BTANJ
The Biology Teachers Association of New Jersey
Our mission is to inspire and empower science educators.
August 2017
Summer Professional Development Workshop Series
Full Day Offering: August 15, 2017; 9 am-3 pm
Three one-hour sessions with a two hour work session at the end.
Location: InfoAge, Wall, NJ
#1: Workshop Title: Unpacking & Reflecting on your 3 dimensional
Presenters: Haley Poquette and Stefanie Ucles
Description: Presentation and discussion. Take a step back and evaluate the implementation of the NGSS Performance Expectations (PEs) in your curriculum and classroom. Review the three-dimensional framework and reflect on approaches to better incorporate the three dimensions in your instruction. Participants should have a basic understanding of the Understanding by Design (UBD) framework.
#2: Workshop Title: Achieving NGSS Through Phenomenon Based Questioning Technique
Presenters: Lisa Sacca
Description: Presentation and work session: Teacher will demonstrate using question formulation technique(QFT) to perform experiments or research to collect data needed to support a claim for a specific phenomenon.Then participants will work to use the template for phenomenon related to their curriculum. Notes: (1) Bring devices, (2) Try to think of one phenomenon related to a unit you teach to work on after sample lesson.
#3: Workshop Title: Designing Assessments that Actually Meet the Standards
Presenters: Josh Tennant & Cassandra Tennant
Description: Brief presentation and then working session. Do you have a handle on NGSS but are still struggling with making fully aligned assessments? Join us while we work together in small groups to help create assessments to use in your classroom that ACTUALLY meet the standards. Notes: (1) Bring devices, (2) Bring some performance expectations for a unit you teach to work with after the brief presentation.
#4: Work Session: Work collaboratively with presenters and other attendees to create meaningful QFTs and Assessments that are created for your curriculum.
Full Day PD Cost: Members $30; Non-Members: $50
($30 at initial online registration, $20 upon signing in at workshop)
Partial Day Offerings:
August 11, 2017; 9am-12pm
Workshop Title: Student-Centered Strategies
Location: InfoAge
Presenter: Kristina Nicosia, Ed.D & Lisa Sacca
Description:This workshop will provide different strategies to help teachers foster student-centered learning environments. Strategies will be presented from two teachers who have successfully transformed their classrooms with break-out time to try out the strategies. Participants will leave with having created some resources for a student-centered classroom! Bring a laptop or other computing device.
August 29, 2017; 9 am-11 am
Workshop Title: Teaching Ecological Concepts with Elephants from HHMI
Location: TBD
Presenters: Karen Lucci
Description: Elephants are being studied extensively in terms of population studies, communication in animals and even DNA profiling. These are NGSS-aligned activities aimed at both intro and advanced biology.
Partial Day PD Cost: Members $10; Non-Members: $20
($10 at initial online registration, $10 upon signing in at workshop)