Teachers’ Lounge

Join renowned experts, thought leaders, and practitioners
for dynamic panels and provocative discussions.

The Innovative Learning Conference

October 17 – 18, 2013
The Nueva School
Hillsborough, California
San Francisco Bay Area

An array of featured topics, including:

• Neuroscience in Education
• Design Thinking 102
• Learning Beyond Textbooks
• Literacies for the 21st Century
• Innovations in STEAM
• Assessments, Standards, and the Common Core
• Re-imagining Secondary Education
• Catalysts for Change
• Giftedness Across the Population
• Social Emotional Learning

Who should attend?

• PK-12 Teachers, Parents, Homeschoolers
• Superintendents, Principals, School Heads
• Curriculum and Staff Developers
• Educators of Gifted and Talented Students
• Social Workers, Psychologists, Counselors, Psychiatrists
• Speech-Language Pathologists, Special Educators, Learning Specialists
• Developmental Pediatricians and other Physicians
• Researchers, Policy Makers
• Scholarships and CEUs available for educators.

Please note that Thursday, October 17 is for Professional Educators only.

Educator scholarships available! Click here to register.

Biodiversity in the city? You bet!

Scientists, and amateur naturalists will work together to find and identify as many different species as possible within Fort Funston – everything from sand dune plants to bank swallows (called a ‘bioblitz’). We’ll break the park up into zones and even encourage some friendly zone-to-zone competition. Bring yourself or a group of friends! We have 200 acres to explore.

We’ll be using the iNaturalist app and helping the fine folks of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, the Parks Conservancy and the California Academy of Sciences document the many plants and critters that live here!

We’ll start with an orientation, then hit the blitz. We will wrap up with lunch (bring your own!), show off the results, find out who saw the most different kinds of critters, and, yes, hand out some prizes!

Check out the current weather at Fort Funston here: Fort Funston webcam

Register today!

More information about iNaturalist:

Creating an iNaturalist account
How to use the iNaturalist app
Global Impact

Informal Science Education
Professional Learning Programs

Introduction
The California Academy of Sciences is pleased to introduce professional learning programs for informal educators interested in exploring the theory and practice of education within free-choice settings. Our programs immerse educators in best practices for engaging the public with science and sustainability. Sessions take place at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. Snacks are provided.

~ Flyer ~ . ~ Application ~

Goals of the Programs

• Develop a common understanding: review current research in science and sustainability education
• Reflect: observe and evaluate your own teaching; and observe ways other educators teach
• Nurture a learning community: build a network of educators through shared experiences and collect resources for designing educational activities in informal environments
• Implement changes to practice: educators develop a new activity on a topic of your choosing- or tweak an existing one- which reflects what you’ve learned

Program 1: Learning, Reflections & Science
October 2 – November 20, 2013
Wednesdays from 4:30 – 7:30pm

This program is based on the Reflecting on Practice program developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science. Participants will explore research on learning and methods for engaging learners in scientific practices. Educators must be available for all of the Wednesday night sessions.

• How Learning Happens (Oct. 2)
• Accessing Prior Knowledge (Oct. 9)
• Learning Conversations (Oct. 16)
• Observing and Discussing Practice (Oct. 23)
• Nature and Practices of Science (Oct. 30)
• Scientific Practices & the NGSS (Nov. 6)
• Observing and Discussing Practice (Nov. 13)
• Poster Session & Happy Hour (Nov. 20)

Program 2: Conservation & Sustainability Education
January 22 – March 26, 2014

This program focuses on the process for creating programs and activities that support learners in engaging with environmentally friendly actions. Participants will engage in a rapid prototyping and iterative design process. Educators must be available for all of the Wednesday night sessions from 4:30-7:30pm, and at least two Friday night sessions from 5:00-9:00pm.

• Pedagogical Strategies (Weds, Jan 22)
• Using Audience Surveys (Weds, Jan 29)
• Using Findings to Inform Design (Weds, Feb 5)
• Creating Evaluation Instruments (Weds, Feb 12)
• Prototyping with SFUSD- Richmond (Fri, Feb 21)
• Reflect and Analyze Data (Weds, February 26)
• Prototyping with SFUSD Bayview (Fri, March 7)
• Reflect and Compare Data (Weds, March 12)
• Prototyping with SFUSD Mission (Fri, March 21)
• Presentations & Happy Hour! (Weds, March 26)

Fees & Application Process
To apply for a spot in the program, please fill out the application here www.surveymonkey.com/s/ISEapp.

Applicants may select a single program, or choose to attend both. If you have questions, or want to know more, please contact Lindzy Bivings at lbivings@calacademy.org

• Individual Rate: $175 / program
• Team Rate (2 or more people from the same organization): $125 / program per person
• If these rates are outside of your ability to pay, please contact us for scholarship information

Want to spread the word? Download this flyer and distribute to your colleagues to encourage them to join your team!

Hats Off to Teachers!
SCRAP’s Annual Celebration & Materials GiveAway
for SF Bay Area Teachers

August 10th
10am to 4pm
801 Toland Street, San Francisco

SCRAP is hosting a Hats Off to Teachers party and materials give-away on August 10th from 10am to 4pm! If you are an SF Bay Area teacher, come by to gather free classroom supplies.

They’ll have all kinds of materials for your classroom: pens, pencils, paper, markers, binders, paint brushes, National Geographics, sponges and much more!

If you’re not a teacher, SCRAP needs your help! Donate supplies now!

SCRAP is hoping to supply 200+ teachers for their classrooms at our Hats Off to Teachers Materials GiveAway and Celebration this August. SCRAP is currently collecting office and classroom supplies to give away to teachers. Please let them know if you would be willing to set up a donation drive at your work or in your neighborhood. They can provide you with all the materials and bins that you need, email scrap@scrap-sf.org.

In case you don’t know, SCRAP is San Francisco’s oldest and largest creative reuse nonprofit. They divert over half a million pounds of corporate and individual donations from the landfill, selling or giving them away to teachers, artists, nonprofits and individuals. The 5000 square foot warehouse holds all kinds of materials for creative reuse and the arts. You can find anything there from fabric, paper, office supplies, toys, party decorations, and boxes to plastics, woods, tiles, metals, and foam core.

Exciting professional development opportunity and stipend!

• Get students excited about electricity and magnetism!
• Learn how to make the science of energy more engaging!
• Meet standards while teaching students how to save energy!

PEAK is an award-winning standards-based energy education program for 3rd-7th grade students. Through hands-on activities, students learn about the science of energy and are inspired to take action to create a more sustainable world.

Enroll to Receive the Following at NO COST:

• STEM – based teacher in-service training
• Curriculum correlated to 3rd-7th grade standards and Common Core
• A toolkit for hands-on science labs (Worth over $350!)
• Green Careers presentations
• Assemblies with our energy-saving superhero Bulbman
• Lesson planning and classroom assistance

SPACE IS LIMITED!

Click here to register on the PEAK website!

A $100 stipend is awarded to teachers completing the training.

Training from 9:00AM – 3:00PM, lunch provided.

Held at the SFPUC Headquarters Info:
2nd Floor, O’Shaughnessy Room C
525 Golden Gate Ave, SF, CA 94102

Please RSVP at least one week prior to the training date.

Questions? Email AKnox@energycoalition.org or Call (510) 444-5060 ext. 15