Districtwide project turns trailer into mobile STEAM Makerspace

The Plum Borough School District is providing more opportunities for students to create and learn problem-solving through the district’s new Mobile Maker. The Mobile Maker is a 28-foot car trailer that was converted into a mobile STEAM lab/makerspace. The Mobile Maker is a student-centered space where students collaboratively work on projects using a variety of technology. When students enter this space, they are provided with the strategies and skills they need to make use of as they tackle problems, create and innovate. The Mobile Maker trailer was purchased through a grant secured from Allegheny IU. Transforming the trailer into a STEAM lab/makerspace was a district-wide effort. For the outside of the Mobile Maker, students in the high school art department submitted designs from which two students’ artwork was chosen and made into a wrap installed on the exterior of the trailer. The interior of the Mobile Maker was constructed by four junior high teachers, with numerous other teachers contributing to securing, organizing and outfitting the inside of the Mobile Maker with all of the STEAM-related technology.