Elementary Professional Learning
The resources provided here were developed in partnership with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) as part of the Massachusetts OpenSciEd Field Test. For more information about the field test, please visit the MA DESE OpenSciEd webpage.
This google folder - MA OpenSciEd Elementary PL - includes professional learning resources for the OpenSciEd elementary curriculum units organized into four rounds.
This section contains Curriculum-Based Professional Learning (CBPL) resources that will support schools and districts as they prepare teachers and other building-based staff to implement the OpenSciEd elementary curriculum.
There are several approaches to delivering high-quality CBPL experiences to educators. This brief provides insights and suggestions from Massachusetts districts that participated in the OpenSciEd field test for how effective CBPL could look.
OpenSciEd Unit 1 Launch - Professional Learning Materials
In partnership with OpenSciEd and the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), we developed Grade Band Group OpenSciEd Elementary Unit 1 Professional Learning. The purpose of this PL is to provide schools/districts with learning experiences, resources, and support toward the development of in-district capacity for the successful implementation of science high quality instructional materials (HQIM), like OpenSciEd Elementary.
The Grade Band Group PL provides participants with the opportunity to experience a unit together, called the common experience, as well as the opportunity to dig into specific grade level units. Participants develop a deep understanding of the OpenSciEd instructional model, routines, and procedures as they explore multiple units.
This PL structure allows schools and districts to provide professional learning to multiple teachers in different grades at once while limiting the needed number of facilitators. It also allows teachers to gain experience with more than one unit, which can be beneficial should teachers need to change grade level teaching assignments.
The Grade Band Group option is designed to be delivered in 2-hour chunks, or sessions, of time in order to provides flexibility in delivery. There are 6 sessions altogether which makes 12 total hours of time.
Delivery Examples:
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3 sessions per day over the course of 2 days (6 hours per day)
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2 sessions per day over the course of 3 days (4 hours per day)
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1 session each week over the course of 6 weeks (2 hours per week)
OpenSciEd Units 2, 3 and 4 - Professional Learning Materials
This Unit 2 Professional Learning Workshop is a 6 hour event designed in three 2 hour segments. It can be used all in one day or split over three sessions. The PL focuses on supporting teachers in developing an understanding of the OpenSciEd equity design principles in terms of both within the curriculum and teacher enactment. In addition, the PL introduces teachers to the .2 OpenSciEd elementary units.
This Unit 3 Professional Learning Workshop is a 6 hour event designed in three 2 hour segments. It can be used all in one day or split over three sessions. The PL focuses on supporting teachers in planning for teaching OpenSciEd considering the flow of the entire storyline, the goals of the lessons and the needs of their students. In addition, the PL introduces teachers to the .3 OpenSciEd elementary units.
This Unit 4 Professional Learning Workshop is a 6 hour event designed in three 2 hour segments. It can be used all in one day or split over three sessions. The PL focuses on supporting teachers in customizing the OpenSciEd materials for their specific students and considering how small changes can support student engagement and sensemaking. In addition, the PL introduces teachers to the .4 OpenSciEd elementary units.
Find elementary implementation resources using the link below: