Outreach Education

The Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences recognizes the need and takes seriously its responsibility to share our understanding of the Earth with the greater community. Consequently, we offer programs for K-12 students and their teachers.

We aim to bring a basic knowledge of Earth, energy and environmental sciences to as many people as possible. From GeoKids, in which young people get to know rocks, minerals, fossils, and soils through hands-on activities, to our public lectures aimed at interested, non-expert citizens who wish to be better informed about issues of current importance, we hope to engage everyone in the Earth, energy and environmental sciences. For teachers of older students, we offer check-out kits and workshops to supplement science curriculum and strengthen teacher confidence when presenting scientific material.

K-12 Programs

By working with budding scientists and current science students, we offer programs to broaden their understanding of the scientific process. The programs help students understand Earth and environmental sciences. The programs are offered free of cost to students and teachers of our local community.

Geokids Program

What could be better than a morning of constructing fossils, soil painting and the lava game? First and second graders from local public schools come on a field trip to explore and experience these fun and engaging activities at Stanford.  learn more

Stanford Earth Young Investigators

At the School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences, high school interns spend 8 weeks in the summer working in different laboratories. The interns work on existing research projects and are supervised directly by graduate students, post docs and lab managers. Learn more

Sea Lion Bowl

Since 2015, we host the northern California regional competition of the National Ocean Science Bowl. Named the Sea Lion Bowl, high school teams in a quiz bowl style competition show off their knowledge of ocean science, marine cultural history and ocean policy. Learn more

Teacher Programs

To support Earth sciences being taught in the schools, we provide opportunities for teachers to learn about Earth science along with ways for them to bring current research into their classrooms. Professional development workshops are designed to support teachers in public classrooms by providing connections to the California state standards. In addition we continue to develop educational resources such as curriculum and teaching kits to enhance classroom learning.

• News from 2015: Teachers ask the big questions about our changing planet

Geoscape Bay Area for Earth Sciences Teachers

We invite Earth science teachers to professional development program about how to understand Earth sciences in the San Francisco Bay Area. Learn about current scientific research and understanding of the local geoscape. A geoscape is a way to look at the geological landscape - water resources, natural hazards, and earth resources - as well as ways to approach these topics in the classroom. Learn more

Climate Change Education

We can see what is happening right now on Earth which includes climate change, and the rocks provide us a history of Earth. In 2015, we offered a workshop on understanding global change.  Learn more

We offer a climate change curriculum for you and your students. Through this project teachers learn the basic concepts of climate and climate change as well as the latest understandings of climate science and policy. Learn more

Mercury in the Environment

From 2005-2009, we offered a workshop on Mercury in the Environment for high school science teachers, funded by the National Science Foundation. Learn more

For more information about these programs, please email Director of Outreach Education Jennifer Saltzman, or call her at (650) 725-2410.