to be complicated or complex, just meaningful and integrate multiple subject areas together allowing students to solve a problem.

You might be! Recently, have you given students a project where they had to use multiple different content knowledge to solve a problem? Where students were tasked with a problem and asked to create a solution that all did not have to same solution - all of their solutions looked different?

Problem Statement - There is a meaningful problem for students to solve. The problem may start with … design and build.. or … how might we … Students may narrow this problem down to something more specific that resonated with them. (I.e. Teachers gives the challenge - Design and build something to help someone in our school. Students then take it and reframe it to say - Design and build something to make the elevator more enjoyable for students who hurt themselves and need to use it)
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The meaningful problem should have specifications and constraint. Specifications are what is required from the project like the amount of weight the thing has to hold, or the completion of a presentation. The constraints are what limit the solution like the materials they can use, the time they have, a budget and/or the people they are designing a solution for.
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Empathy - This is where students are exploring and learning about the people (or animals) that are experiencing the problem. They are trying to understand what is the best solution for them.

Research & Learning - students are exploring the content knowledge they need to know in order to build the best possible solution. (I.e. They are asked to build a big tower, they need to know about foundations and triangle bracing)
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Brainstorming - students generate a lot of ideas about possible solutions. All sorts of ideas. The more the better. Then students choose ONE solution to create.
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Planning - Students must plan their solution in a lot of detail. Planning solutions really helps alleviate a lot of potential problems in the class. You as the teacher can check the plan ahead of time and you can help students solve problems before they go into building. When students have a plan they know exactly what to do when it comes to building. Planning is also a great opportunity to check students' knowledge of content, are they applying the content required in this project, can they show me what they know.
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Build - Give students ample time to build their solution. The more planning students do, the more structured your build time will be. Testing & evaluation - Students must test & evaluate their solution. Does it meet the requirements, does it work as expected, where is their room for improvement?
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Present - Displaying their work to an authentic audience is important to develop self confidence. Students should present on the solution they created and the process they went through to get there.
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Reflect - There are multiple points for reflection in a STEM project. Students should reflect on their learning, how they grew. And they can reflect on how their team did and how they participated in the team project.

The Design Thinking Process at WhyMaker is a combination of the Human Centered Design Process and the Engineering Process. As educators we recognized that students need a combination of the structure the engineering process gives, and the empathy, social emotional practice of the Human Centered approach.

Teaching design thinking, gives students the skills to look at the world around them and see opportunities to create solutions. When students are designing and building solutions for others, they are practicing empathy, understanding how others experience the world. In a design thinking project, students are collaborating with peers on ways to devise the best possible solution. As students are designing solutions they have multiple opportunities to practice with content. First when they identifying a problem, then when they are brainstorming solutions, then again when they are planning, then again when they are constructing the solution, and finally when they are presenting to others. Students learn many valuable communication skills throughout a design process project, they practice interpersonal skills like actively listening, and reflection; they also practice intrapersonal skills like interviewing, coming to consensus, presenting and more. Students practice decision making, identifying areas for improvement and evaluation.

A physical space where students have access to materials and tools to create physical products. Check out our recommendations for Makerspace supplies.

Makerspaces should include craft supplies like pipe cleaners, pom poms, glue, tape, scissors, markers, batteries, battery holders, aluminum foil, wires, LED lights, Lego, colored paper, and cardboard. It also can include hand tools like coping saws, screwdrivers, hammers and mallets. Construction kits like 3Dux Designs, Legos, Knex, Wonderbolt, sewing machines, Strawbees and Teknikio make great open ended, creative, exploration tools. As makerspaces get more advance they can include 3D printers, robotics systems like Kai's Clan, Edison Robots, electronics kits like microbit arduino or raspberry pi, poster printers, power tools like drill presses, scroll saw, band saw, laser engraver, CNC machine and embroidery machines.

Makerspaces do not have to take up a whole room. Makerspaces can be in a closet, a cart, a box, a corner. Whenever teachers and students are ready to use supplies, they can go to the Makerspace location and collect the materials and tools they need and bring them back to the classroom to use.