K-12 Professional Development Opportunities
This resource is the brain child of the NGSS-ESS Working Group, which is a collaboration between the National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA), the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT), and the American Geosciences Institute (AGI). The mission of this collaboration is to support Earth and space science educators in all aspects of NGSS-ESS implementation.
Use the interface below to search through professional development opportunities available for K-12 teachers across a variety of topical areas, grade levels, and formats. The webpages will be updated regularly as new opportunities come up, and old opportunities are retired. If you are associated with a professional development opportunity that should be included in the collection, use the submission form to tell us about it. Please contact Aida Awad, Missy Holzer, or Ed Robeck if you have questions.
Content Area
Grade Level
Cost
- Free 7 matches There is no fee to apply or to take the course.
- Cost to enroll 19 matches There is a fee to apply and/or to take the course.
- Optional cost 1 match If the course is "free to enroll" but there is optional additional payment (e.g., for credit/CEUs that the participant has the option of having documented.)
- Stipend paid 4 matches Some amount of money is paid to participants for their time.
- Expenses paid 6 matches Some amount of money is provided to offset travel, supplies, and/or other costs.
Results 1 - 10 of 27 matches
Discover Hawaii's Active Volcanoes
Come and experience the active volcanoes of the Big Island of Hawaii. This seven-day (6 night) field experience on the Big Island of Hawaii will have you living on one of the world's most active volcanoes. This trip will give you deep knowledge of volcanoes – their processes and products and how humans live with the hazards they pose. Learn about classroom activities and experience the real world of volcanology in the field.
Grade Level: High School (9-12), Middle (6-8), Primary (K-2), Intermediate (3-5)
PD Timing: June to August
Cost: Cost to enroll
PD Format: Face-to-face only
Galapagos Islands and Ecuador Andes Mountains
This nine-day (8 night) field trip to Ecuador and the Galapagos Islands will expand your knowledge of plate tectonics, volcanic activity, and volcanic hazards by visiting two textbook settings. The group will visit a volcanic site high in the Andes Mountains before flying together to spend 7 days in the Galapagos Islands. This trip will provide up close and hands-on exploration of volcanic features on three islands across the chain. Sites will include the rim of a shield volcano, lava tunnels in the tropical highlands, lava flows along the seashore, and snorkeling to see submerged features.
Grade Level: High School (9-12), Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8)
PD Timing: June to August
Cost: Cost to enroll
PD Format: Face-to-face only
EPI Baja Teacher Fellowship
The EPI Baja Teacher Fellowship provides a unique opportunity to assist with international conservation efforts in the Gulf of California, a World Heritage Site that's home to 39% of the world's marine mammal species.COURSE HIGHLIGHTS:- Complete 40 hours of professional development coursework with a focus on marine biology, desert ecology, and conservation- Snorkel with sea lions, tropical fish & whale sharks- Explore marine diversity in the Gulf of California
Grade Level: High School (9-12), Middle (6-8)
PD Timing: January to May
Cost: Expenses paid, Cost to enroll
PD Format: Face-to-face only
EPI Yellowstone Winter Teacher Fellowship
This unique professional development opportunity allows participating teachers to experience the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem in winter, a time of solitude and beauty that you can't find during the crowded and bustling summer months. Each day, you'll head into the snowy landscape to explore thermal features or collect data about wildlife movements and behavior. EPI's instructors will introduce you to our unique model for creating positive learning environments in the field and applying field science at home.COURSE HIGHLIGHTS:- Observe wild wolves in the world-famous Lamar Valley- Collect data on ungulate species with the National Park Service- Experience Yellowstone's geothermal wonders under snow cover- 40 hours of professional development coursework with a focus on conservation biology, wildlands management, and scientific process.
Grade Level: High School (9-12), Middle (6-8)
PD Timing: January to May
Cost: Expenses paid, Cost to enroll
PD Format: Face-to-face only
EPI Costa Rica Teacher Fellowship
EPI's Costa Rica Teacher Fellowship offers an amazing opportunity to engage with Costa Rica's immense biodiversity, both on the coast and in the rainforest. While at our sea turtle reserve, you'll monitor the beach, guided by trained research assistants. Our instructors will introduce youto EPI's unique model for creating positive learning environments in the field and applying field science at home.COURSE HIGHLIGHTS:- Protect leatherback sea turtles- Engage in hands-on research alongside fellow teachers- Hike through biodiversity hotspots- 40 hours of professional development coursework with a focus on sea turtle biology, rainforest ecology, and conservation
Grade Level: High School (9-12), Middle (6-8)
PD Timing: January to May
Cost: Expenses paid, Cost to enroll
PD Format: Face-to-face only
Discover Hawaii's Active Volcanoes
Come and experience the active volcanoes of the Big Island of Hawaii. This seven-day (6 night) field experience on the Big Island of Hawaii will have you living on one of the world's most active volcanoes. This trip will give you deep knowledge of volcanoes – their processes and products and how humans live with the hazards they pose. Learn about classroom activities and experience the real world of volcanology in the field.
Grade Level: High School (9-12), Middle (6-8), Primary (K-2), Intermediate (3-5)
PD Timing: June to August
Cost: Cost to enroll
PD Format: Face-to-face only
EPI Baja Educator Workshop
Join your fellow educators for an incredible professional development experience in Baja, Mexico. On the 5-day Baja Educator Workshop, you'll explore one of the world's richest marine environments. With EPI instructors and research partners you'll study and snorkel with migratory whale sharks in the Gulf of California, and you'll examine microplastics effects and prevalence in marine ecosystems. By diving into the NGSS framework, you'll learn how to use these kinds of real-world phenomenon to take your students' learning to new depths.Interested participants can receive graduate credits through the University of Montana for participating in this course. Separate registration and tuition fee are required.
Grade Level: High School (9-12), Middle (6-8)
PD Timing: January to May
Cost: Cost to enroll
PD Format: Face-to-face only
National Summer Teacher Institute on Innovation, STEM and Intellectual Property
The USPTO's National Summer Teacher Institute on Innovation, STEM and Intellectual Property (NSTI) is an excellent opportunity for K-12 educators to learn techniques that foster and unleash the innovator in every student through invention education. The program has no fee for participants, and applications are accepted until March 31 for the summer session from July 16-21 in St. Louis. Intellectual property touches nearly every sector of daily life, so the concepts in the NSTI program are applicable across all educational fields, and the value goes beyond the classroom. At NSTI, educators will build the skills needed to incorporate key intellectual property and STEM topics into their curricula, develop strategies to help students understand and appreciate the importance of innovation and creativity, and commercialize their own inventive works. Participants will work with USPTO experts to explore patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets, and have access to several "maker spaces" focused on various technologies. Educators will also receive valuable resources to take back to their classrooms, including teaching materials, lesson plans, and activities aligned with national standards. By participating in NSTI, educators will gain valuable knowledge and skills and become part of a network of educators committed to making a positive impact on their students.
Grade Level: High School (9-12), Primary (K-2), Intermediate (3-5), Middle (6-8)
PD Timing: June to August
Cost: Free
PD Format: Face-to-face only
Discover Iceland – Fire and Ice on a Mid-Ocean Ridge
This 7-day (6 night) field trip to Iceland highlights the amazing geology of this Mid-Ocean Ridge country. We will walk across a plate boundary, see recent active volcanism, climb amazing craters, walk to glaciers and so much more. Each and every turn of the road has amazing sites, waterfalls and the greenest landscapes imaginable.Iceland is an amazing place to learn about Plate Tectonics and glacial landforms.
Grade Level: High School (9-12), Middle (6-8), Primary (K-2), Intermediate (3-5)
PD Timing: June to August
Cost: Cost to enroll
PD Format: Face-to-face only
Discover Iceland – Fire and Ice on a Mid-Ocean Ridge
This 7-day (6 night) field trip to Iceland highlights the amazing geology of this Mid-Ocean Ridge country. We will walk across a plate boundary, see recent active volcanism, climb amazing craters, walk to glaciers and so much more. Each and every turn of the road has amazing sites, waterfalls and the greenest landscapes imaginable.Iceland is an amazing place to learn about Plate Tectonics and glacial landforms.
Grade Level: High School (9-12), Middle (6-8), Primary (K-2), Intermediate (3-5)
PD Timing: June to August
Cost: Cost to enroll
PD Format: Face-to-face only