Additional Teacher Resources
Curriculum & Professional Development Resources
Central Texas Discover Engineering
Help inspire the next generation of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) heroes by bringing hands-on activity into the classroom that unlocks the fun of engineering.
Chemical Engineering Fun for Kids
Many of the objects we use every day contain substances that were discovered by chemists and then were designed and refined by chemical engineers. Whether it is the table you are sitting in front of, the clothes you are wearing, or the food that you eat, somewhere along the line, a chemical engineer probably helped make it possible.
Discover Engineering
Designed to provide an accessible introduction to engineering. Includes games, idea center, FAQ, downloads, links, and a section about the career of engineers.
(Note: You must fill out a form before you download activities.)
eGIF Engineering, Go For It!
Here you will find a variety of tools to boost your students’ math and science skills, enliven the classroom with engineering projects, expand your own professional horizons and stay informed.
EngineerGirl
The EngineerGirl website includes videos and lessons designed to bring national attention to the exciting opportunities that engineering represents for girls and women. Why girls and women? Because despite an increase in female participation in many traditionally male-dominated professions such as medicine and law, women remain grossly underrepresented in engineering.
Exploratorium
Provides interactive lessons, web features, activities, programs, and events for K-12. Saturday and Summer professional development workshops are available through the Teacher Institute.
International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE)
ISTE is the premier membership association for educators and education leaders engaged in improving learning and teaching by advancing the effective use of technology in PK-12 and higher education. They also provide open educational resources (OER) are high-quality learning materials that are published under an open license, making them free for educators to use, repurpose, and share. Digital OER can range from full curricula and textbooks to individual videos and images, which can be regularly updated to ensure that materials continue to be relevant and engaging for students.
NASA – Educators
Lesson plans, teacher guides, classroom activities, video clips, games, posters, and more for teachers and students in grades K-4, 5-8, 9-12, and higher education.
NASA TV
NASA TV provides educational videos and other media pieces from NASA.
NASA Webcasts
NASA's Digital Learning Network presents a series of video conferences to assist educators in staying current on NASA education resources and related products. Topics to include: Exploring Space Through Math, Robotics, NASA Fit Explorers, NASA eProfessional Development Network -- Robotics Course, MoonWorld, and On the Moon. Questions about these events should be directed to Caryn Long at caryn.long@nasa.gov.
National Science Teachers Association
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is the largest organization in the world committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. NSTA's current membership of 60,000 includes science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in and committed to science education.
PBS Stem Education Resource Center
PBS offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds related to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning through television and online content.
STEM Education Coalition
The STEM Education Coalition represents the broadest and most unified voice in advocating for policies to improve STEM education at all levels. As an alliance of more than 600 business, professional, and education organizations, the STEM Education Coalition works aggressively to raise awareness in Congress, the Administration, and other organizations about the critical role that STEM education plays in enabling the U.S. to remain the economic and technological leader of the global marketplace of the 21st century.
STEM Educator Materials
Download posters, educator guides with activities and age-appropriate career information for your students. All activities meet national education standards of learning for math, science and technical literacy. Registration is required but free.
STEM and STEAM: A Guide for Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities
According to the National Science Foundation, women, minorities and persons with disabilities are largely underrepresented in science and engineering (S&E). This underrepresentation is seen in both S&E education, as well as S&E employment. While there are a variety of reasons as to why specific demographics are underrepresented in STEM, the important takeaway is to understand how we can bridge the divide.
Texas Regional Collaboratives
The Texas Regional Collaboratives for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Teaching (TRC) is an award-winning statewide network of 64 P-16 partnerships (Regional Collaboratives) that provide sustained and high-intensity professional development to P-12 teachers of science and mathematics across the state.
Women in STEM: A Guide to Bridging the Gender Gap
Historically, women have been systematically excluded from higher education. Although we’ve made great progress in opening education to women in recent decades, there is still a great deal of work that remains to be done. This is especially true in the STEM fields, which see a great imbalance of male to female students compared to other college degree programs.
Funding Resources
The National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation funds research and education in most fields of science and engineering. It does this through grants, and cooperative agreements to more than 2,000 colleges, universities, K-12 school systems, businesses, informal science organizations, and other research organizations throughout the United States. The Foundation accounts for about one-fourth of federal support to academic institutions for basic research.
Astronomy Sites
Project Spectra
“Project Spectra!” is a NASA Approved Product and has been developed with NASA funding. We have used the materials located on this page to offer teacher professional development workshops.
Spitzer Space Telescope Infrared Tutorial
Provides astronomy based lesson plans, posters, printouts and links to education other resources.
Science and Math Informal Learning Educators (SMILE)
The SMILE website is a national partnership among science and technology centers, museums, community-based organizations, and out-of-school educators and a resource of the National Science Digital Library (NSDL).
iPhone & Android Apps
Human Anatomy! (free)
A quick reference app with images and information on 16 organs and systems.
Khan Academy: Biology 1, 2, & 3 (free)
The biology is broken down into sections. Biology 1 covers cells, evolution, DNA, mitosis, meiosis, genetics, and cellular respiration. Biology 2 covers cellular respiration (more details), photosynthesis, diffusion, respiratory system, circulatory system, and beginning of the nervous system. Biology 3 covers the nervous system, muscular system, immune system, and excretory system. The 10-18 minute videos can be watched directly on the student’s phone!