In order for Grant Wood AEA's FOSS trainings to be sustainable, a minimum of 12 registrants per FOSS session are now required to be able to offer this important in-person kit training.
A new, market rate course fee will also be implemented for the 2024-25 school year. FOSS training will now cost $120 per participant. Consider requesting funds from your local PTO and/or school foundation to cover registration costs for science educators.
The one-day workshops allow teachers to build confidence and competency implementing FOSS curriculum materials utilizing science best practices that benefit all students.
Note, Grant Wood AEA science consultants picked early August FOSS training dates to offset the need for substitute teachers. Below are further details about our new FOSS workshop format to share with both new and experienced FOSS teachers:
New FOSS Workshop Format! We have updated our FOSS training format for the 24-25 school year to allow more educators (new to FOSS or experienced with FOSS) access to explore and plan for their first unit kit.
Attendees can now participate in grade-level band training sessions (K-2, 3-5 and 6-8) with hands-on training for each unit kit. This digital flier can provide further information, please pass it along to those who may be interested.
Grades K-2 FOSS Science Best Practices & One Unit Exploration
- July 31, 2024 and/or August 5, 2024
Grades 3-5 FOSS Science Best Practices & One Unit Exploration
- August 1, 2024 and/or August 12, 2024
Grades 6-8 FOSS Science Best Practices & One Unit Exploration
- August 2, 2024 and/or August 14, 2024
Workshop Description:
Teachers will explore the hands-on kit materials, curriculum planning guides, and other resources as they create lesson plans to use with their students.
- In the morning session, science best practices will be highlighted along with accessing ThinkLink digital resources that accompany the FOSS kits.
- For new FOSS teachers, the afternoon session will be exploring one FOSS unit kit of each participant’s choice. They will utilize the chosen unit’s storyline that includes the scope and sequence of content and investigations. With facilitator guidance, teachers will explore and experience parts of the investigations in their chosen unit.
- For teachers experienced in the FOSS unit, the afternoon can be used to build lessons that fit their science time frame, work on assessments, and/or other science needs.
- Note, there are two dates offered for each grade level band (K-2, 3-5 and 6-8), but both are not required.
- Complete the required survey that is linked when you register to indicate which FOSS unit you choose for the training.
Thanks again for passing along this information to other science teachers and instructional coaches who may be interested. We hope to see MANY teachers attend this in-person training to create a collaborative and supportive learning environment that promotes high quality science instruction for all!
Feel free to reach out to GWAEA science consultant Maria Hasken-Averkamp (mhasken-averkamp@gwaea.org) if you have questions.
Best regards, Grant Wood AEA's Science Team