Virginia Association of Science Teachers

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News and Updates


  • VAST RISE Awards
  • Donna Sterling Exemplary Science Teaching Award for Elementary Teachers

Grants

  • VAST Mini Grant
  • TACT Mini Grant to Enhance Teaching of Chemistry
  • Shirley Sypolt Memorial Mini-grant for Elementary Education 

2026 Professional Development Institute

November 12-14, 2026

Hotel Madison, Harrisonburg, VA


Make a Lasting Impact with a Donation to VAST!

You can make a lasting contribution to science education in Virginia!

Donating is easy: simply click on the link below. All donations are tax-deductible, and every dollar you contribute goes directly toward advancing science education in the Commonwealth.

Click here to make a donation. Thank you.

Upcoming events

  • Physics Content Primer: Rotational Motion

    • 02/03/2026
    • 4:15 PM - 5:45 PM
    • VIRTUAL
    • 15 registrants
    Register

    Whether you've been teaching physics for decades or this is your first year, a refresher on the physics content can be super helpful in preparing you to teach your next unit, especially for AP and dual enrollment courses. In this webinar, we will get a conceptual primer on topics related to rotational motion (rotational kinematics, Newton's Laws in rotation, rotational energy, angular momentum, etc.), with emphasis on teaching strategies for tricky concepts, real-world applications, and what students need to be successful for their next physics class. 

    This is the first in a series, to be followed by a webinar on Oscillations and another on Fluids later in the semester.


    Presenters: Gabriel Niculescu, Physics Professor (JMU) and CeeCee Bishop, Physics Instructor (CBGS)


    Show details

  • Science and Literacy Integration: The Science Classroom Meets the Science of Reading

    • 02/10/2026
    • 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
    • VIRTUAL
    • 10 registrants
    Register

    Today’s teacher has a multitude to accomplish each day. How do we fit it all in? In this webinar, we share how using rich, inquiry-based learning will not only build science knowledge but also the skills needed to increase language comprehension.
    We build on principles from the language comprehension side of Scarborough’s Reading Rope as we introduce, explore, and make sense of science concepts in today’s classroom. Learn how three-dimensional science teaching and learning provides meaningful context to develop language comprehension.

    Speaker: Leslie Lausten, Professional Learning Specialist, School Specialty

    Show details

  • Introduction to Data Science

    • 02/11/2026
    • 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
    • VIRTUAL
    • 4 registrants
    Register

    Join Dr. Padhu Seshaiyer and Eric Rhoades for a webinar that makes data science easy to understand and apply in the classroom. Learn what data science is, why it’s important, and how it can help students think critically and solve real-world problems. This session will share simple ideas and practical tips for bringing data science into science lessons, even if you’re new to the topic. Perfect for teachers looking to inspire curiosity and engage students with the power of data!

    Speakers: Dr. Padmanabhan Seshaiyer, George Mason University
    Eric Rhoades, VAST Past President

    Show details

  • "Sensemaking & the Virginia Science SOLs Supporting Deep Understanding Through Inquiry-Based Instruction "

    • 02/24/2026
    • 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
    • VIRTUAL
    • 9 registrants
    Register

    This engaging virtual workshop is designed for K–8 educators who want to strengthen science instruction through sensemaking—the process where students make meaning of scientific ideas by asking questions, investigating, analyzing data, and constructing explanations. Participants will explore how sensemaking is embedded in the Virginia Science Standards of Learning (SOLs) and how it can be effectively implemented in today's classroom.

    Speaker: Leslie Lausten, Professional Learning Specialist, School Specialty

    Show details

  • Accessible Biology Labs!

    • 03/02/2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • VIRTUAL
    Register

    Ever wonder why your labs may not reach some students? Join the Science for All Committee as they present ready-made labs for Biology Teachers! Come learn tips and tricks for successful labs with diverse groups. Labs are complete with scaffolds, reading, and graphing. All you have to do is gather materials and print!

    Speaker: Kirsten Salonga

    Show details

  • The Virginia Academy of Science: A Collaborative Partner for Professional Development

    • 03/03/2026
    • 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
    • VIRTUAL
    • Be the first
    Register

    The Virginia Academy of Science has worked for over 100 years to support scientific progress and education across the Commonwealth of Virginia.  In this webinar, we will discuss how the Academy is working to partner with VAST to provide professional development opportunities and support for the work of science instructors across Virginia.  We will also seek your input as to how this organization of Virginia scientists can best support VAST and the K-12 science instructor community in its efforts to develop the next generation of scientists.

    Speaker: Michael Wolyniak, Chair of the Science Education Committee, Virginia Academy of Science

    Show details

  • Accessible Environmental Science Labs!

    • 03/09/2026
    • 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
    • VIRTUAL
    Register

    Ever wonder why your labs may not reach some students? Join the Science for All Committee as they present ready-made labs for Biology Teachers! Come learn tips and tricks for successful labs with diverse groups. Labs are complete with scaffolds, reading, and graphing. All you have to do is gather materials and print.

    Speaker: Kirsten Salonga

    Show details

  • Planning Accessible, Phenomena-Driven Instruction for ELs

    • 03/16/2026
    • 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
    • VIRTUAL
    Register

    In today's linguistically diverse classrooms, teachers need to engage and support English learners in accessing rigorous science content. One of the most powerful ways to make science accessible for English Learners is to contextualize it in relevant phenomena. Join Dr. Alexis Rutt and the Science For All Committee for a webinar highlighting how to use phenomena-driven science instruction to teach SOL-required, abstract vocabulary and science concepts in linguistically diverse classrooms. In this session, you will experience a model lesson and learn the basics of phenomena-driven science before brainstorming phenomena to contextualize their own instruction. While this session is targeted at science teachers at any grade level who are working with English learners, many of the strategies are useful for teaching science content to all learners.

    Speaker: Dr. Alexis Rutt, James Madison University

    Show details

  • Innovate, Elevate, Accelerate: Science SOL Review

    • 03/20/2026
    • 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
    • The Founders' Inn 5641 Indian River Rd., Virginia Beach, VA 23464
    • 60
    • 40 registrants
    Register

    This interactive, hands-on workshop will equip you with review strategies to enhance
    science discourse, make thinking visible through models, explore science and
    engineering practices, strengthen vocabulary instruction, and more!

    Elementary, Middle & High School levels included along with LUNCH!

    Show details

  • Turning Science Practices into Student Habits: Strategies That Stick

    • 03/24/2026
    • 4:15 PM - 5:15 PM
    • VIRTUAL
    Register

    In this interactive professional development webinar, science teachers will explore how to meaningfully support students’ motivation, strategic thinking, and metacognitive skills while teaching science content and science practices. Together, we will examine how three widely used instructional models in science education - cognitive apprenticeship, explicit and reflective instruction, and the 5E learning cycle - naturally align with key phases of self-regulated learning (SRL). Teachers will see how modeling thinking, providing structured scaffolds, inviting student articulation, and building in opportunities for reflection can strengthen both science learning and student independence. By the end of the webinar, teachers will leave with practical routines, prompts, and instructional moves that make student thinking visible, develop metacognitive habits, and help students take greater ownership of their learning in science.
    During the session, participants will engage in hands-on activities that mirror the student experience:
    Modeling + Think-Aloud Demo: Facilitators will walk through a science task while verbalizing planning and monitoring strategies, offering teachers a concrete model of SRL-aligned cognitive apprenticeship.
    Scaffold Design Workshop: Teachers will collaborate to create scaffolds (e.g., planning guides, metacognitive prompts, reflection routines) that can be embedded into upcoming units.
    5E Lesson Re-Mix: Participants will adapt a familiar 5E lesson by integrating SRL subprocesses—planning in “Engage,” monitoring in “Explore/Explain,” and self-evaluation in “Evaluate.”
    Peer Reflection Cycle: Teachers will practice short reflection protocols that parallel what students might use in their own science classrooms.

    Speaker: Dr. Erin Peters-Burton, George Mason University

    Show details

Virginia Association of Science Teachers

communications@vast.org

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