Geoscience Experiences for Teachers Out in the Field

Step beyond the classroom with Geoscience Experiences for Teachers Out in the Field (GET-Out). Attend conferences, shadow geoscientists, visit field sites, and/or work in a lab alongside professionals. Gain firsthand experience and real-world insights to bring back to your students, making geoscience more engaging and relevant.

2026 GET-Out with AGI

Take advantage of AGI’s opportunities across the country to get out in the field and engage with professional geoscientists.

May: CORAL STEM

A research experience for secondary science teachers in Miami, Florida.

June: TRACX

Hosted at the Gulf Coast Repository in College Sation, Texas teachers experienced scientific research and developed new classroom activities.

June: Soil Science Workshop

Teachers joined soil scientists in the lab and out in the field at the Soil Science Workshop in West Lafayette, Indiana.

July: RAILES

Explore how to use real-world water data to familiarize students with AI techniques in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

GET-Out with Other Organizations

There are many experiences for teachers to get out in the field and interact with geoscientists. Browse some of the long-standing programs below!

Polar STEAM

Educators and artists are connected with polar research expeditions and firsthand experiences in Arctic and Antarctic science for classroom learning.

Nevada Earth Science Workshops

Workshops are open to all K-12 teachers, and offer opportunities to explore and learn about Nevada’s unique geology and modern mining industry.

NPS Teacher Ranger Teacher

A nationwide summer program placing educators in National Parks, working with geologists, rangers, and researchers while developing classroom materials.

TMRA Teacher Workshops

Held in Texas, these workshops offer mining industry tours, hands-on activities, and classroom resources on mining and reclamation.

G-Camp

Texas A&M University hosts a two-week field camp taking teachers across Texas, New Mexico, and Colorado to explore geologic formations and field mapping.

Connect with a Geoscientist

Many of AGI's Earth Science Week partners have programs that connect educators with geoscientists, some of which bring educators out in the field as well.

Does your organization offer an immersive geoscience experience for teachers? Share the details with us at outreach@americangeosciences.org to have it considered to be included on this page.

2026: Soil Science Workshop

Teachers from Indiana and across the country gathered at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, for the Soil Science Workshop for Science Educators. Throughout the workshop, participants engaged in hands-on soil investigations, explored Purdue’s student farm during a field excursion, and learned how soils influence stormwater management through an interactive visit to the university’s rain garden. Along the way, teachers worked with soil scientists, science education professionals, and stormwater experts, gaining practical knowledge and classroom-ready strategies.

SSW participants doing a soil aggregate test by placing soil into water

Teacher Reviews of the 2026 Soil Science Workshop

As an AP Environmental Science teacher, the workshop was extremely beneficial in helping me connect all of the concepts I use in my course in regards to soil, land use and agriculture. Having the opportunity to learn from not only professionals but also from researchers and other educators in the field was extremely beneficial and I have a wealth of information and resources that I will now be able to take back right away to advance my instruction and impact the learning of my students.
Until this workshop, I was among the masses who took soil for granted. After learning from experts, I am not only more appreciative of soil’s formation, structure, vulnerability, and critical importance but also much better informed about the valuable research and related careers within soil science.

2026: CORAL STEM

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) partnered with the University of Miami on the CORAL STEM Research Experience for Teachers (RET), immersing secondary science educators in authentic marine geoscience research. During the program, teachers explored Florida’s unique coastal geology by collecting beach sediment samples, conducting field investigations, and analyzing microscopic foraminifera to better understand coral reef health, environmental change, and Earth’s history. By collaborating with university researchers and translating scientific data into classroom investigations, participants gained valuable experience connecting geologic processes, climate science, and marine ecosystems through hands-on, research-based learning.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, Award #2530564

Teachers preparing to collect sand samples on a beach.

Teachers looking at sand samples under a microscope and an example of sediment under a microscope.

Watch this CORAL-STEM Program video to learn more about this program and how to access materials that can help you bring this same research into your classroom. This video was originally presented as an asynchronous session at the 2026 National Marine Educators Association annual conference.

Teacher Reviews of CORAL STEM

*The CORAL STEM workshop was invaluable for allowing me to have the opportunity to bring real scientific data back to my students to manipulate and apply. Many students don’t truly understand what researchers “do” and how they obtain their data. Collecting sediment for students to pick foraminifera in class will help them to connect to changing ocean conditions. *
The Coral Stem 2026 AGI workshop in conjunction with the University of Miami was a most informative educational experience. Living in Florida, I thought I knew a fairly decent amount about the coral reef system here, but Dr. Sam Pinkus along with the Dr. Carlos Alvarez Zarikian, Dr. Ed Robeck, John Brock gave us so much more information than I could have imagined. The amount of information that I can take back directly to use in my classroom, both the technical information from the experts and the hands-on uses the teachers shared will long be used in my classroom as well as my future career studies and curriculum alignment.

2025: GET-Out at GSA Connects 2025

Middle and high school science teachers joined AGI for a GET-Out workshop at the Geological Society of America (GSA) Connects Meeting. Participants explored geologic mapping and energy concepts through an interactive teacher workshop, visited energy-related field sites during a field trip led by experts from the University of Texas at Austin, and attended GSA Connects sessions to engage with geoscience and education professionals.

Group picture of teachers at a field stop in front of a highway outcrop.

Teachers and workshop leaders dressed in fire protection suits and other safety gear.

Teachers completing a cratering activity.

Teachers completing a geologic mapping activity.

Teacher Reviews of the GET-Out at GSA Connects

This hands-on workshop was an invaluable growth experience that rekindled my curiosity to explore scientific fields beyond life science. Because environmental science is interdisciplinary, I have sometimes felt uneasy diving deeply into physical and Earth science concepts. This immersive experience equipped me with the knowledge and tools to confidently teach topics I once only skimmed due to limited experience. The workshop organizers understand classroom challenges and actively provide teacher- and student-friendly, grade-level resources to support learning. Overall, the experience transformed geoscience from a seemingly dry subject into an engaging, foundational component for the rest of our curriculum.
This was the most informative workshop that I have attended in a long time. Great lab ideas, activities and powerpoints.

2025: GET-Out with AEG

Middle and high school science teachers joined AGI at the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG) Annual Meeting for a GET-Out workshop. This workshop offered a comprehensive learning experience through interactive sessions in the classroom and out in the field. Participants also attended AEG conference sessions, where they connected with geoscience professionals, explored current research, and gained broader perspectives on the geoscience community. These combined experiences gave teachers fresh insights, practical strategies, and professional connections to bring back to their classrooms.

Group picture of teachers at a field stop in front of a quary used for stormwater runoff and untreated sewage.

Teachers and workshop leaders at a field stop in front of a river.

Teacher Reviews of the GET-Out at the AEG Annual Meeting

Chicago GET-Out workshop was a one of a kind experience for middle school teachers to interact with working geoscientist and professors of Geology. We were able to visit geological sites and talk to experts which gave us incredible insite to share with students including how they can get into those professions.
The GET-Out workshop was a valuable experience that deepened my understanding of geoscience and offered practical methods for classroom instruction. The engaging presenters and interactive activities made the content accessible and enjoyable. I left with new ideas to inspire my students and a greater appreciation for the relevance of earth science in everyday life. Overall, it was a well-organized and educational event that I would highly recommend to fellow educators.

2025: GET-Out at the ESIP Summer Meeting

Middle and high school science teachers attended a GET-Out workshop hosted by AGI in collaboration with the Earth Science Information Partners (ESIP). This GET-Out took place at the ESIP Summer Meeting and included a teachers workshop (featuring a hands-on session on rain gardens), a field excursion, and conference presentations. View a recording of AGI’s teacher workshop presentation, Stormwater Solutions: Designing and Using Rain Gardens in Education and explore the RAINSS curriculum webpage for more information.

Group picture of the teachers at a field stop under a bridge.

Teachers and workshop leaders at the ESIP Summer Meeting teacher workshop.

Teachers interact with a stomwater model.

Teachers look at the stormwater coming out of a pipe on a beach in Seattle.

Teacher Reviews of the GET-Out at the ESIP Summer Meeting

The GET-Out workshop was a truly enriching and inspiring experience. The combination of hands-on classroom activities, field excursions, and engaging sessions with geoscientists provided practical tools and fresh perspectives for teaching Earth science. I especially appreciated the focus on real-world applications, such as rain gardens, soil testing, and energy education. The Innovation to Impact research showcase and FUNding Friday were creative highlights that sparked new ideas. Overall, this workshop was informative, collaborative, and highly relevant to both educators and students.
If you want to know about DATA used by proffesionals in Earth science, you need to go to the ESIP meetings. I had the opportunity to go last July in Seattle and I learned to transform data in to action, find data to explain climate change to my 6th grade students and found interactive tools to learn about soil, fossils and rain gardens.