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Description: In this video researchers use eye tracking technology on professional soccer players. The technology is able to track the movements of the participants eyes during different skills and this information is shared with the participants. This technology allows students to see more specifically how information is taken in during sport, and more importantly during life.

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Phenomenal resources from Jennifer Weibert, FCOE

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Regional links to current work

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CSMP - California Subject Matter Project

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NGSS Standards and Unit Planning - California Version

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NGSS Standards and Unit Planning - California Version

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Jennifer Weibert, Fresno County Science Coordinator

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Edutopia

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Teachers have long known that rote memorization can lead to a superficial grasp of material that is quickly forgotten. But new research in the field of neuroscience is starting to shed light on the ways that brains are wired to forget-highlighting the importance of strategies to retain knowledge and make learning stick.

In a recent article published in the journal Neuron, neurobiologists Blake Richards and Paul Frankland challenge the predominant view of memory, which holds that forgetting is a process of loss-the gradual washing away of critical information despite our best efforts to retain it. According to Richards and Frankland, the goal of memory is not just to store information accurately but to "optimize decision-making" in chaotic, quickly changing environments. In this model of cognition, forgetting is an evolutionary strategy, a purposeful process that runs in the background of memory, evaluating and discarding information that doesn't promote the survival of the species.

"From this perspective, forgetting is not necessarily a failure of memory," explain Richards and Frankland in the study. "Rather, it may represent an investment in a more optimal mnemonic strategy."

The Forgetting Curve

We often think of memories as books in a library, filed away and accessed when needed. But they're actually more like spiderwebs, strands of recollection distributed across millions of connected neurons. When we learn something new-when a teacher delivers a fresh lesson to a student, for example-the material is encoded across these neural networks, converting the experience into a memory.

Forgetting is almost immediately the nemesis of memory, as psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered in the 1880s. Ebbinghaus pioneered landmark research in the field of retention and learning, observing what he called the forgetting curve, a measure of how much we forget over time. In his experiments, he discovered that without any reinforcement or connections to prior knowledge, information is quickly forgotten-roughly 56 percent in one hour, 66 percent after a day, and 75 percent after six days.

So what can be done to preserve the hard work of teaching? After all, evolutionary imperatives-which prune our memories of extraneous information-don't always neatly align with the requirements of curriculum or the demands of the Information Age. Learning the times tables doesn't avail when running from lions, in other words, but in the modern world that knowledge has more than proved its mettle.

The Persistence of Memory

The same neural circuitry appears to be involved in forgetting and remembering. If that is properly understood, students and teachers can adopt strategies to reduce memory leaks and reinforce learning.

MIT neuroscientists, led by Richard Cho, explain the mechanisms for synaptic strengthening in a 2015 article, also published in Neuron. When neurons are frequently fired, synaptic connections are strengthened; the opposite is true for neurons that are rarely fired. Known as synaptic plasticity, this explains why some memories persist while others fade away. Repeatedly accessing a stored but fading memory-like a rule of geometry or a crucial historical fact-rekindles the neural network that contains the memory and encodes it more deeply.

Researchers have also learned that not all new memories are created equal. For example, here are two sets of letters to remember:

For readers of English, the second set of letters is more memorable-the more connections neurons have to other neurons, the stronger the memory. The seven letters in NPFXOSK appear random and disjointed, while ORANGES benefits from its existing, deeply encoded linguistic context. The word oranges also invokes sensory memory, from the image of an orange to its smell, and perhaps even conjures other memories of oranges in your kitchen or growing on a tree. You remember by layering new memories on the crumbling foundations of older ones.

5 Teacher Strategies

When students learn a new piece of information, they make new synaptic connections. Two scientifically based ways to help them retain learning is by making as many connections as possible-typically to other concepts, thus widening the "spiderweb" of neural connections-but also by accessing the memory repeatedly over time.

Which explains why the following learning strategies, all tied to research conducted within the past five years, are so effective:

1. Peer-to-peer explanations: When students explain what they've learned to peers, fading memories are reactivated, strengthened, and consolidated. This strategy not only increases retention but also encourages active learning (Sekeres et al., 2016).

2. The spacing effect: Instead of covering a topic and then moving on, revisit key ideas throughout the school year. Research shows that students perform better academically when given multiple opportunities to review learned material. For example, teachers can quickly incorporate a brief review of what was covered several weeks earlier into ongoing lessons, or use homework to re-expose students to previous concepts (Carpenter et al., 2012; Kang, 2016).

3. Frequent practice tests: Akin to regularly reviewing material, giving frequent practice tests can boost long-term retention and, as a bonus, help protect against stress, which often impairs memory performance. Practice tests can be low stakes and ungraded, such as a quick pop quiz at the start of a lesson or a trivia quiz on Kahoot, a popular online game-based learning platform. Breaking down one large high-stakes test into smaller tests over several months is an effective approach (Adesope, Trevisan, & Sundararajan, 2017; Butler, 2010; Karpicke, 2016).

4. Interleave concepts: Instead of grouping similar problems together, mix them up. Solving problems involves identifying the correct strategy to use and then executing the strategy. When similar problems are grouped together, students don't have to think about what strategies to use-they automatically apply the same solution over and over. Interleaving forces students to think on their feet, and encodes learning more deeply (Rohrer, 2012; Rohrer, Dedrick, & Stershic, 2015).

5. Combine text with images: It's often easier to remember information that's been presented in different ways, especially if visual aids can help organize information. For example, pairing a list of countries occupied by German forces during World War II with a map of German military expansion can reinforce that lesson. It's easier to remember what's been read and seen, instead of either one alone (Carney & Levin, 2002; Bui & McDaniel, 2015).

So even though forgetting starts as soon as learning happens-as Ebbinghaus's experiments demonstrate-research shows that there are simple and effective strategies to help make learning stick.

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Why Students Forget-and What You Can Do About It

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Teachers have long known that rote memorization can lead to a superficial grasp of material that is quickly forgotten. But new research in the field of neuroscience is starting to shed light on the ways that brains are wired to forget-highlighting the importance of strategies to retain knowledge and make learning stick.

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STEM Lessons and Resource

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STEM Lessons and Resources for Educators

Teachers TryScience is a web site for teachers. This site provides free and engaging lessons, along with teaching strategies and resources, which are designed to spark students' interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). What's more, the site features collaboration tools to enable teachers to discuss and share effective instructional practices.

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Teachers TryScience is a web site for teachers. This site provides free and engaging lessons, along with teaching strategies and resources, which are designed to spark students' interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). What's more, the site features collaboration tools to enable teachers to discuss and share effective instructional practices.

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Why Notebooks?

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Support for science writing

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Many notebooking resources

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Rationale

A science notebook, such as the one shown in the figure below, is a strategy for students to record and reflect on inquiry-based observations, activities, investigations, and experiments in order to increase their understanding of science instruction.

Science notebooks are also an excellent tool for students to communicate their understanding of science concepts, for teachers to provide students with feedback, and, finally, to assess students (Shepardson & Britsch, 2000, 2001).

Science notebooks are also a way for teachers to integrate science experiences with literacy and mathematics because they combine science inquiry, written communication, and data using measurement (Gilbert & Kotelman, 2005; Klentschy, 2005; Yore, Bisanz, & Hand, 2003).

Science notebook, behavior of mealworms, 3/4 grade

Science notebooks are modeled after the way scientists really work, and each scientist's notebook is unique to that person, area of inquiry, type of experiment, and investigation. Student scientists record their observations, ideas, drawings, and other illustrations such as charts, tables, models, and graphs, along with their questions, ideas, and reflections in a running record of their thinking. A notebook may follow a general organization, but the contents can vary from student to student. Writing frames have also proven useful as prompts for students' entries in their notebooks (Warwick, Stephenson, Webster, & Bourne, 2003).

Research has shown that science notebooks support differentiated instruction for English learners through the use of this open format and other useful strategies for teaching English learners such as tapping prior knowledge, the five senses, interaction in groups, and primary language support. (Amaral, Garrison, & Klentschy, 2002). Teachers can use science notebooks to conference with students for purposes of assessment and guidance (Aschbacher & Alonzo, 2006; Ruiz-Primo & Li, 2004).

Strategy

Introduce the use of science notebooks with children's books that are based on the notebooks, journals, diaries, and records of scientists appropriate for each grade level. Discuss the books with students using reader response questions and prompts to engage them. Then model how to use a science notebook before, during, and after classroom science experiences, observations, and investigations.

A template can be used with students on a classroom chart, poster, or overhead transparency, with an individual copy for each student that includes the parts of a notebook - including places where students can formulate and develop their questions, make predictions, record observational data, describe procedures and results, write thoughtful reflections, and keep a record of the new concepts they are learning.

While each teacher will differentiate science notebook organization according to the grade level, interests, abilities, and individual needs of their students, here are the parts of science notebooks frequently used by teachers:

There are several ways to make science notebooks: in a composition book, a spiral notebook, a three ring binder with loose leaf paper and section dividers, or in a three-prong paper folder.

Writing frames can be provided for students to begin their entries, and they can bevaried by grade level. For example:

"We are trying to find out ..." (Grade 4)

"We made the test fair by ..." (Grade 4)

"By carrying out these measurements we are able to find the connection between ... and ..." (Grade 6)

"My results are accurate and reliable because ..." (Grade 7)

Technology

Students can also word process notes and use drawing functions and other types of graphics on programs like Word, such as charts, graphs, tables, and so on. Older and more advanced students could keep an online science notebook and create a blog so other students in the class could comment on and compare their findings. In addition to using nonfiction literature to supplement observations and inquiries in a science notebook, students can do online research.

Find out more about science notebooks.

Grade-level modifications

K-2nd Grade

Introduce science notebooks on the weather by reading the fictional story Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs (Barrett, 1978). This is a humorous story of a town where the weather comes at breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the form of food. It was recently made into a major motion picture. Discuss the book with reader response questions and prompts:

What did you think of the weather in the book?

What kind of weather can you imagine?

Other good read aloud books for pre-K or K are Like a Windy Day (Asch & Asch, 2008), When the Wind Stops (Zolotow, 1997), and The Storm Book (Zolotow, 1989); for K through 2 in general is Oh Say Can You Say What's the Weather Today? All About the Weather (Cat in the Hat) (Rabe, 2004).

After modeling the use of science notebooks with students, plan daily observations of the weather. Students can note the date, time, and weather conditions, including measurements of the temperature using a thermometer, rainfall using a rain gauge, and wind using an anemometer. For younger students, record students' spoken observations on a large wall chart or calendar. Students can also make their own observations, records, and reflections in an individual notebook. Students can add drawings, charts, graphs, comments, predictions, and questions in these science notebooks.

Bring students together to discuss what they observed and recorded in their notebooks, ask questions, pose problems, and continue with further inquiry about weather. With each change in the weather, read a nonfiction book about it, discuss it with students, do activities, and students can add to their notebooks. Make a list of weather words on a poster in the room and also give each student a list of the words to keep in their notebook. Students can add drawings and definitions and create a glossary for the notebook. A good introduction to weather words is the book Weather Words and What They Mean (Gibbons, 1992).

Recommended children's books

3rd Grade-5th Grade

Introduce keeping a science notebook by reading aloud the journals of famous scientists, such as Galileo's Journal, 1609-1610 (Pettenati, 2006) and My Season With Penguins: An Antarctic Journal (Webb, 2000). Next, introduce keeping a science notebook on the behavior of mealworms by reading aloud the novel The Mealworm Diaries (Kerz, 2009), which is about two students working on a science project together and the personal problems they encounter while doing so. Lead a discussion about these books using reader response questions and prompts:

As a scientist, what would you want to write about in your notebook?

What are some things you have wondered about worms?

After modeling the use of a science notebook, provide mealworms for students to observe. Mealworms can be obtained from pet stores and biological supply houses. They can be kept in containers with a layer of bran and observed. Students can work in pairs to ask questions about mealworm behavior, pose hypotheses, collect and record data, make predictions, comment, and write reflections. Nonfiction books on mealworms can be used to supplement their observations of a living organism.

Recommended children's books

English language learners

English language learners can use visuals such as drawings, tables, graphs, charts, or models instead of language to make their ideas concrete and to demonstrate their understandings in a nonlinguistic way. Science notebooks also rely on the use of the five senses, tapping into prior knowledge - also excellent strategies for English language learners. Group discussions of science notebooks also provide teacher to student or student to student interaction, including the use of primary language support.

Books in students' primary language related to the topic of the science notebook canalso be used.

Recommended children's books

Struggling students

Writing frames for science notebook entries modeled by the teacher and co-created with students provide excellent scaffolding for struggling students or students with disabilities. The use of visual entries such as drawings, charts, graphs, diagrams, models,and so on also allow students to make entries even if they are struggling with writing.

Take dictation related to these drawings, and so forth, for students to model the writing down of their observations and ideas. A list of the science vocabulary needed for the notebooks can be posted in the room and each student provided with a copy, and materials used for the science notebooks can be labeled so that students can copy the words into their notebooks when needed.

Writing frames for science notebook entries can be posted in the room or on a copy for each student:

"I observed ..."

"I (saw, smelled, felt, heard) ..."

"My (experiment, investigation) was ..."

"I found that ..."

"I think this because ..."

Assessment

Student science notebooks can be assessed, at a minimum, for organization and completeness according to the following rubric:

Table of contents

All parts included
Page numbers indicated

Organization

Titles of activity or section
All dates and times
All pages numbered

Written entries and reflections

Appropriately titled
Includes main ideas
Provides necessary details
Shows understanding

Illustrations: drawings, graphs,
charts, tables, diagrams, etc.

Titled and labeled
Supports ideas

With younger students, science notebooks can be an excellent tool to assess student performance, understanding, and needs in a conference. Peer-conferences and peer-assessment using the rubric can be used in Grades 3 through 8, along with periodic conferences where questions can be asked and answered and a dialogue can be shared about the contents of the science notebook.

Resources

Campbell, B., & Fulton, L. (2003). Science notebooks: Writing about inquiry. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

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literature-based teaching in the content areas

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Keeping a science notebook encourages students to record and reflect on inquiry-based observations, activities, investigations, and experiments. Science notebooks are also an excellent way for students to communicate their understanding of science concepts, and for teachers to provide students with feedback.

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Simple science notebook templates

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Still using a legacy edition of FOSS?

Legacy editions of FOSS are no longer supported on FOSSweb. These editions include:

FOSS K-6 Second Edition© 2005

FOSS Middle School First Edition© 2001-2005

FOSS California© 2007

FOSS Texas© 2013

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Still using a legacy edition of FOSS? Legacy editions of FOSS are no longer supported on FOSSweb. These editions include: FOSS K-6 Second Edition© 2005 FOSS Middle School First Edition© 2001-2005 FOSS California© 2007 FOSS Texas© 2013

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Elementary Science

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Resources and lesson plans

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Home - TryEngineering.org Powered by IEEE

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TryEngineering Inspires the Engineers of Tomorrow . TryEngineering aims to empower educators to foster the next generation of technology innovators. We provide educators and students with resources, lesson plans, and activities that engage and inspire.

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Implementation, tutorials, examples, and more

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This page is intended as a resource for teachers who are interested in going paperless in their classroom and using digital notebooks. Check out these posts to get some ideas for your own classroom, and then please join in the conversation- we need more trailblazer educators to re-invent education in our digital world!

Why go digital?

How to set up digital notebooks?

How do digital notebooks affect teaching and learning?

Additional resources and examples of digital notebooks

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This page is intended as a resource for teachers who are interested in going paperless in their classroom and using digital notebooks. Check out these posts to get some ideas for your own classroom, and then please join in the conversation- we need more trailblazer educators to re-invent education in our digital world!

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Game-changing
Integrated STEM

The Future Workforce
Drones. Autonomous cars. Robots. Apps that monitor and improve our lives. Science and engineering are advancing at staggering speeds and changing the way we think, work, communicate and interact. The pace of innovation is so rapid that new technologies of today may be obsolete in just a few years. In fact, experts predict that 65 percent of the jobs that today's K-6 children will hold haven't even been invented yet.

Together, we will:

Deliver better outcomes for all learners in STEM fields

Empower educators and the community to build a foundation for engineering and computer science discovery and achievement

Keep pace with the changing speed of technology

Encourage and motivate children and parents to engage new technologies and support them as they do

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The Future Workforce Drones. Autonomous cars. Robots. Apps that monitor and improve our lives. Science and engineering are advancing at staggering speeds and changing the way we think, work, communicate and interact. The pace of innovation is so rapid that new technologies of today may be obsolete in just a few years.

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Classroom resources

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The NSTA Next Generation Science Standards Hub offers information, resources, news, professional learning opportunities, and expert advice in understanding and implementing the Next Generation Science Standards - NGSS

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Institute for inquiry

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The Institute for Inquiry® (IFI) is a professional development program that addresses the theory and practice of inquiry-based science education. Inquiry is an approach to learning that involves exploring the natural or material world in a way that leads to asking questions, making observations, planning investigations to develop explanations, rigorously testing those explanations, and discussing and debating results with others-all in the service of coming to a deeper understanding of scientific phenomena and scientific practices. IFI workshops and seminars are tailored to a variety of participants: professional developers, administrators, lead teachers, national education reform leaders, out-of-school educators, and the museum and university communities.

IFI has worked with more than 7,000 lead teachers and professional developers from districts, universities, and museums from over 1,000 districts and projects in 50 states and 17 countries. IFI participants have influenced at least 200,000 teachers, and those teachers in turn have influenced 6 million students internationally.

In addition, IFI has created an online curriculum for professional developers (funded by the National Science Foundation), including the series Fundamentals of Inquiry and Formative Assessment in Inquiry. These guides are used by professional developers to give workshops that introduce elementary school teachers to inquiry-based approaches to science teaching. To date, more than 10,000 educators worldwide have downloaded the curriculum.

IFI is currently collaborating with Bay Area school districts to engage elementary teachers in professional development that supports the integration of science and English language development (ELD). Research points to powerful connections between science learning and the processes of language acquisition. Instructional strategies that integrate the two have the potential to greatly reinforce both, improving the achievement of English language learners as well as native English speakers. To learn more about IFI's approach to integrating science and ELD, visit our Educators Guide for Inquiry-based Science and English Language Development.
For more information, e-mail us at ifi@exploratorium.edu

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Institute for Inquiry: Examining the Art of Science Education | Exploratorium

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The Institute for Inquiry® (IFI) is a professional development program that addresses the theory and practice of inquiry-based science education. Inquiry is an approach to learning that involves exploring the natural or material world in a way that leads to asking questions, making observations, planning investigations to develop explanations, rigorously testing those explanations, and discussing and debating results with others-all in the service of coming to a deeper understanding of scientific phenomena and scientific practices.

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Aligned to NGSS

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A database for identifying and selecting science phenomena for NGSS aligned instruction. A criteria for selecting good phenomenon tool is provided. Scientific phenomena are occurrences in the natural or man-made world that cause one to ask questions.

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Curated resource for student engagement

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This site is a curated collection of science phenomena for the NGSS, along with phenomenon based learning resources and help for how to use phenomenon to drive student questions in the classroom centered around 3 dimensional teaching and learning.

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Improving Science Education Through Three-Dimensional Learning

Quick Search Next Generation Science Standards

THE THREE DIMENSIONS OF SCIENCE LEARNING

Within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), there are three distinct and equally important dimensions to learning science. These dimensions are combined to form each standard-or performance expectation-and each dimension works with the other two to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time.

Crosscutting Concepts help students explore connections across the four domains of science, including Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science, and Engineering Design.

When these concepts, such as "cause and effect", are made explicit for students, they can help students develop a coherent and scientifically-based view of the world around them.

Science and Engineering Practices describe what scientists do to investigate the natural world and what engineers do to design and build systems. The practices better explain and extend what is meant by "inquiry" in science and the range of cognitive, social, and physical practices that it requires. Students engage in practices to build, deepen, and apply their knowledge of core ideas and crosscutting concepts.

Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) are the key ideas in science that have broad importance within or across multiple science or engineering disciplines. These core ideas build on each other as students progress through grade levels and are grouped into the following four domains: Physical Science, Life Science, Earth and Space Science, and Engineering.

More about 3D Learning

GET TO KNOW

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are K-12 science content standards. Standards set the expectations for what students should know and be able to do. The NGSS were developed by states to improve science education for all students.

A goal for developing the NGSS was to create a set of research-based, up-to-date K-12 science standards. These standards give local educators the flexibility to design classroom learning experiences that stimulate students' interests in science and prepares them for college, careers, and citizenship.

Get to Know the Standards

IMPLEMENT

The NGSS call for a three-dimensional approach to K-12 science instruction. This represents a significant transition from previous state standards. That's why effective implementation demands a great deal of collaboration and patience among states, districts, schools, teachers, and students.

Thoughtful and coordinated approaches to implementation will enable educators to inspire future generations of scientifically literate students. That is the vision of the NGSS. This website provides a range of high-quality resources that empower educators, administrators, parents, and the general public to help bring this vision to life.

Find Tools and Resources

WHY

Science-and therefore science education-is central to the lives of all Americans.

A high-quality science education means that students will develop an in-depth understanding of content and develop key skills-communication, collaboration, inquiry, problem solving, and flexibility-that will serve them throughout their educational and professional lives.

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Home Page | Next Generation Science Standards

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Improving Science Education Through Three-Dimensional Learning Quick Search Next Generation Science Standards Within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), there are three distinct and equally important dimensions to learning science. These dimensions are combined to form each standard-or performance expectation-and each dimension works with the other two to help students build a cohesive understanding of science over time.

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Smithsonian

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Discover the digital education platform that connects people to Smithsonian objects, resources, and stories.

Collections by Grade

Explore some of our most popular Learning Lab Collections. Use them as a springboard to continue your exploration of the many collections available on the site.

Talk with Me!
Learn about your community and neighborhood. In this Toolkit, leaners explore different homes, shops, and people in your neighborhood and have fun with related activities.

Talk with Me Toolkits provide you with chances to talk with your children to improve thinking, vocabulary, and language development. Talking with your child is great-and research shows that the quality of words children hear matters more than how much you talk.

Talk with Me Toolkits give you ideas to begin conversations that are organized around a theme. The Toolkits feature videos, photographs, paintings, and artworks along with questions to talk about with your child. At the end of each toolkit there are more activities to do and books to read together. Go through this toolkit with your child and see how many topics there are to talk about!
This toolkit was adapted with a grant from the Institute for Museum and Library Services.

Links to third-party websites and videos are included in this Toolkit for informational purposes only. They do not indicate the Smithsonian's endorsement, sponsorship of, or affiliation with the third party or content of the linked site, including any advertisements that might be posted.

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Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden

What inspires you? Get to know Alma Thomas, (b. Columbus, Georgia; lived and worked in Washington, DC, 1891-1978), an American artist and educator known for her signature painting style using bright colors and patterns inspired by nature. She became a full-time artist late in her life. Born in a time of horses and buggies, she lived through big advancements in technology, such as the space race and moon landing. Her art was inspired by the nature she saw outside her home studio, and awe for the exploration of our vast universe.
Get To Know Alma Thomas Use it in the classroom to teach:
is part of the Hirshhorn KIDS About the Artist series. About the Artist biographies are designed for kids under age 12. Modern and contemporary artists' lives reflect recent human history and events. Sharing these life stories and artworks can help kids see their own potential and better understand the world and their place in it. It is our goal to inspire future generations of artists, makers, and creative problem solvers-sharing artists stories is one way Hirshhorn KIDS realize this goal.
Art classroom: Color Theory, Pattern

Language Arts classroom: Biography

Social Studies classroom: 20th century

Learn More

National Museum of American History

In this playlist you will learn about how three of the first presidents shaped the executive branch of the United States government.

Start by clicking on the first tile in the upper left hand corner. Then move through the playlist by clicking on the ">" symbol at the bottom of the page. Look for the information and paperclip icons to provide more information about selected resources. There are 34 tiles in this collection.

Learn More

Educator Programs

Cultivating Learning is a professional development series where Smithsonian educators model teaching techniques for using digital museum resources to support student learning. This year's series celebrates America at 250. Programs are free and accessible to anyone.

Wednesday, April 15, 4:00 PM EST

Join Phoebe Sherman of the National Postal Museum to explore how postage stamps can be used in the classroom to encourage civic awareness and engagement. We'll examine how stamps can spark curiosity and deepen understanding of civics, American history, national identity, and commemoration by using thinking routines that focus on both subject matter and artistic design. You'll see how these approaches come to life with students and leave with classroom-ready resources and fresh ideas for incorporating postage stamps into your teaching practice.

Watch

Wednesday, May 20, 4:00 PM EST

Join Nyssa Buning of the National Museum of American History's Spark!Lab and Carol O'Donnell of the Smithsonian Science Education Center to explore strategies for cultivating an inventive mindset in your students. We'll discuss the history of STEAM innovation in America and try an open-ended invention challenge that uses object-based learning techniques to encourage creative problem solving and support curiosity and perseverance, skills essential to inventors throughout history. You'll leave with a set of facilitation tools to support students as they develop their own inventive identity and become future problem-solvers. You'll also receive access to a newly released e-book from the Smithsonian Science Education Center, STEAM Innovation: Celebrating Our Nation's 250 Years.

Register

Wednesday, June 17, 4:00 PM EST

As America turns 250 in 2026, young people are writing its next chapter. Join a group of educators who apply interdisciplinary approaches to learning to engage young people in civic dialogue tied to their communities.

Register

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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Discover, Create, Share

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Smithsonian Learning Lab Discover the digital education platform that connects people to Smithsonian objects, resources, and stories. Explore some of our most popular Learning Lab Collections. Use them as a springboard to continue your exploration of the many collections available on the site. Talk with Me! Learn about your community and neighborhood.

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Evidence statements

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NGSS Evidence Statements provide educators with additional detail on what students should know and be able to do. These Evidence Statements describe a detailed look at the NGSS performance expectations.

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Check these out!

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National digital science library

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Search through collections curated by our digital librarians

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Si vous voulez partir en Afrique pour vivre un safari hors du commun, il va falloir choisir avec soin votre destination. Le Kenya fait...

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It's time to improve literacy skills during social studies instruction and ensure that readers of all abilities have what they need to access grade-level social studies concepts.

Join us on Thursday, December 7 for a look at scaffolded materials that provide extra literacy support while building key social studies concepts and skills.

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Content Aligned To National & State Standard, Flexible To Support Relevant Curriculum. Find the Perfect Piece Of Content For Lessons. Go beyond the book.

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Tools for Math & Science Instruction

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Aerospace

Space is Infinite. So are the possibilities.

Did you know?

Aerospace engineers are experts in aerodynamics, so some of them put their skills to use in making race cars go faster or golf balls fly further.

Find out the latest aerospace news!

Make a Difference!

Many of the new aircrafts that aerospace engineers design make use of lightweight composite materials. Why? Lighter planes consume much less fuel, which reduces emissions of greenhouse gases.

Aerospace

Even the sky's not the limit for aerospace engineers, who design and build jet fighters, spaceships, rockets, planes, satellites - essentially any craft that soars through or above the atmosphere.

Where do they Work?

The aerospace industry, which includes companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has an insatiable demand for engineers. So do airline companies (American Airlines, Federal Express). Automobile manufacturers, like Ford and Toyota, also hire aerospace engineers. NASA, of course, is a big source of jobs, as are other government agencies like the Departments of Defense and Energy. And a growing number of aerospace engineers are landing jobs with commercial space operations like Virgin Galactic.

Meet One!

Neal Saiki is founder of Zero Motorcycles, which produces the high-performance electric motorcycle Saiki invented -- a bike that's clean, quiet, and capable of hitting 60 m.p.h. in four seconds.
COOL FACT: Saiki honed his skills as an aerospace engineer at NASA, where he worked on future modes of transportation -- a job that got him thinking about building a better motorcycle.

Zero Motorcycles: Watch a video about aerospace engineer Neal Saiki's electric motorcycles!

NASA Puffin: See the NASA design for a personal flying vehicle, not unlike the jet packs that appear in many sci-fi and James Bond movies.

Agricultural

Thought for Food: This field is always growing.

Agricultural

Like to eat? Give thanks to agricultural engineers. They mix cutting-edge science with the art of farming to keep us well-fed with foods that are safe, nutritious and tasty.

Did you Know?

Where do they work?

Agricultural engineers will never be at a loss for career choices -- the number of industries that require their skills is vast. Here are just a few examples: farm equipment manufacturers (John Deere, International Harvester); seed companies (Pioneer Hi-Bred, Monsanto); food producers (Kraft, Kellogg's); environmental engineering firms (Mock Roos and Associates); forest product companies (Weyerhaeuser).

Cara Cowan Watts

Cara Cowan Watts is working on her doctorate in biosystems engineering at Oklahoma State's Stillwater campus. Her dissertation focuses on plant and wild-life issues in the lakes and rivers of her community.
COOL FACT: Watts also finds time to push for new and expanded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs in Cherokee Nation schools. One current program is a STEM summer camp for Cherokee kids.

Make a Difference!

Architectural

Bigger. Better. Smarter? Help to build a greener world.

Make a Difference!

The biggest trend in the industry today is architecture that's sustainable, or green. It is the architectural engineers who come up with workable innovations so buildings use energy and water more efficiently, creating less waste and pollution.

Architectural Engineering

Great architecture is awe-inspiring. But architectural engineers are the folks who figure out how to put it all together. Without them, the world's coolest structures would remain on the drawing board.

Where do they work?

Architectural engineers typically work for engineering, (Crossey Engineering, Maffat & Nichol, Flour Corp.) construction, (Gardiner & Theobald) and architectural (LPA Inc. of California) firms.

Meet an Engineer!

Peter D'Antonio is an energy management expert who runs his own company, PCD Engineering Services, in Boulder, CO. His firm has won several renewable-energy design awards. He recently remodeled his own home to make it generate nearly as much energy as it uses.
COOL FACT: Before starting his company back in 2000, D'Antonio was a drummer for Boulder rock band, Moonshine Moses.
Read more about Peter D'Antonio

Did you know?

Architects are finding new way to challenge architectural engineers, especially when it comes to designing buildings that reach breathtaking heights. For instance, the current tallest building in the world is the Burj Tower, which when completed, will likely soar more than 2,650 feet into the air, or more than 160 stories.

Find out the latest architectural news!

Biomedical

Modern-day Miracle Workers. It must be in their genes.

Make a Difference!

From helping to conquer deadly diseases to possibly enabling the paralyzed to regain use of their limbs, biomedical engineers apply quantitative solutions to medical problems. Their work can range from diagnostic tools and therapies to artificial organs and prosthetics.

Did you Know?

Where do they Work?

Biomedical engineering is a fast-growing field, as well as a wide-ranging one. Firms that hire bioengineers include pharmaceutical companies (Boehringer Mannheim, Eli Lilly), medical equipment and instrument manufacturers (Siemens Medical Systems, Thermo Fisher Scientific) and biotechs (Genentech, Genzyme Corp.). Some grads remain in academia to do research. Schools with big bioengineering departments include the University of California-San Diego and Duke University. It's a very entrepreneurial field, so it's not unusual to find bioengineers founding or working for startup companies.

Meet One!

While he was still a freshman at Duke University, William Hwang created InnoWorks, a nonprofit program that uses volunteer college students to teach science and math in cool, fun ways at summer camps to middle-school students from underprivileged areas. InnoWorks now has nine chapters in three countries. He is also studying for a M.D./Ph.D at M.I.T./Harvard.
COOL FACT: As if he wasn't busy enough while at Duke, Hwang played first violin for the Duke Symphony Orchestra.
Watch a video of William Hwang

Biomedical

From helping to conquer deadly diseases to possibly enabling the paralyzed to regain use of their limbs, biomedical engineers apply quantitative solutions to medical problems. Their work can range from diagnostic tools and therapies to artificial organs and prosthetics.

Chemical

All the Right Elements. Engineers with real good chemistry.

Chemical

Everything in nature -- including us -- is composed of chemicals. So there's no shortage of raw materials with which chemical engineers can work to produce all manner of valuable products, including lifesaving drugs and green fuels.

Make a Difference

Chemical engineers are in the forefront of efforts to make Planet Earth a cleaner, healthier place to live, from finding better ways to clean up toxic spills to developing sustainable biofuels.

Did You Know?

Where Do They Work?

Chemical engineers are in great demand in many disparate industries: pharmaceuticals (Novartis, Pfizer), food (General Mills), chemicals (DuPont, Dow Chemical Co.), energy (Chevron, ConocoPhillips), and all sorts of manufacturing (3M, Procter & Gamble). State environmental health and safety agencies also employ many chemical engineers.

Michelle Gass

If you've ever enjoyed a Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino, then thank Michelle Gass -- she launched the drink. Gass is the president of Seattle's Best Coffee, a brand owned by Starbucks Corporation. She and her team come up with new coffee-based drinks by visiting Starbucks shops worldwide and interviewing customers.
COOL FACT: The Caramel Frappuccino began as a novelty drink; it's now a $2 billion brand. Other drinks she's launched include Pumpkin Spice Latte and the Tazo Tea beverage.
Read more about Michelle Gass

Civil

Adding Structure to the World. Bridges. Dams. Airports. Power plants. You name it!

Civil

Think big, think infrastructure, think civil engineering. Civil engineers design and build some of the world's biggest, most muscular structures, from interstate highways and bridges to dams and airports to water-treatment plants and power stations.

Make a Difference!

Clean water is essential to life, yet too often it is a precious and scarce commodity in developing countries, especially those hit by wars or natural disasters. Civil engineers are at the forefront of efforts to design inexpensive yet effective ways to ensure that people living in these regions have access to potable water.

Did you Know?

Civil engineers of the future will truly be on the move -- their skills will be needed to construct the rail beds for magnetic levitation trains, and to create the modular structures for planned human outposts on the moon and Mars.

Find out the latest civil engineering news!

Where do they work?

Civil engineers work in many areas essential to modern life. Industries or companies that typically employ them include the big engineering/construction/architectural firms (CH2M Hill, Bechtel Corp., Arup), environmental specialists (Meliora Environmental Design), rail and ground transportation groups (CSX Corp.), and power generators (Southern Co.). Many also work for state agencies, including public works and highway departments, or the federal government (Department of Transportation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers).

Meet an Engineer!

Marc Edwards is a professor at Virginia Tech, and is considered a leading expert in urban water supplies. His highest-profile research was in 2003 in Washington, D.C., where he and his graduate students determined that the city's drinking water contained drastically high levels of lead -- a toxin linked to birth defects. The cause, Edwards determined, was a disinfectant added to the water that caused lead to leach from pipes.
COOL FACT: Edwards has received many awards and honors for his work. Time magazine in 2004 called him one of nation's top scientists. Better yet, in 2007 he was named one of that year's MacArthur Fellows. Also called the "genius awards," MacArthur grants provide honorees with a $500,000 stipend over five years.
Watch a video about Marc Edwards

Computer

All Systems Go. These guys are programmed to succeed.

Computer and Software Engineering

The information-technology revolution marches on. And at its vanguard are computer engineers who work with all aspects of computing: operating systems, networks, software and hardware.

Make a Difference!

Interested in healthcare? Computer and software engineers are part of multidisciplinary efforts to develop next-generation functional imaging technologies that will provide earlier detection -- and better treatment -- of a wide range of ailments, including heart disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and even drug and alcohol addictions.

Did you Know?

Where do they work?

Microchips are embedded in everything from toasters to telephones, so many industries need computer engineers, including computer and consumer electronics manufacturers (Apple Inc., Canon, Hitachi, Hewlett-Packard); telecoms (Verizon, Qualcomm) supercomputer makers (IBM, Cray); software giants (Microsoft, Oracle); solar energy providers (SunEdison), and computer-game companies (Electronic Arts). Of course, Google, the ubiquitous provider of web-based services, certainly hires them, too -- indeed, cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are computer engineers.Read about them in the eGFI magazine.

Meet an Engineer!

Raynelle Callender attended the University of Virginia and now works for Rolls-Royce North America's civil aero-engine market, using her engineering background in a business setting. As part of her job, she gets to travel to many countries, including Brazil, China, and Germany.
COOL FACT: Callender is a member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). In 2006, she was recognized as a Modern Day Technology Leader at the annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards conference, which recognizes individuals who are helping to shape technology in the future.

Electrical

A Strong Signal. Stay current on the latest wireless technology.

Electrical Engineering

As an electrical engineer, you've got the power -- and you'll efficiently and safely channel it from turbines, fuel cells, or hydroelectric and solar plants to homes, factories, and businesses. Electrical engineers also develop wireless communication systems, develop the latest media displays like HDTV, design computer processors and other hardware, and work in robotics.

Make a Difference!

Small, inexpensive wireless sensors that detect chemical and biological pollutants are being developed by electrical engineers. The ability to observe, model, and predict pollution in the environment is key to combating it.

Did you know?

Meet an Engineer!

Guitarist Ben Verellen designs and builds customized, powerful amplifiers for bands. He started his business in his basement, while he was still an undergraduate at the University of Washington. His amps use vacuum tubes rather than circuitry. Tube-based amps, he says, offer a superior sound, and his customers agree.
COOL FACT: Verellen has been a gigging musician since he was 13, and was bass player with Harkonen, which was a popular Tacoma band. He now plays guitar with the band Helms Alee.Watch a video of Ben Verellen

Where do they Work?

Electricity provides the spark of modern life. Accordingly, there are wide-ranging opportunities in this field. The many industries that employ electrical engineers include: power companies (Pacific Gas & Electric Co., First Energy Corp.), microchip makers (Intel, AMD), defense contractors (General Dynamics, Raytheon), fuel-cell manufacturers (Ballard Power Systems, Delphi Corp.), computer-aided design software makers (Dassault Systemes, Autodesk), and consumer electronics companies (Sony, Samsung, Toshiba).

Environmental

Good, Clean Fun. Fighting pollution, reducing pesticides and more!

Environmental

From global warming to water shortages, the Earth's ecosystem is in crisis. Environmental engineers develop water distribution systems, sewage treatment plants, recycling methods, and other pollution prevention and control methods to solve current problems and prevent new ones.

Make a Difference!

Well, clearly, almost any work environmental engineers engage in helps make the planet a better place, whether they're helping to cut urban air pollution or reduce the use of pesticides on farms.

Did you Know?

Where do they Work?

Environmental engineering graduates have many career options at their disposal. Certainly many work for major environmental engineering/consulting firms (Groundwater and Environmental Services, Roux Associates, Greeley & Hansen, Veolia Environment), as well as construction companies (Clark Construction). Several federal agencies -- particularly the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior -- are big sources of jobs, as are environmental advocacy groups (Sierra Club, National Wildlife Fund). States also have environmental protection and natural resources department.

Meet an Engineer!

Fawn Bergen attended the University of Florida and is now a senior consulting engineer at Koogler and Associates in Gainsville, Fla., where she specializes in air quality projects. She decided to major in environmental engineering because she loves math and science. Bergen also says her mother was somewhat of a hippie and taught her children the importance of being environmentally aware: "She was recycling before it was the cool thing to do."
COOL FACT: Bergen was awarded the 2009 Outstanding Young Professional Award from the Air and Waste Management Association, a group she's long been actively involved with. She helped establish the association's student program in Florida.

Manufacturing

Have It Made. Automation is sweeping the nation.

Industrial/
Manufacturing

Today's consumers expect high-quality, regardless of whether they're buying cars, food or sports gear, and industrial/manufacturing engineers are quality-control pros. They're involved with all aspects of manufacturing, including automation (that's right, robots!), production control and materials handling.

Make a Difference!

Industrial/Manufacturing engineers work to ensure that environmental and safety standards are met -- or exceeded -- during production.

Did you Know?

Where do they Work?

Industrial/Manufacturing engineers are found in just about every industry. Regardless of whether a company is a manufacturer of goods or a provider of services, it needs to do things better, cheaper, faster. Industries that hire manufacturing engineers include: defense contractors (ATK, General Dynamics); aerospace (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman); automotive (Ford, Toyota); sports equipment (Adidas, Jaypro); high-tech (Hewlett-Packard, IBM); consulting (Rowland Group, Deloitte); components (Horst Engineering and Manufacturing); food (Kellogg, Kraft); and services (Federal Express, UPS).

Meet an Engineer!

Pablo Paster attended California Polytechnic State University and Presidio School of Management. He is now the vice president for greenhouse gas management innovations at ClimateCHECK, a California consulting firm that helps companies reduce their CO2 footprint.
COOL FACT: Paster writes the blog, Ask Pablo, where he answers readers' questions about sustainability. Typical topics: Do LED lights really save energy? and Which type of diapers are better for the environment, cloth or disposable? (Short answers: yes and cloth.)

Materials

100% Human Ingenuity. There's a lot that goes into making things better.

Materials

Well, clearly, there's a great demand for materials engineers in the composite materials industry (Material Sciences Corp., Materials Innovation Technologies). But the need for new and improved materials is widespread. Other sectors where their skills are needed include: office technologies (Xerox, 3M); pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson, Merck); consumer goods (P&G, Unilever); paper products (Kimberly Clark); aerospace (GKN, Lockheed Martin); high-tech (Imra, Intel, Texas Instruments); and aluminum manufacturing and recycling (Novelis).
Watch a video about snowboard designers

Watch a video about materials that heal themselves!

Meet One!

Shirley Meng attended MIT, and is now an assistant professor at the University of Florida. She runs the school's Laboratory for Energy Storage and Conservation. Her area of expertise? Developing new materials to make lithium batteries -- the type used in laptops and cellphones -- robust enough to power hybrid electric cars. Development of longer-life batteries is key to making many green energy sources commercially viable.
COOL FACT: Meng can let you in on the secret of making your cellphone battery last longer -- don't let it run down too far before recharging it. If you do, she explains, it depletes the lithium and shortens its lifespan.

Material

Combine a bit of physics with a dash of chemistry and toss in equal amounts of mechanical, civil and electrical engineering, and voila! You'll produce materials engineers. These folks take plastics, glass, metals and other raw substances and turn them into new materials and useful products.

Did you Know?

Make a Difference!

Materials engineers are using nanotechnology -- the manipulation of molecules and atoms to create new composite materials -- to make flying safer. They're developing airplane skins imbued with tiny sensors that will detect weak spots long before dangerous cracks occur. Eventually, they'll likely devise materials that will repair themselves.

Mechanical

Wheels in Motion. From roller coasters to robotics, make your move.

Mechanical

Machines come in many sizes, from the massive to the nano-sized. And mechanical engineers are the folks who design, build and maintain them all.

Make a Difference!

Thermodynamics is about harnessing and putting energy to use, and it's something that mechanical engineers understand backwards and forwards. Not surprisingly then, they are central to efforts to find new, sustainable, and clean fuels.

Did you Know?

Where do they Work?

Mechanical engineering is highly multidisciplinary, and its practitioners are experts in areas ranging from robotics to air conditioning, so they're welcome in many industries, including: consumer electronics (Motorola, Siemens); automotive (General Motors, BMW, BorgWarner); appliances (Bosch, Westinghouse); energy (Duke Power, Shell Oil, Global Energy Innovations); aerospace (Rolls Royce); medical devices (Allergan, Masimo Corp.); amusement park rides (Walt Disney World, S & S Worldwide); toys (Fisher Price); and nanotechnology (Zyvex Corp.).

Helen Greiner

Within the gee-whiz world of robots, Helen Greiner is something of a legend. She and two MIT colleagues started iRobot in 1990 -- financing it on their credit cards. It is now a $300 million business and a leading maker of practical robots: from the Roomba autonomous vacuum cleaner to PackBot, a super-sturdy military robot designed to handle reconnaissance patrols, bomb-disposals, and other dangerous missions. Greiner left iRobot in 2008 and is now chief executive of The Droid Works, a research-based company that develops cutting-edge aircraft. Her current project is, what else, a type of flying robot.
COOL FACT: When Greiner was 11, her father took her to see the original Star Wars movie. She became besotted with the robot R2D2, and was later annoyed to learn it wasn't an actual robot. That's when she decided on her future career of making robots as cool as R2D2.
Watch a video about Helen Greiner

Meet mechanical engineer and daredevil, Nate Ball

Mining

Can You Dig It? The engineering behind our greatest natural resources.

Mining

Our Earth is a treasure trove of valuable, underground resources, and mining engineers help to locate them. They and petroleum engineers also design techniques and equipment that ensure that minerals, oil and gas are extracted as safely and cleanly as possible. Moreover, some petroleum engineers also work on developing alternative energy sources.

Make a Difference!

Natural gas is a fossil fuel, but it's a much cleaner producer of electricity than oil. Gas plants also start up quickly. As such, natural gas plants are the best back-ups to plants that run on intermittent sources of energy, like solar and wind. So gas is an important transition fuel for an eventual carbon-free power system. And mining and petroleum engineers are key to finding and developing new, domestic sources of gas.

Did you Know?

Where do they Work?

Mined materials are essential to modern life, so jobs are plentiful. Mining engineers work in many industries, including mining (BHP Billiton, Phelps Dodge Corp., Newmont); specialty machinery and equipment (Herrenknecht, Ingersoll-Rand, Joy Mining Machinery); building materials (Aggregate Industries); and construction/ engineering (Kiewit, Frontier-Kemper, Drummond Co., Granite Construction). Industries employing petroleum engineers include: major oil companies (Marathon Oil, Chevron, BP) as well as smaller ones (Apache Corp., Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Jetta Operating Co.); utilities (Duke Power); chemicals (Dow Chemical); and oil-and-gas services (Schlumberger, Halliburton, BJ Services).

Meet One!

Braden Lusk's day job is at the University of Kentucky; he's an assistant professor of mining engineering. Much of his research involves explosives and blast migration (unsurprisingly, some of his work is funded by the departments of Defense and Homeland Security). But he's got a great moonlighting gig, too. Lusk co-hosts the Discovery Channel's The Detonators, where he explains how to safely use explosives to demolish everything from skyscrapers to bridges. Lucky Lusk gets to jet to major demolition locations worldwide, from Liverpool, England, to the Bahamas.
COOL FACT: As a child, Lusk showed an early aptitude for things that go boom. He loved using Fourth of July firecrackers to blow up all manner of things, from toys to apples.
Watch Braden Lusk on The Detonators

Nuclear

The New Power Generation. Developing cleaner, safer energy for all.

Nuclear Engineering

Nuclear engineers work to safely harness one of the most powerful energy sources there is. Nuclear energy is used to operate power plants and to run some naval ships and submarines. Moreover, radioactive material also has many industrial and medical uses.

Make a Difference!

Nuclear power is the result of fission, the splitting of heavy atoms to release energy. But nuclear engineers are convinced they will eventually create much cleaner and safer energy from nuclear fusion, the melding of atomic nuclei. It would take 300 tons of coal to equal the energy derived from burning a mere ounce of fusion fuel.

Did you know?

Where do they work?

Given the security and defense issues involving nuclear energy, which include weaponry (and nonproliferation), power generation, and radioactive waste disposal, one of the biggest employers of nuclear engineers is the federal government. So they're in demand at national labs (including Argonne, Los Alamos and Sandia), and at many agencies (Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Departments of Energy and Homeland Security, NASA). They also work in these industries: nuclear power (Westinghouse Electric, Babcock & Wilcox, Areva, Constellation Energy), medical (IBA, Northstar), defense , and engineering (Bechtel). Also, many opt to remain in academia. Research schools with large nuclear engineering programs include the University of Michigan, M.I.T., and Columbia University.

Meet an Engineer!

Dwight Williams attended North Carolina State University and the University of Maryland, and is a principal nuclear physicist in the Weapons Intelligence Office of the Defense Intelligence Agency. His duties include working with the White House to craft national nuclear policy. Williams is also a visiting professor at M.I.T.
COOL FACT: Don't give up on science, even if your grades aren't the best, Williams says. He admits that that was his story until he took physics in high school. Then everything just clicked and he got an A. Because Williams was also drawn to Einstein's theories, a nuclear engineering career became pretty much inevitable.
Watch a video about Dwight Williams

Ocean

Where Knowledge Runs Deep. Come explore the great unknown.

Ocean

Earth's last great frontier is its oceans, which cover 70 percent of the globe, yet are largely unexplored and only marginally understood. Ocean engineers are helping to open up, protect and put this mystery world to use. They combine civil, mechanical and electrical engineering with oceanography, mathematics, physics and materials science.

Make a Difference!

We need to know where ocean pollution is -- where it's heading, and its source -- if we're going to clean it up. Ocean engineers design the sophisticated yet robust instruments need to track sea pollution. For example, British engineers recently developed a robotic fish -- it resembles a bass -- that will monitor pollution off the coast of Spain.

Did you know?

Where do they work?

Ocean engineers are involved in all things aquatic, from building on- and off-shore and underseas structures, to designing high-tech monitoring devices. The many industries that require their skills include: construction (Hatch Mott MacDonald, Schiavone Construction); dredging (Manson Construction); instrumentation (FarSounder, Ultra Electronics); robotic vehicles (Deep Ocean Engineering); coastal and environmental protection (Coastal Planning and Engineering Inc.), and fish farming (Marine Construction, Ocean Spar).

Meet an Engineer!

Hanumant Singh, who attended George Mason University and MIT, is a scientist at the Deep Submergence Laboratory at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, where he develops underwater robotic vehicles. He often goes to sea with his robots to study a variety of oceanographic phenomena, including ancient shipwrecks.
COOL FACT: One of Singh's hobbies is windsurfing. Not only is it fun, he says, but it is a good way of understanding the interactions at the water-sea interface.
Watch a video of Hanumant Singh

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Presented by ASEE and its partners, eGFI is the best resource available for students and teachers to learn about engineering.

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Resources, video clips, all subjects, all grade levels!

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PBS LearningMedia | Teaching Resources For Students And Teachers

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Inspire your students with thousands of free teaching resources including videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards.

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National Geographic Society is celebrating Earth and, this month only, you can make TWICE the impact. Donate to National Geographic Society and help us make remarkable discoveries about the ocean's intelligent marine life. The planet and our Explorers are counting on you.

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The National Geographic Society is a global non-profit organization committed to exploring, illuminating, and protecting the wonder of our world.

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Primary sources and PD on how to use them in your clssroom

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The Library of Congress offers classroom materials and professional development to help teachers effectively use primary sources from the Library's vast digital collections in their teaching.

Find Library of Congress lesson plans and more that meet Common Core standards, state content standards, and the standards of national organizations.

Go to the blog

Using Primary Sources

Discover quick and easy ways to begin using primary sources in your classroom, with teachers' guides, information on citing sources and copyright, and the Library's primary source analysis tool.

TPS Partners

The Teaching with Primary Sources Program builds partnerships with educational organizations to support effective instruction using primary sources. TPS partners deliver Library of Congress professional development locally.
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The Teaching with Primary Sources Journal

The TPS Journal is an online publication created by the Library of Congress Educational Outreach Division in collaboration with the TPS Educational Consortium.
Read The TPS Journal

Professional Development

The Library of Congress provides primary source-based, ready-to-use resources for teachers and facilitators:

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Civics Interactives

Projects from Congress, Civic Participation, and Primary Sources partners explore history, government, and civic life using Library of Congress primary sources.

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The Library of Congress offers classroom materials and professional development to help teachers effectively use primary sources from the Library's vast digital collections in their teaching. Find Library of Congress lesson plans and more that meet Common Core standards, state content standards, and the standards of national organizations.

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More than science...

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Since launching on March 6, 2007, our goal at TeacherTube has been to provide an online community for sharing instructional and education videos for college students, high school students, middle school students and elementary school students. We seek to fill a need for a more educationally focused, safe venue for teachers, students, schools, and home learners. It is a site to provide anytime, anywhere professional development with teachers teaching teachers. It is also a site where teachers can post videos designed for students to view in order to learn a concept or skill.

On September 1, 2017, TeacherTube.com was acquired by Salem Web Network. Salem's goal is to continue the growth of TeacherTube and support innovative ideas for education.

Most importantly, TeacherTube community members are a major part of the evolution of the site. Members are encouraged to not only upload educationally relevant videos but also to make constructive comments and use the rating system to show appreciation for videos of value to one as an educator or learner. Users also have the ability to preserve the integrity of the site by flagging inappropriate videos. TeacherTube staff review flagged sites and will remove any inappropriate posts. With more collegial commentary and discussion through messaging and responses, the quality of this resource will only increase.

The service is free for everyone. We always encourage our users to Contact Us with thoughts, suggestions, or other feedback. We do have a vision for TeacherTube to truly be a better alternative to other video storage sites. With the community's help, it can become more interactive and engaging for all teachers and learners.

Science videos are one of the key subjects that students are taught in school. Science is present from the early years of grade school up to the highest levels of academic achievement. As students move up the ranks, their study of science tends to get more specialized into one specific field only, like chemistry, biology, or physics. We have educational videos for all of these courses.

TeacherTube.com's section on science educational videos has content of interest to all learning levels. We have topics as varied as educational songs for elementary school students, up to chemical engineering for college students.

Mathematics is one of the fundamental 3Rs of early education. Known as "arithmetic" in those levels, it involves counting and the basic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. As kids advance through the grade levels, they progressively deal with more complex mathematical problems. Also, more new concepts get introduced as they progress.

Math is crucial for almost any business career. Accounting, budgeting, and projecting sales all require some level of competence in math. Many resources for these topics can be found here on TeacherTube.

Even everyday situations benefit a lot from math skills. Managing one's finances, for instance, obviously requires math, as with anything involving money. Cooking also involves math: proportions of ingredients, for example, as well as measurements.

TeacherTube.com's section on math education videos covers everything from fractions and measurements to money management. We also cover more complicated subjects such as trigonometry, and well as probability and statistics.

History is a very valuable subject, but not just because it is useful for preventing future wars. The lessons from history can also teach people to build a better future. What people have done right in the past should be continued and improved upon in the present.

The subject of history covers a wide range of timelines and locations. There's ancient history and modern history. There is also Asian history, US history, Latin American history, and European history. Each one is unique, reflecting the cultures of the people involved.

If there's one thing common to all history classes, it's usually names, dates, and places. This is also the part that many kids hate the most. They do not see the point of memorizing so many random facts that appear purposeless. Well, that is the wrong way to teach history.

TeacherTube's history education videos section makes the past come alive with a sterling array of videos and tutorials that cover subjects as varied as our prehistory, ancient history, the civil war, and the study of world civilizations.

The purpose of social studies, based on the US National Council for the Social Studies, is to promote "civic competence" among students. In other words, the subject equips students to become better citizens of a country. This is done by exploring history, geography, current events, and governments, among others. Middle school social studies usually deal with one of each of these fields per grade level.

With this knowledge, students gain the ability to become more socially aware and to be actively involved citizens of their country. Through analyzing current events, students will also learn how to predict the consequences of the things happening around them. With that, they can be good influences on their communities.

It is with this goal in mind that TeacherTube offers a wide variety of learning video materials for both students and enthusiasts.

We have videos on everything from strengthening your knowledge of economics terminology to the nuances of various world cultures.

Language arts, as the name suggests, equips students with a wide range of ways to use language. It comprises both speaking and writing skills. In addition to the basics, the subject also deals with the artistic side of language, infusing creativity in the ways students communicate.

There are four basic aspects to understanding a language: speaking, reading, listening, and writing. Language arts classes aim to enhance those skills at each year level. At first, it covers basic topics like grammar, sentence construction, and paragraphs. Exercises in language arts become progressively more complex as students move up the ranks, and usually, in higher grades, more emphasis is put on creativity and persuasiveness.

With the noble goal of harnessing the power of words to effect change in the world in mind, TeacherTube is proud to offer videos on everything from general communications to speaking and even videos on strengthening your studying skills.

Not all kids want to go through lectures. Some of them may not have the attention span or the patience to endure long hours just sitting down and listening to someone talk in front. No, that doesn't mean these kids are lazy. It just means they learn differently.

Some kids are auditory learners. In other words, they learn best when they listen to sounds and music. For this type of student, educational songs will certainly be a big helping hand. Even the most complex of concepts, when taught through songs, will be very easy for them to understand and remember. Even kids who are not so much inclined to auditory learning may like this method.

Educational song vidoes are available in a wide variety of subjects. English, math, social studies, science, and everything in between, there's bound to be a song for every subject. For example, on the website Teachertube.com, there are science topic songs, reading songs, skip counting songs, reading phonics songs, and even quadratic formula songs.

The advantage of using educational song videos is that it accomplishes two things at once. First, these songs are entertaining, and second, they also teach a concept. They facilitate learning a lot better than plain lectures simply because of the entertainment part. When a lesson is made fun of, kids will want to learn them. In fact, it could even be the kids themselves, on their own, who will play the songs repeatedly.

TeacherTube offers education songs on topics as varied as the circulatory system to math songs about polynomials and even videos on St. Patrick's Day.

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TeacherTube Educational Videos for the School Classroom and Home - Including Educational Songs, History Videos, Student Videos and Math Videos

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A free community for sharing instructional videos, Educational Songs, History Videos, Student Videos, Math Videos, and other content for teachers and students. We are an education focused, safe venue for teachers, schools, and home schoolers to access educational for the classroom and home learning.

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Free live online formative assessment

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Membership - acitivities and simulations

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Hi there. We're ExploreLearning!

We're an education technology company creating seriously fun solutions for the most critical challenges in K-12 STEM learning.

What's this serious fun business all about? Tell me more...

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We're an education technology company creating seriously fun solutions for the most critical challenges in K-12 STEM learning.

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By converting our sims to HTML5, we make them seamlessly available across platforms and devices. Whether you have laptops, iPads, chromebooks, or BYOD, your favorite PhET sims are always right at your fingertips.Become part of our mission today, and transform the learning experiences of students everywhere!

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Login or sign up for free on Socrative - your assessment partner for real-time assessments and instant insights.

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Free, online video creation

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iPad app

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I love the game but there is this one bug so I can't play when you put in a internet photo it takes the whole photo and you can't cut it out I hope this bug is fixed in the future but otherwise the game is great

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‎Create your own unique shows with animation and audio in real time! Simply pick out your actors and backdrops, drag them on to the stage, and tap record. Your movements and audio will be recorded in real time for playback later. This app is as fun as your own creativity.

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Math Science & Engineering

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Searchable platform tor teaching resources (& others)

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Discover recipes, home ideas, style inspiration and other ideas to try.

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Videos, activities and more...

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Educational games and videos from Curious George, Wild Kratts and other PBS KIDS shows!