Intermediate Unit 1 is submitting this course as a PIL approved course for administrators. Participants will be able to get Act 48 or PIL approved Act 48 credit for the course. The course is also appropriate for coaches.

Lenses On Learning is a researched-based program that helps administrators develop the skills necessary to support effective mathematics teaching and learning through observation and supervision. In the sessions, administrators will discuss pertinent readings, actually do the math, analyze video observations of students doing the math, and experiment with the use of a different collaborative conferencing approach following the classroom observation. To accomplish these tasks, the following topics will be explored in depth:

1. Understanding and Providing Leadership for Standards-Based Instruction
2. Changing Mathematics Classes, Changing Supervision
3. Developing an Eye for Mathematics Classrooms
4. Rethinking Administrators’ Talk with Teachers about Mathematics, Learning and Teaching
5. Observing How Knowledge Is Constructed in Mathematics Classrooms---Listening to Students’ Ideas
6. Supporting Generative Learning---How We Talk with Teachers

- From Lenses On Learning, Center for the Development of Teaching, Education Development Center, Newton, Massachusetts

Participants will take pre and post assessments, develop an action plan, and complete job-embedded assignments and a final project or culminating activity.

The LEP curriculum, Lessons in a Land Ethic, is an innovative, interdisciplinary conservation ethics curriculum targeted for grades 6 - 12. The LEP increases students awareness of the land and informs them of how to make responsible choices for our planet, while simultaneously teaching important social, collaborative and critical thinking skills.

Lessons in a Land Ethic is unique in that it uses a classic environmental literary work, Aldo Leopold´s A Sand County Almanac to reach students with a conservation ethics message that strives to instill an appreciation for the land community.

Based on State Board of Education requirements, there exists a need for educators to be trained in the knowledge and skills for instructing and implementing environmental education. The course is designed to familiarize teachers with various teaching tools used to encourage students in developing a land and environmental stewardship ethic.

Objectives include:

• expanding experience levels of "reading the landscape"
• learnng how to create a personal land ethic in young people
• exposing participants to environmental literature and related activities
• developing an action plan for classroom implementation

This course is for teachers and administrators in grades 3 - 12. It meets the following professional development criteria: Content knowledge – foreign language, world culture for social studies, and Teaching skills—it helps teachers understand and be able to communicate with ESL students from Chinese speaking countries, and Parents and community partners—it helps teachers build connections with parents and community partners from Chinese speaking countries, this course will also provide Administrators with professional development to Think and plan strategically, Create a culture of teaching and learning, and Managing resources.

This is a beginning level course that introduces variety of themes of Mandarin Chinese to the students. Skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing will be introduced in this course. Chinese culture, current events and facts will be sprinkled throughout the course in an attempt to help the learner focus on the Chinese speaking world and the people.

Participants may need to update or install certain software components - Java, Flash, Shockwave, Skype, and others - on their computers to the latest versions.

Participants may need to change some settings in WINDOWS to allow for Chinese characters to be displayed.

Participants will need to use a computer with a microphone and speakers or a headset with microphone, to speak and record assignments; a headset is recommended.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Additional instructions will be provided on the course site after the course opens on Blackboard.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Please make sure your email address is correct in your account on this site.

This course is for all Teachers and Administrators in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Reading, Writing, Social Studies, Science, Mathematics, Technology Education, Computer and Information Technology, Reading Comprehension and Teaching Skills. It is recommended that participants should be familiar with the Windows Operating System, Microsoft Office tools, such as WORD, EXCEL and PowerPoint, and have experience using the internet in order to complete the required course activities. Participants should bring one of their classroom textbooks to the Blackboard class to provide content for the hands-on demonstrations.

This course will provide entry level instruction on the Blackboard Academic Suite, an online learning platform used to create and teach online classes. The instructor will outline the tools and software options available in Blackboard and provide hands-on application of the tools by having participants create model lessons in their own online course. The first session will introduce the authoring tools and the technical process of writing lessons, tests, creating web links, embedded assessments, and creating digital assignments.

The second instructional day of instruction will focus on advanced tools in Blackboard and the software add-ons embedded in the Blendedschool.net membership package (the organization that provides the Blackboard Academic Suite to Intermediate Unit 1 and other educational programs in PA). They will learn how to facilitate a live classroom, use voice authoring tools, create differentiated instruction, manage the grade book and monitor student participation.

Required out of class work: The participants will use the tools and techniques demonstrated in this class to create their own online lessons in a Blackboard online class.

This course is a prerequisite for the course "Developing Online Courses in Blackboard"

This course is for teachers in grades 6 -12. It meets the Act 48 professional development criteria for teaching and learning. The course is intended to enable teachers to use technology to reach students of varying levels of need via their schools’ websites and the teachers’ web pages. Of course, besides the needs of the students, it will also be a way for parents/guardians to keep track of what is actually going on in the classroom and to monitor homework assignments. The intent of the course is to instruct and share ideas on how to put course content on web pages and how to use different avenues on the internet for instructional means and reinforcement.

The items and lessons that will be covered will include how to start and maintain teacher web pages. There will be examples of different types of web pages and what makes them inviting and useful or not. Participants and the instructor will decide what to include and how to include different aspects of classroom lessons and whether website building software is necessary. Participants will learn how to include graphic organizers, different kinds of visual and audio media, surveys, quizzes, tests, our own attachments, blogs and wiki spaces. The instructor will survey teachers in regard to access to writing pdf files and scanning devices. Teachers will learn how to put homework assignments online and making them available to all students, especially students who have attendance issues or homebound issues. Participants will identify whether the textbooks that are used in the classroom have online versions with many extra resources to make classroom learning fun. Participants will examine, share, and develop an online safety pledge for students according to the school’s internet policies and the need for photo releases for students if this will be used. Participants will also learn how to use online calendars for planning and keeping students up to date and engaged in the learning process.

The course will include a 20 item pre and post test to measure technology skills, a step-by-step guide for teachers to build their site while interacting and sharing ideas with other teachers, and discussions of what seems to work in the different content areas.

The end product of this course will be the actual web pages uploaded online with a final plan of implementation by the teachers.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Please make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

In this four-day learning institute, participants will be immersed in inquiry-based learning designed to construct a teachable understanding of the conservation and biodiversity of the Ohio Basin and the smaller watersheds that feed into it. Specific emphasis will be placed on how environmental changes and landscape alteration have impacted these smaller watersheds and the Ohio Basin. Conservation strategies designed to protect smaller watersheds will be examined.

Each learning institute will be comprised of four days, two of which will occur at the Zoo’s International Conservation Center (ICC) in Somerset County and two of which will occur at the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (indoor overnight accommodations at the Zoo will be provided). Coursework will include both inside and outside activities.

Throughout the learning institute, participants will be required to reinforce concepts learned by creating a curriculum unit that contains at least one lesson plan on each of the following topics:

• History of the Ohio Basin.
• Biodiversity of the Ohio Basin.
• Assessing the health of a watershed.
• Interrelationships occurring within a watershed.
• Conservation strategies to protect ecosystems.

Basics techniques for writing and teaching an online course.

Prerequisite- Blackboard Basics course

Using the IU1 standardized format for an online course and basic Blackboard tools, the participants will write an online unit. Techniques for outlining and writing effective online lessons and the integration of quality internet resources will be discussed. During the weeks between class dates, participants will begin to write their own online course.

The final session will include a discussion of the participant’s recent online writing experience. Topics will include internet safety, copyright issues, the role of the facilitating online teacher and an introduction to advanced Blackboard tools and their application in online learning.

A portion of this course will occur online and a reliable internet connection with access to a PC computer and Internet Explorer are required. You can bring your own laptop computer, if you prefer. However, it should be a PC and have Internet Explorer software loaded.

Includes a required out of class assignment. Participants will write a portion of their online class and participate in online instruction using Blendedschools.net. Access to the software will be provided by IU1.

There is a prerequisite for this course: "Blackboard Basics"

This course is a prerequisite for the course "Teaching and learning through OnLine Classes"

This course is only for Fort Cherry Classroom Teachers.

This course is for teachers in grades K-2 and meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge, teaching skills, and math skills development.

Participants will complete a variety of case study readings, be able to utilize new math games and tools used for building math competency and recognize criteria for concept understanding.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

• This course is designed for Fort Cherry Classroom Teachers. Teachers will recognize the essential elements and required building blocks of what students should be able to know for each grade level.
• The teachers as a result will be able to provide high quality learning experiences for students so that they may develop deep conceptual understanding of essential learning.
• Teachers will integrate Assessment anchors into higher level thinking activities.
• Teachers will develop instructional practices that foster problem solving, communication and reasoning through allowing multiple representations of task solving.

This course is for all K-12 educators including teachers, nurses, substitutes and counselors and meets the following professional development criteria: Teaching skills and reading.

The first session will be held at Little Lake Theater in Canonsburg, PA and includes a performance of the current outreach program from Little Lake, My Lunch Table.

For the first session only, participants will have a box lunch. <>Participants in the course will review pre performance materials, experience the performance, and design connections to their classrooms based on the performance and the materials. Other components of the course include aligning the performance and materials with the PA Academic Standards.

Sunny Disney Fitchett, the Artistic Director for Little Lake Theatre Company, will lead participants in the development of a character study.

The second day of class will be held at Intermediate Unit 1. During the second class participants will share their character studies, brainstorm new outreach program topics, explore additional ways to integrate the arts with academics and raise student achievement, and identify and develop classroom lessons integrating the arts.

Participants will complete pre and post tests, develop a character study, develop an action plan for implementation of the arts into their classrooms, and design a lesson aligned with the PA standards that integrates the arts.

This course is for all K – 12 teachers. It will inform teachers how to teach aspects of entrepreneurship in their classrooms. This is not just for business teachers but for everyone! This course will include content in Business, Management, and Administration, Finance, Marketing, Sales, Service, Reading Comprehension and Teaching Skills. Teachers who want to learn more information about owning/operating their own business could use this. Another reason is in today’s economy, downsizing and merging of businesses have led more people to create their own business.

The first step of starting your own business is to create a business plan! Participants will create a business plan and then select, develop, and operate a business. Participants will understand the impact of management of a business on the business environment.

Participants will complete a written project which will be to create a business plan from start to finish, pre and post test and discussions on the discussion board. An implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

This course is for all teachers in grades K - 12 and will focus on differentiating instruction for special education and regular education students to improve student achievement.

Participants in this course will work in small groups or individually to study areas related to the improvement of student achievement or special studies related to special education students. Participants will explore and share research, resources, classroom activities and instructional strategies. The study group will provide a collaborative and supportive forum for discussion, inquiry, reflection and research. Participants will develop an action plan for their classrooms based on their research and collaboration.

*Required out of class work will include the development of group action plans and portfolios. Participants will communicate with the facilitator by email between beginning and ending sessions. The group will share the results of their study at the last meeting. In addition, the action plan will be implemented and a follow up report of the implementation process will be presented by at least one of the group members to a new Facilitated Study Groups participant group or a supervisor.

Participants must complete this registration and also apply to the teacher residency program at www.fallingwater.org/87/ or contact Cara Armstrong at 724-329-1441 x1100, or CArmstrong@paconserve.org.

You must be accepted into the residency program by Fallingwater before attending.

This interdisciplinary course helps teachers use the architectural design process to foster creative thinking in any subject area.

Using Frank Lloyd Wright´s Fallingwater as a classroom, teacher residents study the lessons of Wright´s organic architecture, and apply them in hands-on workshops and studios. The course uses an activity-based inquiry approach, emphasizing problem solving as an important educational method. Designed for teachers who want to incorporate an architectural curriculum into any course of study, participants use the process of discovery as a model for student-directed learning.

Participants learn to articulate, analyze, and interpret the built environment through an extended on-site study of Fallingwater from historical, architectural, and aesthetic perspectives. Hands-on studios in architectural and landscape design form the basis of the application process. Beyond an invigorating look at architecture education, participants will explore how to use design to enrich the human relationship with the natural world.

Participants will design and build temporary installations that explore how buildings and the natural environment interrelate. Participants use a local community as the subject of "Walk Around the Block," a workshop in visual literacy that teaches how to use primary sources (buildings, their residents, and documents) to understand local history. The course will provide applications for use in participants´ own schools and communities, and a course guide with activities, bibliographies, and other resources in architectural education. Participants are required to dress appropriately for outdoor and light building experiences.

Required out of class work will include assigned readings and documentary videos between course sessions; developing an in-class project which uses an activity-based, inquiry approach to explore an architecture-related topic; and linking this project to the Pennsylvania academic standards.

In order to particpate in this course, potential registrants must have completed a previous Fallingwater teacher residency program. Participants must complete this registration and also apply to the teacher residency program at www.fallingwater.org/87/ or contact Cara Armstrong at 724-329-1441 x1100, or CArmstrong@paconserve.org.

You must be accepted into the residency program by Fallingwater before attending.

This course is part of the Fallingwater Teacher in Residency Program created in 1991 to provide an in-depth live in experience to teachers keenly interested in incorporating an architectural curriculum into the classroom.

Intermediate Unit 1 is collaborating with Fallingwater to offer two (2) credits for 30 hours of the instructional and studio time involved. Many additional hours will be required to complete the residency program. Acceptance is based upon qualifications and ability to extend the program into the classroom. Enrollment is limited and is competitive.

Alumni of the Teacher´s Residency I program return to Fallingwater and share what they have learned in the classroom and share with other teachers how they are using architecture and Fallingwater to spark creative thinking in their own subject areas. Each participant will be responsible for presenting a half-day session related to his/her area of expertise using inquiry-based learning and Fallingwater. Time is also spent exploring surrounding sites in the Laurel Highlands and integrating them, or sites like them, into the classroom, while addressing various learning styles and multiple intelligences.

Participants are required to dress appropriately for outdoors and light building.

This course is for all regular and special education teachers of all grade levels and meets the following professional development criteria: academic content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation. Participants will be assessed using a 20 item multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.

December 7, 1941 – September 11, 2001:Days of Destiny embedded in the American psyche. The first date represents the bombing of Pearl Harbor carried out by a powerful state; the second a terrorist attack led by the shadowy maverick, Osama bin Laden. Yet the motives of both were similar — to halt the spread of Western Culture that had unleashed forces of change. Each viewed change as a threat to their traditional way of life resulting in scapegoating and violence against Western Civilization.

What connection to either real or imagined grievances would induce anyone to give up their life when a society begins to change? When people believe their way of life is threatened, they may promote certain racial and religious beliefs to defend themselves.

This course will examine the influence of racial ideology as one of the root sources inspiration for terrorist activity in the U.S. and abroad.

In addition, religion as source of contemporary terrorism must be examined. When a society undergoes change, religious beliefs may appear to be under attack and followers feel they are losing control of their own lives. In defending their religion some Muslims, Christians and Jews have responded by acting out their more aggressive instincts using aspects of their religion to justify their behavior. They have convinced themselves they are practicing self- preservation.

Through discussion, readings, web site analysis, and video selections participants will attain tools necessary to reach a greater understanding of these timely issues thus enabling them to help students deal with these issues.

This course is for K – 12 Teachers and meets professional development criteria for teaching skills.

This course will provide an in depth look at ways to get kids outside in the fall while meeting academic standards. Our goal is to get kids outside and moving and learning about their environment at the same time. Many of the lessons we will be doing will be crossing the curriculum.

Topics will include a ride through the transportation history of PA, How the Youghiogheny River has Shaped Ohiopyle and many, many more... We hope to provide teachers with new skills and knowledge that they can pass on to their students in the classroom.

The goal of this course is to assist participants and their students in developing awareness, knowledge, skills and a commitment to make informed decisions, which will lead to responsible behavior and attitudes towards our native wildlands.

Participants will be biking 9 miles on the Youghiogheny River Trail and hiking several miles on the second day of the workshop. We will also be hiking a great deal for this class. This is an integral part of the course, if you are not comfortable with this, this course is not for you.

Participation in this program provides teachers with a knowledge and background related to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology; Health, Safety and Physical Education; and History.

Participants must dress appropriately for outdoor activities and the weather. A list of recommended and permitted gear will be provided before the course begins.

Teachers will be required to submit a plan as to how they will use this information in their classroom. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%, and will complete a performance assessment.

This course is for K – 12 Teachers and meets professional development criteria for teaching skills. This course will provide an in depth look at ways to get kids outside in the winter while meeting academic standards. Our goal is to get kids outside and moving and learning about their environment at the same time. Many of the lessons we will be doing will be crossing the curriculum. Topics will include snowshoe history, snow and its chemistry, the physics of cross country skiing, and winter tracking and hiking. We hope to provide teachers with new skills and knowledge that they can pass on to their students in the classroom.

The goal of the course is to assist participants and their students in developing awareness, knowledge, skills and a commitment to make informed decisions, which will lead to responsible behavior and attitudes towards our native wildlands.

Participants will understand the importance of getting their students outside in order to teach them about the environment.

Participants will be learning how to use cross country skis and snow shoes and trekking through the woods using one or both of these methods. We will also be hiking for a portion of this class. This is an integral part of the course, if you are not comfortable with this, this course is not for you.

Participation in this program provides teachers with a knowledge and background related to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology; Health, Safety and Physical Education; and Science and Technology.

Participants must dress appropriately for outdoor activities and the weather. A list of recommended and permitted gear will be provided before the course.

Teachers will be required to submit a plan as to how they will use this information in their classroom. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%, and will complete a performance assessment. Out of class work will include reading and a lesson plan.

This course will meet at the Stonehouse in Ohiopyle State Park. Take route 40 to 381 north in Farmington. GO 7 - 8 miles, coming into Ohiopyle, you´ll see slides on the right, Kentuck Rd on left, just after Kentuck Rd, turn left inot the driveway. The address is 180 Main Street, Ohiopyle, PA, 15470.

This registration is only for educators in the McGuffey School District.

This course is for teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills; analyze and use data; parents and community partners; and reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

The responsibilities of today´s educators include the mandate to remain current, if not cutting edge, with regard to the implementation of technology as both an effective management tool and an appropriate instructional tool. McGuffey School District is one that is dedicated to the provision of technology tools to teachers, students, and administrators all to the desired outcome of improving the effective management of limited resources, improving the delivery of effective instruction, and increasing student engagement and student achievement for all regular education and special education students.

In order to properly implement the available technology, educators must engage in professional development activities that provide them with a working knowledge of educational application of the technology, the appropriateness of the technology in the public school setting, the economic factors relevant to implementing the technology and the possible benefits relevant to increased student engagement and achievement. Evidence of mastery of the course will be calculated according to pre and post exams and class assignments. Each performance task will be measured according to the attached rubrics.

This course is for any educator in grades K - 12.

EBS is a compilation of research and various models, which emphasizes school climate, collaborative rule making (Code of Conduct), teaching expected behaviors, and intervention strategies designed to teach the student to make responsible choices. Its foundation is based on the works of Abraham Maslow, Rudolf Dreikurs, (Children the Challenge), Linda Albert (Cooperative Discipline), Thomas Lickona), and Harry Wong (First Days of School). Format: discussions, group activities, individual project, readings and videos.

Out of class work will be emailed and brought to class. Other class work: Creating Code of Conduct, + - Charts, readings from Thomas Lichman, duplication of class meeting, identify strategies in the classroom.

This course is designed for all educators and administrators K-12. The course will address the following professional development criteria: Teaching and learning skills based on research on effective practice for educators and students; classroom based assessment skills; and thinking and planning strategically to ensure that curriculum, instruction, and assessment are aligned to each other as well as to the PA academic standards.

The course participants will Identify and define best practice instructional strategies for educators and students

• Describe and analyze the Act 48 and Instructional II workshop and course guidelines
• Create a workshop or course outline that integrates research on effective practice for educators and students; classroom based assessment skills; and thinking and planning strategically to ensure that curriculum, instruction, and assessment are aligned to each other as well as to the PA academic standards
• Complete a pre-post test

Course Objectives
The instruction will enable the participants to:

• Identify and define best practice instructional strategies for educators and students
• Describe and analyze the Act 48 and Instructional II workshop and course guidelines
• Create a workshop or course outline that integrates research on effective practice for educators and students; classroom based assessment skills; and thinking and planning strategically to ensure that curriculum, instruction, and assessment are aligned to each other as well as to the PA academic standards
• Complete a pre-post test
• Complete an action plan for implementation

This course is designed for all Teachers in grades K-12 and provides professional development in content knowledge in reading, reading comprehension and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a 20 item multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.

In an online format, participants will discover and implement reading activities (pre-reading, during reading, and post reading) within the classroom, written evaluations of the reading activities, shared discussions with fellow classmates regarding the pros and cons of reading activities as part of their personal research, implementation and growth.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

This course is for all teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: enhances content knowledge and teaching skills, reading comprehension, math skills, and provides the knowledge and skills for administrators to think and plan strategically.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants are required to write two lessons plans with PA standards listed. Lesson plans must be ways to use chess in the classroom. Such as: writing notations or math problems.

This course highlights how to use the game of Chess in the classroom setting. Chess Federation sets will be utilized and on-line play of the game will be attempted. The course will emphasize how to play the game of Chess and implement Chess into the classroom setting. Participants will learn strategies and fundamentals of the game. The course will involve use of the Chess Federation Guide and Chess sets.

Required out of class work includes reading two chess articles and writing two lessons plans using Chess that align with the Pennsylvania State Standards. The instructor will provide an overview of critical thinking skills and the many uses of playing chess. Chess playing guides will be given to the class.

The lecture will include the following: 1. PSSA and Critical Thinking Skills 2. Many uses of Chess in the classroom. 3. Chess articles will be given to participants. 4. Rules and information about playing Chess. 5. Demonstration of the game. 6. Beginning to play the game of chess. The participants will be given time to practice the game. Participants will be given instructions on the requirements for the assignment and will engage in discussion about the assignment. The instructor will answer any questions about the assignment and review game play. The instructor will demonstrate how to use chess in the classroom. The participants will be given time to practice and write skills in playing the game.

The lecture will include: 1. Uses of critical thinking skills. 2. Chess play time (fundamentals). 3. Advanced strategies of the game. 4. Lesson review. 5. Conclusion/Wrap up

Participants will be given time to write strategies and play the game with a partner. Participates will work on lesson plans that correlate with the Pennsylvania State Standards. Participants will turn in two lesson plans.

You do not need to know how to play chess to take this course.

This course is only for Albert Gallatin teachers in grades 7 - 12, in any content area. It meets the following professional development criteria: content in Teaching and Learning and Professional Development and Teaching Techniques and Strategies. The following topics will be covered in this course: student-centered learning through effective lesson planning, the classroom management of technology, formalized coaching, webquesting, use of Promethean board, podcasting and blogging, digital story-telling, open source and web hosting / web posting.

Participants will be required to implement technology presented in the course in their own classroom lessons / plans. Each technology strand must be documented in the participant?s lesson plans and reflected upon in their journal. The final project will include samples of each technology strand implemented and evidence of their use in the participant´s classroom (i.e. lesson plans, coach/teacher log, student artifacts, and the participant´s reflection journal). Assessment for the course will be based on the following: attendance, pre and post test/survey, successful classroom / lesson application of at least 80% of the strategies presented, completion of reflection journals, and completion of final project. Participants will also complete a final implementation plan / reflection indicating how the technology strands presented in the course will be incorporated into future lesson plans.

*NOTE*
If you took the three credit Reflective Practitioner course, you may not take this course.

This course is for all K-12 educators including teachers, nurses, substitutes and counselors and meets the following professional development criteria: Teaching skills and analyze and use data. This course will provide guidance for building a professional portfolio including the requirements for completing the Level 1 to Level II assessment (PDE 427) for domains 1 and 3. Domains 2 and 4 will be overviewed.

This course is not limited to new teachers, but is appropriate for all professionals whether they need to complete the competencies for PDE 427 or develop their own professional portfolios. The participants will develop a lesson plan, teach one of the domains, develop portfolio artifacts, and reflect on practice. Participants will also complete pre and post tests and develop an implementation plan. Participants should bring a 2 or 3 inch binder and dividers.

The instruction will enable the participants to:
• Identify best practices for classroom instruction
• Identify appropriate artifacts in domains 1 and 3 from PDE 427
• Construct higher level questions for the classroom
• Develop a professional portfolio
• Design and present a classroom lesson integrating domain 1 or 2
• Develop an implementation plan
• Write reflections on classroom observations and activities or demonstrations

*NOTE*
If you took the three credit Reflective Practitioner course, you may not take this course. The Reflective Practitioner Part 1 is NOT a PREREQUISITE for this course

This course is for all K-12 educators including teachers, nurses, substitutes and counselors and meets the following professional development criteria: Teaching skills and analyze and use data.

This course will provide guidance for building a professional portfolio including the requirements for completing the Level I to Level II assessment (PDE 427) for domains 2,3 and 4.

This course is not limited to new teachers, but is appropriate for all professionals whether they need to complete the competencies for PDE 427 or develop their own professional portfolios. The participants will develop a lesson plan, teach one of the domains, develop portfolio artifacts, and reflect on practice. Participants will also complete pre and post tests and develop an implementation plan. Participants should bring a 2 or 3 inch binder and dividers.

The instruction will enable the participants to:
• Identify best practices for classroom instruction
• Identify appropriate artifacts in domains 2,3 and 4 from PDE 427
• Construct higher level questions for the classroom
• Develop a professional portfolio
• Design and present a classroom lesson integrating domain 3 or 4
• Develop an implementation plan
• Write reflections on classroom observations and activities or demonstrations

This course is intended for any k-12 teacher, counselor, school social worker, SAP member, including mental health and social service, as well as nurses.

To effectively help students cope through their grief experience, educators must continually enhance their own knowledge and have a clear understanding of loss, grief and mourning. Whenever a relationship ends, by death, loss is experienced. Teachers, counselors, and school nurses are in a good position to facilitate the grieving process.

This course will explore the normal adult and child developmental issues around death and loss, behavior issues, strategies for the classroom, case studies of children and adolescents, as well as resources that can be used in the classroom.

Out of class work includes: reading assignments, the creation of a written “Exploring Your Own Grief History”, and preparation of an action plan for their classrooms dealing with a grieving child.

This course is for all teachers in K - 12 and meets the professionalk development requirements for academic content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

In an online format, participants will discover and implement writing across the curriculum activities (graphic organizers, essay writing, writing to learn, and project writing) within the classroom, written evaluations of the writing activities, collaboration and shared discussions with fellow classmates regarding the pros and cons of writing across the curriculum activities as part of their personal research, implementation and professional growth.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

This course is for K – 12 Teachers and meets professional development criteria for teaching skills. This course will provide an in depth look at Pennsylvania Songbirds in the Laurel Highlands area. This weekend long course is meant as a follow up to Pennsylvania Songbirds although PA Songbirds IS NOT a prerequisite. Our goal is to introduce teachers to all aspects of bird biology in the field.

Participants in this course will be asked to stay overnight at Ohiopyle State Park accommodations for Friday and Saturday nights. This workshop will involve long days and nights in the field observing and discussing birds and their biology. We will begin by watching the courtship dance of the woodcock the first evening. An early morning bird hike will begin the second day and will be followed by a trip to Powdermill’s bird banding station. While there we will have the opportunity to see real scientific research in action. From Powdermill we will head to the Spruce Flats bog where we will discuss and explore this amazing ecosystem. Our day continues as we return to Ohiopyle to do some additional birding and then following a dinner break we will head out for a nighttime quest for owls.

The final day of our workshop we will choose another trail in the park for bird observation. Along the way we will not only learn about the birds we are looking for but we will discuss the importance of all of the habitats and ecosystems we are visiting, human impacts on the environment, the decline of songbirds and the importance of the Pennsylvania breeding bird atlas. We will show participants how they can use the topic of birds to cross the curriculum and get kids outside using an animal they can readily see in their backyards and school yards.

The goal of the course is to assist participants and their students in developing awareness, knowledge, skills and a commitment to make informed decisions, which will lead to responsible behavior and attitudes towards our native wildlands. During this course we will be outside and on the go most of the time. There will be very little time spent sitting down. If you feel that you are not able or willing to be on your feet and hiking most of the day (distances will not be long and pace will be relatively slow), this course is not for you.

The $75 park fee for this class includes all of your meals, accommodations and shuttle services. (This course is also open to the general public who may participate without receiving credit. For more information about possible participation for no credit please contact Barbara Wallace at 724-329-0986 or eeohiopyle@qcol.net).

Class size for this course is very limited so please sign up early.

Participation in this program provides teachers with a knowledge and background related to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology; Science and Technology.

Participants must dress appropriately for outdoor activities and the weather. A list of recommended and permitted gear will be provided before the course.

Teachers will be required to submit a plan as to how they will use this information in their classroom. Participants will be assessed using a pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%, and will complete a performance assessment. Out of class work will include a lesson plan.

This registration is only for IU 1 Paraprofessionals who are taking this course for Extra Contracted Days. Counts as three (3) days for Extra Contracted Days.

This course is intended for any K-12 teacher, counselor, school social worker, SAP member, including mental health and social service, as well as nurses.

“Suicides among youth 10 to 19 are rising faster than predicted, creating a potential health crisis”, states the American Medical Association. The need to expand efforts to identify children at risk earlier doing a better job of preventing suicides. Schools are an obvious place to identify youth at risk of suicide. Healthy, supportive and informed schools can do much to prevent youth suicide.

This course will explore not only the issues of suicide, but also the positive role they can play by talking about the subject. Risk factors, prevention, intervention strategies, and responding to a death by suicide are some of the topics that will be covered.

This course is for Charleroi Staff only.

This course is for teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge, teaching skills, analyze and use data, and reading comprehension.

Participants will participate in all classroom activities, complete a technology based lesson plan and an action plan for implementing 21st century instructional strategies. Participants will also be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

The swift changes in technology and communication that have been affecting business have also created opportunities for school districts to utilize new methods to improve student achievement. The district is committed to providing a quality professional development program that focuses on the best practices as dictated by research and meets the needs of the individual teacher. Teachers will be able to use the most current technology in order to supplement their curriculum as means of presenting our students with the most current research and practices in order to improve student achievement. Teachers will learn technology based instructional strategies so that they will be able to present opportunities for our students that will be limitless and not controlled by the boundaries of the classroom or the constraints of a building budget.

The first session in this course will begin with the teachers using the Polyvision board to integrate 21st century resources with the goal of technology integration into the curriculum. Teachers will utilize whiteboard technology to create interactive lessons. The next session will consist of the teachers developing lesson plans using web 2.0 resources. The third session will require teachers to use the SMART Classroom Performance Systems as a data analysis and assessment tool. They will create lessons integrating this software in the classroom to generate instant feedback from the students. Time will be spent generating reports and analyzing the data. At the conclusion of this session teachers will be able to analyze classroom performance data. The fourth session will require teachers to create webquests and digital stories using a variety of media. Teachers will be required to create a culminating project.

This course is only for educators in the Albert Gallatin School District.

This course is for new teachers of grades 9 – 12 in any content area. It meets the following professional development criteria: content in Teaching and Learning and Professional Development; Teaching Techniques and Strategies. The following topics will be covered in this course: effective lesson plan design, classroom management techniques, student-centered classrooms (with the use of ELMO document camera and/or overhead transparency projector), text rendering, graphic organizers, effective questioning and assessments, and the implementation of web/computer based classroom resources (United Streaming, netTrekker, etc.).

Participants will be required to implement the strategies presented in the course in their own classroom lessons. Each strategy must be documented in the participant’s lesson plans, observed by their mentor/administrator/coach, and reflected upon in their journal. The final project will include samples of each strategy implemented and evidence of their use in the participant’s classroom. (i.e. lesson plans, administrator’s walkthrough, mentor/coaches’ log, student artifacts, and the participant’s reflection journal). Participants will design and build a professional portfolio to include artifacts categorized into four key areas: planning/preparation, classroom environment, instructional delivery, professionalism. Assessment for the course will be based in the following: attendance, pre and post test/survey, successful classroom/lesson application of at least 80% of the strategies presented, completion of reflection journal, completion of professional journal reflection(s) and completion of the final project. Participants will also complete a final implementation plan/reflection indicating how the strategies presented in the course will be incorporated into their future lesson plans.

This course is for all Teachers who talk about the Eastern Woodland Indians.

Meadowcroft teacher continuing ed summer course. Course will be taught by Meadowcroft staff and three guest Native American instructors.

Overall goals are to:

 
1) Educate teachers on the history and culture of the Eastern Woodland Indians
2) Help teachers to integrate their new knowledge into the classroom
3) Provide teachers with hands-on activities at Meadowcroft
4) Promote Meadowcroft´s Educational Programs

Day One - Taught by Meadowcroft staff as well as Huron and Shawnee instructors.

Introduction to Meadowcroft Museum and Our Mission
Overview of Meadowcroft´s Educational Programming
Session on Prehistoric Pennsylvania
Tour of Meadowcroft Rockshelter Archaeology Site
Afternoon Sessions on Eastern Woodland Men and their Roles in Native Society

  Day Two
"An Eastern Woodland Indian Woman´s Lifeways"

Teaching about Indians with Cultural Sensitivity. Dr. Kinorea "Two Feather" Tigri (Creek & Cherokee) will conduct most of Day Two.

The Intermediate Unit 1 Center for STEM Education is sponsoring an Energy Thinking Course.

This course is designed primarily for grade 5 – 8 teachers, but could also be useful for upper elementary, middle and high school classroom teachers. It meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge, reading comprehension, and teaching skills. The program correlates to the Environment and Ecology Standards and the Science and Technology Standards.

This course is designed to provide Pennsylvania teachers with background information and lessons to help their students think “alternatively” about energy. The course will be presented by Donna Riggle, educational consultant, and Conservation Consultants.

Participants will receive a kit of materials valued at $50 for use in their classrooms as well as the Energy Thinking handbook. Through the use of resource materials and hands-on activities, participants will investigate the concepts of energy resources, alternative energy sources, global footprint, individual responsibility and impact, energy efficiency, green buildings and alternative transportation.

Bring a bag lunch. Day 1 will be at the Western Area Career and Technology Center and Day 2 at Conservation Consultants, Inc. in Pittsburgh. Letters and/or emails will be sent including directions to both locations one week prior to the start of the class.

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.

For course credit, participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. Participants will complete IU 1 evaluation forms. In addition lesson plans using the new learning or a project with action plan is required.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills and reading comprehension.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.” Sayings like these contain the wisdom of the ages and guide people in thinking through life situations on more abstract levels.

Proverbs and folktales are the timeless teaching tools of humankind. They teach lessons aimed at improving interpersonal relationships, building character and reinforcing the social structure.

When children (and adults) reflect on the meanings of proverbs and folktales in relationship to their own lives, they find that the “moral of the story” is not a set message but a way to think about their own situation from a different point of view.

Thinking symbolically is important to the development of critical thinking skills and necessary to learning in all subject areas. Around the age of 4th or 5th grade, children are beginning to unpack the subtleties of language and are ready to understand folktales and proverbs. In this course for upper elementary teachers, we will examine how to use folk literary forms in the classroom to support student achievement of the State Academic Standards in Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening.

Guided by a cultural anthropologist, this participatory course will cover the folk wisdom found in our own and other cultures. Participants will look at ways to make proverbs and folktales relevant to students’ personal experiences.

Teachers should bring to the first session any units they have used that focus on or include folktales and proverbs. These units will be revised throughout the week with new activities based on the knowledge gained in this course. We will use community members and two books written for teachers as our texts.

Out of class work includes collecting and documenting a proverb and the story of its use from someone in the community, reading Keepsakes: Using Family Stories in Elementary Classrooms and Fairy Tales, Fables, Legends, and Myths: Using Folk Literature in You Classroom, revising lesson plans to include using proverbs and folktales in the classroom and stories from the students’ homes, interviewing someone and recording a family story, and recording an urban legend from the community.

Required text:
Keepsakes: Using Family Stories in Elementary Classrooms, Linda Winston, Heinemann,
ISBN 10: 0435072358
ISBN 13: 9780435072353
and
Fairy Tales, Fables, Legends, and Myths: Using Folk Literature in Your Classroom (Early Childhood Series) by Bette Bosma, Teachers College Press,
ISBN-10: 0-8077-3134-X (080773134X)
ISBN-13: 978-0-8077-3134-5

"Novels: A Fresh Approach to Teaching Reading Anchors" is a course for teachers of reading in grades 4-8. It offers a fresh and exciting approach to using novels in the classroom for both teachers and students as an effective tool to teaching the reading anchors. This course meets the following professional development criteria - Teaching Techniques and Strategies.

Each participant will preview Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) documents related to the PA Anchors for a general understanding of their contents. This background knowledge will help the participant to generate student notes that are aligned to the PA Reading Anchors, formulate content/skills packets required on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSAs), construct assessments using stem questions that exemplify language patterns and vocabulary demonstrated on the PSSA Reading Assessment, and share an idea that will demonstrate student understanding of a specific anchor. Participants are asked to bring the following materials: a grade appropriate novel, a copy of the Assessment Anchors and Eligible Content for your grade level, a flash drive, and pencil and paper.

With the implementation of the PSSAs, teachers of reading are faced with the task of making sure children are proficient in specific skills outlined in the PA Reading Anchors. Teaching many of these skills and executing them through the use of grade-appropriate novels provides a fresh and exciting approach to learning.

A pre-test will be given to assess participants´ understanding of questioning techniques that mimic the language patterns and vocabulary set forth in the PA Anchors. A post test will also be administered demonstrating the participants´ proficiency in formulating questions using the PA Reading Anchors as their guide. A proficiency level of at least 80% must be achieved on the post test.

Participants will have two weeks in which to complete 15 hours of an out-of-class final project. One credit will be received after all of the course requirements have been satisfied. A hard copy of the final project must be submitted to the instructor within two weeks of completion of the course.

Participants are asked to bring the following to class:
1. a grade appropriate novel
2. a copy of the Assessment Anchors and Eligible Content for the grade level they teach (available from the PDE website)
3. a flash drive
4. pencil and paper

This class is for teachers in grades K-12. This five day long, three credit teacher course focuses on all aspects of local Pennsylvania history. We will not only talk about history but also the impacts that the habitats of Pennsylvania have had on this cultural history. We will take participants from Native American settlement through European settlement and the industrial revolution. Our final topic will be the Civillian Conservation Corps.

Teachers will be expected to stay overnight the first two nights and the fourth night. The accommodations will be in bunk beds in our camping facilities. Teachers will also have the option of bringing their own tents if they prefer. Our goal is to encourage teachers to integrate science and history into the classroom using hands on lessons and information. The materials fee for this class is $150. This fee will cover all food, lodging, entrance fees and shuttle service throughout the week.

Teachers who participate will be expected to bike for 9 miles (downhill) and hike several miles. If you are not willing to do this, this class is not for you.

Day one will be with Dr. Kinorea Tigri a local Native American Historian. Dr. Tigri will take us through life as a Native American woman. This will include cooking and lifestyle demonstrations. She will provide information on lessons that could be completed with students as well. We will end the evening with a campfire and a lesson on storytelling and local legends.

Day two will be a trip through the beginnings of the French and Indian War and the National Road. We will spend our day at Fort Necessity, Jumonville Glen and the Mount Washington Tavern. Our day will end with a trip and tour of a local winery nestled on the Chestnut Ridge. While there we will focus on the history of distilled spirits in Pennsylvania. This will include a discussion of our rich moonshine history.

Day three will begin with a nine mile bike trip on the Youghiogheny River Trail. Along the way we will discuss Pennsylvania’s rich transportation history from canals to rails and everything in between. We will then move on to talk about the Industrial Revolution and its impact on Ohiopyle and the Youghiogheny River. Participants will be free to go home for the night on day three.

Day four we will resume class at Laurel Hill State Park. From there we will travel to the Somerset Historical Center where we will visit three historical farm sites. We will also learn what the center has to offer for local school groups. This trip will highlight Pennsylvania’s rich agricultural history. We will then return to Laurel Hill where we will discuss the Pennsylvania logging railroad. Following this hike we will join the Civilian Conservation Corps for the night. Participants will see what life was like for CCC members.

Day five will continue with lessons about the CCC. We will have the opportunity to meet and interview the few remaining survivors of Laurel Hill’s CCC camp. We will finish up the day with an overview of our week and completion of implementation plans for each classroom.

This course is intended for any K-12 teacher, counselor, school social worker, SAP member, including mental health and social service, as well as nurses.

“Suicides among youth 10 to 19 are rising faster than predicted, creating a potential health crisis”, states the American Medical Association. The need to expand efforts to identify children at risk earlier doing a better job of preventing suicides. Schools are an obvious place to identify youth at risk of suicide. Healthy, supportive and informed schools can do much to prevent youth suicide.

This course will explore not only the issues of suicide, but also the positive role they can play by talking about the subject. Risk factors, prevention, intervention strategies, and responding to a death by suicide are some of the topics that will be covered.

This course is for K-12 teachers in the regular classroom and meets the following professional development criteria: Pennsylvania Department of Education English Language Proficiency Standards (2007) which states all teachers learn how to teach ELLs in ways that make instruction comprehensible to ELLs so they can learn in the regular classroom. This one credit two week course is written for regular classroom teachers so that they will be able to analyze how culture and language impact ELL learning in the regular classroom as well as how the teacher can adapt and accommodate instruction for ELLs with different cultures and languages in the content area classroom.

In-class work will consist of a pre-test; a video clip that students will view and use to begin picturing how an ELL may view learning in a new language, culture and new classroom; Unit One and Two readings from printed handouts from the instructor and from the book “Classroom Instruction that Works with English Language Learners”; and a PowerPoint presentation.

Out of class work includes 8 Reflective journal writings, a Unit One post test assessment, 8 discussion board posts, a final project which includes a one page type written reflective summary about the course and the importance of making accommodations and adaptation in instruction for ELLs in the content area classroom as well as a content area lesson plan that includes 3 different accommodations and adaptations for ELLs at the Beginning level of English proficiency. After submitting this final project to the instructor, students will be assessed using a 20 point post test. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%

Assessment is based on participation in the 8 Reflective Journal Posts, Course Pre-test, Unit One Post test, 8 Discussion Board Writings, a Final Project and Post test.

Students must purchase the book "Classroom instruction that works with English language learners" Hill, J.D. & Flynn, K. M (2006). Alexandria, VA: ASCD
ISBN: 1-4166-0390-5

“The Breakaway: Independence for Teachers and Students” is a course for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching and learning and professional development and behavior.

Participants will complete lessons which include reading of text and various online research, discussion board participation, a variety of assignments such as summaries and lesson plans, final project, and a pre and post assessment. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice/true/false pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

Think about the age old adage, the chicken-and-egg dilemma which begs the question: What comes first, good instruction or appropriate behavior? “The Caring Teacher’s Guide to Discipline” couples with lessons and online research stresses the combination of both. In today’s diverse classroom teachers are faced with varying backgrounds and learning styles, a wide range of academic and emotional needs, and a plethora of misbehaviors. Finding a balance to handle all of this plus the pressures from legislation, administration, parents, the community and our own lives can be a daunting task. This course is designed to lift some of the burden off of our shoulders and make students and parents accountable for learning and behaviors as well. This goal is accomplished by setting limits, giving students and parents responsibility, helping them develop confidence in their abilities, engaging them in learning, and teaching them how to solve problems and make good judgments, as well as by correcting misbehavior which are all addressed throughout this course.

“The Breakaway: Independence for Teachers and Students” is a two credit, six week long course (60 hours). It will be conducted online and participants will be encouraged to read lessons, read text, explore online resources, search for resources, complete assignments and to share expertise in the discussion board about knowledge gained through readings about discipline and behavior. Required assignments include: reading lessons, reading text, exploring resources, discussion board participation, various summaries and lesson plans, pre and post assessments, and an individual final project in the form of a written action plan for implementation paper or other choice (see below).

Students may expect to spend approximately 20 hours of online time and 20 hours of out for class which will include internet research, discussion board participation, and assignments the first 4 weeks. The following two weeks (20 hours) will be utilized for completing a project, the post-test, reflections, and course evaluations.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

Teacher-to-teacher collaboration on implementing “best practices” is a powerful means of improving student learning and school culture. Such collaboration shatters the isolation most teachers face in their daily teaching schedules. Although it can take various forms, as challenges vary from school to school, the principles of instructional coaching apply to any teacher-to-teacher collaboration. This course provides an overview of the roles school-based coaches and teacher leaders may assume in order to provide job-embedded professional development and facilitate teacher-to-teacher collaboration as well as possible ways to implement and sustain a coaching model. It is based in current research on the impact of this job-embedded professional development paradigm and is designed specifically with the needs of teachers who are interested in exploring teacher leadership, and/or instructional coaching. The course meets the following professional development criteria: Teaching and Learning and Professional Development, School and Community Collaboration. The following topics will be covered: the research on the effectiveness of instructional coaching; the various possible roles involved in instructional coaching; and methods for implementing and sustaining a school-based coaching program. It will also meet all criteria for IU 1 courses: a pretest, a posttest, a project. Participants are required to evaluate the information presented in the course, research other sources, create and deliver both group and individual presentations, and select that which is relevant to their particular situations. Journal responses on the information gleaned from each session and the assigned readings, small group and individual presentations, and class discussions provide formative assessment throughout the course. The final project consists of a portfolio that includes all assignments, artifacts from all presentations, and a final journal reflection. Summative assessment for the course is based on the following: attendance, pre and post test (at least an 80% on posttest), completion and quality of the final reflection, completion and quality of all assignments, participation in all group and individual presentations, and completion and quality of the final project/portfolio.

This course is for all teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: reading comprehension and teaching skills.

The new Internet, or Web 2.0, is a challenging environment for educators to explore and understand. This class is designed to help teachers who instruct students in grades K-12 understand the impact of the next Internet generation. In this course educators will learn how to use Web 2.0 tools such as: “Wiki” Spaces, Animoto, Discovery On-line Assignment Builder, Digital Media, Glogster and Geocaching.

This course will lead teachers through a deep exploration of the latest ideas and trends behind Web 2.0. Participants will gain an understanding of digital media through the use of Windows Movie Maker.

During the course participants will learn how to make, edit and embed videos using a flip camera and Windows Movie Maker. It is difficult for educators to properly implement and design lessons that integrate technology effectively, thus an understanding of Web 2.0 resources is critical to classroom teachers.

Evidence of mastery of the course will be calculated according to pre and post exams and class assignments. A complete “Wiki” page will make up a percentage of the course participation grade.

This course is an interdisciplinary class designed for all k-12 teachers and involves both technical classroom instruction and practical application of orienteering. This hands-on course is designed to build or enhance the participants’ knowledge of orienteering. This course will provide teachers with skills in both map and compass work as well as GPS (Global Positioning System) GIS (Geographic Information System) including computer programs such as Arc View, and radio telemetry which will complement many other programs and curriculums by providing supplemental materials and lesson ideas.

WILD About Orienteering has been designed as an extension of the nationally accepted, highly popular, Project WILD curriculum. This course is a two-day program with a focus on how wildlife, and humans, navigate through the environment and come to understand their surroundings.

Throughout this course there will be an emphasis on including mathematics, technology, and science into the study of wildlife, the outdoors, and the environment through the use of modern handheld GPS units, GIS mapping, and traditional map and compass use. Topics ranging from how animals interpret their surroundings based on their survival needs to how the use of computerized mapping has impacted wildlife studies and research will be addressed. All of the activities used in this program, as well as the materials distributed to the participants, are aligned to Pennsylvania’s Academic Standards to facilitate easy classroom use. In addition, lesson extensions and adaptations will be given to make the content applicable to all grade levels and areas of study.

This course is for all K - 12 general education or special education teachers. In a classroom format, participants will investigate various levels of behavioral needs (Emotional Disturbances) and how to address those needs in the general education (K-12) classroom. Participants will discuss personal experiences, accomplishments, and strategies while discovering new ideas to implement in their classrooms. Participants will be assessed using a pre/post-test, as well as projects and participation in class activities. Out of class work will include research on various disorders contained under the emotional disturbance labels, developing plans to address those behaviors within individual settings, and compiling previously successful strategies and new strategies into a portfolio.

The Nature of Fallingwater offers an interdisciplinary approach to environmental education, with a focus on the interconnectedness of broad ecological systems and their regional significance, and with an emphasis on the human connection with the natural world. An important feature of this course is the use of a natural site to teach environmental topics, and using the artistic disciplines to explore our natural environment.

On-site study at Frank Lloyd Wright´s Fallingwater (now owned by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy) will explore the use of art (including visual, literary forms) to express emotional attachment to nature and educate ourselves and others regarding environmental issues. Participants will be challenged to capture and distill the "visual essence" of Fallingwater, without utilizing the obvious photographic opportunity we see so often. We will use design and journal activities to look at Frank Lloyd Wright´s concept of organic architecture, transcendentalism, and other artistic expressions of the natural environment.

The course will provide applications for use in participants´ own schools and communities, and a course guide with activities, bibliographies and other resources in environmental education. Participants are required to dress appropriately for outdoor sessions and to bring their own lunch.

Required out of class work will include reading assignments prior to and between course sessions, planning for an in-class project: includes identifying a natural area near their own school to study, brainstorming ideas for their in-class project, designing a classroom lesson for that project, and linking this project to the Pennsylvania academic standards.

This project was originally designed and implemented by Shelley Stepp and Kary Arimoto-Mercer (as "I Dig Thoreau") for the CalArts Community Arts Partnership (CAP) ArtsCOOL Program with the Los Angeles Unified School District Arts Education Branch and Henry David Thoreau Continuation High School.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission and Intermediate Unit 1 Center for STEM Education are sponsoring a Pennsylvania’s Biodiversity wildlife education course at Mingo Creek Park.

This course is designed for upper elementary, middle and high school classroom teachers and non-formal educators who work with children, and meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge, reading comprehension, and teaching skills. The program correlates to the Environment and Ecology Standards.

Participants will receive the new Pennsylvania Biodiversity guide, and a chance to explore the diversity of wildlife of North America while working in the outdoors at Mingo Creek Park. Theresa Alberici, the Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Education specialist, will be the instructor. Through the use of resource materials and hands-on activities, participants will investigate the concepts of biodiversity, examine local and global issues relating to biodiversity and investigate the many ways biodiversity affects every day lives.

Participants should dress for expected weather conditions and outdoor activities. Bring a bag lunch and meet at Mingo Creek Park. Letters and emails will be sent including directions to the actual location in the park 1 week prior to the start of the class.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.

Participants will complete a written project indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is for all teachers in Grades K-12 that want to include agricultural Science in their curriculum provides professional development in K-12 Science content knowledge, reading comprehension and teaching skills. 

This course introduces hands-on activities for agricultural and environmental sciences that are aligned with the PA Standards for Environment and Ecology. Participants will receive an introduction to the importance of agriculture and the raw materials supplied by natural resources to produce food, housing and energy. They will also identify agricultural pests and determine acceptable management techniques. Each participant will receive the Project Food, Land and People curriculum guide along with state specific background resources developed by PDE. They will tour two local farms to investigate methods used for controlling pests, as well as, cultivating and maintaining a working farm.

REQUIRED OUT-OF-CLASS WORK: Participants will create six lesson plans that will introduce agricultural science and integrated pest manage into their curricula. They will identify the PA standards that align with the lessons.  

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

This course will introduce and train teachers in the nationally recognized curriculum Project Wild. Project WILD is a K-12 interdisciplinary conservation and environmental education program emphasizing wildlife. The goal of project WILD is to assist students of any age in developing awareness, knowledge,skills and commitment to result in informed decisions, responsible behavior and constructive actions concerning wildlife and the environment. Participation in this program provides teachers with a knowledge and background related to the environment and ecology, math and social studies education standards as well as more general knowledge about environmental education. Teachers will participate in hands-on activities and will receive the Project WILD teacher manual. All participants must dress appropriately for outdoor activities and the weather. (Off trail activities require rugged footwear, socks, long pants and sleeves.) Teachers will be required to do homework including out of class reading and lessons. Participants will develop a written action plan for lesson implementation.

Wetlands – What are they? Where did they come from? Who uses them? Why are they important to our environment and us?These are a few of the questions that will be answered both in the classroom and through hands-on activity at Project Wild / Wetlands.

The mission of Project WILD Wetlands is to provide wildlife-based conservation and environmental education that fosters responsible actions toward wildlife and related natural resources.

The goal of Project WILD Wetlands is to assist learners of any age in developing awareness, knowledge, skills, and commitment to result in informed decisions and responsible actions, concerning wildlife and the environment on which all life depends.

OUT OF CLASS WORK: Participants will be required to prepare a one-week “Action Plan” using the Project WILD activity guide and other wetland materials provided in this course. Teachers will be able to define water environments both lotic and lentis systems will be identified and seen. Hydrology and the components of the water cycle (the elements precipitation, evaporation, transpiration, and condensation) will be explained as they relate to watersheds. Trace and name Pennsylvania’s six major watersheds, identifying living things found in this water environment.

Participants’ students can learn and understand is “those areas where you can walk anytime of year and get your feet wet.” We owe a great debt to wetlands for performing many beneficial tasks. Once lost, we not only lose these benefits, but we also lose an important habitat in our environment.

NOTE: Participants will receive the Project Wild curriculum book, PA Game Commission teacher resource packet, additional wetlands handouts, curriculum information and a PGC bluebird box kit (wildlife habitat project). Those attending should dress for the weather and bring binoculars for wildlife identification purposes. Participants will walk in wetlands so appropriate footwear is essential.

This course is designed to expand participants’ knowledge of effective assessment practices and support services available for ELL students.

In addition to effective assessment practices, purposes for assessment, multiple assessment models, use of evaluation techniques, scaffolding of assessments, Cryptonic Academic Language Learning Approach (CALLA), and formal/informal assessment tools will be discussed.

Participants will learn the availability of school support services to assist ELLs in language acquisition and content learning and ways to promote parental/family involvement with their children’s educational program.

Participants will gain experience in test administration, interpretation, and reporting.

Assessment and Support for English Language Learners On-Line is an online course completed in six weeks, with an additional two weeks to complete and submit the final assignment. Although students may work on assignments offline, all course content, and links to supplementary information, class discussions, submission of assignments, interaction with the instructor and peer groups are carried out online, through email and the Blended Schools web site.

The final grade is Pass/Fail and is determined by participation in discussions, completing course quizzes and assignments, and submitting a final project.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Please make sure your email address is correct in your account on this site.

Required text: Authentic Assessment for the English Language Learners Practical Approaches for Teachers, O´Malley and Pierce, Pearson Education, ISBN 0-201-59151-0.
Text is not included in the fee. The IU 1 does not provide the text, you must acquire the text before course begins.

This course is for Teachers seeking ESL Certification in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: ESL Standards for Reading, Speech and Listening as well as the Pennsylvania Professional Education Criteria for classroom teachers, guidance counselors and education specialists, Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment, increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice and empowers educators to work effectively with parent and community partners, and reading comprehension.

Participants will be evaluated through embedded quizzes and test, discussion board participation, article summary, critiques, case study, lesson plans, and other portfolio information.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is based upon knowledge of behaviors, beliefs and attitudes of a multicultural approach to learning.

Cultural awareness is a basic level on a scale from visible culture to deep culture for promoting school staff understanding about cultures. Course participants will be required to demonstrate knowledge of fundamental concepts and practices of English as a Second Language instruction as related to cultural awareness based on the following competencies.

Course Delivery:
Assessment and Support for English Language Learners On-Line is an online course completed in six weeks, with an additional two weeks to complete and submit the final assignment. Although students may work on assignments offline, all course content, and links to supplementary information, class discussions, submission of assignments, interaction with the instructor and peer groups are carried out online, through email and the blended school course site.

The final grade is Pass/Fail and is determined by online participation on discussions board, completing course quizzes, assignments, and submitting a final project.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

Students Must Purchase the following book: Diversity in the Classroom New Approaches to the Education of Young Children. Author: Frances E. Kendall. ISBN: 0807734985

This course is for Teachers seeking ESL Certification in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: ESL Standards for Reading, Speech and Listening as well as the Pennsylvania Professional Education Criteria for classroom teachers, guidance counselors and education specialists, Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment, increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice and empowers educators to work effectively with parent and community partners, and reading comprehension.

Participants will be evaluated through embedded quizzes and test, discussion board participation, article summary, critiques, case study, lesson plans, and other portfolio information.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.

This course is taught online and is part of the ESL Certification program. Participants will examine socio-linguistic aspects of U.S. and world cultures, sources of cross-cultural conflict, and approaches to cross-cultural conflict resolution as they relate to K-12 settings, their communities and the communities in which they teach.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

This course is for Teachers seeking ESL Certification in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: ESL Standards for Reading, Speech and Listening as well as the Pennsylvania Professional Education Criteria for classroom teachers, guidance counselors and education specialists, Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment, increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice and empowers educators to work effectively with parent and community partners, and reading comprehension.

Participants will be evaluated through embedded quizzes and test, discussion board participation, article summary, critiques, case study, lesson plans, and other portfolio information.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will also be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is designed for teachers of English Language Learners. Because ELL students come to us with a variety of backgrounds and at diverse levels of language acquisition, it is important for ESL teachers to have the knowledge and skills necessary to create and implement a developmentally appropriate curricular program for all students.

Upon completion of this course, teachers will be expected to be able to: design and implement an ESL program tailored to meet the needs of each student. Participants will be able to identify appropriate materials and resources to be used with children at each level of English Proficiency.

Required out-of-class work includes creating lesson plans, reading articles, and conduct internet searches for materials, discussion board participation and a final project in the form of a written paper to demonstrate how they will apply information in this class to their classroom instruction.

This project will meet both the National TESOL Standards and Pennsylvania Language Proficiency Standards for English Language Learners.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

Fee includes text.
Required Text: Teaching English Language Learners Cultural Implications, Communications, Connections, Curriculum, by Janet L Pierce.
NOTE: This book is privately published, it is not available from retailers. The book will be provided by IU 1.

This course is for Teachers seeking ESL Certification in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: ESL Standards for Reading, Speech and Listening as well as the Pennsylvania Professional Education Criteria for classroom teachers, guidance counselors and education specialists, Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment, increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice and empowers educators to work effectively with parent and community partners, and reading comprehension.

Participants will be evaluated through embedded quizzes and test, discussion board participation, article summary, critiques, case study, lesson plans, and other portfolio information.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will also be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is part of the ESL certification program and requires a demonstration of knowledge of the fundamental concepts and practices of ESL instruction, with emphasis on instructional materials and strategies.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

This course is for Teachers seeking ESL Certification in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: ESL Standards for Reading, Speech and Listening as well as the Pennsylvania Professional Education Criteria for classroom teachers, guidance counselors and education specialists, Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment, increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice and empowers educators to work effectively with parent and community partners, and reading comprehension.

Participants will be evaluated through embedded quizzes and test, discussion board participation, article summary, critiques, case study, lesson plans, and other portfolio information.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will also be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Educators taking this course will develop knowledge and skills in the areas of structure of the English language, grammar, and pronunciation, including lexical, morphological, syntax, phonological and pragmatic components.

The prerequisites are a PA Level I certificate.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

This course is for Teachers seeking ESL Certification in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: ESL Standards for Reading, Speech and Listening as well as the Pennsylvania Professional Education Criteria for classroom teachers, guidance counselors and education specialists, Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment, increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice and empowers educators to work effectively with parent and community partners, and reading comprehension.

Participants will be evaluated through embedded quizzes and test, discussion board participation, article summary, critiques, case study, lesson plans, and other portfolio information.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Educators taking this course will develop knowledge of the process of first and second language acquisition, including developmental issues in verbal, non-verbal skills, and vocabulary. They will also develop knowledge and skills to assist ELLs to comunicate using verbal and non-verbal language.

Prerequisite is Language Acquisition Part I.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

This course is for Teachers seeking ESL Certification in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: ESL Standards for Reading, Speech and Listening as well as the Pennsylvania Professional Education Criteria for classroom teachers, guidance counselors and education specialists, Enhances the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment, increases the educator’s teaching skills based on research on effective practice and empowers educators to work effectively with parent and community partners, and reading comprehension.

Participants will be evaluated through embedded quizzes and test, discussion board participation, article summary, critiques, case study, lesson plans, and other portfolio information.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is a part of the ESL certification program. This is an online course (not face to face) which requires knowledge of MicroSoft Word, the Internet, and email.

Participants will develop knowledge and understanding of the process of second language development. They will also develop strategies to assist English Language Learners in different stages of language learning and usage.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

Participants must purchase the required text elsewhere.
Required Text: Second Language Learning Theories-2nd Edition; Oxford University Press, ISBN: 0340807660

This course is only for teachers who have applied and been selected to participate in the second year of the Arts Educator 2.0 project. K-12 teachers from across IU1 have been selected. 

The "Arts Educator 2.0: Collaborative Inquiry Groups" course is part of a professional development grant (PDAE) from the US Department of Education (Arts Educator 2.0). The overarching goals of the grant are to, "create a community of learners through the use of new and emerging technologies. ArtsEducator 2.0 learners will be served through an ongoing differentiated staff-development program, that will offer learning opportunities that directly address each participant’s needs."

"ArtsEducator 2.0: Collaborative Inquiry Groups" (CIG) will be a three credit, 90 hour course. Specifically the course will focus on identifying and remediating participants´ professional learning needs and goals.  This will center around 6 face-to-face meetings, as well as a collection of CIG group meetings that may be face-to face or electronic virtual meetings guided by a faculty facilitator. The facilitators will meet with each CIG group in an online setting afterward to discuss the visit and the participant´s reflections upontheir professional development needs. The participants will work as a group to craft and refine a group professional development plan (GPDP) with support from their facilitator.  Once approved by the facilitators and course instructors, participants will implementtheir plan, locate appropriate learning materials, and then supplement their own professional knowledge.  Participants´ successful implementation of the GPDP will be assessed by: review of the GPDP, through examination of documentary evidence ofcompletion of the described learning activities, and through the submission of a personal reflection and/or project which is tied to the new learning and identifies its impact upon professional practice and student learning.

Participants may expect to spend approximately 40 hours in face-to-face meetings atIU1, 10 hours engaged in dialogue with their facilitator (both face toface and virtually) about all aspects of the GPDP, 10 hours in the creation of the GPDP, and then the remaining 30 hours locating learning resources, completing the learning as identified in the GPDP, and in the creation of a reflection and/or project to demonstrate that learning. All Required pre-test, post-tests, planning, reflections, projects and course evaluations will be completed online at either the grant wikispace or the participant´s wikispace.

The "Arts Educator 2.0: Creating Standards-Based Arts Unit Plans" course is part of a professional development grant from the US Department of Education (Arts Educator 2.0). The overarching goals of the grant are to, "create a community of learners through the use of new and emerging technologies. Arts Educator 2.0 learners will be served through an ongoing differentiated staff-development program, which will offer learning opportunities that directly address each participant’s individual needs." The grant has two main learning strands for participants:

1. The creation of a unit of study for use in instruction with students, and
2. Through collaboration with a mentor, the creation and implementation of a personal professional development plan.

In this first portion of the grant, participants will be focusing on strand 1, content and processes related to creating standards-based unit plans for implementation in their respective arts disciplines (art, music, dance, theater, media, etc.).

"Arts Educator 2.0: Creating Standards-Based Arts Unit Plans" will be a three credit, 90 hour course. Specifically the course will focus on identifying the components of an instructional unit plan tied to Pennsylvania´s standards aligned systems and the academic standards, learning the processes for creating such a unit, and ultimately crafting a fully alligned unit plan. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. They will also complete a project: the standards-based arts unit of study.

"Arts Educator 2.0: Creating Standards-Based Arts Unit Plans" will be conducted in both a face-to-face and online, in a differentiated style in order to address the learning needs of the adult participants, and to allow for multiple modes for reflection. Participants will be encouraged to read and view presentations on topics including: rich and compelling tasks, formative and summative assessment, alignment to standards, accommodations, etc.. They will also be trained in a wide variety of web based tools for their unit creation, collaboration, and communication. Required assignments will include: participation in 5 onsite workshops at IU1, participation in online webinars, creation of an online workspace (Wikispaces), and ongoing dialogue with participants and course instructors.

Participants may expect to spend approximately 30 hours engaged in workshops at IU1, 14 hours in online webinars, and the remaining 16 hours crafting standards-based arts unit plans independently. Required pre-test, post-test, reflections, and course evaluations will be completed during the 5 workshops held face-to-face at IU1.

The "Arts Educator 2.0: Personal Professional Development Planning" course is part of a professional development grant from the US Department of Education (Arts Educator 2.0). The overarching goals of the grant are to, "create a community of learners through the use of new and emerging technologies. Arts Educator 2.0 learners will be served through an ongoing differentiated staff-development program, which will offer learning opportunities that directly address each participant’s individual needs." The grant has two main learning strands for participants:

1. The creation of a unit of study for use in instruction with students, and
2. Through collaboration with a mentor, the creation and implementation of a personal professional development plan.

In this second course portion of the grant, participants will be focusing on strand 2, identifying areas of individual need, to be articulated through a "Personal Professional Development Plan (PPDP)," and then implementing that plan.

"Arts Educator 2.0: Personal Professional Development Plans" will be a two credit, 60 hour course. Specifically the course will focus on identifying and remediating individual participants´ professional learning needs and goals. This will center around two visits to the participant´s classroom by either the visual art or music mentor. The mentors will meet with each participant in an online setting afterwards to discuss the visit and the participant´s reflections upon their professional development needs. Each participant will then craft and refine a PPDP with support from their mentor. Once approved by the mentors and course instructors, participants will implement their plan, locating appropriate learning materials, and then supplementing their own professional knowledge. Participants´ successful implementation of the PPDP will be assessed by: examination of the PPDP, through examination of documentary evidence of completion of the described learning activities, and through the submission of a personal reflection and/or project which is tied to the new learning and identifies its impact upon professional practice.

Participants may expect to spend approximately 10 hours engaged in dialogue with their mentor (both face to face and virtually) about all aspects of the PPDP, 10 hours in the creation of the PPDP, and then the remaining 40 hours locating learning resources, completing the learning as identified in the PPDP, and in the creation of a reflection and/or project to demonstrate that learning. All Required pre-test, post-tests, planning, reflections, projects and course evaluations will be completed online at either the grant wikispace or the participant´s wikispace (created as part of the other CPE course, Arts Educator 2.0: Creating Standards-Based Arts Unit Plans)

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Reading, Speech and Listening Standards and the Standards of Social Studies, Music, Integration of all Fine Arts, Physical Education, Science, Math, English, Technology Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Students are required to submit a lesson plan incorporating the course work into their subject matter. Written evaluations are done as to how this course can be used to enhance the learning experience in their classroom. Written evaluations of music broadcasts and the incorporation of the results into the classroom are also used.

This is Part 1 of this course. It offers a look at the influence of rock and roll music on society during the time periods of 1954-1999. An emphasis on the early development of this music and society’s reaction to it will be discussed. As this music is founded in the experiences of the “baby boomer” generation, discussions on how this music influenced a generation will be an integral part of this course. The music of the early 60’s when the “Pittsburgh Sound” was influencing music and developing the local area’s culture is an important area. The music of the Beatles, in its own way easing the grief of a mourning nation, will be discussed at length. The music of Vietnam and the protest music of the late 60’s was an undeniable influence on society. The course will study lyrical content the introspective songwriters of the 1970’s and society’s take on jazz/rock. The pop culture of disco music and punk rock of the late 70’s and earlier will be discussed. The influence of MTV in the 80’s when video killed the radio star has been unquestionably the defining moment of the “baby boomer” facing middle age Also discussed will be the commercialization of rock and roll into a sales and marketing package of the 1990’s. Finally, the baby boomer’s take on contemporary music as they reach their fifties will be explored. The questions of reliving the youthful exuberance of years gone by spawned a new category of music to capitalize on the positive economic “money to spend society” as it approaches social security age. Participants will be encouraged to share their own experience with growing up in a rock and roll world. Both positive and negative aspects will be discussed. *Required out of class work will include a written project that describes how the participant will integrate music into their lessons and the design and sharing of one lesson plan integrating music.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Reading, Speech and Listening Standards and the Standards of Social Studies, Music, Integration of all Fine Arts, Physical Education, Science, Math, English, Technology Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Students are required to submit a lesson plan incorporating the course work into their subject matter. Written evaluations are done as to how this course can be used to enhance the learning experience in their classroom. Written evaluations of music broadcasts and the incorporation of the results into the classroom are also used.

This class may be taken without taking Part 1, but you may not take this 1 credit course if you have taken the 2 credit one.

In this course the participants will survey popular music and it´s correlation to history throughout the corresponding eras. From the post Vietnam era of protests through the singer/songwriters of the 1970´s, societies opinions and societal values will be explored.

Society´s concerns with the impact of this music on the youth of America will be a large part of this course. The seventies and the economic instabilities will be contrasted with the role of popular music becoming more corporate and viewed as a money making machine.

The fragmentation of music and the advent of rock and roll, television and the importance of videos to accompany a song will be discussed. Finally, the extreme contrasts of the nineties to the present with the wide arrary of music being gathered under the heading of rock and roll will be examined.

Western Pennsylvania´s contribution to the rock and roll music genre will also be discussed.

Reading is still the most efficient and interactive means to obtain information. Educators continue to search for ways to motivate students to read in an age where technology seems to be the main focus. Participants in this course will focus on three goals in developing activities and strategies for student reading: the skills, the habit, and the enjoyment for life-long learning. Through the research and field tested strategies, all participants will develop a plan to make their classrooms, and ultimately their schools, ones filled with students who read willingly using all types of media.

*Required out of class work will include reading and designing a written implementation plan for promoting reading in the classroom. Participants will choose 5 of the 7 days to attend.

The participants in this course will learn how to create safe, meaningful photo/scrapbook albums to use in classrooms of all disciplines. Through creative writing, art, and graphic design, participants will learn how to document their heritage, preserve their family history, highlight academic achievements, and encourage students to look at learning in a new way. Scrapbooks can also be used to document school projects, activities, hobbies, and organizations. In the classroom, the scrapbook can be taught as a tool for archiving group/individual projects, science projects, athletic achievements, and many more. It is designed to show teachers ways to help their students express their thoughts in English, Chemistry, Social Studies, Languages, Math, and many other disciplines. For example, students can make scrapbooks documenting chapters of a novel, chemistry elements, various wars or presidents, lifestyles of a particular country, or mathematical equations. Methods of photo cropping. mounting, and preserving photos/memorabilia will be covered as well as journaling and page layout. Therefore, scrapbooks can serve as a universal element of learning in all disciplines. Required out of class work includes collecting, documenting, and organizing photos and memorabilia. Participants will also write journals about each item using the three methods of journaling: captions, bullets, and commentary. At the culmination of the course, participants will be required to write a lesson plan to use in their classrooms using the techniques learned in this course.

This course is designed for Secondary Education Mathematics Teachers and meets the professional development criteria for academic content studies for Mathematics, reading comprehension, and teaching skills. This course will present an overview of topics through high school Algebra II.

Applicants will be required to work outside of class using assignments related to the objectives from the previous sessions. Applicants will be able to assess their progress through short assessments at the start of each session. A problem set will be passed out toward the end of each class. The students will start work as a group with the understanding that the problems are to be completed before the next class.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. Participants will also complete a lesson plan that includes new learning.

This course is for regular and special educators working with mathematics students in grades K - 6 and coaches. It meets the following professional development criteria: Professional Development Criteria, Content knowledge, Teaching skills, Analyze and use data.

Participants will complete written projects and performance assessments Participants will be assessed via coursework, assignments, and reflection papers. Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their work.

The purpose of this course is to facilitate participants to:
• Examine the Regional K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Framework to focus on how the big ideas of mathematics can be organized coherently.
• Think through the major ideas of the base ten system, including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
• Examine children’s thinking to learn how they develop the major ideas of mathematics.
• Learn about instructional strategies that will support students’ learning, including what questions probe students’ deep understanding of a concept.
• Share and discuss the work of students to gain insight into their solution strategies.
• Plan, conduct, and analyze mathematics interviews of students to focus on their thinking about concepts.
• View and discuss videotapes of mathematics classrooms.
• Read overviews of related research.
• Explore what student work looks like when students demonstrate deep conceptual understanding of mathematics.
• Utilize the Mathematics Curriculum Framework, Developing Mathematical Ideas, the Mathematics Task Framework, and other tools to facilitate seminars with colleagues.
• Identify some strategies a facilitator might employ to make sense of participant productions and their role in helping participants make sense of each other’s ideas.

This course is for regular and special educators working with mathematics students in grades K - 6 and coaches and meets the following professional development criteria: Professional Development Criteria, Content knowledge, Teaching skills, Analyze and use data.

Prerequisite:
Participants who take the Elementary Mathematics Leadership Academy at the Governor’s Institute for Data Driven Instruction July 13-18, 2008 and those who took the Elementary Mathematics Teacher Leadership Academy may take this course.

Participants will complete written projects and performance assessments. Participants will be assessed via coursework, assignments, and reflection papers. An implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their work.

The purpose of this course is to facilitate participants to:
• Think through the major ideas of the base ten system, including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
• Think about fractions and how they fit into the base-ten system.
• Examine children’s thinking to learn how they develop the major ideas of mathematics.
• Learn about instructional strategies that will support students’ learning, including what questions probe students’ deep understanding of a concept.
• Share and discuss the work of students to gain insight into their solution strategies, misconceptions and how to question to assess and advance their learning.
• Plan, conduct, and analyze mathematics interviews of students to focus on their thinking about concepts.
• View and discuss videotapes of mathematics classrooms.
• Read overviews of related research.
• Explore what student work looks like when students demonstrate deep conceptual understanding of mathematics.
• Utilize the Developing Mathematical Ideas-Making Meaning for Operations, the Thinking through a Lesson Protocol, and other tools to facilitate seminars with colleagues.
• Identify some strategies a facilitator might employ to make sense of participant productions and his/her role in helping participants make sense of each other’s ideas. 

This course is designed for Secondary Education Mathematics Teachers and meets the professional development criteria for academic content studies for Mathematics, reading comprehension, and teaching skills. This course will present an overview of topics through high school geometry and trigonometry.

Applicants will be required to work outside of class using assignments related to the objectives from the previous sessions. Applicants will be able to assess their progress through short assessments at the start of each session. A problem set will be passed out toward the end of each class. The students will start work as a group with the understanding that the problems are to be completed before the next class.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. Participants will also complete a lesson plan that includes new learning.

This course is for all teachers and administrators in grades PreK-12 that want to develop teaching techniques and strategies to enhance reading, writing, listening and speaking in any curriculum. This course provides professional development in PreK-12 reading skill development, analysis and use of data to promote literacy, and teaching techniques and strategies to develop and enhance literacy in PreK-12 Science, Social Studies, Math, Reading, and Writing.

This course will provide an introduction to the development of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary knowledge, and comprehension. Hands-on activities will demonstrate instructional and remediation strategies that can be applied to any text at various grade levels. Participants will focus on developing an action plan that includes locating and/or developing literacy activities/strategies and then describing how and when these activities can be implemented into their classrooms, schools, or communities.

Required out of class work:
The participants will complete:
4 Question Surveys on Literacy (Fill in the Blank)
4 Literacy Terms Vocabulary Worksheets
5 Activity Sheets: Describe age level activities/strategies for the development of phonics, decoding and structural analysis, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension
3 Summaries (1-2 typed pages in MLA or APA style):
Session 1: Choose one of nine areas to summarize from the National Reading Report (2000).
Session 2: Choose an educational article on one of the following: Phonemic Awareness, Phonics or Decoding and Structural Analysis.
Session 3: Choose an educational article on one of the following: Fluency or Vocabulary Instruction. Read and participate in discussions of chapters from the textbook: Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction.

Participants will complete a written action plan that explains when and how at least 5 different activities/strategies, one from each of their activity sheets, can be implemented into their classrooms, schools, or community. Participants will complete a five-question performance assessment to reflect upon their own performance in this course.

Participants will be assessed using a 20 item multiple choice pretest and posttest. Scores on the posttest must be at least 80%.

Class instruction will consist of 4 sessions; each lasting from 8:00AM-4:00PM. Out of class assignments will represent approximately 7-8 hours of additional time per session. A minimum of 60 total credit hours will be required for this course.

Participates must purchase "Culturally Responsive Literacy Instruction" by Algozzine, B., O´Shea, D.J., Obiakor, F.E.
ISBN: 9781412957748.

“Making Sense of Math: Early Number Concepts” is a content course designed for K-8 teachers, with particular focus on strategies for K-5 students. The intent of this course is to provide teachers with an opportunity to deepen their understanding of number sense and place value, to strengthen problem solving skills, and to reflect on their classroom practice. This course meets the following professional development criteria: K-8 mathematics content, teaching techniques, and strategies.

For teachers of students who struggle with mental math, invert digits when naming numbers, or fail to complete simple mathematical operations, this course addresses early number concepts and the importance of number sense to students’ future mathematical success. Participants in this course will use base-ten blocks, base-ten frames, hundreds charts, a new number system, and their own fingers to represent and manipulate numbers. Teachers will work collaboratively to solve problems that stretch their understanding of place value, taking time to approach problems as learners, communicate mathematical findings, and consider how the content is developed at their grade level. Teachers will increase their content knowledge as they explore how these tools connect to a thorough understanding of place value. To receive 1 CPE credit, participants will attend two 7-hour sessions, participate in discussion board topics, take a pre- and post-test, and complete a final project; the project will be selected by the participants from a list of options including writing and implementing a unit of instruction, analyzing student work and addressing misconceptions, or completing an equivalent and pre-approved project of their own design.

The course PowerTeaching Math Training Series is for teachers in grades 3-8 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills and math content. Power Teaching provides teachers in grades 3-8 with the tools necessary to deliver rich, powerful, and engaging lessons that support Pennsylvania’s Standards-Aligned Systems. The PowerTeaching framework is designed to guide students through a cycle of instruction that includes: compelling concept presentation, minute by minute assessments, structured team practice to promote opportunities for individual student mastery, and team and individual feedback to increase interdependence and motivation. Participants will complete a pre-post assessment and design lessons for their classrooms, implementation plans, and complete pre and post assessments.

Participants should bring their class list and their math teacher´s editions with them to the training sessions.

This course is for math teachers in the K-12 classroom. Participants will learn about developing a functional classroom that focuses on the math student at any grade level. They’ll explore the physical structure of the room and plan for different types of equipment. The instructor will model hands-on activities and teaching strategies to improve math instruction for all students.

Harry Lynch is currently working as a Math Coach for the Charleroi School District and is currently consulting as a Math Resource Teacher for the IU1 Center for STEM Education. He will share his classroom experiences and rich understanding of mathematics with the participants.

As an out-of–class assignment, participants will use the course information to plan their own math-centered classroom. The course will be held at Intermediate Unit 1 and . This course is made possible by funding from The Benedum Foundation and the IU1 Center for STEM Education.

This course is for elementary teachers in grades 3-5 and will meet the needs of those teachers who are responsible for developing student skills for success on the PSSA mathematics exam.

This course will familiarize teachers with the mathematics standards, assessment anchors and eligible content for grades 3, 4 and 5. It will also provide those teachers with specific problems for each of the five reporting categories. This course will consist of two days of instructor lead class for a total of 15 hours of face to face instruction.

The first session will begin with a Pre-test on the teacher’s knowledge about the PA standards, assessment anchors, eligible content and reporting categories. The second session will end with a Post-test to determine whether each participant has gained knowledge into the pre-tested topics. Throughout each session many example problems for each reporting category at the third, fourth and fifth grade levels will be discussed.

The participants will have the opportunity to solve problems and to inquire about strategies to teach those concepts. Between the first and second sessions each participant will be required to construct a PSSA lesson emphasizing an assessment anchor of their choosing. They will be required to demonstrate the lesson to the others in the class during the second session.

After completion of the second session each participant must create and email to the instructor two PSSA lesson plans that they plan to use in their classrooms this year.

The Pre-test shall consist of twenty questions about the PSSA assessment anchors, eligible content and reporting categories. The Post-test shall consist of the same questions. Score on the post-test of 80% or higher, will be required.

This course is for middle and high school teachers in grades 8-11 and will meet the needs of those teachers who are responsible for developing student skills for success on the PSSA mathematics exam.

This course will familiarize teachers with the mathematics standards, assessment anchors and eligible content for grades 8 and 11. It will also provide those teachers with specific problems for each of the five reporting categories. This course will consist of two days of instructor lead class for a total of 15 hours of face to face instruction.

The first session will begin with a Pre-test on the teacher’s knowledge about the PA standards, assessment anchors, eligible content and reporting categories. The second session will end with a Post-test to determine whether each participant has gained knowledge into the pre-tested topics. Throughout each session many example problems for each reporting category at the third, fourth and fifth grade levels will be discussed.

The participants will have the opportunity to solve problems and to inquire about strategies to teach those concepts. Between the first and second sessions each participant will be required to construct a PSSA lesson emphasizing an assessment anchor of their choosing. They will be required to demonstrate the lesson to the others in the class during the second session. After completion of the second session each participant must create and email to the instructor two PSSA lesson plans that they plan to use in their classrooms this year.

The Pre-test shall consist of twenty questions about the PSSA assessment anchors, eligible content and reporting categories. The Post-test shall consist of the same questions.

This course is for regular and special education mathematics teachers and educators working with mathematics students in grades 7-12 and meets the following professional development criteria:

Professional Development Criteria, Content knowledge, Teaching skills, Analyze and use data

Participants will complete written projects and performance assessments.

Participants will be assessed via coursework, assignments, and reflection papers.

Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their work.

The Academy will provide professional development for teacher leaders to support the building of learning communities within local school districts using a variety of research-based tools.

Participants in the Academy will: Explore Big Ideas in Mathematics
• Examine the Regional K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Framework to focus on how the big ideas of mathematics can be organized coherently while insuring the cohesive implementation of PA academic standards for mathematics across grade levels.
• Focus on conceptualizing and representing linear relationships, as well as mathematical reasoning. Deepen Understanding of Big Ideas through Examining Student Learning
• Learn how to address some of the “issues of practice” in teaching algebra.
• Learn how to analyze mathematical problems from a multiple perspectives including the variety of representations evoked, the different ways in which they can be solved, and the opportunities for student communication.
• Use both written and VCMPD cases of math classrooms to analyze and reflect on the teaching and learning patterns associated with The Mathematical Tasks Framework.
• Learn to make use of student ideas during discussion and to interpret student methods. Facilitate Teacher Learning in the District
• Learn how to use the Math Curriculum Framework, The Math Tasks Framework and VCMPD as lenses for reflection on and discussion of instruction with colleagues.

This course is for regular and special education teachers of science or educators working with science students coaches in grades 6-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Content knowledge, Teaching skills, Analyze and use data

Participants will complete written projects and performance assessments Participants will be assessed via coursework, assignments, and reflection papers.

Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their work.

The Academy will provide professional development for teacher leaders to support the building of learning communities within local school districts.

Participants at the Academy will:

• Investigate the role and form of "Science as Inquiry" in content-strand specific instruction (Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science).
• Explore the Five Essential Features of Inquiry through Lesson Analysis
• Examine the ways in which the research on how people learn informs lesson design
• Explore how building conceptual coherence supports student learning.
• Engage in Curriculum Topic Study to examine how the implementation of different challenging instructional materials develops deep conceptual understanding of essential learnings as outlined by the regional Science Curriculum Framework and the PA Science Standards.
• Examine the essential characteristics of the change process and develop strategies for building Professional Learning Communities in their districts.
• Examine children´s thinking to learn how they develop the major ideas of Science.
• Learn about instructional strategies that will support students´ learning, including what questions probe students´ deep understanding of a concept.
• Read overviews of related research.
• Examine and evaluate samples of student work that demonstrate different levels of understanding about specific science concepts.
• Apply various formative assessment strategies to inform and adjust instruction to meet the needs of all students.

This course is for Teachers in grades 1-8 and meets the following professional development criteria: Mathematics content, reading comprehension, and teacher teaching techniques and strategies. Participants will learn techniques for teaching mathematics using the Singapore Math system. The instructor will model hands-on activities and teaching strategies to improve math instruction for all students.

Harry Lynch is a Math Coach for the Charleroi School District and is currently consulting as a Math Resource Teacher for the IU1 Center for STEM Education. He will share his classroom experiences and rich understanding of mathematics with the participants.

Required out of class work: Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

As an out-of–class assignment, participants will use the course information to plan lessons using the Singapore Math method.

Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Each participant will be given problems to do independently after each session. These will be turned in to the instructor within two weeks of the close of the course.

This course is made possible by funding from The Benedum Foundation and the IU1 Center for STEM Education.

Bring your own lunch or your can order from a take-out menu on the day of the class.

This course is for teachers in grades 7-12 for increasing their knowledge of the use of gaming as an instructional strategy and to develop their skill in using the Tabula Digita math program modules.

The Dimension M video game world engages students in learning and applying mathematics e.g. Pre algebra and Algebra 1 concepts and skills, while completing a series of missions.

The learning is structured into the following Dimension M components:

• Introduction and Instruction
• Application
• Reinforcement and Mastery
• Progress Monitoring.

Participants in this class will identify their digital mathematical philosophy of learning, describe their educational pedagogy as related to implementing mathematical digital gaming in the classroom, identify the mathematical content of missions, participate in selected missions, present group presentations around a single player mission, and share implementation strategies.

Out of class work will include: Participants will implement the Tabula Digita missions in their classrooms. Participants will develop an implementation plan which identifies how new learning will be integrated into classroom assignments and revise the implementation plan as needed throughout the training. Participants will be assessed on their competence with the modules.

This course is only for Albert Gallatin staff.

This course is for teachers in grades 1-12 who teach the following topics: (1) Measures in US and Metric Units, (2) Other Base Number Systems, and (3) Statistical Concepts. The course has three component parts: (1) Measures in US and Metric Units (teaches conversions of one system to another) (2) Other Base Number Systems (counting and computing in base 2, 5, 8, 12), and (3) Statistical Concept (creating a variety of graphs and plots). Instruction will include methods of using graphing calculators. It meets the following professional development criteria: math content, teaching skills, and analyze and use data. Participants will take a pre and post assessment, they will complete an implementation plan, and a lesson plan for the classroom.
Calculators will be provided for in class use.

This course is for Teachers in grades 3-8 and meets the following professional development criteria: Academic Content Studies for Mathematics, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

Participants will learn techniques for teaching the mathematical concepts of fractions, percents and ratios. The instructor will model hands-on activities and teaching strategies to improve math instruction for all students.

This course will help elementary teachers understand how to build the proper relationship between fractions, ratios and percents. This will help those teachers build the mathematical rigor that will permit elementary students to be ready for high school mathematics. Required out of class work: Each participant will be given problems to do independently after each session. These will be turn in to the instructor within two weeks of the close of the course.

Harry Lynch is a Math Coach for the Charleroi School District and is currently consulting as a Math Resource Teacher for the IU1 Center for STEM Education. He will share his classroom experiences and rich understanding of mathematics with the participants.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

As an out-of class assignment, participants will use the course information to plan lessons using methods modeled in this class.

This course is made possible by funding from The Benedum Foundation and the IU1 Center for STEM Education.

This course is for Teachers in grades 3-8 and meets the following professional development criteria: Academic Content Studies for Mathematics, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

Participants will learn techniques for teaching the mathematical concepts of fractions, percents and ratios. The instructor will model hands-on activities and teaching strategies to improve math instruction for all students.

This course will help elementary teachers understand how to build the proper relationship between fractions, ratios and percents. This will help those teachers build the mathematical rigor that will permit elementary students to be ready for high school mathematics. Required out of class work: Each participant will be given problems to do independently after each session. These will be turn in to the instructor within two weeks of the close of the course.

Harry Lynch is a Math Coach for the Charleroi School District and is currently consulting as a Math Resource Teacher for the IU1 Center for STEM Education. He will share his classroom experiences and rich understanding of mathematics with the participants.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

As an out-of class assignment, participants will use the course information to plan lessons using methods modeled in this class.

This course is made possible by funding from The Benedum Foundation and the IU1 Center for STEM Education.

This course is only for educators who were selected by their districts to participate.

This course is for all teachers in grades 2 -16 that want to develop the effective techniques and strategies involved in WRS (Wilson Reading System).

This course provides professional development focusing on direct instruction in reading skill development and addresses the concepts that govern the structure of written English. Participants will complete a series of training modules, prepare lesson plans based on the training, conference with Wilson coach to examine their lesson plans and implementation.

Required class work

The participants will complete
• 60 lesson plans
• Develop a teacher and student notebook documenting a student´s written work
• Conference with Wilson coaches and peers to examine professional practice and student work
• The overview session
• pre and post testing of a student

This course is designed for teachers in grades K - 10 and meets the following professional development criteria: K- 10 science content, reading comprehension, using teaching techniques and strategies to create a culture of learning, and teaching skills. The course materials are aligned to the Pennsylvania Environment and Ecology and Science and Technology Standards.

Teachers will receive the Energy Thinking Unit, developed by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association and provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Teachers will also receive a kit of energy equipment, valued at $50 from Science Matters. Designed around grade levels 5 – 8, the Energy Thinking Unit can be effectively used in both elementary and middle/junior high grade levels.

As adults, we are aware of the daily news articles regarding energy issues and the impact of energy consumption on our personal finances. Activities and Alternatives for Energy will provide you with effective lessons on energy issues and provide hands on science activities for your students

Day One will be at the Washington and Jefferson College, Washington, PA. Participants will explore energy resources using energy resource cards and energy use and efficiency in homes by constructing a model energy house. Day Two will be held at the CCI, (Conservation Consultants, Inc.) a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified Green Building on Pittsburgh’s Southside. The Green Building concept and the applications in this structure will be examined. Transportation alternatives will be explored.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. Participants will also complete the IU evaluation and implementation forms. As the course assignment, teachers will be asked to prepare an instructional unit of at least five lesson plans or to develop a problem based learning unit incorporating these energy activities and ideas.

This course is for science teachers in the K-12 classroom. Participants will explore effective teaching strategies for inquiry-based science instruction with an experienced science educator. The instructor will provide useful tips and insightful strategies for science instruction and student learning that will improve classroom function within an inquiry focused classroom. This is a great opportunity for teachers at all stages of their career to discover some new ideas. The instructor will model hands-on activities and teaching strategies to improve science instruction.

Kathleen Berry, a retired science teacher from Canon-McMillan School District, is currently working as a Science Curriculum Consultant and developing science modules for the classroom. She provides content specific courses in Earth Science for the IU1 Center for STEM Education. Kathy will share her classroom experiences and rich understanding of science education with the participants.

As an out-of–class assignment, participants will use the course information to plan lessons that improve teaching, enhance science instruction and focus student learning.

This course is an independent follow-up to the two day workshop: The Basic Elements of Science Teaching. The workshop is a prerequisite for this course.

Participants will apply effective science strategies learned in the workshop by developing ten lesson plans, room sketches or descriptions of room organization, and ten reflections describing the rationale for the strategies selected for the developed and/or taught lessons.

The application of participants’ knowledge of effective science strategies will be demonstrated by scores on the course pre and post tests (Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment.)

All assignments will be emailed to the instructor within a month of the start date of the course.

Course Outline:
Independent and online work will be completed the month that the course is active. All assignments will be emailed to the instructor using the lesson plan and reflection formats identified by the instructor.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: content - Science, Social Studies, environment and ecology, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

This course uses Carnegie Museum resources either by direct visit or website information.

This course is intended to deepen the participant’s knowledge of the Earth Sciences. It will focus on the essential learnings outlined in the Earth Science Strand of the Science Curriculum Framework, in order to develop teacher-leaders within MSP school districts. Teachers will learn about the properties of rocks and minerals, the processes that form the Earth’s features and changes to the Earth’s features over time. They will receive reference materials and participate in hands-on activities during the course. Third day of instruction will take place at the Carnegie Museum of Natural Science in Pittsburgh.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required, indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is for elementary, pre k, and day care providers and meets the following professional development criteria: pre-school content in Reading, Science, Mathematics, Computer and Information Technology, Reading Comprehension and Teaching Skills. It is recommended that participants should be familiar with the Windows Operating System, Microsoft Office tools, such as WORD and PowerPoint, and have experience using the internet in order to complete the required course activities. Teachers will meet professional development criteria in content knowledge, teaching skills, and analyze data.

Participant will take part in hands on learning activities. This will include some of Steven Spanglers Science experiments. Lessons will focus on energy using UV Energy Beads uncovering the hidden energy of ultra-violet light from the sun. Participants will use nature print paper and fabric to make art work using the sunlight and photo sensitive paper. Lessons will also focus on Kinetic energy, Potential energy and Gravity. Hands on activities will include electrodes that are touched simultaneously to create a flash and buzzing sound. Participants will encourage science and reading with children in your classroom by reading ?Diary of a Worm? by Doreen Cronin and having the children make insta-worms. Other hands on activity include: the mentos and pop rocket, bottle rocket, insta-snow, and other activities. The course will address lessons on Newton?s Law of gravity, windmills, renewable energy, friction and other basic science information.

Participants will be assessed using a pre and post test, with scores on the post test of at least 80%. There will be writing assignments and lesson plans indicating how new learning will be integrated into the classroom.

Required out of class work:
The participants will use the activities and techniques demonstrated in this class to create their own lesson plan on science to work with young children. This will include a 500 word written report/lesson plan that must include five hands on activities covering the topic of energy and Newton?s Law of gravity.

OBJECTIVES:
After completing the course, the student will be able to:
1. Develop a basic knowledge of the forms of energy.
2. Identify the definition of solar, windmill, and renewable energy.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of Newton?s three laws of motion.
4. Understand the basic facts about gravity, friction, kinetic, and potential energy.

The total hours of face to face training will be 14 hours and the student will have 16 hours of out of class work doing tests, assessments, preparing lesson plans and other internet computer sessions.

Introduction to Forensics is a supplementary physical science course for science teachers of grades 6 – 12, emphasizing hands on activities for chemical, biological and physical sciences aligned with the PA Standards for Science and Technology. The participants, middle school and high school teachers, will learn procedures to analyze physical, biological and chemical evidence collected at a crime scene. They will use critical thinking skills to draw conclusions from chemical and physical analyses. They will learn how to connect classroom experiences to real world events by developing a crime scene with a believable storyline and authentic evidence. They will be able to challenge their students to use problem solving skills to collect and analyze data, to effectively communicate their results and to use critical thinking to draw conclusions, while teaching physical and chemical science.

The Pennsylvania Songbird Teacher´s Guide is an environmental education teacher´s guide for activities in the classroom. Designed for K-12 use, the teacher´s guide covers seven main topic areas.

These topic areas are bird biology, habitat, observing and identifying songbirds, migration, songbird research techniques, birds and people, and action.

Activities emphasize hands-on learning and can be used both in the classroom and outdoors.

Required out of class work will include reading and homework assignments prior to the workshop. Between workshop days, participants will be required to determine how the curriculum will be used in their classroom.

This course is for science teachers in the K-8 classroom. Participants will learn about developing a functional classroom that focuses on the science student at any grade level. They’ll explore the physical structure of the room and plan for different types of equipment. The instructor will model hands-on activities and teaching strategies to improve science instruction for all students.

Donna Riggle, retired 6th grade science teacher from Chartiers-Houston School District, is currently consulting as a Science Resource Teacher for the IU1 Center for STEM Education. She will share her classroom experiences and rich understanding of science education with the participants.

As an out-of–class assignment, participants will use the course information to plan their own science-centered classroom. This course is made possible by funding from The Benedum Foundation and the IU1 Center for STEM Education.

This course is for Teachers in grades K - 8 and is an online followup to the Preparing a Student Centered Science Classroom Workshop. Only workshop participants may enroll. It meets the following professional development criteria: K- 8 science content, reading comprehension, using teaching techniques and strategies to create a culture of learning, and teaching skills.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. Participants will also complete the IU evaluation and implementation forms.

Preparing A Student Centered Science Classroom will provide educators with the opportunity to focus on how children learn and actively investigate research based activities to meet the need for inquiry based exploration and the engagement of students. This is the way students effectively and efficiently learn the nature of science, the science processes and the science content.

Participants will complete a written project including a sociogram or a one week case study of student interaction in the classroom; a packet of five lesson plans or projects identifying the BSCS 5E Instructional model components or the National Science Resource Center’s FERA model; a ten day teacher or student science journal; and an implementation plan. All assignments will be emailed to the instructor.

This course focuses on preparation for the first statewide science assessment. Primarily for 4th and 8th grade teachers, it addresses the professional development criteria for science content, reading comprehension, and teaching and assessment strategies. Participants will explore the history and rationale for the testing and the test’s format through a series of activities. Sample copies of commercial test prep materials and the State Assessment Handbook will be provided for each teacher. We will review information on best practices and on current test preparation in local districts. As educators we will reflect on the implications of the assessment on our day to day instruction. The application of these ideas and activities to daily classroom management will be demonstrated and practiced. The assessment for this course will be a performance assessment, the participation in the activities, and the completion of the out of class assignments.

Participants are asked to bring their own personal lesson plans for any one science curriculum topic and a blank lesson plan format.

The two out of class assignments will be embedding class ideas into a week of daily lesson plans and completing a data collection survey.

Donna Riggle is a retired 6th grade science teacher from the Chartiers-Houston School District and a consulting Science Resource Teacher for the IU1 Center for STEM Education. This course is made possible by funding from The Benedum Foundation and the IU1 Center for STEM Education.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

This course is an independent follow-up to the two day workshop: Preparing for the State Science Test. The workshop is a prerequisite for this course on preparation for the first statewide science assessment.

Participants will identify information on best practices and survey current test preparation in local districts. The application of participants’ knowledge of the PSSA Science content and format will be demonstrated by scores on the course pre and post tests (Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment). the development of a month of classroom activities aligned to the PSSA Science Assessment, and ten research summaries identifying science resources, lesson plans, and websites aligned with the PSSA Science Test. All assignments will be emailed to the instructor within a month of the start date of the course.

Course Outline:
Independent and online work. All assignments will be emailed to the instructor using the lesson plan and summary formats identified by the instructor.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: science content, reading comprehension and teaching techniques and strategies. If the participants represent a wide range of grades, some presentations, activities, and tours will be divided to facilitate grade-appropriate instruction and discussions.

The educational resources of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History including new program materials developed with funds from a 2005 grant from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation will be used to familiarize classroom teachers with activities which are useful in teaching geology, paleontology, and science process skills in the classroom. Participants will become familiar with the role the museum plays in identification of fossils and the study of the fossil record.

The first day of this course will include a lecture and demonstration of the materials available for classroom use from Carnegie Museum of Natural History. The day will include small group activities related to these materials and there will be a demonstration of video conferencing and an opportunity to become familiar with the videoconference equipment.

The second day entails a field trip to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. Bus transportation to the museum will be provided for all participants from the IU 1 offices. Mass media (film) will be evaluated as resource material during bus ride. At the museum, participants will have a guided, behind the scenes tour, of the collection, storage, and research area of Vertebrate Paleontology, a tour of Benedum Hall of Geology, Hillman Hall of Rocks and Minerals, and Dinosaurs in Their Time Hall. Activities, discussion and review will revolve around role of museum and scientists, understanding scientific terms and sharing ways to use the museum. The day will conclude with time to explore other parts of the museum before using the bus ride back to finish the evaluation.

This course is partially funded by a grant from the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. Thanks to the grant, participants will receive resources and books, transportation to and from the museum, entrance into the museum and lunch while there. Each district that has a participant in the course will receive one dinosaur kit (containing models, fossil replica, some real fossil, resource books and lesson ideas) and access to the video conferencing on geology and paleontology topics for the remainder of the school year.

Participants will complete a lesson plan, performance assessment, action plan and participate in class activities. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80% to be assigned full credit.

This course is for Teachers in grades 7-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Academic Content for Science and Mathematics, Reading Comprehension and Teaching Skills

Explore 500 acres of ecosystems to learn all about a life sustaining biosphere component: water! YMCA – Camp Kon-O-Kwee/Spencer is offering an opportunity for total immersion in watershed studies.

Watershed issues are an integral part of environmental literacy. Water has a ubiquitous presence in our lives, but we often take it for granted and our waterways are deleteriously impacted by society’s decisions. Teachers will learn that numerous issues underlie this critical resource, such as quality, supplies, demands and other impacts that are pertinent to Western Pennsylvania, including abandoned mine drainage, acidic precipitation and aging water system infrastructure.

Topics will include: conservation, point and non-point source pollution, lotic and lentic waterway studies, wetlands, water quality, aquatic biota, hydrology and sedimentation, Western PA watershed history, tools and technologies for watershed studies, management techniques, aesthetics and recreation, and water as a theme in literature and history. This course takes a multi-disciplinary approach to watersheds and lessons are correlate to PA Academic Standards. Teachers will be equipped with literature and materials to teach environmental literacy and watershed issues to all students. This course is sponsored, in part, by a PA DEP Environmental Education Grant.

Overnight accommodations at the camp are available. Contact Lorraine Jacobs at lorraineja@juno.com

This course will provide an in depth discussion of wetlands, their functions and activities based on wetlands.

Participants will do hands on activities that will help them to get this new information into their classrooms. The goal of the course is to assist participants and their students in developing awareness, knowledge, skills and a commitment to make informed decisions, which will lead to responsible behavior and attitudes towards wetlands.

Participants will be canoeing in a real wetland, as well as, visiting a constructed wetland. Participation in this program provides teachers with a knowledge and background related to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology. Participants will be using and receiving their own copy of the WOW: Wonders of Wetlands educator’s guide.

Participants must dress appropriately for outdoor activities and the weather.

Teachers will be required to do homework including out of class reading and lessons.

Out of class work includes, but is not limited to, the creation of a PA State Standards based lesson plan to be used in the classroom.

This course is for teachers that teach immigration at any grade level. This course meets the PDE requirements for Academic Content Studies, Social Studies. This course explores immigration dynamics and issues experientially to engage learners in the personal relevance and worldwide importance of the immigration process. By tapping into lived experiences of themselves, our students and community members, this course shows how making connections to local residents and immigrants can enhance understanding of the movements of people, whether between two communities or two countries. Exploring migration/immigration stories and experiences in this way enables students to attain understanding of broader dynamics and complex concepts by assuming direction for their own learning. In this course, we learn by doing, sharing, discussing and reflecting to not only explore immigration but to look deeper at teaching and learning. Working with technologies available in a school, we will create product exemplars to be used in the classroom that can compliment other resources compiled in the course. This course will be useful to teachers that teach immigration at any grade level. The culminating project is to create a compelling instructional resource that could be used with students using technological capabilities they have available in their classroom. The project will integrate interview and contextual information to demonstrate immigration dynamics on the local, state, national or global levels.

For successful completion of this course, teachers will be expected to participate in all classroom activities and discussions, complete all interview, reading and journaling assignments which will be monitored by instructor observation and feedback on performance of tasks. In addition, participant learning will be assessed through review of the daily reflection sheets, comparison of answers on pre-course knowledge with post-course learning forms, and peer and instructor feedback on final project through scoring rubrics and critique session comments. Participants will complete pre and post assessments.

This course is for Teachers in Middle School grades and meets the following professional development criteria: Math content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

The goal of this three day long course is to help teachers develop deeper understanding of and proficiency with data analysis. This includes:
Knowledge of mathematics, both general and specific to teaching:

• describing data in different ways
• relationships between different representations of data
• making decisions based on data

Knowledge of mathematics for student learning of data analysis:

• exploring ways of producing data and determining the validity of data;
• representing data in multiple ways such as tables, histograms, stem-and-leaf plots, and box and whisker plots;
• describing data using measures of central tendency and spread;
• examining the properties of the normal curve;
• describing relationships in data

This course is for Teachers of middle or high school and meets the following professional development criteria: academic content, social studies, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

In this course, teachers will delve into the wealth of information available to Americans from 1933 – 1945 on the unfolding events that constituted the Holocaust.

The course will define the American Bund, Operation Paper Clip, the Berlin Olympics of 1936, and the Great Depression. The course will expand to cover America’s rescuers and resistors of the Holocaust in Europe.

The staff of the Math Science Collaborative will provide professional development for teacher leaders to support the building of learning communities within local school districts using a variety of research-based tools. The first year focuses on mathematics in the early learners’ classroom. During the second year, science is added as exploration of mathematics continues. Year 3 focuses on Lesson Study and both mathematics and science for the early learner.

Over 3 Years, participants at the Academy will:
Explore Big Ideas in Mathematics
• Examine the Regional K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Framework to focus on how the big ideas of mathematics can be organized coherently while insuring the cohesive implementation of PA academic standards for mathematics.
• Think through the major ideas of the base ten system, including addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Deepen Understanding of Big Ideas through Examining Student Learning
• Understand the development of children’s mathematical thinking
• Learn about instructional strategies that will support students’ learning, including what questions probe students’ deep understanding of a concept.
• Share and discuss the work of students to gain insight into their solution strategies.
• Plan, conduct, and analyze mathematics interviews of students to focus on their thinking about concepts.
• View and discuss videotapes of mathematics classrooms.
• Explore what student work looks like when students demonstrate deep conceptual understanding of mathematics. Deepen Understanding of Scientific Inquiry and its Applications in the Classroom
• Learn about the development of students’ conceptual understanding in science.
• Learn about instructional strategies that will support students’ learning, including the 5E learning cycle and the five essential features of inquiry.
• View and discuss videotapes of science classrooms.
• Explore formative assessment strategies to reveal student thinking about specific science concepts. .
• Understand what student work looks like when students demonstrate deep conceptual understanding of science. Facilitate Teacher Learning in the District
• Learn how to use research-based professional development tools as lenses for reflection on and discussion of instruction with colleagues.

This course is designed for K-2 educators
The purpose of this course is to facilitate participants to:
• Describe stages of chidlren´s development with respect to: one-to-one correspondece; classification, seriation, conservation of number and space, stable order and numerosity
• Examine the Regional K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Framework to focus on how the big ideas of mathematics can be organized coherently.
• Think through the major ideas of the base ten system, including addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.
• Examine children’s thinking to learn how they develop the major ideas of mathematics.
• Learn about instructional strategies that will support students’ learning, including what questions probe students’ deep understanding of a concept.
• Share and discuss the work of students to gain insight into their solution strategies.
• Plan, conduct, and analyze mathematics interviews of students to focus on their thinking about concepts.
• View and discuss videotapes of mathematics classrooms.
• Explore what student work looks like when students demonstrate deep conceptual understanding of mathematics.
• Identify some strategies a facilitator might employ to make sense of participant productions and his/her role in helping participants make sense of each other’s ideas

This course is for Teachers in Middle School grades and meets the following professional development criteria: Math content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
A Pre-test and Post-test specific to cognition around geometry and measurement will be administered and results analyzed by instructor. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition, formative assessments such as quality of whole-group discussions and written responses to reflection questions will be used to evaluate participant growth. (See attached table under Evaluation)
A lesson plan or project with action plan is required. Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

The goal of this three-day content short course is to help individuals develop knowledge needed for teaching geometry and measurement in the middle grades. This includes: Knowledge of mathematics, both general and specific to teaching:

1. relationships between measurable quantities of geometric figures (e.g. area, perimeter, surface area, volume)
2. reasoning and proof

Knowledge of mathematics for student learning of geometry and measurement:

anticipating student responses to mathematical tasks

monitoring student work, including a focus on questioning strategies

selecting and sequencing student responses for display and discussion

connecting student responses in mathematically productive ways

This course is for elementary and middle school teachers and meets the following professional development criteria: science and technology content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

Get a Reaction out of Chemistry introduces hands-on activities in chemistry that are aligned with the PA Standards for Science and Technology and intended to enrich the teacher’s understanding of the basic principles of chemistry. Participants will be introduced to fundamental chemical concepts, and receive reference materials and hands-on applications to make chemistry intelligible and interesting for their students. Using common household materials and simple demonstrations, the course will enhance the teacher’s understanding of chemistry. It will help you bring the excitement of chemistry to your classroom.

REQUIRED OUT-OF-CLASS WORK:
Participants will create lesson plans that will introduce chemistry and the discussion of chemical experiments into their curricula. They will identify the PA standards that align with the lessons, and outline a plan to integrate the new materials into their established classroom instruction.

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

This course is for all teachers in grades K-12, for increasing knowledge of cultural diversity and for grades 7-12 for implementation in the classroom. It meets the following professional development criteria for teachers: Social Studies (history, geography, civics and government, economics) content knowledge, teaching skills, analyzing and using data, and reading comprehension.

“Islamic Radicals & Terrorism” is a focus on Islamic Radicals and will include an examination of terrorism, terrorist groups, and if Jihad is supported in the Qur’an. The past history and goals of Islamic radicals will be examined and how they affect western civilizations. The course will reveal the double standards used when weighing the actions of Islamic radicals versus western democracies and seek to answer the questions, “Why do they hate us”, “Why 9-11”, and “Why Islamic radicals hate democracy”? Participants will discuss what part oil, the U.N., and the media play in terrorism. How moderate Muslims differ from the radical militants. Finally, the course will expose the hypocrisy of Islamic radicals, their aversion to western modernization, and how democracies should combat terrorism. Read first four chapters of “Now They Call Me Infidel” by Nonie Darwish for Day 1.

Out of class work will include Participants will read the book “Now They Call Me Infidel”, by Nonie Darwish and answer one or two questions for each of the twelve chapters. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post test. Scores on post assessment must be at least 80%. An action plan will be required and an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Required Text: Participants must purchase "Now they Call Me Infidel" by Nonie Darwish, Sentinel, Penguin Group, ISBN: 1-595223-031-9.

Participants must read the first four chapters before Day 1.

This course is designed for teachers in grades 7-12 and meets the following professional development criteria; Academic Content Studies for Social Studies including Civics & Government, Geography, and History, also Library Science, writing and research, teaching skills, and reading comprehension.

“Israel & Middle East Issues” is an emphasis on the state of Israel & the Jews & Muslims living there. An historic look at the Jew’s & Arab’s claim to the land. An exposure to the cultures, politics, economies, & governments of the region. To review the Palestinian & Jewish refugee problems and issues that hinder the peace process.

The course text will be “The Case For Israel”(paperback $12)by Alan Dershowitz, Publisher John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ISBN 0-471-67952-6. The class will be responsible for purchasing their own book and bringing it to the 1st class.

Class Objectives Day One
A. Review common terminology used in the Middle East
B. Discuss geography of Israel & Middle East
C. Discuss historic past of Jews
1. Examine Jewish history to 19th century
2. Examine Jewish history thru WWII
D. Discuss historic past of Arabs
1. Review history of Muhammad to crusades
2. Review Muslin history to WWII
E. Discuss chapters 1-4 in text
F. Pretest on Israel and the Middle East

Day Two
A. Basic beliefs of Islam
B. Review chapters 5-12 of text
1. Two state option by U.N.
C. Examine governments of some Middle East countries
D. War of Independence 1948
1. Palestinian refugee problem
2. Jewish refugee problem
E. 6 Day War, 1967
F. Issues that prevent peace
G. Politics and double standards
H. Post test on Israel and the Middle East

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required. Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is for Teachers in grades 5-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: communication with parent and Community partners, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a performance assessment, an action plan for implementation, and a written project which will include a typed report on a teen prevention program which answers the questions; Who conducts the program? Where is it held? What is the program about or what happens at the program? Who is the intended audience? Is there a fee involved? When is the program?
Also create a typed action plan to
A) Involve parents, school, or community in teen pregnancy prevention OR
B) Increase the knowledge of teens about teen pregnancy prevention.

The Action Plan includes
• What is the action? (your plan?)
• Time line (days, months)
• Expected outcomes (your goals)
  Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
  Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

  The United States has a teen pregnancy rate twice as high as that in any other industrialized nation. Teen pregnancy results in complications for the mother, child, family and society.

  This course will examine the complex problem of kids having kids from local and national perspectives. The risk factors for and outcomes of early parenting will be examined.

  A comprehensive community based prevention model will be explored. Strategies to promote family communication and a curriculum module will be reviewed and distributed to course participants.

  This course is recommended for teachers, counselors, nurses and administrators of grades 5-12.

  Required out of class work includes reading the draft copy of the PA Academic standards for Family and Consumer Science and researching and reporting on a community teen pregnancy program. Participants will also develop an action plan to be used with their students and or community.

This course is for Teachers in grades 6-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Social Studies content knowledge, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required. Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Major Events of the Holocaust part 1 is related to achievement of Pennsylvania academic standards. This course contains pertinent outside readings and associated lecture handouts relevant to the Major Events of the Holocaust. This course is designed to expand the professional educators skill in answering questions and explaining the background of the events contributing to the Holocaust. This course is designed to expand the professional educators knowledge base in the area of the Holocaust.

This is a 30 hour 1 credit course to be delivered in two 7 and 1/2 hours in class and 15 hours of outside assignments in reading, writing and research.

The Holocaust did not occur in a vacuum. Many important factors, events, and ideologies contributed to this monumental genocide of European Jewry, communists, the people of Poland, anti socials, undesirables and clergy from Christian churches. People remained silent or at worse collaborated with the genocide as the events unfolded because of many fears, prejudices, religious extremist beliefs, alliances and propaganda.

This course is for Teachers in grades 6-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Social Studies content knowledge, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required. Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Major Events of the Holocaust part 2 is related to achievement of Pennsylvania academic standards. This course contains pertinent outside readings and associated lecture handouts relevant to the Major Events of the Holocaust. This course is designed to expand the professional educators skill in answering questions and explaining the background of the events contributing to the Holocaust. This course is designed to expand the professional educators knowledge base in the area of the Holocaust.

The Holocaust did not occur in a vacuum. Many important factors, events and ideologies contributed to this monumental genocide of European Jewry, communists, the people of Poland, anti socials, undesirables and clergy from Christian churches. People remained silent or at worse collaborated with the genocide as the events unfolded because of many fears, prejudices, religious extremist beliefs, alliances and propaganda.

Part 2 of the study will begin with the Evian Conference and American sentiments of the time, the background on "the Night of Broken Glass", the secret Warsaw Pact, the beginning of W. W. II, the formation of Ghettos and the Judenrat, the Wannsee Conference, European nations who fought ancient enemies using the cover of the Holocaust, collaborating countries and co-operating police militia, the rocketry at Penamunde, the S. S. Werewolf squad and the other Nuremberg trials.

The outside reading assigned for this course is a compiled survivor account titled Daniel´s Story, by Carol Matas. Teachers will be required to participate in a class discussion of the book and the relevance of her story to the description of the course. The handouts to the participant are also considered outside research as we will note the major importance of each handout in class, but the participant is required to read the entire handout for further discussion at the next session.

Participants will complete a written project. The written project will be in the form of a research project from a prompt assigned by the instructor. The prompt will vary for each participant in the class and must be typed and sources cited. Each participant will reproduce their research for every member of the class as well as the instructor. The participants must give an in class oral presentation of their research. A power point project is acceptable as along as a hard copy of the research is also supplied to the instructor.

Participants will be assessed using an essay, fill in the blank and identify or define pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

The objectives of the course are as follows:
To enable teachers to effectively answer and explain questions students ask on the reasons the Holocaust could have occurred
To demonstrate that history is cyclical and the events of the past are reoccurring in the present in different countries , but with predictable results
To instruct the participant in factual historical occurrences that are not well known but essential factors to the Holocaust
To provide an educational setting for pier discussion and exchange on tolerance, prejudice, and the importance of understanding ethnic and cultural differences.

This course is only for certified elementary and middle school Teacher´s with full time employment and meets the following professional development criteria: academic content in your certification area, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
This course will
enhance the educator’s content knowledge in the area of the educator’s certification or assignment by having the teacher learn how to draw. Teachers also learn how using drawing can enhance the students’ ability to retain the assigned material.
increase the educator’s teaching skills based on the research given to the teachers that shows that using the Monart method of directed drawing will increases reading and math scores. Material is also discussed about the importance of the arts and how it can raise SAT scores over a period of 4 years.
Provide educators with a variety of classroom-based assessment skills and the skills needed to analyze and use data in instructional decision-making by demonstrating to educators how drawing can be used as part of the assignments that the student’s use either as a introductory project, or as a testing tool.
Teachers who develop their own skills at drawing are able to use drawing as a means to relate information to the students, and to assess the knowledge retained by the students in a way other than written tests.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Written assignments will include
1. Written lesson plan using the Monart method of directed drawing and the 5 Basic Elements of Shape.
2. Teachers will complete 5 to 6 drawings related to reading, math, science, history, and social studies.

This is a practical art course designed to aid teachers in learning the Monart drawing system and how to implement it into their everyday classroom curriculums.

Participants will learn to draw using the 5 Basic Elements of Shape as outlined in the book "Drawing with Children" by Mona Brookes. Using directed drawing, participants will learn to draw animals, people, flowers, still life, objects, vehicles, and buildings. Different media will be introduced and used.

Required out of class work will include the creation of a PA Standards based lesson plan incorporating techniques learned in the course and the development of one or more projects to enhance their own classroom curriculum.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is for Teacher´s and meets the following professional development criteria: academic content in your certification area, environment and ecology, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is an interdisciplinary supplementary environmental education program emphasizing the Environment and Ecology Standards, the history of Albert Gallatin and the history of Friendship Hill National Historic Site. An interdisciplinary unit developed by Albert Gallatin South Middle School teachers, which includes activities, will be provided as a resource.

This course will engage participants in activities from Project Wild (PA Game Commission). Other topics include acid mine drainage reclamation, habitat and wildlife diversity at Friendship Hill National Historic Site and hands-on classroom activities for use on-site at Friendship Hill.

Up to 2 miles of walking may be required. Participants should bring boots and dress for the weather. Participants should notify class instructors of any special needs on their registration forms. Bag lunches are required.

*Required out of class work includes reading: To Live & Die Amongst the Monongahela Hill: The story of Albert Gallatin & Friendship Hill; reading the post-visit educational material. Albert Gallatin: Champion of American Democracy, watching the video, Whiskey Rebels; reviewing information about using a compass and practicing compass readings; and reading a pamphlet on acid mine drainage. Between sessions this work includes reviewing the Pennsylvania standards related to the course; completing lesson plan templates by selecting two activities aligned with course related standards:, and assembling a bluebird box from distributed materials.

This course is for Teachers in grades 5 - 12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Reading content and comprehension and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.
Out of class work includes reading assignments and lesson design.

School teams are encouraged. This course is partially funded by a Benedum Foundation grant. A one credit followup course will be held during the school year.

Reading ApprenticeshipTM is a framework for helping students to improve reading comprehension skills in all subject areas. Teachers and students alike thrive in a Reading ApprenticeshipTM environment because it:

• enhances content area classes through a focus on comprehension
• is an integrated, inquiry-based approach that gives teachers the power to teach in the true sense of being mentors, motivators, experts, and collaborators
• gives students the guidance and skills to take charge of their own learning.
• requires teachers to reveal the strategies, skills, and background knowledge they use to make sense of text, in much the same way a craftsperson might reveal the secrets of her trade
• allows students to collaborate with teachers and other students to solve real-world problems.
• is on-the-job training.
• allows teachers to guide the process as everyone contributes to the comprehension of the text.
• is not about re-teaching phonics to 16-year-olds
• is "metacognition," or thinking about how we think
• is helping students to gain confidence in their ability to understand complex, academic subject matter.
• is flexible.

*NOTE*
The August session is now full. A new session has been added for July 23 and 25, 2008. Please register fo rhtat session.

This course is for all Teachers and meets the following professional development criteria: content in Environment and Ecology, Geography, Health Safety and Physical Education, History, Science and Technology, teaching skills and reading comprehension.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation in their classroom.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course will provide an in depth look at animals that have been reintroduced to the state of PA. Participants will do hands on activities that will help them to learn about these creatures. We’ll cover species biology, history, why they were in decline and how they were introduced. Species to be covered include elk, fisher, river otter, beaver, turkey, white-tailed deer and osprey.

We hope to provide teachers with new skills and knowledge that they can pass on to their students in the classroom. The goal of the workshop is to assist participants and their students in developing awareness, knowledge, skills and a commitment to make informed decisions, which will lead to responsible behavior and attitudes towards our native wildlands.

Participants will be boating on the Middle Youghiogheny on the second day of the course. This is an integral part of the course, if you are not comfortable with this, this is not for you.

Participation in this program provides teachers with a knowledge and background related to the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Environment and Ecology, Geography; Health, Safety and Physical Education; and History.

Participants must dress appropriately for outdoor activities and the weather. A list of recommended and permitted gear will be provided before the workshop.

This course is for all teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Reading, Speech and Listening Standards and the Standards of Social Studies, Music, Integration of all Fine Arts, Physical Education, Science, Math, English, Technology Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Students are required to submit a lesson plan incorporating the course work into their subject matter. Written evaluations are done as to how this course can be used to enhance the learning experience in their classroom. Written evaluations of music broadcasts and the incorporation of the results into the classroom are also used.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

This course offers a look at the influence of rock and roll music on society during the time periods of 1954-1999. An emphasis on the early development of this music and society’s reaction to it will be discussed. As this music is founded in the experiences of the “baby boomer” generation, discussions on how this music influenced a generation will be an integral part of this course.

The music of the early 60’s when the “Pittsburgh Sound” was influencing music and developing the local area’s culture is an important area.

The music of the Beatles, in its own way easing the grief of a mourning nation, will be discussed at length.

The music of Vietnam and the protest music of the late 60’s was an undeniable influence on society.

The course will study lyrical content the introspective songwriters of the 1970’s and society’s take on jazz/rock. The pop culture of disco music and punk rock of the late 70’s and earlier will be discussed. The influence of MTV in the 80’s when video killed the radio star has been unquestionably the defining moment of the “baby boomer” facing middle age.

Also discussed will be the commercialization of rock and roll into a sales and marketing package of the 1990’s.

Finally, the baby boomer’s take on contemporary music as they reach their fifties will be explored. The questions of reliving the youthful exuberance of years gone by spawned a new category of music to capitalize on the positive economic “money to spend society” as it approaches social security age.

Participants will be encouraged to share their own experience with growing up in a rock and roll world. Both positive and negative aspects will be discussed.

*Required out of class work will include a written project that describes how the participant will integrate music into their lessons and the design and sharing of one lesson plan integrating music.

This course is for Teachers of middle or high school and meets the following professional development criteria: academic content, social studies, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

In this course teachers will be provided with the history and facts about the twelve-year period known as the Holocaust. This course will provide methods and procedures to enable teachers to present the political, cultural, and emotional aspects of this time. It will define the heroes, perpetrators, survivors, resistance, and ghetto and camp life.

Teachers will learn about the history of European anti-Semitism, the devastating effect of the Versailles Treaty on Post W.W.I Germany, the failure of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Nazi Germany in response to the Communist threat. Teachers will learn that the Holocaust universal messages such as the roles of the perpetrators, bystanders, and rescuers and how students in today’s society play these same roles.

This course is designed for teachers of English, Reading, Cultural diversity and social sciences of all grade levels.

*Required out of class work: includes the reading of 2 novels, a written reflective paper on the required readings and the creation of an action plan addressing how the topic will be used in the classroom.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: science and technology content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Participants will become skilled using an interactive science and technology based EventScope Authoring Tool. This course provides training for teachers, K-12, in the use of educational tools that can be used in the classroom to engage students.

Participants will be encouraged to work in teams to learn the basic functions of this 3-D software. Specific activities will include the use of this interactive software, selection of educationally interesting NASA data sets and basic lesson development.

Required out of class work includes creating selected 3-D models of Mars (aligned with the appropriate PA State Academic Standards) associated class lessons and objectives for use in a classroom. These lessons and activities will be shared with other teachers in the workshop.

Participants will be trained to use the following educationally related software:
EventScope Authoring Tool This EventScope Authoring Tool will introduce you to some of the basic functionality of accessing real NASA data sets, allowing you to modify or create your own EventScope lessons using data from ongoing NASA missions, such as, Mars Exploration Rover A & B, Mars Odyssey. Mars Global Surveyor and the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter.
For further information on the EventScope project and to download EventScope software and content, please visit the EventScope website. http://www.eventscope.org

Photoshop Convert black and white images to color images. Resize images to increase operational speed. Participants will learn how to enhance Martian features by following techniques to bring out shadows and terrain changes.

WinZip WinZip is a windows data compression utility that focuses on the Zip data compression format for windows users. EventScope uses this compression method in the creation of the lesson files. Participants will learn how to open, edit and replaces parts of their EventScope lesson files.

Microsoft Internet Explorer Many of the NASA data sets are located at various NASA sites on the internet. Participants will learn where these data sets are located and how to use the data in the creation of their classroom lessons.

This course is for all Teachers and meets the following professional development criteria: content in Environment and Ecology, Geography, Health Safety and Physical Education, History, Science and Technology, teaching skills and reading comprehension.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation in their classroom.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

General instruction will include life history, past and present distribution, methods of estimating population size, population trends, and highlights of past black bear research. Management strategies, purpose of hunting regulations, nuisance bear problems, and the role of conservation agencies in estimating bear numbers.

A field segment of this training will include demonstrations of bear trapping techniques, radio telemetry location, specialized tools and equipment utilized in black bear research and the actual processing and tagging a live bear.

EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: At the end of this period of instruction the participants should be able to:
(a) List important life history traits of black bears in Pennsylvania including most common food items and their season of use; reproductive characteristics such as litter size, birth interval, and age of first reproduction; home range and dispersal patterns; and physical characteristics.
(b) Describe the breeding cycle of bears and physiological characteristics of hibernation.
(c) Explain the relationship between natural food supplies and nuisance bear activity, and discuss possible mitigations for common nuisance bear problems, including how to react when encountering a bear.
(d) Understand how bear population size is estimated and the current trend in these estimates.
(e) Understand the history and purpose of bear hunting regulations, including cub protection, timing of seasons, length of seasons, regulating methods of take, and use of check stations.
(f) Explain the present harvest objectives and how it is measured.
(g) Describe how bears are aged and how to collect and process teeth for aging.
(h) Demonstrate the proper use of bear trapping equipment
(i) Safety, immobilization, tagging, and release of captured black bears.

This course is for Teachers of middle or high school and meets the following professional development criteria: academic content, social studies, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course, "Women of the Holocaust" is a continuation in a series of Holocaust courses which enables teachers to understand the culture, ideology, prejudices, accepted philosophy and social structure of European thought immediately following World Was I. It traces the climb of National Socialism in Germany and incorporates the aspirations and fears of the newly formed democracy.

Teachers are very aware of the male perpetrators and heroes of the Holocaust, but the role of women during this time has not been as well documented and readily available for study. This course, through thorough research, will explain the roles of women as perpetrators, resistors, collaborators, rescuers and victims.

This course will give teachers a unique educational opportunity to discover the varied and surprising roles women played in the Holocaust.

The course will include outside readings and a reflective paper on the readings as well as an action plan for implementation.

This course is for Teachers and Administrators in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria, Improving teaching skills and Reading Comprehension.

Participants will examine the diagnostic criteria used to define ASD, autism spectrum disorder, the history of the disease since it was first diagnosed in 1943 and the latest treatments. Participants will also explore autism websites to gain insight about the disorder, the people who suffer with it and the impact of having a student with autism in their classroom.

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

This course is for all Teachers and Administrators in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: communications with parents and community, reading comprehension, and teaching skills, and administrators creating a culture of teaching and learning.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Basic School Law for Teachers will attempt to assist teachers in the crucial areas of law relevant to working with students, staff, and parents in public and nonpublic schools.

The course will focus on the legal foundations of education, the courts and the non public schools, tenure, certification, ACT 154, students and teacher rights, teacher liability, recodification of the School Code, and the Code of Professional Practices and Conduct for Educators. Participants will use a textbook which contains required reading for the courses.

*Required out of class work will include reading from the textbook and written work that summarizes participant application of the laws/regulations pertaining to educators.

This course is designed for all teachers in grades K to 12 who are interested in learning about the latest research on the human brain and brain based instructional strategies and meets the following professional development criteria, teaching skills and reading comprehension.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Participants will evaluate several lesson plans and classroom activities to determine their alignment to the latest brain research. The participant will judge each lesson or activity to be either in compliance or not in compliance with how the human brain processes information and cite the reasons for their rating. Lessons or activities that are judged to be not compatible will be rewritten to reflect the research that is presented during the class.

Participants in this course will examine the latest brain research and extrapolate implications for preparing and executing lesson plans. At the completion of the course the participants will be aware of the fact that the latest technology has produced an explosion of information about the workings of the human brain and the implications that the findings have for teaching and learning.

Participants will be required to evaluate current acceptable teaching strategies and classroom activities to determine their alignment to the research that is presented.

Participants will explore brain anatomy in order to understand how information is processed and stored in the brain. Learn how neurons communicate and what effect different neurotransmitters have on our brain. Learn what needs to take place for information to be stored in long term memory.

Examine practical classroom designs, curriculum strategies, and review the statistical findings in the book “What Works In Schools” by Robert Marzano.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: enhances content knowledge and teaching skills, reading comprehension, math skills, and provides the knowledge and skills for administrators to think and plan strategically.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.
The teachers complete two written documents in regards to how to implement chess in the classroom. The articles are summaries of data or documentation: how chess improves reading and math skills based on the PA Standards. The teachers have to use Eric or another database to find their articles for review.
Written requirements: 2 documents with articles must be one page single-spaced

Participants in this course will use prior knowledge of strategies of the game and be able to implement their knowledge during this course.

Participants will need knowledge of the game of chess in order to complete this course. Critical Thinking Skills: Chess is recommended before a participant can enroll in Advanced Chess.

This course highlights how to use critical thinking skills in the classroom while incorporating the game of chess. This course will emphasize how to use advanced chess skills in the classroom and how to use research to raise test scores. In this course students will use methods for using chess to teach problem solving, math, and reading skills in the classroom.

*Required out of class work includes reading two chess articles that involve the use of higher level thinking skills and the development of a two page, written action plan of how the strategies can be incorporated into their classroom setting.

This course is for all Teachers and Administrators in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills, communications with parents and community, reading comprehension, and creating a culture of teaching and learning.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course was developed to enable teachers to reduce conflict and aggression in their classrooms and to create a safe and orderly learning environment. Teachers will be instructed on the ideas, skills, and techniques needed to help them take a proactive, preventive approach to ensuring their safety and that of their students.

Some of the major topics of discussion will be how to build respectful and trusting relationships with students, responding to disruptive behavior, confrontations with potentially violent students, responding to situations involving fighting or weapons, conflict resolution skills, and bullying behavior. An extensive amount of time will be devoted to physical techniques to protect teachers and students from violent attacks. Also, included will be material on bullying, cyber bullying, conflict resolution, and the importance of developing and implementing a discipline plan in your classroom and throughout the school.

Out of class work will include but not be limited to developing a “preventing conflict and violence in your school” action plan.
Assignments include:
1) Create a violence and prevention plan for your school which will include early warning signs, prevention and intervention strategies, and crisis response procedures.
2)Bully Prevention plan
3)Responding to disruptive behavior

This course is for McGuffey School District Educators only.

The PAHSCI literacy and math coaches at McGuffey High School are offering a course through the Intermediate Unit 1 in research-based instructional pedagogy. This course is designed specifically with the needs of the students and teachers of McGuffey High School and Middle School in mind. It meets the following professional development criteria: Content in Teaching and Learning and Professional Development: Teaching Techniques and Strategies. The following topics will be covered: effective models of engagement, John Collins approach to writing across the curriculum, using teacher-modeling and think-alouds, and lesson development using aforementioned strategies. It will also meet all criteria for IU 1 courses: a pretest, a posttest, a project.

Participants will be required to implement the strategies presented in the course in their own classroom lessons. Each strategy must be documented in the participant’s lesson plans, observed by the coach, and reflected in the journals. The final project will include samples of each strategy implemented and evidence of their use in the participant’s classroom (e.g., lesson plans, coaches’ logs, student artifacts, and the participants’ reflection journals). Assessment for the course will be based on the following: attendance, pre and post test/survey, successful classroom/lesson application of at least 80% of the strategies presented, completion of the reflection journal, completion of professional journal reflection(s), and completion of the final project. Participants will also complete a final implementation plan/reflection indicating how the strategies presented in the course will be incorporated into their future plans.

The BDA structure begins with the introduction of the first strategy:
Each cycle will consist of two classes and a classroom visitation, plus homework. The sessions of each cycle will follow this pattern:

Before: Coaches will formally present an instructional strategy.
Homework: Teachers will plan a lesson using the strategy, completing the “Before” planning sheet.
During: A coach will visit the classroom of each teacher and complete a “During” visitation sheet.
After: Coaches and teachers will meet together and discuss each teacher’s implementation of the strategy.

Teachers will complete an “After” sheet as a reflection. Additional homework will be assigned (e.g., trying the strategy again, responding to a reading dealing with the previous or next strategy).

“Differentiated Instruction: Strategies for the Classroom” is a course for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge, teaching skills, reading comprehension, and techniques and strategies. Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

With the passing of the “No Child Left Behind” (NCLB) legislation, teachers are now faced with the task of meeting the needs of all students in their respective classrooms. This can be a challenging task, with students displaying a wide variety of needs. Differentiated instruction, a philosophical framework which supports a wide variety of content, tools, tasks and strategies, is one of the best options available to today’s educator.

“Differentiated Instruction: Strategies for the Classroom” is a one credit, four week long course (30 hours). It will be conducted online in a differentiated style, in order to address the learning needs of the adult participants, to model many of the best practices, and to allow for multiple modes for reflection. Participants will be encouraged to read text, search for resources, make connections to practice, and to share expertise in a community of practice around the topic of Differentiated Instruction. Required assignments include: reading assignments, discussion board participation, pre and post assessments, and an individual final project in the form of a written paper, a PowerPoint, video presentation, or other media-based showcase of knowledge.

Students may expect to spend approximately 10 hours per week (for the first two weeks) reading, researching and participating in online group activities. The following two weeks (10 hours) will be utilized for completing a project, the post-test, reflections, and course evaluations.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

Students Must Purchase the required text.
Required text: Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn´t Fit All, 2nd Edition; Author Gayle H. Gregory & Carolyn Chapman. ISBN: 14129364-3

This course is for teachers of grades 7-12 in any content area.  It meets the following professional development criteria:  Content in Teaching and Learning and Professional Development; Teaching Techniques and Strategies.

The following topics will be covered in this course:  effective models of engagement, classroom presentation technology tools, text rendering, the implementation of web/computer based classroom resources, effective student assessment in the use of technology, student problem solving techniques and the use their use of graphic organizers, note-taking and effective questioning.

Participants will be required to implement the strategies presented in the course in their own classroom lessons.  Each strategy must be documented in the participant’s lesson plans and self-reflection journal.

The final project will include samples of each strategy implemented and evidence of their use in the participant’s classroom. (i.e. lesson plans, student artifacts and the participant’s reflection journal).  Assessment for the course will be based in the following: attendance, pre and post test/survey, successful classroom/lesson application of at least 80% of the strategies presented, completion of reflection journal, completion and presentation of the final project.  Participants will also complete a final implementation plan/reflection indicating how the strategies presented in the course will be incorporated into their future lesson plans.

This course is for teachers of grades 7-12 in any content area. It meets the following professional development criteria: content in Teaching and Learning and Professional Development; Teaching Techniques and Strategies. The following topics will be covered in this course: lesson cycle design, student centered classroom strategies, text rendering and problem solving strategies, and effective student questioning and assessments.

Participants will be required to implement the strategies presented in the course in their own classroom lessons. Each strategy must be documented in the participant’s lesson plans, observed by the coach, and reflected upon in their journal. The final project will include samples of each strategy implemented and evidence of their use in the participant’s classroom (i.e. lesson plans, coaches’ log, student artifacts, and the participant’s reflection journal).

Assessment for the course will be based in the following: attendance, pre and post test/survey, successful classroom/lesson application of at least 80% of the strategies presented, completion of reflection journals, completion of professional journal reflection(s) and completion of the final project.

Participants will also complete a final implementation plan/reflection indicating how the strategies presented in the course will be incorporated into their future lesson plans.

If you have taken the 2 credit Effective Strategies for Student Engagement, you cannot take this course.

This course is for all Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Technology, technology content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Finding usable information and then applying it for the solution to a problem or communication activity is a part of the PA Academic Standards. For students to be taught this process, instructors must design strategies which are structured, individualized, age-appropriate, sequential, and able to be effectively assessed.

Using the principles of Harry K. and Rosemary T. Wong, participants will see models of mastery learning, the establishment of procedures, and criterion reference assessment. Through simulation, the participants will experience a learning process developed and refined by teachers, including the library media specialist, over a period of fourteen years. Laptop computers will be used throughout the course. The very basics of computer operation in an anxiety free environment will be taught to those needing instruction.

*Required out of class work will include participants being able to provide resources, analyze the process they are learning and adapt these to their K-12 classroom.

This course is for all Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills and reading comprehension.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

The effective teacher knows how to design lessons to help students reach mastery. Harry K. and Rosemary T. Wong in The First Days of School offer a guide to help teachers design lessons so that all students can succeed.

This course will be dedicated to increasing student learning and achievement, motivating students to complete their assignments, ensuring that students can pass their tests, and do this all as they work cooperatively with each other.

All participants will analyze their current lesson designs; construct new lessons, incorporating the principles expounded by the Wongs; and participate in simulated lessons utilizing these principles and procedures. Each participant should have lessons which they can incorporate during the next school year.

*Required out of class work includes designing lessons for their classrooms and analyzing current lesson designs.

This course is for all teachers in all grades and meets the following professional development criteria: Teacher teaching skills and reading comprehension.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Mentor teachers fulfill many important roles for new teachers ~ teacher, friend, guide, coach, and role model. Research shows that the number one impact increasing teacher knowledge and skills is effective professional development. Effective one-on-one mentoring provides the most personalized professional growth opportunity available for a new teacher.

This course will provide mentor teachers with research-based strategies to effectively mentor new teachers. Additionally, participants will become familiar with: mentoring best practices, comparing and contrasting mentoring models, and applying information gleaned from the course to real-world scenarios.

Required out of class work includes: Out of class reading(s) and research will be required. Participants will need to share and discuss something they did as part of their own research to the class. A pre and a post test will be administered at various points throughout the course.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have a working knowledge of computers and Internet use, high speed Internet access, and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

This course will increase the participants’ knowledge of Dr. Seuss and his works as they relate to topics, themes, and big ideas in their content areas. The participants will use this acquired knowledge by implementing it in their classrooms in areas of content relative to their curriculum.

Objectives:
1. The participants will compare and discuss the writing style of Dr. Seuss relative to the following Reading standards:
1.1 Learning to Read Independently
1.2 Reading Critically in all Content Areas
1.3 Reading, Analyzing, and Interpreting Literature

2. The participants will implement his books into classroom curriculum in a variety of subject areas including character education.

3. The participants will explain Seuss’s writing style and purpose for writing.

4. The participants will create a unit of differentiated lessons relative to their needs using at least five Seuss books.

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment, and an action plan for implementation. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.

This course is for all Teachers and Administrators in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills, communications with parents and community, reading comprehension, and creating a culture of teaching and learning.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Participants will learn about the major types of violence in our society. Violence against women, girls and K-12 students includes the various types of bullying, physical, psychological, verbal abuse, emotional abuse, sexual assaults, dating violence, and economic abuse.

Violence against women is often known as "gender-based" violence or "gender-based" bullying because it evolves in part from women´s subordinate status in society. Similarly, violence in general against K-12 students is often identified as bullying because it evolves, in part, from some K-12 student’s subordinate status in the “school society.” By understanding what motivates this violence and aggression, teachers can better recognize and understand potentially violent situations.

Teachers will also become better skilled at counseling students to handle situations effectively, to begin to heighten awareness regarding bullying and the potential violence, to improve attitudes regarding their peers, and reduce the likelihood that physical violence will occur.

Participants will be instructed on each type of bullying and associated violence, examples of each, be made aware of early warning signs of bullying, and identify risk factors associated with this phenomenon and research the protective factors. Also included in the course will be instruction on physical, defensive techniques and themes that could be used to non-violently stabilize or defuse student aggression or threatening assault.

Out of class work, will include researching violence in the school and methods of preventing, diffusing, and defending against that violence. The results of this research will include the development of a written action plan to be shared with the class and a course of action to implement in each educator’s classroom.

This course is for all Teachers and Administrators in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills, communications with parents and community, reading comprehension, and creating a culture of teaching and learning.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is designed to introduce participants to understanding violence, how to predict it, and how to avoid it. Most violent acts are not random. They are predictable. They usually have discernable motives and are preceded by clear warning signals.

This course will recognize the signals for teachers, parents. and children to protect themselves from violence. Also included in the course is a physical system of defense to protect teachers and other school personnel from both armed and unarmed attacks. Also included will be work on strategies to reduce school violence, safety education, diagnosis of violent students, recognizing the signs of a troubled kid.

Out of class work will include reading about predictors of violence, researching violence prevention, and action plans for implementing prevention strategies in the classroom.
Written assignments will include:
1) List survival signals students may use to identify potentially violent situations in their lives.
2) To become more aware of school violence and the myths of school violence
3) Develop a plan to identify potentially violent situations.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Technology, technology content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is intended to provide a framework for teachers to design standards-based, technology-rich learning experiences for students, which enhance student achievement. The goal of this program is to position teachers to use technology effectively in their classrooms.

Participants will expand their comfort with various technology tools, and learn to integrate these tools into their lessons to enhance and reinforce their curriculum. Participants completing this program are expected to take with them the skills needed to develop instructional activities using enhanced technology skills.

Prerequisites include familiarity with Internet, email and browsers; keyboarding skills; familiarity with computer and network file structure and navigation; and basic word processing skills.

*Required out of class work
Participants will design 3 PA Standards based lesson plans incorporating the tools introduced in this course.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills and reading comprehension.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

The focus of the course, The Principles and Best Practices of Harry Wong, is knowledge and skill development in the areas of: understanding teaching, motivating and inspiring students, managing a classroom, designing lessons, and developing professional habits. This course is a structured program that uses the book, The First Days of School, and the video series that accompanies the book for developing effective teaching strategies. *Required out of class work includes reading assignments from The First Days of School, development of a discipline policy for the classroom, creation of steps for procedures, lesson plan analysis, and classroom lesson design.

This course can be used for Induction Consortium participants for Year 1 Days 1 & 2, only if you contact Keith Golebie by email at golebiek@iu1.k12.pa.us. and request this course for induction and clear it with you district Induction Coordinator.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills, reading comprehension. Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.

Information about PDE 427 will be studied, shared and reviewed.

This course is for all Teachers and Administrators in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills, communications with parents and community, reading comprehension, and creating a culture of teaching and learning.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Teachers will learn about some of the major types of teen violence in our society and the reasons for it. These will include verbal abuse, psychological and emotional abuse, dating violence, stalking, sexual assaults, bullying, teen suicide, and media violence.

By understanding teen violence, teachers can better recognize and understand violent situations and why they occur. They will also be able to better counsel students.

Teachers will be instructed on each type of violence, examples of each, warning signs, and protective factors. Approximately 50% of the class will be devoted to personal defense strategies that both teachers and students can use to protect themselves against both armed and unarmed violent situations. Also included will be material on safety education, bullying, and cyber bullying.

Out of class work will focus on researching teen violence topics and developing a written action plan to be shared with the class and implemented into each teacher�s classroom.
Teachers will complete the following assignments:
1)Design a program to reduce bullying in your school.
2)Explain how a teacher can incorporate how to reduce violence in schools with their specific subject.
3)Prevention and intervention strategies relating to adolescent and adult drug use.

This course is for all Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Working with parent and community partners, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Participants in this course will examine the needs and methods to educate children and parents with the tools, knowledge, and power to recognize and avoid danger, as well as physically resist and protect themselves from abuse and harm.

*Required out of class work:
Participants will observe and discuss situations they see in their teaching environments, and how they relate to class topics. The participants will complete and share a written position paper on an assigned topic and explain how what was learned in this class applies to the PA Academic Standards for Health, Safety and Physical Education. For example: How would you handle bullying (prevention, consequences) if you were the school administrator?

The course - Kids Having Kids - is a prerequisite for this course. The prerequisite does not apply to school nurses. This course is for Teachers and Administrators in grades 5-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills, communications with parents and community, reading comprehension, creating a culture of teaching and learning, PA Health, Safety & Physical Education Standards, Family and Consumer Sciences Standards, and the Mathematics Standards.
Participants will complete a performance assessment, an action plan for implementation, and a written project which will include a typed report which examines a local sexuality education program using the Ten Characteristics of Effective Curriculum-Based Programs from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Sexuality education includes understanding, facts, building personal skills and fostering respect for oneself and others. This course is designed for health, physical education, family and consumer sciences and child development teachers, nurses, counselors and other middle and high school staff.

The course will address both the factual information and effective teaching strategies to develop and integrate a sexuality education unit for adolescents. Strategies to involve parents and develop community support will be examined.

*Required out of class work includes a written report of a community or school teen pregnancy prevention program, an activity implementation plan, media portrayal of an aspect of pregnancy prevention, or demonstration of a reproductive health topic activity.

Kids Having Kids is a prerequisite for this course.

This course is for K-12 teachers and administrators and meets the following professional development criteria: Teachers Teaching skills and Analyze and use data.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

There is remarkable consensus among educators and business and policy leaders on one key conclusion: we need to bring what we teach and how we teach into the 21st century.

This interesting and interactive course will address this issue by discussing the skills students need to master in order to be successful in a globalized society. Educators will discuss: engaging instructional methods for teaching digital natives, 21st century skills we will be teaching digital natives, and how educators can address the needs of the millennial generation of students.

Selected excerpts from "The World is Flat," "A Whole New Mind," and "Millennial´s Rising" will be shared and discussed to validate the course´s premise ~ educators must bring what we teach and how we teach into the 21st century.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time. There will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are inlcuded in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Please make sure your email address is correct on your account!

“Building Your e-Portfolio” is a course created for professional educators committed to the idea of lifelong learning and reflection. The course will focus on identifying a rationale for creating an electronic portfolio of work, independent online training in the use of cutting edge e-Portfolio tools, and the creation of an e-Portfolio framework. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. They will also complete a project: the creation of an e-Portfolio which has been populated with a minimum of 4 teaching artifacts, and 4 reflections upon those artifacts. All e-Portfolios will be graded through the use of a rubric.

Pennsylvania law now mandates that new teachers participate in a formal induction process for a period of three years. “Building Your e-Portfolio” has been designed to give you a flexible, 21st Century-focused learning option for completing the portfolio requirements set by the Pennsylvania State Department (PDE) in form PDE427. Through exploration of a variety of web-based tools and options, you will determine how to create an e-Portfolio in a way which best suits your ongoing, professional needs. The course will also promote the idea of gathering best practices and artifacts throughout the teaching career, and the creation of professional dialogue around those artifacts within a community of learners. Therefore, this course would be of interest and benefit to educators at any point in their teaching career. Finally, the course will focus on the creation of e-Portfolios using the latest Web 2.0 technologies, which will also serve to add to teachers’ skill base when it comes to the infusion of emerging technologies into teaching and learning.

“Building Your e-Portfolio” is a one credit, four week long course (30 hours). It will be conducted online in a differentiated style, in order to address the learning needs of the adult participants, and to allow for multiple modes for reflection. Participants will be encouraged to read, train independently in web-based tool of their choice, and to share their experiences and expertise within a community of practice around the topic e-Portfolios. Required assignments include: reading(s), discussion board participation, web-based training, pre and post assessments, and an individual final project in the form of an e-Portfolio which has been populated with a minimum of 4 teaching artifacts (1 per domain) and 4 reflections which correspond to the 4 artifacts.

Students may expect to spend approximately 10 hours per week (for the first two weeks) reading, researching and participating in online group activities. The following two weeks (10 hours) will be utilized for completing a project, the post-test, reflections, and course evaluations.

NOTE:It is strongly recommended that students registering for this course have a minimum intermediate comfort level with technology, and have successfully completed at least one online course.

This course is online and available for 24 hours a day during the term of the course. Participants have 2 weeks from the end of the course to finish work.

This is an online course. You will receive specific information concerning this course or workshop on the day before the start date. A User ID and link to the course site will be emailed to you at that time, there will not be any additional electronic communications before then. If books or materials are included in the tuition, these items will be mailed to you, provided the course is paid for, before the start of the course.

Participants must have high speed Internet access and a working email account for the duration of the course.

Please make sure your email address and PDE ID# is correct in your account on this site.

This course will provide regular and special education teachers of any content area, grades 3, 4, and 5, with strategies and ideas to teach writing composition. Participants will engage in effective practices to model, coach, and design writing samples to improve student performance on state writing assessments. This course meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge and teaching skills in the course subject area of Teaching and Learning and Professional Development. Out of class work: Participants will complete a pre-post test, an implementation plan, personal narratives and two lesson plans.

This course is designed for all educators K-12 who are interested in designing lessons that are theme based. It is aligned with the professional criteria of teaching and learning.

The participants will develop a theme related classroom unit. They will produce a portfolio of all theme related lessons, children´s work, games, etc. On the first day of class the instructor will model how a theme can be related to all areas.

When the group initially meets, they will work together to set the best date to meet and present projects. The date will be no more than three months after the start of the class.

The participants will work in small groups or individually to develop a theme-based classroom unit. Participants will develop an action plan for their classrooms and a portfolio documenting their lessons, children’s work, games, etc. and a bibliography of the research base or resources. The instructor will support the participants through email communication between the initial class and the project presentations.

*required out of class work will include the development of an action plan and portfolio. Participants will communicate by email between the first and the last classes with the instructor updating the instructor on their progress.

Participants will share their portfolios at the last class meeting.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment.

This course is designed for all educators K-12 who are interested in improving their classroom management skills. It is aligned with the professional criteria of teaching and learning.

The participants will develop a behavior management system to be implemented in their classrooms. They will be prepared to present documentation of the plan, how it worked, recording keeping, incentives, photos, etc.

On the first day of class, the instructor will model various strategies that have proven to be successful. When the group initially meets, they will work together to set the best date to meet and present projects. The date will be no more than three months after the start of the class.

The participants will work in small groups or individually to develop a classroom management system. Participants will develop an action plan for their classrooms for their project, a portfolio documenting their plan and how it worked, a sample or description of the recording keeping system, incentives, photos, and a description and bibliography of the research base for their system.

The instructor will support the participants through email communication between the initial class and the project presentations.

*Required out of class work will include the development of an action plan and portfolio. Participants will communicate by email between the first and the last classes with the instructor updating the instructor on their progress.

Participants will share their portfolios at the last class meeting.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment.

This course is designed for all teachers K-12 that are interested in improving their differentiated instruction skills through developing tiered assignments and grouping techniques. Participants in this course will work in small groups or individually to study areas related to the improvement of student achievement or special studies related to special education students. Participants will explore and share research, resources, classroom activities and instructional strategies. The study group will provide a collaborative and supportive forum for discussion, inquiry, reflection and research. Participants will develop an action plan for their classrooms based on their research and collaboration. Participants will be assessed using a 20 item multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

*Required out of class work will include the development of group or individual action plans and portfolios. Participants will communicate with the facilitator by email between beginning and ending sessions. The group will share the results of their study at the last meeting.

This course is for all teachers in K - 12 of any content area. This course meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge in reading and teaching skills in the subject area of Teaching and Learning and Professional Development. All PA teachers may take any course that has a focus on reading in the content areas and teaching skills. This course will focus on an introduction to the essentials of lesson design that are grounded in the four lenses of learning and research-based instructional pedagogy:

1. text-rendering/note-making/graphic organizer
2. effective pair sharing and group work
3. providing opportunities for managed choice and individual success
4. making personal connections
5. integrating reading, writing, speaking, and listening

It meets the following professional development criteria: Content in Teaching and Learning and Professional Development: Teaching Techniques and Strategies. It will also meet all criteria for IU 1 courses: pretest(s), posttest(s), and a project. Internet access outside of class is needed.

One of several delivery structures will be used. All delivery structures will be based on three-hour cycles of participant-instructor and participant-participant interaction for each topic: Each cycle will include the following activities: facilitator presentation, a workshop/implementation activity, and sharing/reflection. For each three-hour cycle, two to three hours of out-of-class extension of workshop activities as well as responding to assigned readings are required.

Participants will be required to adapt the strategies presented in the course by planning/implementing lessons for their classes. Each instructional topic must be documented with the participant’s lesson plan(s), (possible observation by facilitator or other participant), and reflective journal responses. The final project will include samples of each strategy adapted for use (possible evidence of their use in the participant’s classroom: student artifacts and “During” notes made by observer) and the participants’ reflection journals. Assessment for the course will be based on the following: attendance, pre and post test/survey, successful classroom/lesson application of at least 80% of the strategies presented, completion of reflections on professional reading(s), and completion of the final project. Participants will also complete a final reflection on the course and its implications for their future teaching. For all sessions, participants should have text(s) from courses they teach with which to create lessons.

Participants must bring a binder with dividers, and book will be available on loan.

This course is for Teachers in grades 5 - 12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Reading content and comprehension and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.
Out of class work includes reading assignments and lesson design.

School teams are encouraged. This course is partially funded by a Benedum Foundation grant. A one credit followup course will be held during the school year.

Reading ApprenticeshipTM is a framework for helping students to improve reading comprehension skills in all subject areas.

Teachers and students alike thrive in a Reading ApprenticeshipTM environment because it:

• enhances content area classes through a focus on comprehension
• is an integrated, inquiry-based approach that gives teachers the power to teach in the true sense of being mentors, motivators, experts, and collaborators
• gives students the guidance and skills to take charge of their own learning.
• requires teachers to reveal the strategies, skills, and background knowledge they use to make sense of text, in much the same way a craftsperson might reveal the secrets of their trade
• allows students to collaborate with teachers and other students to solve real-world problems.
• is on-the-job training.
• allows teachers to guide the process as everyone contributes to the comprehension of the text.
• is not about re-teaching phonics to 16-year-olds
• is "metacognition," or thinking about how we think
• is helping students to gain confidence in their ability to understand complex, academic subject matter.
• is flexible.

This course is designed to familiarize teachers with the basic forms of manual communication that are used by hearing impaired persons in the U.S. Formalized systems of manual communication designed to facilitate language acquisition and less formal systems that have evolved historically will be studied.

The emphasis of the course will be on the development of core skills in both expressive and receptive use of finger spelling and the language of signs.

Environmental and other factors that can facilitate communication through manual forms of communication will be investigated. Techniques used in interpreting for deaf persons will be surveyed.

This course is designed to assist all teachers to communicate with hearing impaired students as well as other exceptional students in need of another communication system.

This course will present many signs in Signing Exact English and also signs in American Sign Language.

Required out of class work includes sign practice between classes and the design of a classroom activity. incorporating signs.

The course is designed to further expand teachers´ knowledge of the basic forms of manual communication that are used by hearing impaired persons in the U.S. Formalized systems of manual communication designed to facilitate language acquisition and less formal systems that have evolved historically will be studied.

The emphasis of the course will be on further development of basic skills in both expressive and receptive use of finger spelling and the language of signs. Environmental and other factors that can facilitate communication through manual forms of communication will be investigated. Techniques used in interpreting for deaf persons will be surveyed.

This course is designed to assist all teachers to communicate with hearing impaired students as well as other exceptional students in need of another communication system.

This course will present many signs in Signing Exact English and will also introduce many signs in American Sign Language. These two types of sign language are commonly referred to as ASL and SEE.

*Out of class work required includes sign practice between classes and the design of a classroom activity incorporating signs.

This course is for all educators in all grades.

Part 1 of this course is designed to familiarize teachers with the basic forms of manual communication. The emphasis of Part 1 will be the development of core skills in both expressive and receptive use of finger spelling and the language of signs. The course is designed to further expand teachers’ knowledge of the basic forms of manual communication that are used by hearing impaired persons in the U.S. Formalized systems of manual communication designed to facilitate language acquisition and less formal systems that have evolved historically will be studied.

The emphasis of Part 2 of the course will be on further development of basic skills in both expressive and receptive use of finger spelling and the language of signs. Environmental and other factors that can facilitate communication through manual forms of communication will be investigated. Techniques used in interpreting for deaf persons will be surveyed.

This course is designed to assist all teachers to communicate with hearing impaired students as well as other exceptional students in need of another communication system.

This course will use the books, A Word in the Hand and A Word in the Hand Book 2 by Jane L. Kitterman and S. Harold Collins. These books use signs that are adopted and preferred by Gallaudet College.

This course will present many signs in Signing Exact English and will also introduce many signs in American Sign Language. These two types of sign language are commonly referred to as ASL and SEE.

*Required out of class work includes sign practice between classes and design of a classroom activity incorporating signs.

*NOTE*
If you took the 1 credit Sign Language course you may not take this 2 credit one.

This course is for all Teachers and meets the following professional development criteria: teacher teaching skills and reading comprehension.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is designed to provide mastery of all of the features of the Smart Board, including Notebook, Video Player, Recorder, Ink Aware Applications, and the Floating Tools. This master’s certification is provided by a SMART Technologies Certified Master’s Trainer. It would allow the recipient to utilize the technology for classroom instructional methodology in addition to being able to train within their own school building or district. Without access to a Smart Board, some of the features of the software are still available for a free download. This may be advantageous for those who have occasional access to a board and want to create Notebook lessons for possible future use. The 9.6 download is available from smarttech.com.

This course is for teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Content knowledge in Art; Economics; Communication; Elementary Education; English; Geography; Health and Phys. Ed.; History; Library Science; Mathematics; Music; Reading; and Science; and Teaching skills

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation. Participants will be assessed using a completion question pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%.

Sport has been a part of the national mind set since the country’s origin and its proper role in the American lifestyle has been debated since the time of the Puritans. In recent years this discussion has been elevated to academia. Numerous scholarly treatments of the topic are now available for classroom use in a variety of disciplines. Since virtually every aspect of American life– political, social, economic, etc... – can be analyzed through the context of sport history, the study of sport is recognized as a legitimate vehicle for both the study of academic content and the analysis of social value trends.

This course will take advantage of the popular and academic interest in sport, and the tremendous amount of valid documentary and multi-media source materials available, to examine in a conceptual, interdisciplinary format, the impact of sport on American life.

Various interdisciplinary lessons (including music, art, science, multi-cultural) based on sport history will be modeled during the workshop, but particular emphasis will be placed upon math and reading lessons that can utilize sport history on different grade levels.

This course is for Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Technology, technology content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

Does the thought of using a computer or other “techie tools” make your heart race and your palms sweat? Then this is the course for you. This course is designed for non- technical educators who are not comfortable with some of the technology available for use in the classroom.

Educators will learn how to use the computer to search the Internet for appropriate educational sites and materials via the PDE Ed Hub and netTrekker d.i, discuss the current brain research as it applies to selecting appropriate teaching strategies for today’s learners, and learn how to download and incorporate digital images and video clips (from unitedstreaming) into their lessons. They will also create a Microsoft Word document.

*Required out of class work Participants will develop an action plan on how they plan to incorporate the technologies and strategies presented in this course into their actual classrooms. The plan must include the creation of at least one differentiates PA State Standards based lesson plan using the curriculum framework found on the Learning Nexus of the PA ED Hub. This lesson plan must include 1 Microsoft Word document, 1 concept from an internet search, 1 still digital image, and 1 video clip and also integrate at least two content areas (for example social studies and mathematics).

This course is designed for experienced computer users. It is designed to provide participants with the advanced skills to design professional presentations and instructional resources using word processing, presentation, and spreadsheet applications. Participants will use the aforementioned software to make classroom information manageable and to create documents for their classrooms. Participants will include video, scanned and digitized graphics and graphics from the internet in their documents.

Participants will be required to create presentation slides and classroom documents applying the advanced skills learned in class. Participants should bring sample documents or document ideas to class. *Required out of class work will include visiting internet sites to gather resources, viewing presentations and information, brainstorming ideas for class presentations and documents, finding graphics, sound and video for presentation and documents, planning documents, and linking class projects to the PA Standards.

Participants should bring an IBM formatted disk to class.

This course is designed for middle and high school teachers of Technology Education or Computer programming and meets the following professional development criteria: Science, Mathematics, Technology Education, Computer and Information Technology, Reading Comprehension and Teaching Skills.

The course is designed to provide the participants with the understanding and skills to successfully implement the Agile Robotics Curriculum developed by Carnegie Mellon University and California University of PA in their classrooms. Participants will learn how to build, program and conduct a variety of experiments using the VEX Robots and programming software. The participants will also learn how to access curricular materials including lesson plans, PowerPoint demonstrations and student assessments. Participants will be required to complete the curriculum activities independently and record their progress in their reflection journals. The culminating activity will occur on the final day when participants will be required to complete the Apple Orchard robotics challenge incorporating skills and knowledge acquired through completion of the Agile Robotics lessons. Assessment for the course will be based on the following: attendance, pre and post test, completion of reflection journals and completion of the final project.

Participants should be proficient in Microsoft Word? and Microsoft PowerPoint

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.

Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is designed for educators in grades 6-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: teaching skills; analyze and use data; reading comprehension; analyze problems and synthesize results.

The purpose of the Alice 3d software system is to ease the burden on educators of motivating students to learn by developing story telling, activity based themes using embedded three dimensional human, animal and inanimate objects. Additionally, Alice reduces the frustration levels encountered by students exposed to math theories and their practical application. Finally, Alice, through the use of storyboarding, taps into the natural intuitiveness of the students by allowing their abstract thoughts come to life as concrete ideas. This promotes an incorporation of complex critical thinking skills within the innovative environment of animation.

Alice 3d is a menu based 3d software programming suite that middle and high school students will use to learn programming theory, interpret and apply math concepts and design programming code to animate 3d graphical objects. This project based learning environment develops programming skills by allowing students to select from a palette of easily readable action oriented icons that execute tasks the students will modify and employ to manipulate specific objects on a virtual 3d canvas.

There will be a total of 14 Hours of in class work presented on two successive Saturdays. The educators will have at least 16 Hours of programming projects and study works outside of class.

Students must purchase the book: Learning to Program with Alice; Authors Dann, Cooper, Pausch.
ISBN: 978013205168

If you have taken other Excel courses you may not take this one. In this course participants will learn how to use the various aspects of Microsoft Excel for use in their classrooms. It is designed for beginning spreadsheet users.

Participants should have some competency in keyboarding and basic knowledge of computers. Individuals will be shown through hands on activities how to create, edit, enter formulas, and enhance spreadsheets.

Participants will need to bring classroom related work to be used in their practice documents. Participants are to bring an IBM formatted disk and snacks to class.

Required out of class work will include brainstorming ideas for documents they would like to produce, developing and producing those documents with the culminating activity being the creation of a usable gradebook.

This course is only for Ft. Cherry Educators

This course is for teachers instructing grades 9-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: technology skills, content knowledge, teaching skills, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

Participants will complete a computer generated project and an action plan for implementation.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. A final project utilizing skills outlined in this course is required.

This course is designed for Fort Cherry Classroom for the Future Teachers with 2 years of training completed. These teachers will learn how to effectively use the additional Promethean board and 21st Century resources, with the underlying goal of integrating these skills into current curriculum. The course will include advanced Promethean board applications. Then, an overview of established, web-based resources will be delivered and explained. The first part of the course will focus on identifying how to fully integrate resources into the curriculum. Throughout the course teachers will learn how to utilize the Promethean board and the additional tools as effective, regular, classroom tools. Prior knowledge learned in year 2 CFF training is needed. Teachers will be shown specific, web-based resources and software that coordinate with the board and will maintain the 21st Century classroom. Some of the applications include: Activstudio, Promethean Planet, ActivInspire, ActiVotes, ActivExpressions, advanced social bookmarking, and Microsoft OneNote 2007. In addition, time for technology integration into the content specific courses will be granted.

The professional education criteria are technology integration into instruction and improving facilitation skills.

The final product will be the creation of a unit(s) completely integrated and enhanced with the technology available. Out of class work will include preparation for the development of the unit(s). Curriculum materials are required for preparation of the 2008-2009 school year.

This course is only for Ft. Cherry Educators

This course is for teachers in grades 9-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge, teaching skills, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

Participants will complete a computer generated project and an action plan for implementation.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. A final project utilizing skills outlined in this course is required.

This course is designed for Fort Cherry Classroom for the Future Teachers. These teachers will learn how to effectively use the Promethean board and 21st Century resources, with the underlying goal of integrating these skills into current curriculum. The course will begin with Promethean board applications. Then, an overview of established, web-based resources will be delivered and explained. The first part of the course will focus on identifying how to fully integrate resources into the curriculum. Throughout the course teachers will learn how to utilize the Promethean board as an effective, regular, classroom tool. Prior knowledge learned in year 1 CFF training is needed. Teachers will be shown specific, web-based resources and software that coordinate with the board and will lead to 21st Century classroom transformation. Some of the applications include: Activstudio, Promethean Planet, Google docs, Adobe Design Premium, Audacity, Inspiration, online social bookmarking, blogs, wikis, and podcasting. In addition, time for technology integration into the content specific courses will be granted.

The professional education criteria are technology integration into instruction and improving facilitation skills.

The final product will be the creation of a unit(s) completely integrated and enhanced with the technology available. Out of class work will include preparation for the development of the unit(s).

This course is for Teachers and Administrators in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Technology, technology content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills, is aligned with the PA Reading, Speech and Listening Standards and upon completion will enable educators to create, capture, manipulate and analyze relevant classroom data in an Access database enhancing the educator’s classroom assessment and management capabilities. Administrators and other instructional leaders can also use an Access database to create, capture, manipulate and analyze relevant data too and utilize the appropriate data to make more informed managerial decisions.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation. Course also uses a textbook with in-class tutorials to provide hands-on interaction with a Microsoft Access database. Textbook reading is assigned to emphasize effective planning of database tables and table relationships to eliminate data redundancy. Out-of-class textbook exercises reinforce the major components of an Access database. The final project involves creating a computerized database using real world data.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course is designed to provide participants with the skills necessary to generate and manipulate microcomputer relational databases. Participants need to be at least proficient in Excel or Word and familiar with PC computers.

Participants will use Microsoft Access to learn the purpose of a relational database, as well as, database theory and terminology.

Microsoft Access software will be covered in five separate parts.

1. This session will provide an overview of the course and will also cover creating and manipulating database tables.
2. Designing and creating forms to enter records into various database tables.
3. Explore designing and generating reports containing control breaks and calculated expressions.
4. Focus on manipulating database tables through sorting records and data extraction techniques including summary and parameter queries.
5. Advanced Access topics such as compacting and securing a database, one-to-many table relationships, and preserving referential integrity.

Participants will learn how to use a database by using their own computer and by following directions from the instructor.

Required out of class assignments include brainstorming ideas for planning and creating an Access database. Basic experience with the Windows Operating System is assumed.

This course is only for Ft. Cherry Educators

This course is for teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge, teaching skills, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.

Participants will complete a computer generated project and an action plan for implementation.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. A final project utilizing skills outlined in this course is required.

This course is designed for teachers who are advanced users of computers and the Internet. Participants will learn how to add advanced design for webpages utilized as instructional tools, as well as maintaining the sites and integrating them into daily instruction. These teachers will learn how to effectively use Camtasia Studio, Gabcast, Google RSS Reader, Viddler, and Twitter, with the underlying goal of integrating these skills into current curriculum. The course will begin with an introduction to the format and content of the course. Then, an overview of web-based resources will be delivered and explained. The first part of the course will focus on identifying how to fully integrate resources into the curriculum. Throughout the course teachers will learn how to utilize the online programs to develop an effective, integrated, classroom tool. Prior knowledge of Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint is required. Prior knowledge of webpage design, wikis, and blogs is strongly recommended. Teachers will be shown specific, web-based resources and software that can be utilized to enhance webpages and will lead to 21st Century classroom transformation. In addition, time for technology integration into the content specific courses and the new Fort Cherry School District website interface will be granted.

The professional education criteria are technology integration into instruction and improving facilitation skills.

The final product will be the creation of a unit(s) completely integrated and enhanced with the technology available. Out of class work will include preparation for the development of the unit(s). Curriculum materials are required for preparation of the 2008-2009 school year.

This course is designed for grade 6 Technology Education teachers and meets the following professional development criteria: Science, Mathematics, Technology Education, Computer and Information Technology, Reading Comprehension and Teaching Skills. It has been approved by PDE as a state-wide endorsed curriculum for Technology Education.

This course is taught over two, seven-hour days in which participants will be exposed to and experience the Exploring Technology instructional units. These units are designed to integrate science, mathematics and language arts with the basic technology and engineering concepts. Participants will develop an understanding of the progression and scope of technology through exploratory experiences. In group and individual activities, they will experience ways in which technological knowledge and processes contribute to effective designs, abilities, and skills contribute to effective design and solutions to technological problems.

Teachers participate in design activities to understand how criteria, constraints, and processes affect designs. Brainstorming, visualizing, modeling, constructing, testing, and refining designs provide firsthand opportunities for their students to understand the uses and impacts of innovations. They will develop skills in communicating design information and reporting results. This course is a cornerstone for a middle school technology education program.

Participants will complete a variety of hands-on/minds-on activities and develop and present an action plan for implementation into their existing program.

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.

This course is designed for grade 9 Technology Education teachers and meets the following professional development criteria: Science, Mathematics, Technology Education, Computer and Information Technology, Reading Comprehension and Teaching Skills. It has been approved by PDE as a state-wide endorsed curriculum for Technology Education, and is part of the Engineering by Design.

This course is taught over two, seven-hour days in which participants will be exposed to and experience the Exploring Technology instructional units. These units are designed to integrate science, mathematics and language arts with the basic technology and engineering concepts. This course will focus on the three dimensions of technological literacy: knowledge, ways of thinking and acting, and capabilities with the goal of students developing the characteristics of a technologically literate citizen. It will employ teaching/learning strategies that enable students to build their own understanding of new ideas. It is designed to engage students in exploring and deepening their understanding of “big ideas” regarding technology and makes use of a variety assessment instruments to reveal the extent of understanding.

Teachers will develop an understanding of the influence of technology on history by exploring how people of all times and places have increased their capability by using their unique skills to innovate, improvise and invent. They will gain an understanding of technology innovation, engineering design, manufacturing technologies, construction technologies, energy and power technologies, communications technologies and their role in maintaining competitive economic growth. The course will conclude with the synthesizing of major ideas through an understanding of the core concepts of technology with an emphasis on systems-thinking and related principles

Participants will complete a variety of hands-on/minds-on activities and develop and present an action plan for implementation into their existing program.

Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.

Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.

This course is for all Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Technology, technology content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

This course will be an introduction to one of the leading photographic image editing software programs Adobe Photoshop.

Participants in this course will capture images from a digital camera, scanner, Photo CD, and/or the Internet. Participants will learn how to correct photos and use numerous image-editing tools to refine and manipulate images. Participants will also learn how to save images in the appropriate file format for use in emails and PowerPoint presentations.

*Required out of class work: Participants are required to bring to class existing photographs for course studies. These photographs will be used for experimenting with the program. Participants will design a lesson plan to be used in their classrooms that is aligned to PA State Standards and reflects the application and use of techniques learned in this course.

This course will train educators as well as other professionals to use the "Inspiration TM" Software. Inspiration allows individuals to condense a large amount of information into attractive easy to read visuals.

This innovative program provides concise graphics, lay-outs, and outlines in creating motivating study guides and other instructional aids. This program may also enhance projected computer presentations. At http://www.inspiration.com/ you may download a trial sample.

The following outline details the 15 hours of this course: Overview of the Program (1 hour), Exploring the Templates (1 hour), Learning the diagramming Toolbar (3 hours), Exploring the Graphics (2 hours), Learning the Outlining Toolbar (1 hour), Importing Diagram into other Programs (1 hour), and Applying Program to Construction of an Instructional Aid or Presentation (6 hours).

In this course participants will be able to link ideas through diagramming commands, utilize outlining commands, import graphics into a document, design their own visual, and apply all aspects of "Inspiration" in constructing a visual for instructional or presentation purposes.

Participants should have basic computer skills. Please bring to class any teacher´s guides, manuals or any other materials from which you will create the Inspiration documents. Participants should bring an IBM formatted disk to class.

This course is designed for teachers in grades 4-6 of Science and Technology Education and meets the following professional development criteria: Science, Mathematics, Technology Education, Computer and Information Technology, Reading Comprehension and Teaching Skills. It has been approved by PDE as a state-wide endorsed curriculum for Technology Education.

This course is taught over two, seven-hour days in which participants will be exposed to and experience the Invention, Innovation, & Inquiry (I3) instructional units. These units are designed to integrate science, mathematics and language arts with the basic technology and engineering concepts. I³ is short for Invention, Innovation, and Inquiry: Units for Technological Literacy, Grades 5-6, an ITEA project funded by the National Science Foundation. This project is so named because invention and innovation are the hallmarks of technological thinking and action. Each unit has standards-based content, suggested teaching approaches, and detailed learning activities including brainstorming, visualizing, testing, refining, and assessing technological designs. Students learn how inventions, innovations, and systems are created and how technology becomes part of people´s lives. Participants will complete a variety of hands-on/minds-on activities and develop and present an action plan for implementation into their existing program. Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.

This course is for all Teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: Technology, technology content, reading comprehension, and teaching skills.
Participants will complete a written project, performance assessment and an action plan for implementation.
Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. In addition a lesson plan or project with action plan is required.
Finally an implementation plan will be completed by participants indicating how new learning will be integrated into their assignments.

“Keyboarding” is a course designed for all levels of keyboard users. These users should have basic knowledge of computers.

Individuals will be shown through hands-on activities how to utilize proper hand position while typing. All students must bring in a 3.5” floppy disk to be used for saving their work. Students will complete several keyboarding lessons and utilize Mavis Beacon, which is a typing program.

Required out-of-class work: Participants will create a PA standard based lesson plan, integrating a keyboarding activity into their field of practice.

This course will provide educators with an opportunity to finally organize their credentials! Whether you plan to interview, change positions, or provide evidence in your performance evaluations, a portfolio is a valuable tool for demonstrating proof of your professional performance.

A system for constructing the portfolio and actual work time are provided. Entrees are based on the PDE Performance Indicators as well as other standardizing entities, such as the NBPTS (National Board of Professional Teacher Standards). Also, non-instructional positions, such as school nurse, counselor, or administrator will be provided with their own relevant resources. Additionally, the demonstration of technological tools is included.

These aids to portfolio construction would include Inspiration Software, Senteo Pupil Response System, and the SMART Board.

Upon the conclusion of the 15 hours participants, at a minimum, will have developed an actual rough draft of their portfolio contents along with the creation of several entries.

Participants should bring a flash (USB) memory device and any portfolio artifacts they may have.

This course is for all educators at all levels and will provide professional development training in computers and technology.

The SMART Board Interactive Whiteboard has proven to increase student motivation, achievement and attendance. This class will provide the fundamentals for creating your own learning activities by working with the SMART Level I Notebook features. A multitude of resources will provide many ideas for lesson integration. Participants will also have hands-on time for creating their own SMART Board student learning activity.

All levels of computer proficiencies are welcomed, even those who do not yet have access to a SMART Board or individuals who are not classroom teachers. The Notebook 10 Software may be downloaded free onto personal computers from www.smarttech.com. It is also recommended to bring a laptop if available.

Instructor is a full time teacher and SMART Certified Trainer.

This course is for all educators at all levels and will provide professional development training in computers and technology.

This class provides familiarity with the Level II features as determined by SMART Technologies. These newer or advanced features will be demonstrated through lesson application and integration. A multitude of ideas will be presented through various resources as well as the sharing of collegial and instructor expertise. Participants will also have time to create their own student learning activity using the SMART Board and may want to bring a laptop. Level I class or some experience using the whiteboard will be helpful but not mandatory.

Instructor is a full time teacher and SMART Certified Trainer.

Are you looking for an effective way to integrate art and cultural learning opportunities into your classroom across the content areas? Then this is the course for you. This course is designed for K-12 educators of all content areas who are looking for new and inventive ways to bring art and cultural learning opportunities into their classroom through multiple content areas.

Educators will learn how to use the computer to search the online educational resources created by the Smithsonian Institution and National Gallery of Art, discuss current trends and research on field trips as experiential learning opportunities, and create and translate curriculum guides directly related to the State and National Standards for Education.

This course addresses professional development criteria, teaching skills and reading.

*Required out of class work
Participants will develop curriculum materials from National Gallery of Art resource packs. The curriculum must include 4 lesson plans and integrate at least two content areas (for example social studies and mathematics). There are also two journal articles which are required reading for successful completion of the course. The participants will be assessed using a pre and post test and by the completion of the required assignments.

This course highlights how to use Microsoft Publisher in the classroom setting. Publisher Software will be utilized and different aspects of the program will be emphasized.

The course will show a participant how to make classroom projects such as: newsletters, certificates, signs, banners, posters, cards and web sites. Participants will learn how to integrate Publisher into the curriculum. When the course is completed participants will have several documents and ideas that they can use on a daily basis.

Required out of class work includes creating three documents that can be used in a classroom setting and aligned with the Pennsylvania State Standards.

"Using Microsoft Word™ In the Classroom" is a course designed for beginning word processing users. These users should have some proficiency in keyboarding and basic knowledge of computers. Individuals will be shown through hands-on activities how to create, edit, and enhance documents. Working with graphics, creating water marks, and making mailing labels will also be covered. Students will need to bring in classroom-related work to be used as their practice documents. Students will engage in discussions regarding the use of Microsoft Word™ and asked for any suggestions as to things they would like to learn not already included in the course. *Required out of class work will include brainstorming ideas for documents, developing and producing documents that will be used in the classroom, and creating documents that use graphics. Participants are to bring an IBM formatted disk and snacks to class. Participants are to bring an IBM formatted disk and snacks to class.

This course is designed for beginners or intermediate users of PowerPoint. These users should have some proficiency in keyboarding and basic knowledge of computers. The course is designed to provide the participants with an understanding and skills to design professional presentations for instruction. Participants will be shown how to create and implement a presentation in their classrooms. During the course we will focus on the basics of PowerPoint and how it relates to an elementary classroom. Participants will need to bring in classroom related materials to make a presentation. Required out of class work will include creating a PowerPoint presentation that aligns to the chosen PA State Standard.

This course is only for Ft. Cherry Educators

This course is for teachers in grades K-12 and meets the following professional development criteria: content knowledge, teaching skills, reading comprehension, and teaching skills. Participants will complete a computer generated project and an action plan for implementation. Participants will be assessed using a multiple choice pre and post assessment. Scores on the post assessment must be at least 80%. A final project utilizing skills outlined in this course is required.

This course is designed for teachers who are advanced users of computers and the Internet. Participants will learn how to and better understand Web 2.0 tools as well as using social networking and integrating them into daily instruction. These teachers will learn how to effectively use Widgets, Face Book, School Wires, and Twitter, with the underlying goal of integrating these skills into current curriculum. The course will begin with an introduction to the format and content of the course. Then, an overview of web-based resources will be delivered and explained. The first part of the course will focus on identifying how to fully integrate resources into the curriculum. Throughout the course teachers will learn how to utilize the online programs to develop an effective, integrated, classroom tool. Prior knowledge of the Internet and WIKI´s is required. Prior knowledge of webpage design, and blogs is strongly recommended. Teachers will be shown specific, web-based resources and software that can be utilized to enhance blogs and WIKI´s and their School Wires Site and will lead to 21st Century classroom transformation. In addition, time for technology integration into the content specific courses and the new Fort Cherry School District website interface will be granted.

The professional education criteria are technology integration into instruction and improving facilitation skills. The final product will be the creation of a unit(s) completely integrated and enhanced with the technology available.

Out of class work will include preparation for the development of the unit(s). Curriculum materials are required for preparation of the 2009- 2010 school year.