Picture this: Rummaging through bags and bins trying to find the one set of popsicle sticks you *know* you have. But having to give up and call down the hall to your teammate who you know has them. Sound familiar?
Being organized in your elementary classroom makes STEM activities that much easier to setup and create. I’m going to give you my tips and tricks for storing all these STEM materials so that you can say, top bin to the right and know that’s exactly where your popsicle sticks are.
STEM instruction thrives in hands-on, exploratory environments but can quickly turn into a disaster zone without an organizational system in place.
Here I’m going to show you my system for organizing STEM materials in your elementary classroom, to save you time and mental energy!
Teacher materials vs student materials
I keep supplies in two different locations in my room based off of how they should be used. Many of “messy” or hard to come by materials are kept out of reach of students. Things like construction paper, liquid glue, paint, bingo dabbers, etc. Students still have access but they need the help of an adult to get the supply.
Materials Always Available
Students always have access to egg cartons, paper towel rolls, tape, cylinder containers, cardboard, etc. These supplies can be used to create anything they chose while they are in the Makerspace.
I share my Blueprint for creating your own Makerspace here.
Having labels on containers and on the space that you are storing them helps students and other adults in your classroom be able to clean up without having to ask where something should go.
I print two copies and laminate before placing them on the bins and shelf.
The containers you see pictured in my classroom can be rather pricey to purchase on your own. When I moved into my 6th grade classroom, I invested in some of the plastic shoe containers that are much less expensive. They work great and can be easily stacked for storage. When they are on a shelf, I make sure to label the outsides and the shelf so it can get placed back on easily by students or my paraprofessional. But a regular marker or sticker label works just fine. I’ve personally been eyeing up a label maker for myself.
Inventory in a STEM Elementary Classroom
Before beginning any STEM planning, it’s best to know what supplies you currently have on hand. When things are neatly stored in containers, this becomes much easier to identify.
I divide my materials into 2 categories: reusable and consumables. Reusable being things like magnet tiles, Legos, hashtag blocks, etc. Consumables being used only once like paper towel rolls, pipe cleaners, tissue paper, cardboard, etc.
Having a go to list of STEM materials for your early elementary classroom is simple. You can grab a copy of it in my STEM Explorer Week Freebie by clicking on the list. It also includes a letter to send home to families to collect some of the consumable materials.
Organizing STEM Materials in Your Elementary Classroom Breakdown
1. Plastic bins to place materials into
2. Label the bins, bonus if there are pictures on them
3. Separate materials based off of if you want students to have access to them or not (if your storage permits)
4. Don’t be afraid to ask families for donations. Grab a simple letter in my STEM Explorer week download here.
5. Want more steps to creating a Makerspace in your classroom? See how I built mine here.