SEP offers a variety of workshops and courses for SFUSD teachers and UCSF volunteers.
UCSF Volunteers
The Scientist Teaching Workshops are designed to equip SEP volunteers with the knowledge, skills and tools to reach students with a variety of learning styles and needs. Begun in 1996, this series covers such topics as: inquiry-based science teaching, classroom and materials management, student assessment, equitable teaching strategies, cognitive development, lesson planning, and language development - all through hands-on, interactive science activities.
The Current Science Seminar Series (CSSS) offers UCSF early career scientists coaching from SEP coordinators as they develop an interactive presentation to share their research with middle and high school teachers.
Elementary School Teachers
The City Science Summer Institute is designed to give elementary school teachers grade level experience in hands-on, inquiry-based science. Collaboratively designed and taught by scientists and educators, course content is organized to aid in the articulation of standards and teaching of the SFUSD adopted science instructional materials in each of the elementary grades (K-5), while supporting adult content learning. Participating teachers experience the power of active science teaching while coming away with age-appropriate lessons directly applicable to the classroom. All participants receive two professional development units and $300 upon completion of the course.
Elementary and Middle School Teachers
The Architecture of Life and Chemistry of Life are college-level, hands-on, investigative biology and chemistry courses that are grounded in the California Science Content Standards. These 30-hour courses, taught by SEP science educators, integrate adult level content learning with classroom appropriate pedagogy. All participants receive 2 professional development units and $300 upon completion of the course.
Middle and High School Teachers
The Current Science Seminar Series (CSSS) brings middle and high school teachers to UCSF for interactive seminars on current topics in biomedical research. High school teachers are also encouraged to bring up to two students to each seminar. There are seven monthly seminars from November through May presented by a UCSF scientists and/or health professionals.