Keeping Your STEM Classroom Organized

KEY POINTS

• Label all bins and group similar items together.
• Keep tools used most often easily accessible.
• Plan lesson materials in advance.

Space and organization are precious commodities for any STEM classroom. Being able to store and organize commonly used tools and supplies is especially important in a makerspace where hands-on learning and creating is the norm — an environment that often lends itself to the accumulation of clutter. But there are a few tricks to help you keep things tidy and to avoid disarray in your classroom.

KNOW WHAT GOES WHERE

Often, one of the best ways to keep your STEM classroom organized is to simply know what goes where. Try sorting materials into bins based on similarity of use, then label them accordingly to allow students to find them quickly and return them correctly at the end of the day. Having items stored out of sight until they are needed will also help in accommodating the activities you conduct in your makerspace.

KEEP THINGS HANDY

Once you have equipment grouped based on their intended use, select locations for their storage based on the frequency of that use. For instance, when it comes to 3D printing, having a utility knife and a pair of pliers handy is very helpful. If you use a robotic arm in your classroom every few days, it is important to keep that technology in an accessible location along with its accessories. Other items that are only used every other week can be stored on high shelves or in a closet, only to be pulled out or even seen when needed. Be sure to take time prior to the school year or the start of a new project to think through what items should be prioritized, and then sort and organize the classroom accordingly.

PLAN FOR FUTURE LESSONS

No matter what approach you take to organize your classroom, you will still be contending with a high number of students utilizing tools to create and build. Regularly, there needs to be advance consideration for what projects are up next and what the special needs will be: 

• How many students will be working at one time? 
• What equipment and materials are they likely to use most often? 
• How can the classroom be adjusted to create adequate working space? 

Consider the weekly task of organizing colored bins for each day of the week. In advance, place the items you will need in the corresponding bins. Taking time to organize your classroom space on both a large scale and a smaller scale will allow you to facilitate lessons smoothly and easily. Rather than using precious time to clean or find a lost item for students, put a plan in motion to ease the set up and break down daily and give that time back to students to create. Proper preparation will simplify the teaching process for you, all while teaching students how to best care for their classroom equipment.

— Dr. Jake Roark