Mix & match our flexible resources to fit your classroom.
I Am A Scientist offers a mix-and-match system that makes it easy to shatter stereotypes about science and scientists in your classroom. Below you’ll find our recommendations for getting the most out of these resources, but we invite you to explore the approach that works best for you. If you create a new tool, discussion guide, or activity that works well, let us know so that we can share it!
WHAT IS I AM A SCIENTIST?
I Am a Scientist shares the work and stories of real world STEM professionals that break misconceptions and stereotypes about what STEM is and who can shape it. Because every student deserves a chance to see themselves in science.
Designed with the things students care about top of mind.
The stories we share focus on the people and purpose behind the research and are bookended with practical pathways to getting there.
NEED TO KNOWSThis program was designed together with teachers and educators across our RISE community.
It was thoughtfully crafted with insights from schools around the country of what students were craving and how to best serve them.
The resources cover a wide range of scientists, creatives, social scientists, engineers, and many more roles through STEM and STEAM.
STEM is becoming increasingly versatile and is found in numerous institutions. We are deliberate in our selection process, ensuring a diverse mix of individuals from various backgrounds and careers.
All the resources are FREE to download and use throughout your classroom!
Because money shouldn’t be a barrier to knowledge. We periodically offer donations of our poster sets as well.
You’re in good company - over 5,000 classrooms have been served (and counting!)
We are proud to serve every US state and over 6 continents across the globe.
HOW TO ENGAGE
CLASSROOM RESOURCESOur classroom resources were designed to engage students in meaningful ways.
Search our library by scientist, industry, impact area and more. Each scientist features posters you can hang in your classroom, digital spotlights, slide decks, illustrations, and other teacher resources. These are all readily available for mixing and matching to best serve your students. We’re also continually updating our library with new resources to supplement your classes.
DO IT YOURSELFOur posters are accessible beyond our shop and donation rounds.
If you missed a donation round or can’t afford a poster set, we don’t want this to be a barrier for you to get the posters into your classrooms. We’ve got all of the posters ready to download and print in high resolution. If you need help finding a local print shop, don’t hesitate to reach out to us.
purchase materialsWe are currently building out our print shop where we will have all our materials available for purchase.
Stay tuned for our shop launch where you can purchase kits sent directly to anywhere in the United States.
Sign up for a donationFrom time to time, our generous sponsors will help us clear the list.
If you’d like to get on our list of poster set donations, we occasionally are able to do giveaways. You’ll find updates and announcements for those giveaways on our RISE Facebook community.
You're in good companyOur community is comprised of almost 2,000 educators across the US and abroad.
Join our Facebook RISE community or sign up to receive our quarterly newsletter. We talk about things like where to find resources for inclusive STEM education, and have virtual program events and guest speakers.
RESOURCES
Types of Resources
Our multimedia content is designed to engage students in meaningful ways. With everything from charismatic portraits and detailed illustrations to storytelling and classroom resources, we cater to all learning styles.
MAIN FEATURES
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MAIN FEATURES •
Posters
Illustrations
Slide Decks
Spotlight Portal
STORIES AT A GLANCEI Am A Scientist is a collection of 60+ stories that can be downloaded and used in your classroom. All stories are recommended for students in Junior High and beyond.
Sparks
Sparks are our original 22 legacy scientists as well as 13 stories from the Life Sciences in Full Color campaign, in partnership with LabCentral Ignite. Sparks resources feature original photography, stories, posters, slide decks, and curated educational resources.
Spotlights
Spotlights are our revamped storytelling platform for each of our featured scientists. They were curated based on feedback from educators in our community. Spotlight resources feature original photography, illustrations, stories, posters, slide decks, Spotify playlists, and curated education resources.
Each spotlight includes:
Posters
Each poster contains engaging images of the featured scientist and facts about their work and interests.
Illustrations
Our personalized illustrations highlight the scientist and their distinctive traits.
Spotlight Portal
This digital portal centers the people, purpose, and pathways driving STEM careers.
THE SPOTLIGHT PORTAL INCLUDES:-
Discover the scientist beyond their profession. They share their hobbies, life lessons, photo galleries, and even a Spotify playlist featuring some of their favorite songs. This page is intended to help students connect with the individual behind the 'lab coat'.
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This page was created to provide insights into each scientist's unique journey to their current position. It's designed with a flippable chapter book and features advice, key influences, and significant milestones. This format allows students to connect with the stories and potentially find similarities to their own paths.
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Here students can gain insights about the specific work that each person is doing. They can learn about the nature of their work, how they do it, and why. It also includes a glimpse into days in their life, as well as a sketch of their workspace!
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This section is for students who want to dive deeper into the specific career of a particular feature. It has career insider insights from the scientist as well as extra resources for exploring.
HOW TO USE
How to Use
These are just a few examples of ways that you can incorporate the stories into your classrooms.
SCIENTIST OF THE MONTHEach month, shine a spotlight on a real-world scientist by diving into their captivating story, groundbreaking sciences, and resources for your students.
We recommend presenting one scientist each month and connecting their work to your lesson plans throughout the month. By focusing on one scientist at a time, we provide students with the opportunity to truly digest and appreciate the depth of their contributions to science. Connecting their work to your lesson plans throughout the month enables students to see the real-world applications of what they're learning, fostering a deeper appreciation for the subject matter and encouraging future exploration in the field.
SOME RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGHOUT THE MONTH:⬤
Display the posters in your classroom.
Increase representation by introducing one scientist a month and displaying their poster on the wall. Messages matter. Simply increasing representation of a wide range of individuals and interests can have a powerful impact on students’ sense of belonging in science.
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Share slide presentations.
In addition to posters, share the scientist’s slide presentation with your students. Getting to know a scientist’s challenges, successes, and insights can help humanize scientists for students and help them understand the ins and outs of real world science careers.
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Provide prompts for student reflection.
Choose a few questions that encourage students to further reflect on the scientist’s story or work as it relates to their lives and interests. If the assignment is at home, you can direct the students to the scientist’s page on this site, so that they can read more about their story,
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Use lesson plans to bring science into your classroom.
Invite students to dig deeper into the questions that drive each scientist by assigning activities related to their research. You can find suggested classroom resources as well as student career support relevant to each scientist’s work on their profile page.
INSPIRATION
Ideas & Inspiration
See how other teachers have used their resources in their classrooms.
CLASSROOM INSPIRATION
Teachers across the country have shared their classrooms with us on social media.
Community
Lesson Plans
Supporting each other through shared resources
Educators in our community across the country have incorporated our materials into their classrooms in all different formats. As passionate advocates for education and collaboration, we believe in the power of shared ideas and experiences to inspire and empower one another. Whether you’re looking for fresh inspiration, practical tips, or simply curious about the possibilities our materials offer, you can use these community lesson plans to spark your imagination.
