STEM Kits Build Partners in Exploration
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Families at Scales Technology Academy and Holdeman Elementary are getting a glimpse into the engineering process beyond the classroom thanks to at-home Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) kits recently distributed to families. The initiative strengthens the connection between classroom learning and the home while creating opportunities for families to explore STEM together.
Designed to encourage young engineers and problem-solvers, the kits include a book, activity guide, and materials for hands-on STEM challenges. Activities encourage students to build, test, and improve their designs while developing STEM thinking skills like problem solving, creativity, and iteration. The kits were created in multiple variations and organized by grade-level bands (K–2 and 3–5) to ensure age-appropriate and engaging experiences for all learners.
Each kit begins with a storybook that introduces the activity and sparks curiosity and conversation. After reading together, families are provided with bilingual instructions guiding them through a hands-on challenge using recycled materials they find around the house along with the tools provided, such as scissors, string, popsicle sticks, pipe cleaners, and other multi-use supplies.
“The goal of this project was to increase family engagement while incorporating STEM,” said Tempe Elementary Schools Toyota Grant Project Manager Catherine Linhardt, who developed the kits. “It is a bonus to give each family a picture book they can take home and keep.”
The kits were intentionally designed to extend beyond a single use. By using low-cost, easy-to-find materials, families can easily recreate or expand the projects long after the provided activity is complete. Many of the kits also encourage families to use everyday household recyclables, reinforcing that creativity and innovation can happen anywhere.
Through initiatives like this, families become partners in exploration, creativity, and problem solving. More than 350 kits were distributed to families, helping students discover that learning does not stop when the school day ends — it continues at home, around the kitchen table, and wherever curiosity leads.
This opportunity reflects Tempe Elementary’s commitment to creating pathways for authentic partnerships with families, as outlined in Goal 5.3 of the Strategic Plan.
About Tempe Elementary Schools
Tempe Elementary School comprises 21 small, neighborhood elementary and middle schools in Tempe, Arizona. We Tempe Elementary is committed to providing a welcoming, achieving, eye-opening, and future-ready preschool - 8th grade education to free the boundless potential in each child - so they are fully prepared to embrace the opportunities of tomorrow and excel for a lifetime. Learn more about Tempe Elementary Schools.