JoinOpenSciEd Middle School Unit Launch Workshops
NSTA is excited to offer in-person OpenSciEd workshops nationwide. As an OpenSciEd Certified Professional Learning Provider, we've undergone rigorous training to ensure top-quality, collaborative support for educators. This certification allows us to expand our customized professional learning services, helping schools and districts seamlessly transition to the OpenSciEd curriculum.
Join middle school science teachers for our OpenSciEd Middle School Unit Launch professional learning workshops! Gain the tools and confidence to implement your chosen unit, deepen your understanding of the OpenSciEd middle school curriculum and a familiarity with the wealth of resources available on the OpenSciEd website to support teaching and learning in your classroom.
In each round, you will collaborate with participants from all three unit-specific groups to reflect on the focal topic (see below) to help ensure equitable sensemaking opportunities for all your students within a unit and across the OpenSciEd middle school curriculum.
Workshop Details
Duration
Daily sessions from 8:00am-3:30pm, with sign-in at 7:15am
Amenities
Breakfast and lunch provided
Locations
Four Points by Sheraton, Norwood and UMass Amherst
Dates
February 3 - 4, 2025
February 5 - 6, 2025
February 10 - 11, 2025
Cost
$750 per person for two-day workshops
Not able to attend?
Learn about scheduling a workshop for your school or district.
Unit Launch Workshops
OpenSciEd Middle School Unit Launch workshops support educators to implement one of the following units.
Workshops will run daily 8:00am-3:30pm, with sign-in beginning at 7:15am. Breakfast and lunch are provided.
Workshop locations:
- Four Points by Sheraton, Norwood Hotel and Conference Center - Norwood, MA
- UMass Amherst – Amherst, MA
Round 2: Elevating Student Sensemaking
Two-day Workshop
Round 2 Units
- OpenSciEd Unit 8.2 Sound Waves - MA Unit 6.2
- OpenSciEd Unit 6.2 Thermal Energy - MA Unit 7.2
- OpenSciEd Unit 7.2 Chemical Reactions & Energy - MA Unit 8.2
Round 2 Objectives
- Provide a structure and time to reflect on successes and challenges from the first unit.
- Share expertise and collaboratively address challenges.
- Dig deeper into teacher moves and instructional supports that support student sensemaking.
Round 2 Training Dates - Choose 1
February 3-4, 2025
Four Points by Sheraton, Norwood Hotel and Conference Center
Norwood, MA (OSE Units 7.2 and 8.2 ONLY)
February 5-6, 2025
Four Points by Sheraton, Norwood Hotel and Conference Center
Norwood, MA (OSE Unit 6.2 ONLY)
February 10-11, 2025
UMass Amherst
Amherst, MA
Round 4: Universal Design for Learning
Two-day Workshop
Round 4 Units
- OpenSciEd Unit 8.4 Earth in Space - MA Unit 6.4
- OpenSciEd Unit 7.4 Matter Cycling & Photosynthesis - MA Unit 7.3
- OpenSciEd Unit 6.3 Weather- MA Unit 8.6
Round 4 Objectives
- Identify ways that OpenSciEd lessons are designed to address the principles of UDL.
- Identify instructional strategies that align with the UDL Principles to support student learning.
- Analyze lessons to identify goals, potential barriers, and ways to use the UDL Principles to remove barriers and create flexible paths to learning.
- Identify strategies for Emergent Multilingual Learners (EML) that align with the UDL principles.
Round 4 Training Dates - Choose 1
February 3-4, 2025
Four Points by Sheraton, Norwood Hotel and Conference Center
Norwood, MA (OSE Units 7.4 and 6.3 ONLY)
February 10-11, 2025
UMass Amherst
Amherst, MA
Round 6: Making Thinking Visible
Two-day Workshop
Round 6 Units
OpenSciEd Unit 6.6 Cells & Systems - MA Unit 6.6FULLOpenSciEd Unit 7.6 Earth’s Resources & Human Impact - MA Unit 7.5FULL- OpenSciEd Unit 8.6 Natural Selection - MA Unit 8.5
Round 6 Objectives
- Reflect on your students’ writing/drawing and potential barriers.
- Analyze lessons and student work to understand the focus, role, and varied opportunities of writing and drawing for sensemaking in OpenSciEd.
- Consider how to customize OpenSciEd materials in ways that support our students’ and align with the key goals of OpenSciEd.
Round 6 Training Date
February 5-6, 2025
Four Points by Sheraton, Norwood Hotel and Conference Center
Norwood, MA
Learn More
Learn more about NSTA OpenSciEd professional learning
Notes:
- We recommend prior participation in Round One training.
- These workshops are a part of a larger grant-funded program. If you are participating as part of one of those schools, this registration is not required.
Why Choose NSTA for OpenSciEd?
NSTA boasts years of experience in providing high-quality professional development for science educators. Our workshops are designed to enhance teaching practices and promote student engagement.
We are certified OpenSciEd professional learning facilitators, ensuring that our workshops align with the OpenSciEd curriculum framework and best practices. Our team is passionate about helping teachers effectively implement OpenSciEd units in their classrooms.
