For over 40 years, Vernier Science Education has been a trusted leader in hands‑on STEM education, equipping educators with the tools and technology to bring real-world data collection and analysis into the classroom. Penda Learning has developed a digital learning platform grounded in cognitive science‑using gamification and research‑based strategies to keep students motivated while boosting engagement and achievement in standards‑based science instruction. 

Now, these two innovators in science education have joined forces to create Vernier Connections^® powered by Penda—a comprehensive digital solution that combines hands‑on investigations with engaging activities and assessments. Designed for today’s classrooms, Connections helps districts overcome the challenges of resource limitations, instructional inconsistency, and the growing demand for accessible, high‑quality science education.

Inspiring Future Generations of STEM‑literate Citizens

Science education is evolving. Modern standards, like the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and similar three‑dimensional frameworks adopted across the U.S., demand more than just curriculum updates. This shift calls for a transformation in how teachers teach and how students make sense of the world around them through science.

For many districts, delivering this level of excellent STEM instruction in every classroom can feel like an uphill battle. With challenges like budget constraints, staffing shortages, and a growing number of early‑career or undercertified teachers, educators are looking for a solution.

That’s where Vernier Connections powered by Penda comes in.

What Is Vernier Connections Powered by Penda?

Connections is a comprehensive solution that combines digital learning with hands‑on experimentation to engage students in sensemaking through the exploration of real‑world phenomena. It supports students in grades 3–12 with activities, investigations, and assessments hand‑crafted for the NGSS and aligned to the Texas TEKS, Florida SASS, and Pennsylvania STEELS.

At the high school level, Connections emphasizes hands-on investigation using Vernier wireless Go Direct^® sensors, using real-time progress monitoring while engaging students in science and engineering practices.

What Makes Connections Different?

1. Effortlessly Embedded into Your Classroom Instruction
Connections is designed for seamless implementation, with lessons, assessments, and investigations expertly aligned to your district’s pacing calendar and integrated directly into your existing systems—including Canvas, Schoology, Google SSO, Clever, ClassLink, INFINITE CAMPUS^®, and OneRoster^®—for easy, district-wide adoption.

2. Focused on 21^st Century Skills
Through hands‑on, inquiry‑based investigations with Go Direct sensors, high school students engage in real‑world experimental data collection and analysis. Students build collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills as they engage in core science and engineering practices like asking questions, building models, interpreting data, and communicating information.

3. Inclusive, Accessible STEM Learning
Connections supports STEM learners with differing abilities through scaffolded instruction and advanced accessibility tools. With activities translated into 100+ languages, text offered at varying levels of complexity, and built‑in accommodations—like picture dictionaries, speed‑adjustable read‑aloud, background color adjustments, line focus tools, and more—Connections enables students with a wide variety of learning needs to engage with confidence.

4. Gamification That Motivates Learning
Connections keeps students motivated through built-in gamification tools like avatars, point systems, badges, and leaderboards, creating a rewarding learning environment that encourages participation and celebrates progress for digital‑native learners.

5. Time-Saving for Teachers
Connections includes a comprehensive library of ready‑to‑use, standards‑aligned lessons, assessments, and expertly curated simulations. Features like autograding, grade passback to the LMS, and teacher guides for every lesson streamline planning and reduce administrative workload. 

Teachers can also adjust instruction in real-time with quick insight into students’ learning progress. Plus, easy access to three‑dimensional, hands‑on investigations makes it easy for teachers to regularly engage students in rigorous science and engineering practices—freeing up precious time to focus on what matters most: supporting students’ learning.

6. Progress Monitoring and Actionable Insights
Teachers and administrators can track learning at the student, class, school, and district levels with built‑in reports and assessments. This full suite of assessments and customizable reports provides critical insight into students’ learning and empowers educators to make timely, data‑informed instructional decisions.

Ready to Explore Connections?

Vernier Connections powered by Penda brings together the best of hands-on and digital learning to make high-quality science education more streamlined and accessible. It helps teachers deliver rigorous instruction without adding to their workload⁠—⁠⁠and it supports students   with interactive, hands-on learning experiences that foster critical thinking and a deeper understanding of scientific concepts. 

Whether you’re navigating a multi‑school district or supporting a single classroom, Connections delivers the tools and flexibility to meet your goals. Built to scale, easy to adopt, and designed for impact, it’s a solution as dynamic as the students it serves.

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Learn more about Vernier Connections powered by Penda and request a demo with our team. Explore all of our district solutions here.