K-12 Science Standards

Professional Growth

Preparing to Implement PA STEELS K-12 Science Standards

To better prepare the science educators in your school district for implementing the shifts in science instruction entailed in the PA STEELS standards, the AIU's Math & Science Collaborative has constructed possible paths for your district to follow as you shift from “learning about” to “figuring out” as the normative culture in K-12 science classrooms.

K-12 Science Standards flowchart
1. Make the case for moving from "learning about" to "Figuring out" 2. Create a plan for shifts in science teaching & learning 3. Implement the plan for shifts toward phenomenon-based, 3-D science teaching 4. Sustain the implementation of shifts in science teaching & learning

The graphic above provides an overview of the phases your district should follow for a successful implementation of the K-12 science standards within the PA STEELS standards. Below, you will find more details for each of the four phases of science standards implementation. Each tab links to relevant science engagement opportunities for professional learning geared toward that phase. This information is also available as a PDF flowchart. Please contact Dr. Corinne Murawski with any questions.

Phase 1: Make the case

K-12 Science Standards flowchart. Step 1 highlighted.
1. Make the case for moving from "learning about" to "Figuring out" 2. Create a plan for shifts in science teaching & learning 3. Implement the plan for shifts toward phenomenon-based, 3-D science teaching 4. Sustain the implementation of shifts in science teaching & learning

During this first phase of moving towards implementing the PA STEELS K-12 science standards, science educators will become familiar with and experience the shifts entailed in moving from “learning about” to “figuring out” in science classrooms.

2024-25 School Year

Click tabs below to explore Phase 1 science offerings by category.

Phase 2: Create a plan

K-12 Science Standards flowchart. Step 2 highlighted.
1. Make the case for moving from "learning about" to "Figuring out" 2. Create a plan for shifts in science teaching & learning 3. Implement the plan for shifts toward phenomenon-based, 3-D science teaching 4. Sustain the implementation of shifts in science teaching & learning

During this second phase, science leaders embark on the planning process for the strategic implementation of phenomenon-based, three-dimensional science instruction in their school or district that is aligned with the K-12 science standards in the PA STEELS standards.

2024-25 School Year

Please note that some following offerings have important prerequisites for participation.

Science Leadership Group

Join other science leaders from Allegheny County school districts every other month to collaboratively learn and grow around science instructional leadership. Open to any science leader who has participated in at least one of the opportunities in Phase 1: Make the Case. The AIU's Math & Science Collaborative encourages school districts to have at least one representative participate in this group.

The AIU Science Leadership Group will continue the work we began together in 2022-23 when we engaged in the Framework Book Study.  Extend the collaborative work we’ve begun as learners, leaders, and colleagues!

  • Price: Free to all AIU educators
  • Audience: Science leaders/educators who participated in the Framework Book Study during the 2022-23 school year and/or explicit and implicit school or district science leaders who participated in previously offered science institutes.
  • 2024-25 Meeting Dates:
    Oct. 28, Dec. 16, Feb. 10 at the AIU from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
    March 27 at NSTA National Conference in Philadelphia, PA at specific location TBD.
Register for 2024-25

Planning for Professional Learning around Science Standards: Strategically Building Capacity for Sustained Practice

Designed for a small team of three to six individuals from each school district, this is a two-day training opportunity to plan for science professional learning in your district.

  • Price: $1,200 per district team
  • Audience: A district team of three to six science leaders including at least one administrator. See Important Prerequisites.
  • Important Prerequisites: At least one administrator on your team must have already attended the administrator-specific science leadership experience in Phase 1: Make the Case, and all other team members must have already attended at least one science institute or science immersion experience in the initial phase.
  • Spring 2025 Meeting Dates: April 7-8, 2025
Register for Spring 2025

Science Institutes: Course 2

Are you ready to learn more about pedagogy and assessment aligned to STEELS? Join us for these new Year 2 Science Institutes!

Join us for a newly designed, in-person science professional learning offering from the Math & Science Collaborative at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit! The Course 2 Science Institutes are designed for educators who have already attended one of the three-day Course 1 Science Institutes (e.g., K-2 STEM, Grades 3-5 Science, Elementary Science/STEM,  Secondary Physical Science, Secondary Life Science, Secondary Sciences). This new professional learning opportunity is perfect for science educators who are ready to dig deeply into the classroom culture, pedagogical practices, and assessment practices aligned to science teaching and learning with the PA STEELS standards. Don't miss out on this free opportunity to learn more about teaching science for the next generation.

Secondary Sciences Institute: Course 2

Administrators are encouraged to attend with the teacher(s) from their district/building.

Act 48 hours will be awarded pending approval by PDE for those who attend all sessions and complete all related assignments.

  • Price:
    AIU member districts: Free
    Non-member districts: $450
  • Audience: Any secondary science (middle or high school) educators who previously attended either the Secondary Physical or Life Science Institute from AIU MSC
  • Spring 2025 Meeting Dates: Jan. 30, Feb. 27, March 13, 2025 with an optional fourth day on April 9, 2025
  • Location: Allegheny Intermediate Unit, 475 E. Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA 15120
Register

Elementary Sciences Institute: Course 2

Administrators are encouraged to attend with the teacher(s) from their district/building.

Act 48 hours will be awarded pending approval by PDE for those who attend all sessions and complete all related assignments.

  • Price:
    AIU member districts: Free
    Non-member districts: $450
  • Audience: Any K-5 Science, Engineering, or STEM educators who previously attended either the K-2 STEM Institute or the Grade 3-5 Science Institute from AIU MSC
  • Spring 2025 Meeting Dates: Jan. 16, Feb. 11, March 10, April 9
    Location: Allegheny Intermediate Unit, 475 E. Waterfront Drive, Homestead, PA 15120
Register

Phase 3: Implement the plan

K-12 Science Standards flowchart. Step 3 highlighted.
1. Make the case for moving from "learning about" to "Figuring out" 2. Create a plan for shifts in science teaching & learning 3. Implement the plan for shifts toward phenomenon-based, 3-D science teaching 4. Sustain the implementation of shifts in science teaching & learning

2024-25 School Year

FOR DISTRICT TEAMS

Guided Review of Potential High Quality Instructional Materials

Designed for teams of four to six individuals who have already completed at least one Phase 1: Make the Case engagement opportunity and preferably have participated as a team in the Phase 2 offering of Planning for Professional Learning around Science Standards: Strategically Building Capacity for Sustained Practice: Work directly with the science coordinators from the Allegheny Intermediate Unit Math & Science Collaborative (AIU MSC) to vet potential High Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) for science. Reach out to Kristen and Corinne at kristen.rice@aiu3.net and corinne.murawski@aiu3.net to get started!

Learning to vet science instructional materials with NextGenToolkit for Instructional Materials Evaluation (TIME)

Learn how to effectively evaluate and select science instructional materials claiming to be STEELS or NGSS-aligned using NextGen Tools for Instructional Materials Evaluation (TIME).

Who: Science Leadership Teams from school districts in and around Allegheny Intermediate Unit. It is strongly recommended that you and your team have previously engaged in the "Planning Strategically for Science Professional Learning" professional learning offering in June 2023, April, 2024 or September, 2024. (If this is not the case, please reach out to corinne.murawski@aiu3.net or kristen.rice@aiu3.net to discuss other appropriate preparatory professional learning for you and your team.)

Where: Allegheny Intermediate Unit; 475 E. Waterfront Dr.; Homestead, PA 15120

Price: Free to science leadership teams from school districts who attended the Planning Strategically for Science Professional Learning in June 2023, April 2024, or September, 2024.

What: During this two-day professional learning offering, you and your district science leadership team will learn how to use three of the five tools in the NextGen Toolkit for Instructional Materials Evaluation (TIME) suite. More specifically, we will engage with the Prepare, Prescreen, and Paperscreen tools using an exemplar unit.

Expect that by the conclusion of the two-day professional learning offering, you and your district colleagues will be equipped to use the NextGen TIME pre- and paperscreening tools to review and vet science instructional materials for their quality and alignment with PA STEELS to better decide which materials you will move forward into a pilot phase.

Don't miss out on this opportunity to improve your science curriculum!

Winter-Spring 2025 Dates: March 4-5, 2025 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Register for Spring 2025

Strategic Communication of Vision

Inform the community of your district’s undertaking during a parent, caregiver, and/or community information session. Work with AIU MSC science coordinators to design and implement strategies for best communicating the district’s vision for shifting towards more “figuring out” in K-12 science classrooms. Reach out to Kristen and Corinne at kristen.rice@aiu3.net and corinne.murawski@aiu3.net to get started!

Caregiver Communication About Science

If your districts is ready to design and implement a session to inform parents and caregivers about the shifts in science instruction in your districts, team with the MSC Science Coordinators to get assistance in doing just that!  Reach out to Kristen and Corinne at kristen.rice@aiu3.net and corinne.murawski@aiu3.net to get started!

Sharpen Content-Specific Knowledge

Enroll in a 1-2 day streamlined content-specific course to sharpen your knowledge; courses will begin in either Spring 2024 or Summer 2024.

Vocabulary Acquisition in Science

Coming in Fall 2025 -- in collaboration with the AIU Reading Achievement Center. More info to come!

Phase 4: Sustain the implementation

K-12 Science Standards flowchart. Step 4 highlighted.
1. Make the case for moving from "learning about" to "Figuring out" 2. Create a plan for shifts in science teaching & learning 3. Implement the plan for shifts toward phenomenon-based, 3-D science teaching 4. Sustain the implementation of shifts in science teaching & learning

2024-2025 School Year

Get support from the Math & Science Collaborative to continue your district's implementation of the STEELS science standards via your district's science curricular materials.

Please contact Dr. Corinne Murawski or Kristen Rice directly regarding these opportunities. Depending upon funding, there may be a fee for this service.

MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS & ADMINISTRATORS

OpenSciEd Middle School Curriculum Launch

More details coming soon. Please contact Dr. Corinne Murawski or Kristen Rice directly regarding this opportunity. Depending upon funding, there may be a fee for this service.

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS & ADMINISTRATORS

OpenSciEd High School Curriculum Launch

More details coming soon. Please contact Dr. Corinne Murawski or Kristen Rice directly regarding this opportunity. Depending upon funding, there may be a fee for this service.

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