SD Unified Science
March 2025
Unified Science sparks curiosity and creativity, empowering the next generation to enact change in our local and global communities.
Physics Science Bite: Atmospheric Rivers
"When it rains, it pours"
From interpreting visualized weather data regarding extreme rain events and drought to creating a โcloud in a bottleโ, fortify student understanding of atmospheric rivers as a local phenomenon and connect this to human adaptations in the region.
Chemistry Science Bite: Evapotranspiration
"Plants stay chill during extreme heat"
Through data visualization with ArcGIS and plant sample investigations, discover how plants cool themselves and their environments, then connect this insight to urban planning for climate change.
ATTN 4th Grade Teachers!
Elevating Engineering with Multilingual Learners (EEMLs) is looking for 4th grade teachers who are interested in bringing engaging engineering learning to their students โ and earning a $2000 stipend โ for participating in this innovative project!. Join WestEd and the Boston Museum of Science as we learn how to strengthen engineering instruction for students who are multilingual learners through teacher professional learning.
- Use this link to complete a professional learning interest form!
- If you are not interested in professional learning, but would like to join as a comparison teacher, you could earn up to $600 for continuing with your regular NGSS instruction and completing some research activities (e.g., surveys). If this is of interest to you, please fill out this comparison teacher interest form.
- Teachers will receive a 3 day workshop July 29-31 and will participate in six follow-up learning communities throughout the 2025-26 school year. Teachers will receive up to a $2000 stipend for their time spent learning and completing research activities (e.g., surveys and sharing student work
- Please reach out to Meghan Macias (mmacias2@wested.org) with any questions!
2025 Teacher Workshops in Conservation Science - Application Now Open!
It is that time of the year again! As an alum, we would love your help in sharing the word about our 2025 Workshops application. We welcome applications from:
Formal and informal educators who work with 6-12th grade audiences
Non-science teachers applying with science teacher partners
Alumni who attended during or prior to 2019 are eligible to apply. Please keep in mind spots for alumni are incredibly limited. Alternatively, any alum interested in returning can opt to register with professional development funds.
The deadline to apply is April 6th. If applying with a team, each educator is responsible for their own application.
Climate Webinar Series
The Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) and the Institute for the Study of Knowledge Management in Education (ISKME) are partnering to bring together climate researchers, K-12 educators, and climate literacy resources to build a community of leaders to collaborate in a webinar series in March and April.
Each session will be 90 minutes and will include:
- Nationally renowned climate expert guest speakers;
- an introduction to climate literacy;
- standard-aligned teaching resource collections;
- and collaborative time to explore the resources.
Guest speakers and topics will include:
March 3rd- Where Americans are at on climate change
Anthony Leiserowitz, Director, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
March 19th โ The state of climate science in the United States
Rajul Pandya, Executive Director and Professor of Practice, Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, Arizona State University
April 1st โ Climate adaptation and mitigation
Xavier Cortada, Artist
Adam Roberti, Executive Director, Cortada Foundation
April 14th โ Hope and transformative climate action
Katherine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist, The Nature Conservancy
Participants will have access to resource sets, teaching supports, and a collaborative community for further engagement.
We hope that you will share this webinar series and flier with your science colleagues and encourage them to register for some or all of the webinars. More details can be found in the registration form.
โThe Watershed Connections - Reducing Pollution and Protecting San Diego Bayโ
This free program, teaches students about the connection between water and land as well as common storm pollutants through an in person interactive model. In partnership with the Port of San Diego, the presentation is designed to build student awareness of their environment and the important water quality issues we face in San Diego County. Our one-hour program is available for grades 2nd through 6th with a slight variety of learning material depending on age. This program supports Next Generation Science Standards and the CA Science Standards. This opportunity is also available in Spanish.
If you would like to reserve a specific date and time for your school, please use this link to schedule each class's presentation and fill out and email back the attached reservation form. Please include 15 minutes between presentation times to accommodate for set up, passing out materials, and cleaning the model. We would love to have the opportunity to share this interactive learning tool with your students! Please do keep in mind that this program is funding dependent; reservations are on a first come, first served basis. We are able to accommodate up to three presentations on one day. Weโre currently booking for Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
Gardening Community of Practice
School gardens are often a labor of love for educators and families. Join the San Diego School Gardens Community of Practice to connect with school garden experts, volunteers, and educators from across the county regularly during the 2024-2025 school year.
We will share best practices, discuss strategies to overcome challenges, celebrate the successes of school gardens in San Diego, and work together to help develop a network of school garden opportunities for students.
Meetings will be on Zoom during 2024. You are welcome to attend every meeting of the CoP, or join us for the dates that fit in your schedule.
- March 4, 2025
- April 15, 2025
- June 3, 2025
Scholarship Opportunity - Current Seniors
The Council of the Great City Schools is accepting applications for the 2025 CGCS-Bernard Harris Scholarship Program. Four scholarships for two males and two females --- $5,000 each --- will be awarded to two African American and two Hispanic students on behalf of the former NASA astronaut, physician and businessman, Dr. Bernard Harris. Applicants must be currently completing their senior year of high school in a member district of the Council of the Great City Schools and be accepted for full-time enrollment at a four-year college or university in the next academic year and pursuing a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM). Flyer | Application Guidelines | Application DEADLINE TO APPLY IS MARCH 31, 2025
OpenSciEd - New Elementary Units Released
Did you know that OpenSciEd is developing Elementary Science units? Each grade level (K-5) has two units released, with two more on the way soon. Secondary educators need not feel left out! Middle School and High School units are already available!
We want to hear your recommendations and share them with other science teachers!
If you have a favorite curriculum, reading, activity, or PLC plan that you want to recommend to other teachers we want to capture a short (1-3 minutes) video of you describing it and share it with other unified science teachers!
Email tlerner@sandi.net and one of us will come to visit you and record a short clip !
