Philadelphia STEM Outreach Guide
Searching for STEM outreach opportunities for students from PreK to 12th grade?
Our list below is a great starting point! Click the links provided for more details.​
​​
Please note that the Philadelphia STEM Outreach Guide is not exhaustive list of STEM outreach activities in the area. Inclusion in the Guide does not indicate endorsement of the listed programs. For more detailed information about specific programs or organizations, contact them directly. To add your outreach opportunity to the Guide, reach out to Betsy Payne.
Our Mobile Helicopter Exhibit “Stubby” is an interactive helicopter that travels to schools, camps, and community events. Docents accompany Stubby to give kids a chance to sit in the cockpit, operate the controls and learn how a helicopter works. For more information call the museum at (610) 436-9600 or
go to info@americanhelicopter.museum to schedule a visit from “Stubby”.
Our team partners up with local schools, educators, and organizations in the greater Philadelphia area to facilitate student learning about Civil Engineering. Our goal is to spark an interest in engineering by giving
presentations, career panels, and hands-on learning. With each event and student we work with, we hope to broaden their minds with new career possibilities, sharpen problem solving skills, and encourage teamwork. If you are interested in ASCE YMF visiting your school, please reach out to us at ASCEPhilaYMFK12@gmail.com. You can see more of some of our past outreach
events on our website: http://www.ymfphilly.org/k12.html
A K-12 science education program that provides classroom-based learning opportunities using live zebrafish.  During our week-long experiments, students raise zebrafish to study life cycles, habitats, genetics, and the many benefits of research.  BioEYES is designed to incorporate teacher empowerment
by providing resources and professional development to each partnering teacher.  Contact Tracy Nelson
at tracyn@pennmedicine.upenn.edu or (215) 746-7679. 
Bring forensic science to your school with Forensics on the Fly, a dynamic, five-module hybrid curriculum designed specifically for high school students. This program combines engaging online instruction with hands-on lab activities, giving students a practical and exciting introduction to core forensic science concepts. Whether used to launch a new course or enhance an existing one, Forensics on the Fly offers a flexible, ready-to-implement solution to inspire the next generation of forensic scientists. Contact STEM@cfsre.org for more information.
Our workshops seek to improve the chemical literacy of students, empowering them to make informed, health-conscious decisions about the household/retail products they use on a daily basis. The workshops focus on using scientific processes to substantiate the effectiveness of natural cosmetics and remedies.
To schedule a workshop or individual session, contact Marquita Robinson Garcia at dviniticosmetics@gmail.com or call (267) 579-3611.
Bring the zoo to your school, club, church, senior center, library or other public venue with our Zoo-on-Wheels. Live animals and interesting artifacts help bring learning to life. Each program is tailored to the age of the audience or programs can be custom designed to fit your curriculum. To book a Zoo-On-Wheels program use the form at the bottom of their page or contact the Education Department at (800) 652-4143 Ext. 226 or education@elmwoodparkzoo.org.
Our non-profit hosts interactive STEM-related workshops for elementary and middle school girls. Our sessions take place during the weekend on Penn's campus and local YMCAs and afterschool at our partner schools. We make an effort to plan unique activities that get kids to ask questions, be creative, and gain confidence as they learn! Registration is always free. Contact penn.girlstempowerment@gmail.com for more information.
​
Grand Hank’s student programs and services include The Science Lab of Grand Hank Live Science Demonstrations, The Benchmarks of A Successful Science Fair Project, and Celebrating Multicultural and African-American Scientists and Inventors Through Hands-On Science. Contact Tyraine Ragsdale, aka Grand Hank at (267) 249-5613 or at contactus@grandhank.com to inquire about speaking fees and date availability for Grand Hank's teacher training workshops, student services, live events and keynote presentations.
Bring the farm to your classroom with the Farm Explorer, a mobile farm that brings seed-to-plate education to schools and community organizations. Our discovery-based programs spark excitement in healthy eating as participants dig into living soil, smell herbs, pick berries, and taste freshly harvested vegetables. Contact Jenny Dunker at jenny.dunker@greenerpartners.org or at (610) 584-6580.
Let's Go Outdoors seeks to raise participation in outdoor recreation, especially among people of color and/or city communities though our Community Education programs. We offer easy, convenient campouts and retreats, youth leadership activities, and more! Contact Keisha Scovens at keisha@letsgooutdoors.net or at (866) 878-3595 to request more information.
​
Longwood Gardens is the world’s premier horticultural display garden, featuring more than 1,000 acres of gardens that range from exotic flowers to insect-eating plants to managed meadows. Our Traveling Seeds program to PreK classes help inspire budding horticulturists. Also, anyone can request Longwood to come to their STEM nights, career fairs, family nights, etc. by going to our Outreach Request Webform.
Bring STEM off the page and into your building with our Mobile STEM Labs. We turn libraries, classrooms, schoolyards, and cafeterias into high-energy bioprocessing and science labs where students mix solutions, build simple “engineering” setups, and see real chemistry and biology happen right in front of them. Led by real scientists, each session is fast-paced, hands-on, and built around real careers in biotech and medicine—without adding extra stress to your staff. We handle the setup, instruction, and cleanup; you get an unforgettable STEM experience your students will talk about long after the day is over.
The Association’s Solar House on Wheels is an interactive, mobile demonstration solar house. Complete with solar panels, an inverter and meters which measure the sun’s contribution to the house’s electricity, it is a powerful learning tool for children as well as adults. We have also brought along a solar cooker, which concentrate’s the sun’s heat, to make what we call “solar s’mores.” Always a big hit! Contact Liz Robinson at lizhrob2@gmail.com for more information.
The Center’s “Riverbend on the Road” brings Riverbend educators to visit your school, daycare center, preserve, library or community center with a nature-based program that supports your curriculum and learning goals. Our programs are designed for learners in Preschool through 5th grade to deliver engaging experiences while deepening students’ curiosity for and connection to the natural world. For more information email Suzanne Safran or call (610) 527-5324 Ext. 12.
If you can’t arrange a trip to our Center, we’ll come to you! Invite a naturalist a naturalist to your school
for in-class programs or guided explorations of your schoolyard. To see the programs, go to our
School Outreach Programs page. To schedule an educator to visit your school contact our registrar at bkelly@schuylkillcenter.org or 215-853-6249.
970 Spencer Road, Avondale, PA 19311
Far from the classroom, students will explore White Clay Creek and the surrounding watershed. They will collect aquatic bugs, use a dichotomous key, and perform water chemistry tests while learning how scientists determine the health of streams and rivers. Our center is a working laboratory, so our programs are developed from our scientists’ research. For more information and to request an education program, visit our School and Youth Programs page.
Bring hands-on STEM innovation to your school or library with Stevie The Inventor’s Build-A-Bot Class, an exciting, project-based learning experience designed for ages 6–12. Each session introduces students to the world of science, technology, engineering, and creativity through the fun of building motorized robots using everyday materials. Perfect for schools, libraries, youth programs, and community centers, Build-A-Bot offers a flexible, ready-to-run STEM experience that engages students in hands-on innovation.
To book a class or for more information, go to our website at https://www.stevietheinventor.com/ or call (267) 244-2101.
The TD Bank WOW! Zone Financial Education Resources are free and designed to help K–12 educators teach children and teens about money in an easy, simple way. Providing students with money management and investing tools now helps prepare them for a strong financial future. Educators and students can work on financial literacy with a full curriculum of downloadable lesson plans and age-appropriate activities for grades K–12. TD Bank employee volunteers are available to teach your classroom or community group for free. Invite an employee volunteer to teach a lesson virtually or in your classroom or organization today. This program is available in most communities where TD Bank is located.
Women’s Animal Center offers offsite Presentations & Workshops to meet the needs of any age group. From preschool to college-level students and scout troops, to local businesses and groups, Women’s Animal Center can accommodate a presentation to meet your interests and goals. If you are interested in learning more about the topics or pricing, or would like to discuss creating a program to better fit your needs, please fill out the interest form HERE.