ISP launches middle school COVID-19 curriculum

The Institute for School Partnership (ISP) at Washington University in St. Louis has launched a comprehensive COVID-19 curriculum. The free unit boasts both synchronous and asynchronous elements and helps students understand the history of infectious disease, the nature of COVID-19, the power and limitations of modeling and the importance of scientific literacy. “This unit gives educators […]

Toward Social Justice

To our educational partners and school communities, At the Institute for School Partnership at Washington University in St. Louis we value our partnerships with schools and school districts and the racial diversity of the students and educators we strive to support. Our very mission is to promote equity in education and opportunity for the students of our […]

Fox 2 spotlights ISP STEM initiative

The Institute for School Partnership introduced STEM Challenges in May to keep STEM learning going for the tens of thousands of homebound students in the St. Louis area. These are fun, easy STEM activities kids can do using typical household items. Cognizant of the digital divide in the region, the ISP partnered with The Little Bit […]

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: […]

Sunlight Makes Colors Fade

Activity:  Have you ever noticed that sunlight makes colors fade? Gather brightly colored paper, several pennies or other shapes like legos or building blocks. Find a spot outside that gets several hours of sunlight and arrange them to form a pattern or design. Wait 4-6 hours and then remove the pennies or blocks and observe […]

Are All Seeds the Same?

Activity:  Using a packet of mixed wildflower seeds or bird seed, ask your child to sort the seeds by properties they observe. Maybe they can sort the seeds by size, by color, or by shape. Count how many different kinds of seeds there are. Safety Tip: Some seeds can be eaten, like sunflower seeds, but all […]

From Sun to Food

Explore the interactions of living (plants, animals) and nonliving (water, light and air) parts of the environment. Then think about what living things need to grow. Activities: If you have dry beans at your house, soak them and see if they sprout. See if they can grow without air, without water, without light, or without […]

How Do Clouds Form in the Sky?

Activity: Using a mason jar with a lid, boiling water, a little hairspray and some ice cubes you can make a cloud in a jar. First boil about 1/3 cup of water and add it to the jar. Quickly spritz a bit of hairspray in the jar and add the lid upside down to the […]