Professional Development for Teams and Districts
The K-12 Education team provides effective, standards-aligned, engaging professional development opportunities to help teachers succeed.
I have been to a bunch of teacher PD, and this one is THE BEST! Class act! You all thought of everything. I still cannot believe how lucky I am to have been part of it.
Anonymous Teacher, 2019
We’ve helped thousands of educators build their students’ STEM skills while developing life-long connections to their local habitats. Our transformative trainings are based on NGSS-aligned curriculum kits that provide educators with the tools, skills, and support to help teach nature connection, participatory science, and inquiry with comfort and confidence.
The emphasis of our program is educator professional development. Please note that we do not lead presentations for K-12 students.
TOPICS
Nature Connection
I feel so much more confident in my abilities to go out birding and observing nature with my classroom.
Anonymous Teacher, 2019
Spending time outdoors increases academic performance and social emotional learning for all students. Engaging students outdoors can feel overwhelming and intimidating, so we run trainings that cover practical tips for organizing outdoor learning practices for supporting nature connection, and provide ample opportunities to discuss implementation. These workshops are perfect for schools or districts who want to better utilize their schoolyards, outdoor classrooms or school gardens, for learning.
Audience
K-8 teachers
Format
1-2 day, in person
Curricula
Flexible depending on your needs, including: Habitat Connections kit, Explorer’s Guidebook, Feathered Friends, as well as connecting to literacy with one or more of our book guides.
Participatory Science
My students are already scientists, but I want to emphasize for them the value of participatory science and how their curiosity can help birds and benefit the whole Earth.
Training Participant, 2022
Participatory science builds STEM skills and science identity. Our NGSS-aligned eBird Explorers trainings help teachers engage students in the eBird project and share their real-world observations with scientists. Teachers take our eBird Essentials course and then gather to practice identifying birds during outdoor walks, collaboratively teach portions of the curriculum, and develop an implementation plan so they are ready to hit the ground running.
Audience
K-12 teachers
Format
2-3 days; in person, online, or blended.
Curricula
eBird Explorers kits for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, or 9-12
Inquiry
I’m going to stop asking yes/no questions and ask more open-ended questions, and encourage their observations and curiosity.
Sarah P., 2020
Inquiry-based learning is a student-centered approach that teaches STEM content while simultaneously building science practices—a key focus of the NGSS. Teachers gain confidence in guiding students to ask their own scientific questions, collect data and use evidence to find answers, and share their results. In this training, teachers explore different levels of inquiry, complete their own mini-inquiry investigation, and discuss ways to infuse inquiry practices into their classroom. We also highlight culturally responsive teaching to better engage students in science.
Audience
K-12 teachers
Format
2-5 days; in person or blended.
Curricula
Students as Scientists: Nature-based Inquiry for grades K-5 or 6-12
MATERIALS
Workshop participants receive appropriate curriculum sets based on the subject and grade level that they teach. Additionally, they may receive a selection of handouts including data sheets, posters, and annotated bibliographies of recommended literature. We are always happy to answer questions and provide support after our trainings!
TRAINING FEES
As a nonprofit organization, we strive to keep our trainings moderately priced. The cost of professional development is determined by the length of the sessions and the take-home materials provided to participants. Trainings vary in length from 6 hours to week-long, depending on your needs.
- Training fees are $150/hour, up to $1,000/day.
- Materials fees vary widely, from $5-$110 depending on the curricula you select.
- Travel expenses are extra and estimated at the time of booking.
Contact our training coordinators to discover the options and choose the right format for your setting. Click the “Request training” button to provide some information about the workshop you have in mind. We will be in touch soon to coordinate a customized training for your group.
