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Attention 6th grade and HS Earth Science Teachers (Current and Future!)!

Due to some cancellations and changed assignments, there are now some open seats for ESTEP (Earth Science Teacher Education Project) THIS SUMMER! If you are/will be teaching the new EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE standards in 6th grade or in high school - read on!  Still a pre-service teacher, or working toward licensure?  Join us!  

ESTEP for 6th grade Teachers

The ESTEP 6th grade professional development is a one week, bootcamp style, regional workshop that incorporates earth and space science content with teaching strategies to get you thinking about changing your teacher craft to help your students make sense of science.  We’ll walk you through investigations that you can use no matter where you are in your transition to the new standards - you'll learn about phenomena, storylines and 3-dimensional strategies by DOING the science! Cost is $390.00.

There are a few openings left at our Alexandria boot camp August 8 - 12 at Alexandria High School.  Optional college credit is available for additional cost.  Apply NOW HERE!

ESTEP for High School Teachers

ESTEP is a fast paced, one week, bootcamp style, regional workshop that focuses on a specific set of earth and space science benchmarks AND the teaching strategies you will need to start making the shift to science sense-making with your students.  This summer's content focus is geology and hydrology. Cost is $390.00.

• Deepen your understanding of earth science concepts through investigations! 
• Utilize 3-dimensional strategies by DOING the science! 
• Begin building confidence in your unit and lesson planning!
• Collaborate and discuss how phenomena and storylines relate to particular investigations! 

There is ONE opening left at our Mankato boot camp at Minnesota State University, Mankato June 27 - July 1, and FOUR left at our Moorhead boot camp at Minnesota State University, Moorhead July 25 - July 29.  Optional college credit is available for additional cost.  Apply NOW HERE!

Here is what last summer's participants had to say about ESTEP: 

“Applying the SEPs with our various lessons throughout the week was so valuable. Having discussions with colleagues and having time to brainstorm how we can apply it in our own unique classrooms and limitations was very meaningful. I walked away from this week feeling like "I got this!," and when I don't, I have a community of other professionals and mentors who can help me and collaborate with me.“

“I really enjoyed my week of learning. I loved the field experiences and all of the opportunities to collaborate with others. I also appreciated thinking from the student perspective and the teacher perspective. All of the modeling of the pedagogy was also amazing. I was able to pull out multiple strategies every day that I can easily share and utilize with my teachers and students.“

“I have been teaching for 17 years. This was the best professional development I have ever had, by far, times ten. I came in with a sense of confusion and felt overwhelmed. This answered so many questions and gave me a sense of confidence moving forward.“

“Being a newer teacher…and not having the content knowledge for a completely different science topic… this bootcamp was the perfect start for my progression in teaching 6th grade Science. I am even able to take what I learned from this bootcamp for my 5th grade Science.  This type of bootcamp would be beneficial for any science teacher, not matter the content. The modeling and pedagogy works for all!“

Do you have questions?  Contact Dana Smith at dana_smith@isd31.net or dasmedu2018@gmail.com We would love for you to join us!  Feel free to share this info with your staff/colleagues and others who would benefit from this professional development.

Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (ENRTF) as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

MnSTA/ESTEP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement

We are committed to reflecting the diversity of Minnesota educators that participate in our programs.   We are especially focused on teachers of BIPOC and underrepresented populations, alternatively licensed educators, and educational assistants working toward licensure.