OpenSciEd Middle School Academy

Welcome to the OpenSciEd Middle School Academy!

Join for an innovative yet grounding professional learning experience as you prepare to implement OpenSciEd’s science curricular materials in your middle school. During the OpenSciEd Middle School Academy, teachers experience:

• Two days of summer learning in a collaborative professional environment with colleagues from schools that are also beginning their implementation journey (June 17-18)
• One additional full day of Professional Learning mid-school year at AIU (Date TBD)
• Four one-hour virtual synchronous check-ins during the school year (Dates TBD)

During the OpenSciEd Academy, you will experience “practice-based training” as you learn in a phenomenon-based, three-dimensional manner with facilitators who skillfully scaffold teacher learning as a consequence of their own first-hand knowledge of the materials and the design process. You will also examine classroom video and interviews of teachers who are already putting these instructional materials to use with their own students.

Throughout the OpenSciEd Middle School Academy, you will also have access to a plethora of on-demand resources aimed at supporting your successful implementation of the OpenSciEd Middle School materials for the benefit of your students. The result is an effective, learner-centric experience that will give you confidence to implement OpenSciEd’s middle school program with your students. Come join us for this professional learning!

This professional learning opportunity introduces middle grades science teachers to the OpenSciEd instructional materials in addition to a specific introductory unit. As a result, teachers will understand the supports and routines embedded into the OpenSciEd units that align with the shifts called for by A Framework for K–12 Science Education (NRC, 2012) and the PA STEELS standards.

Included in this session are opportunities for teachers to:
*Watch videos of students engaging with the OpenSciEd units;
*Hear teachers reflect on shifting their instruction with support from the units,
*Engage in the actual lessons of the unit as a student; and
*Deepen their understanding of three-dimensional instruction and assessment

Who: Middle School Science Educators or educators/administrators who support Middle School Science and are piloting or adopting the OpenSciEd Instructional Materials

When: June 17-18, 2026, one full-day follow-up mid-school year and four one-hour virtual synchronous check-ins throughout 2026-27.

Where: June 17-18 @ Avonworth School District (Josephs Lane, Pittsburgh, PA 15237). Mid-year in-person session at AIU (Date TBD).

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Host or Publisher AIU Math & Science Collaborative