ASTA Arkansas Science Teachers Association
Mission: To support Arkansas Science Educators
Professional Development Opportunities
Many of the members who serve on the ASTA offer great professional development opportunities during the summer. All over the state of Arkansas educators can find an opportunity to grow in their educational experience learning from ASTA members.
Check out the sessions below.
Blast Off to Rocketry
JUNE 27, 2024
Dawson Building #5
OBU Soccer Field (to launch)
Arkadelphia, AR
Thursday 6/27/23 from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm
Presenter: Led by Susan Allison and Shan Wade from Central Arkansas Rocketry
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Looking to obtain a certification in rocketry? The Central Arkansas Rocketry Organization offers a testing and lesson planning session to help you become certified. Even if you choose not to pursue certification, you can still attend and learn valuable lessons about how rocketry fits into the classroom.
Pocket Labs
JUNE 11, 2024
Dawson Education Cooperative Building #5
Arkadelphia, AR
Tuesday 6/11/24 from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Get ready for a LAB Day! Learn how to use hands-on investigations that allow students to analyze data and make sense of phenomena. Be introduced to the G-Force Unit and other PocketLab applications.
Science Unit Development
Dawson Cooperative
Session ID in the image
Arkadelphia, AR
9:00 am to 3:30 pm
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In this two-day session, we will focus on the curriculum in science for grades 3-6 and 6-HS. The sessions will provide an opportunity for teachers to network and collaborate with others, while the second session will focus on setting up pacing guides, ensuring alignment of standards, and planning for the year ahead. By the end of sessions, teachers will have a clear understanding of the curriculum and be well-prepared for the upcoming school year.
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FLOAT on Lake Ouachita
JUNE 19, 2024 - June 20, 2024
Dawson Cooperative and Lake Ouachita State Park Vistor's Center
Arkadelphia, AR
Led by: Dr. Curis Varnell
Time: 9:00 am to 3:30 pm
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Dive into the world of water critters in this action-packed one-day adventure! Join us for a session as we explore stream and water quality through the exciting lens of indicator macroinvertebrates and take a boat tour around Lake Ouachita. Get ready to channel your inner aquatic detective! In this immersive experience, participants will investigate the stream environment using the biotic index – unveiling the hidden stories of organisms living in the water.
Marina's Story from EiE at Garven Gardens
When : Wednesday June 26, 2024
Time: 10:00AM - 4:00PM
ESC #: 522369
Learn how to bring your Science instruction outside to celebrate the delicate ecosystem of pollination at the spectacular Garvan Woodland Gardens. The “Mariana Becomes a Butterfly” text from EiE will be the jumping off point. Engineering is Elementary has a Unit of Study called the Best of Bugs that will be the template for the day. Each teacher attending will get the EiE official “Try it Kit” of supplies that would be enough for 3-4 classrooms of students.
Star Light, Star Bright, What are the Stars Teaching Us
Come and join us for this PD session at Henderson University where Dr. Shannon Clardy, a Physics Professor will present the connection between literacy and science. See a planetarium Start Show, create hands-on investigations, and learn new instruction techniques.
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When: Henderson State University
Date: July 16, 2024 ESC #520012 - K-6th Session
Date: July 17, 2024 ESC #520014 - 6th-HS Session
Led By: Dr. Shannon Clardy
Assessment Alchemy
July 23-24
Using assessment to drive science instruction can be difficult when you don't have the skills needed to create high quality assessments. Join us for a one day session for 3rd-5th and 6th-HS to align your instruction to the AR standards and ATLAS Blueprint. We will use the ATLAS Classroom Tool to learn how to write questions!
6th-HS 3rd-5th
July 23 July 24
Engineering Workshop - Hot Springs, AR (7 hours PD)
Session Information:
Program Area: STEM
Name of Workshop: Engineering 1 Instructional Strategies
Date of Workshop: July 12, 2024
Begin Time: 8:00 am End Time: 4:00 pm (1 hour lunch session)
Location: Lakeside High School, Hot Springs, AR
Registration Fee: None
Registration Deadline: July 11, 2024
Description: Many Engineering 1 curricula focus on the use of APB Learning (activity-, project-, and problem-based) to drive instruction, but sometimes the curriculum created content isn't easy for students to access or related to. Connecting local community careers to the activities done in class can create the hook needed for student buy-in. During the session, we will focus on how to use curriculum created content in a meaningful way by identifying the content you want the students to master using a skills based learning approach. We will discuss ways to connect local careers into engineering activities, problems, and projects. Participants will complete many APB designed learning activities and walk away with tons of ideas to bring back to their classroom.
AEEA Environmental & Outdoor Education Conference
The Arkansas Environmental Education Association (AEEA) Outdoor Education Conference is a gathering that brings together classroom teachers, non-formal educators, higher education students, Master Naturalists, and conservation professionals from around Arkansas. This professional learning event consists of hands-on workshops, field experiences, concurrent presentations, and networking opportunities. Exhibitors feature available resources and programs, and the silent auction showcases Arkansas-made goods, education resources, and sustainability-focused products. The silent auction funds the AEEA mini-grant program. This year’s keynote speakers, highlighting civic engagement, are Shana Chaplin and Kimberly Bolin from the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute.
Please email with questions:
Jackie Scott - jacqueline.scott@lrsd.org
Physics and Physical Science
JUNE 17-18, 2024
Jones Science Center
Quachita Baptist University
Arkadelphia, AR
Monday and Tuesday
9:00 am to 3:30 pm
Led by: Susan Allison, Dr. Sara Hubbard, Dr. Burt Hollandsworth, and Dr. Angela Douglass
Science PD
DESE Science Unit is presenting a 3-hour virtual professional learning opportunity for all science teachers who are interested in lab safety and safe chemical storage and disposal practices.
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WHEN: June 17 and July 29
Please forward questions to cindy.bunch@ade.arkansas.gov
Below are just a few of the many summer camps for students offered around the state of Arkansas
Summer Camps for Students
UALR - Donaghey College of STEM
Below you can find some of the awesome professional development opportunities for educators, as well as information about opportunities for students to attend camps. For more information contact Keith Harris at krharris@ualr.edu or by phone 501-916-6290.
​Summer Program dates are tentative. All camps are by application only. Deadline: April 30, 2023.
For information and the application, please visit the UALR College of STEM website by clicking here!
