Informal Education Resources

Informal learning includes everyday experiences and experiences in designed settings, such as museums, zoos, and nature programs. They also include experiences in out-of-school programs, such as after-school clubs, programs, and citizen science.

Featured Resources

Out of School Engagements in Forensic Science on a College Campus

Out of school informal learning environments provide an excellent experience for students to develop scientific curiosity and critical thinking skills. Currently, there is a range of methods available for supporting STEM learning. As schools focus on...

Journal Article

What Are These Bugs Under the Log?

Blog Post

How Do We Know What Isopods Do?

Lesson Plan

Connected Science Learning January-March 2018

Volume 1, Issue 5 STEM Learning in Environmental Settings ...

Journal

Journal and Lesson Plans

Informal Science Journal

Lesson Plans

Latest Resources

Web Seminar

Web Seminar: Navigating NSTA 2025 Spring Conference: A Guide for First-Time Attendees, March 12, 2025

Are you a first-time NSTA conference attendee?  Join us on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, from 7:00 PM ET to 8:00 PM ET, for a virtual orientation to help you navigate NSTA's Spring Conference. This seminar is a great opportunity for first-time att...

Reports Article

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, February 11, 2025

Web Seminar

Science Update: Energy: The Push From Non-Renewable to Renewable Sources, April 24, 2025

Join us on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET, to learn about renewable energy sources and celebrate Earth Day 2025. The global energy demand has increased nearly exponentially in the last century and is projected to increase at a ...

Web Seminar

Science Update: Space Weather: The Sun, Earth, and You, December 4, 2025

Join us on Thursday, December 4, 2025, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET, to learn about impending solar events and their potential impacts on Earth....

Web Seminar

Science Update: Ocean and Coastal Acidification: Building Community Resilience to Our Changing Ocean, March 13, 2025

Join us on Thursday, March 13, 2025, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET, to learn about ocean acidification....

Web Seminar

Science Update: Making a Marine Debris "MAP": Collecting Marine Debris Data with NOAA's Marine Debris Monitoring and Assessment Project, September 18, 2025

Join us on Thursday, September 18, 2025, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET, to learn about NOAA's marine debris monitoring and assessment project....

Web Seminar

Science Update: Exploring the Applications of Low Earth Orbit Observations, May 8, 2025

Join us on Thursday, May 8, 2025, from 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM ET, to learn about the applications of low Earth orbit observations....

Reports Article

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, December 3, 2024

NSTA Press Book

Wild Wonderings: Scientists and Their Questions

Click here to view video of Wild Wonderings Let your curiosity run wild! This lively book will inspire you to ask questions like scientists do. Why? Because questions can lead you to amazing discoveries. Like what? Like when theoretical physicist ...

Web Seminar

Archive: Making the Most of Attending an NSTA Conference - Philadelphia 2025, February 27, 2025

In this web seminar participants will learn:...

Reports Article

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, November 19, 2024

Web Seminar

Science Update: The Wonderful World of Plasma Physics: From the Birth of Stars to Building Cell Phones, February 20, 2025

What is inside our sun and other stars? What fills up the interstellar space? What is lightning? Trying to answer similar questions that come to the curious mind expanded our understanding of what happens to matter at high enough ...

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