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Getting Started
Introduction to Gizmos
New to Gizmos? Here’s the best way to start strong
- Getting Started
- Onsite or Webinar
This workshop, delivered either onsite or via webinar, is designed to prepare teachers to use Gizmos immediately in their classrooms. The course introduces the major features and functions of the ExploreLearning website and shows teachers how Gizmos can look in their classrooms.
In the workshop, an experienced ExploreLearning instructor models a lesson with Gizmos so that participants can identify and deconstruct best teaching practices. Teachers use this information to begin planning exemplary lessons with Gizmos for their students.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Learn to navigate the ExploreLearning.com website
- Customize their Teacher Homepage and learn to enroll students
- Employ research-based teaching strategies with Gizmos
- Create standards-based lessons incorporating Gizmos
Introduction to STEM Cases
Learn about our interactive case studies in the life sciences
- Getting Started
- Onsite or Webinar
ExploreLearning's STEM Cases are interactive case studies that place students in the role of a STEM professional whose task it is to solve a real-world problem. In this workshop, teachers complete a STEM Case in a modeled lesson and reflect on the role of the teacher during the experience. They will then become oriented to the student results heatmap and learn how to effectively monitor student progress and facilitate student learning throughout the process.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Learn about STEM Cases and how they work
- Understand how to facilitate learning using a case
- Effectively monitor student learning using the results heatmap
- Modify instruction based on formative assessment data
Expanding the Gizmos Experience
Find out all the ways Gizmos can be used in a lesson
- Getting Started
- Onsite or Webinar
Expanding the Gizmos Experience helps teachers develop a deeper understanding of how to integrate Gizmos into their curriculum, and effective uses of whole group and small group instruction. The course shows teachers how to get the most from the Gizmo Lesson Materials by making these intentional instructional decisions.
In the workshop, the instructor models best practices for using Gizmos in a whole class setting as well as a small group setting. Teachers work individually or in small groups to integrate best teaching practices with Gizmos into their curriculum.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand the similarities and differences between whole group and small group instruction and effective ways to utilize each method to improve student learning
- Learn to incorporate Gizmos into collaborative classroom discussions, cooperative learning, and situations where students are constructing arguments supported by evidence
- Develop customized lessons by modifying Gizmo Lesson Materials
What's New with Gizmos
Get a tour of the latest Gizmos and features.
- Getting Started
- Webinar Only
What's New with Gizmos provides teachers with a look at the new features and new Gizmos that they can use in their classroom instruction. In this web workshop, the instructor models a whole class Gizmos lesson with a new Gizmo and demonstrates at least two others.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Learn to use new features to improve your Gizmos experience
- Preview newly published Gizmos including experiencing a modeled lesson
- Be able to identify sources of information about new Gizmos
Troublesome Topics in Elementary Math
Make fractions easier to understand with Gizmos
- Mathematics
- Content
- Onsite Only
This workshop is designed to help teachers refine their understanding of fractions and the strategies that will lead students to a conceptual understanding of the topic. Deep understanding of a core idea across grade levels helps teachers to design effective instruction for students.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Gain specific strategies for leading students to conceptual understanding of ratios and proportions
- Learn techniques for differentiating instruction for students
Troublesome Topics in Middle School Math
Don't just solve ratios and proportions – understand them
- Mathematics
- Content
- Onsite Only
Deep understanding of a core idea across grade levels helps teachers to design more effective instruction for students. This workshop is designed to help teachers refine their understanding of ratios and proportions and the strategies that will lead students to a conceptual understanding of the topic.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Gain specific strategies for leading students to conceptual understanding of ratios and proportions
- Learn techniques for differentiating instruction for students
Troublesome Topics in High School Math
Develop deep understanding of functions with Gizmos
- Mathematics
- Content
- Onsite Only
Deep understanding of a core idea across grade levels helps teachers to design more effective instruction for students. This workshop is designed to help teachers refine their understanding of ratios and proportions and the strategies that will lead students to a conceptual understanding of the topic.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Gain specific strategies for leading students to conceptual understanding of ratios and proportions
- Learn techniques for differentiating instruction for students
Strengthening Pedagogy
Teaching Scientific Inquiry with Gizmos
Your students can be pros with scientific inquiry
- Science
- Pedagogy
- Onsite or Webinar
Teaching Scientific Inquiry with Gizmos prepares teachers to use the inquiry process and Gizmos to support the development of deeper student understanding of important science concepts. The instructor models best practices for teaching with Gizmos in science, demonstrating a progression of inquiry that develops students' scientific inquiry skills. Teachers become more skillful in using inquiry methods of instruction, which encourage students to ask questions, make observations, and construct reasonable explanations.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand the inquiry method of science instruction and develop inquiry teaching skills
- Learn best practices for using Gizmos to support student inquiry in science
- Plan science lessons using inquiry and appropriate Gizmos, and share lesson ideas with colleagues
Teaching with the 5E Model in Science
Gizmos can support any of the E's! See how
- Science
- Pedagogy
- Onsite or Webinar
Teaching with the 5E Model in Science will enable teachers to effectively use Gizmos in the context of the 5E Model for science instruction. The course combines hands-on activities and Gizmo simulations to enhance student engagement and understanding. Participants discuss the 5E instructional model and its benefits. The instructor demonstrates how Gizmos can be used in the context of each of the 5 E's.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand the 5E Instructional Model
- Learn best practices for using Gizmos within any of the phases of the 5E model
- Plan science lessons using the 5 E's and Gizmos and share lesson ideas with colleagues
Engaging in Argumentation from Evidence
Infuse literacy into your science curriculum with Gizmos
- Pedagogy
- Practices
- Science
- Onsite or Webinar
This workshop will help teachers investigate ways to effectively infuse literacy into science lessons with Gizmos. Participants explore the use of the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning Framework to construct scientific explanations through experimentation, data analysis, and argumentation. The instructor demonstrates lessons that use argumentation to support scientific investigations.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand how using the CER framework in the science classroom develops higher level thinking
- Explore the use of key literacy skills to develop student understanding of science concepts
- Learn best practices for using Gizmos to incorporate literacy and argumentation into lessons
Using Gizmos with Science and Engineering Practices
Support the Practices in your classroom with Gizmos
- Practices
- Science
- Onsite Only
This workshop allows educators to experience each one of the science practices embedded within exemplary Gizmo lessons. Consequently, participants develop a deeper understanding of the Scientific and Engineering Practices and how those practices look in the classroom. They also learn to develop effective lessons around the practices that allow students to develop a deep conceptual understanding of underlying scientific principles.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand the Next Generation Science Standards and the implications of using them in the classroom.
- Learn best practices for using Gizmos to support the practices where students can design experiments, analyze data and construct scientific explanations about the concepts involved.
Using Crosscutting Concepts to Explain Phenomena
Embed the Crosscutting Concepts into your lessons
- Pedagogy
- Science
- Onsite Only
Using Crosscutting Concepts to Explain Phenomena allows educators to experience the use of crosscutting concepts embedded within exemplary Gizmos lessons. Participants explore crosscutting concepts to teach disciplinary core ideas, help students do the sensemaking work to gain conceptual understanding and focus student thinking. They will also discuss best practices and learn to develop effective lessons around one or two crosscutting concepts for classroom use.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand the crosscutting concepts and how they are integrated into 3-D learning
- Explore how to use specific crosscutting concepts related to a topic
- Learn best practices for using Gizmos to incorporate crosscutting concepts into lessons
Applying Sense-Making Scientific Practices with Gizmos
Learn how Gizmos support the Sense-Making Scientific Practices
- Practices
- Science
- Webinar Only
This workshop is part 1 of a webinar version of the onsite workshop Using Gizmos with Science and Engineering Practices. The workshop allows educators to experience four of the science practices embedded within exemplary Gizmo lessons. Consequently, participants develop a deeper understanding of the Scientific and Engineering Practices and how those practices look in the classroom. They also learn to develop effective lessons around the practices that allow students to develop a deep conceptual understanding of underlying scientific principles.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand the Next Generation Science Standards and the implications of using them in the classroom.
- Learn best practices for using Gizmos to support the practices where students can develop and use models, analyze data, use mathematics, and construct scientific explanations about the concepts involved.
Support Investigating and Critiquing Scientific Practices with Gizmos
Learn how Gizmos support the Investigating and Critiquing Scientific Practices
- Science
- Pedagogy
- Webinar Only
This workshop is part 2 of a webinar version of the onsite workshop Using Gizmos with Science and Engineering Practices. This workshop allows educators to experience four of the science practices embedded within exemplary Gizmo lessons. Consequently, participants develop a deeper understanding of the Scientific and Engineering Practices and how those practices look in the classroom. They also learn to develop effective lessons around the practices that allow students to develop a deep conceptual understanding of underlying scientific principles.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand the Next Generation Science Standards and strategies for using them in the classroom.
- Learn best practices for using Gizmos to support the practices where students ask questions, carry out investigations, engage in argumentation, and communicate information about the concepts involved.
Teaching for Understanding in Mathematics
Inquiry in math class from fractions to functions
- Mathematics
- Pedagogy
- Onsite or Webinar
Teaching for Understanding in Math is designed to help participants use Gizmos when teaching students to reason mathematically and develop a deeper understanding of math concepts. The instructor discusses and models best practices for inquiry-based teaching with Gizmos in mathematics. Teachers learn how to use Gizmos to develop effective mathematics instruction that strengthens students' mathematical understanding.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand inquiry instruction in mathematics and develop skill in using it
- Learn best practices for using Gizmos in mathematics classrooms, where students can experiment, visualize and draw conclusions about the mathematics involved
- Plan mathematics lessons using inquiry and appropriate Gizmos, and share lesson ideas with colleagues
Mathematical Practices and Gizmos
Your students can engage in the Practices every day
- Mathematics
- Practices
- Onsite Only
This workshop is designed to help participants develop a deeper understanding of the Standards for Mathematical Practice and learn to develop effective lessons around the standards. These lessons will allow students to go beyond memorizing facts, formulas and mnemonics, and instead will focus on enabling students to develop a deep conceptual understanding of underlying principles.
Teachers build skills to engage students and advance mathematical understanding through the Standards of Mathematical Practice. Participants review grade appropriate content standards and collaborate on potential teaching strategies to achieve student understanding. Participants also work collaboratively to identify mathematical tasks to develop students' capacity to meet the Standards of Mathematical Practice.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand the Standards of Mathematical Practice and the implications of using them in the classroom
- Learn best practices for using Gizmos to teach content standards that allow students to experiment, visualize and draw conclusions about mathematics
- Plan standards-based mathematics lessons with Gizmos, and share lesson ideas with colleagues
Building Systematic Support
Correlating Gizmos to District Pacing Guides
Support teachers by mapping Gizmos to your curriculum
- Building Systematic Support
- Onsite Only
Teachers are more likely to use instructional technology resources like Gizmos when they are embedded into the district instructional pacing guides or curricula. This workshop guides district instructional leaders through the alignment process. Participants experience an exemplary Gizmo lesson so that they can understand the best uses of Gizmos for building conceptual understanding. They learn methods to evaluate Gizmos and lesson materials for use in the district curriculum.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Establish a plan for and begin Gizmos alignment to all district pacing guides
- Review grade appropriate content standards and select Gizmos lesson to integrate into the district pacing guides
Classroom Coaching
We can coach your teachers to deliver great Gizmos lessons
- Building Systematic Support
- Onsite Only
Classroom coaching embeds professional development into your regular classroom hours. Coaching with an ExploreLearning instructor can take the form of classroom modeling, co-delivery of a Gizmo lesson, or observation of a Gizmo lesson with feedback. These coaching activities, when experienced in sequence, take the form of a gradual release model: The teacher first observes a live Gizmos lesson delivered by the instructor in the teacher's own classroom. Next, the teacher and instructor work on co-delivery of a lesson from start to finish. Finally, the teacher delivers a Gizmos lesson while the instructor observes and assesses.
Skills Learned
- Work with an experienced ExploreLearning instructor in small groups or individually
- Understand how Gizmos instruction integrates into classrooms
- Learn to plan Gizmos lessons that support content standards
Gizmos Institute for Coaches and Specialists
Give your teachers ongoing Gizmos support
- Building Systematic Support
- Onsite Only
Districts with Math/Science Coaches or Specialists already have a great resource to support their teachers in exemplary math and science instruction. This workshop is designed to harness the power of those coaches and specialists to build a strong Gizmos implementation. Coaches/Specialists learn to support Gizmos teachers and model effective classroom instruction with Gizmos including pre-lesson collaborative lesson planning and post-lesson group reflection discussion. Coaches/Specialists also build skills with coaching language and probing/guiding questions.
Click the link below to see the agenda, handouts, and more.
Skills Learned
- Understand best practices for modeling Gizmos instruction
- Plan modeling cycles to support Gizmos teachers in their schools