3D pens are an easy way to create a 3D object. You can design from scratch or use a template. The pens work like a glue gun, except that they use the same filament in a 3D printer. The objects that the students create can be used in project based learning projects.

Bloxels is an innovative video game development platform that allows you to create your own video games. It’s a free app that helps you and your students create games. It’s also plastic board that fits a collection of plastic pegs of multiple colors.

Kids love to build, what’s more they love to be challenged. Zoob Builderz STEM Challenge is designed for both. Students must read and create using the Zoob Builder pieces. Pieces include gears, axles, joints, wheels, and more for students to snap together.

Dash and Dot are robots that can sense, act and think! Coding with robots is great fun!! Students use block coding iPad apps to control their robots. Students will have a ball designing, testing theories and refining their code to create paths for the robots to follow.

Using Photopeach, students will create a digital slideshow that showcases their learning. Photopeach is an application where in just minutes the students can create a rich slideshow. Photopeach supports background music, captions, and comments so students can elaborate on their story further.

Seesaw is a web-based and application platform where students can post pictures from the classroom, annotate, speak their mind, and create electronic portfolios that connect school and home. Parents are able to see student work as soon as it is posted.
In this activity, students will take a common problem and use the design process to come up with a solution.

How does Google design their logo? You will become the creator and code your way to a new Google Logo using Scratch.

Students will design a city for the Fidgits to protect them against flooding. Students have a budget to purchase materials with and select from a variety of housing options and community features as they design a city for the Fidgets.

It is a lot of fun to create music and Incredibox makes it easy using a beatbox technique along with dragging and dropping sound icons on different characters to create music. Students can easily create a music track in seconds and download it as background music in a project. The track can be use for private use, non-commercial projects and student projects.

Whether you build with paper or design something to print in 3D, the simple addition of a USB charged fizzbit vibrating motor can make your creation come alive. A Fizzbit, a product you currently must order from the UK, can easily be attached to a 3D printed object or papercraft character to make them vibrate and move. Your students will love it!

A Google Slide Deck introduction to the MITECS competency Innovative Designer-
Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.

Example: Third graders worked in teams to design an effective indoor gardening system. With the assistance of local master gardeners, both in person and via videoconference, students researched key needs for the vegetables they wanted to grow and their basic needs. They then designed different structures for a hanging garden. Using a feedback loop from the master gardeners, students created several revisions of their ideas to address missing needs. They presented the final results to a panel that included the principal, some board members, and master gardeners, who decided on the structure that would be funded.

Questions for Reflection:
- How do the MITECS complement core content?
- How might you and your colleagues develop cross-curricular experiences to support the MITECS?
- Which of the competencies are you most familiar with?
- Which competency is an area of growth for you, as an educator?

Children love to build! The Keva Planks have become very popular to use in classrooms. KEVA planks are about 1/4 inch thick, 3/4 inch wide and 4 1/2 inches long.You build structures by simply stacking the planks. There is no glue and no connectors. Keva planks creations are meant to be temporary. Students can create beautiful works of art, towers and much more and half the fun is destruction.

PBS Kids Design Squad Global provides information, videos, and opportunities for students to participate in hands on activities. The site allows students to develop design process skills and apply them to a variety of engineering challenges

This document provides general ideas by competency. Teachers can use it as a way to think about how to integrate the MITECS in their teaching.

All you need is repurposed cardboard and the handy tools from Makedo and students can construct anything. The Makedo tool kit is composed of a safe saw, screwdriver and special screws for the cardboard.

Do you think you can make a map of your classroom? It’s easy with The Cat in The Hat This and That map making tool

Fifth grade task cards for all seven MITECS and ISTE Standards for Students

First grade task cards for all seven MITECS and ISTE Standards for Students

Fourth grade task cards for all seven MITECS and ISTE Standards for Students