Designed for middle school youth in out-of-school time (OST), SAC kits feature games, projects, and hands-on investigations that inspire wonder for the natural world. Available in English and an English/Spanish hybrid, each kit includes 12 activity plans, tools and supplies for 20 youth, and a self-paced online training for program staff. Sliding-scale pricing is available for organizations of all sizes and budgets.
SAC believes in providing equitable access to high-quality science education for all youth. We use sliding-scale pricing to determine the cost of a SAC kit for your program. No program will ever be turned away based on their budget.
Gather all the information you need to get started with SAC. Preview detailed program information, kit contents, and other things to consider when putting together your enrollment application.
Bird Scouts explores feathers, flight, and the features that make birds unique. Using tools and technology, youth identify local species and investigate environmental changes that impact bird behavior. The checklists youth submit to eBird—a citizen science project from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology—help scientists track changes in bird distribution and abundance across the globe.
Bug Safari explores small creatures with big environmental impacts. On local field expeditions, youth search for bugs, collect specimens, and post photographs to iNaturalist—a citizen science project and online social network for nature research. Working with scientists and other students, youth identify arthropod species and document habitat conditions that influence our planet’s health.
Cloud Quest explores the impact of clouds on weather and climate. Using the GLOBE Observer citizen science platform, youth identify sky conditions and report their discoveries to NASA. Researchers map these observations against satellite image data to study how clouds influence the flow of energy through Earth’s atmosphere.
Explore sample activities and kit materials.
An online training is included with (and required for) every SAC kit. Through games, videos, and interactive practice, educators learn the tools and strategies to lead SAC activities with confidence and skill.
SAC collaborates with global partners to deliver high-quality afterschool programming that include citizen and community science projects from iNaturalist, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and NASA and GLOBE Observer.
When you’re a SAC partner, an assortment of quality resources become available to supplement the SAC experience. Activity recommendations, an educator portal, and a community of peers are all only one click away.
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