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An Online Resource Center for Educators

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Tech Lab

@ The Digital Harbor Foundation

The Tech Lab at Digital Harbor Foundation is dedicated to fostering learning, creativity, productivity, and community through education. In 2013, we transformed the closed-down South Baltimore Recreation Center into the Digital Harbor Foundation Tech Center. Since then, we have served over 5,000 participants in Baltimore and across the state of Maryland. We design programs that focus on youth tech programming, community programs, and workforce development. Our programs reach you and educators through direct programming, teacher training, research, and partnership with a wide variety of community anchor institutions.

Getting Started

Are you searching for an innovative approach to engage your students? Or perhaps you are seeking opportunities to polish your craft as an educator? We have a diverse array of resources to get you started whether you’re venturing into the realm of STEM for the first time or you are a seasoned practitioner. To facilitate your journey, we've categorized our resources into four foundational areas: Computational Thinking, Fabrication, Makerspace Basics, and Pedagogy. We hope these resources will prove valuable, inspiring you to delve in, experiment, and remix them to fit your needs. If you're new to the topic, we suggest beginning with our "Getting Started" activities as a foundation to build upon. Whichever route you opt for, we are happy to support you. Feel free to contact us at coe@digitalharbor.org.

Categories

Computational Thinking Explore plugged and unplugged coding activities that will introduce your youth to problem solving, pattern recognition and the basics of computer coding.
Fabrication Help your youth get into the Maker mindset through these hands-on making activities covering a variety of topics including: textiles, 3D printing, 2D design and more.
Makerspace Basics Are you looking for some simple projects to get your youth started in the world of making? Check out some of our introductory makerspace lessons.
Pedagogy Level up your instructional skills with our educator programs on topics such as Equity in STEM, Entrepreneurial thinking in the classroom and more.

Explore Resources

Computational Thinking

Getting Started

Makerspace Basics

Building Relationships with Youth

This guide focuses on tips for building positive, trusting relationships with youth.

Student and Family Engagement

Design Thinking: Marshmallow Tower

Engage in hands-on design projects. Upper elementary and middle schoolers can create spaghetti towers with marshmallow tops in this introductory activity.

Design Thinking

Design Thinking: Sea Jelly Joy!

In this activity, youth will learn about sea jellies and then use LEDs and coin cell batteries to create a bioluminescent sea jelly.

Design Thinking

Design Thinking: Sensor Rescue

In this activity, youth will act as oceanographers as they work to retrieve a "sensor" from the bottom of the ocean using paper clips.

Design Thinking

Design Thinking: Sink the boat

Experience the design process through hands-on projects. This introductory activity in which students create a tinfoil boat to hold the most pennies is perfect for upper elementary and middle school students.

Design Thinking

E-Textiles: Compassion Critter

This activity builds on foundational e-textiles skills from power cuffs and youth create a more complex circuit to make a stuffed animal glow, flicker, and flash.

Electronic Textiles: Power Cuffs

In this project, youth will learn about the basics of electric circuits and sewing to sew a wearable light-up bracelet that represents their "superpower".

Increasing Equity in STEM

This guide provides an overview of what STEM Equity Pedagogy is and some best practices that can be used in the classroom.

Student and Family Engagement

Introduction to Game Design

This course introduces youth to the basic idea of game design as they explore existing games and then they are introduced to Scratch, a block based coding platform.

Introduction to Logo Design

Youth will explore logos and symbols to create their own design for an imaginary toy company.

Introduction to Sewing

This lesson is a basic introduction to hand sewing and builds the foundation for more complex projects including e-textiles.

Explore light and circuitry with this intermediate LED Wand project. Using a popsicle stick and a few basic electronics materials, you will create a light up wand with its own switch. For an added bonus, use these with a slow shutter camera app to create your own light paintings!

Making Stories with Scratch

This lesson helps youth go a little deeper with their coding by adding movement, speech, and sounds to their Scratch Code. They bring these skills together to tell a story about their community.

Paper Flashlights

Instructions and template for making a paper flashlight with an LED and coin cell battery.

Pixel Art Design

This lesson introduces youth to the idea of pixels and they learn how to create their own pixel art!

Planning a Family STEM Event

Student and Family Engagement

Planning a Family STEM Night

This workbook guides educators through how to go about planning a family STEM night.

Student and Family Engagement

Robotics: Introduction to Hummingbird

Youth will use the Hummingbird basic kit to create a blooming garden controlled by micro servos.

Scratch and Sprites

This is a light introduction for youth new to Scratch coding. They will learn the basics including how to add and change sprites.

Simple Circuits

In this course, youth will have the opportunity to explore circuits and their applications through hands-on projects.

Ten Skills of a Great Facilitator

This handout introduces the basic skills and mindset needed to work with youth.

Student and Family Engagement