The Hitchcock Center offers professional development courses to schools and districts throughout the Pioneer Valley. All the courses are hands-on, engaging, practical, and aligned with the Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Curriculum Framework Standards. Courses will be arranged according to the schedule and needs of the schools and are presented either at your location or at our center.

Each course meets the requirement for 10 hours of Professional Development. The 10 hours typically include 3 sessions plus a home assignment, but this may be tailored to your needs. Ten PDPs are awarded for a completed course.

Course Fee: $175 per hour.

PLEASE NOTE: All of the courses listed may also be presented as a one session/three hour workshop. Call for more information.

“The Hitchcock Center staff possesses enormous knowledge of science with a contagious enthusiasm and commitment for teaching about science and the environment. The professional development offered by the Hitchcock Center staff provides classroom teachers with specific strategies, background knowledge and, most importantly, inspiration to address the MA science standards in a way that is meaningful and engaging for their students. Teachers invariably come away from the workshops energized and inspired to create meaningful science learning experiences for their students. The Hitchcock Center is a tremendous resource to educators throughout the Valley -- truly a gem.”
~ Louise Law, Director of Elementary Education Union #38 School District

For more information or to arrange a course, contact Micky McKinley, Director of Professional Development, at (413) 256-6006 or mckinley@hitchcockcenter.org.

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ENERGY INVESTIGATIONS

This workshop will provide teachers of grades 5 through 8 with a exciting and very accessible 8 to 10 lesson unit on energy. We will trace energy sources from the sun to natural resources through our use of these resources and the impacts of our use. Energy forms, energy transformations and energy chains will become very relevant as we use hands-on materials to generate energy. Renewable and non-renewable energy will be compared using the Universal Systems Model. This model from the Technology/Engineering Standards will be used as an indispensable tool for understand energy using Systems Thinking.

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USING TRADE BOOKS, NOTEBOOKS AND JOURNALS: CONNECTING SCIENCE AND LITERATURE

One of the biggest challenges teachers face every day is how to cover their required curricula. One solution is to combine content from different disciplines into integrated units. This workshop models such an integrated approach, using children’s fiction and non-fiction books to teach science. Participants will learn how to select appropriate books -- those that teach both science content and science skills. Along with children’s literature, participants will learn to use science notebooks as tools for writing, data collecting, recording and communicating. Teachers will keep their own science journals and practice their own writing, sketching and observation skills. Grade Levels: 1-6

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USING YOUR SCHOOLYARD AND SCHOOLYARD GARDENS TO TEACH SCIENCE

The grounds outside our schools are often overlooked in curriculum planning. However, the habitats and ecology surrounding our schools offer rich and varied opportunities for study that are within reach of most students. Teachers will participate in a wide range of activities appropriate to most school grounds in our area. Engaging and innovative activities for life, physical and earth sciences will be included. We will also provide information about creating a school garden, and help teachers develop a plan for maintaining and using it with students. Challenges of teaching outdoors will be addressed and teachers will leave with a repertoire of outdoor activities to enrich their curricula and excite their students. Grade Levels: K-6.

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FUNDAMENTALS OF SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

Learning the process of scientific inquiry is fun and intuitive. This workshop will help teachers develop a deeper understanding of the inquiry process through creative, hands-on investigations and experiments. Teachers will learn the steps of the process, carry out their own original scientific inquiries, and present their findings to their colleagues. Knowledge gained will lead toward the development of effective, grade-appropriate classroom investigations. Discussion will center on how to provide experimental settings for students that engage them in the creative process of scientific inquiry and enable them to progress toward mastery of the scientific method. Grade Levels: 1-6.

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TEACHING THE ENGINEERING DESIGN PROCESS

The Engineering Design process is becoming increasingly important in MCAS test questions at both the 5th and 8th grade levels. This process can be made extremely appealing to students because of its creative and hands-on nature. In this workshop teachers will review the steps of the process. Building on this understanding, teachers will engage in designing inventions to meet a need or solve a problem. Elements of sustainable design will be woven into the process. As the designs unfold we will discuss classroom applications and approaches. Upon completion of this training teachers will be prepared to lead their classes through the process, and have fun too! A variety of curriculum resources will be provided. Grade Levels: 4-6.

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MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS: THE GEOLOGY OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER VALLEY

Our region of the Connecticut Valley provides famous examples of geologic landforms created by important Earth processes: volcanism, earthquakes, glacial ice sheets, fossils, river erosion and others. As part of the course we will take a hike up Mount Holyoke at Skinner State Park to view evidence and clues of how these processes have formed the Valley that we see today. Readings, videos, content lectures and hands-on activities will give teachers a clear framework around which to organize information from the field. Columnar Basalt, Arkose, Strike and Dip, Glacial Striations -- we’ll see all of these in the field and learn what they mean. Teachers will leave with an assortment of grade-level appropriate classroom activities to address Massachusetts Earth Science Standards for grades 3-5 and 6-8. And you will be prepared to lead your class on this field trip yourself! This trip will involve some light hiking, from the Halfway House to the summit of Mount Holyoke, approximately 1.5 miles. Grade Levels: 3-6.

• Vernal Pools by Elizabeth Colburn
• Place-Based Education: Connecting Classrooms & Communities by David Sobel
• Mammals of the Eastern U.S. by John Whitaker, Jr.
• Nature All Year Long by Clare Walker Leslie

To schedule a tour of the Resource Center, call Micky McKinley, Resource Center Coordinator.

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PARTNERSHIPS AND GRANTS

We offer grant writing assistance and program partnership opportunities to strengthen your environmental education program. For more information, call Julie Johnson, Executive Director. Would you like to start a Citizen Science or Schoolyard Habitat project at your school? Call Jennifer Wiest and see how you can engage your students in active scientific research and investigation. We specialize in early childhood development and provide technical assistance to kindergarten and preschool teachers. For more information, call Colleen Kelley.

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ABOUT OUR EDUCATION STAFF

Five Hitchcock Center educators represent more than 80 years of experience in science and environmental education. Each brings incredible passion, strength and diversity to our educational programs.