Academy for Science Instruction

• Act as a teacher leader within their school district, able to train others in the modules and processes with which they are familiar.
• Effectively facilitate learning using the hands-on FOSS, STC, Insights, SEPUP and STC-MS modules in the classroom.
• Gain insight into the content and concepts explored in their science modules.
• Share personal classroom experiences with other professionals.
• Conduct formative and summative assessment in their classroom.

Check the Current Schedule for specific dates and locations of ASSET Courses, Institutes, Conferences and Special Offerings held each semester (fall, winter/spring, and summer).

Introduction to the Inquiry Classroom (ASSET 101)
7.5 Hour Course; available upon request typically at Regional Trainings
This session prepares the learner for the beginning stages of inquiry. Participants will explore ways to develop a classroom environment conducive to inquiry-based education and will be introduced to the FERA (Focus, Explore, Reflect and Apply) learning cycle as it relates to the constructivist learning theory. Teachers will be introduced to various questioning techniques and the importance questioning has in teaching an inquiry-based program.

Level One Module Training
7.5 Hour Course; available upon request typically at Regional Trainings
Module training introduces teachers to the concepts, skills and attitudes embedded in a specific module. Using a hands-on approach, participants will become familiar with the materials, lessons, content and assessment while using the learning cycle incorporated in the module. A few FOSS and STC modules may consist of only a half-day training session; those courses will be marked accordingly.

Level Two Module Training
7.5 Hour Course; available upon request typically at Regional Trainings
A training for teachers who have used a module for one teaching cycle, this module-specific course emphasizes the scientific concepts and skills embedded in the module. With an ASSET resource teacher and a content specialist, participants will review the manual paying particular attention to their teaching needs and their students' learning as they focus upon specific content. They will explore new approaches that open their teaching and students' learning to an inquiry-based process. Best teaching practices, formative and summative assessment techniques, and associated content will be addressed as participants reflect upon the concepts, skills and attitudes of the module.

Performance-Based Assessment: Rubric Development and Application of Formative Assessment Techniques
7.5 Hour Course; available upon request typically at Regional Trainings
Participants will be introduced to the appropriateness of various methods of assessment for different purposes followed by an in-depth, activity-based exploration of rubrics as the most important component of performance assessment. This session includes an explanation of what a rubric is, how to use a rubric, methods of developing a rubric, and the application of rubrics to specific science lessons. Participants will use process skills in several activities with the results of these activities used as the model for developing an operational definition of formative assessment. Participants will practice applying formative assessment techniques to various activities across the curriculum.

Performance-Based Assessment: Assessing Student Work Using the ASSET Assessment Framework
7.5 Hour Course; available upon request typically at Regional Trainings
Teachers will participate in activities designed to assess student learning through the use of journals and notebooks, including ways to assess student journals using a rubric. Using this new skill, they will develop their own rubrics to formatively assess student journals in their classrooms. The ASSET Performance-based Assessment Framework and its three major components: enduring learnings, evidence of attainment activities, and task-specific rubrics will be introduced. Participants will use a segment of the framework to assess a sample of student products for the grade level they teach and use the results to develop a formative or summative assessment of the product.

Level One: Training the Trainer
7.5 Hour Course; available upon request typically at Regional Trainings
This course is designed to prepare individual teachers to conduct FOSS, STC, Insights, SEPUP and STC-MS module training sessions for their school, district or coalition. It will familiarize participants with procedures for ordering modules, ordering living materials, completing paperwork for project hours and completing evaluation forms. Participants also will engage in an activity to identify the components of training which model how to use the materials to acquire a concept. This first level course consists of a half-day orientation session and a half-day of observation and reflection of an actual module training session executed by another instructor.

Level Two: Training the Trainer (under development)
7.5 Hour Course
To further their development as an effective teacher trainer, the teacher, under the guidance of a mentor trainer, prepares for and conducts a module training session, applying discussed techniques and self-evaluation. Their insights and experiences will be shared with other trainers to evaluate their effectiveness at one of several gatherings to be held throughout the year.

Customized/Special Offering Content Courses

7.5 Hour Course; available upon request typically at Regional Trainings
These courses are day-long offerings in content strands that draw from cross-modular concepts. The sessions would also help to show how modules within a single strand are linked, or how modules within life, earth and physical strands draw on similar concepts and process skills. Sessions may be customized based upon the needs of the teachers involved. These courses could be delivered at your school and may include optional field study sites, when appropriate.

Physical Science Institute
30 Hour Institute; summer offering in conjunction with university partners and regional resources
To participate, the teacher must have taught a module from the physical science strand of the ASSET curriculum framework. This course will emphasize physical science using main concepts presented in the FOSS, STC, Insights, SEPUP and STC-MS modules from that strand. Topics covered include the states of matter, physical/chemical properties and changes, density/buoyancy, mixtures/solutions, acids/bases. Content topics will be explored through a combination of lectures, hands-on lab experiments, and inquiry, based upon research by the participants.

Life Science Institute
30 Hour Institute; summer offering in conjunction with university partners and regional resources
To participate, the teacher must have taught a module from the life science strand of the ASSET curriculum framework. This course is designed to provide content knowledge for the life science strand of FOSS, STC, Insights, SEPUP and STC-MS modules. Drawing upon repeated concepts, skills and attitudes, content will be explored through a combination of lectures, and hands-on activities, including outdoor field partner sites.

Earth Science Institute
30 Hour Institute; summer offering in conjunction with university partners and regional resources
To participate, the teacher must have taught a module from the earth science strand of the ASSET curriculum framework. Teachers will acquire a deeper understanding of earth science strand concepts and skills while learning science as science is done - through inquiry and investigation. Participants will examine soil, rock and mineral samples and explore weathering, erosion and the hydrologic cycle. By conducting outdoor investigations, the participants will experience hands-on, inquiry-based science applied to real world situations.

Regional Resources Institute: Putting Minds into Motion
15 Hour Institute; summer or weekend offering in conjunction with university partners and regional resources
This two and one-half day course will explore key concepts and skills presented in various earth science, life science and physical science strands. Participants will be shuttled to the sites of various regional resources (museums, nature centers and outdoor education sites) throughout the Pittsburgh area, working with scientists and educators to enhance content knowledge, and relate what they have learned to the classroom environment. Focus will be on utilizing the full potential of these invaluable regional institutions.

Regional Resources Institute: Science Goes to Work
15 Hour Institute; summer or weekend offering in conjunction with university partners and regional resources
This two and one-half day course will explore key concepts and skills presented in various earth science, life science and physical science strands. Participants will be shuttled to the sites of industry and government facilities where they can see the concepts and skills explored in their science modules applied to the real world. Teachers will interact with scientists and educators to enhance their content knowledge, and relate what they have learned to the classroom environment.

Science Institutes: Special Offerings
15 Hour Institutes; summer or weekend offering in conjunction with university partners
Throughout the year, special two-day Institutes will be offered to deeply explore topics and skills studied in one or several FOSS, STC, Insights, SEPUP and STC-MS modules. Detailed descriptions of these unique Institutes, offered in conjunction with local colleges, universities, industry and regional resources, will be available with each quarterly schedule. This Institute will be conducted in conjunction with various colleges, regional resources and at partner sites; consult our webpage or the latest printed schedule for specific locations and program topics.