Courses

BSI offers district-wide and on-site professional development courses for teachers at Boston Public Schools.

Current Course Offerings

Developing Life Science Ideas Using the Schoolyard

 There is a need for elementary teachers to understand the major ideas in earth, life and physical science as expressed in the Massachusetts State Science and Engineering Framework and underlying the BPS Elementary Science Curriculum.  This course, which will focus on life science, is designed for elementary school teachers/ specialists who will be teaching one of the BPS Life Science Kits in the fall and are willing to take their students out on a regular basis during the course.    Participants will learn how to do activities from the Science in the Schoolyard Guides that were developed for each FOSS Science Kit (Animals 2x2, New Plants, Insects, Structures of Life) by the Boston School initiative in conjunction Boston Public School teachers.  In addition, activities that support STC Organisms, Animals Studies and Ecosystems will also be presented. Participants will also learn: techniques for effective outdoor education, tips and tricks for outdoor management and how outdoor teaching impacts student learning.  To receive In-service credit participants are required to plan one lesson using the outdoors as a classroom and collect and analyze student work based on that experience.

Presenters: Jack Sheridan, Sarah Colella and Jose Rosa

Dates:   Wednesdays:   9/28, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2 - 4:00-6:45

Rain day:  Saturday:  11/5 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM

Location:TBA

Product: One set of work from an outdoor class lesson from one of the Science in the Schoolyard Guides.

Credits: 15 PDP’s / 1 In-service credit

Registration: Register by emailing Jack Sheridan

Contact information:

Jack Sheridan

Boston Schoolyard Initiative

One Center Plaza, Suite 350

Email: jacksheridan @schoolyards.org

Phone: 1-617-727-5944