BSCS Science Learning now offers several professional learning programs to support the effective implementation of BSCS Biology: Understanding for Life. For districts that do not have enough teachers to justify bringing BSCS Biology professional learning to their site, we offer Tuition-based Teacher Institutes with the same content as our District-based Teacher Institutes.
We have two virtual Tuition-based Teacher Institutes scheduled this summer.
Upcoming Institutes
BSCS invites individuals or small groups from your school or district to attend one of our two-day, virtual institutes. A minimum of five attendees is required to host these institutes.
Virtual Institute Dates:
- June 17-18, 2024
- July 29-30, 2024
Focused on Unit 1, the two-day program supports teachers in understanding the Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model, the role of the Anchor lesson, and the literacy and sensemaking strategies to support student learning.
Institute Goals:
- Deepen understanding of three-dimensional, phenomenon/problem-driven teaching and learning as described in the NGSS.
- Deepen understanding of the Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model used in BSCS Biology.
- Increase ability to apply knowledge of equitable teaching and learning in classroom practice to support student construction of a coherent science content storyline.
- Experience Anchored Inquiry Learning lessons and enhance understanding of literacy, emerging multilingual learner (EML), and sensemaking strategies embedded in the curriculum.
- Build community and a common vision for BSCS Biology.
Who Should Participate?
Teachers who:
- plan to pilot and/or adopt BSCS Biology
- work in a small or remote district that cannot justify a professional learning program dedicated to their teachers
School/District leaders who:
- are currently considering piloting and/or adopting BSCS Biology
- wish to support teachers in successfully piloting and/or implementing BSCS Biology
What are the Benefits?
- Discover the impact that BSCS Biology is having on teachers and students across the country–and the impact it can have on teachers and students in your school and district.
- Engage in a powerful professional learning Institute designed to maximize your confidence and success in implementing BSCS Biology.
- Join and build community with BSCS Biology users across the country.
What are the Costs?
Two-day Institute:
- Tuition for the two-day Institute is $500 for the first teacher from a district/school and $400 for each additional teacher.
How do I Participate?
Next steps:
- Save your spot by completing this application.
- Guarantee your spot by paying the registration in full by May 17, 2024 (for June 17, 2024 institute) or June 28, 2024 (for July 28, 2024 institute).
BSCS will confirm by May 18 (for June 17 institute) and June 29 (for July 28 institute) whether we have enough participants to proceed with the institute. Full refunds will be issued if BSCS cancels the institute due to low enrollment.
Welcome to BSCS Biology!
Alejandro Lopez says BSCS Biology: Understanding for Life is the best investment his district has ever made in science. As a leader in Compton Unified School District, he’s walked through high school biology classrooms and personally seen a significant change in the way teachers and students are engaging in science. He attributes this change to BSCS Biology’s instructional materials and professional learning (PL) support.
Alejandro isn’t alone. He’s surrounded by a growing community of educators across the country who agree BSCS Biology is exciting and powerful. Experts agree—including the great folks at EdReports who reviewed BSCS Biology and gave it All-Green Ratings, based on the program’s outstanding quality and usability. So get excited. Your district or school has made an amazing decision to adopt BSCS Biology. And you are now part of a community of educators who are going to change the way high school biology students learn and use science throughout their lives!
How to Maximize the Impact of BSCS Biology
Step one is adopting the best program for high school biology programs.
Step two is preparing to implement this program effectively.
We designed this program with teacher support in mind. It is critical to prepare teachers for the exciting journey they’re about to take. We want teachers to feel as confident and effective as possible in their first year of teaching BSCS Biology.
That’s why we highly recommend setting high school teachers up for optimal success with professional learning. BSCS’s robust professional learning program will prepare teachers to smoothly transition to BSCS Biology and maximize their impact in the classroom.
It’s always a challenge to teach a new program for the first time. BSCS Biology is no exception. It’s challenging because it is also a new type of program, designed to give students a sense of agency to engage in, figure out, and apply science in meaningful ways beyond the classroom. This is not a traditional high school biology program. And that means it requires a non-traditional teaching approach.
We’ll explore this approach together in professional learning.
What to Expect from Professional Learning
Our Focus
BSCS Biology professional learning helps teachers develop an understanding of the program’s goals, new Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model, and resources. As teachers dive deep into the program, their own content and pedagogical knowledge will deepen. And they’ll be ready to completely change what biology teaching and learning looks like in their classrooms.
BSCS is working with districts and schools all over the country in varying capacities to prepare teachers for the effective implementation of BSCS Biology. All of our PL programs achieve the following goals to different degrees:
- Deepen understanding of three-dimensional, phenomenon/problem-driven teaching and learning as described in the NGSS.
- Deepen understanding of the Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model.
- Increase ability to apply knowledge of equitable teaching and learning in classroom practice to support student construction of a coherent science content storyline.
- Experience Anchored Inquiry Learning lessons and enhance understanding of literacy, emerging multilingual learner (EML), and sensemaking strategies embedded in the curriculum.
- Build community and a common vision for BSCS Biology: Understanding for Life.
BSCS Biology teacher professional learning in Compton, California.
Pathways for Professional Learning
BSCS will work with your district or school to identify the ideal pathway for professional learning. We offer in-person and online PL formats for 2-day (introductory), 5-day (standard), and 7-day (extended) intensive sessions. Sample pricing is shown below for in-person PL for up to 25 participants. Please contact us for other PL formats, number of participants, or pathways.
| Time Commitment | Experience | Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introductory Pathway | 2 days | Focused on Unit 1, the 2-day program supports teachers in understanding the Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model, the role of the Anchor lesson, and the literacy and sensemaking strategies to support student learning. | $10,500 |
| Standard Pathway | 5 days | Building on the 2-day program, the 5-day program adds three days, each day focused on the unit phenomenon or problem and storyline. Teachers deepen their understanding of the AIL instructional model Investigate, Synthesize, and Gap Analysis lessons. The role of formative and summative assessment in student learning is investigated. | $25,000 |
| Extended Pathway | 7 days | The 7-day program builds on the 5-day program with an additional day each for Units 2 and 3. Teachers deepen their understanding of the role of the Culminating Task lesson in developing student agency, consider the role of the program’s assessment system in effective lesson planning and support of equitable student learning. | $32,000 |
Additional Opportunities for Professional Learning
Tuition-based Professional Learning Opportunities +
In addition to the pathways for districts described above, BSCS offers scheduled Teacher Professional Learning Institutes that individual or small groups of teachers can enroll in on a space-available basis. These programs are generally offered in a virtual format, but we will add in-person institutes when there is sufficient demand in a particular region. These opportunities are designed as a support for districts that do not have enough teachers to justify a program dedicated to their teachers. The design of the tuition-based institutes is the same as the 2-day and 5-day programs described above. Tuition for the 2-day program is $500 for the first teacher from a district/school and $400 for each additional teacher. Tuition for the 5-day program is $1,000 for the first teacher from a district and $800 for each additional teacher.
District/School Leader Professional Learning Programs +
To help school and district leaders in supporting their high school teachers in effective and sustained implementation of BSCS Biology after the conclusion of the Teacher Professional Learning Program, we offer leadership professional learning for school and district leaders. This program will prepare leaders as they lead professional learning communities, coach, and onboard new teachers to support them in planning, teaching, and analyzing student work. This program is offered concurrently with the Teacher Professional Learning Program. In addition to deepening understanding of the Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model and the program resources, leaders will deepen their understanding of Curriculum-Based Professional Learning, systems of support for effective science teaching and learning, and change management.
Districts interested in conducting a Leader Professional Learning Program should contact BSCS for pricing and logistical information.
Professional Learning Facilitator Institute +
BSCS offers a Facilitator Institute to prepare teacher leaders and others to lead BSCS Biology professional learning for teachers. The goals of the Facilitator Institute include:
- Understand the design of BSCS Biology and of the professional learning program supporting its implementation.
- Increase abilities to make decisions when planning, leading, and reflecting on BSCS Biology professional learning aligned with the program philosophy, goals, and curricula.
- Enhance abilities to establish and grow a community of learners focused on the implementation of BSCS Biology.
- Deepen understanding of the change process and increase abilities to support high school teachers as they implement BSCS Biology.
The program consists of an in-person institute and virtual follow-up sessions. Participants who successfully complete the program are eligible to be certified as BSCS BIology PL facilitators. Certified facilitators gain access to BSCS Science Learning’s proprietary facilitation guides, slides, and additional resources for BSCS Biology professional learning.
What Educators Are Saying
There’s no shortage of inspiring stories about BSCS Biology from the classroom. But some of our favorite stories are about teachers. Because they are the ones showing up to professional learning, and working hard behind the scenes to curate the most meaningful experiences for their students.
STeLLA Online: A Highly Successful Video-based Professional Learning Model in an Online Environment
Calling all Elementary Teachers! BSCS Science Learning is seeking interested upper elementary science teachers for the STeLLA® Online program.
STeLLA Online supports teachers in learning to use effective teaching strategies through a video-based lesson analysis approach.
Upper-elementary science teachers can choose between three STeLLA Online pathways. Each pathway equips teachers with a deep understanding of STeLLA’s highly effective teaching strategies and gives teachers an opportunity to practice analyzing videos to identify their impact on student engagement and learning. All teachers will also have an opportunity to conduct work synchronously and asynchronously within their professional learning communities (PLCs).
BSCS Science Learning is conducting a National Science Foundation-funded study exploring whether learning about the multifactorial causes of human variation reduces racial bias among middle and high school biology students. We are looking for interested teachers to participate in the study. We will prepare teachers for this study through a free five-day summer institute.
About the Study
As a participant, you would teach your standard curriculum on molecular genetics for a week. Afterwards, over the following four weeks, your students would learn about Mendelian genetics and multifactorial genetics in different orders. In half of your classrooms you would teach Mendelian genetics and then multifactorial genetics. In the other half you would teach multifactorial genetics and then Mendelian genetics. The BSCS research team will explore how these units affect students’ quantitative reasoning in biology and their knowledge of genetics, and whether this learning, in turn causes reductions in cognitive forms of racial prejudice. For more on our work, visit Towards a More Humane Genetics Education.
About the Summer Institute
Participating teachers would attend a free five-day summer institute at BSCS Science Learning in Colorado Springs, Colorado to learn about how to use these genetics instructional materials to teach genetics to reduce racial bias. BSCS will pay for all lodging, food, and travel for participating teachers. Also, BSCS can pay districts up to $300 dollars per participating teacher to cover the costs of a substitute if needed. We will select a total of twenty teachers for the study. Preference will be given to teachers who:
- Can provide BSCS with a letter of support from their principal confirming that they support their teacher’s participation in the study provided their school district approves of the study.
- Can attend the five-day institute during the summer (dates TBD) at BSCS Science Learning in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
- Teach at least four sections of biology at the same grade and level (e.g. all introductory biology, or all honors, or all AP, or all sheltered).
- Are interested in participating in the research in upcoming school years.
- Are committed to carrying out this study with diligence, which means meeting all deadlines, managing paper work, and paying careful attention to study details.
- Are interested in learning how to teach for social justice in biology education.
BSCS Science Learning offers a free professional learning (PL) opportunity with our Invitations to Inquiry with FieldScope lesson materials, which get students working with real-world data from citizen science projects using FieldScope.
Invitations to Inquiry with FieldScope are 2–4 class period environmental science instructional materials that provide educators and students an initial experience with asking and answering questions by analyzing environmental community and citizen science (CCS) data. They are also designed to support educators and students in sensemaking using scientific data, making progress toward the NGSS practices of analyzing and interpreting data and constructing explanations.
Details
The current opportunity for PL is an online, self-paced course and is free and open to any educators interested in community and citizen science and/or using data in your classrooms or informal settings.
This course will take approximately 3–4 hours to complete. Please sign up so we can keep a record of who completes the course.
FAQs
Which topics do the materials cover?
Check out all 12 Invitations to Inquiry with FieldScope.
What is FieldScope?
FieldScope is BSCS Science Learning’s platform for citizen and community science projects. With FieldScope’s interactive platform, organizers of field studies can leverage sophisticated graphing and mapping visualization tools and resources to enhance their existing and planned citizen science projects.
Calling all high school science teachers!
We are looking for high school science teachers to take part in a second cohort of the F2 research study. The goal of the study is to investigate how in-depth teacher professional learning in combination with a high-quality curriculum module and online mentoring by plant scientists can improve student outcomes and understanding of photosynthesis and cellular respiration.
This research study is based around the award-winning PlantingScience Power of Sunlight module. This study also builds on a successful previous study that resulted in significant improvements in student outcomes.
Participating teachers will receive an honorarium.
The application deadline was January 14, 2024.
FAQs
What is the F2: The Next Generation of the Digging Deeper study?
F2: The Next Generation of the Digging Deeper study is a research study funded by the National Science Foundation. The grant was awarded to the Botanical Society of America (BSA), BSCS Science Learning (BSCS), and the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS).
F2 builds on a previous grant, Digging Deeper. Digging Deeper was a successful study that investigated the effects of quality curriculum, in depth professional learning, and mentoring by professional scientists to improve student outcomes in content achievement and attitudes about scientists. The F2 study is a study to ensure that the positive outcomes of Digging Deeper can be replicated. In addition, F2 adds a new component. This study will compare an in-person professional learning experience with an online format, which could be more sustainable. The design of the study is as a randomized control trial, the most rigorous type of design for educational research.
Who is doing the research study?
This research study, as was with the previous Digging Deeper study, is a collaboration among three organizations. The Botanical Society of America is the professional organization of botanists and plant scientists. BSCS Science Learning is a nonprofit organization that is a recognized leader in science education including instructional materials, professional learning, and science education research. Researchers at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs bring extensive experience in designing, conducting, and analyzing educational research studies.
What are the benefits of participation?
- All teachers will receive professional learning. Teachers in the treatment groups will receive the professional learning experience either through an in-person format or an online format during the first year of the study. Teachers assigned to the control group will take part in online professional learning during the second year of the study.
- Students of teachers who participate in the study will benefit from experiencing a high-quality curriculum that includes authentic independent research projects and collaboration with scientist mentors.
- BSA will provide some supplies for teaching the Power of Sunlight module in participating classrooms.
- Teachers who participate in the study will receive a stipend of $1,400 paid in installments if they complete the two-year study.
Who is eligible to participate in the study?
- We are looking for US high school teachers who teach biology or life science. Other related classes, including environmental science, honors biology, or AP biology are also eligible. (If you have a question about eligibility, please do not hesitate to contact us with your questions.)
- Teachers who took part in the earlier Digging Deeper research project are not eligible.
- Teachers who have previously taught the PlantingScience Power of Sunlight module are not eligible.
What is the PlantingScience Power of Sunlight module?
- The PlantingScience Power of Sunlight module is an online module focusing on photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Students begin the module with guided investigations and work toward a culminating activity in which they design and conduct an independent investigation. Throughout the module, students communicate with their scientist mentors online for help and feedback.
- We anticipate that teachers will spend the equivalent of approximately two weeks with the Power of Sunlight module. However, this will not be “full-time.” For example, on some days students will spend an entire class period on investigations and discussions. On other days, students may spend approximately 15 minutes checking in with their mentors online followed by other activities of your choice. Days of instruction do not need to be consecutive.
If I am selected to participate in the study, what are my duties and responsibilities?
If you are selected for the study, you will be assigned randomly to one of three groups. The responsibilities are somewhat different for each group, as specified below.
- Treatment group 1: In-person professional learning. Teachers in this group will
- Attend a 5-day in-person professional learning experience at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, Missouri the week of June 24th, 2024.
- Disseminate and collect assent and consent forms from students and parents for participation in the research study.
- Teach the Power of Sunlight module to their class during the fall 2024 semester.
- Complete brief (approximately 5-minute) surveys to document their instruction each day while teaching the module.
- Administer pre-surveys and post-surveys to students.
- Complete end-of-unit teacher surveys.
- Treatment group 2: Online professional learning. Teachers in this group will
- Participate in approximately 36 hours of online professional learning. This will take place from July 8-July 19, 2024. The professional learning will include facilitated large group sessions held on Monday/Wednesday/Friday as well as non-facilitated small group sessions and independent work taking place between the scheduled large group sessions.
- Disseminate and collect consent and assent forms from students and parents for participation in the research study.
- Teach the Power of Sunlight module to their class during the fall, 2024 semester.
- Complete brief (approximately 5-minute) surveys to document their instruction each day while teaching the module.
- Administer pre-surveys and post-surveys to students.
- Complete end-of-unit teacher surveys.
- Control group: Business-as-usual. Teachers in this group will
- Disseminate and collect consent and assent forms from students and parents for participation in the research study.
- Teach their usual curriculum materials on photosynthesis and cellular respiration to their class during the fall, 2024 semester. Teachers will be provided with a list of scientific concepts that they should address in their lessons.
- Complete brief (approximately 5-minute) daily surveys to document their instruction each day while teaching the module.
- Administer pre-surveys and post-surveys to students.
- Complete end-of-unit teacher surveys.
- During the summer of 2025, teachers will take part in online professional learning.
Summary of Timeline for the 3 Study Groups
| summer 2024 | fall 2024 | summer 2025 | |
| Treatment Group 1 | in-person Professional Learning June 24-28 | Teach PlantingScience Power of Sunlight module | no scheduled activities |
| Treatment Group 2 | Online Professional Learning July 8-19 | Teach PlantingScience Power of Sunlight module | no scheduled activities |
| Treatment Group 3 | no scheduled activities | Teach your usual lessons about photosynthesis and cellular respiration | Online Professional Learning |
Note
This is designed to be a two-year study. However, we realize it can be difficult to complete this requirement due to a variety of circumstances. For this reason, we prioritize participation during the first year. If participants are not sure if they would be able to complete the second year, we would still encourage them to apply and take part in the first year of the study. Payment of the honorarium is phased and linked to completion of the tasks and responsibilities of the study as described above. Participants who complete all the requirements of study year will receive up to $1,400.
Who do I contact if I have questions?
If you have questions about the research study or the application process, please contact
Jenine Cotton-Proby
Science Educator
BSCS Science Learning
[email protected]
This study is in partnership with Botanical Society of America (BSA) and University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS).
