Professional Learning Opportunities

This is a hands-on workshop where you will dive into the Engineering byDesign curricular resources. Supported by a PDE grant, these resources are available to PA educators at NO COST. During this session, you will navigate the digital platform, experience a lesson from a student's perspective, and crosswalk alignment to the STEELS standards. Most importantly, you will have dedicated time to explore and customize resources specific to your grade level, ensuring you leave ready to implement high-quality, inquiry-based Engineering byDesign curricular resources immediately.Lunch is being provided.

This professional learning series is designed equip teachers with knowledge of the Science of Reading and Structured Literacy instruction. A blend of full-day sessions, job-embedded activities, and will support educators as they refine literacy practices to ensure all learners have the skills necessary to thrive as readers. Lunch will be provided **Weather Make-up date March 2, 2027 |8:30 AM - 3:30 PM| The Conference and Training Center IU13

These half-day job-alike gatherings will be facilitated by IU13 and open to any staff invested in supporting the academic growth of gifted/advanced learners and complying with Chapter 16 regulations. A key component of each meeting will be time set aside for collaboration with grade-level, job-alike colleagues. District/school staff will also have the option to plan as a team during a portion of the meeting. Communication for the Gifted Network will primarily take place through Schoology, and anyone interested may join this Group for updates, resources, and discussions. The access code is FBGZM-ZHCMD. Registration will be required for each meeting for planning and Act 48 purposes. There is NO COST for IU13 district and nonpublic school staff to participate in network meetings.

Project Based Learning is a large undertaking that requires time and feedback in order to meet the needs of your learners. This session will be dedicated to designing and refining PBL units and receive feedback from others going through the same process. Cost: Fully funded by the Lancaster County STEM Alliance This session is invite only.

Turn Student Motivation for Video Games into Curricular Engagement & Career Skills Development Aligned to Industry Certifications Transform student enthusiasm for video games into high-impact classroom projects and future-ready career skills in digital media and interactive 3D. This intensive 2-day workshop series features four 3-hour hands-on sessions designed to equip educators with industry-aligned tools and ready-to-implement curriculum kits. You will receive free enrollment in a year-long Unreal Professional Learning Community (PLC) for continuous, year-round support. Day 1 • LEARN UNREAL ENGINE BASICS WITH THE RUBE GOLDBERG LEARNING KIT o Harness Rube Goldberg's witty engineering designs to teach essential interactive 3D skills in Unreal Engine. Educators will explore hands-on physics and environment mechanics while connecting classroom activities directly to student opportunities in the official Rube Goldberg Competition. • USE GAME DESIGN TO DEVELOP INTERACTIVE 3D CAREER SKILLS o Guide students through the process of creating fully functional, publishable video games using the Unreal Learning Kit. Learn how to deliver bite-sized activities that build the creativity, critical thinking, and technical skills needed to master industry-standard software. Day 2 • LEVERAGE FORTNITE FOR VIRTUAL EXHIBITS AND SCHOOL ART SHOWS o Leverage student engagement in Fortnite with Unreal Editor for Fortnite (UEFN) for authentic, real-world academic projects. Discover how students learn the skills needed to construct immersive virtual museums of historical and cultural relevance or host virtual art shows for your feeder schools • IMPLEMENTATION PLANNING AND SUPPORT o Collaborate with peer educators to craft concrete action plans for bringing these interactive programs to your students. The Cleverlike Studios team will provide personalized guidance and additional preparation resources.

Transform your feedback from a compliance ritual into a catalyst for growth. Designed specifically for building and district leaders, this immersive, full-day session explores how to establish the ideal conditions for growth-minded feedback within the Danielson Framework. Through interactive, turn-around experiences, you will walk away with practical strategies to immediately engage your team in actionable, reflective conversations. Additional Information: Act 48 hours provided Lunch is provided

This comprehensive workshop offers a hands-on exploration of the Sphero Blueprint Engineering continuum and Bolt+. In the morning, you will experience the vertical progression of mechanical and electrical engineering, starting with foundational concepts in Snap and scaling up to middle school and then high school level complexity using Blueprint Engineering kits. The afternoon shifts focus to advanced Engineering Design with BOLT+ and concludes with "open-sandbox" time. If you are an Engineering byDesign (EbD) user, there will be time to explore the Sphero integration into the curricular resources. *Note: The focus of this workshop is Sphero, and not EbD. All Sphero tools presented are integrated into EbD, and area available to borrow through the IU13 Lending Library.

In a student-centered learning classroom, collaboration is essential for promoting critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. However, fostering effective teamwork can be challenging, especially when learners have different learning styles, strengths, and communication styles. In this workshop, educators will explore practical strategies for promoting cooperation and collaboration in the student-centered learning classroom.