These stories are a collection of educator professional learning experiences and opportunities provided by ESD, CBO and Tribal School partners.
IslandWoodโs teacher professional development opportunities are designed to support powerful learning experiences that connect to studentsโ lives and communities. In this time of increasing awareness and activism, IslandWood is joining with teachers in working to address the vast racial, economic, and environmental disparities in our communities and classrooms.
PreK-2 Teachers came together in the Fall to explore how plants, animals and people interact with seasonal patterns and consider the impact of climate change. They learned to incorporate schoolyards and communities into their classroom learning and reflected on how...
During this two-month course, teachers learned about the impacts of climate change on snowpack in the Snohomish Valley, specifically the impact that Snohomish River flooding continues to have on nearby human and nonhuman communities. This is the second year IslandWood...
On August 26th, 2022, 38 Rising Star Elementary School staff jumped on a bus to headed to Bainbridge Island! The staff trip was a part of IslandWoodโs Focus School partnership with Rising Star Elementary centered on helping students across grades make connections...
We kicked off our Localizing Amplify Science Working Group with participants on our Bainbridge Island campus during the first week of August! Educators from all over Puget Sound were at IslandWood to begin a year-long collaboration to enhance the nationwide Kโ8...
On March 6, 2021, and again on March 13, IslandWood staff and elementary teachers came together on Zoom to explore two science storylines related to local phenological phenomena (say that five times fast!). Teachers of K-2 students explored a storyline related to...
On January 16, 2021, and again on May 15, 2021, IslandWood staff, teacher participants, and collaborative partners gathered on Zoom to discuss community-centered science storylines at the secondary level. With support from a high school science teacher/co-facilitator...
On August 18, 2020, and again with a second cohort on September 19, 2020, IslandWood staff and K-8 teachers came together on Zoom to consider how to make science engaging and meaningful for students in a year when the school communities were turned upside-down. Over...
The Washington state program ClimeTime, which is facilitated by the stateโs nine Education Service Districts (ESDs) and community partners, was recently cited as a popular and effective model for educator education in climate science. The Journal of Science Policy and...
On May 29, 2020, 31 teachers and five IslandWood educators wrapped up a virtual four-part course focused on science teaching and learning--from your own home! Using STEM Teaching Tools and an impressive collection of participant expertise, the group explored...