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.

Registration is open
Workshop Dates

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.
  • 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.