Professional Development Opportunities
2023-2024 K-12 Science Office Hours
The K-12 Science Section will offer office hours during the 2023-24 School Year. Each session will focus on a particular topic and target a specific audience. A Registration link and information about each session is found in the table below. Information and registration can also be found on the NCDPI K-12 Science Section Professional Development Google Doc.
Date and Time
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Title/Topic
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Audience
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Registration
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September 14, 2023
3:30-4:30
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STEM/PAEMST Recognitions
The purpose of this session is to raise awareness regarding the NC STEM Schools Progress Rubric and the STEM Schools of Distinction Recognition Program as well as the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.
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District leaders, principals, administrators, and classroom teachers
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Link to Recording and Presentation
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October 12, 2023
3:30-4:30
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2023 K-12 Science Standards:
What’s new?
The purpose of this session is to provide an overview of the new 2023 K-12 Science Standards and Crosswalks.
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District leaders, principals, classroom teachers
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November 16, 2023
3:30-4:30
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Science and Engineering Practices
This session will provide an overview of the Science and Engineering Practices, including what they are and how they are used in the new standards.
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District leaders, principals, and classroom teachers
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Registration
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December 7, 2023
3:30-4:30
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Science Modeling
This session offers an example of how the Science and Engineering Practices can be incorporated into daily classroom instruction.
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District leaders, principals, and classroom teachers
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Registration
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February 15, 2024
3:30-4:30
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Nonformal and Formal Educator’s Partnerships
The session will focus on how the nonformal educators and formal educators form partnerships to promote student learning.
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District leaders, principals, and classroom teachers, nonformal educators
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Registration
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March 7, 2024
3:30-4:30
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Testing and Accountability
This session will include the NCDPI Test Measurement Specialists and will provide an overview of science testing in grades five, eight and Biology.
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Science curriculum specialists, teachers, and administrators
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Registration
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April 11, 2024
3:30-4:30
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Preparing for K-12 Science Standards Implementation
NCDPI Science Consultants will offer strategies and ideas for preparing for the 2023 K-12 Science Standards Implementation.
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District leaders, principals, and teachers
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Registration
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Apply to Become a Science Leadership Fellow with NCSLA
Nominate a K-6 STEM Teacher for the PAEMST Awards
Student Opportunities
Registration is open for the latest cohort of Water Writers: Water Education Pen Pal Program offered through the NC Division of Water Resources. Register here by November 7, 2023 to sign your class up to exchange letters about your watershed!
Classes will be paired and teachers will be notified by mid-November. This opportunity is open to all grade levels and all subject areas. This program is also open to 4-H, FFA, and afterschool clubs that are interested in incorporating water resources into their content- and who doesn’t love water?!
By the middle of November, your class will be paired with another class in the same grade, but from another watershed or river basin. You will coordinate with your partnering teacher on when you’ll send the letters. Letter templates targeting NC science standards that incorporate water will be provided in case your students need some extra support organizing their thoughts.
Consider being a part of this program to help your students learn about their watershed through comparing and contrasting features shared with their pen pal!
For more information about the timeline of this program, click here for a 2 minute video overview! You can also contact Lauren Daniel at the information below:
Lauren Daniel
NC Division of Water Resources
Water Education Coordinator
Interested in becoming a Project WET Facilitator?
Sign up for Water Education Coffee Talks!
Join our NC Water Education Mailing List
Lauren.Daniel@ncdenr.gov
Dear 7th Grade Educators,
It’s that time of year again! It’s time to start talking about the AQ-IQ contest with your 7th grade students.
Who: The NC Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Air Quality invites ALL NC 7TH GRADE STUDENTS to participate in the 2023-2024 AQ-IQ Contest!
What is the AQ-IQ Contest:
The annual North Carolina AQ-IQ Contest for seventh grade combines S.T.E.A.M. education and project-based learning with student creativity to teach air pollution science to students across the state. The contest gives these students an opportunity to learn about air quality and think about solutions to air pollution. It puts students in charge of creating a project to educate others about an air quality problem. In the past, projects have been posters, videos, Minecraft creations, games, and artistic projects off all sorts.
Each year the AQ-IQ contest gives out special awards for projects that meet one of the following categories:
- Wildfires and Planned Burns
- Electrify Everything
- The Air Quality Forecast
Note: Depending on the number of statewide entries, a larger statewide AQ-IQ award ceremony may be held in June or July. Location and specific date to be announced. In general, entries will compete against other entries from their regions. However, the best regional projects may then be evaluated in the statewide AQ-IQ Contest for a statewide award.
Examples of past project winners can be found on the NC Air Awareness YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/user/NCAirAwareness/videos
When:
Now until midnight on March 11, 2024, students can create and submit their projects through this form .
Why:
The AQ-IQ contest allows students to explore their interests and strengths while engaging with the material and learning about air quality. Students are asked to think creatively while designing their projects. Watch our video to hear from teachers about why the AQ-IQ contest works in their classrooms: https://youtu.be/ArtLhL1z1hY
How:
Students need to follow the step-by-step Student Worksheet guide to develop an AQ-IQ project. Once completed, students submit their projects using the online form linked above. We ask students to include both their teacher’s and parent’s emails, as well as their project’s bibliography, when submitting.
For more information on the AQ-IQ contest, you can also visit the NC Environmental Education webpage.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Keith Bamberger at keith.bamberger@deq.nc.gov.gov , or Janina Millis at janina.millis@deq.nc.gov.
NC DPI Science Consultants
Dr. Debra Hall
K-5 Science
debra.hall@dpi.nc.gov
Gavin Fradel
6-8 Science
gavin.fradel@dpi.nc.gov
Benita Tipton
9-12 Science
benita.tipton@dpi.nc.gov
Alexis Wood
9-12 Science
kathryn.wood@dpi.nc.gov
Additional Contacts:
Dr. Charles Aiken
Section Chief K-12 Mathematics, Science and STEM
charles.aiken@dpi.nc.gov
Howard Ginsburg
K-12 STEM Consultant
howard.ginsburg@dpi.nc.gov
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Unless otherwise expressly agreed in writing, NCDPI is not in any way associated with the owner or operator of any of the 3rd Party Websites or responsible or liable for the goods and services offered by them or for anything in connection with such 3rd Party Websites. NCDPI does not endorse and makes no warranties, representations or undertakings relating to the content of any 3rd Party Website.
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