Professional Learning Opportunities

ONLINE

Videos have always been a significant part of multimodal learning in schools and in museums. Science videos assist learners in understanding science concepts and phenomena. Using science videos produced by the American Museum of Natural History, participants will learn strategies to effectively incorporate not only watching, but also actively engaging with videos with students in their classrooms. Participants will also discuss ways they can properly vet and assess different web-based educational videos as well as assess how video-based projects can engage students in creative thinking processes.

Museum Facilitator: John Sapida

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IN PERSON AT THE MUSEUM

Research indicates that on average, museum visitors spend 30 seconds in front of an exhibit. In this session, teachers will participate in an immersive experience in the new Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation focused on helping learners slow down on Museum field trips as a means of building descriptive language, practicing empathy, and connecting with themselves and their peers.

Museum Facilitator: Colleen Owen

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IN PERSON AT THE MUSEUM

Visual and material culture are so present in our lives that we often forget to slow down and carefully examine how they shape the world around us. Come to the Museum and explore different science and cultural halls to find examples of visual culture (videos, artwork, photographs, interactives, and etc.) and examples of material culture (physical objects like tools, clothing, toys, and more). Participants will also be introduced to helpful teaching strategies that museum educators employ to engage learners in the careful study of visual and material culture at the Museum. Participants will also practice some of these strategies with each other and discuss how they might be able to use these strategies in their own classrooms and when they go on field trips at the museum. Strategies we may cover include: visual thinking strategies, inquiry-based learning, artifact study, diorama study, talk strategies, and more!

Museum Facilitator: John Sapida

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IN PERSON AT THE MUSEUM

During this five-day institute we will spend time exploring some of the fundamentals of the climate system and refine our thinking about climate change. We will start by building an understanding of how energy is transported around the Earth so that we can think about how human activities affect this system. Then we will look at some of the implications of these activities and examine possible solutions. Throughout the institute we will consider ideas our students may have about climate change and explore ways of teaching this difficult subject in ways that are empowering.

Museum Facilitators: David Randle and Adriana Aquino

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IN PERSON AT THE MUSEUM

During this session, Museum staff will guide participants through an exploration of the Insectarium and select topics such as pollinators, ant/bee colonies, and insect communication. We will also cover ideas and strategies for teaching with insects both in the classroom and on field trips in the Insectarium.

Museum Facilitators: Bridget Murray and Conor Odell

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