Toyota PEP Grant

And They’re Off…

Our plan consisted of three areas◦Open communication and work with MS, HS,

and Post-Secondary◦Content based PD ◦Empower science teachers to research and

work on PD plans

Plans were developed following a NEEDs survey, testing scores, and teacher feedback

Our Partnership

Initially we partnered with one University, but, expanded to two◦UK◦NKU

UK’s partnership and plan◦“Green Engineering” beginning in MS and arching

into HS over three yearsNKU’s partnership and plan

◦Research the effects of a Green infrastructure on student/staff health. Build curricula around a “Green” learning lab.

University of Kentucky

Planned one day of in-depth PD utilizing engineering/energy kits developed by the IHE partner◦Save the Penguins for 6th Grade◦More to follow?

Kenton County Science Conference

One full day dedicated to Science PD◦Partnered with NKU and CINSAM to have a full

day focused on science topics Topics were picked by the teachers as items that

were difficult to tech or topics that lacked resources.

◦Used as many district teachers as possible to help with content. Outsourced others to qualified educators. (CINSAM, NKU professors…)

NSTA

Four Teachers were taken to NSTA for more in-depth PD◦Those teachers who attended will present their

learning at the next Kenton County Science Conference (KCSC)

Future Work

Continue the KCSC with specific content level PD. Teachers teaching teachers. We will start to include the upper elementary in the process.

Save the Penguins and Engineering in MSGrade level/Content level meetings (discovered

to be very beneficial during this process!)Work with teachers to identify common

misconceptions and include strategies that everyone can use and work with (Interactive Science Notebooks)

What Worked

Collaboration!!!◦Any time we had teachers together

Science Specific PD◦HS and MS together to help answer questions

Continued partnership with local IHEBarbara and Pam!

◦Great people to work with and they made the process easy, even when there were bumps and there were some bumps.

Some Challenges

Collaboration and planning with one IHE◦Choose your partner carefully and be very

specific about goalsSchedules

◦Scheduling large groups is always difficultContinuity

◦Plans change, have a plan B and be sure to keep constant communication.