During this first phase of moving towards implementing the PA STEELS K-12 science standards, science educators will become familiar with and experience the shifts entailed in moving from “learning about” to “figuring out” in science classrooms.

The following opportunities will be offered in the 2022-23 school year and the summer and fall of 2023:

Science Institutes

Attend a free institute for science educators. These three-day science learning experiences align to various grade-levels and science domains. Attendees will develop a shared understanding of phenomenon-based and problem-driven science instruction that effectively incorporates all three dimensions of the standards (disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts). Participants will engage in pedagogical practices that foster reasoning and sense-making in the science classroom and support equity and access for all students. Designed with science teachers in mind, science-supportive administrators are strongly encouraged to attend with staff.

*Note that these institutes were also offered during SY 2022-23. If you attended during SY 2022-23, we will have a second institute coming in January 2024 around assessment and pedagogical practices. Watch for that announcement!

Please choose the offering aligned with your teaching role:

K-2 STEM Institute

The content focuses on life science, physical science, Earth and space science and engineering design.

Price: Free to all AIU educators

Audience: K-2 Science, Engineering and STEM teachers

Fall 2023 Meeting Dates: 9/20/23, 11/28/23, 12/15/23

Register for Fall Session

Grades 3-5 Science Institute

The content focuses on physical science, life science and Earth and space science.

Price: Free to all AIU educators

Audience: Grades 3-5 Science teachers

Fall 2023 Meeting Dates: 9/22/23, 11/15/23, 12/12/23

Register for Fall Session

Life Sciences Institute for Secondary Teachers

The content focuses on the life sciences in grades 6-12 (with the inclusion of related Earth and space science topics as appropriately connected to the life science content under consideration).

Price: Free to all AIU educators

Audience: Grades 6-12 Life Science teachers

Fall 2023 Meeting Dates: 10/16/23, 11/13,23, 12/5/23 

Register for Fall Session

Physical Science Institute for Secondary Teachers

The content focuses on the physical sciences in grades 6-12 (with the inclusion of related Earth and space science topics as appropriately connected to the physical science content under consideration).

Price: Free to all AIU educators

Audience: Grades 6-12 Physical Science Teachers 

Fall 2023 Meeting Dates: 9/21/23, 11/1/23, 11/30/23

Register for Fall Session

Administrator-Focused Science Professional Learning

Fall 2023 Meeting Dates: September 27-28

Register for Fall Session

This one-and-a-half-day administrator-focused professional learning offering was specifically created to help leaders support shifts in science instruction towards phenomenon-based, 3-D science teaching. 

This offering is steeped in both science learning and leadership for science instruction. The experience is based on the Next Generation Science Exemplar System’s Principal’s Learn and Network to Support 3-D Science Learning (PLANS) Pathway. Although this offering is designed specifically for administrators, it is open to any science leaders, including department heads, grade-band science leads and science coaches. (This offering is a prerequisite for a two-day training opportunity in Phase 2: Create a Plan.)