bit.ly/sdusdscience

The Unified Science Department is requesting completion of this anonymous survey to gather information on the science instruction and professional learning needs across the district. The goal is to identify needed support as well as help plan a summer offering for educators.

Click here to complete this quick survey

The Unified Science Team has partnered with Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institute of Oceanography to develop some really cool ocean and climate science lessons that are ready for use in your high school science classes! Check them out here.

Explore San Diego County's diverse ecosystems and rich biodiversity. Increase your knowledge in watershed and climate literacy. Engage with local natural phenomenon.

Inquiry Includes:

• 18 hours of training in environmental literacy over six Saturdays
• 18 hours of professional learning connection to content instruction on three Wednesdays
• $600 stipend and substitute reimbursement for school days
• Hands-on teaching techniques connected to complex science concepts
• Outdoor learning experiences that can be used with students and on the schoolyard
• Elementary appropriate resources and lessons with a lens of environmental literacy

Apply online

Application deadline: May 1, 2025

✔ Expanding STEM connections in our curriculum

✔ Integrating arts and social-emotional learning (SEL)
✔ Providing structured, scaffolded lessons
✔ Offering pathways to high-paying, in-demand STEM careers ($70K-$85K starting salaries, many requiring only a two-year degree)

Why Educators Should Apply - Apply Here

• $1,000-$3,000 stipend for participation
• Pre-written, NGSS & CASEL-aligned 5E lessonsPocketLab Voyager sensors (valued at $2,000)
• Career connections through guest speakers & industry professionals
• Free access to the X-STEM Workshop for students & teachers

Program Details

• Open to 7th-12th grade educators
• Application deadline: May 3, 2024
• Only 8 lessons per semester (focus on career exploration, which is key for DOD grant funding)
• Attend two kickoff meetings (Fall & Spring)
• Bring 30-90 students to the X-STEM Workshop

We're thrilled to share some exciting news from the Amplify Science PD team. They've just launched complimentary, 15-minute asynchronous microlearning courses designed specifically with you in mind! These bite-sized courses are perfect for busy educators like yourself, offering practical strategies you can start using in your classroom right away. It's a fantastic opportunity to elevate your teaching practice without a huge time commitment. Here is a list of upcoming microlearning courses! These resources are available to all science educators in the PD Library.

Empower California's Future! Grade K-12 educators and paraprofessionals, learn this summer how to bring accessible, equitable computer science education to your students by participating in a Summer of CS workshop. The Summer of CS is a seasonal offering of the Seasons of CS program. Participants will be given tools and a network of support for fostering the next generation of critical thinkers and problem solvers in our increasingly digitized world. Stipends will be offered!

Registration is now open for regional workshops for K-5 educators happening in June. Registration will open soon for the state-wide event for Grade 6-12 educators being hosted in Anaheim, CA, June 23-27, 2025.

The University of San Diego (USD) Climate Changemakers Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) is a year-long program that engages in-service and pre-service teachers in becoming leaders in climate-change education. Teacher-scholars that are selected for the program get guidance and mentorship from USD faculty to:

1. Conduct research during the summer on local climate challenges in either water, waste or energy.

2. Translate their research experience into engaging NGSS-based lessons for middle-school-aged students, refining them throughout the academic year.

3. Engage in a community of practice and collaborate with other teacher-scholars to promote climate-change education within their schools & districts.

We welcome in-service middle school STEM teachers from districts in San Diego county and pre-service teachers currently enrolled in a teacher preparation program. Pre-service teacher applicants should be pursuing credentials to teach a STEM subject at the middle school level, preferably in San Diego County.

We are seeking 10 teachers for our 2025/2026 cohort, and encourage interested persons to apply soon, or reach out to the program leadership team for follow-up questions at: USD_CCRET@sandiego.edu

Link to application form: https://bit.ly/USD_CCRET_APP

Visit the FAQ page: bit.ly/USD_CCRET_FAQ, for responses to common questions about eligibility, program structure and timelines

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.

• April 15, 2025
• June 3, 2025

Register

The California Legislature has been considering making computer science a mandated offering and maybe even a graduation requirement. Are we prepared for that eventuality?

Wishing you could be a computer science teacher? The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) can help! SDCOE has applied and been provisionally accepted for the Computer Science Supplemental Authorization Grant (CS-SAIG). This program offers coursework at UCSD to attain your Supplemental Authorization (SA) at no cost to you or your district. The high-quality coursework is completely online and asynchronous. Further, quarterly cohort gatherings will offer more support and extra learning opportunities which will compensate you for your extra time. Letters of commitment from teachers and a site administrator are required.

A cohort opened to everyone will start in July. There are 35 total slots available. Priority acceptance will be given to rural schools, schools with a high unduplicated pupil percentage, and schools which do not currently offer computer science. More questions? Look over this FAQ document. This is an excellent opportunity for any subject teachers with a deep interest in digital technologies, but especially good for current teachers of Math or Science. Express your interest by filling out this interest form.

This opportunity is a product of the California Mathematics-Science-Computer Science grant.

Meet enthusiastic teachers from across Southern California, engage with science experts, and identify culturally relevant phenomena that highlight environmental justice issues and can be explored with data during classroom instruction.

This multi-day virtual professional learning series will focus on leveraging environmental and data literacy within science to highlight environmental justice issues.

Audience: Grade 6-12 teachers

Sign up.

A stipend of $1,000 will be available to teachers who participate in all of the professional learning sessions and activities, as well as show evidence of classroom implementation.

This one-day workshop will focus on environmental literacy in science and how to use your campus as an outdoor classroom. Identify local environmental phenomena and get tips on connecting with community partners. Learn from experts in the field and collaborate with other classroom educators.

Audience: Elementary teachers and environmental educators

Sign up for the event.

*Substitute costs will be reimbursed

High school students are invited to apply for the Summer 2025 session of the Mission Trails Regional Park Eco Ambassadors program, taking place June 16-20.

• Explore environmental careers
• Hands-on learning experience
• Learn about local ecosystems
• Hear from conservation experts

The free program is limited to 20 students. Apply by April 13.

Did you find a great curriculum resource? Participated in a great research opportunity? Do you enjoy reading one of the books we offered teachers? Had a great PLC or PD meeting that you want to recommend for other teachers?

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 !

I have a new theory on inertia, but it doesn't seem to be gaining momentum.