Teacher Workshops
Summer Professional Development for K-12 Science Teachers
The education component of the NSF Track-1 project involves development of STEM K-12 curriculum modules and conducting 3-day teacher workshops.
South Dakota science teachers — elementary, middle school and high school — are eligible to participate in virtual and face-to-face teacher workshops and receive a stipend for each. Reduced rate graduate credit will be available from BHSU (Black Hills State University). Space is limited, so register early.
Participants will strengthen their understanding of three-dimensional science teaching and receive support in meeting South Dakota’s K-12 Science Standards.
Participants will also learn about science and engineering research underway at universities across our state and become familiar with one or more of six newly developed K-12 curriculum modules that relate to the research.
The learning workshops will be virtual and face-to-face, using a combination of guided independent learning, collaborative online learning, and hands-on science activities and experiences.
New participants will receive a copy of the Ambitious Science Teaching book. Featured topics will include planning for culturally relevant, phenomena-based instruction, facilitation of equitable discourse, and using sense-making to drive learning.
For payment of the stipends, we are using PaymentWorks as a secure means of providing us with your W9 and banking information. An invitation will be sent through the PaymentWorks portal to onboard new individuals. Please email sdepscor@sdbor.edu if you have any questions.
Workshop dates
- Virtual: June 20-22 (Tuesday-Thursday): Fundamentals of Three-Dimensional Science Instruction & Biofilms (previously offered in 2020, 2021 & 2022 via Zoom). This workshop is intended for SD K-12 educators who have not previously taken this introductory course. Participants will also learn about the curriculum unit “Stuck Like Glue — Stuck on You” and receive a $300 stipend for full participation on all 3 days.
- Reduced rate graduate credit will be available from Black Hills State University.
- Virtual: July 11-13 (Tuesday-Thursday): Planning for Sense-Making in 3-D Instruction (previously offered in 2021). This course will support educators in learning about science and engineering research underway at universities across our state while experiencing and learning about a curriculum module around the current science research of biofilms.
- Audience: SD Educators of K-12 students
- Location: Virtual
- Dates/Times: July 11 (Tuesday.) through July 13 (Thursday) — from from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. MDT (9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. CDT) each day
- New participants will receive the book Ambitious Science Teaching as part of the workshop, and all will receive a $300 stipend for full participation on all 3 days.
- Reduced rate graduate credit will be available from Black Hills State University.
- Participants will do a deep dive into one of three curriculum units. Participants must be new to a curriculum unit to be eligible to participate. Participants will select one of three curriculum units, which they will receive following the workshop.
- Elementary School: Pond Scum
- Middle School: Dead Zones
- High School: Biofilms in the Human Body
- Northern State University: July 31 (Monday): STEM Kit Workshop.
- This course will involve a one-day in-person workshop, then will require participants to utilize one of the STEM kits in their classroom and write a reflection on the experience. Each activity will be introduced, along with background, procedures and resources with the goal of preparing educators to confidently run the experiments within their classroom.
- Audience: SD Educators of 3rd- to 5th-grade students
- Location: NSU (Aberdeen, SD)
- Date/Times: July 31 (Monday) — from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. CDT
- All participants will receive a $200 stipend after reflection paper is received at the end of the experience, due early-December.
Featuring
- Phenomena-based instruction
- Facilitation of classroom discourse
- Attention to equity and cultural relevance
- Access to new curriculum modules
Register
Space is limited in each session.
Contact us
If you are interested in participating or have questions, please email sdepscor@sdbor.edu.