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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.
Break Out! Creating Digital Escape Games (Online)
Grade Levels: Grades 3-12
A good escape room challenges players to think critically and creatively while working together to solve puzzles within a time limit. 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, and collaboration skills. Participants are encouraged to bring their own device to this technology-based session!
Bring Student Achievement to Life! Using Formative Assessment for Student Success in Biology
Grade Levels: Biology
“Does everyone understand?” Venture beyond blanket questions and explore a fertile field of formative assessment and debrief strategies that can reveal student thinking in biology. Engage in well-planned formative assessments that diagnose and monitor student understanding to foster the growth and development of student achievement on the STAAR Biology EOC Exam. Examine the characteristics of effective, differentiated formative assessment and leave with classroom-ready examples. Learn more and register here.
Implementing Virtual Science Investigations (Online)
Grade Levels: K-12
How can we provide opportunities for students to engage in science practices in a remote environment or in a socially-distanced classroom? Participate in a virtual science investigation, and explore different formats, tools, and resources that can be used to implement virtual science investigations with students.
The Power of Language Objectives: Getting Our English Learners to Read, Write, Listen and Speak in the Secondary Science Classroom
4-Part Virtual Workshop, beginning October 8, 2020
Grade Levels: Secondary
Engage your English Learners with purposefully planned language objectives that ensure everyone is listening, writing, reading, and speaking. Learn how to identify and craft language objectives that maximize content comprehension. Explore instructional strategies and techniques that help ELs at all proficiency levels build and express their conceptual understanding while supporting academic language development for all students. Participants will walk away with newly acquired strategies on how to effectively develop and support new language contained within a science lesson.
- October 8, 15, 22, 29, 2020 | Option #1 (3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
- October 8, 15, 22, 29, 2020 | Option #2 (6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.)
Change Management in Science (Online)
Grade Levels: Science Leadership and Instructional Coaches
Participants will learn research-based, strategic approaches in planning for leading and supporting staff when change is necessary and difficult. Science leaders that lead new initiatives, begin new programs or simply change current thinking will experience specific change management strategies that can be immediately implemented. Learn more and register here.
For more information, watch this overview video from the presenting specialist, Jennifer Wellman!
Do Your Science Students Speak Mathematics? (Virtual)
October 15, 2020
Explore ways to help students acquire mathematical academic language and reasoning skills in science. Experience and practice selected mathematical language routines developed by Understanding Language/SCALE at Stanford University. Embedded practice and immediate feedback within a science context will prepare participants for seamless implementation of the routines into current instructional plans. Learn more and register here.
Developing Scientific Explanations in Secondary Science (Online)
Grade Levels: Secondary
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. Learn more and register here.
Making Content Comprehensible for English Learners: Supporting Language Development in Science
Grade Levels: Secondary
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! Learn more and register here.
STAAR Review to Go for Biology (Volumes 1 and 2) Online
October 21, 2020
Explore portable science activities to review science concepts assessed on STAAR Biology. Participants will receive materials to create a set of review activities used in the session; one copy each of STAAR Review to Go Biology, Volumes 1 and 2; and one license for digital access to each book. Learn more and register here.
Instructional Coaching to Foster Teacher Success
Grade Levels: Science Leadership and Instructional Coaches
Examine research and explore strategies to better understand the characteristics of an effective instructional coach. Learn strategies designed to build collaborative relationships, facilitate professional learning, foster growth and promote reflective thinking through instructional coaching. Learn more and register here.
Support Your Students with Supplemental Aids (Online)
Grade Levels: Science and Mathematics, Grades 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. Create supplemental synergy in your district or campus with this practical and collaborative session that helps answer the following questions about supplemental aids: Who’s eligible? What’s allowable? When and how do you monitor them? Where can you use them in a lesson? Why are they an essential assessment tool for eligible students? 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! Learn more and register here.
Incorporating Interactive Notebooks in the Science Classroom
Grade Levels: 3-12
Inject new life into your instruction with interactive notebooks. Discover ways to help students in a diverse classroom build literacy skills, background knowledge, and develop ownership of learning. Spark student discourse, teach concepts, and improve problem-solving skills. Identify best practices that provide ways for implementation, management, and assessment of interactive notebooks in a science classroom. Participants will receive a copy of Gateways to Science Companion Guide: Interactive Notebooks at this make-and-take session. Learn more and register here.
Integrating Instructional Technology in Science
October 29, 2020
Grade Levels: 3-12
Explore web-based and app-based tools that can be integrated into the science classroom. Interact with science content through technology, and learn how to use these tools to create interactive science lessons. Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptop or tablet.
For your convenience, two sessions will be offered on October 29 - choose the one that best fits your schedule!
- Morning Session (8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.)
- Evening Session (4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.)
Literacy in Science
Grade Levels: 3-12
Do your students struggle when you ask them to read or write in your science classroom? Participate in research based literacy strategies designed to promote reading and writing in the science classroom. Newly gained skills and strategies can make an immediate impact towards closing achievement gaps in classrooms on campuses requiring improvement. Participants will receive a copy of Gateways to Science Companion Guide: Literacy. Learn more and register here.
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.