STEAM in Montana

Zero Waste Ambassadors Program (ZWAP!) is an innovative approach to reduce demand on resources, tread more lightly on our public lands, and inspire the next generation of sustainability leaders. This award-winning, STEM-aligned education program now reaches almost 100% of Missoula’s 5th graders annually. Interactive classroom visits, a hands-on field trip to our reuse center, and a tour of Missoula’s landfill teach students about local and global waste impacts. Try out the ZWAP! curriculum anytime and anywhere with ZWAP! Online! Start by taking a quick quiz, then follow the steps, watch the videos and complete it again at the end.

Aimed at informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in STEM, this collaborative offers resources and programs throughout the state of Montana. Check out their website for resources, webinars, and more - all related to bringing more STEM resources to girls across the state.

spectrUM has created a full page of science resources and activities that can be done at home. These resources include fun science YouTube videos, neuroscience activities in honor of Brain Science Week, websites, and science apps!

The Missoula Butterfly House & Insectarium is hosting weekly "Bug Encounter" live streams on their Facebook page every Monday and Wednesday at 1:00pm. Check out their Online Bug Encounters page, which will allow you to access past bug encounters and family-friendly bug activities you can do at home!

The education team at MontanaPBS has created a selection of educational resources for grades 1-12. These media resources are accessible by educators, parents, and families right from their homes! They have also collected a list of virtual and professional development assets for educators, as well as a list of educational resources for all grade levels.

ExplorationWorks is offering easy, exciting at-home science experiments that can be done from the comforts of your home! Their YouTube video series, Science @ Home With Sara, will lead you through fun science experiments! They are offering their Early Explorers program in-person with limited capacity and mask requirements.

The Montana Natural History Center has great digital resources for parents and teachers who are interested in engaging children in nature and science learning opportunities. Included in the resources is a webinar series about the Coronavirus, short 30 minute video adventures, a climate change video series, and more!

Montana Outdoor Science School has a wide collection of online learning resources including Nature Journaling and Livestream Lessons! They are also offering fun and exciting fall programs and experiences. Find details about their available programs here!

ZooMontana’s YouTube channel offers 20-30 minute lesson modules on various ecology and biology topics. Looking for more? They are also offering Skype in the Classroom sessions over the summer and into next school year for anyone interested. Director, Jeff the Nature Guy, has also been posting fun animal videos and crafts on his YouTube channel. For a full list of virtual education programs, click here!

MAPS Connects Montana is a daily online creativity project, released every Monday-Friday at 10am. Students participate by emailing in their responses, which will be shared in an online gallery! They also offer classes in Design, Film, Music, and Technology. Learn more here!

As a result of Covid-19, the education staff at the Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary has converted some of their current programs into at-home programs available to the public. Programs are suited for grades K-8. Participants are asked to simply submit a survey in return. The only request that they have is that you please fill out their Google Survey afterward so that they can collect data. If you have any questions regarding the programs, have suggestions on making these more successful, or want to share photos of you doing these activities, email their Education Manager - Eden@YellowstoneWildlife.org