NGSS Bootcamp for Nevada and California Teachers
Teacher Professional Development Weekend Workshop
2019
Sessions included the following topics: The Whole Child - diversity, equity and inclusion; Solving Problems through Collaboration- developing solutions to problems presented by human actions on the environment; Citizen Science - inspiring global citizens; and Technology - using technological tools to solve problems, communicate effectively and engage in a global society to create positive change.
2018
Sierra Nevada Journeys hosted more than 100 teachers from northern Nevada and northeastern California for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) training.
Sierra Nevada Journeys Education Director, Sean Hill, said, “It has been our best year ever with 110 attendees including teachers, specialists, administrators and pre-service teachers that represented 11 districts across two states.”
NGSS Bootcamp brings industry thought leaders together to share ideas and best practices for STEM-based programming that focuses on the outdoors. This year’s program wouldn’t be possible without supporters such as Project Learning Tree which presented all teachers with several free lessons through PLT’s new online curriculm, or “e-units”. Additional partners included: Catamount Fund, Ltd., Intel’s Folsom campus, Nevada Division of Forestry, Nevada’s Northwestern Professional Development Program for Education, Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Washoe County School District, North American Association for Environmental Education EE360 program and Desert Research Institute’s Science Alive program. Collaborations between private, public and nonprofit companies like these fuel Sierra Nevada Journeys’ mission to deliver innovative outdoor, science-based education for youth as well as educators through continuing education.
2017
Mission NGSS was a blast! A total of 96 Nevada teachers learned how to incorporate Next Generation Science Standards into their classroom through the lens of energy and the environment. We simulated a Mission to Mars and identified basic life support systems in order to survive. This hands-on weekend workshop explored the complexities of energy as it relates to NGSS.
The weekend workshop was offered through a collaboration of Desert Research Institute, Sierra Nevada Journeys, Washoe County School District, RPDP of Northern Nevada, Project Learning Tree, and EnergySmart Education (sponsored by NV Energy and Southwest Gas Corporation), Catamount Fund and NAAEE.
2016
In 2016, Sierra Nevada Journeys partnered with Project Learning Tree, the Nevada Division of Forestry and The Catamount Fund, Ltd. Our speakers included Dr. David Crowther from the University of Nevada, Reno, a graduate student and past Sierra Nevada Journeys intern, educators and program coordinators.