8 Building Connections Between Educators and Geoscientists to Foster the Future Workforce (Posters)

Join us in sharing effective educational outreach practices and opportunities to connect geoscience researchers, educators, and outreach professionals. Topics include using data in the classroom, place-based and experiential learning, co-developing educational resources, and community engagement.

Monday, 9 March 2026
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
RCC, Lower Level Hall

Making USGS Data Accessible to the Classroom and Beyond

Paper number: 8-2
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 9:00 AM – 9:00 AM

Authors

Abstract

Real-world data and applications are essential for meeting Next Generation Science Standards. However, finding relevant and simple datasets to analyze, interpret, and incorporate into lesson plans can be challenging. The U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) produces high-quality data across the geological sciences, but integrating USGS data into classrooms can be hindered by limited awareness, lack of confidence in navigating datasets, and limited educator-ready activities. Here, we report recent and ongoing USGS efforts to increase accessibility to minerals-related data, infographics, and activities for grades K-12. The first part of this effort is to create a Mineral Resources Program Education website that is a “one-stop-shop” for USGS mineral-related education materials. The website is live (https://www. usgs. gov/programs/mineral-resources-program/science/education) and already offers many valuable resources. The second part of this effort focuses on developing new minerals-related educational content, including short activities, lesson plans, infographics, and social media campaigns to promote these resources.

The third part of this effort is a series of professional development workshops created to connect teachers with USGS resources and to generate lesson plans through teacher-scientist and teacher-teacher collaboration. The nucleus of this workshop is an online tool familiar to teachers and widely used in K-12 schools around the United States, which helps organize both USGS and external educational resources related to workshop topics, so participants can quickly locate these resources throughout the workshop and beyond. An important secondary goal of this workshop is for teachers to provide USGS scientists with insight into what types of resources are most effective and how classrooms function in practice. This synergy has already shifted our approach to developing educational resources. To date, our group has facilitated several highly successful workshops, with additional sessions planned for the coming year. Based on our preliminary work and feedback from participants, we believe this style of interaction with teachers enables us to most effectively meet the USGS mission of “…providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth…” through delivering this information directly into the hands of key stakeholders responsible for science education.  Our approach uses formats and language that will allow educators to effectively incorporate USGS data into lesson plans, increase educator confidence in navigating USGS datasets, and inspire USGS scientists and staff to create more teacher-ready activities.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 1

doi: 10.1130/abs/2026SE-411727

© Copyright 2026 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.