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Professional Development Programs for K-12 Teachers

Promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics education among K-12 students is vital to meeting the nation’s needs for workers in the STEM fields. The need for students to be inspired to pursue careers in the STEM fields continues to grow, and ORAU is committed to providing the support necessary to improve education, research and innovation.

STEM teachers from Kindergarten through high school, and others interested in the STEM fields, can choose from a number of professional development opportunities provided by ORAU. These summer workshops for teachers are ideal for strengthening lesson plans, learning new tips for student engagement, as well as learning about new technologies for K-12 classrooms.

If you're a teacher looking for information about Extreme Classroom Makeover, please visit the Extreme Classroom Makeover page to learn more about this exciting opportunity to outfit your classroom with the latest tech!

In-person sessions will take place at ORAU in Oak Ridge, TN. Virtual sessions will take place via Zoom.

Teachers who attend an in-person professional development session at ORAU will have the opportunity to “shop” our inventory of free books, posters, and other educational resources.

Teachers who attend an in-person session will be entered to win a door prize. Door prizes will be awarded at each in-person session.

List of Educator Programs

  • 3-D Printing and Design (In-person Session)New

    Target Audience: 6th-12th Grade Math and Science Teachers

    3D Design in Everyday Classrooms will focus on turning ordinary classroom learning into extraordinary learning experiences through design thinking and 3D modeling. The goal of the training is to provide teachers with extended learning and assessment opportunities they may add to existing lesson plans.

    image for 3-D Printing and Design (In-person Session) educator program
  • From Four Walls to No Walls: Taking Teaching and Learning Outdoors (In-person Session)New

    Target Audience: 6th-12th Grade Teachers

    Join the staff of Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont to get away from your seat and expand teaching and learning from four walls to no walls while encouraging observation, discussion, and reflection. From this experience, you’ll find yourself able to facilitate these strategies back in your schoolyard and connect with like-minded individuals along the way.

    image for From Four Walls to No Walls: Taking Teaching and Learning Outdoors (In-person Session) educator program
  • Unlocking STEM Potential: Learning Blade's Ready-to-Use Lessons for Grades 5-9 (In-person Session)

    Target Audience: 5th-9th Grade Teachers

    Learning Blade and Career Blade highlight how STEM principles are used to solve real-world problems. In this workshop, you will learn how to navigate the online lessons and offline resources, set up classes, and make a unique plan for implementation in your classroom

    image for Unlocking STEM Potential: Learning Blade's Ready-to-Use Lessons for Grades 5-9 (In-person Session) educator program
  • Math & Movement (In-person Session)

    Target Audience: K-5th Grade Teachers

    Math & Movement is designed to keep kids feeling good about math. Math & Movement stations use kinesthetic strategies to enhance learning specifically connected to the Common Core math standards.

    image for Math & Movement (In-person Session) educator program
  • Kira Learning- a Computer Science Curriculum Free for TN Teachers (Virtual Session)New

    Target Audience: 6th-8th Grade Math and Science Teachers

    Kira Learning is a computer science curriculum free for Tennessee teachers to support students on their computer science journey. Kira Learning creates high quality, relevant content, tools, and support to allow teachers and learners to pursue mastery in Computer Science.

    image for Kira Learning- a Computer Science Curriculum Free for TN Teachers (Virtual Session) educator program
  • Drawing Worlds (In-person Session)New

    Target Audience: 3rd - 8th Grade Teachers

    Art and geography have long been intertwined. In Babylonian times, people marked clay tablets that appeared to be both art and cartography. Join us in learning artistic techniques you can share with your student to create their own hand drawn maps.

    image for Drawing Worlds (In-person Session) educator program
  • Minecraft Education – Introduction for Beginners (Virtual Session)

    Target Audience: K-12th Grade Teachers

    The Minecraft for STEM Education workshop will focus on how students can use Minecraft Education as a STEM tool and how it can easily be used for PBL opportunities. Teachers will learn the successes and roadblocks of piloting Minecraft Education.

    image for Minecraft Education – Introduction for Beginners (Virtual Session) educator program
  • More than a Field Trip (In-person Session)

    Target Audience: K-4th Grade Teachers

    Classroom educators know about museums and other places of informal learning as field trip destinations, but these organizations offer so much more for K-12 educators. In this workshop, teachers will learn about examples of services and resources provided by museums, zoos, aquariums, planetariums, and more.

    image for More than a Field Trip (In-person Session) educator program
  • Minecraft Education – Advanced (Virtual Session)

    Target Audience: K-12th Grade Teachers

    The Minecraft for STEM Education workshop will focus on how students can use Minecraft Education as a STEM tool and how it can easily be used for PBL opportunities. Teachers will learn the successes and roadblocks of piloting Minecraft Education.

    image for Minecraft Education – Advanced (Virtual Session) educator program
  • Authentic Math and Science Experiences Using Arduino in the Classroom NEW (In-person Session)New

    Target Audience: 6th-12th Grade Math and Science Teachers

    This session will offer teachers ways to use Arduino computers to create real-world math and science experiences for their students. Each participant will create a working light-following solar panel and have an opportunity to attach various math and science standards to the device. Participants will be provided with resources to further their learning including Arduino-supported lessons and projects for future learning.

    image for Authentic Math and Science Experiences Using Arduino in the Classroom NEW (In-person Session) educator program
  • Vectors: Concepts and Technologies to Improve Comprehension by Appealing to Vectors' Geometrical Nature (In-person Session and Hybrid Session)

    Target Audience: 6th-12th Grade Physics, Math, and Physical Science Teachers

    This workshop proposes a novel and unified teaching approach by relating a vector’s abstract nature of magnitude and direction to its geometric nature as length and unit vector.

    image for Vectors: Concepts and Technologies to Improve Comprehension by Appealing to Vectors' Geometrical Nature (In-person Session and Hybrid Session)  educator program
  • Minecraft Education – STEM and Project Based Learning (Virtual Session)

    Target Audience: K-12th Grade Teachers

    The Minecraft for STEM Education workshop will focus on how students can use Minecraft Education as a STEM tool and how it can easily be used for PBL opportunities. Teachers will learn the successes and roadblocks of piloting Minecraft Education.

    image for Minecraft Education – STEM and Project Based Learning (Virtual Session) educator program
  • Middle School Computer Science: A Beginner's Workshop with Learning Blade (Hybrid Session)

    Target Audience: 6-8th Grade Teachers

    Learning Blade and Career Blade highlight how STEM principles are used to solve real-world problems. In this workshop, you will learn how to navigate the online lessons and offline resources, set up classes, and make a unique plan for implementation in your classroom

    image for Middle School Computer Science: A Beginner's Workshop with Learning Blade (Hybrid Session) educator program
  • Wishes Granted: Finding Grants for Your Classroom (Virtual session)

    Target Audience: K-12th Grade Teachers

    Have you ever wondered how to write a grant? Whether private or public, there is money out there waiting for you! This workshop will share tips, tricks, and how to spend just one weekend a year on grant writing.

    image for Wishes Granted: Finding Grants for Your Classroom (Virtual session) educator program
  • ARC Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge

    Target Audience: 9th-12th Grade Teachers

    The ARC Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge is a two-week, residential, hands-on institute sponsored by ARC and ORNL. Teachers participate in research projects with and under the supervision of ORNL scientists.

    image for ARC Appalachian STEM Academy at Oak Ridge educator program

Impact Areas

Contact us

For more information about K-12 educator professional development, please contact K12@orau.org.