Teaching Resources
Geoscience education research involves the development, application, and testing of new teaching innovations and curricula, research questions, and hypotheses. NAGT is pleased to host an array of resources for the geoscience education research community.
NAGT works to foster improvement in the teaching of the Earth sciences at all levels of formal and informal instruction, to emphasize the cultural significance of the Earth sciences and to disseminate knowledge in this field to the general public. We support research-based teaching through professional development workshops and the sharing of cutting edge teaching materials.
Teach the Earth
Geoscience Literacy Documents
NAGT is committed to improving geoscience education across the curriculum. This is particularly important as we face complex societal challenges to which geoscience perspectives can lend critical insight. Over the last several years, a number of efforts have defined key aspects of the geosciences in terms of the big ideas that need to be understood by students, the public, and policy makers. Click the images to learn more about the Geoscience Literacy documents and find some related teaching resources:
Special Collections
Teaching in the Field: Field trips are an important part of many geoscience courses and programs. This special collection developed by NAGT drew upon the vast expertise on Teaching in the Field present in the society's membership. It features information on Safety in the Field as well as a collection of field trip descriptions and how they are used in courses.
Rock and Mineral Exchange Program: This service from NAGT and MSA aims to bring these educators together so that surplus resources can be moved between institutions as a way of improving educational opportunities for some and freeing up space for others. Here you can browse through postings related to specimens that other users are making available as well as those related to specimens being sought.
Using on-line volcano monitoring data in college and university courses: The Volcano Exploration Project: Puʻu ʻŌʻō (VEPP): Following from a workshop in 2010, teaching activities and teaching resources, such as how to use the VEPP website, were created that promote awareness and use of the VEPP Web site for the college classroom, as well as suggestions for improvements and modifications.
2017 Solar Eclipse: The solar eclipse on August 21st, 2017 was the first eclipse to cross the US in 99 years! NAGT provided access to a number of eclipse related resources.
Teaching with Maps: Created as a part of AGI's Earth Science Week 2013, this resource helps K12 teachers use maps in the classroom to invite curiosity, encourage exploration, and inspire problem solving.
Teaching Systems: Created as a part of AGI's Earth Science Week 2014, this resource helps K12 teachers encourage students to think in terms of Earth's systems to unite concepts and help them to understand the 'big picture' of why they are learning about the Earth.
Get Involved
Join NAGT
Share in a diverse community of geoscientists and educators who support each other by sharing their expertise. Get discounts to NAGT events, find opportunities to collaborate, recognize colleagues and students with awards and scholarships, and more.
Geoscience WorkshopsNAGT sponsors geoscience workshops for faculty development and resource creation.
Rock and Mineral ExchangeThis service from NAGT and MSA aims to bring together educators looking for samples for their classroom and others with samples available for donation or trade.
Contribute to the NAGT collectionsYou can help build the NAGT teaching collections and share your innovative expertise by submitting your own field trip activity, course description, or other kind of activity. Even if it's old hat to you, your colleagues across the country have a lot to learn from you.
You can also contribute to the collections by hosting a session at a professional meeting. The session should aim to collect activities and/or course materials, which NAGT can help store and disseminate via the website. Another avenue is to request NAGT to sponsor your program, which typically means endorsement of your program that support of the mission of the organization. View examples of sponsored program sites.