mindMESA
32 Followers
Cañon City, Colorado, United States
About the store
The Expertise Behind the Innovation: With over 14 years of experience in the trenches of STEM education, we've led everything from all-female engineering cohorts to district-wide science initiatives. Our background isn't just in teaching science—it’s in advancing it through accessible technology. We’ve integrated programmable drones, CAD design, micro:bits, and 3D printing into curriculum that meets standards while capturing imaginations.
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Tinkercad Design Challenge Mini Project
🚀 Tinkercad Design Challenge | Creative 3D Modeling Mini Project Get students designing, creating, and thinking like digital makers with this engaging Tinkercad Design Challenge mini project! Students create an original 3D model in Tinkercad while practicing creativity, problem-solving, and introductory engineering/design skills. Perfect for STEM, technology, makerspace, computer science, engineering, or digital design classes. Students may create: inventions creatures vehicles gadgets b
5th - 9th
Engineering, General Science, Other (Arts)
Melt & Make! Polymorph Plastic STEM Engineering Design Challenge
🔥 Melt & Make! Polymorph Plastic STEM Engineering Design Challenge Invent • Prototype • Iterate • Present Turn students into real engineers with this highly engaging hands-on STEM invention challenge using reusable low-temperature thermoplastic! Students identify a real-world problem, sketch solutions, build prototypes from moldable Polymorph plastic, and improve their inventions through iterative engineering design. This project combines creativity, problem-solving, fabrication, materials sci
5th - 10th
Engineering, General Science, Physical Science
Pump It! Designing a Working Blood Flow Model
Title: ❤️ Pump It! Designing a Working Blood Flow Model Summary: In this engineering challenge, students construct a physical model of the human circulatory system using syringes (heart), tubing, valves, and connectors. The model demonstrates how blood moves through the heart, arteries, capillaries, veins, and lungs, highlighting the continuous loop of circulation. Students label all parts, show direction of flow, and explain key features: the heart as a pump, oxygenation in the lungs, unidirect
6th - 10th
Biology, Engineering
Also included in: Human Body Systems Bundle
Aluminum Foil Boat Engineering Challenge — Density & Displacement
Title: Engineering Challenge — Aluminum Foil Boat Design Summary: In this hands-on engineering lab, students design and test aluminum foil boats to explore how density, buoyancy, and displacement determine whether objects float or sink. Each team builds two boat designs, predicts how many pennies each will hold, tests their designs, and records results. Students analyze how shape changes affect water displacement and buoyant force, then improve their second design based on observations. The lab
4th - 9th
Engineering, Physical Science
Also included in: Scientific Method and Measurement Skill Labs Bundle
Stomp Rocket Engineering Lab – Target: Mars
Title: 💡 Stomp Rocket Engineering Lab – Target “Mars” Summary: Students design, test, and improve stomp rockets to land as close as possible to a target (“Mars”) using engineering skills and Newton’s Laws. They learn how center of gravity (CG), fin placement, and mass distribution affect flight stability, accuracy, and distance. Students record initial test data, make improvements (e.g., adjusting nose, fins, or mass), and retest for final performance. Observations show that rockets with CG sl
6th - 10th
Engineering, Physical Science, Physics
Also included in: Forces, Motion, and Newton's Laws Labs Bundle
Air Car STEM Challenge: Propeller Car Engineering Design Project (NGSS)
🚗 Air Car STEM Challenge: Build a Propeller-Powered Vehicle! Engineering Design Project | NGSS-Aligned | Grades 5–10 Turn your classroom into an engineering lab with this fast-paced, high-engagement STEM challenge where students design, build, and improve a battery-powered air car. The Goal: Create a propeller-driven vehicle that moves efficiently using thrust from a spinning fan. Students don’t just build—they test, analyze, and iterate, just like real engineers. ⚡ Why This Activity Work
5th - 10th
Basic Principles, Engineering, Physics
Submarine Engineering Challenge — Buoyancy & Ballast Tank Design
Title: 🌊 Density Exploration Lab — Build a Submarine Summary: In this hands-on engineering lab, students design and test a simple submarine to explore how density and buoyancy control floating and sinking. Using plastic cups, a balloon, tubing, and a syringe, teams adjust the submarine’s density by inflating or deflating the balloon, mimicking how real submarines use ballast tanks. Students observe how adding or removing air affects displacement and buoyant force, record results, and draw thei
5th - 10th
Engineering, Physical Science
Also included in: Scientific Method and Measurement Skill Labs Bundle
STEM Investigation – Falling Cones & Aerodynamics
Title: 💡 STEM Investigation – Falling Cones Summary: Students explore how mass and cone shape affect falling speed by dropping paper circles and cones from a consistent height. They test flat circles, standard cones (~100°), double cones, and cones with wide (~20°) and narrow (~260°) angles. Observations show that flat circles fall slowest due to high air resistance, standard cones fall faster, double cones fall fastest due to increased mass, and cone angle affects drag—narrow cones fall quick
6th - 10th
Engineering, Physical Science, Physics
Also included in: Forces, Motion, and Newton's Laws Labs Bundle
Elastic Energy Engineering Challenge — Design, Build & Launch Lab
This lab transforms engineering concepts into a high-stakes competition, allowing students to "feel" the tension of potential energy and witness the immediate conversion into kinetic motion. Activity DescriptionThe Elastic Energy Challenge is a classic STEM engineering project centered on Mechanical Energy. Students step into the shoes of engineers as they move through the Engineering Design Process: from brainstorming and sketching to prototyping and iterative testing. The lab provides a phy
5th - 12th
Chemistry, Engineering, Physical Science
Also included in: Energy Forms & Transformations Labs Bundle
Mini Greenhouse Engineering Challenge — Heat Trapping
Title: 🌱 Mini Greenhouse Engineering Challenge — Heat Trapping Design Lab Summary: Students design, build, and test a mini greenhouse to investigate how structures trap heat through the greenhouse effect. Working in teams, students plan and construct models using craft materials, then measure temperature changes under the same light source to determine which engineering choices are most effective. The activity integrates concepts of energy transfer, infrared radiation, albedo, absorption, in
6th - 10th
Engineering, Environment, Physical Science
Also included in: Energy & Heat Transfer Bundle
Water Filtration Engineering Design Lab — Filter with Geology Layers
This engineering challenge connects the geological concept of percolation to environmental engineering, demonstrating how Earth’s natural layers act as a massive purification system for the water we drink. Activity DescriptionThe Engineer Your Own Water Filter lab is a STEM-based simulation of groundwater movement. Students explore how different geological materials—gravel, sand, and soil—interact with water. By layering these materials in a tube, students mimic the Earth’s saturated and unsa
5th - 8th
Earth Sciences, Engineering, Physical Science
Also included in: Atmosphere, Weather, Climate, and Hydrosphere Bundle
Submarine Density Engineering Lab — Ballast Tank Design
This engineering challenge takes the complex physics of buoyancy and turns it into a hands-on mechanical system. By manipulating air volume with a syringe, students act as "ballast control officers," gaining a concrete understanding of how density dictates whether an object defies or succumbs to gravity in a fluid. Activity DescriptionBuild a Submarine is a premier STEM engineering lab that focuses on Archimedes' Principle and Density Control. Unlike static sink-or-float activities, this lab r
5th - 12th
Engineering, Physical Science, Physics
Also included in: Scientific Method and Measurement Skill Labs Bundle
Paper Circuit Engineering Lab — Build an LED Name Tent Project
This is a fantastic "entry-level" Paper Circuit activity that combines art with basic electrical physics. In this project, students use conductive tape, a coin cell battery, a paperclip, paper fastener, and an LED to turn a standard name tent into a glowing, expressive piece of technology. Activity DescriptionThe LED Name Tent Paper Circuit is a hands-on exploration of Current Electricity. Students learn the difference between an Open Circuit (off) and a Closed Circuit (on) while investigat
4th - 12th
Engineering, Other (Arts), Physics
Also included in: Electricity and Magnetism Labs Bundle
Flood & Landslide Mitigation Challenge — Design & Test Structures
This project is an engineering and environmental science challenge that tasks students with designing and testing solutions to protect a simulated community from natural disasters. Activity DescriptionThe Flood & Landslide Mitigation Challenge is a hands-on STEM lab where students act as civil engineers. After a brief literacy exercise defining floods, landslides, and mitigation, students select a specific strategy to defend their "city" on a sloped landscape. By choosing between structural
4th - 8th
Earth Sciences, Engineering, General Science
Also included in: Earth Science Weathering, Erosion, and Landforms Bundle
Robotic Hand Anatomy Engineering Lab — Tendons & Movement Model
This lab transforms engineering materials into a functional anatomical model, allowing students to visualize the mechanical "pulley system" that allows our bodies to move. Activity DescriptionThe Robotic Hand Model Lab is a biomimicry challenge where students recreate the complex interaction of the human hand. By using rigid straw segments as bones and flexible string as tendons, students observe how a pulling force (contraction) at the wrist results in motion at the fingertips. This models t
4th - 9th
Anatomy, Biology, Engineering
Also included in: Human Body Systems Bundle
Working Lung Model Engineering Lab — Boyle's Law & Breathing
This lab uses the principles of Boyle’s Law to demonstrate how the human body manipulates air pressure to sustain life. It is one of the most effective ways to visualize a process that happens internally and invisibly every few seconds. Activity DescriptionThe Working Lung Model is a physical simulation of the thoracic cavity. By pulling on the bottom balloon (the diaphragm), students increase the volume inside the cup (the chest). This creates a vacuum (low pressure), forcing outside air to
5th - 9th
Anatomy, Biology, Engineering
Also included in: Human Body Systems Bundle
Seismograph Engineering Lab — Build a Working Earthquake Detector
This lab transforms students into seismologists by having them construct a functional model of the most important tool in earthquake science. Activity DescriptionThe Simple Seismograph Lab demonstrates the principle of inertia in a geological context. In this model, the "stable frame" (the shoebox) represents the ground, while the "pendulum" (the weighted marker) represents a mass that stays relatively still due to its weight. When the table shakes, the box and paper move with the ground, but
4th - 9th
Earth Sciences, Engineering, Physical Science
Also included in: Earth and Space Science: Geology & Earth’s Systems Bundle
Earthquake-Proof Structures Challenge — Design & Shake Test Lab
This engineering challenge shifts students from observing geological processes to applying physics and design principles to mitigate natural hazards. Activity DescriptionThe Earthquake-Proof Structures Challenge is a hands-on STEM activity where students apply the concepts of seismic waves and magnitude to structural engineering. By building towers out of lightweight materials like straws and craft sticks, students explore how geometric shapes—particularly triangles and cross-bracing—distri
4th - 8th
Earth Sciences, Engineering, Physical Science
Also included in: Earth and Space Science: Geology & Earth’s Systems Bundle
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About the store
Experience
The Expertise Behind the Innovation: With over 14 years of experience in the trenches of STEM education, we've led everything from all-female engineering cohorts to district-wide science initiatives. Our background isn't just in teaching science—it’s in advancing it through accessible technology. We’ve integrated programmable drones, CAD design, micro:bits, and 3D printing into curriculum that meets standards while capturing imaginations.
Teaching style
Our Classroom Philosophy: We energize the learning environment with a blend of "maker" spirit and pedagogical expertise. Our style is experiential, hands-on, and deeply relevant. We don’t want students to just read about a concept; we want them to hold it in their hands. By bringing 3D design and cutting-edge tech into the classroom, we foster a space where students transition from being consumers of information to innovators and problem-solvers.
Beyond the Bells: Our commitment to the "educational frontier" extends to leadership and advocacy. We have successfully spearheaded mentoring initiatives and secured significant funding through DonorsChoose to revitalize science departments. At mindMESA, we aren't just selling files or prints—we are sharing a philosophy of collaborative, tech-forward, and joyful learning.
Awards & shining teacher moments
Georgia Tech STEM Educators Network Member, 2024
DeKalb PATH Academy Impact Teacher Award, 2021
U.S. Army Garrison, Fort Carson, CO, Mountain Mover Award, 2012
My own education history
Our educational journey is the DNA of mindMESA. With a Docctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Curriculum and Leadership from Columbus State University, where we specialized in how 3D printing and engineering interventions shape the way students see the world. Our 'E' and 'M' (Engineering and Math) come from a Master of Science in Biosystems Engineering Technology from the University of Tennessee, where we researched the physics of vehicle-terrain interaction. The 'S' (Science) was born at Berry College, where I earned a B.S. in Environmental Science, concentrating in Biology with a minor in Geology. Every print we make is backed by a lifetime of scientific inquiry.
Additional biographical information
Our journey reflects a deep commitment to innovation, collaboration, and educational excellence, with a clear vision to make a lasting impact on the field of STEAM education.
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