ASTA has announced Celebrating Science: past, present and future as the official schools’ theme for National Science Week 2027, marking the event’s 30th anniversary and highlighting the important role science plays in shaping our lives today and future discoveries.
“This theme will allow all Australians to appreciate and celebrate the development of science knowledge and achievements from the past, dating back to our First People and to the many emerging future discoveries and innovations that continue to inspire us all,” Ms Taylor said.“We also know that science is often used to provoke excitement, engagement and wonder. Scientists and teachers alike use demonstrations and experiments to elicit curiosity and joy. This theme reminds us that science is not only captivating, but that science is a necessary pursuit and certainly worth celebrating! For this milestone anniversary, we should all be proud and grateful of what humankind has achieved through science.”
National Science Week will run from 14 – 22 August 2027, inspiring young Australians to cultivate curiosity, grow their understanding of science concepts and comprehend the true nature of science. In 2026 there were more than 3600 events registered on the National Science Week website across every state and territory.
ASTA encourages all schools around Australia to apply for the school grants and download the free school resources which aim to enable any Australian school to showcase and celebrate science with their community.
Engagement opportunities for schools
As part of this initiative, schools and preschools are encouraged to apply for school grants of up to $500, funded by the Australian Government, to support their National Science Week activities. With a total grant pool of $110,000, administered by ASTA, these funds will enable educators to bring the theme to life in classrooms across the country, fostering curiosity and a passion for STEM learning.
Applications for grants will open in March 2027 via the ASTA website www.asta.edu.au.
Resource book for teachers
To support teachers in delivering educational learning experiences, ASTA will produce its annual curriculum-aligned teacher resource book, packed with information, classroom activities, experiments, diagrams, photographs, and website links.
The resource book, centred on the 2027 theme, will be an invaluable tool for both primary and secondary science teachers, providing them with the resources needed to explore complex concepts in an accessible and interactive way. The book will contain a range of ideas on how we can use science to excite and engage learners across all science subject areas.
The resource book will be available to download in term 2 2027.
Want to explore themes from the archives? The historic resource books dating back to 1984 are all available at https://asta.edu.au/resources/programs/national-science-week/national-science-week-books/
National Science Week partners
National Science Week is a program of Inspiring Australia, a nationwide initiative which aims to engage all Australians to build awareness, appreciation and develop capability and skills in the sciences.
Key partners include Questacon – the National Science and Technology Centre, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Australian Science Teachers Association (ASTA), all working collaboratively to make this week a memorable and impactful experience for communities, students and educators.
