STEM for Middle School: STEM Activities and Resources

STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

STEM for Middle School is one part of a series of 319 STEM websites on STEM activities and programs that are broken down into the categories shown below.

STEM Activities and Learning Websites

Ask Dr. Universe

Dr. Universe, the cute kitten, from Washington State University will answer your STEM questions.

The Big Brain Theory – Discovery Channel

In this popular TV show, competitors have just 30 minutes to come up with a solution to a seemingly impossible engineering challenge.

Bill Nye the Science Guy

Bill’s funny TV show is about science. At the educational resources section, you will find experiments to do at home (Home Demos), episode guides for kids to create each episode,  and his new project about math – Solving for X.

Chi Alpha Mu

Chi Alpha Mu, standing for Creative Adventures in Mathematics, is the National Junior Mathematics Club for middle schools. Chi Alpha Mu is the younger sibling of Mu Alpha Theta.

Code.org

Since launching in 2013 with a #1 YouTube video of the a day, Code.org has expanded to build a full organization supporting a worldwide movement to provide easy access to computer science education for everyone.  They design courses, train teachers, partner with large school districts, and help change government policies.

Engineering, Go for It! (eGFI)

Environmental Health Student Portal

EPA Students

This website is run by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Exploratorium

A cool STEM & art website from the San Francisco-based Exploratorium.

Extreme Science

A very interesting website about extreme science.

How Stuff Works

After starting in 1998 at a college professor’s kitchen table, this hugely popular STEM site has nearly 40 million visitors each month.

Kids Ahead

MathMovesU

MathMovesU offers a variety of scholarships and sponsorship.

Museum of Science + Industry Chicago Online Science

Explore science from Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry, one of the largest science museums in the world.

MythBusters – Discovery Channel

NASA Education for Students

NASA Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA)

SEMAA was developed to increase the participation of historically underserved K-12 youth in STEM fields. School activities and summer sessions are at 14 locations in 12 states and the District of Columbia.

NOVA

The website of PBS’s NOVA,  the most-watched prime time science series show on American television from PBS, produces an extensive list of science resources and original content.

Sally Ride Science

Founded by America’s first female astronaut, Sally Ride Science is now part of UC San Diego.

Science Bob

“Science Bob” is a science teacher, author, and presenter that knows how to share the world of science in a fun way.

Science Buddies

Science Channel

SciJinks

This educational website is created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) and NASA.

Scratch

Scratch is a project of the Lifelong Kindergarten Group which is located within the MIT Media Lab.

STEM-Works

TechRocket

Tynker

With Tynker, Kids learn to code,  built games and apps, draw math art, interface with hardware and more.

STEM Games and Apps

Auditorium: The Online Experience

Contains over 20 hours of stunning audio-visual gameplay with over 70 mesmerizing levels. Auditorium is a beautiful and challenging puzzle with many different solutions. Players are amazed by its sleek design, vibrant colors, and iconic soundtrack.

Cargo-Bot

Over one million people have enjoyed Cargo-Bot. It is one of the coolest coding games for kids. Players use coding concepts like loops and procedures and do a ton of debugging.

Code Combat

Code Combat has players inputting actual code to play (Javascript currently, with experimental support for CoffeeScript, Python, Clojure, and Lua). Don’t let that put you off, though, as Code Combat does a great job of entertaining while teaching. There are single-player levels and multi-player levels.

CSI: Web Adventures

The CSI Web adventures are a series of interactive cases featuring the characters from the CBS TV show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.  These cases allow players to experience several different types of forensic analysis and eventually solve mysteries with the CSI team.

DimensionU Games

Comprised of four engaging, multiplayer games with access to curriculum in both Math and Literacy.  The content aligns with the Common Core, state standards and classroom instruction.

Gamestar Mechanic

It is a game and community designed to teach kids the principles of game design and systems thinking in a highly engaging environment. With skills built from game-based “Quests”, kids can build their own video games.

Hopscotch

Hopscotch is a drag-and-drop programming app for kids to write their own programs. Kids need to be independent readers to follow the instructions and commands and “write” their code. The characters and colors are fun and vibrant, and the app empowers kids to create open-ended options.

Lightbot and Lightbot Jr.

Lightbot is a programming puzzle game which teaches concepts like planning, testing, debugging, procedures, and loops.

 Machinarium

An incredibly slick point-and-click  adventure/puzzle game that requires the user to solve brain teasers in order to advance.

Mathemagics Mental Math Tricks

Learn and practice the tricks of mental math calculation in this fun and engaging app, then amaze others as you do math at lightning fast speed. There are more than 50 tricks to learn, and three modes of play in which to learn them.

Minecraft

The extremely popular 3-D block-building game that pushes your imagination to the limits and fosters creativity.

Motion Math: Pizza!

The STEM app teaches kids about basic economics. While playing, kids learn a valuable lesson that a successful business requires important math and reasoning skills to properly budget money and keep customers satisfied.

National Geographic Games

The National Geographic games site is packed with games, apps, puzzles and quizzes.

Pocket Universe

The ultimate astronomy app. The free version displays thousands of stars, constellations, and solar system objects on a real-time rendered view of the sky. The view will move automatically as you move left, right, up and down. With the full version, you can track the International Space Station, play quizzes, virtually walk on Mars, see 80,000 stars and more.

Portal 2

Portal 2 is a first-person action game. The gameplay is built around physics principles and environmental puzzles — how to get from point A to point B while avoiding C.

Quantum Conundrum

The physics-based puzzle game’s focus is to have players use their brains to figure out solutions to challenging but fair puzzles that demand clear and rational thought.

Robots for iPad App

Created by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Robots for iPad is a comprehensive guide to the world of robotics. This fun, highly interactive app lets you explore over 150 real-world robots, with hundreds of animations, photos, videos, and articles.

Robozzle

Robozzle is a social puzzle game which teaches programming. Using only a few simple commands, teach the robot to recurse a tree, follow a linked list, or count in binary. The levels range from those suitable for younger children right up to puzzles that will make seasoned coders scratch their heads.

SpaceChem

SpaceChem tasks players with building machines to fight monsters, using programming concepts like in-order execution, loops, branching, and subroutines.

You Can Do the Rubik’s Cube

Since it was created in 1974, the Rubik’s Cube has become so much more than a puzzle because of its unique challenge and worldwide popularity. With solution guides and instructional materials, this site teaches kids how to solve the Rubik’s Cube while incorporating many math lessons.

STEM Camps and After School Programs

Ambition Program at National Flight Academy

Kids are immersed in 6 days of innovative play and adventure in a theme-park setting camp to explore premier technology. Limited scholarships are available.

Alaska Summer Research Academy (ASRA) – Middle School

At ASRA STEM camp, you’ll spend two weeks on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, working in small teams and participating in project-based learning. Some modules will take you to remote areas of Alaska for fieldwork.

Audubon Camps

Kids have fun exploring the natural world. The Wild Birds Unlimited scholarship funds have helped almost 2,000 youth attend this camp since 2007.

Aviation Career Education (ACE) Academy Program

Campers learn about planning a flight, aviation history, the physics of flight, and the design and maintenance of aircraft. At some locations, even fly in a airplane!

Black Girls Code

Through community outreach programs, Black Girls Code introduces underprivileged girls to computer programming and LEGO Robotics. They offer a limited number of financial-need based scholarships

Camp Euclid: A Mathematics Research Camp

Students mull over and grapple with tantalizingly difficult math problems within a circle of fellow researchers who meet and collaborate online.  The camp offers grants and scholarships.

Camp KAOS

kids discover the thrill of space at the Kansas Cosmosphere & Space Center, where they train kids just like astronauts in their camps since 1985. Scholarships are available.

CoderDojo

CoderDojo is a fun and social club where young people can go to explore technology together and get advice and support from skilled mentors.

Com-Star Learning

Cornell’s Adult University Youth Programs

Designed and led by Cornell faculty, the nationally acclaimed programs are for kids ages 3-15. Even the youngest campers can be in residence with a registered resident adult.

Digital Media Academy

Digital Media Academy is a digital art and technology training company.

Duke University: Talent Identification Program (TIP)

TIP includes Summer Studies, eStudies and Field Studies. It is claimed as a global leader in identifying academically gifted students and providing them with opportunities to support their development.

Education Unlimited®

Emagination

Emagination was founded in Connecticut in 1982. Each summer children travel to their campus locations from all across America and several foreign countries.

Embry – Riddle Aeronautical University Summer Camps

Students from around the globe attended the popular camps at Embry – Riddle’s Arizona and Florida Campuses.

Engineering For Kids

Engineering Possibilities in College

The ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp (EMBHSSC)

Designed to support under-served and under-represented middle school kids. Kids enhance their proficiency in STEM education while living on a college campus – all at no cost to the child or family.

i2 Camp

With camp-wide STEM activities, they introduce campers to scientists, astronauts, bioethicists, and entrepreneurs.

iD Tech

They currently offer programs at over 100 university, college, high school, and elementary school locations throughout the United States, with the most distinguished campuses including Stanford, UCLA, Princeton, and MIT.

Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science (IMACS)

Kids-N-Technology

Lavner Camps

National Computer Camps

Northern Illinois University STEM Camps

Purdue Polytechnic Institute Summer Camps

There are various of free and low cost day or residential summer camps. DO iT! Camp, TAGS Camp, TEAM Camp, WOWiT Camp are designed for girls.

Robotics Education & Competition Foundation

Find your local event at robot events.

Rochester Institute of Technology RIT K-12 Academy

Various summer camps target different age/gender groups, including Kids on Campus, CBET Bioscience Camps, Everyday Engineering Summer Camp (girls only), RoboCamp, Lil Kids on Campus, Smash Experience for Girls, etc.

Summer@Rensselaer

SUNYIT SummerITeens

Syracuse University Project ENGAGE

The program is highly selective with limited participation.

Tynker

University of Arizona Astronomy Camp

This camp is available internationally to both teenagers and adults.

University of Evansville OPTIONS for middle school boys and girls

Worcester Polytechnic Institute Summer STEM Camps

Residential camps are for grades 7-12 and include Camp Reach (for girls), Frontiers, Launch, Leadership Academy for Young Women. There are nine STEM and robotics day camps.

Youth Digital Summer Camps

Zero Robotics Middle School Summer Program

At the MIT Space Systems Lab’s five-week STEM camp, student participants compete to win a technically challenging game by programming their strategies into the SPHERES (Synchronized, Position, Hold, Engage, Reorient, Experimental Satellites). Students’ programs control the satellites’ speed, rotation, and direction of travel. Each year’s game is motivated by a problem of interest to NASA and MIT.

STEM Contests

Air Force Association (AFA) CyberPatriot Competition

Teams are tasked with managing the network of a small company. They are given a set of virtual images that represent operating systems and are tasked with finding cyber security vulnerabilities within the images and hardening the system while maintaining critical services in a six hour period.

AMC 8

It is a 25-question, 40-minute, multiple choice examination in middle school mathematics.

American Regions Mathematics League (ARML) Power Contest

ARML is billed as the World Series of mathematics competitions. About 120+ teams of 15 students will participate.

Botball®

You can find their current event near you. Scholarships are available for qualified teams.

Discovery Channel Young Scientist Challenge

Students are invited to create a 1-2 minute video describing a new, innovative solution that could solve an everyday problem. Ten finalists will be chosen based upon their passion for science, spirit of innovation and ingenuity, and communication skills. The highest scoring finalist earns the title America’s Top Young Scientist and wins $25,000 and a once-in-a-lifetime international trip.

eCYBERMISSION

A team of 3-4 students tackle a mission challenge. The First-Place National Winners will  be awarded $5,000 U.S. Series EE Savings Bonds, and the competitively selected regional finalist teams will win the STEM-in-Action grant to implement their project solutions into their local community.

FIRST

FIRST offers robotics programs worldwide.  Find the events/programs/teams in your area.

Future City Competition

In a team setting, students imagine, research, design, and build cities of the future that showcase their solution to a citywide sustainability issue, then present their solutions via a virtual city design (using SimCity).

MATHCOUNTS Competition Series

MATHCOUNTS competitions are provided at four levels: school, chapter, state and national.

MATHCOUNTS Math Video Challenge

Combining art, writing, math, acting and technology, students work together in teams of 4 to create a video that explains the solution to a MATHCOUNTS handbook problem and demonstrates a real-world application of the mathematics concept explored in the problem.

NASA Capillary Effects on Liquids Exploratory Research Experiments (CELERE)

National Stem League (NSL)

There are three series in the NSL league: Racing Challenge, Rover Challenge, Innovators-in-Training Challenge with a Energy Challenge as a bonus category in all three series.

National STEM Video Game Challenge

The STEM Challenge is a game design competition that received strong media attention from major outlets such as CNN, Forbes, and Education Week as well as local and national press.

NSBE Jr. Bridge Magazine Contests

NSBE Jr. Explorer Technical Innovation Competition

Perennial Math Tournaments

Purple Comet! Math Meet

It is a free, on-line, international, team mathematics competition conducted annually since 2003.

Rocket City Math League (RCML)

It is a year-long student-run international four-round math competition ranging from Pre-Algebra to Calculus.

Robotics Education & Competition Foundation

Science Olympiad

Currently, there are nearly 7,000 secondary schools from 50 states participating  annual Science Olympiad National Tournament, with an additional 10,000 or more elementary schools holding Science Olympiad tournaments or hands-on events. Science Olympiad encourages a wide cross-section of students to get involved. Emphasis is placed on active, hands-on group participation.

Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC)

It is the world’s largest student rocket contest.

Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision

ExploraVision is one of the world’s largest K-12 science competitions. More than 350,000 students from across the United States and Canada have participated since its inception in 1992. 2-4 students work in a group to pick a current technology, research it, envision what it might look like in 20 years, and describe the development steps, pros & cons, and obstacles.

U.S.A. Mathematical Talent Search (USAMTS)

Different from most mathematics competitions, the USAMTS allows students a full month, or more, to work out their solutions. The problems range in difficulty from being within the reach of most high school students to challenging the best students in the nation.