Teacher Education
We offer professional development and educational workshops for science teacher professionals. Learn more about our upcoming opportunities below.
Summer 2021 Science Teacher Professional Development
University of Illinois Extension is hosting virtual professional development for science teachers in summer 2021. All teachers are welcome to apply, but we will give priority to teachers who live and/or work in Cook County. The facilitators for these sessions are experienced NGSS professional development providers who have worked with groups such as NextGenStorylines, NGSX, and OpenSciEd.
Each multiple-day session is designed to equip teachers with the skills to teach in an NGSS-aligned manner. Attendees will gain access to tools, supplies, and highly rated "storyline" curricula. A storyline is a coherent sequence of lessons, in which each step is driven by students' questions that arise from their interactions with a scientific phenomenon.
Each 4- or 5-day session costs $100/person. Up to 20 Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) professional development hours will be provided for those who qualify. All sessions will take place in an interactive, live virtual context. Times will fall between the hours of 9 AM and 5 PM Central and will include a 30- to 60-minute lunch break.
For Elementary School Teachers
PAGES developed the following curricula to fill the gap of NGSS-designed curricula at the elementary levels. The units and professional development opportunities were developed in partnership with University of Illinois Extension STEM Educators in Cook County. These mini units are still in their development and pilot testing phase. Participants in this series will learn valuable skills to align their science practice to the NGSS as well as gain early access to materials.
[CANCELED] Kindergarten: Plants & Their Environment
July 12-13 and 19-20, 2021; Up to 5 hours synchronous each day; Zoom
This kindergarten unit addresses life science and earth and space science content areas, including the needs of living things, by answering the question Why does the sidewalk change over time?. Participants will engage with tree roots breaking through a sidewalk as a phenomenon and will learn how to develop questioning and modeling skills with their students.
[CANCELED] 3rd Grade: Life Cycles
July 15-16 and 22-23, 2021; Up to 5 hours synchronous each day; Zoom
This 3rd grade unit addresses life science content areas, including the unique and diverse life cycles of organisms, by answering the question Why is the sky full of mayflies?. Participants will engage with the mass emergence of mayflies as a phenomenon and will learn how to develop data analysis and modeling skills with their students.
Middle School Teachers
These professional development opportunities are offered by our partners at University of Illinois Extension.
[CANCELED] OpenSciEd: 6.1 Light & Matter
June 14–18, 2021; Up to 5 hours synchronous each day; Zoom
This 6th grade unit is the first in the sequence of OpenSciEd integrated middle school curricula and addresses both physical science and life science content areas by answering the question Why do we sometimes see different things when looking at the same
object?. Participants will engage with the phenomenon of one-way mirrors and will learn how to develop modeling skills with their students.
OpenSciEd: 7.1 Chemical Reactions & Matter
June 14–18, 2021; Up to 5 hours synchronous each day; Zoom
This unit is the first in 7th grade for the OpenSciEd integrated middle school sequence. It digs deeper into physical science content, including chemical reactions and conservation of matter by answering the question How can we make something new that was not there before?. Participants will engage with bath bombs as a phenomenon and will learn how to develop explanation, data analysis, and argumentation skills with their students.
High School Teachers
These professional development opportunities are offered by our partners at University of Illinois Extension.
inquiryHub: Biology
June 1–4, 2021; Up to 5 hours synchronous each day; Zoom
The inquiryHub (iHub) biology curriculum is a full-year high school biology course that is aligned to the NGSS and addresses the science ideas of evolution, genetics, and ecosystems. Participants in this cohort will engage with phenomena in Unit 1 Evolution: Why don’t antibiotics work like they used to? and will be equipped to use the following two units in the biology sequence.
inquiryHub: Chemistry
August 30–September 3, 2021; Up to 5 hours synchronous each day; Zoom
The inquiryHub (iHub) chemistry curriculum is a full-year, lab-based high school chemistry course that addresses common HS physical science ideas around energy, matter, and how it interacts with our lives. Participants in this cohort will engage with
phenomena in the first unit How should we search for life beyond Earth? and will be equipped to use the following four units in the chemistry sequence.
University of Illinois, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Local Extension Councils Cooperating. University of Illinois Extension provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate, email Meghan McCleary (mmccle5 at illinois.edu). Early requests are encouraged to allow time to meet individual requests. This webpage contains promotional content.