Montana Science Content Standards and Resources

Professional Development Request Form

Science Instructional Coordinator: Michelle McCarthy| 406-444-3537
Return to the K-12 Content Standards home page


Announcements and Opportunities

2025

Join the Montana Community of Science Teacher Leaders(CoSTL)!

Are you passionate about shaping the future of science education in Montana? The Montana Office of Public Instruction invites K–8 science and STEM educators to join a dynamic statewide professional community dedicated to excellence and innovation.

Why Join CoSTL? As a member of this leadership community, you will collaborate with peers across the state to:

  • Elevate Instruction: Strengthen 3D science and STEM teaching practices.

  • Lead the Way: Drive proficiency-based learning and assessment.

  •  Integrate IEFA: Build meaningful IEFA (Indian Education for All) connections into science.

  •  Direct Impact: Influence statewide growth by reviewing MAST items, leading professional development at conferences, and contributing to the Montana Teacher Learning Hub.

  • Opportunities: Create and referee high-quality lessons for the state science repository and pilot new units with real student feedback.

Time Commitment

  • When: Virtual meetings are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month through May 2026.

  • Kickoff: Our first meeting is January 27, 2026.

Our Purpose: We believe every Montana student deserves rigorous, meaningful STEM experiences. By joining this community, you are helping students develop the critical thinking skills they need to thrive in their future careers and personal lives.

Registration is Open!

 

Carnegie Corporation on the Call to Action
ICYMI: BOSE, NASEM: Taking Stock of Science Standards Implementation Summit recording
 

A mountain range with trees and textDescription automatically generated with medium confidence Montana Science Teachers' Association is looking for passionate science professionals to serve as officers.  MSTA offers:

  • Leadership Development: Build valuable leadership skills that will benefit you in your teaching career and beyond.
  • Networking Opportunities: Connect with science educators from across Montana and nationally.
  • Impact: Help shape the direction of science education policy and professional development in our state.
  • Support: Work alongside a dedicated team of passionate educators who are committed to enhancing science teaching and learning.

Join our collaborative community! If you are interested in a position or would like to nominate a colleague, please email Suzi Taylor, MSTA executive director, at taylor@montana.edu

ShellAwards26_Applications-Open_emailHeader_v3Do you know an outstanding K–12 science teacher—or are you one yourself? The Shell Science Teaching Awards recognize exceptional educators who inspire students, schools, and communities through exemplary classroom science teaching.

 

The Shell Science Teaching Award  recognizes one outstanding K-12 teacher who positively impacts their students students and community through exemplary science teaching. The winner receives $10,000 plus an all-expense paid trip to the NSTA National Conference in Spring 2026.

The Shell Urban Science Educators Development Award  provides support to K–12 classroom science teachers in urban settings who are pursuing professional development and serves to increase the science educator talent pool in STEM to meet the education workforce challenges of the future.

Help us celebrate and support the science educators making a difference every day. Submit your application—or share this opportunity with a colleague!

Nominate a Teacher​​​​​

Grant or Paid Opportunities

Grant or Paid Opportunities

  • ‌Deadline: March 1, 2026 Apply for the 12th year of the Society for Science Advocate Program, which provides a $3,000 stipend and training to an individual (teacher, scientist, counselor, or mentor) who agrees serve as an advocate for students who have previously lacked access to STEM research and help them to transition them from conducting scientific or engineering research (science fair-type) projects to completing applications to STEM research competitions.

  • The Montana Learning Center is hiring Adult Summer Camp Counselors for our residential STEM camps at Canyon Ferry Lake.
    Both male and female counselors are needed

  • Elementary teachers: Apply for a six-week paid research experience at MSU this summer  

    Montana State University will host a six-week Research Experience for Teachers (RET) for elementary teachers in Summer 2026. The experience includes a stipend plus housing and travel expenses.  Each participating teacher receives a $6,000 stipend.  In addition, housing and meals are provided, and teachers will also receive support for travel. Research and other program expenses are covered.  Housing and meals are available on campus; otherwise, a modest housing/meal allowance will be provided.  The application deadline is Feb. 6, 2026.

    • Visit www.montana.edu/ret for more information and a link to the application. No STEM degree or prior experience is required, and all Montana elementary teachers and pre-service teachers are encouraged to apply. 

  • MSUB is exploring a grant opportunity that would allow local and rural science teachers to work alongside scientists in their labs for the summer. If you could answer some survey questions, we would better understand which areas of science are of interest. Please fill out this Qualtrics survey!

  • Global Exploration for Educators Organization (GEEO) applications for travel grants are open

  • Montana Environmental Education Association
  • 21st Century Community Learning Center Competitive Grant Update  The 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant provides funds to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) and community-based organizations (CBOs). Grantees are awarded a minimum of $50,000 each year for 5 years. The 21st Century Community Learning Centers provide opportunities for academic enrichment during out-of-school time in a community learning center environment.  Services reinforce and complement regular academic programs and offer literacy and educational development to students and families. You can apply, see the timeline learn a little more on the website. 

  • CSX Community Service Grants (includes schools) with suggested ranges from $1,000 to $5,00

Challenges and Competitions

Challenges and Competitions

 

Curriculum resources:

  • FIRST Class Packs
  • FIRST Free Education Resources

    • Please take a moment to fill out our contact information form so we can learn more about your particular interest and connect you with the right individual in our organization. 

  • Federal Aviation Administration Airport Design Challenge, register now!

  • Montana Envirothon 2025 competition: Roots and Resiliency: Fostering Forest Stewardship in a Canopy of Change. If you are interested in registering your team, please contact Tenlee Atchison, Executive Director at tenlee@cascadecd.com or Teresa Wilhelms, Administrator at secretary@cascadecd.com for the registration form, rules and hotel information. You can also call 406-866-0020.

Lumiere Education Competitions for MS Students

 

Student and Classroom opportunities

Student and Classroom Opportunities

K-8

  • Nautilus Live - Ship to Shore Interactions: 

    • Looking for an exciting way to bring STEM to life in your classroom? Nautilus Live is offering free, live Ship-to-Shore interactions with their team of scientists and engineers currently conducting expeditions in the southwest Pacific Ocean.

      These interactive sessions, lasting 30-60 minutes, are a fantastic opportunity for students to ask questions and engage directly with experts working aboard the ship. The Nautilus team is particularly eager to connect with Montana teachers before their season concludes in mid-December.

      Learn more and schedule your session here: Nautilus Live - Ship-to-Shore Interactions

      Don’t miss this chance to inspire your students with real-world science and exploration!

  • From NASA EXPRESS:

    NASA’s Climate Kids brings climate science to life with games, interactive features, and exciting articles.

    Explore key concepts about Earth science, missions, and climate with "NASA's Earth Minute" videos.

    Find tips for incorporating hands-on data collection activities into your programs with the GLOBE Observer: Toolkit for Informal Educators.

    Peer into NASA's Earth Observatory to find images, stories, and discoveries about the environment and Earth's systems.

    For even more Earth science resources, visit the NASA STEM.

  • Help Scientists Search for Asteroids Around Dead Stars

    Audience: Science enthusiasts of all ages

    Do you ever wonder what the future holds for our solar system? The Sun will eventually become a dense, planet-sized object called a white dwarf. That means studying white dwarfs we see in the sky can provide a glimpse into our own solar system’s fate.

    The Exoasteroids participatory science project lets you help scientists discover debris disks and asteroids around white dwarfs using images taken by NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) telescope. This data can provide clues into the formation and composition of other planetary systems in the universe.

  • Visit the New MSTA Website and view all the upcoming events!
  • Air Quality Flag Program. This program is funded by the Montana Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Flags, onsite training, and educational materials are free.  If you would like to get involved, contact mac.nollde@ontanahphc.org, (406) 763-1006.
  • Bugs, bugs, bugs!  Field trips, Classroom visits, Distance Learning, all available through Missoula Butterfly House, scholarships are available.
  • Coding: CS Ed Week, Computer Science for Educators-resources
  • EPA Region 8 (Mountains and Plains) offers virtual presentations to the general public, teachers and students on a variety of environmental topics. Presentations can be tailored for any age group and are offered during the school week. EPA also has lesson plans, activity books, pre-recorded presentations and games available.  EPA Region 8 offers informal mentorships to young people who are interested in finding out more about environmental/conservation issues, projects and careers. Students are matched with a subject matter expert who can discuss with the students their environmental questions or career paths. Mentorships can be one-time visits, a phone call, virtual meetings or last a few months depending on the student’s needs/interests. Mentees can be of any age. Teachers or parents interested in finding out more about these offerings should contact Wendy Dew at dew.wendy@epa.govor 303-877-0428
NASA:

When scientists and engineers want to communicate with spacecraft in deep space, they turn to the Deep Space Network, NASA’s international array of giant radio antennas. Next month marks the 60th anniversary of this communication network, and you can celebrate in your classroom with these new STEM resources.

Decoding Space Images

Grades 4-9

Exploring the Doppler Effect

Grades 9-12

Learn more about the Deep Space Network with STEM Lessons for Educators  and Activities for Students.

 

K-5

4-8

Join the Missoula Art Museum for a virtual visit with an exhibiting artist! Begin by exploring a virtual curriculum to discover this year’s featured artist and current exhibits. Then, schedule an hour-long virtual session for your students to meet the artist and participate in a hands-on art project. Registration coming soon!

6-8

International Trade Trailblazers

Ongoing, virtual platform, free support, and supplies
Middle School

EconoQuest: International Trade Trailblazers is an Inspired Classroom and the Montana World Affairs Council's newest globally focused program for middle school students. The program introduces students to a country or region of focus (COF). Students explore the COF's geography, culture, and basic economics. They then identify local and state resources to develop a product to trade internationally with the COF. Once their product is defined, the students become part of their corporation's board of directors and will decide how to export their product. The program is designed to meet state and national social studies standards for grades 6-8.

100% Free with Teacher Support

EconoQuest: International Trade Trailblazers is housed on a platform that provides an easy step-by-step implementation of the program in the classroom. All materials for teachers and students are accessible and contain curated, high-quality resources, learning tools, and additional program support. Like all our programs, we work hard to make this 100% free to our schools.

Are you already registered on the platform? Use Join Code: G8Z82HDP

Register for EconoQuest Learning Experience

6-12

  • Media Mavericks: Teen Media Making Clubs Visit our Website  

    • Start a Media Mavericks Club in YOUR Community!

      Are you passionate about amplifying student voices? Do you see storytelling and media making as valuable tools in your classroom or library? Do you want to engage teens in projects that inspire civic engagement and teach real-world skills? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you should start a MEDIA MAVERICKS CLUB!

    • Media Mavericks & KQED Youth Media Challenge Media Mavericks Showcase Page

      Students are prompted to create a variety of media, including short film, mini-documentary, podcasts, infographics, photo essays, editorial cartoons, and more, in response to prompts that fall into three categories- persuasive commentary, informational, and first-person narrative.

    • Educator Toolkit: Educator Toolkit Educators who want to introduce their students to an authentic audience for their media have a vast assortment of resources to support their endeavors. The Educator Toolkit is a great place to start your journey!

    • Story-Maker: Story-Maker Expand your toolbox to include the powerful learning platform developed by Student Reporting Labs, Story-Maker.

    • KQED Teach:  KQED Teach Access free workshops and self-paced courses on media-making, and implementing and assessing student media projects.

      • Participation is free, and no prior experience or expertise is necessary to implement highly-engaging, relevant, and valuable media projects in any educational setting. Students and their supportive educators who submit media to the Youth Media Challenge will receive a signature Media Mavericks Hoodie and other assorted swag.  

        Ann Bernard, our Youth Media Specialist, is here to guide you through the exciting journey of media production! Have questions or need advice? She's ready to help you get started, she can be contacted at ann.bernard@montanapbs.org or 406-994-6192

  • Re: Ideas for making learning more relevant (and providing perspective on current issues)

    Teacher Leaders in Montana History Cynthia Wilondek and Dylan Huisken (former MT Teacher of the Year) led a dynamite professional development workshop a few weeks ago on "Connecting Past to Present." They created a Google Doc with links to many resources and lesson plans. I'll only highlight a few here.

    • In the 2023 case Held vs State of Montana, kids sued the state of Montana over not doing enough to prevent climate change, claiming that the state's inaction violated the Montana constitution's guarantee of a "clean and healthful environment."  You can use this as an entry into discussing Montana's 1972 Constitution.
    • Digitized newspapers are a great way to research the history of current events, for example, the closure of a local business or bridge.
    • There have been a number of recent articles on trying to document all of the students who died at Indian boarding schools and returning the remains to their communities. This obviously connects to a study of the boarding school era. 
    • Discussions of dark money in politics today tie nicely with a discussion of the Clark-Daly feud, fight for the state capitol and decision to pass the direct election of senators after William A. Clark successfully bribed his way into the U.S. Senate in 1899.
  • NASA Graphing Global Temperature Trends for 5-12 
  • Climate Emergency Feedback Loops, 5 short Climate Change videos with curriculum guides, as seen on PBS
  • PBS LearningMedia: Grades: 6-12

9-12

  • Girls Who Code’s free, virtual Pathways is a summer program for high school girls and non-binary students, including rising 9th graders, graduating seniors, and returning participants. Participants have the chance to explore technology, build projects based on their interests, and join a supportive global community—no prior coding experience or program fees required.

  • About the Lemelson-MIT Program: For over 20 years, the Lemelson-MIT Program, within the MIT School of Engineering, has been helping educators provide invention education programs to students with incredible results through our InvenTeam Grants Initiative, curriculum development for all grades, and especially our PD workshops.  Visit lemelson.mit.edu to learn more. 

  • The Montana Aerospace Scholars (MAS) is a two-phase program for high school students to take part in an extracurricular experience that immerses them in aerospace-related activities. MAS is offered through NASA partnerships with the Montana Learning Center at Canyon Ferry Lake and the Northwest Earth & Space Sciences Pathways program.

    Phase One is a remote portion where students will make an introduction video and complete a research essay. These assignments help students build general space technology and career knowledge while allowing them to develop skills such as problem solving, creativity, proposal writing, and critical thinking.

    Students who pass Phase One will be invited to the in-person experience at the MLC campus, Phase Two. They will work as a team to plan a detailed mission to either the Moon or Mars, depending on their program. Other activities provided at this residency include learning how to fly a plane, engaging in engineering challenges, partaking in aerospace-industry tours, and interacting with NASA personnel. Students will also spend time observing objects in the night sky at our state-of-the-art observatory, featuring the largest public access telescope in Montana (weather permitting).

    If you have any students who are interested, please encourage them to apply! This program is FREE. Applications are due by March 1st.

    A description of the program, a FAQ document, and the application can be found here:
    https://montanalearning.org/apollo50/ [montanalearning.org]

    If you or students have any questions, contact Executive Director Ryan Hannahoe at MontanaLearningCenter@gmail.com.

  • NASA Future Temperature Projections Unit
  • High School, the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) offers free, innovative classroom products. These online learning resources form the foundation of a global civics curriculum, empowering young people with the essential knowledge, skills, and perspective to be responsible citizens, take on the challenges of global competition, and steer through partisan rhetoric and disinformation.  Review their resources that could be used in a science classroom.  For more information contact Lori Matza, lmatza@cfr.org.
  • BioInteractive: High School Science Curricular Materials 

 

 

 

 

Conferences and PD

Conferences and Professional Learning​​​​​​

The 8th Annual STEM Summer Institute is coming up August 3-5, 2026 on the MSU-Bozeman campus, 

PRESENTER PROPOSALS ACCEPTED THROUGH Feb. 27, 2026

This year's theme is "STEM Across the Curriculum," and we're looking for dynamic presenters to lead workshops across five strands:

  • Strand 1: Discovering STEM Learning Through Data
  • Strand 2: Future of AI and Technology in STEM
  • Strand 3: Mathematics: The Language that Powers STEM
  • Strand 4: Place-Based & Environmental STEM
  • Strand 5: STEM Careers, Pathways, and Industry Connections

Why Present at SSI?

Presenting at the STEM Summer Institute is a fantastic opportunity to share your innovative work, connect with Montana STEM educators from across the state, and contribute to meaningful professional development for K-12 teachers, school leaders, and STEM enthusiasts. Whether you're a classroom teacher, informal educator, researcher, or industry professional, we'd love to hear your ideas!

We're looking for 1-hour or 2-hour workshops designed for K-12 educators.

Presenters will receive a stipend for their workshop preparation and delivery ($200) and free registration to attend the conference. Additionally, if you’re a Montana teacher, you qualify to apply for a scholarship to help cover travel costs, made possible by Data Science for Everyone [datascience4everyone.org]. Scholarship details will be posted to the School Services of Montana [mt-schools.org]website soon.  

Proposal Deadline: February 27, 2026
Notification of Acceptance: March 16, 2026

Submit your proposal here: https://forms.gle/CCiiyueLUZmYswqB9

MSU Department of Education
Appy Hours!

Event Dates, Times, Locations:

Billings: February 3, 5:30pm, Pizza Ranch (King Ave.)
Helena: February 9, 5:00pm, Pizza Ranch
Virtual: February 12, 7:00pm, Online
Belgrade: February 17, 5:00pm, Rice
Bozeman: February 19, 5:00pm, Dickey’s BBQ

Butte: February 23, 5:00pm, Pizza Ranch
Livingston: February 26, 5:00pm, Big Sky Thai

MSU's Department of Education is excited to host a series of "Appy Hours" (appetizers and applications) for our alumni or current teachers interested in graduate degrees, professionals working in adult and higher educational settings, degree changers seeking to become teacher and college-bound students who have their sights set on the classroom and their families.

We are excited to connect with you and answer questions about our programs and hear how 2026 is going for you.  Please note, that you do not have to submit an application during "Appy Hour," but we will be there to tell you about the process.

Click HERE to RSVP  Call or text Dr. Marcie Reuer at 406-600-3930 or email at marcie.reuer@montana.edu, Associate Teaching Professor, Director of Outreach and Engagement, Department of Education - Montana State University 

    
NSTA and Open Sci Ed

6th Grade Workshops

Unit 6.1: Light & Matter

Unit 6.2: Thermal Energy

Unit 6.3: Weather

Unit 6.4: Plate Tectonics

Unit 6.5: Natural Hazards

Unit 6.6: Cells & Systems

7th Grade Workshops

Unit 7.1: Chemical Reactions & Matter

Unit 7.2: Chemical Reactions & Energy

Unit 7.3: Metabolic Reactions

Unit 7.4: Matter Cycling & Photosynthesis

Unit 7.5: Ecosystem Dynamics

Unit 7.6: Earth’s Resources & Human Impact

8th Grade Workshops

Unit 8.1: Contact Forces

Unit 8.2: Sound Waves

Unit 8.3: Forces at a Distance

Unit 8.4: Earth in Space

Unit 8.5: Genetics

Unit 8.6: Natural Selection

  • More Self-Paced Science Courses:

    • Place-based Education: Your Local Watershed  STEM inquiry will guide you through problem-based learning with real-world authentic data. Engage your students in their community and see an exemplar curriculum that meets standards!*

    • Exploring NASA with Inquiry:  Earth and Space Science lessons and activities reinforced with NASA website!*

    • "Backpack Science" Inquiry Activities: Mapping:  Hands-on mapping activities and resources that can be integrated into science class, as well as, other disciplines!

    • Science Fair 101: Using Science Fair Projects in your Classroom:  Using Science Fairs in the classroom to meet MT Standards and 3 Dimensional learning!

    • New Montana Science Assessment This course presents an overview of the New Montana Science Assessment that was implemented in 2022 and provides guidance on how to best prepare your students for the science assessment by teaching you how to access and administer preparatory materials in your classroom. There are many opportunities for you to engage with the content and actually test out the practice questions before you introduce them to your students. Student-facing videos are included.

    • Teaching Elementary Literacy Skills In Science  This course explores current research in Science and Literacy and gives examples of what that looks like within a fifth-grade classroom.  At the end of the course, you will have a deeper understanding of the current research , its implications, and methods of implementing Literacy within Science Instruction. Enjoy!

​​​​

 

 

 

NASEM: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering

NASEM Opportunities/Information

Subscribe to the NASEM Climate Resources at the National Academies Newsletter

Subscribe to the NASEM Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education

Other News:

Past Coffee Talk Recordings:
Coffee Talk #1:  A Review of the Numbers
Watch the first in the series as Sean Smith from Horizon Research, Inc. provides an overview of the landscape of implementation described in a number of reports produced by Horizon. 
Watch the archived video

Coffee Talk #2:  Rural Science Standards Implementation
The second webinar in the series, moderated by Tom Keller, hones in on implementation efforts within rural communities. A panel discussion with small group think time was used to allow the science education community to reflect on and discuss how to best support rural science standards implementation efforts.
Watch the archived video

Coffee Talk #3:  Informal Ed Science Implementation
The third webinar in the series, moderated by Elizabeth Mulkerrin, includes panel discussion to consider the opportunities that exist within informal education spaces.
Watch the archived video

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

STEM Community

Community of Science Teacher Leaders

Meeting Schedule

Session 1: January 27, 2026 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Review of 3D Learning
Session #2: Enriching Science Units:  Phenomena, 5E, Standards Alignment/Evidence Statements & Integration
Session 3:  March 24, 2026 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Session 4:  April 28, 2026 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Session 5:  May 26, 2026  from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM
 
Session 6: September 22, 2026
Session 7:  October 27, 2026
Session 8: November 24, 2026

Vetted Curriculum

 

 

Helpful Resources

  • Climate Change Resources: Interested in helping your students learn Climate Literacy?  PBS LearningMedia has a multitude of resources and lesson ideas for grades 3-12.  Michelle McCarthy is looking for feedback on how this works for you, please share your findings to MMcCarthy5@mt.gov.

  • Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribes Educational Resources OpenSciEd Instructional Materials

  • Data Science:

    • Code.org

    • Crash Course Data Literacy Study Hall: Crash Course Data Literacy is a 15-video series that explores data literacy fundamentals. By the end of the course, you will be able to define foundational statistical concepts, explain methods for visualizing data, locate datasets, analyze data, and recognize ethical issues connected to data interpretation.

    • Data4Kids: To assist educators in supporting students’ data science learning, we created five “Data Stories” that educators can freely use and modify for their own uses and student experiences. Each story is a starter kit for educators at different levels–grades 3-5 (Band 1); grades 6-8 (Band 2); or grades 9-12 (Band 3).

    • Data Education in Schools: The Data Education in Schools Project is part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal Data Skills Programme, funded by the Scottish and UK Government. The Data Skills Programme brings together industry, universities, colleges, schools and others to provide routes into data or digital careers. FInd out more about our Project, our aims and our vision.

    • Phet Interactive Simulations: the PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder creates free interactive math and science simulations. PhET sims are based on extensive education research and engage students through an intuitive, game-like environment where students learn through exploration and discovery.

    • Tableau Data Kids: We are here to help parents and educators discover new approaches to teaching young learners about data. Check out our engaging activities, fun visualizations, and tips for inspiring kids to explore the data that's around them every day.

    • Tuva Labs: The Tuva Data, Graphing, and Statistical Tools (or the Tuva Tools) enable students to easily explore, manipulate, and analyze data. Students drag and drop attributes into the plotting area to create a variety of graphs, including dot and scatter plots, line graphs, pie graphs, bar charts, histograms, box plots, and maps. They can visualize data in different ways to look for patterns and analyze data using mathematical modeling and statistics features.

    • Youcubed: Data Science K-10 Big Ideas are descriptions of the most important content in data science through the grades to help focus attention on ways to increase data literacy. Big ideas are those that are central to the discipline of data science, and that link understandings into a coherent whole.

  • ePals Bring global collaboration to your students

  • Real life Data Challenge: Inspired Classroom   

 

*Covid-19 Toolkit for Montana Child Care & Out of School Programs 

Montana Science Assessment (MSA) and MSA Alt

New Self-paced Hub Course:  New Montana Science Assessment

     The state of Montana implemented the summative Montana Science Assessment (MSA) field test and the Alt MSA that aligns with the current science standards for the first time in the spring of 2022, as a scored test. 

Summative Assessment Preparedness and Resources Available

     The assessments measure the three dimensions of the science standards, the Science and Engineering Practices, the Disciplinary Core Ideas, and the Crosscutting Concepts.  

 

Science Alternate Assessment Information

MONTANA ALTERNATE ASSESSMENT FOR SCIENCE – NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS)
ESSENCE STATEMENTS
Purpose of the Alternate Academic Achievement Standards in Science (AAAS)
The Montana Board of Public Education (Board) is responsible for adopting standards of accreditation for Montana schools including challenging academic achievement standards (see §20-2-121 and §20-7-101, MCA). All Montana public and non-public accredited schools are required to follow these standards of accreditation and participate in state assessments (see ARM 10.55.603):
Montana was a member-state of this consortium and leveraged the grant to help design, develop, and deliver the OPI’s Alternate Assessments that assess student proficiency and progress on Alternate Academic Achievement Standards (AAAS) in mathematics (math), English Language Arts (ELA), science, and English language proficiency (ELP) for students with significant cognitive disabilities (NCSC Brief 1 and ARM 10.53).
The AAAS set expectations of performance that differ in scope and complexity from grade-level achievement standards. In Montana, the AAAS are not adopted separately by the Board because they are the “same but different” standards-based expectations for students with significant cognitive disabilities. For students who, because of their disability, cannot participate in the state’s general assessment, the OPI has constructed and implemented guidelines for participation in the Alternate Assessment, including eligibility criteria (see Appendix A). The OPI meets the requirement of providing Alternate Assessments aligned to the State challenging academic achievement standards through its selection of the state assessments.
The decision to move a special education student to an Alternate Assessment has significant implications for the path that a student will take in their K–12 school career. It means the student is not able to participate in the general education curriculum even when provided with accommodations. A student who participates in an Alternate Assessment requires a modified curriculum. In addition, the IEP team for a student shall determine if the student meets the eligibility criteria for the Alternate Assessment. All students enrolled in accredited schools are expected to take part in state assessments in one of three ways:
1. Participate in the general education assessments without accommodations (ARM 10.56.104(1)).
2. Participate in the general education assessments with accommodations (ARM 10.56.104(1)).
3. Participate in Alternate Assessments when the participation criteria are met (see Appendix A and ARM 10.56.104(2)).

Formative assessment is valuable to teachers in the classroom.  Below are examples of formative assessment that align with the 3 Dimensional science standards. 

What does formative assessment look like in 3D Science?

Want to learn more about…

…how NGSA designed and developed 3-dimensional assessments using evidence-center design?

…how NGSA developed 3-dimensional scoring rubrics for formative assessment tasks?

  • Designing NGSS-aligned Assessment Tasks and Rubrics to Support Classroom-based Formative Assessment. We describe how principles of evidence-centered design inform the development of classroom-based science assessment tasks and rubrics that integrate three dimensions of science proficiency addressed in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The rubric development approach centers on the development of multiple rubric components, each of which corresponds to distinct aspects of proficiency of interest to teachers for classroom assessment.

…the NGSA 3-dimensional tasks?

…how NGSA designed and developed formative assessment tasks to promote equity?

Montana Science Standards

Comparison NGSS to Montana Science Standards

K-12

Standards and Resources

Model Curriculum Guides   

​​​​

Grade Level and Grade Band

Tech Directors: To access a machine readable version of the official Montana Content Standards for Science, please visit the 1EdTech CASE Network site.  Create a free login, select Montana Office of Public Instruction, and view or download the standards. The CASE version of the standards can be uploaded to student information systems, curriculum mapping programs, and a variety of other uses. Learn more about the CASE Network CASE Network FAQ

2026

Calendar of Science Fair and Competitions in Montana  
Fair Name & Link Date Scheduled
Intermountain Science and Humanities Symposium The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) website is currently suspended until further notice. Please direct all questions to armystemoutreach@gmail.com. Updates will be posted as they are available. Thank you for your patience.
Great Falls Science & Engineering Fair TBD

MSU Science Olympiad - SMRC

 February 19, 2026
Flathead County March 5, 2026
Big Sky HS Regional Science Bowl March 6, 2026
St. Andrews Science Fair TBD
MSU - Billings Science Expo Kick Off: December 13, 2025
March 14, 2026
University of Montana Annual MT Science Fair March 30, 2026
MT Tech MT State Science Fair March 30, 2025
National Science Bowl (NSB) April 30 - May 4, 2026
 

 

 

Montana March 2026

 

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

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Flathead County

Big Sky HS Regional Science Bowl

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2025 MSU Billings Science Expo

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30                         

UM 69th Annual MT Science Fair

MT Tech MT State Science Fair

2025

Fair Name & Link Date Scheduled
Intermountain Science and Humanities Symposium Symposium Feb 14-15, 2025
Great Falls Science & Engineering Fair March 3, 2025

MSU Science Olympiad - SMRC

 March 4, 2025
Flathead County March 6, 2025
Big Sky HS Regional Science Bowl March 7, 2025
St. Andrews Science Fair March 14 & 15, 2025
MSU - Billings Science Expo March 15, 2025
University of Montana Annual MT Science Fair March 31, 2025
MT Tech MT State Science Fair March 31, 2025
National Science Bowl (NSB) April 24 - 28, 2025

Montana March 2025

 

 

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

Great Falls Science & Engineering Fair

Montana Science Olympiad - SMRC


Flathead County

Big Sky HS Regional Science Bowl

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

St Andrews Science Fair

2025 MSU Billings Science Expo

St Andrews Science Fair

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

UM 69th Annual MT Science Fair

MT Tech MT State Science Fair

2024

 

Name & Link

Dates

Participating Grade Levels

Registration

Montana Tech Sci & Engineering Fair

Mar 2, 2023

9-12

Division 1: 9-12 Registration OPEN

MSU-Billings Science Expo

Important Dates and Times

March 3 & 4, 2023

Elem, 6-8, 9-12

Elem & Middle School Registration

High School Registration

U of M

Apr 4 & 5 2024

6-12

 OPEN

Great Falls College MSU Elementary School Science Fair

Mar 5, 2024

K-5

OPEN

Flathead County

Set up Mar 6,

Fair Mar 7, 2024

3-12

Open January 2024

Great Falls College MSU 6- 8 & 9-12 Science Fair

Mar 7, 2024

6-8 & 9-12

OPEN

Big Sky High Regional School Science Bowl

Mar 8, 2024

6-12

October 2, 2023

 

Intermountain Science and Humanities Symposium

Symposium Dates February 9, 2024

9-12

Deadline for Applications is January 20, 2024

Application Page

Montana Science Olympiad

April 19, 2024

6-12

OPEN

National Science Bowl

National Finals

April 25 – 29, 2024

6-8 & 9-12

 

March 2024

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1

2

Montana Tech Regional Science & Engineering Fair Grades 9-12

3

MSU-Billings Science Expo

4

MSU-Billings Science Expo

5

Great Falls College Elementary School Science Fair

6

Flathead County Science Fair: Set up

Grades 3 through 12

7

Flathead County Science Fair: Set up

Grades 3 through 12

 

Great Falls College 6-8 & 9-12  Science Fair

 

8

Big Sky High Regional School Science Bowl

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 2024

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

1

2

3

4

U of M Montana Science Fair MS grades 6-8 (Division II) and HS Division I

5

U of M Montana Science Fair MS grades 6-8 (Division II) and HS Division I

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

Montana Science Olympiad

20

21

22

23

24

25

National Science Bowl: 6-8 and 9-12

26

National Science Bowl: 6-8 and 9-12

27

National Science Bowl: 6-8 and 9-12

28

National Science Bowl: 6-8 and 9-12

29

National Science Bowl: 6-8 and 9-12

30