Description
Have your students felt a disconnect between the science units you are teaching and their own experiences? Have you wished for ways to make science more meaningful and engaging for your students? Would you be interested in a variety of quick tweaks and longer adaptations you can use to make your science classroom more inclusive, community-connected and culturally responsive?
IslandWood is in our third year of convening a working group of teachers, the developers of Amplify Science, Educational Service Districts, and Seattle Public School’s science department leaders to help students make meaningful and authentic connections between the science they are doing in their classroom and their region, community, and personal funds of knowledge. Last year, the 5th Grade teacher team developed a “Localizing Guide” for the 5th Grade Ecosystem Restoration Amplify Science unit, and we would love you to try out and provide feedback on the ideas they came up with.
Asynchronous pre-work and a 30-minute introductory video will provide you the opportunity to become familiar with the localizing guide and see how exploring local ecosystems, home interviews, incorporating local species, and things as simple as swapping in a local video for one provided by Amplify Science can help make the unit more relevant for your students. You will also have the opportunity to consider incorporating your community’s local assets and to decide which adaptations you want to try.
Event Notes
To earn up to 6 clock hours (3 STEM and 3 Equity), complete the pre-work and attend three follow-up Zoom sessions which will provide an opportunity to explore additional adaptations, discuss implementation, and share feedback about the guide. If you are teaching the Ecosystems Restoration unit with students this Spring, you can earn up to $75 by turning in reflections on adaptations you tried with your students ($15 each for five adaptation reflection submissions).
Dates
Pre-Work and Session Dates:
3/19/25 – Pre-Work is Due. Asynchronously watch a 30-minute recording, read the localizing guide, and turn in a reflection on it
3/20/25 – Introductory Zoom Session from 4-5:30 on
5/15/25 – PLC Zoom Session from 4-5:30
6/5/25 – Reflection Session on Zoom from 4-5:30