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Smithsonian Education

Exhibition space featuring orchids

Learning from the Connective Power of Orchids

A horticulturist reflects on the new Smithsonian-U.S. Botanic Gardens collaborative exhibition as it connects stories, scholarship, and art to this extraordinary species

A group smile in front of the Great Refractor telescope

Youth Science Media Program Connects Experts and Students around Careers and the Cosmos

Boston-area students gained career mentors, transferrable media production skills, and behind-the-scenes experiences at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian they'll remember for a lifetime

A man in a blue shirt looks at a photograph of archival images while several other people look toward a presentation

The Power of a Teacher Who Dreams Big

In an interview with the Smithsonian Science Education Center, Dr. Melissa Collins, a veteran elementary school teacher shares her wisdom and expertise in supporting students with access to STEM opportunities and helping them imagine new possibilities for themselves

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Inspiring Tomorrow's Earth Optimists Today

An afterschool club in partnership with the Smithsonian and the World Wildlife Fund aims to build environmental leadership skills through hands-on experiences and exposure to a wide range of "green" careers

A young girl wears a lab coat, safety goggles and blue latex gloves in a research laboratory

The Future Looks Bright According to Young American Inventor and Author, Gitanjali Rao

Meet the college student who’s changing the world with innovative solutions and promoting the power of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) for positive impact every chance she gets

a collage of four images of educators; one is holding a blue crab, one is holding a bullfrog at night, one is taking a picture of an oyster basket, one is holding a crab with large plastic tweezers by the side of a river

Educators from Across the Country Convene on the Chesapeake Bay with a Network of Fellow 'Earth Optimists'

A professional development experience provided opportunities for networking, novel experiences, and sharing stories of success in learning and taking action

Whale swimming in the water with a tear on the side of its body.

Saving Whales with Computational Thinking

Want to teach your students how to save whales using Computational Thinking? Researchers and educators have teamed up to share powerful case studies for the classroom

Summit team developing a logic model at Xavier University

Transforming K-12 STEM Education by Diversifying the STEM Teacher Workforce

Research points to the importance of a diverse teacher workforce and its impact on students. Learn how educators at the Smithsonian Science Education Center are committed to increasing the number of STEM teachers with diverse backgrounds in education networks nationwide.

Three adults wearing chest waders laughing and in silly poses. They are standing on sand behind a line of plastic bins filled with water.

When the Chesapeake Bay Serves as Your Research Laboratory and Inspiration for the Classroom

Teachers and environmental researchers alike learned something new about their fields of expertise in this unique professional development opportunity.

Globe with a quote "Are we educating our students to understand the complex global challenges of our time?"

Teaching About Real-World, Transdisciplinary Problems and Phenomena through Convergence Education

In its 2018 Federal STEM Strategic Plan, a collaboration of government agencies wrote that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education should move through a pathway where disciplines "converge" and where teaching and learning moves from disciplinary to transdisciplinary. Classroom examples help spotlight what this framework can look like in practice.

From left to right there are three panels. In the first panel, Dr. Nancy Knowlton is smiling in front of a dark, cloudy sky. She has brown hair and is wearing glasses and a black wet suit. In the second panel, Dr. Rachel Page is smiling, has her hair up,

Transforming the Stories of Smithsonian Women Scientists Into Interactive Classroom Experiences

Explore the possibilities of digital learning through hands-on interactives based on the work of three innovative Smithsonian women scientists. With this suite of resources, take your classroom on an underwater adventure, journey through the jungles of Panama, or travel lightyears into outer space.

Students cluster in groups and individually around a sandy area, adding and refining the community map they are building out of sand, leaves, and sticks.

Education to Create a Sustainable Future

When thinking about the ultimate goal of learning, a Smithsonian educator and researcher suggests that at the core of education, is a goal to create a better future for learners and for us all. Through her work, she maps the journey to help students develop the skills and knowledge needed to become active participants in creating a more sustainable world.

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Museum Mentors Enable a Future-Ready Generation of Young Environmental Leaders

A nationwide network of mentors demonstrates the power to challenge and guide youth to be the transformational leaders that they can be, and that the planet needs them to be.

Activities that give young children the opportunity to build meaningful, personal connections with animals can be the spark for a lifelong love of wildlife and cultivate a lasting conservation ethic.

Using Empathy for Animals to Engage Young Children in Early Engineering Education

How do you introduce engineering practices and skills to young learners? Smithsonian educators suggest it starts with empathy.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo AMZAP members

Why a Group of Zoo and Aquarium Professionals Wants to Ensure the Future of Their Field Is More Inclusive

Over 300 professionals across the U.S. are putting visibility and representation in the zoo and aquarium field at the forefront of their work, focusing on approaches such as networking, outreach, mentorship, and professional development

Moments that highlight the joy and excitement of scientific inquiry—such as this student using a Van de Graaff generator—can spark interest in a STEM-related career. Here are some career-focused resources that can supplement that interest. (National Air and Space Museum)

Sparking Excitement About STEM Through Exposure to Career Pathways

Ask a child to draw a scientist, and research says they’ll often draw the typical stereotype of a “mad scientist”—– an older, usually white, man, with wild hair, wearing a lab coat and goggles. This mental image perpetuates myths about who can and can’t work in STEM careers. The reality is that anyone can do science. Five educators at the Smithsonian share insights and ideas on inspiring the next generation.

Children participate in a hands-on science activity with the Smithsonian Latino Center for a Dia del Niño festival hosted by LA Plaza de Cultura y Arte in Los Angeles, California. (Smithsonian Latino Center)

Bringing the Smithsonian to Learners Beyond the Museum

Educators can make a big difference in the lives of young students who have never met a scientist, seen a microscope, or been to a museum.

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