My COAST goes to Texas
The National Center for Science Education partnered with Texas A&M University at Galveston to offer the My COAST (Climate-Oriented Authentic Science Teaching) professional learning experience for teachers April 19-23, 2026, in Galveston, Texas. My COAST aims to improve K-12 teacher understanding, interest, content knowledge, and pedagogical practices related to coastal areas most threatened by our changing climate through field experiences, interactions with scientists, and workshops. Thirty-two teachers were selected from over 100 applicants for this unique, three-day opportunity.
Each morning participants engaged in a field experience led by university staff to learn about the unique features and ecosystems of the area. The first day involved a boat tour in which teachers measured the turbidity of water and collected and analyzed sediment samples. The second day, the group explored a salt marsh and used a large net to collect samples. Squeals of delight rang out as teachers excitedly announced the species that they identified and their walk back to the bus became an impromptu birding expedition. On the third day, the teachers had a blast catching (and then releasing) blue crabs using a chicken leg on a string and learning about crab anatomy in the lab.
In the afternoons, Science Education Specialists Wendy Johnson and Britt Miller led sessions in which the teachers experienced NCSE lessons and discussed how to use the resources in their classrooms. Teachers learned how to implement DataWISE, a tool for analyzing evidence-based claims, and Story Shorts, which engages students with authentic evidence to learn about climate change. Between learning sessions, teachers enjoyed exploring the campus, eating meals together, touring labs, and watching a pair of dolphins that frolicked in the marina right outside the classroom.
Teacher feedback was overwhelmingly positive and emphasized how much they appreciated both the field experiences and classroom resources. One teacher summarized it this way:
I would definitely recommend this professional development to other teachers. It provides meaningful, real world connections that make science more engaging and relevant for students, especially when it comes to topics like climate change and coastal environments. The training also offers practical strategies and resources that can be easily used in the classroom, not just ideas that sound good but are hard to implement. I appreciated how it modeled effective teaching practices like student discussion, data analysis, and CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning).
NCSE would like to thank all the teachers who attended as well as the Texas A&M University at Galveston staff for making this event such an amazing learning experience. Be on the lookout for upcoming My COAST events!
