My Favorite STEM Supplies for Middle School (Ranked!)
Every August, one of the first things I do is restock my middle school STEM supplies before students arrive for back to school.
After years of teaching and creating STEM challenges, I’ve learned that you don’t need an expensive makerspace or high-tech equipment to get students thinking like engineers. Some of the most creative projects happen with simple classroom supplies you can find at almost any store.
These are the materials I reach for again and again because they’re affordable, versatile, and work across dozens of STEM challenges throughout the school year.
If you’re getting your classroom ready for back to school, here’s my ranking of the STEM supplies I wouldn’t want to teach without.
1. Popsicle Sticks ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If I could only keep one STEM supply in my classroom, it would be popsicle sticks.
They’re incredibly versatile and can be used for almost every type of engineering challenge. Students build bridges, towers, shelters, catapults, aqueducts, rafts, pyramids, and so much more.
One of the things I love most is that popsicle sticks encourage creativity. Give every group the same pile of materials, and you’ll end up with completely different designs. Students quickly discover there isn’t just one “right” way to solve a problem.
I always buy the jumbo classroom packs because they disappear fast.
Why they’re my favorite:
- Extremely versatile
- Affordable for classroom use
- Easy to cut and build with
- Great for individual or group projects
- Used in dozens of engineering challenges
2. Why Masking Tape Is One of My Favorite Middle School STEM Supplies ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
If popsicle sticks are the building material, masking tape is what makes everything possible.
I honestly think masking tape is the MVP of every STEM classroom.
Students can connect pieces instantly, test their ideas, discover what isn’t working, make changes, and start building again without ever stopping the momentum of the lesson.
That’s huge.
Engineering is all about designing, testing, improving, and redesigning. Waiting for glue to dry interrupts that process. Masking tape lets students move through multiple versions of their designs during a single class period.
It also creates surprisingly sturdy structures. Whether students are reinforcing a bridge, strengthening a tower, or rebuilding an ancient aqueduct after it collapses, masking tape helps keep the focus on problem solving instead of waiting.
By the end of the year, I always wonder where all my masking tape went…and then I remember how many incredible student creations it helped hold together.
Why I always stock extra rolls:
- No drying time
- Keeps students building instead of waiting
- Makes redesigning quick and easy
- Strong enough for most engineering challenges
- Easy for students to tear and use independently
- Supports the engineering design process from start to finish
3. Plastic Cups
Plastic cups are one of the most underrated STEM supplies.
They can become towers, bridge supports, foundations, marble run components, earthquake-resistant structures, or part of a completely original student design.
Students naturally begin experimenting with balance, weight distribution, and structural stability without even realizing they’re practicing engineering concepts.
Plus, they’re inexpensive enough that I never worry about students experimenting freely.
4. Cardstock & Construction Paper
Paper isn’t just for decorating.
Different paper types create completely different engineering challenges.
Regular printer paper bends easily. Cardstock adds strength. Construction paper introduces another material for students to compare and test.
It’s amazing how quickly students begin noticing which materials work best for different situations.
I also use cardstock for planning pages, blueprints, and final project displays.
5. Cardboard Tubes
Never throw away paper towel or toilet paper rolls.
Seriously.
Cardboard tubes become ramps, tunnels, support columns, marble runs, towers, transportation systems, and even ancient engineering projects.
Parents are usually happy to save them throughout the year, so they’re one of the easiest free STEM supplies to collect.
6. Rubber Bands
Rubber bands introduce movement into STEM challenges.
Students use them to create catapults, launching systems, moving machines, suspension bridges, and all kinds of creative inventions.
They’re inexpensive, take up almost no storage space, and last a long time.
7. Scissors
Good scissors don’t sound exciting…
Until half the class is waiting to borrow one.
Having enough sturdy scissors keeps projects moving and gives students more independence while they’re building.
It’s one of those supplies you don’t appreciate until you don’t have enough.
8. Glue
While masking tape gets used most often during the building process, glue definitely has its place.
Some projects need stronger permanent connections, especially when students are creating final models they’ll display around the classroom.
I like having both liquid glue and glue sticks available depending on the activity.
9. Paper Clips
Paper clips might be small, but students always find creative ways to use them.
They become hooks, hinges, connectors, weights, supports, or fasteners.
I can’t count how many times students have solved an engineering problem with nothing more than a paper clip and a little creativity.
10. Colored Pencils
Not every STEM lesson is spent building.
Students sketch ideas, label diagrams, record observations, explain improvements, and reflect on what they learned.
Colored pencils help students organize their thinking while making engineering notebooks much more engaging.
My Best Back-to-School STEM Tip
If you’re just getting started with STEM, don’t feel like you need a room full of expensive equipment.
Some of the best engineering lessons I’ve ever taught used supplies that cost only a few dollars.
Students don’t remember whether the materials were fancy.
They remember the excitement of solving a challenge, watching their design succeed, making improvements after it failed, and celebrating when they finally figured it out.
Simple supplies often create the biggest learning opportunities.
Ready for More STEM Ideas?
These middle school STEM supplies are simple, affordable, and easy to reuse across dozens of classroom engineering challenges.
If you’re looking for ready-to-use STEM challenges that include lesson plans, student worksheets, teacher directions, and classroom-tested engineering activities, be sure to check out my collection of STEM resources for middle school and upper elementary classrooms.
Whether you’re teaching Ancient Civilizations, Earth Science, or simply looking for engaging back-to-school STEM activities, you’ll find projects designed to get students thinking, building, and problem solving from day one.
