Springdale, AR - Curriculum Development and Training

Made possible through funding from the Arconic Foundation, this workshop focused on bringing hybrid or at-home STEM learning opportunities to students during the COVID-19 pandemic that focused on hands-on, customized curriculum. CE worked through a Clean Energy Coach model, working with teacher leaders to develop new learning experiences for students that meet the needs of a pandemic schooling environment. In this particular instance, CE worked with Clean Energy Coach Rhett Barrett, Instructional Facilitator for Springdale Public Schools, to build new middle school science curriculum focusing on innovation through circuitry and utilizing at-home STEM packs provided by CE. This curriculum was then tested and regined prior to dissemination to other teachers. Following this curriculum development and refinement phase, Instructional Facilitators from all schools in the district received virtual training that was broken into three segments, two of which were synchronous and one being asynchronous. In total, this training, curriculum, and at-home STEM packs reached 29 teachers and 2,500 students.

Curriculum and materials from this training will continue to serve as resources for the district, now embedded within middle school teachers' yearly plans. This means that the curriculum and content from this engagement will repeat year after year with new students, leading to an assured ever-expanding impact.