Locations: Suisun Marsh, San Francisco Bay & Pacific Shores of the Marin Headlands.

Sponsored By: I2SEA Project; San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve; Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary; Stanford University; California Coastal Commission and California Project WET program.

Special Note: There is a $30 registration fee that will be refunded upon completion of the training - as well as reimbursement for substitute teacher pay, mileage and a $200 stipend to complete of a curriculum project!

Register: Please contact Jason Hodin, University of Washington, Friday Harbor Labs if you have questions about the training or click here to reserve your spot!

Description: The Stanford-based I2SEA Project, San Francisco Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and other partners invite California Middle school teachers to register for an exciting exploration connecting the far reaches of the greater San Francisco Bay watershed to the Sea!

Our 3-day institute will offer a blend of field investigations, classroom activities and group discussions, and all participants will leave with an array of high quality, classroom-ready watershed and climate resources. We will explore three unique locations indicative of the terrestrial ecosystems within the greater San Francisco Bay-Delta and Pacific Coast watersheds!  

Together, we will follow the water using a variety of learning resources and 3D NGSS instructional strategies to educate and empower Middle School students to engage in learning and act upon climate change issues by:

Making system thinking –in the context of climate change– observable, measurable, meaningful, and tangible for students;

Using place-based climate and watershed investigations that feature direct physical investigations of environments within watersheds, geo-spatial – remote sensing analyses, and local action tools that will support student acquisition of these key 21st century success skills;

Employing 5-E lesson modeling and cross cutting conceptual thinking tools as an effective approach to learning about the complex, big picture issues that will confront our students as they mature into community change agents;

Approaching Earth’s natural systems in a manner woven into California’s new History – Social Science and Science frameworks, as well as Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards;

Providing ample time for collegial co-planning and sharing ideas for effective classroom implementation and curriculum integration.

Middle School teachers participating in this training will:

Gain an in-depth Earth and Climate science perspective on connections between California inland waterways and ocean impacts;

Explore and receive a variety of new climate science curriculum tools;

Receive reimbursement for travel mileage and substitute teacher; 

Experience an overnight stay in the Marin Headlands; and

Receive a $200 stipend upon completion of a classroom curriculum project.