SmartLab is a unified STEM learning ecosystem where engagement is the engine of growth.
Students build STEM identity, confidence, and purpose as they solve meaningful problems and connect classroom learning to the careers of tomorrow.
SmartLab students believe: I belong here. I can do this. I add value. I’m future-ready. This mindset takes shape through active, student-centered learning cycles—each ah-HA! moment steadily converting raw curiosity into resilient, purposeful problem solving.
What makes SmartLab different?
• Builds STEM identity through authentic, hands-on learning
• Connects classroom experiences to real-world careers
• Engages learners with integrated STEM applications
SmartLab connects what students are learning to the careers they may one day pursue — and the tools they’ll need to thrive. At the heart of each unit is a meaningful intersection: real-world STEM applications brought to life through industry-aligned career pathways.
There are many parts to each SmartLab and some are customized just for you.
Career-Connected PBL Curriculum
Career-connected, outcome-driven curriculum on LearningHub integrates STEM, CTE, and core academics across eight Industry Pathways. Students tackle authentic challenges that build technical mastery, academic understanding, and workforce-ready skills
through the proven SmartLab Design Process.
Furniture and Pylons
ADA-compliant collaborative workstations support small group learning in dedicated spaces or adapt to existing
classrooms through mobile configurations. Integrated power and data access enable seamless technology use regardless of your space constraints.
SmartLab Design Process
Students follow a structured, iterative process—Spark, Make, Analyze, Revise, Tell—that mirrors professional problem-solving across industries including and beyond STEM. This framework guides learners through real-world challenges while building critical thinking and communication skills essential for any career.
Standalone Technology
Professional-grade manufacturing tools—including 3D printing, laser engraving, and precision machining—give students hands-on experience with
industry-standard technology used across advanced manufacturing and design careers.
Custom Classroom Shelving
Purpose-built storage systems promote organization and showcase student work, creating an environment where learning is visible and collaboration flourishes.
SmartLab Certified Facilitator Workspace
SmartLab Facilitators guide student-centered
learning through sustained professional
development and ongoing coaching. They
create inquiry-driven environments where
students develop agency while mastering
both technical skills and essential workplace
competencies.
Ongoing Support & Partnership
Sustainability and success in each SmartLab rely on support systems and partnerships. Strategic partnerships with schools, funders, and
community stakeholders ensure lasting impact through ongoing
support, curriculum evolution, and shared investment. This
collaborative model keeps facilitators current, students engaged, and
learning experiences relevant for tomorrow’s workforce.
Hands-On Tools & Equipment
The SmartLab Students are diverse fictional characters who guide elementary learners through STEM challenges in the SmartLab curriculum. Each has unique strengths, backgrounds, and interests reflecting real student experiences. They appear in digital lessons to model curiosity, problem-solving, and teamwork. By sharing their thinking and challenges, they make STEM learning relatable and fun. Their stories encourage empathy, perseverance, and creativity in every unit.
SmartLab students develop durable skills by tackling realistic challenges.
As well as standards alignment and career-connections, SmartLab curriculum builds durable skills relevant to life management As they explore, create, and solve problems, students build the exact capabilities employers value most: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and adaptability.
Ways of Working
Communication
Communication
Learners should understand that using various communication methods tailored to different audiences fosters effective and meaningful sharing of STEM knowledge and discoveries.
Ways of Working
Collaboration
Collaboration
Learners should understand that effective collaboration leverages the strengths of diverse groups, fosters mutual respect, and creates optimized outcomes that reflect shared goals.
Ways of Working
Design Process
Design Process
Learners should understand that iterative steps guide the creation of effective and innovative strategiesto evaluate and refine ideas, improve existing designs, and solve real-world problems.
Ways of Working
Research Design
Research Design
Learners should understand that professionals apply scientific inquiry and methods to analyze natural systems, make and test predictions about them, and use data and observations to address challenges.
Ways of Working
Tools of Knowledge Construction
Tools of Knowledge Construction
Learners should understand that the acquisition of new knowledge, connection to prior knowledge, and critical and creative thinking can be enhanced with effective use of technology and tools.
Ways of Thinking
Computational Thinking
Computational Thinking
Learners should understand that abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition, and algorithmic thinking can be used to understand and solve real-world problems.
Ways of Thinking
Systems Thinking
Systems Thinking
Learners should understand that whole systems are made up of interconnected and interdependent parts that influence each other.
Ways of Thinking
Mathematical Concepts
Mathematical Concepts
Learners should understand that mathematical knowledge can be applied through reasoning, modeling, and analysis to reveal patterns, understand relationships, and improve processes in complex systems.
Ways of Thinking
Natural Systems
Natural Systems
Learners should understand that natural systems are interconnected, dynamic, and self-regulating, maintaining balance through complex interactions between components.
Ways of Thinking
AI Literacy
AI Literacy
Learners should understand that AI systems are embedded into our everyday lives, making it essential to understand associated ethics, benefits, and potential risks.
Ways of Being
Ethics
Ethics
Learners should understand that solutions to real-world problems should consider short- and long-term trade-offs, sustainability, and stakeholder impact.
Ways of Being
Digital Citizenship
Digital Citizenship
Learners should understand that digital literacy allows for benefits of the interconnected world; however, it comes with responsibilities and opportunities that should be leveraged in a safe, legal, and ethical way.
Ways of Being
Persistence
Persistence
Learners should understand that when approached with a growth mindset, failures provide valuable insights and opportunities to expand understanding, which can be applied to solve real-world problems.
Ways of Being
Data Literacy
Data Literacy
Learners should understand that data collection and interpretation allows for the extraction of meaninful insights and data-driven decision making.
Ways of Being
Lifelong Learning
Lifelong Learning
Learners should understand that embracing a mindset of lifelong learning empowers us to adapt to change, stay relevant, and make meaningful contributions throughout our lives.
These skills shape how students think, work, and grow across every grade level.
These skills shape how students think, work, and grow across every grade level.
Recognized Excellence in STEM Education
Honored by leading organizations for advancing STEM education and empowering schools nationwide
District Administration’s Top EdTech Products of 2024 Award
Districts across the country use SmartLab to strengthen engagement, improve performance, and empower students. Explore how different communities are making it work.
“We are able to work with our students to get them career and college ready, and we do that K-12. SmartLabs help by getting students’ hands on projects and activities, getting them working with partners in the classroom, and getting them building something they would’ve never have imagined they could build…it’s actually shown our community what our students are capable of.”
Dr. Deirdre Pilch
Superintendent, Greeley-Evans School District 6 | Public | Greeley, CO
Student engagement is at levels I have never seen in my 23 years of teaching. Students love the lab and are constantly asking if they can come down in their free time to continue working with Ukits, or Engino, etc. I’ve never been busier as a teacher, but also have never had more fun. It’s encouraged me to gladly take work home and get more proficient in areas such as coding and circuitry. I see myself as a lifelong learner, and this lab not only meets the needs of my students but also fulfills my own growth as a facilitator and person. I appreciate my administration for investing in this lab and appreciate SmartLab for offering such an incredible product!!!
Chad Burrows
Facilitator, Huntington Middle School | Public | Chillicothe, Ohio
“SmartLab Learning’s turnkey solutions allowed us to move quickly to implement a district-wide STEM program…the SmartLab Learning solutions plus the professional development allowed our students to be actively engaged in project-based learning immediately.”
Bryan Frazier
Superintendent, Claremore Public Schools | Public | Claremore, OK
“The communication I’ve had with industry leaders within Michigan about the program itself comes primarily from their visits to our schools. I tell them, ‘Get prepared, because you’re going to have 18-year-old kids with more knowledge than some of your employees.’ That’s an exciting proposition for them because a lot of jobs are unfilled.”
Mark Whelton
Superintendent, Bridgeport-Spaulding Community SD | Public | Bridgeport, MI
Ready to transform learning in your school?
Together, we’ll bring the SmartLab ecosystem to your school. Students will engage deeply in STEM, take on real-world challenges, and build the skills for lifelong learning, leadership, and career readiness.