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Science Workshops
We are excited to announce our professional development offerings! Click the titles to find a description and registration information. For more information about any of these workshops, e-mail us at science@esc4.net.
Region 4 is going virtual this summer to keep everyone safe and socially distanced. We'll be providing professional development via Zoom. Presenters will email participants with a link to join the session prior to the training session.
Beginners, Enders & In-Betweeners in the Science Classroom
Grade Levels: 3-12
Science is an epic story and a great science lesson is a chapter that can keep kids on the edge of their seats. What can a science teacher do to make the story of science a best seller and memorable for years to come? Discover ways to begin the story by getting students’ attention and setting them up to be successful. Learn strategies to wrap up a lesson to make it memorable and meaningful. Fill the in-between time with engaging activities, checks for understanding, and ways to make learning personal and purposeful. Session Details
STAAR® Review to Go, Grade 5
Grade Level: 5
Explore portable science activities to review science concepts assessed on STAAR® Science Gr 5. Participants will receive materials to create a set of review activities from each volume of STAAR® Review to Go, Grade 5.
Keeping the End in Mind: Mapping Rigorous Instruction for All
Grade Levels: K-12, Science Leadership
In this session, we will be creating content objectives, exit tickets, and lesson plans to the rigor of STAAR®. Enhance classroom instruction by applying backward design and the 5E Model, while connecting science concepts and processes. Session Details
Visual Literacy in Science
Grade Levels: 6-12
Did you know that an average of 70% of the items on STAAR® require students to analyze graphics? Discover ways to support students as they navigate the world of charts, graphs, maps and infographics in science. Participants will analyze different types of graphics, including examples from STAAR® released items, and implement strategies to guide all types of learners through the process of representing data in multiple ways. Provide your students with tools to solve problems, dissect unfamiliar information, and think like a scientist.
Support Your Students with Supplemental Aids—Science and Mathematics
Grade Levels: 3-12
Allowable memory retrieval supports, such as graphic organizers and mnemonic devices, can make all the difference on STAAR® for eligible students. Effective use of these supplemental aids requires collaboration among special programs, assessment, and content area representatives. Structured practice and peer feedback will build capacity and help to achieve a cohesive plan for the use of supplemental aids. Teachers will take away their own examples of faded supports and leaders will leave with an implementation and communication plan starter kit! Session Details
Developing Scientific Explanations in Secondary Science
Grade Levels: 6-12
Discover instructional strategies to support science literacy and meaningful discourse in secondary science classes. Explore a Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) task to develop and write scientific explanations, and communicate and evaluate scientific explanations during rebuttal (argumentation). Learn how to develop your own CER tasks. Session Details
Curriculum Mapping in Science
Grade Levels: K-12, Science Leadership
Learn how to guide curriculum teams in the development of scope and sequence documents that inform and pace instruction. Gain a deeper understanding of the TEKS and how to effectively align curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Session Details
Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners:
Supporting Language Development in Science
Grade Levels: 3-12, Instructional Coaches
Experience research-based content strategies designed to support a language rich environment in the science classroom. Join us as we build a tool box of linguistic accommodations that will help ELs at all proficiency levels understand science concepts while supporting academic language development for all students. Explored strategies will further enable participants to effectively facilitate inquiry science, motivate students, enhance the overall classroom climate and can easily be implemented the next day! Session Details
Break Out! Creating Digital Escape Games
Grade Levels: K-12
Learn how to use free online tools to create digital escape games that challenge students to apply what they have learned and support the development of creativity, critical thinking, communication & collaboration skills. Session Details
Accountable Talk in Science
Grade Levels: 6-12
Twenty-first century jobs demand workers that are skilled collaborators and communicators. In order to prepare students for college and career readiness, Science teachers must begin creating a classroom culture that supports shared inquiry, encourages deep thinking and reflection, invites respectful dialogue, and increases student autonomy. This requires Science teachers to make a paradigm shift from being the gate-keepers of knowledge to facilitators of learning. During this session teachers will simulate various accountable talk protocols, as well as discuss scaffolds necessary for implementation. Join us as we discuss ways to use cooperative discussions to help our students move pass surface learning and take a deeper dive into the Science content. Session Details
Region 4 Science provides curriculum, instruction, and assessment tools developed to increase student achievement through engaging activities, targeted intervention, and an expert eye on what teachers need to impact student learning. Region 4 Science is dedicated to providing quality, affordable resources to classroom teachers and school districts to help positively impact student results. Whether your need is prevention, intervention, acceleration, formative assessment, or supporting depth in content retention, we offer teacher friendly, easy-to-use resources that cover all core instructional content areas and are designed to impact students across the wide range of instructional settings. Our products are designed to meet your instructional needs. To purchase, visit our online store at region4store.com.
Developed by Content-Area Experts with Classroom Experience
Region 4 education specialists draw upon extensive research and experience as teachers and campus leaders to provide teacher friendly and student-focused solutions for real classroom settings.
Embodied by Research-Based Methodologies and Practices
Region 4 instructional resources are rooted in research-based methods that yield student success. Region 4 resources foster opportunities for students to actively participate in learning and integrate knowledge into real-world understanding.
Driven by Needs from Educators
Content-specific leadership networks, customer surveys, and open communication with educators provide Region 4 with essential feedback to develop instructional solutions that address specific educator needs.
Aligned to State Standards
Region 4 instructional resources are aligned to state standards such as Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®).
For product information and questions, e-mail us at science@esc4.net.