Teacher In-Service

Educators work on an activity together during Shedd's annual Science Educator Conference.

Learn from Shedd educators from the comfort of your home virtually! Receive a highly interactive and collaborative training, rooted in NGSS, on topics such as aquatic science and informal teaching practices. Illinois educators can receive ISBE clock hours.

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Teacher In-Service Offerings

Exploring Urban Ecology

Date: Thursday, February 25, 2021
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Grades: K-12 (includes breakout groups)
Price: $25.00/per educator
1.5 ISBE clock hours available

As educators, we continuously seek to provide our students with authentic learning experiences and real-world connections. One way that we can do this is by incorporating content on local species, current environmental topics and real science research. Teachers can expand their expertise on animals and ecosystems in the Great Lakes and Chicago-area in this hour-and-a-half virtual workshop. Educators will learn about local species and habitats, and meet Great Lakes animals. They will chat with Shedd researcher Austin Happel, Ph.D. and hear about the work being conducted locally. Participants will grow their own knowledge as well as receive digital guides and materials for activities about local urban ecology for use in the classroom. These activities align to NGSS and will be adapted for elementary, middle and high school students. Breakout rooms will be utilized to focus strategies and concepts in grade bands.

Corals, Climate Change and Caring for Animals

Date: Tuesday, March 9, 2021
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Grades: K-8 (includes breakout groups)
Price: $25.00/per educator
1.5 ISBE clock hours available

Growing and supporting student’s curiosity about animals and the places they live is important in fostering students’ ability to act for the environment. Another significant factor is helping students to understand how factors like climate change connects to acting for animals. This one-and-a-half-hour virtual workshop will center on coral reefs as an example for educators to engage their students while also teaching them about climate change. During the session, participants will see corals and other animals that live on reefs, and learn about Shedd’s coral research. In addition, they will receive tools on how to approach the topic climate change in their classrooms, led by one of our conservation experts. This session is tailored to K-8 educators. Participants will leave with activities for elementary and middle school students about coral reefs, climate change and caring for animals.

Chem in STEM: Exploring Water Quality at Shedd

Date: Thursday, March 18, 2021
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Grades: 9-12
Price: $25.00/per educator
1.5 ISBE clock hours available

A thorough knowledge of chemistry is crucial for maintaining healthy aquatic and marine habitats for animals at Shedd Aquarium. In this workshop, high school teachers will learn how Shedd’s water quality and life support systems support the diverse organisms that live in environments ranging from freshwater rivers to the open ocean. During this one-and-a-half hour virtual workshop, teachers will hear from Shedd water quality expert Allen LaPointe, who will reveal how Shedd staff make salt water, show VIP views of the aquarium, perform chemical tests in the water quality lab, describe systems for filtering exhibit water and discuss aquarium chemistry careers. Teachers will engage in a classroom lesson investigating water quality parameters and case studies focusing on animals that call Shedd home. Participants will leave with a deeper understanding about water chemistry at Shedd and directed, aligned resources ready for their classroom.

Custom Teacher In-Service Training

Date/Time: Pick your own date and time, we’re flexible.
ISBE clock hours available

Build a custom professional development in-service for a group of formal or informal educators. Custom trainings can vary in length (1–4 hours) and can accommodate up to 30 educators in-person and many more virtually. Pricing varies on the number of participants and the length of the program. All sessions are built to be interactive and collaborative regardless of in-person or virtual facilitation. Topics have included aquatic science, informal teaching practices, object-based learning, visual-thinking strategies, field trip planning and robotics. We’ll help you plan an in-service to accommodate the timing, number of participants, topics and location that best meet your needs. On-site programs include admission to the aquarium for each teacher - you can also include meals at an additional cost.

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Past Teacher In-Service Sessions

Teaching Tough Topics: Inheritance, Traits and Adaptations

Grades: K-8

There are some topics out there that are tougher than others to make inquiry-based, engaging, and grounded in a real-world question – inheritance, traits and adaptations can be one of those. During this virtual hour-and-a-half session, educators will explore strategies around concepts, meet an animal to practice scientific thinking, connect with Shedd experts to learn about real-world examples of the topic in current aquatic science, and leave with actionable tools to implement in the classroom. Educators will practice translating a real-world science story into a lesson to be facilitated through an interactive digital notebook and explore a successful version Shedd staff are currently using. Don’t miss out on the tips, tricks, tools, and materials you’ll develop during this interactive and collaborative session.

Supporting Inquiry in a Virtual Setting

Grades: 6-12 (applicable to K-8, as well)

Virtual learning is going to be present in our schools’ foreseeable future. Let’s best prepare ourselves to support inquiry-based learning in the virtual setting. During this virtual two-and-a-half-hour training, educators will fill their toolkits with specific strategies to implement problem-based learning, connect their students to nature through expertly designed media asset and examples from the backyard, and multiple ways to spark the inquiry process for any learner. An animal guest will visit the session for the participants to practice their science inquiry skills and reflect on the inquiry process itself. Educators will leave with a handful of specific tools to implement in their virtual classrooms for the rest of the school year and beyond.

Supporting Science Literacy

Grades: K-12

Taking the time to support and develop all our students’ critical thinking and technical reading skills is one of the most valuable contributions a science educator can make! During this virtual hour-and-a-half session, educators will have the opportunity to learn new strategies for supporting their struggling readers with science aligned texts, practice using MicroLabs to facilitate reading and discussion, and leave with hands-on inquiry activities to promote science literacy. Attendees will practice using the process themselves while meeting an animal guest, and then will collaborate to build ideas for their own classroom. Gain more confidence and specific skills you can use to support your students where they are, so they can get to where they want to be.

Clock Hours

Illinois teachers registered for this program can receive clock hours upon completion of the in-service as well as a letter that can be share with the school’s administration. A current Illinois Educator Identification Number (IEIN) is required for clock hours.

Accessibility

These programs are custom. However, if programs are hosted at Shedd Aquarium, programs could potentially include:

Use of stairs; elevators are available
Moving and standing for up to 1 hour
Work taking place at standard tables with chairs provided
Use of tools like scissors, forceps, tablets, and microscopes
Moving around the aquarium, which has varying light, noise and temperature levels
The learning environment as part of this experience may include the following sensory triggers: unusual noises-which may be loud, low or moderate; changes in lighting; unusual smells; touch sensitivity due the use of tight-fitting gloves; and, participants may get wet or dirty.
Facilitators may use portable voice amplification

We believe there should be no boundaries to your Shedd Aquarium experience. If you have an accommodation request related to a disability, please contact us at [email protected] or 312-939-2438. We look forward to assisting you.