PD for teachers

This session will engage participants in learning about using aspects of the Building Thinking Classrooms framework, while integrating preparation for standardized Tests including: the SAT, the ACT, and the NJGPA.  The facilitator will provide resources such as topic-aligned standardized test practice questions, and exploration of how to effectively integrate this prep into an already tightly packed curriculum.

We described/defined various climate emotions and offered strategies for students and teachers on how to manage those feelings. We help teachers and students identify feelings, normalize the feelings, and give examples of youth advocating for climate justice.

FYI: This PD is only open to New Jersey Public School Teachers and is sponsored by the NJDOE Climate Change Grant allowing for there to be no charge for the PD. Stipends are available for NJ Public School Teachers at $50 an hour for non-contractual hours, or sub-pay is available for contractual hours at $62.50 for a half day and $125 for a full day.

This extended session explores how Math-ics practices—focusing on structure, reasoning, and sense-making—can be used to strengthen students’ problem-solving abilities. Teachers will examine the role of numberless word problems and other abstraction-first strategies that temporarily remove numerical detail so students can focus on relationships, patterns, and the underlying structure of a task. By working through open-ended problems, analyzing student thinking, and discussing approaches that promote perseverance, educators will consider how to design learning experiences that build grit, deepen understanding, and support clear justification of reasoning.

In this four-hour workshop, teachers will engage in a series of hands-on Math-ics activities designed to help students move beyond answer-getting and into genuine mathematical thinking. Together, we will examine numberless word problems, structure-focused prompts, and open-ended tasks that center reasoning and strategic decision-making. Participants will have time to collaborate, test out task variations, and examine classroom examples to understand how these approaches foster persistence, flexible thinking, and strong mathematical communication. By the end of the session, each teacher will leave with a practical, classroom-ready implementation plan outlining how to integrate these strategies into upcoming units, routines, and assessments.

In this session we will look at ways to incorporate ideas from Peter Liljedahl's "Building Thinking Classrooms" for your 6th-12th class in math.  This session is for teachers with little to no experience or knowledge about "Building Thinking Classrooms" and attendees will come away with ideas for incorporation into their own classes.  

We will cover basic concepts, definitions and known and potential impacts of environmental and social injustices on human/public health in the context of recent extreme weather events and natural disasters connected to climate change. Topics will cover a brief history of EJ in the U.S. early 1980s-2020s; issues with quality of air, water, soil/sediment, and the location and clean-up status of Superfund or abandoned hazardous waste sites (State of NJ has most among U.S. states).

FYI: 6th-12th grade Teachers
This PD is only open to New Jersey Public School Teachers and is sponsored by the NJDOE Climate Change Grant allowing for there to be no charge for the PD. Stipends are available for NJ Public School Teachers at $50 an hour for non-contractual hours, or sub-pay is available for contractual hours at $62.50 for a half day and $125 for a full day.

Past, present, future, New Jersey's waterways were and are vital to our existence, especially as our climate changes. Using a watershed perspective, this workshop will share a problem-based and place-based case study designed to connect students in grades 3-8 with their local waterways and foster our next generation of watershed stewards. We will use a special case study: “The Mystery of the Missing American Glass Eels,” which includes the interpretation of maps and other tools that connect student understanding of change to their local landscape over time.

FYI: 3rd - 8th grade Teachers

*Please note that we recommend signing up for the 1:00 pm February 26th PD as well, but attendance at both is not required to attend both.

This PD is only open to New Jersey Public School Teachers and is sponsored by the NJDOE Climate Change Grant allowing for there to be no charge for the PD. Stipends are available for NJ Public School Teachers at $50 an hour for non-contractual hours, or sub-pay is available for contractual hours at $62.50 for a half day and $125 for a full day.

Design thinking is a way of thinking (philosophy, mindset) and working, as well as a collection of hands-on methods. Design Thinking is not an exclusive property of designers—all great innovators in literature, art, music, science, engineering, and business have practiced it. Whether you work in business, government, education, or nonprofit, design thinking can help you develop innovative solutions based on the needs of your customers and students. In this workshop you will learn about design thinking skills, habits of mind, ways of thinking, being reflective about how we think, and common language for design thinking in STEAM. You will be immersed in hands-on-minds-on activities that will help you unlock your creative potential. The workshop will cover  Engineering Habits of Mind, Brainstorming, Engineering Notebooks, Sketching and Drawing, Assessing PBLs.

Eels are a bellwether species, a species whose presence, absence, or health provides clues about the health of an ecosystem or environment. Join us in the field as we search for the elusive eels and learn about tools to evaluate the health of freshwater stream habitats. This site visit will include observation of current solutions in place to support eel populations in our local waters, including artificial eel habitat (an “eel mop”) and the “Bandit,” New Jersey’s first mechanical in-stream litter collection device.

FYI: 3rd - 8th grade Teachers

*Please note that we recommend signing up for the 9:00 am February 26th PD as well, but attendance at both is not required to attend both.

This PD is only open to New Jersey Public School Teachers and is sponsored by the NJDOE Climate Change Grant allowing for there to be no charge for the PD. Stipends are available for NJ Public School Teachers at $50 an hour for non-contractual hours, or sub-pay is available for contractual hours at $62.50 for a half day and $125 for a full day.

Past, present, future, New Jersey's waterways were and are vital to our existence, especially as our climate changes. Using a watershed perspective, this workshop will share a problem-based and place-based case study designed to connect students in grades 3-8 with their local waterways and foster our next generation of watershed stewards. We will use a special case study: “The Mystery of the Missing American Glass Eels,” which includes the interpretation of maps and other tools that connect student understanding of change to their local landscape over time.

FYI: 6th - 12th grade Teachers

*Please note that we recommend signing up for the 1:00 pm March 5th PD as well, but attendance at both is not required to attend both.

This PD is only open to New Jersey Public School Teachers and is sponsored by the NJDOE Climate Change Grant allowing for there to be no charge for the PD. Stipends are available for NJ Public School Teachers at $50 an hour for non-contractual hours, or sub-pay is available for contractual hours at $62.50 for a half day and $125 for a full day.

In this session we will look at ways to incorporate ideas from Peter Liljedahl's "Building Thinking Classrooms" for your K-5 class in math.  This session is for teachers with little to no experience or knowledge about "Building Thinking Classrooms" and attendees will come away with ideas for incorporation into their own classes.  

Eels are a bellwether species, a species whose presence, absence, or health provides clues about the health of an ecosystem or environment. Join us in the field as we search for the elusive eels and learn about tools to evaluate the health of freshwater stream habitats. This site visit will include observation of current solutions in place to support eel populations in our local waters, including artificial eel habitat (an “eel mop”) and the “Bandit,” New Jersey’s first mechanical in-stream litter collection device.

FYI: 6th - 12th grade Teachers

*Please note that we recommend signing up for the 9:00 am March 5th PD as well, but attendance at both is not required to attend both.

This PD is only open to New Jersey Public School Teachers and is sponsored by the NJDOE Climate Change Grant allowing for there to be no charge for the PD. Stipends are available for NJ Public School Teachers at $50 an hour for non-contractual hours, or sub-pay is available for contractual hours at $62.50 for a half day and $125 for a full day.

Learn how bird and amphibian populations are changing due to climate change, and how to bring citizen science projects into your classroom to study wildlife with your students. With activities that are adaptable for any grade level and discipline, we will share a few mini lessons, lots of background information, and have plenty of time for brainstorming and collaboration. Educators will have the opportunity to learn about NJ wildlife, explore a variety of habitats, and adapt lessons to their community. Part of this workshop will take place outdoors so please dress for the weather!

FYI: This PD is only open to New Jersey Public School Teachers and is sponsored by the NJDOE Climate Change Grant allowing for there to be no charge for the PD. Stipends are available for NJ Public School Teachers at $50 an hour for non-contractual hours, or sub-pay is available for contractual hours at $62.50 for a half day and $125 for a full day.

Come one, come all! A dance workshop for ALL content areas! This session will focus on the latest New Jersey climate change standards, and how you can use movement as the key to bring them to life in your classroom through arts strategies, arts enhancement, and arts integration. You will walk away with a reinvigorated approach to your teaching and lesson ideas you can implement immediately.

FYI: This PD is only open to New Jersey Public School Teachers and is sponsored by the NJDOE Climate Change Grant allowing for there to be no charge for the PD. Stipends are available for NJ Public School Teachers at $50 an hour for non-contractual hours, or sub-pay is available for contractual hours at $62.50 for a half day and $125 for a full day.

In this session we will look at how to engage elementary students in fractional reasoning with attention to creating a positive environment around fractions.  We will look at how to introduce fractional concepts with attention to meaning and visuals before procedures, rules, and symbols.  This session will also serve as a great way to brush up on fraction operations and fraction understanding for the elementary school teacher.

This session will explore integrating productive struggle into math in grades 3-8.  We will engage in content tasks, discuss features of effective implementation of productive struggle tasks, and discuss what works in an ideal math class incorporating productive struggle in learning.  Attendees will learn about the value of integrating productive struggle into their lessons and the effective placement of these tasks within a lesson.  Takeaways will include activities and tasks that can be used in the classroom.

This session will explore integrating productive struggle into Algebra 1, Algebra 2, and Pre-calculus classes through open-ended collaborative tasks.  Attendees will learn about the value of integrating productive struggle into their lessons and the effective placement of these tasks within a lesson.  Takeaways will include activities and tasks that can be used in the classroom.

In this session we will look at how to engage elementary students in fractional reasoning with attention to creating a positive environment around fractions.  We will look at how to introduce fractional concepts with attention to meaning and visuals before procedures, rules, and symbols.  This session will also serve as a great way to brush up on fraction operations and fraction understanding for the elementary school teacher.