District Leaders as Science Champions

Deep science learning can cultivate students’ curiosity, foster critical thinking and creativity, build students’ knowledge about the world, and support students on a pathway to college and beyond. But how do teachers get to deep science learning in K–12 classrooms? District Leaders as Science Champions, a guide from Amplify Education and University of California, Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science, can help. This 16-page document helps educators and administrators learn how to identify high-quality instructional materials; evaluate and select high-quality instructional materials; and establish appropriate conditions in the classroom to successfully implement the materials. The guide contains practical information and includes examples for teachers to follow. Download a copy of the guide; e-mail registration is required to access it.

Bee Activities and Resources
 
Looking for resources to help K–5 students and families understand the importance of pollinators? Check out Whole Kids Foundation’s collection of educational materials about bees. The resources include a bee-related curriculum, activities, guides, links, videos, facts, articles, and more for use in classroom and home settings. 

Build a Bee Colony model from a cereal box and other inexpensive supplies, or increase students’ pollinator knowledge with a quick game of Bee Trivia. Pollinator or No Pollinator, an interactive Jeopardy-style game, helps students learn to identify foods that need pollinators and foods that do not. Bees Up Close is a playlist of short video clips showing the inner workings of a beehive, while the downloadable lesson plan “Bee” a Friend to Pollinators (grades 3–5) guides students in conducting a site assessment to determine if their schoolgrounds are hospitable to pollinators. More pollinator resources are available on the website. 

Biotechnology! A Community Research Guide

How can we ethically create a sustainable future using biotechnology? Students explore this question and more in Biotechnology! a community research guide for grades 6–8, developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center as part of the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project. The guide is unique in that it is led by young people, driven by data collected by young people, focused on action, and customized for local communities. 

The guide contains eight parts, with two tasks for student completion within each part. The tasks address topics such as food systems, materials, human health, genetic data, the environment, and security. The tasks also offer opportunities for students to experience a wide variety of perspectives, develop research skills, and learn from real scientists worldwide. The guide provides structure and planning details to help teachers facilitate students’ completion of each task; however, task decisions and progress are student led and made.

NASA’s Artifact Program

NASA’s Artifact Program invites K–12 schools, universities, and other eligible organizations in the United States to request authentic NASA artifacts to help bring STEM lessons to life. NASA considers an “artifact” to be an object representing historically significant or innovative achievements in spaceflight, aviation, technology, or science. Through NASA’s Artifact Module, educators can browse through the agency’s trove of objects and request an item that will spark inspiration or understanding.  

For details on available artifacts, eligibility criteria, and the application process, visit https://artifacts.nasa.gov/. Apply by October 7.  A new screening period will begin on October 21 and run through December 6.

ORISE Cross-Curricular Creativity Lesson Plan Competition

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) wants teachers to submit their favorite self-made cross-curricular lesson plans that creatively blend STEM components with other subjects to enrich student learning. Teachers of any grade level or subject are invited to submit a lesson plan that includes cross-curricular activities. Three teachers who submit lesson plans will each be selected to receive Prusa MK3 3D Printers with filament for their classroom to help students engage with the latest technology. Two runners-up will each receive Prusa Mini 3D Printers with filament. Submit your lesson plan by September 30.

Population Education’s World of 8 Billion Contest 

Population Education’s World of 8 Billion student video contest has opened for the 2024–2025 school year. The contest challenges students to create a short video connecting world population growth to one of three global topics—Child Wellbeing, Rainforest Ecosystems, and Sanitation—and offer a sustainable solution. More than 80 cash prizes of up to $1,200 will be awarded, and participating teachers will receive free curriculum resources matched to the NGSS. The deadline for video submissions is March 5, 2025.

New this year, World of 8 Billion will award teachers with mini-grants of $100–$500 to support educators who need additional resources to teach the contest in their classroom. Learn more and apply by November 15 at https://www.worldof8billion.org/grant/.