Da Vinci Science Center professional development programs for educators are Act 48 approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and guaranteed to be active, engaging, and effective in bringing STEAM subjects – science, technology, engineering, and mathematics – to life for students. The Science Center works with educators to match their districts’ goals, time frames, and budgets and introduce STEELS standards-aligned programs that will increase teachers’ knowledge in both content and pedagogy so they can effectively implement equitable, three-dimensional teaching and learning that engages students in the practices that are used by scientists and engineers to figure out natural phenomena and solve real-world problems.
Call today to book these programs for your school!
STEAM and Making: Integrating the Arts with STEM
Arts integration increases student motivation and engagement and includes everything from low-tech engineering design challenges to making with more specialized technologies (like MakeyMakey, robotics, electronics, wearable technology, coding, game design, or 3D digital design and printing). Through hands-on experience, teachers discover how arts content standards and STEM standards can mutually reinforce each other in open-ended, curiosity-driven activities.
Design Thinking
Design thinking is a fast-paced, structured approach to problem solving that begins by developing empathy, and proceeds through phases of brainstorming, rapid prototyping, and testing. Teachers complete a design challenge and learn how to apply this versatile strategy in authentic project-based learning tasks that promote a growth mindset and increase students’ creative confidence.
Programs for up to 30 teachers
Programs can be delivered at schools or at the Da Vinci Science Center (depending on room availability)
The Next Generation Science Exemplar (NGSX) program of professional learning has worked with over 14,000 K-12 teachers across 28 states, and over 1,600 administrators and instructional leaders. The PLANS pathway is professional development for principals, curriculum supervisors, coaches, and district instructional leaders who support teachers of science.
It is a 1.5 day interactive experience emphasizing instructional leadership and active support for K-12 teachers at both the building and district level.
Develop school leaders’ capacity to identify the essential pieces of what it looks, sounds, and feels like when students and teachers are engaged in NGSS-designed teaching and learning.
Develop school leaders’ understanding of what teachers will need in order to make this new vision a reality for all students.
The Next Generation Science Exemplar (NGSX) program of professional learning in K-12 science has worked with over 14,000 K-12 teachers across 28 states. The BNGST professional learning pathway prepares teachers to bring NGSS into their classrooms and engage their students in robust sensemaking, emphasizing the practices of modeling, argumentation, and explanation.
This 4-day interactive experience centers equity and agency for students and teachers.
P: 484.664.1002
D: 3145 Hamilton Blvd. Bypass, Allentown, PA 18103
H: Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun. 12-5 p.m.
Get Directions