National Science Teaching Association
The National Science Teaching Association, founded in 1944 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, is an association of science teachers in the United States and is the largest organization of science teachers worldwide. NSTA's current membership of roughly 40,000 includes science teachers, science supervisors, administrators, scientists, business and industry representatives, and others involved in and committed to science education.
The Association publishes a professional journal for each level of science teaching; a newspaper, NSTA Reports; and many other educational books and professional publications. Each year NSTA conducts a national conference and a series of area conferences. These events attract over 30,000 attendees annually. The Association serves as an advocate for science educators by keeping its members and the general public informed about national issues and trends in science education.
History
NSTA was formed by the merger of two existing non-professional organizations, the American Science Teachers Association and the American Council of Science Teachers, at a July 1944 meeting in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The organization was initially headquartered at Cornell University. This first permanent headquarters, purchased in 1972, was located on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, D.C., and then moved to Arlington, Virginia in 1994.
Position statements
NSTA is engaged in an ongoing effort to "identify the qualities and standards of good science education," publishing its findings in the form of position statements. These position statements are developed by science educators, scientists, and other national experts in science education, and the input of NSTA's membership is solicited before final approval by the board of directors. Over 35 topics are covered, including The Nature of Science, Safety and Science Instruction, The Teaching of Evolution, Environmental education, Responsible Use of Live Animals and Dissection in the Science Classroom, Gender Equity in Science Education, and Use of the Metric System.
In 2018, the NSTA urged teachers to "emphasize to students that no scientific controversy exists regarding the basic facts of climate change."
Science Matters
Science Matters is a major public awareness and engagement campaign designed to rekindle a national sense of urgency and action among schools and families about the importance of science education and science literacy. Science Matters builds on the success of the Building a Presence for Science program, first launched in 1997 as an e-networking initiative to assist teachers of science with professional development opportunities. The Building a Presence for Science network—now the Science Matters network—reaches readers in 34 states and the District of Columbia.
Publications
Peer-reviewed journals:Science and Children, elementary level, established in 1963Science Scope, middle level, established in 1983The Science Teacher, high school, established in 1950Journal of College Science TeachingNSTA Recommends – review recommendations of science-teaching materialsConnected Science Learning', linking in-school and out-of-school STEM learning
Books:
NSTA's publishing arm, NSTA Press, publishes 20–25 new titles per year. The NSTA Science Store offers selected publications from other publishers in addition to NSTA Press books.
NSTA student chapters
In addition to state/province chapters and associated groups, NSTA has over 100 student chapters. NSTA and the student chapters are separate but interdependent organizations that have elected to ally themselves to encourage professional development and networking of preservice teachers of science from across the United States and Canada.
NSTA affiliates
As of 2018, NSTA has the following affiliates:
Outstanding Science Trade Books Award
This award is a joint project of NSTA and the Children’s Book Council. It has been awarded since 1973.
2022
The Beak Book, by Robin PageBeavers: Radical Rodents and Ecosystem Engineers, by Frances BackhouseThe Body Book, illustrated by Hannah AliceCurious About Fish, by Cathryn Sill, illustrated by John SillThe Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet, by David L. Harrison, illustrated by Kate CosgroveDisasters by the Numbers: A Book of Infographics, by Steve JenkinsDr. Fauci: How a Boy from Brooklyn Became America's Doctor, by Kate Messner, illustrated by Alexandra ByeEvelyn Hooker and the Fairy Project, by Gayle E. Pitman, illustrated by Sarah GreenFearless World Traveler: Adventures of Marianne North, Botanical Artist, by Laurie Lawlor, illustrated by Becca StadtlanderFossils from Lost Worlds, by Damien Laverdunt, Hélène RajcakFred & Marjorie: A Doctor, a Dog, and the Discovery of Insulin, by Deborah Kerbel, illustrated by Angela PoonFungarium: Welcome to the Museum, by Ester Gaya, illustrated by Katie ScottHello, Earth!: Poems to Our Planet, by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Miren Asiain LoraHistory Smashers: Plagues and Pandemics, by Kate Messner, illustrated by Falynn KochIf Bees Disappeared, by Lily WilliamsInside In: X-Rays of Nature's Hidden World, by Jan Paul Schutten, illustrated by Arie van 't RietA Life Electric: The Story of Nikola Tesla, by Azadeh Westergaard, illustrated by Júlia SardàMasters of Disguise: Camouflaging Creatures & Magnificent Mimics, by Marc MartinOcean Planet: Animals of the Sea and Shore, by Ben RotheryOver and Under the Canyon, by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Silas NealPooper Snooper, by Jennifer Keats Curtis and Julianne Ubigau, illustrated by Phyllis SaroffSaving Sorya: Chang Sun Bear, by Trang Nguyen, illustrated by Jeet ZdungScientists: Inspiring Tales of the World's Brightest Scientific Minds, by Isabel Thomas, illustrated by Jessamy HawkeThe Secret Life of the Sloth, by Laurence Pringle, illustrated by Kate GarchinskyShe Persisted: Virginia Apgar, by Sayantani DasGupta and Chelsea Clinton, illustrated by Alexandra Boiger and Gillian FlintSummertime Sleepers: Animals That Estivate, by Melissa Stewart, illustrated by Sarah BrannenTracking Tortoises: The Mission to Save a Galápagos Giant, by Kate MessnerWonder Women of Science: Twelve Geniuses Who Are Currently Rocking Science, Technology, and the World, by Tiera Fletcher and Ginger Rue, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport
2021
Animal Homes, by Mary HollandAtomic Women: The Untold Stories of the Scientists Who Helped Create the Nuclear Bomb, by Roseanne MontilloAudubon Birding Adventures for Kids: Activities and Ideas for Watching, Feeding, and Housing Our Feathered Friends, by Elissa Wolfson and Margaret BarkerThe Big Bang Book, by Asa Stahl, illustrated by Carly Allen-FletcherThe Big One: The Cascadia Earthquakes and the Science of Saving Lives, by Elizabeth RuschBlood and Germs: The Civil War Battle Against Wounds and Disease, by Gail JarrowBones: An Inside Look at the Animal Kingdom, by Jules Howard, illustrated by Chervelle FryerBorn Curious: 20 Girls Who Grew Up to Be Awesome Scientists, by Martha Freeman, illustrated by Katy WuBright Dreams: The Brilliant Inventions of Nikola Tesla, by Tracy DockrayChanging the Equation: 50+ US Black Women in STEM, by Tonya Bolden Condor Comeback, by Sy Montgomery, photographed by Tianne StrombeckDarwin's Rival: Alfred Russel Wallace and the Search for Evolution, by Christiane Dorion, illustrated by Harry TennantDinosaur Lady: The Daring Discoveries of Mary Anning, the First Paleontologist, by Linda Skeers, illustrated by Marta Álvarez MiguénsExploring the Elements: A Complete Guide to the Periodic Table, by Isabel Thomas, illustrated by Sara GillinghamGrow: Secrets of Our DNA, by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Emily Sutton If You Take Away the Otter, by Susannah Buhrman-Deever, illustrated by Matthew TruemanJourney Under the Arctic , by Fabien Cousteau and James O. Fraioli, illustrated by Joe St. PierreJumbo: The Making of the Boeing 747, by Chris Gall, illustrated by Chris GallThe Kitchen Pantry Scientist: Chemistry for Kids: Homemade Science Experiments and Activities Inspired by Awesome Chemists, Past and Present, by Liz Lee HeineckeMarjory Saves the Everglades: The Story of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, by Sandra Neil Wallace, illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon Nesting, by Henry Cole, illustrated by Henry ColeNorth Pole / South Pole: From Pole to Pole: A Flip Book, by Michael Bright, illustrated by Nic JonesOld Enough to Save the Planet, by Loll Kirby, illustrated by Adelina LiriusPacks: Strength in Numbers, by Hannah SalyerPika Country: Climate Change at the Top of the World, by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent and Marlo Garnsworthy, photographed by Dan HartmanPlasticus Maritimus: An Invasive Species, by Ana Pêgo and Isabel Minhós Martins, illustrated by Bernardo P. CarvalhoThe Polio Pioneer, by Linda Elovitz Marshall, illustrated by Lisa AnchinPretty Tricky: The Sneaky Ways Plants Survive, by Etta Kaner, illustrated by Ashley BarronReturn from Extinction: The Triumph of the Elephant Seal, by Linda L. RichardsSea Otters: A Survival Story, by Isabelle GrocTo Fly Among the Stars: The Hidden Story of the Fight for Women Astronauts, by Rebecca SiegelWhat Do Scientists Do All Day?, by Jane Wilsher, illustrated by Maggie LiWhat Do You Do If You Work at the Zoo?, by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page, illustrated by Steve JenkinsWildlife Ranger Action Guide: Track, Spot & Provide Healthy Habitat for Creatures Close to Home, by Mary Kay Carson
Best STEM Books Award
Best STEM Books is a joint project of NSTA and CBC since 2017 that represents the year’s best children’s books with STEM content.
2023
Action!: How Movies Began, by Meghan McCarthyThe Amazing World of Video Game Development, by Denis GalaninAmerican Murderer: The Parasite That Haunted the South, by Gail JarrowBear Builds a House, by Maxwell Eaton IIIBlast Off!: How Mary Sherman Morgan Fueled America Into Space, by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Sally Wern ComportBlips on a Screen: How Ralph Baer Invented TV Video Gaming and Launched a Worldwide Obsession, by Kate Hannigan, illustrated by Zachariah OhoraBreak Down: Explosions, Implosions, Crashes, Crunches, Cracks, and More...A How Things Work Look at How Things Don't, by Mara GrunbaumConcrete: From the Ground Up, by Larissa Theule, illustrated by Steve LightEdward Lorenz and the Chaotic Butterflies, by Robert Black, illustrated by Christopher Tice How Science Saved the Eiffel Tower, by Emma Bland Smith, illustrated by Lia VisirinHow to Hear the Universe: Gaby González and the Search for Einstein's Ripples in Space-Time, by Patricia Valdez, illustrated by Sara PalaciosImhotep of Ancient Kemet, by Ekiuwa Aire, illustrated by Anastasia Kyrpenko and Simbarashe Langton VeraIn Our Garden, by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Melissa CrowtonLion Lights: My Invention That Made Peace with Lions, by Richard Turere and Shelly Pollock, illustrated by Sonia PossentiniThe Mystery of the Monarchs: How Kids, Teachers, and Butterfly Fans Helped Fred and Norah Urquhart Track the Great Monarch Migration, by Barb Rosenstock, illustrated by Erika MezaNo Boundaries: 25 Women Explorers and Scientists Share Adventures, Inspiration, and Advice, by Gabby Salazar and Clare FieselerPenny, the Engineering Tail of the Fourth Little Pig, by Kimberly Derting and Shelli R. Johannes, illustrated by Hannah MarksScience Comics: Bridges: Engineering Masterpieces, by Dan ZettwochShow and Tell! Great Graphs and Smart Charts: An Introduction to Infographics, by Stuart J. Murphy, illustrated by Teresa BellónSleuth & Solve: Science: 20+ Mind-Twisting Mysteries, by Ana Gallo, illustrated by Victor EscandellSomething Great, by Jeanette BradleySuperpower?: The Wearable-Tech Revolution, by Elaine Kachala, illustrated by Belle WuthrichWhat Is Math?, by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, illustrated by Sachiko YoshikawaZhang Heng and the Incredible Earthquake Detector, by Randel McGee
2022
Amara and the Bats, by Emma ReynoldsArtificial Intelligence, by Dinah WilliamsBenoit Mandelbrot: Reshaping the World, by Robert BlackBicycle: Eureka! The Biography of an Idea, by Lori Haskins Houran, illustrated by Aaron CushleyA Shot in the Arm: Big Ideas that Changed the World #3, by Don BrownBones Unearthed, by Kerrie Logan HollihanBuilding Zaha: The Story of Architect Zaha Hadid, by Victoria Tentler-KrylovClassified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer, by Traci Sorell, illustrated by Natasha DonovanCode Breaker, Spy Hunter: How Elizebeth Friedman Changed the Course of Two World Wars, by Laurie Wallmark, illustrated by Brooke SmartCougar Crossing: How Hollywood's Celebrity Cougar Helped Build a Bridge for City Wildlife, by Meeg Pincus, illustrated by Alexander VidalEat Bugs! #1: Project Startup, by Heather AlexanderEinstein: The Fantastic Journey of a Mouse Through Space and Time, by Torben KuhlmannFrom Here to There: Inventions That Changed the Way the World Moves, by Vivian Kirkfield, illustrated by Gilbert FordGlasses: Eureka! The Biography of an Idea, by The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London’s Poop Pollution Problem, by Colleen Paeff, illustrated by Nancy CarpenterLady Bird Johnson, That's Who!: The Story of a Cleaner and Greener America, by Tracy Nelson Maurer, illustrated by Ginnie HsuThe Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest, by Heather Lang, illustrated by Jana ChristyA Life Electric: The Story of Nikola Tesla, by Azadeh Westergaard, illustrated by Júlia SardàLight Bulb: Eureka! The Biography of an Idea, by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld, illustrated by Stephanie DehenninLook, Grandma! Ni, Elisi!, by Art Coulson, illustrated by Madelyn GoodnightLuna's Yum Yum Dim Sum, by Natasha Yim, illustrated by Violet KimMaxine Greatest Garden Ever, by Ruth Spiro, illustrated by Holly HatamMimic Makers: Biomimicry Inventors Inspired by Nature, by Kristen Nordstrom, illustrated by Paul BostonMolly and the Mathematical Mysteries: Ten Interactive Adventures in Mathematical Wonderland, by Eugenia Cheng, illustrated by Aleksandra ArtymowskaRace to the Bottom of the Earth: Surviving Antarctica, by Rebecca E. F. BaroneScene of The Crime: Tracking Down Criminals with Forensic Science, by HP NewquistSecrets of the Sea: The Story of Jeanne Power, Revolutionary Marine Scientist, by Evan Griffith, illustrated by Joannie StoneSomeone Builds the Dream, by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Loren LongThe Stuff Between the Stars: How Vera Rubin Discovered Most of the Universe, by Sandra Nickel, illustrated by Aimée SicuroThank You, Dr. Salk!: The Scientist Who Beat Polio and Healed the World, by Dean Robbins, illustrated by Mike DuttonUma Wimple Charts Her House, by Reif Larsen, illustrated by Ben GibsonUpstream, Downstream: Exploring Watershed Connections, by Rowena RaeWhat Is Nintendo?, by Gina ShawWonder Women of Science: Twelve Geniuses Who Are Currently Rocking Science, Technology, and the World, by Tiera Fletcher and Ginger Rue, illustrated by Sally Wern Comport