Science Tidbit
September 2020
Quick overview
- How to enroll in the 6-8 and 9-12 Science Canvas course
- Information on student worksheets in Canvas
- LSTA Complimentary Membership
- Several grants and workshop opportunities
- Upcoming professional development
Self Enroll in Canvas for Middle and High School Science
Click on the link below to be added to the appropriate science Canvas course.
Things you can find in the Canvas course:
EAGLE Questions
Pacing Guides
Curriculum Information
Helpful Videos
Sample Lesson Plans (Continually growing)
Upcoming Professional Development
STUDENT WORKSHEETS AVAILABLE FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AND BIOLOGY THROUGH CANVAS
Student worksheets for Unit 1 and Unit 2 are available on the 6-8 Canvas Course in PDF format. Click on the link and copy the folder to your drive. Units 3 and 4 will only be available in PDF format and will not be pushed through Kami.
High School Biology:
All student worksheets have been pushed through Kami and are available on Canvas Commons for you to add to your class module. I will also provide you with the PDF of each document so you can upload them to your own Google Drive. I will remove each unit from Commons once I make all PDFs available.
All biology resources are still available in the Teacher Resource Center for you to print if you want a hard copy.
LSTA Complimentary Membership
Grants and Workshops
Weather Stations
Toshiba America Foundation
Pasco Stem Grant
Halliburton Foundation Grant
Brown Foundation Service Learning Program
Cyber Innovation Center
NEED Energy Workshop
The National Energy Education Development Project is hosting live online virtual professional development. Our virtual workshops are inspired by the same mission and goals as our in-person trainings. These interactive workshops are designed to improve one’s own energy knowledge as a consumer, to provide hands-on lessons and activities, and to learn new strategies to engage students in a distance learning environment by sharing hints, tips and tools for teaching in today’s classroom. One-day workshops are provided throughout the school year. Notice which workshops are open to LA teachers. Some are arranged for particular groups of teachers based on location. View upcoming workshops September workshops here. October information sent soon.
National Geographic Society
EDUCATOR COMMUNITY UPDATES SEPTEMBER 2020 As you navigate new challenges, the National Geographic Society is here to support and wishes you all the best this school year and beyond. As part of our family, your well-being and insight mean a lot to us, and we want to hear from you. Share your feedback in our educator survey for a chance to win a $50 gift card. Thank you in advance for your time! Looking for a fun and safe way for youth to learn more about their area's biodiversity? BioBlitz is the learning experience for you! Join National Geographic staff and educators for a series of free webinars for out-of-school time professionals that share resources on exploring biodiversity from home and within your local communities. Noticing Nature - Observations, Techniques, and Species Exploration Using the Seek App BioBlitz Webinar on September 22 at 1 p.m. ET Connecting Youth to Nature in 2020 BioBlitz Webinar on September 28 at 12 p.m. ET
National Geographic Education #NatGeoBee The annual competition is open to students in fourth through eighth grades (4-8), in public schools, private schools, and homeschools in the United States and its territories, as well as the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS). Nationwide, nearly 10,000 schools participate in the GeoBee each year. This fall, the National Geographic GeoBee competition is moving to a new model to ensure flexibility, accessibility, equity, and engagement, with new options for hybrid and distance learning. Sign up for early-bird registration before Oct. 1, 2020 to take advantage of new online options and free registration for schoolwide Title I schools to inspire and reward your students’ curiosity about the world. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/student-experiences/geobee/
FREE National Geographic (NG) Education Courses begin September 30. National Geographic’s free online courses for educators equip teachers with powerful tools to transform their classrooms. Through these courses, educators build their own skills and knowledge so they can foster the mindset of a NGE in their students. NG online professional learning courses vary in their lengths and schedules so that busy educators can find a program that fits their needs. Courses are open to any educator from anywhere in the world who works with students in either a formal or informal setting. In many of our courses, learners can earn graduate credits through our university partnerships. Connecting the Geo-Inquiry Process to your Teaching Practice Teaching Global Climate Change in Your Classroom Integrating Service with Learning Goals Collecting Data to Explore Plastic Pollution in Our Communities https://www.nationalgeographic.org/education/professional-development/courses/
The Cornell Lab
Free Professional Development Webinars September 22 and 24–Remote Learning Resources We're excited to launch this year's slate of free webinars! Our monthly webinars cover a variety of topics from virtual resources to support remote learning to ways to promote gender equity in your STEM classroom. Our fun and interactive webinars provide background content, highlight new and relevant educational resources, and allow discussion for successful implementation. Click on the month you’re interested in registering. You can receive letters of completion or Continuing Education Units.
The CIRES/NOAA Science@Home speaker series
Each month will feature an overarching theme:
September = Natural Hazards and Resilience
September 22nd at 1:00pm MT - Joshua Schwarz will present: Fires! Smoke! Airplanes! Action! How We're Learning About Wildfires and Crop Burning Smoke.
September 29th at 1:00pm MT - Mel Zhang will present: Seismology: What it is and How I Got Into it All webinars will be live streamed and links will be posted to our website, or if you would like the links delivered to your inbox every week: please register.
Climate Superstars Challenge!
Online YOUniversity Blog for teaching online
6-12 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES
Middle and High School
You must register through KickUp
Middle School
Preparing an engaging virtual lesson through Canvas using basic tools. (Middle School Teachers using IQWST) NOW ON-DEMAND IN KICKUP
- Middle school teachers will learn how to create a lesson for IQWST through Canvas using basic tools.
Conducting a Lab via a Virtual Platform (Middle School Teachers using IQWST)
NOW ON-DEMAND IN KICKUP
- The PD is for middle school science teachers. Designed to help them navigate a virtual lab for students.
Wed. October 7th, 2020 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CDT
- Teachers will learn how to integrate intermediate tools into lesson plans for science through Canvas.
Planning and preparing for successful IQWST instruction for 6th Grade science.
Fri October 23rd, 2020 8:00 AM - 10:00 AM CDT
- This PD is for 6th Grade middle school science teachers only. IQWST will answer questions teachers may have from the first unit and help them navigate through the 2nd unit.
Planning and preparing for successful IQWST instruction for 7th Grade science.
Fri October 23rd, 2020 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT
- This PD is for 7th Grade middle school science teachers only. IQWST will answer questions teachers may have from the first unit and help them navigate through the 2nd unit.
Planning and preparing for successful IQWST instruction for 8th grade science.
Fri October 23rd, 2020 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM CDT
- This PD is for 8th Grade middle school science teachers only. IQWST will answer questions teachers may have from the first unit and help them navigate through the 2nd unit.
Advanced Virtual Tools for online collaboration through Canvas (Middle School Teachers using IQWST)
Thu November 12th, 2020 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CST
- Teachers will learn advanced tools they can integrate into their lesson plans through Canvas.
High School
Preparing an engaging virtual lesson through Canvas using basic tools. (High School Science Teachers) NOW ON-DEMAND IN KICKUP
- This PD is to help high school science teachers create engaging virtual lessons through Canvas.
Conducting a lab via a Virtual Platform. (High School Science Teachers)
NOW ON-DEMAND IN KICKUP
- This PD is for high school teachers to assist in facilitating a virtual lab experience through Canvas.
Introduction to Inquiry Hub Unit 1: From Molecules to Organisms
September 21, 2020, 4:00 - 5:00
- High School Biology teachers who are new to teaching the Caddo modified iHub resources.
Planning conversations for Unit 1 and 2: From Molecules to Organisms and Genetics
NOW ON-DEMAND IN KICKUP
- This PD will discuss using virtual tools to help navigate Units 1 and 2 of the Caddo Modified iHub Curriculum. Intended for teachers who taught using the resources last year.
Integrating virtual tools for science teachers through Canvas (High School Science Teachers)
Thu October 1st, 2020 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM CDT
- High school science teachers integrating virtual tools through Canvas.