Soybean science challenge: growing beyond our borders

The Soybean Science Challenge (SSC) continues to support Arkansas STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) educational goals, is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and engages high-school students in active learning and the co-creation of knowledge through support of classroom-based lessons and applied student research The SSC educates and engages high school science students and teachers in 'real-world' Arkansas specific soybean science education through original NGSS aligned curriculum in 7E and Gathering Reasoning and Communicating (GRC)-3D format and a continuum of educational methods which include: teacher workshops, online and virtual live stream education, teacher-focused conference booths, community gardens, personal mentoring, student-led research and corresponding award recognition, and partnerships with state and national educators, agencies and the popular media The COVID-19 global pandemic altered the educational landscape in 2020 The new educational environment has seen an increase in virtual classrooms, online courses, and interactions with Zoom copyright The Soybean Science Challenge, by nature of its existing design and methodology, was amid these methods by launching online Next General Science Standards Aligned GRC-3D and 7E lesson plans for teachers, expanding the online course, and adding additional virtual field trips to the list on the Soybean Science Challenge website Through the SSC, teachers now have access to a plethora of educational instructions that bring real-world agricultural critical thinking both into the classroom, and homes of students The SSC has learned that not only Arkansas teachers and students have benefited from these additional resources but teachers and students from other states as well