Resources for Educators
Rethinking Science Inquiry and Outdoor Learning in the Age of COVID-19
TK-12 My Place in the Watershed: A Return of the River Otters
View the Recordings of the Workshops and the Resources Available Here!
Through the MCF and NOAA Grants, we partnered with the Bay Area Discovery Museum, Youth In Arts, UC Berkeley, the River Otter Ecology Project and others. This multifaceted 5-days of interactive workshops for educators built skills on how to think beyond the limitations of virtual learning to explore content with students through project-based and inquiry-driven experiences just outside the classroom door or in a virtual setting. Each day, the workshops started with Social Emotional Learning (SEL) activities based on one of the 5 key components of SEL. With COVID-19 preventing going back to the classroom and field trips not very likely in the near future, the workshops included virtual engagement strategies. Our hope is that TK-12 educators walked away inspired and prepared to create student voice and access as the new year begins! Follow the schedule below for recordings of the sessions and available resources.
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) awarded the Marin County Office of Education with a BWET Grant to work with 2nd to 8th grade teachers and outdoor education staff for the 2020-2021 School Year. The focus is around the impact of climate change on the local coastal ecosystems, including local watersheds that surround Marin County. Currently there are 28 teachers participating in this opportunity.
Resources
Day One | Today's Focus Questions:
Do I get to explain, to present my ideas?
Am I recognized as being capable and able to contribute in meaningful ways?
Do I get to participate in meaningful learning?
Can I hide or be ignored?
Today's Social Emotional Learning Component: SELF-AWARENESS
Creating a Community of Learners (TK-12)
Participants establish norms and common agreements and connect through Arts Integrated SEL Activity with a focus of self awareness. We implement and revise norms through COVID Stories.
View Zoom Recording Here
Connecting COVID StoryShed to Watershed Tributaries (TK-12)
Participants are facilitated through a Making Learning Visible project thereby providing students agency, identity and ownership of the learning process. We use a mind map to record watershed knowledge and questions.
View Zoom Recording Here
Day Two | Today's Focus Questions:
What’s the big idea in this lesson?
How does it connect to what I already know?
Today's Social Emotional Learning Component: SOCIAL AWARENESS (INDIVIDUAL to COLLECTIVE)
Continuing to Build Community through a Focus on Equity and Social Awareness, Introduce Phenomena & Connect to Watershed (TK-12)
Participants are led through SEL activities that connect to the component of: Social Awareness. We discuss how to move from an Individualistic to Collectivist awareness level which is all interrelated to community health.
We model phenomena virtually, discuss our noticings and wonderings that are inter-connected to our senses, and how to ask questions understanding levels of inquiry and sorting questions.
Design Process (TK-12)
We will start from a problem and use the engineer design process to find solutions.
Day Three | Today's Focus Questions:
How long am I given to think, and to make sense of things?
What happens when I get stuck?
Am I invited to explain things, or just give answers?
Today's Social Emotional Learning Component: SELF-MANAGEMENT
How do I fit into the Systems I am a Part of? (TK-12)
Overview of the otter as part of system of watersheds. We set social emotional learning goals with participants. The SEL/Arts integrated activities connect to self management. We explore this SEL core-concept through distance/digital learning and transfer to in-person instruction. View Zoom Recording Here
Think, Make, Try: The Engineering Design Process for our Youngest Students & Modeling of Inquiry (TK-2nd)
Facilitated by the Bay Area Discovery Museum, participants will engage in a design challenge, material scavenger hunt, and a materials sorting activity they can easily integrate into their own classrooms.
Understanding Global Change: Using Models (3rd-12th)
Facilitated by Dr. Jessica Bean of UC Berkeley, participants will co-construct explanatory models about an anchoring phenomena - the recovery of river otter populations. And introduction to the understanding Global Change Framework and Earth System modeling tools will be discussed. We will then connect how this tool anchors the phenomenon to NGSS interdisciplinary science content.
Continued Modeling of Inquiry for our youngest students (TK-2nd)
We will use playful puppets and avatars for question asking
Continued Understanding Global Change: Using Models (3rd-12th)
Facilitated by Dr. Jessica Bean of UC Berkeley, participants will co-construct explanatory models about an anchoring phenomena - the recovery of river otter populations. And introduction to the understanding Global Change Framework and Earth System modeling tools will be discussed. We will then connect how this tool anchors the phenomenon to NGSS interdisciplinary science content.
Day Four | Today's Focus Questions:
Do classroom discussions include my thinking?
Does instruction respond to my thinking and help me think more deeply?
Today's Social Emotional Learning Component: RELATIONSHIPS SKILLS
Relationships: Exploring Communication - Verbal/Non-Verbal, Value, Intent (TK-12)
Participants engage in a Social and Emotional Learning activity by discovering the relationship of the river otter to its watershed through integrated arts that is based on relationship skills where the big question is: how do I connect, listen and communicate with diverse people?
View Zoom Recording Here
The rest of today's schedule follows below:
Data Talks and Inquiry for our youngest students (TK-2nd)
Participants will engage in English Learner embedded strategies for inquiry and investigations, sit spots, and professional learning groups.
View Zoom Recording Here
Understanding Global Change: using Seek and Facilitating Student Discourse (3rd-12th)
We will deeper dive into Global change earth system modeling tools and experience activities and ambitious science practices that make thinking visible, even during times of distance learning. Finally, we will learn how to use the app Seek for identifying organisms in local environments.
Creating Curiosity: Out the Front Door (TK-2nd)
We will also review the website and how to access to videos of great teaching practices.
View Zoom Recording Here
Understanding Global Change: using Seek and Facilitating Student Discourse (3rd-12th)
We will deeper dive into Global change earth system modeling tools and experience activities and ambitious science practices that make thinking visible, even during times of distance learning. Finally, we will learn how to use the app Seek for identifying organisms in local environments.
Day Five | Today's Focus Questions:
Do I get to explain, to present my ideas?
Am I recognized as being capable and able to contribute in meaningful ways?
Today's Social Emotional Learning Component: RESPONSIBLE DECISION-MAKING
Responsible Decision Making & Taking Care of our Environment (TK-12)
Participants engage in Social and Emotional Learning activities centered around the question: “How do I make informed choices while considering how this will affect me and those around me?” This leads into a Science Discussion on How does human behavior impact the watershed and the organisms within?
Otter Spotter! Crowdsourcing Data Collection using River Otters as our Charismatic Ambassador from the Watershed (TK-12th)
Community science is something everyone can do from their back yards to their local streams, bays and lakes. An understanding that nature begins locally is foundational for a continuing interest in understanding and protecting our planet. The first sight of an elusive otter sliding through a river or munching a crayfish can be transformational. Teachers will learn how River Otter Ecology Project changed the range map for river otters in California through a website, mapping, and encouraging people to get outside, observe, and report. Most importantly, teachers and students will understand that their contributions to the project made a difference, who benefitted, and why. And the otter videos aren’t to be missed!
Closing Celebrations & Reflections Activity (TK-12th)
OUR PARTNERS & COLLABORATORS
RETHINKING SCHOOLS: A PUBLIC HEALTH GUIDED RETURN TO SITE-BASED CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION IN THE AGE OF COVID-19
Marin County Office of Education | 1111 Las Gallinas Avenue | San Rafael, CA 94903
https://www.marinschools.org/ | RapidResponse@marinschools.org
