IslandWood

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)* call for students to use the practices, concepts, and content of science and engineering to understand and solve problems relevant to their lives. When teachers emphasize their students’ home environments, they make science more applicable and engaging while building foundations to understand global issues like climate change.

Courses

IslandWood courses are for teachers and educators who teach science to K-8 graders. Each course is focused on teachers in a different grade band. The courses span three months and include a Saturday kick-off session followed by multiple shorter after-school sessions. Each one provides an example NGSS curriculum as a model for incorporating local phenomena into storylines, embedding equity and justice in teaching, integration of Next Generation Science Standards with other subjects and inclusion of indigenous ways of knowing. Separate cohorts for each grade band will provide for both online only options and in-person Saturdays if/when appropriate.

2023-24 School Year Course Offerings:

• Fall: Seasonal Change in the Schoolyard for preK-2nd grade teachers. Use observable seasonal changes to anchor a Next Generation Science Standards-aligned curriculum that will get your students excited about doing science in their schoolyard. Incorporating your schoolyard and community into your classroom is a powerful strategy for justice-centered and equitable science learning that connects Next Generation Science Standards to personal experiences, makes learning relevant and affirms all students as scientists and caring citizens.
• Winter: Community-Centered Climate Action for 3-5th grade teachers. This course presents an air quality focused storyline that integrates Next Generation Science Standards with related social studies standards. Your students will build an understanding of how air pollution impacts other species, their community, and the climate. They will investigate their school grounds to inquire about and monitor air quality as well as learn about carbon emissions and activism in their community. Teachers and students will gain inspiration from the actions of local community members and then develop and implement an action plan to make a difference.

Amidst the adoption of NGSS science curriculum created for a national audience, teachers and districts have identified a need for a greater connection between the national science units and their student’s communities, ecosystems, and lived experiences. IslandWood and its partners have been acting on that desire as they develop strategies, approaches and curricular support to help students see how the science in their classroom is relevant in their communities and their region.

IslandWood has partnered again this year with the Lawrence Hall of Science, Seattle Public Schools, and the Olympic Educational Service District to support the “localizing” of Amplify Science Units. Building off last year’s efforts, IslandWood has gathered a second teacher working group this year, to pilot and develop additional appendices for Amplify Science Units. IslandWood is also working with districts to support teachers in localizing specific Amplify Science units (for which “localizing appendices” were developed during the 2022-23 school year).

IslandWood’s efforts include other curricula as well. IslandWood has been working with partners to provide more general workshops on localizing strategies at WSTA and NSTA conferences and is partnering with the NWESD and OESD to provide OpenSciEd focused workshops for Middle School teachers. They are also planning for next year’s Localizing Science Working Group to include both Amplify Science and OpenSci teachers.