Offerings by the STEM Education Center at WPI and Mass Academy

SPRING 2023

I am STEM – STEM I am, FREE online PD

April 4 OR May 17 from 6–7:30pm OR June 5 from 9:30–11am

Looking for some fun and engaging STEM activities for the end of the school year? Look no further! The I am STEM – STEM I am lesson library engages students, grades PK-6, in solving problems in books and is designed to empower students to become problem solvers. Thanks to a grant from the Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council, you can join us for this FREE online professional development. The PD is open to any PK-6 educator (in and out of school) interested in implementing a design challenge with their students. This interactive and engaging 90-minute session will introduce you to the problem-solving process, show you how to navigate the library, and allow you to briefly explore grade-level lessons and try out an activity with colleagues. Registration is NOW OPEN on our webpage. Contact Donna with questions.

SUMMER:

Seeds of STEM, Problem-Based STEM Curriculum for PK-K Classrooms

July 6 & 7 OR Oct. 13 & 14 AND two follow-up sessions on Dec. 8 AND March 8

Young children deserve high-quality STEM curriculum too! Seeds of STEM is a research-based, science and engineering, PK-K curriculum that guides children in solving problems. Join the hundreds of teachers from MA, GA, AZ, and NY who completed the training and are implementing Seeds of STEM units in their classrooms. Want to use Seeds of STEM with your PK-K students too? Join our PD this summer or fall and get a real experience with the curriculum. While conducted virtually, the PD is fun and very interactive! More information and registration are available on our webpage. Contact Mia with questions.

Whales’ Tales, Turtle Hurdles, and Migration Phenomena

A Summer Professional Development Institute for Grades 3-8 Educators

An Approved Course for MA DESE’s Accelerating Science: Open Access Professional Learning

During this week-long institute, teachers will explore the phenomena of migration of whale, sharks, turtles and birds as they explore the tools used to track migrating species. They will work with real time data collected by researchers and citizen scientist, gain an understanding of the importance of both technologically collected data as well as historical data collected by whalers and fisherman and learn about their students can become involved in citizen monitoring programs. Teachers will participate in field and inquiry-based classroom investigations, explore how phenomena can provide a foundation for inquiry-based science instruction, identify culturally appropriate phenomena for classroom-based investigations, learn how their students can become involved in place-based citizen science activities, and visit research laboratories in Woods Hole.  July 17-21, 2023; Manomet, Inc. Plymouth, MA. 

ORGANIZATIONS:

Wade Institute (formerly MITS: Museum Institute for Teaching Science)
Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers
National Education Energy Development Project (NEED)
National Science Teaching Association
Project Learning Tree Workshops
WPI STEM Education Center