The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) offers a variety of free resources and opportunities for science educators, primarily through its online publications, supplier guides, and curated lists of educational materials. These resources are designed to support teaching across different grade levels and science disciplines, providing lesson plans, activities, and instructional packages at no cost to schools or qualified teachers. The availability of these materials is confirmed through official NSTA channels and partner organizations. Other educational entities, such as the American Geophysical Institute (AGI) and the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT), also provide supplementary resources, though specific free sample programs for consumer products are not detailed in the available data.
NSTA Direct Offerings and Publications
The National Science Teachers Association provides several specific free resources accessible to educators. One of the primary offerings is the Bright Ideas Online Publication. This quarterly publication is available at no cost to professionals in the fields of technology, science, and mathematics, including teachers, supervisors, and teacher educators. To receive the publication, educators must visit the International Technology Education Association’s website and select the Bright Ideas option. Subscribers receive four issues each school year containing free activities, program spotlights, and other educational information.
NSTA also maintains a Suppliers Guide that offers budget helpers to educators. This resource allows teachers to access coupons and deals from various suppliers. The specific URL provided for accessing these deals is http://ecommerce.nsta.org/suppliers/.
Furthermore, NSTA offers a dedicated page for Freebies for Science Teachers. This page serves as a central repository for various educational resources. The URL for this resource is http://www.nsta.org/publications/freebies.aspx. Additionally, NSTA hosts a "Scope, Sequence & Coordination Project" (SSC) on a subdomain (http://dev.nsta.org/ssc/), which is described as a "lesson plan goldmine." This project includes "MicroUnits" for all science disciplines intended for grades 9-12, available for download.
Classroom Kits and Teaching Packages
Several organizations provide complete teaching packages and classroom kits free of charge to schools. The Consumer Aerosol Products Council (CAPCO) offers a "FREE Teacher’s Kit" known as the CAPCO Science Class Challenge Kit. This kit contains all necessary materials to teach students about the earth’s protective ozone layer, CFCs, and aerosol products.
State Farm distributes a teaching package titled Movers & Shakers™. This package is designed for kindergarten through 12th grade and focuses on earthquake preparedness. The kit includes a video, lesson plans, supplementary handouts, and a poster. It is endorsed by the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Coordinated Council of Emergency Management, and the Central United States Earthquake Consortium. To obtain this free kit for a school, a State Farm agent must be contacted. The required information includes the name of the school, street address (no P.O. Boxes), and the name of the teacher who will use the program.
GE Lighting provides an interactive unit and a GELA (General Lighting Education Lesson Plan) accessible at http://www.gelighting.com/na/businesslighting/educationresources/learnaboutlight/.
Mineral Information Institute offers free downloads of lessons, activities, guides, student pages, and background information.
NEF (National Energy Foundation) provides "Think Energy Teaching Materials" in several packets for different grade levels. These materials cover topics related to natural gas safety, energy sources, energy conservation, and transportation.
Digital and Downloadable Resources
Various organizations offer downloadable content such as booklets, posters, and articles suitable for classroom use.
NASA provides several resources, including the Mars Activity Booklet, a downloadable booklet of activities for classes about Mars. NASA also offers the Mars -- The Red Planet Poster, which features an overview of what NASA has learned about the Red Planet. Additionally, NASA offers Earth Science Games for Kids.
Research Penn State published an Astrobiology Supplement article in January 2001, based on lectures from the Frontiers of Science Lecture series. Written at a high school level, this PDF supplement is appropriate for educators, students, researchers, and the community. It is available on the site of the Center for History of Physics at the American Institute of Physics.
The Center for History of Physics at the American Institute of Physics also hosts an audiovisual exhibit called Moments of Discovery. This exhibit uses the actual voices of leading scientists to explore major discoveries and teach science. It is designed for classroom use and individual study at high school or beginning college levels. Lesson plans, discussion questions, and exercises provided by 2000–2001 NSTA President Arthur Eisenkraft encourage its use in the classroom.
National Geophysical Data Center offers full-sized posters for a reasonable price.
External Educational Resources and Organizations
The available data lists several other organizations and resources that support science education, though their specific free sample policies are not detailed.
American Geophysical Institute (AGI) connects Earth, science, and people and runs Earth Science Week to help the public gain a better understanding of Earth Sciences.
National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) is a volunteer organization that raises the quality of teaching geosciences. Membership includes online access to the Journal of Geoscience Education (JGE), professional development workshops, and online teaching resources.
National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA) is a nonprofit educational organization founded in 1983.
National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) is the largest organization committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching. It has a membership of 55,000, including teachers, supervisors, administrators, scientists, and business representatives. NSTA Chapters and associated groups are available by state.
Other Science and STEM Resources
Source [3] lists several resources for educators, though these are not directly linked to NSTA.
CurriculA: * Willow Creek Hatchery "Salmon in the Classroom" Curriculum: A guide for education at salmon hatcheries. * Drain Rangers: Student-based inquiries to understand stormwater and clean water actions. * Native Knowledge 360 Lessons and Resources: Lessons about the culture and history of native peoples in the Pacific Northwest. * Padilla Bay: Estuary activities from Padilla Bay National Estuarine Reserve. * Willow Creek Salmon & Watershed Education Center: Offers inquiries for raising salmon in the classroom.
Lesson Databases: * NJCTL Course Materials: Course materials for various subjects from New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning.
Events and Trainings: * PEI Trainings and Workshops: NGSS-aligned events organized by the Pacific Education Institute.
Salmon Games and Videos: * Salmon Challenges: An educational game simulating the swim to spawning grounds. * Salmon Hatchery Tour: A virtual tour of a hatchery in Edmonds, WA.
Resources on Salmonids: * SalmonScape Map: WDFW's salmon mapping system showing distribution, status, and habitats. * FishViews: Virtual river exploration with water quality data for Washington’s large rivers.
Source [4] lists various STEM-related programs and resources, including: * DreamBox Learning (online K-8 Math Program) * Women in Mftg & Technology Program (from GM & Focus: HOPE) * Hi-tech Summer Camps for kids in Metro Detroit (2017) * List of STEM Degrees * K-12 Coding in Education Laws by State * 11 websites to learn to code for free (2017) * Michigan Coding (in partnership w/ Code.org) * "Smore", Science Magazine for Girls * Ozobot (coding toy for kids) * National Computer Summer Camp Search * NSTA Teacher & Student Competitions * STEM.org, STEMxNetwork, STEMconnector, Million Women Mentors, Battelle * Science News & Discoveries App * STEM Training Programs * Michigan Leaders in STEM * Michigan Tech University's Mind Trekkers * Robofest: Lawrence Tech University * Square One Educational Network * IGVC: Intelligent Ground Vehicle Competition * Future City
Source [5] provides links to additional resources: * NSSDC (National Space Science Data Center): Provides discipline-specific pages for Space Physics, Solar Physics, Astronomy and Astrophysics, Planetary Science, and Earth Science. * National Geographic Online: Offers magazine content, activities for younger children, and resources for students and teachers regarding environmental issues, careers, and famous biologists. * Education at the University of Illinois (MSTE): The Office for Math, Science and Technology Education compiles a comprehensive list of math and science resources for educators.
Conclusion
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) serves as a central hub for free educational resources, offering publications like Bright Ideas, supplier coupons, and a dedicated freebies page. Specific classroom kits, such as the CAPCO Science Class Challenge Kit and the State Farm Movers & Shakers™ package, are available at no cost to schools upon request or registration. Digital resources, including NASA’s Mars activities and various lesson plans from organizations like the Mineral Information Institute and NEF, further support educators. While many other science and STEM resources exist through organizations like AGI, NAGT, and various university programs, consumers and educators seeking specifically "freebies" should focus on the direct offerings from NSTA and the specific manufacturers and organizations listed in the classroom kits section.