NSTA Anaheim 2026: Discover OpenSciEd and NGSS-Aligned Science Curriculum with Activate Learning
We're Bringing the Science to Anaheim
The Activate Learning team can't wait to connect with science educators from across the country on April 15-18, 2026, at the 2026 NSTA National Conference in Anaheim, CA. From elementary grades to high school, we'll have lots to share, including exciting curriculum insights, interactive digital product demos, professional learning sessions, and a happy hour you won't want to miss. Whether you're exploring new science programs for your district, looking to deepen your OpenSciEd implementation, or simply eager to connect with like-minded educators, we'd love to see you there.
Here's a full look at what Activate Learning has in store at NSTA Anaheim 2026.
What’s In Store at Booth #555
At our booth, explore all of our NGSS-aligned, K-12 science programs, including:
OpenSciEd K-12: As a certified OpenSciEd distributor and professional learning provider, we bring together the digital platform, print materials, science kits, and expert professional learning support to make OpenSciEd implementation work for every classroom.
EarthComm 4th Edition: Explore the reimagined EarthComm high school earth science program, now with sustainability woven throughout as a central theme, connecting human activity, Earth's systems, and global responsibility.
Active Integrated Physics and Chemistry™ (Active IPC): Discover how Active IPC uses project-based learning to put students at the center of high school physical science, fully aligned with NGSS and built for the 21st-century classroom.
IQWST® (Investigating and Questioning our World through Science and Technology): Our research-based middle school curriculum puts students at the center of their own learning. Through hands-on investigations, real-world phenomena, and the Claim, Evidence & Reasoning (CER) framework, IQWST transforms students into scientific thinkers and has the flexibility to meet state standards while aligning with NGSS.
In addition to exploring our curriculum programs, learn more about our digital products, including:
Activate Learning Insight™: See our supplemental assessment platform for middle and high school in action! With hundreds of pre-made, NGSS-aligned assessments, AI-assisted feedback and scoring, and NEW Guided Practice Activities.
Activate Learning Virtual Investigations™: Experience how Activate Learning Virtual Investigations™ extend OpenSciEd Middle School learning beyond the classroom.
Activate Learning Digital Platform: Explore our all-in-one platform that connects educators to curriculum, professional learning, and student accessibility tools in one streamlined experience.
Plus, snag some free science teacher swag like our popular “What’s Your Evidence?” t-shirts, fun stickers, and other goodies! The Activate Learning Team will be ready to answer any questions you may have, guide you through Live demos, and help you find the right fit for your school or district.
Grow with Our Professional Learning Sessions
Ideas in Motion: Using Discussion to Build Scientific Understanding in a High School OpenSciEd Classroom
Date: Thursday, April 16, at 8:00 AM-9:00 AM
Room 213C
Presented by: Faith Blaine and Tracy Marmolejo
Classroom communities make sense of scientific phenomena through discussion. Purposeful talk is essential for drawing out student ideas, negotiating and refining those ideas, and supporting communication in scientific ways. This session focuses on the discussion types used in OpenSciEd high school classrooms to support 3-dimensional sensemaking. In this session, come see what makes us different! Participants will explore how discussion helps connect science and engineering practices with disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts, making student thinking visible and actionable.
From Vision to Practice: One District’s 3-Dimensional Learning Journey with OpenSciEd
Date: Thursday, April 16, at 10:50 AM - 11:50 AM
Room 213C
Presented by: Tracy Marmolejo, Jen Gutierrez, and Faith Blaine
Leander ISD, TX, made a deliberate shift from traditional science instruction to fully embracing 3-D teaching and learning as envisioned by NGSS and their state standards, placing student sensemaking and classroom discussion at the center of instruction. Learn how they implemented OpenSciEd through a thoughtful, step-by-step process that built teacher capacity, aligned curriculum, and sustained momentum over time. The session highlights how purposeful discussion became the engine for connecting science and engineering practices with disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts. Gain insight into the professional learning structures, leadership supports, and instructional strategies that helped educators navigate challenges and bring phenomenon-driven, student-centered science to life. Leave with practical ideas, lessons learned, and inspiration to spark your own district’s transformation, putting student ideas in motion through talk, sensemaking, and shared understanding.
Transforming Elementary Science: How OpenSciEd Brings 3-Dimensional Teaching and Learning to Life
Date: Thursday, April 16, at 1:00 PM -2:00 PM
Room 213C
Presented by: Tracy Marmolejo and Jen Gutierrez
Transform your elementary science program with OpenSciEd Elementary, now available through Activate Learning. By leveraging the principles of inquiry-based learning, OpenSciEd Elementary empowers young learners to explore scientific concepts through real-world phenomena, sparking curiosity and fostering a lifelong love for science. As a certified OpenSciEd partner, Activate Learning is here to help your team make the shifts to 3-dimensional teaching and learning. In this session, come see what makes us different! We’ll engage like students and learn deeper as educators. Additional supports and resources will be shared to help anyone return to the classroom with a plethora of resources and support.
Making Student Thinking Visible: Supporting and Accessing 3-Dimensional Sensemaking with OpenSciEd
Date: Thursday, April 16, at 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM
Room 213C
Presented by: Faith Blaine and Jen Gutierrez
The Framework calls for an assessment system that supports teacher autonomy and multiple ways for students to demonstrate their ability to reason with the three dimensions. In OpenSciEd, assessments are embedded in the unit, options include self- and peer-assessment, and multi-component tasks. This shift to OSE provides students with 3-dimensional opportunities to work through and demonstrate their use of science practices, application of crosscutting concepts, and understanding of science content. In this session, come see what makes us different! Participants will learn about the elements of three-dimensional assessments, analyze assessments with student work, and become familiar with the OSE Assessment System and OSE Grading Planning Tool, which we’ll explore both lesson-level and Unit-level assessment approaches to supporting all students’ sense-making through the learnings.
Activate Learning Virtual Investigations: Virtual Labs That Extend OpenSciEd Learning
Date: Thursday, April 16, at 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM
Room 213C
Presented by: Casey Killett, K-8 Science Program Specialist, Auburn School District (WA), and Tori Coyle, M.Ed., Activate Learning
Activate Learning Virtual Investigations™ bring interactive, curriculum-aligned OpenSciEd Middle School labs to life anytime, anywhere. Designed to complement hands-on investigations, these virtual labs support students who miss a lab, need extra practice, or benefit from reviewing key concepts before assessments, helping them return to class ready to engage in sensemaking. Join educators from Auburn School District (WA) as they share how Activate Learning Virtual Investigations™ increase access to phenomena, support diverse learners, and make it easier to keep all students moving forward, even when a teacher is absent and a substitute teacher is leading the class!
A Magical Evening Awaits
Enchanted Educators Happy Hour
Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026
Time: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: Ballast Point Brewing Anaheim
1540 Disneyland Drive #201, Anaheim, CA 92802
After a full day of learning, unwind with us in Downtown Disney! We're hosting the Enchanted Educators Happy Hour at Ballast Point Brewing, an evening of great food, cold drinks, and great conversation with fellow science educators. Get a closer look at our latest K-12 solutions and OpenSciEd offerings in a relaxed, fun setting.
Click below to request more information about the event!
Science Education is Better Together
We hope to see you in Anaheim! Whether you stop by Booth #555, join one of our workshops, or raise a glass with us at the Enchanted Educators Happy Hour, we'd love the chance to connect and learn alongside you. Science education is better when we grow together, and that starts with conversations like the ones we'll have at NSTA 2026. See you there!
