STEM Careers Coalition

The STEM Careers Coalition—an alliance of industries and nonprofit organizations that reaches teachers and students nationwide with equitable access to STEM resources and career connections—offers an array of standards-aligned content, including classroom activities for grades K–12, career profile videos (filterable by STEM type and industry), and a career readiness guide. The coalition’s website features sections for educators, students, and families.

Environmental Education Initiative
 
The Environmental Education Initiative is a first-of-its-kind effort that helps students engage in environmental science, make informed decisions that support healthy environments, and support civic engagement. The initiative’s website has a curated collection of free environmental education resources for K–12 classrooms. The content includes videos, ready-to-use lessons, and student activities exploring subjects such as energy, forestry, clean water, and more. Revisit the website often, as new content will be launched shortly.

Native Schoolyards Toolkit: Prairie Habitat 

Published by the National Environmental Education Foundation, the Native Schoolyards Toolkit: Prairie Habitat resource guides teachers interested in establishing a native habitat or outdoor classroom projects at K–12 schools. The 21-page downloadable document discusses the challenges and benefits of outdoor learning spaces, offers tips on creating effective outdoor learning spaces on school grounds, and provides ideas for effective instruction for outdoor learning spaces, such as by using anchoring phenomena in lessons, setting clear learning objectives that support the Next Generation Science Standards, and using performance tasks for assessment. The document includes a case study example and additional resources for creating and using outdoor learning environments.  

2025 Lt. Governors’ STEM Education Scholarship Program

The National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) encourages public, private, and tribal schools to apply for up to $1,000 to support STEM-related activities for preK–12 students. Funding will be awarded to schools to support STEM-related activities, programming, curriculum, equipment, and other expenses. NLGA will award 12 scholarships to 12 schools in 12 different states and territories, worth $10,000 total. Apply at https://nlga.awardsplatform.com/ by the March 7 deadline.

Recipients will be announced and funded in spring 2025. The program is administered by NLGA, the nonpartisan, nonprofit association for the nation’s seconds-in-command, and sponsored by ACT, whose mission is to help people succeed in their education and careers.

Climate Justice National Endowment for the Humanities Institute

Hosted by the Center for Climate Literacy at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Teaching Climate Justice with Young People’s Literature and Media will bring together 25 K–12 teachers to explore how stories can empower young people to develop the skills, attitudes, values, and beliefs necessary to advance climate justice. During June 30–July 3, the institute will be held on Zoom. During July 14–25, participants will meet in person on the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Campus. Educators will study climate justice theory and pedagogy; read and discuss literature for young people; engage with leading climate justice scholars, activists, authors, and educators; develop open-access educational materials; become part of a community of climate justice educators; and receive a $2,850 stipend to offset the costs of travel and lodging, books, and other materials. Apply by March 5.

USPTO National Summer Teacher Institute

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) National Summer Teacher Institute is a free professional development training opportunity designed to support elementary, middle, and high school teachers as they increase their knowledge of concepts of making, inventing, and intellectual property creation and protection. Teachers will design and build prototypes as part of a week-long invention project; learn how to engage students in authentic, real-world projects and problem-based learning across all fields of study; collaborate and share best practices with educators from across the country; and receive free, ready-to-use, educator-tested teaching materials, lesson plans, and activities designed to enhance student learning and inspire the next generation of inventors, entrepreneurs, and problem solvers. The USPTO will provide a certificate of completion at the end of NSTI to document 50 contact hours of professional development.

The 2025 institute will take place virtually during July 20–25. Apply by March 31.