Buying Supplies and Equipment
The Foundation of STEM Course is a relatively conservative STEM program. The course covers a number of high-impact, low cost projects that will allow you to establish and run a quality STEM program on even the tightest budget.
Along with each item description we have provided links to local Chinese suppliers that sell each product. There are many online shops that sell these items so make sure you shop around for the best prices; however, if you are new to China it may be hard to find things on your own so we have provided some sponsored links to help get you started.
General Supplies
The Foundation of STEM course builds on ideas, concepts, and skills that were first introduced in the General Architecture Course; therefore, the FSTEM course will require all of the same materials and supplies plus a few addition items that will allow for more advanced projects to be introduced in the FSTEM program.
General Electronics Kit
The Foundations of STEM course will introduce concepts related to designing, building and testing circuits. As this a foundation course will only scratch the surface so you may want to buy just the components that you need to build the project for this course; however, if you plan on using additional projects from our Electronic Circuit Design resources you may want to consider investing in a complete component kit.
Build an electrical component kit for the FSTEM Course
3D Computer Aided Design (CAD)
The Foundation of STEM course explores the ideas of 3D design, first on paper and then in basic CAD software. We recommend using Free CAD software such as TinkerCad which is offered by AutoDesk. As you develop you STEM program you can build up your students skills and migrate towards more advanced options such as Inventor of Fusion 360 which can be licensed for education. You may also want to consider open source software such as Blender or programs such as Shaper3D which is modestly priced for the features that it offers. The entire course can be done without the use of 3D printers; however, it is
3D Printing (Optional)
In addition to exploring 3D design and CAD the Foundation of STEM course also covers 3D printing. Note: 3D printing original student work can really make your STEM program shine; however, 3D printing can easily be omitted from the overall course structure if you have limited funds in your budget.
When purchasing 3D printers you will want to consider a fe things: affordability, reliability, and ease of use. There are thousands of 3D printers on the market now so make sure you do your research; however, we highly recommend the Flash Forge Adventure 3 and Adventure 4 series. Both models have auto leveling print beds, and print heads that can be changed easily without the use of any tools. The provided software is very powerful while also being very easy to use. Overall, these units are cost effective workhorses that will allow you to spend more time teaching and less time on maintenance.