Have your students felt a disconnect between the science units you are teaching and their own experiences? Have you wished for ways to make science more meaningful and engaging for your students? Would you be interested in a variety of quick tweaks and longer adaptations you can use to make your science classroom more inclusive, community-connected, and culturally responsive?

For multiple years, IslandWood has convened with teachers, the developers of Amplify Science, Educational Service Districts, and Seattle Public School’s science department leaders to help students make meaningful and authentic connections between the science they are doing in their classroom and their region, community, and personal funds of knowledge. Last year’s teacher team developed a “Localizing Guide” for the 1st Grade Amplify Science Animal and Plant Defenses unit, and we would love you to try out and provide feedback on the ideas they came up with.

Asynchronous pre-work and introductory videos will provide the opportunity to become familiar with the localizing guide and see how activities that incorporate local animals, use your schoolyard for investigations, and ask students to interview elders about animals can help make the unit more relevant for your students. In zoom sessions, you will talk with other teachers about implementing localizing adaptations, look for community assets that could support the unit’s learning, build your local content knowledge, and decide which adaptations you want to try. Additional optional asynchronous opportunities throughout the course will offer the opportunity to review the unit’s learning progression and learn more about the animals local to our region. Follow-up zoom sessions will provide an opportunity to explore additional adaptations, discuss how implementations have gone, and share feedback about the guide.  

Additional Notes:

•    This pilot is intended for teachers who will be implementing the related Amplify Science Animal and Plant Defenses unit with students this fall. Teachers and others who are not teaching the unit this Fall are also welcome but will not be able to receive clock hour credit for completion of implementation reflections.

•     The guide is designed to support Western Washington teachers in localizing the unit to the region, their school and their students. 

•     Attending this course with your grade-level team is encouraged. 

•    There is a pdEnroller fee to claim the clock hours ($3 per clock hour).