Professional Learning
Next Generation Science Standards require educators to engage students in the science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and challenging concepts to figure out phenomenon and explain the world around them. Cereal City Science (CCS) offers a range of professional learning and support to help teachers revise and refine their practice of teaching to meet the demands of three-dimensional teaching and learning. CCS has developed tools and strategies to turn the science classroom into a student-led environment of figuring things out.
Scheduled Programs*
Cereal City Science Curriculum Training (available online or in-person):
Curriculum Training prepares teachers to implement Cereal City Science Units in the classroom. A CCS unit will be introduced in a 6-hour training session (two sessions for middle school) focused on teaching strategies associated with specific curriculum content of the grade level kit. Teachers will explore investigations and activities developed to engage their students in the practices that help them figure out phenomena and develop content knowledge. Curriculum training is essential for teachers implementing the units in their classrooms and for administrators with the program in their buildings. Curriculum trainings take place year-round and are scheduled to meet the needs of district and school PD calendars. In-person sessions at BCAMSC include lunch.
Pricing Information:
K-5 (one day): $90/person
MS (two day): $180/person
Professional Learning Workshops (available online or in-person):
Developing educational leaders is an important focus for Cereal City Science. Our Professional Learning Workshops are designed to provide teachers and administrators with in-depth, hands-on experience with specific components of the CCS Program and three-dimensional instruction. In-person sessions at BCAMSC include lunch.
Pricing Information:
Half-day Workshops: $45/person
One-day Workshops: $90/person
Two-day Workshops: $180/person
UPCOMING SESSIONS:
LEVEL UP! Assessment Workshop (Secondary) - March 14 & April 11, 2024
Up your Science Game with 3-D Assessments!
Are you ready to take your science instruction to the next level? If the answer is yes, then you will want to come to this two-day workshop. Come work with colleagues to learn how to design three dimensional assessment tasks to inform your teaching as well as your students' learning during a unit of study. You will learn a systematic approach to 3D task design, from unpacking the standards to developing the 3D assessment tasks. 3D tasks that teachers create in this workshop will be placed in Illuminate for everyone's use in the CISD consortium. This workshop is not curriculum specific.
- Available Dates: March 14 & April 11, 2024 from 8:30am to 3:00pm
- Location: Battle Creek Area Math and Science Center, 201 W Michigan Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49017
- Fee: $180 - includes lunches, materials, and SCHECHs
NEW! LEVEL UP! Assessment Workshop (Elementary 3-5) - March 21 & April 18, 2024
Up your Science Game with 3-D Assessments!
Elementary teachers are in need of short, easy to use formative assessment tasks that help students build knowledge and practice as they work towards achieving unit-level goals. We have a solution! By coming to this two day workshop, you will learn how to design three dimensional assessment tasks from existing curricular assessments that you can use to inform student learning throughout a unit. We'll LEVEL UP by creating 3D tasks that teachers create in this workshop and will be placed in Illuminate for everyone's use in the CISD consortium. This workshop is not curriculum specific.
- Available Dates: March 21 & April 18, 2024 from 8:30am to 3:00pm
- Location: Battle Creek Area Math and Science Center, 201 W Michigan Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49017
- Fee: $180 - includes lunches, materials, and SCHECHs
NEW! Our Data Tells a Story: Engaging Students in the Practices Using CCS Technology Integrations (Grades 3-8) - January 16, 2024
Cereal City Science has integrated two engaging technology programs into its grades 3-8 curriculum, ArcGIS by esri and SageModeler by Concord Consortium! This workshop will highlight ways to enhance Science and Engineering Practices (math and computational thinking, analyzing and interpreting data) through visual and interactive technology.
- Sagemodeler: Participants will engage in a lesson sequence to learn how students can identify cause and effect variables, construct an explanation using evidence and reasoning, and present their findings through a student developed model.
- ArcGIS, ArcGIS StoryMaps: ArcGIS is a tool for mapping locations and making connections with data. Participants will learn how to use this program to visualize, filter, and collect live, big weather data from near and far.
- Date: January 16, 2024 from 8:30am to 3:00pm
- Location: Online
- Fee: $90 - includes materials and SCHECHs
NEW! Honing Students' Modeling, Explanation, and Argumentation Practices (Grades 3-8) - October 26, 2023 (BCAMSC) or February 6, 2024 (Online)
Experience and examine key science and engineering practices that often work together to help students figure out phenomena and solve problems.
Developing and Using Models as an iterative practice for making sense of a phenomenon. Students practice Constructing Explanations alongside modeling, as a means to answer how or why a phenomenon is occurring. As a science community, a class of students Engaging in Argument from Evidence can engage in Science Talk to arrive at a consensus model and stronger explanation of a phenomenon.
We will provide strategies for teaching these practices in your classroom and discuss how to support and assess students in these practices.
- Available Dates: October 26, 2023 or February 6, 2024 from 8:30am to 3:00pm
- Location: October session at Battle Creek Area Math and Science Center, 201 W Michigan Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49017
February session Online - Fee: $90 - includes materials and SCHECHs (Lunch provided for in-person)
*Cereal City Science Professional Learning programs qualify for State of Michigan SCECHs (State Continuing Education Clock Hours) free of charge.
Schedule to Fit Your Needs!*
To schedule for your district or school, please contact Sandy Erwin at serwin@bcamsc.org or call (269) 213-3908.
NGSS-Aligned Instructional Training & Cereal City Science Curriculum Training - This two-day training will provide teachers the opportunity to engage in all activities while experiencing and/or discussing the implementation of three-dimensional learning. Teachers will have the opportunity to use the Science and Engineering Practices as the unit storyline is presented.
- Interactive Instruction Training/Participation ~ Engaged Training
- Multiple Days
- Full Content
- Cost: $1000 plus travel expenses
- Class Size: <25
Cereal City Science Curriculum Training with Limited NGSS-Aligned Instructional Training - This one-day training will allow teachers to engage in key unit activities and an overview of the other unit activities. An overview of how the units support three-dimensional learning will be presented.
- Presentation Format & Limited Participation ~ Informational
- One Day
- Abbreviated Content
- Cost: $525 plus travel expenses
- Class Size: <25
Virtual Instructional Training & Mentorship - This training can be tailored to meet the needs of a small group of grade level teachers. It is useful when training needs must be met after school hours. It will allow the teachers to be teamed with a classroom teacher/mentor that has used the kit in the classroom.
- Instructional Interactive/Participation ~ Engaged Training
- Multiple Days
- 1-2 Hour webinar session.
- 30 Minute Assignment
- 1-2 Hour webinar session.
- 30 Minute Assignment
- 1-2 Hour webinar Session. [Conclusions]
- Full Content. Can be provided for option B or C above.
- Cost: $525 per 6-hour webinar time.
- Class Size: <5
*Cereal City Science Professional Learning programs qualify for State of Michigan SCECHs (State Continuing Education Clock Hours) free of charge.
Additional Professional Learning Opportunities
Focusing on strategies and tools to facilitate three-dimensional learning through Next Generation Science Standards, STEM-based learning, and multi-literacy classrooms, these programs build on the knowledge and understanding of three-dimensional instruction that are essential in implementing the Cereal City Curriculum. Learning instructional techniques and how to best engage students in figuring out phenomenon is integral to the students’ ability to grasp STEM concepts and apply what they have learned to a variety of phenomena. To learn more about any of the following Professional Learning opportunities, please contact Sandy Erwin at serwin@bcamsc.org or call (269) 213-3908.
Teacher Leadership Corps - The Teacher Leadership Corps (TLC) program supports capacity building in a STEM Region or regional area. Through train-the-trainer sessions and follow-up coaching, the Cereal City Science TLC program develops teachers who will lead in the implementation of Cereal City Science curriculum in their district/region. TLC is ideal for teachers who are implementing the curriculum, have background experience such as NGSX or previous science experience, and who would be good candidates to lead district and regional work at their grade level.
Embedded Classroom Coaching - Coaching opportunities exist for Next Generation Science Standards topics including three-dimensional learning, developing scientific explanation based on the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) framework, using phenomena and student-generated questions, and developing and using models.
Teaching Through the Lens of Multiple Literacies – Cereal City Science curriculum includes a multi-literacy approach, using Common Core State Standards in reading, writing, and mathematics within the science lessons. Upon request, districts can schedule Professional Learning geared toward integrating their reading, writing, mathematics, and technology/computer science curriculum into their science lessons.
