• STEAM on a Budget: Straw Roller Coasters - Terri Burgess

This STEAM Roller Coaster will have all students engaged with minimal expenses. This projects includes a student budget, log book and digital component in addition to the Roller Coaster.

 

• Socratic Seminar - Joseph Shin

Attendees will learn the elements of a Socratic Seminar as well as how to incorporate and modify for their classes. We will use an informational text as an example to lead our discussion available for most content areas.

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• Using Found Poetry to Assess Higher Level Thinking - Lisa Peterson

Designed for secondary English and History teachers to use as a strategy to process content specific text and demonstrate their learning. Teachers will engage in an abbreviated version of the process themselves, then collaborate with colleagues to sketch out how they might use in their classrooms.

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• Fun + Reasoning = Rigorous Maths - Lybrya Kebreab

Learn how fun tasks and pointed questioning can create a rigorous math environment.

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• Building Academic Vocabulary with Fun Engaging Activities

The teachers will have an opportunity to watch a teacher use the strategy “Semantic Gradients” in her classroom. Then, I will challenge the teachers, with given resources to practice using the strategy with colleagues by putting the words on a continuum from one extreme to the other. If their mind thirsts for a greater challenge, then the teachers will be introduced to the “Shades of Meaning” where they will entice their minds with the knowledge of how to expand one word. They will gain knowledge on how to use the strategy in different subjects (Social Studies, Science, Physical Education). These two strategies will enhance students' vocabulary by helping them make connections between known words and new vocabulary.

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• Mindset and Achievement - Claudine Phillips

How does your mindset, and your students' mindsets effect learning and achievement? How does mindset influence daily feedback and activities? How do I get students to enjoy the journey of learning without focusing on grades?

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• Teaching Empathy in our Classrooms - Phyllis Peters & Dominick Copas

​Empathy for the purpose of this session, is defined as the ability to perceive and understand the inner experience of another and to express that understanding through a supportive response. The ability to feel another's distress and then to focus on the other person, rather than the self is the empathy style that motivates caring and compassionate behaviors. In this session teachers will learn how to engage students through games, role-plays and activities that will help students in the process of learning about empathy. Topics will include: Teaching the value of empathy, Instructing students how to exhibit understanding and acceptance, learning how to put yourself in someone else's shoes, identifying the difference between empathy and sympathy and understanding empathetic listening. Participants will develop activities that can be incorporated into your daily/weekly lesson plans. Great handouts and resources will also be available.​

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