Professional Development Workshops for Alabama Teachers
McWane Science Center can help you infuse your teaching with innovative ideas and strategies to engage students in science learning. These in-depth, interactive workshops may be held at your school or McWane Science Center. We also have a “teacher’s day in” field trip experience for pre-service teachers. Browse our currently available subjects and programs below!
Professional Development
McWane Science Center’s Early Childhood Education Team is pleased to offer an “Introduction to Science Tools” workshop for local teachers working in the 2–6 age bracket. Join us as we explore the importance of early STEM learning, applications for hands-on science enrichment, introductions of inquiry-based teaching methods, and resources for establishing basic STEM foundations in your classroom. Add to your own science toolbox with a take-home kit from us that explores one of three exciting topics: magnets, magnification, or measurement.
Building Blocks: Finding STEM in Everyday Moments
In this interactive workshop, we’ll take a close look at STEM learning in an early-childhood classroom. Join us as we uncover the foundations of STEM and explore budget-friendly enrichments that complement your existing classroom schedule without adding to it. From preschool themes to elementary curriculums, we’ll show you how to find STEM in simple, everyday moments.
McWane Summer Science Institute COMING SUMMER 2023
Come learn with us at McWane Science Center during our multi-day professional development workshop, focused on turning science concepts into hands-on opportunities for 2nd–5th-grade students. Join the education team and invited presenters for this engaging and interactive program.
Design Challenge in the Classroom
The Engineering Design Process is an essential skill for creative problem-solving. In this workshop, we will discuss how to run successful and relatable Design Challenges in your classroom—activities that use the engineering process to guide students through how to critically approach solutions to real-world problems.
Teacher’s Night Out
One night a year, McWane presents Teacher’s Night Out! To say thank you for being loyal friends to McWane Science Center, you and an adult guest (18+) are invited to join us for a special complimentary evening at the museum. Explore the Adventure Halls, see a special screening of a film in the all-new, digital IMAX® Dome Theater, enjoy refreshments, and enter to win great door prizes, including a one-year family membership to McWane!
STEM Kits
Chemistry and Conservation of Mass
This kit includes enough chemicals, laboratory equipment, and other materials to accommodate one class of 32. There are 3 activities in total. One demonstrating the Law of Conservation of Mass for physical changes (takes up to 30 minutes to complete) and two demonstrating the Law of Conservation of Mass for chemical changes (each takes up to 45 minutes to complete).
This kit includes prisms, lenses, color filters, turning forks, and other materials for 6 lessons, each taking between 30 and 60 minutes to complete.
Water Testing
This kit includes laboratory plasticware, refractometers, pH/nitrate testing strips, dissolved oxygen testing kits, household chemicals, and working to accommodate 30 students. There are materials for 5 activities, each taking approximately 60 minutes to complete.
Natural Selection
This kit provides enough materials for a class containing 32 students. This will include seeds, worksheets, forceps, and artificial fur. There are four different activities, covering the heredity of traits and natural selection, which will take approximately three hours to complete.
