NDE Science News - May 2025

The 2024-2025 school year was a time for exploring the revised 2024 CCR Science standards. With minor adjustments from 2017, we are now building on the momentum we've gained in applying 3D instructional practices.

Implementation of the 2024 CCR Science standards begins in the fall of 2025, with student performance assessed through the NSCAS summative in spring 2026.

These NDE web pages contain resources and information that may be helpful when implementing the revised standards.

Content Area Standards Implementation – Nebraska Department of Education

Standards and Supporting Documents – Nebraska Department of Education

Summer Camps

Middle and High School Camps

Middle school camps are for current 6th through 8th grade students. High school camps are for current 9th through 12th grade students. YNS summer camps introduce campers to some of today's hottest topics in science, technology and engineering, and campers get hands-on experience in and outside the lab.

Grant application opens on June 10, 2025

This grant program was implemented with the intention to aid in reducing the teacher shortage in Nebraska. This program offers a $5,000 grant for up to 1,000 educators. Additional information on the program and its success can be found at the link above.

Modeling Physics – Mechanics – June 23-July 3, 2025 https://www.modelinginstruction.org/modeling-physics-mechanics-2025-uno/

Introduction to Modeling Instruction – July 21-25, 2025

https://www.modelinginstruction.org/introduction-to-modeling-instruction-2025-uno/

Both workshops can be taken for optional graduate credits and are $76 per credit

NSF-funded Nebraska Engineering Inclusive Excellence Center (NEIEC) is offering a one-week graduate-level summer course for K–12 science teachers, focused on engineering design.

All costs associated with attending this in-person course will be covered including lodging, parking passes, lunch, snacks, and $1,500 in tuition for selected participants. Additionally, for eligible educators, childcare (up to $200 per child) and mileage may be reimbursed.

Interested teachers can apply using the following application form. Priority for registration will be given to rural Nebraska educators. Selected applicants will be sent a permission code and additional instructions for how to register for the class. If you have questions, you can reach out to Ursula Nguyen (unguyen7@unl.edu ) or Trish Wonch Hill (phill3@unl.edu).

About the course:

ENGR 891 - Special Topics in Engineering: Teaching Engineering Design for Everyone

This week-long graduate level course is intended for educators across the state of Nebraska who are interested in incorporating engineering design and inclusive engagement practices to support PK-12 learners. In this course, we will discuss research for improving the teaching and learning of engineering within and across different PK-12 educational spaces, including formal classrooms and informal educational spaces. Educators will explore and apply research-based instructional strategies into their own practice. Students in the course will have the opportunity to attend class in-person at Kiewit Hall, the new engineering building.

Audience: K-12 science teachers

Location and Dates: In-Person at Kiewit Hall A512, UNL City Campus, Lincoln, Nebraska, June 16 – June 20 (9am-5pm)

June 17th and 18th, 2025 at Glacier Creek Preserve

What is Educator Field School?

This field school opportunity is being presented by Nebraska Game and Parks educators, biologists, and partners. It will be a FREE two-day immersive educator workshop hosted at the amazing Glacier Creek Preserve in Bennington, NE. We will investigate the variety of wetlands spaces there and they have an amazing prairie too! The nearby Flanagan and Standing Bear Lakes will also be great opportunities for exploration and even some kayaking. By participating, you will get hands-on experience in the wetlands of this area and learn about wetland education resources that can be used in your classrooms.

Who should attend?

This specific workshop is designed for current formal educators teaching 6th-12th grades across Nebraska.

Participants will walk away with:

Each participant will receive a wealth of knowledge to use when incorporating local ecology into their curriculum. During the workshop participants will be doing hands-on natural resource activities such as wetland walks, water quality assessments, inquiry activities, kayaking, community science and so much more! Plus, participants will receive numerous educational resources including field guides, and activities based on the aquatic ecosystems found in Nebraska.

**Educators must attend both days to receive all curriculum and resources.

Cost to attend?
This two-day immersive workshop is FREE and includes all meals in the Bennington, Nebraska area. A $200 stipend is available to each registrant to assist with your lodging and participation in this great event.

This workshop is limited to 10 educators, so register today and feel free to share with others in your school!

REGISTER HERE!

Questions? Concerns? Please email: grace.gaard@nebraska.gov.

Feeding and Fueling the World, the professional learning experience equipping teachers nationwide, coming to Nebraska this summer.

Middle and high school teachers of chemistry, biology, and environmental science will see firsthand how food production in America makes the perfect context for teaching STEM.

Through Feeding and Fueling the World workshops, teachers will:

• Know how biotechnology is utilized to solve problems in agriculture

• Understand how human impacts affect soil health and water quality

• Be able to describe how modern farming practices will feed the growing population

Participants’ registration, hotel stay, and meals are all covered. Each participant receives NGSS-aligned curriculum materials and hundreds of dollars worth of classroom supplies.

This STEM opportunity for middle and high school science teachers is brought to Nebraska by the Nebraska Soybean Board and Midwest Dairy as part of Nourish the Future, a national education initiative sponsored by NCGA and USB that connects students to modern agriculture.

Register for Feeding and Fueling the World, happening July 10–11 in Wood River.

Free online registration at https://s.si.edu/EducationSummit2025

Now in its 5th year, the Summit attracts thousands of educators from across the country at all levels of the education ecosystem, including Pre-K–12, museum, and university educators, as well as school administrators, researchers, librarians, and more.

This year’s theme, “Together We Thrive: One Nation, Indivisible,” provides a crucial learning roadmap that empowers educators across all subjects and grade levels to illuminate transformative historical moments and their contemporary impact in preparation for the semi-quincentennial.

The Summit combines virtual and in-person sessions, including keynote speeches, workshops and behind-the-scenes experiences at various Smithsonian locations. Sessions led by Smithsonian educators and collaborating partners will explore relevant themes at the intersections of art, culture, history and science across four main tracks: Many Voices, One Nation, Power of Place, Transformative Teaching, Tools, and Dialogues across the Past, Present, and Future.

All sessions on the first day of the Summit, Tuesday, July 15, will be livestreamed virtually. On Wednesday, July 16, sessions will take place in person at the host venue, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library (901 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20001,) with an evening networking reception in the Kogod Courtyard of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. On Thursday, July 18, sessions will take place in person at Smithsonian museums and centers across Washington, D.C., offering exhibition tours, behind-the-scenes experiences and a chance to dive deep into content with Smithsonian educators.

ASM Materials Camp 2025 Schedule

Virtual Options Available

Decisions about curriculum and instruction are made locally by individual school districts and classroom teachers. The Nebraska Department of Education provides guidance related to high-quality instructional materials selection and implementation. Please visit the Nebraska Instructional Materials Collaborative.

The Food and Agriculture Center for Science Education (The Center) is a platform of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture dedicated to enhancing scientific and agricultural literacy by expanding access to agriculture. The Center accomplishes this by providing immersive professional learning opportunities for educators, high-quality instructional materials designed for the Next Generation Science Standards, and collaborative partnerships between educators and agricultural experts. Find more information on their web page.

Also, check out the Adopt a Cow For Your Classroom flyer below.

Four Nebraska teachers have been selected as state finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the nation’s highest honor for K–12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teachers.

This year applicants from grades 7-12 teaching mathematics, science, technology, engineering, and/or computer science could apply. The awards program is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The NE State Selection Committee advanced four state finalists for eligibility for the national award.

Mitchell Fricke from Millard North High School in Millard and Becky Schueth from Shelby-Rising City Public Schools in Shelby will represent Nebraska in Math. Frankie Peterson from Lincoln Southeast high School in Lincoln and Bobbi Middleton from Madison Middle School in Madison will represent Nebraska in Science.

State Finalists represent the most outstanding teachers Nebraska has to offer and serve as both a model and an inspiration to students and fellow teachers.

Each year, a national committee of prominent mathematicians, scientists, education researchers, district level personnel, and classroom teachers recommends up to 108 teachers to receive PAEMST awards. Up to two teachers—mathematics or science—from each state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Territories, and schools operated by the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) receive the national award. Teachers who are selected as PAEMST national awardees receive a trip to Washington, D.C., where they attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities. They also receive a $10,000 award from NSF, a Presidential certificate, and join an elite cohort of award-winning teachers who can influence state/jurisdiction and national STEM teaching.

The Nebraska Academy of Sciences was founded in 1880, making it one of the oldest scientific Academies in the country. The 135th Annual meeting received 254 total abstracts, and brought together institutions, colleges, community colleges and universities across the state to afford undergraduate, graduate students, citizen scientists and faculty the ability to ‘Share their Science’ in one of ten scientific sections. These include: Aeronautics and Space, Anthropology, Applied Science and Technology, Biology, Biological and Medical Sciences, General Chemistry, General Physics and Engineering, Earth Sciences, Ecology, Sustainability and Environmental Sciences, and the Teaching of Sciences and Mathematics.

A link to the Program and Proceedings from this year and past years can be found on the Nebraska Digital Commons, here.

Nearly 400 attendees participated in the annual meeting, which was held again this year at the UNL East Campus union. Registrants were treated to the Academy’s annual Maiben Lecture, which was presented this year by Dr. Mary Ann Vinton, from Creighton University, whose talk, “Roots, Research and Resilience: Exploring the Future of the Nebraska Sandhills” was well received. The attendees were also offered a free graduate preparedness panel over the lunch hour, with faculty from UNK, Creighton, UNL and UNMC offering tips on successful Graduate School Acceptance. In the afternoon, a poster section was held that featured around 40 posters presented from the various sections. The event ended with a reception at the University of Nebraska’s State Museum’s Morrill Hall, where meeting participants unwound from the day with refreshments and a show at the planetarium, and full access to the museum and it’s exhibits.

Attendee Anya Myers from Hastings College offered her reflections on her experience. “Attending the NAS meeting in Lincoln was an honor! I loved presenting my research on isopods to professors from around the state. It was worth the effort to present my work as it empowered me to do more research. The NAS meeting was also a great place to learn what my peers were researching. So many cool projects from almost every industry. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Lincoln and I hope to attend again some day.”

The 2026 meeting date was set and will occur on Friday, April 24, 2026.

Whether you’re looking for practical classroom strategies, the latest trends in science and STEM education, or specific safety advice, the NSTA Blog offers valuable content to help educators at all levels enhance their practice.

Find current and past newsletters on the web page.

• Disciplinary Literacy in Science
• 2024 Standards Revisions, 3-Dimensional Learning, and High-Quality Instructional Materials
• How Informal Educators Can Connect to the 3-Dimensional State Standards

Want to hear more about these or something else?

Reach out -- I would love to collaborate with you and your team.

ESU CC – ESU Coordinating Council

The Nebraska Association of Teachers of Science has been promoting science education in Nebraska since 1961.

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NATS is an affiliate of the Nebraska Academy of Sciences and the National Science Teaching Association. Membership is open to any individual interested in the advancement of science education in the State of Nebraska.

Check out the web page for events and opportunities.

This is a collection of K-12 formative tasks aligned to the indicator level of the standards. Tasks were developed by Nebraska educators and cover the breadth of the standards giving students an opportunity to provide evidence of what they know and can do related to that standard. This is password protected to keep this information for teacher usage.

How to Access:

1. Visit the NDE Science Assessment web page

2. Sign in using the password

If you need the password, please email: nde.stateassessment@nebraska.gov

Please send me an email at sarah.shaffer@nebraska.gov with the information.

Links to third-party websites do not constitute an endorsement of the content, viewpoint, accuracy, opinions, policies, products, services, or accessibility of the sites.

Decisions about curriculum and instructional materials are made locally by individual school districts and classroom teachers. The Nebraska Department of Education does not mandate the curriculum used within a local school.

Pictures from canva.com (no attribution required) or provided by the school or organization and used with permission. Organization logos used with permission.