Paying Attention to Practice

"Teaching is more than a job. It's a responsibility—one of the greatest responsibilities in civilized society. Teachers lay bare the mysteries of the world to us. They train our minds to explore, to question, to investigate, to discover. They ensure that knowledge is not lost or forgotten but is instead passed on to future generations. And they shape our lives in limitless ways, both inside and outside of the classroom.

But teaching is no easy task. It's an art form; one that requires craft, sensitivity, creativity, and intelligence. Whether your classroom consists of 3 students or 300, it's important to be as effective and successful a teacher as possible, both for the education of your students and for your own professional and personal growth."

-The Art of Teaching, 2015

The resources provided on this website are intended to provide a quick access list for educators to use in a way that supports their instructional planning. Provided resources should be previewed and used with teacher discretion. Because this page contains resources outside of the CDE website, CDE cannot control changes in outside content and listing these resources does not indicate an endorsement by the Colorado Department of Education. 

The Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas

Explore the dimensions within the Framework through a searchable template created by the National Academies Press (NAP). The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) has created a landing page on their site that links directly to the NAP site.

PLC bytes  

Note: Prezi's are best viewed in "full screen" mode

• • Scientific and Engineering Practices
  • STEM Curriculum Integration 
  • Importance of Scientific Practices
  • Selecting Science Materials Aligned to CAS 
  • Developing Assessments for Learning Experiences in Science

                A Framework for K-12 Science Education

• The vision for science education
• Dimensions of the framework
• Realizing the vision

• View additional PLC Bytes by clicking here

Professional Development

The American Association for the Advancement of Science
Also known as "Triple A-S" (AAAS), is an international non-profit organization dedicated to advancing science around the world by serving as an educator, leader, spokesperson and professional association.

Annenberg Foundation
Annenberg learner's mission is to "Advance Excellent Teaching in American Schools." They have pursued this mission for more than three decades by funding and distributing multimedia resources for teachers (K-12 and college levels) to teach their subjects and to stay up to date in their fields.

Argumentation in History and Science (Kate McNeil)
This professional development class will focus on how to support students in engaging in argumentation in both history and science using the claim, evidence and reasoning (CER) framework. Specifically, we will explore how evidence and reasoning are similar and different across history and science as well as how to provide appropriate scaffolds and instructional supports to help students gain greater expertise in argumentation in reading, writing and talking.

Citizen Science Academy
NEON's Citizen Science Academy provides online professional development resources for educators to support effective implementation of Citizen Science projects and activities that focus on ecology and environmental sciences.

Colorado Association of Science Teachers
A wealth of resources just for science educators.

Intel® Teach
Helps K–12 teachers of all subjects learn to engage students with digital learning, including digital content, Web 2.0, social networking, and online tools and resources. Intel Teach professional development empowers teachers to integrate technology effectively into their existing curriculum, focusing on their students’ problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration, which are precisely the skills required in the high tech, networked society in which we live.

Khan Academy
An organization on a mission, they are a not-for-profit with the goal of changing education for the better by providing a free, world-class education for anyone, anywhere.

National Academies Press (NAP)
Created by the National Academy of Sciences to publish the reports of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, the Institute of Medicine, and the National Research Council, all operating under a charter granted by the Congress of the United States.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
The agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research.

The National Association for Research in Science Teaching (NARST)
A worldwide organization of professionals committed to the improvement of science teaching and learning through research.

National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA)
Formed in 1959 to meet a need to develop science education leadership for K-16 school systems.

The National Science Foundation (NSF)
An independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense…"

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
A member-driven organization, 60,000-strong that offers cutting-edge Professional Development opportunities, and publishes books, journals, and additional content on effective teaching strategy and best practices.

PBS TeacherLine
Flexible, online professional development for PreK-12 educators.

Research + Practice Collaboratory
Research and Practice collaboratory engages researchers and practitioners around the country in an effort to address the long-standing gap between educational research and practice in STEM education.

Teaching Channel
A video showcase—on the Internet and TV—of inspiring and effective teaching practices in America's schools. We have a rapidly growing community of registered members who trade ideas and share inspiration from each other.