PD for teachers

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.

In this one-day intensive, math educators will dive into the practical moves that transform classrooms into spaces where students do the thinking. Through engaging tasks and live modeling, participants will explore structures that maximize student work time, strengthen collaboration, and build productive struggle into every lesson. Teachers will experience what it feels like to step back while students step up—discovering how to increase the minutes of meaningful math each day. By the end of the day, you’ll walk away with routines, strategies, and ready-to-use tools that shift your classroom from teacher-driven to student-powered.

CMSCE is excited to be a certified Professional Learning Provider for OpenSciEd. We will be offering a 2-day OpenSciEd launch workshop in-person. Teachers will be provided with unit-specific content and pedagogy required to teach the award-winning curriculum effectively. The Middle School & High School workshop will take place December 3rd & 4th. The workshop will take place at Rutgers from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm EST.

FYI: Will run Dec. 3rd & 4th

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.

Student safety is a primary concern for teachers as schools race to incorporate more hands-on projects across the curriculum, K-12, in response to standards requirements including NJ’s Design Thinking Standard (NJSLS 8.2) and the addition of Engineering to Earth/Space, Life and Physical Science (NGSS).  Additionally, "makerspaces" of varying shapes and sizes are quickly being adopted as a regular part of programming.  Whether you are an elementary teacher using hot glue guns with students for the first time, or you are a secondary teacher tasked with developing a safety/emergency plan for a new STEM course or robotics club, you want to ensure that you are following best practices for safety pedagogy and putting the necessary systems in place to protect you and your students. Personal Safety, Emergency/Lab Safety, and specific Tool/Machine Safety will be addressed in terms of curriculum, instruction and assessment, including demonstration lessons; and all participants will leave with a shared folder of turn-key resources that can be used in the classroom (e.g., safety contracts, sample assessments, and equipment lists)

This professional development session is designed for K–5 administrators, supervisors, instructional coaches, and science leaders to gain a comprehensive overview of the Newly Released OpenSciEd Elementary Science Units. Participants will explore how these research-based, phenomenon-driven units align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and support three-dimensional teaching and learning in the elementary classroom. 

The session will highlight the structure of the units, key instructional routines, and the ways in which they foster sensemaking, equity, and student engagement in science. Leaders will leave with a clear understanding of the instructional shifts required, strategies for supporting teachers in implementation, and resources for planning professional learning in their own schools or districts.

A Standards-Aligned Approach to Integrating Informational Text in Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies (6-12)

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.

This professional development session is designed for K–5 administrators, supervisors, instructional coaches, and science leaders to gain a comprehensive overview of the Newly Released OpenSciEd Elementary Science Units. Participants will explore how these research-based, phenomenon-driven units align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and support three-dimensional teaching and learning in the elementary classroom. 

The session will highlight the structure of the units, key instructional routines, and the ways in which they foster sensemaking, equity, and student engagement in science. Leaders will leave with a clear understanding of the instructional shifts required, strategies for supporting teachers in implementation, and resources for planning professional learning in their own schools or districts.

FYI: Virtual from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm EST

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.

Join us for a hands-on professional development session focused on integrating NJ ADAPT—a suite of data visualization and mapping tools developed by Rutgers University—into your classroom instruction. Using NJ Climate Change Education Standards as a framework, participants will collaborate to create climate- and data-based lessons that foster student engagement and real-world learning.

This in-person session will kick off the lesson design process, followed by a virtual follow-up meeting in January to share progress and refine ideas. We encourage participants to bring a colleague to co-develop lessons and exchange feedback. Rutgers faculty and staff will be available throughout the session to provide guidance and technical support in using NJ ADAPT effectively.

FYI: 3rd-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.

Student safety is a primary concern for teachers as schools race to incorporate more hands-on projects across the curriculum, K-12, in response to standards requirements including NJ’s Design Thinking Standard (NJSLS 8.2) and the addition of Engineering to Earth/Space, Life and Physical Science (NGSS).  Additionally, "makerspaces" of varying shapes and sizes are quickly being adopted as a regular part of programming.  Whether you are an elementary teacher using hot glue guns with students for the first time, or you are a secondary teacher tasked with developing a safety/emergency plan for a new STEM course or robotics club, you want to ensure that you are following best practices for safety pedagogy and putting the necessary systems in place to protect you and your students. Personal Safety, Emergency/Lab Safety, and specific Tool/Machine Safety will be addressed in terms of curriculum, instruction and assessment, including demonstration lessons; and all participants will leave with a shared folder of turn-key resources that can be used in the classroom (e.g., safety contracts, sample assessments, and equipment lists)

A cross-disciplinary approach to deepen understanding of real-world issues, like climate change, through informational text, while meeting literacy standards in science, social studies, and language arts.

FYI: K-5th 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.

CMSCE is proud to be a certified Professional Learning Provider for OpenSciEd and is excited to offer a 2-day launch workshop on the brand-new Elementary OpenSciEd units! This highly interactive professional development experience will immerse teachers in both the unit-specific content and the instructional approaches that make OpenSciEd an award-winning, research-based curriculum. Participants will be introduced to the powerful instructional routines that spark curiosity and engagement in young learners! They will have the opportunity to explore the pedagogy behind the materials, engage in the student experience, and leave prepared to bring high-quality, phenomenon-driven science learning into their classrooms.

The Elementary OpenSciEd Launch Workshop will be held in person at Rutgers University on January 21–22, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm each day. Join us to deepen your practice, connect with colleagues, and gain the tools you need to successfully implement these innovative new units with your students.

FYI: 2-day PD will run on January 21-22, 2026.
A 3rd day will be offered for implementation strategies on January 23, 2026. You can register for the 3rd day here - https://ce-catalog.rutgers.edu/coursedisplay.cfm?schID=96137

This two-part intensive will immerse math educators in practical strategies to transform classrooms into spaces where students do the heavy lifting of learning. Participants will explore how to design lessons that spark curiosity, maximize student work time, and encourage productive struggle—so students stay engaged, focused, and invested. Through hands-on activities, teachers will experience what it feels like to “lose track of time” in meaningful problem solving and will leave with ready-to-use routines that shift the balance from teacher talk to student thinking. Expect to walk away with concrete moves that revolutionize your classroom culture and immediately boost engagement in mathematics.  

FYI: 2 Day PD: Day 1 January 21, 2026 & Day 2 February 18, 2026

This additional day focuses on helping all involved in supporting the implementation of OpenSciEd for their school district to develop a clear plan for launching and sustaining the coherent adoption of OpenSciEd. We will begin with reflections from Days 1 and 2, centering on an equitable vision for science education and planning for professional learning. Then we will shift to curriculum implementation, drafting district-specific plans, and engaging in cross-team discussions to refine their ideas. Participants will also have the opportunity to collaborate during community sharing, working to revise and strengthen their implementation strategies. We will share best practices from Open Sci Ed for coaching teachers as they implement.

FYI: This day is to support the 2-day launch we are running January 21 & 22 for OpenSciEd Elementary.

This two-day intensive adapts the principles of “building thinking classrooms” for science and the humanities. Educators will learn how to design inquiry-rich lessons where students are the primary readers, writers, experimenters, and makers of meaning. With strategies that maximize student work minutes, build productive struggle, and create conditions for flow, participants will leave with practical routines that shift the focus from teacher talk to student engagement.The result: classrooms where curiosity, collaboration, and authentic thinking drive learning.   

FYI: 2 Day PD: Day 1 January 23, 2026 & Day 2 February 20, 2026

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. We will include 3-4 interactive activities, using brief 1-2 pages fact sheets/supplemental readings and videos/movie trailers (~3-7 minutes long each) plus Mentimeter polling/word clouds, which teachers could use or modify for use with minors and adults (students and other teachers and staff or even parents) at their districts/schools. 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: K-5th 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.

How climate change impacts birds and migration in New Jersey and how students can make a difference.

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 session will explore current career and college math skills necessary for success, with a heavy emphasis on data analysis and statistics.  It will focus on integrating data analysis into Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 classes to fit with the curriculum.  The session will focus on project-based learning in this context, and connecting the data analysis and statistics to the content in class, including linear, quadratic, and exponential regression, normal curves, spreadsheet skills, sampling, and experiments/observations.

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.

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.  

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.

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.  

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.