NASA eClips and GLOBE Educators Strengthen a Regional STEM Ecosystem in Coastal Virginia
Thirty-eight science educators representing seven school districts in Virginia’s Tidewater region joined forces with community organizations, such as the Elizabeth River Project, to deepen their teaching practice through a dynamic collaboration between NASA eClips and the Global Learning and Observation to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program. Together, these groups cultivate a regional STEM ecosystem that connects classrooms, community science, and NASA resources in meaningful and sustainable ways.
As part of NASA’s Science Activation Program, NASA eClips engages educators and learners with standards-compliant resources grounded in authentic NASA science. Complementing this work, the GLOBE program allows participants to contribute to citizen science through the collection and analysis of environmental data. The partnership between these two programs creates a powerful bridge between content knowledge and real-world application, bringing Earth systems science to life for educators and learners.
Educators gathered for a three-hour professional learning experience on March 7 or April 18, 2026 at the National Institute of Aerospace in Hampton, Virginia. Through hands-on investigations, participants explored how land cover influences surface temperature, how clouds affect atmospheric conditions, and how soil plays a critical role in environmental systems. These experiences were anchored in NASA eClips resources and GLOBE protocols, providing practical strategies for teaching key Virginia Science learning standards related to weather, climate, land cover, and Earth’s energy budget.
Participants calibrated and used scientific instruments such as infrared thermometers and minimum/maximum thermometers over several days, gaining confidence in collecting accurate environmental data. They examined the urban heat island effect, participated in interactive activities including an energetic cloud dance and a demonstration of cloud opacity, and learned to contribute to their observations by practicing using the GLOBE Observer app. These immersive experiences not only reinforced content knowledge, but also demonstrated how authentic science practices can be integrated into classroom instruction.
This initiative builds on two years of intentional collaboration between NASA eClips educators from the National Institute of Aerospace’s Center for Integrative STEM Education (NIA-CISE); GLOBE scientists from NASA Langley Research Center; as well as regional school divisions and community organizations that have laid the foundation for a sustainable regional STEM ecosystem. Support from the Coastal Virginia STEM Hub, funded by the Virginia General Assembly, has been instrumental in expanding access to these opportunities. The grant paid teachers and purchased essential equipment, including weather instrument shelters and soil kits. In a powerful example of cross-sector collaboration, the instrument shelters were built by Career and Technical Education (CTE) students at Hampton City Schools and Norfolk Public Schools using GLOBE specifications, further connecting students to the scientific process while supporting their peers’ learning.
As participating school divisions and community organizations integrate NASA eClips and GLOBE resources into their programs and outreach efforts, they ensure that all learners have access to authentic, data-driven science experiences. Together, this network of educators, students, and partners not only improves science education, but also builds a connected and collaborative STEM ecosystem where learning extends beyond the classroom and into the community.
NASA eClips, led by NIA-CISE, is supported by NASA under Cooperative Agreement Number NNX16AB91A and is part of NASA’s Science Activation Portfolio. Learn more about how Science Activation connects NASA science experts, real-world content, and experiments with community leaders to do science in ways that activate minds and promote deeper understanding of our world and beyond: https://science.nasa.gov/learn/about-science-activation/
