2015 Middle School Science Workshop

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Limited space available for 6th grade physical science teachers only… APPLY BELOW!

Integrating Best Practices in Middle School Science

At St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN

August 18-21, 2015

We will offer interactive sessions that let you explore and practice best practices in middle school science teaching, with a focus on engaging all students, science literacy, and teaching around authentic science problems.  You will work together with other middle school science teachers in your field to develop and refine teaching materials that will help you implement new practices in your teaching about a specific topic or standard.  We have modest funds available to support purchase of supplies that you may need to implement your plans.

We encourage groups of teachers from across grade-levels within the same school or district to apply.  Teachers will receive a $300 stipend as compensation for their time, with up to $100 additional stipend available for participation in follow up events/reflections in October and during the spring.  For teachers who live more than 50 miles from St. Olaf College, we have some funds available to reimburse travel and lodging expenses.

Tentative Schedule

  • August 18 (half day):  Lunch. Introductions and Curriculum Team Formation. Rotate through a selection of introductory workshops*.  Reflection.
  • August 19: School Team Goal Setting. Curriculum Team Work Time. Lunch. Interactive workshop: Engaging students in expressing science literacy. Reflection.
  • August 20: Group Check Ins.  Curriculum Team Work Time.  Lunch. Interactive Workshop: “Authentic” science and engineering projects to motivate learning.  Reflection.
  • August 21 (half day): Presentations and feedback. Revisions, Supplies, and Next Steps.  Lunch.

*Introductory Workshop topics to be determined based on participant interest.  Possible choices include: Using WIDA standards to differentiate lesson plans, Incorporating Universal Design into teaching, Incorporating close reading into science classes, Using learning cycles to plan science instruction, Identifying essential questions and anchoring events to motivate a unit, Using models to teach about the nature of science and engineering, Using the three dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards to plan instruction.

This workshop is supported by a grant from HHMI to St. Olaf College.  We offered a similar workshop in 2014.  Participants appreciated the opportunity to learn and collaborate with colleagues.

“I very much enjoyed this workshop. I liked having the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues from my school district as well as grade-specific colleagues from other districts. I also liked that the workshop was specific to the middle school. I feel that the presentations were geared to everyone in the group, not just one specific discipline. Great workshop!”  –2014 Participant

We have limited spaces available for 6th grade physical science teachers; other spaces are full.  Each individual interested in attending should complete an Individual Application form.  It will be useful for our planning if teams of teachers from the same school work together to complete the School Goal Sheet, but this is optional.

​Apply now:  Individual Application Form (required);  School Goal Sheet (optional)

For more information: If you have any questions about the workshop and/or wish to inquire about travel reimbursement, please contact Emily Mohl at mohl@stolaf.edu.