2026 LASTEM Teacher Cohort on the auditorium stage of the LIGO Science Education Center
LASTEM 2026: Energy
June 1st - 5th, 2026
Supporting the mission of the LaSTEM Advisory Council to expand access to high-quality STEM education, the LIGO Science Education Center, with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation, hosted a hands-on workshop for middle and high school teachers.
Through engaging activities, experiments, and interactive demonstrations, participants explored the fundamental concepts of energy and learned practical, classroom-ready strategies for teaching physics and physical science. The workshop equipped educators with resources and techniques to integrate these topics into their lesson plans while fostering student curiosity and engagement.
The workshop was held at the LIGO Livingston Observatory in Livingston, Louisiana.
ACTIVITIES
Mystery Tubes
Craft Stick Explosion
Ninja Stars
Pencil Circuit
Fan Transformation
Electric Motor Sequence:
Absorption of Radiant Energy by Color
Feeling the Difference
Bounce Lab
Spaghetti Buildings
Dampening Energy Loss
Energy Investigation: What is really moving?
Ice melt
Rollercoaster
