The National Aquarium, Baltimore, offers several professional development opportunities for educators. These include day-long teacher workshops, an annual teacher overnight, and an intensive weeklong teacher institute. Below you will find the dates and times for all that we offer.
Reservations for teacher workshops at the National Aquarium, Baltimore, will be accepted beginning June 14, 2012, at 9 a.m. by phone: 410-576-3833.
Teacher Workshop and Sleepover
March 15–16, 2013
Join us for the annual Mini-Conference and Sleepover at the National Aquarium, Baltimore. Spend an enriching evening exploring the sights, sounds and behaviors of the Aquarium’s inhabitants. Through discussions and activities, participants will gain an understanding of the vast number of everyday resources that come from the ocean or depend on its health and explain how human impacts are affecting future supplies. Fee includes a one-year membership to the Mid-Atlantic Marine Education Association, teaching materials, resources, snacks, and breakfast. Bring your sleeping gear!
Date: Friday, March 15–Saturday, March 16, 2013
To Register: Call 410-576-3833 beginning June 14, 2012, at 9 a.m.
Registration Deadline: March 1, 2013
Cost: $65 per person
Space is limited to 50 participants.
How Do We Explore?
March 23, 2013
This professional development introduces Volume 2 of the Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection: "How Do We Explore?" The NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer is the Nation's first ship dedicated to solely exploring the world's ocean. Participants will learn how to use standards-based lessons and other online resources that guide classroom investigations into the innovative exploration strategies, sophisticated instrumentation and equipment used onboard the ship to explore our largely unknown world ocean. Topics include how targets are selected for exploration, mapping techniques, water column exploration, remotely operated vehicles and telepresence technology that enables access to real time ocean exploration. Participants will also learn how explorers use data gathered at target sites to learn more about our deep ocean world. Registration is required and space is limited. Educators who attend the full day will receive a $50 stipend.
Each participant will receive Volume 2 of the Okeanos Explorer Education Materials Collection, "How Do We Explore?", materials related to activities presented during the workshop, a NOAA Ocean Exploration Certificate of Participation, continental breakfast, and lunch.
Date: Saturday, March 23, 2013
To Register: Call 410-576-3833 beginning June 14, 2012, at 9 a.m.
Registration Deadline: Friday, March 7, 2103
Cost: Free; teachers will receive a $50 stipend.
Project Learning Tree
April 20, 2013
Investigate environmental education concepts through activities from the Project Learning Tree Activity Guide. Project Learning Tree is an award-winning, multidisciplinary curriculum for educators of students in grades Pre-K–8. Participants in this workshop receive a copy of the Project Learning Tree Environmental Education Activity Guide.
Date: Saturday, April 20, 2013
To Register: Call 410-576-3833 beginning June 14, 2012, at 9 a.m.
Registration Deadline: April 5, 2013
Cost: $10 per person (includes Aquarium admission and refreshments. Lunch is not included)
Space is limited to 20 participants.
The National Aquarium, Washington, DC, invites educators in the District of Columbia metropolitan region to participate in a free, stipend-based program, generously funded by the Toyota USA Foundation. Participating teachers receive a stipend of $50 or $100 depending on the program; classroom materials, such as reference books and posters; a curriculum guide developed specifically for each program; and free instructional workshops.
According to U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy’s An Ocean Blueprint for the 21st Century, environment-based education directly helps teachers address the environmental education needs of students.
Educators will learn aquatic and marine science concepts that develop their skills and address the National Science Education Standards (NSES) that were designed to “guide our nation toward a scientifically literate society.”
Workshops include five or 10 hours of instruction over one or two consecutive Saturdays, depending on the program you select. They take place at the National Aquarium's Washington, DC, venue, located in the Department of Commerce Building on 14th Street (between Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues).
Space is limited to 12 participants for each session. Sessions are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Early application is encouraged.
Workshop Descriptions and Dates
Aquatic and Marine Science for Today’s Classroom Teacher
(a two-day, 10-hour workshop)
Dates: September 22 & 29, 2012; May 4 & 11, 2013
Among the topics you'll explore are:
- Diversity of life—a basic review of biological classification
- Freshwater ecosystems—rivers, streams, lakes, bogs, and swamps
- Marine ecosystems—estuaries, tide pools, coral reefs, and kelp forests
- Major animal groups—fish, sharks, sea turtles, and other aquatic reptiles
- How to incorporate marine and aquatic science into your curriculum
- How to utilize the National Aquarium as a classroom resource
- Other resources that are available and how to use them
Aliens Among Us: Invasion Ecology
(a one-day, five-hour workshop)
Dates: November 3, 2012; February 23, 2013
Workshop participants will learn about some local introduced and invasive species and the problems they present. What is the difference between an introduced species and an invasive species? What can be done about the problem? Lesson plans on invasive ecology will be shared and demonstrated.
Watershed Dynamics
(a one-day, five-hour workshop)
Dates: December 1, 2012; March 2, 2013
Participants will receive an overview of watershed science including biological, chemical, and physical properties of rivers and streams. In addition, we will work with topographic maps and how to use them in the classroom. Participants will receive lesson plans to help incorporate more watershed dynamics into their classroom.
Sex in the Sea
(a one-day, five-hour workshop)
Dates: February 2 and April 6, 2013
Aquatic animals exhibit many interesting adaptations for survival. When it comes to reproduction, the adaptations are as varied and strange as you can imagine. How and why do fish change sex? Why do male seahorses give birth? Is it true that a lot of animals live to reproduce and then die? Answers to these and many other questions will be explored in this new workshop to help you answer some of those questions your students may ask!
How to Apply
Download the application form and mail or fax it along with support materials to the address provided on the form.
Acceptance letters are e-mailed immediately upon receipt of applications. When an applicant’s first session choice is full, the second choice is confirmed. Should the second choice also be full, the Aquarium will contact you to determine if another session is workable.
For more information, call the director of education at 202-482-0852.
NATIONAL AQUARIUM EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES A NEW EDUCATOR ADVENTURE WORKSHOP
COSTA RICA – SHOWCASE OF CONSERVATION
Join us for a 9 day excursion and workshop in Costa Rica, July 9-18, 2013.
Workshop highlights include:
- Tortuguero National Park
- 3 nights of participating in the Sea Turtle Conservancy’s Turtle Tagging Program
- Braulio Carrillo National Park – Rainforest exploration
- Monteverde Cloud Forest exploration
- Arenal Volcano
- Tabacon Hot Springs
- Wildlife identification
- Plant identification
- Learn about the National Aquarium’s conservation initiatives in Costa Rica
- Discussions on the ecosystems visited and how to incorporate them into the curriculum
- A packet of lesson plans and activities on sea turtles, rain forests, cloud forests, volcanoes and hot springs will be provided
The Educator Adventure Workshop to Costa Rica will be lead by Bill Simpkins, Director of Education at the National Aquarium in Washington, DC.
Each educator on the tour will receive a certificate of completion for the hours spent in “classroom” activities for verification and credit if accepted by their school.
Non educators interested in joining the group are welcome. This is an adult only program.
Space is limited and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Final payments must be received by Classic Escapes, our travel company, by April 5, 2013.
Click here to see the full 18 page PDF with more details, travel itinerary, pricing, and reservation form.
Questions? Contact Bill Simpkins at bsimpkins@aqua.org or 202-482-0852.