Free PD: Classroom Ready STEM Challenges

OSTA is excited to invite you to a free virtual PD from the Institute of Competition Sciences on August 28, 2026 at 10 AM Pacific Time. The Institute of Competition Sciences manages STEM challenges in collaboration with educators, scientists, and national partners like NASA, The Actuarial Foundation, The World Food Prize, and FFA.

This session will be presented by Josh Neubert, CEO and planetary scientist, and Jeanne Kumpunen, STEM Outreach Coordinator.

The focus of the session will be on how to bring challenge-based learning into the classroom so that it feels manageable and practical, as well as how to support student engagement and deeper learning.

The session will also cover:

• The breadth of challenge-based programs and how they differ from traditional science fairs.

• How these experiences can be used in both classroom settings and extracurricular programs.

• How to connect challenge-based learning to existing curriculum and highlight its value for student learning.

• Best practices for implementation and what can be learned from these challenges, including learning from failure, celebrating student success, and fostering collaboration.

• How programs such as Plant the Moon and Build the Moon Challenges can serve as a ready-made structure for this type of learning, so educators leave with something they can actually use right away.