Framework provides essential criteria for development and delivery of equitable science learning

Teaching science in a way that includes and engages all learners can be challenging for educators, but a new framework developed by the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis (ISP) provides criteria for equitable lesson development in elementary science. A team of researchers and practitioners identified six categories that must be […]

mySci Unit Awarded Design Badge from Next Generation Science Standards

Using Our Resources Wisely, a fifth grade science unit developed by the Institute for School Partnership’s (ISP)  mySci program has been awarded the NGSS Design Badge. The Badge is awarded to top-rated science units designed for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). Since 2017, only four other units, including mySci’s From Sun to Food, have […]

Science learning at SLPS grows with collaboration designed to provide teachers and students with inquiry-based instruction

Outcomes of a two-year STEM learning pilot the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis (ISP) completed in partnership with St. Louis Public Schools and The Little Bit Foundation are encouraging.  The pilot, made possible with generous support of the Bayer Fund, reached 194 SLPS educators and 2,000+ students. This unique collaboration […]

Keeping science learning engaging for students starts with intention and trusted partnership

“This is going to be fun!” When fifth graders walk into a classroom set up for the next science lesson with that level of enthusiasm, something very right is happening, and it’s not magic.  Their teacher, Sarah Carter, knows engaging science learning – the messy kind, with hands-on lessons and authentic, sometimes unpredictable inquiry that […]

Efforts underway to recover flood damaged mySci Resource Center

Heavy rains and flooding impacting so many in the St. Louis region in late July have also been felt by the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis (ISP). Efforts are underway to recover flood damage to the mySci Resource Center located at 6601 Vernon Avenue in University City. The building, which […]

Teachers using mySci dive deeply into the go-to science learning resource over the summer

Roughly 22 years into his career, Brendan Kearney knows one thing for certain: teaching science is his jam. “I’ve always loved science, and teaching the subject ignited my passion,” says Kearney, who teaches science – and only science – to third, fourth and fifth graders at Glenridge Elementary in Clayton. For the next school year, […]

Partnership lays foundation for continuous improvement in SLPS STEM

Last summer, four organizations came together to launch a new program in 17 St. Louis Public elementary schools. The Institute for School Partnership (ISP), The Little Bit Foundation (TLBF), and St. Louis Public Schools (SLPS), with funding from the Bayer Fund, developed a pilot program to increase capacity for STEM teaching and learning in SLPS. […]

ISP partnership brings agriculture into Missouri classrooms

How do plants grow? Where does food come from? Who grows your food? Agriculture is the No. 1 industry in Missouri. The state is home to 95,000 farms, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture, covering two-thirds of the state’s total land acreage, with the top commodities being soybeans, corn, cattle, hogs, and turkeys. But despite […]

Pivoting & Partnering: ISP’s response to help educators in the face of COVID-19

There was a lot to be excited about. A trip to partner with teachers in Uganda. Promoting an upcoming speaker series. Planning a water workshop. Prepping for professional development sessions. But in mid-March, with fears growing over the coronavirus, the pause button was  pressed on normal life, halting everyday activities, shuttering offices and closing schools. […]

mySci Summer Professional Development Institutes 

We are excited to share our summer professional development offerings for mySci educators. Sessions are open to mySci teachers as well as administrators in mySci districts. Would you like to grow your science instructional practice this summer? Choose the professional growth option that suits your needs and aligns with your PD goals.  Intro to YOUR mySci: […]