Middle School Modeling Advanced Topics is a 5-week distance learning course for teachers who have already taken any Modeling workshop, thus bringing together a group of participants who are familiar with the pedagogy and have experience implementing it in the classroom.  The course will address how to  support teachers continuing to implement Modeling in their own classrooms.  Main topics will include incorporating student-to-student discourse, assessing students’ conceptual learning, and leading engaging lessons that build models through storylines.  This course will show how Modeling is aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards and 3-Dimensional Learning.  Participants will also be given the opportunity to incorporate claim, evidence, reasoning into their science teaching repertoire.  Finally, the course will focus on giving participants a more in-depth understanding of the middle school Modeling resources and provide assistance “Modelize-ing” their own activities.
Meet Our Instructors

George Nelson began his teaching career in 2009 where he taught 8^th grade science for four years in Arizona, before relocating back to his hometown in Crystal Lake, IL. He still continues teaching 8^th grade science to this day. George became acquainted with Modeling Instruction from the 3^rd MNS program at Arizona State University under the leadership of Colleen Megowan-Romanowicz. He also attended the Chemistry I and Mechanics Workshops in the summer of 2014. Since first being exposed to Modeling Instruction, it has had a profound impact on his classroom. George said “Seeing students doing and talking science every day in my classroom as a community makes my career gratifying and rewarding”. George currently serves on the AMTA board as the Vice President.

David Bates – Dearborn Public Schools, Michigan
David is currently having a great time facilitating science learning for a lively group of 6^th and 8^th grade students at Unis Middle School where he also has the privilege of serving as the science department chair and co-chair for the district secondary science committee. He has taught in a variety of educational settings over his 32 year career, including adult Special Education CI classes, 1st grade, 3rd grade, 5th grade, and elementary foreign exchange. David earned his BS in Special Education and MA in Educational Leadership from Eastern Michigan University. His perspective has been informed by time as an elementary summer school principal as well as two terms on the Board of Education for the Ypsilanti Public Schools from 2006 to 2014, where he served as President of the Board for seven years. Modeling courses include Modeling for Middle School and Advanced Modeling: Cognition and Instruction. David has also trained in the Reading Apprenticeship program, Next Gen Science Exemplar System, and he is a Professional Learning Facilitator for MiSTAR, the Michigan Science, Teaching and Assessment Reform. His belief is that every child should have the opportunity to know the joy of learning something new.
Contact: [email protected]
Date: Wednesdays from 7:00 pm (EST) to 10:00 pm (EST)

Duration: 5 weeks, January 20 to February 17

Costs: $250 for current AMTA members; $325 with membership renewal applied

Graduate Level Credits: 3 credits from University of Pacific is available for $79 each ($237 total).

For any questions, please contact [email protected]