Designed to introduce or expand teacher experience with inquiry-based science in the PreK-3rd classroom, NURTURES teacher professional development aims to increase teacher knowledge and skills to design and implement engaging, child-relevant 3D science and engineering inquiry lessons and experiences with confidence.
Empowering Teachers with Proven Tools
Our resources encapsulate essential elements that have consistently proven indispensable to teachers throughout the years. They aren’t just materials; they’re a reservoir of effective strategies, intentionally designed lessons, and professional learning supports. These resources offer a robust foundation, empowering educators to cultivate an enriched learning environment.
For Former NURTURES Teachers
If you’re a former NURTURES teacher, our resources offer a revitalizing experience. Updated to the latest version of the program, they introduce fresh Inquiry lessons and revamped planning materials, allowing you to rediscover and expand upon your existing knowledge while staying current with pedagogical advancements.
Accessible Learning for All Educators
Even if you’re not a NURTURES teacher, our resources provide accessible strategies for all educators. They offer essential approaches to incorporate impactful methods into teaching practices, making it easier to nurture a passion for science and engineering in early education.
Concise, strategy-specific materials providing quick reference to key strategies and techniques.
3D-aligned, Inquiry-based science & engineering lessons developed for our teacher PD and designed for use in the classroom.
Engage and enhance professional learning with our Institute's video library and instructional feedback instruments.
The Institute is designed to provide participants with the experience and opportunities to learn how to apply inquiry-based, three-dimensional science learning. Each session is comprised of three components Metacognition, Learning Architecture, and Inquiry. Combined, these 3 distinct components provide an immersive three dimensional learning experience.
NURTURES professional development (PD) aims to transform early childhood science teaching (PreK-3rd) based on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), enhancing student science, literacy, and math achievement.
Tailored for PreK-3rd grade educators, NURTURES PD introduces or expands inquiry-based science teaching skills. Participants gain confidence in designing and delivering engaging, standards-aligned science and engineering lessons, while improving science content knowledge and familiarity with high-leverage teaching strategies. They learn to:
Engaging participants in 3D Inquiry through designed lesson experiences and purposeful reflection on teaching & learning.
Combining curated content with engaging reflection to promote deep thinking & discussions about teaching & learning.
3D-aligned, Inquiry-based planning experiences supporting the design of engaging, student relevant units of instruction.
Learning Groups (LGs) support and enrich your use of 3D and Inquiry-based science practices in the classroom. Our facilitators guide synchronous sessions, fostering collaboration and robust discussions where ideas flourish and evolve. The goals of this LG process are to provide participants with engaging professional collaboration, learning and reflection opportunities that support, strengthen, and extend your 3D science teaching in the classroom.
Professional Development Meets Collaborative Growth
Our platform fosters a culture of continuous improvement through a comprehensive feedback loop. Participants engage in a dynamic process of self-evaluation and peer feedback, contributing to each other’s growth. Real classroom experiences are captured for shared learning, with post-teaching discussions enabling targeted feedback and refinement of teaching practices.
With NURTURES, professional learning extends beyond the program. Participants develop personalized growth targets and innovative ideas for ongoing peer support, ensuring sustained collaboration and growth long after the program ends.
Self & peer reflection drive a process of designing and delivering engaging science and engineering experience for kids.
Work with peers who have shared experiences and can offer new perspectives that inform and advance your own skills.
Gain experience through learning, thinking about, and teaching 3D-aligned science and engineering content with peer group support.
The NURTURES Institute is your destination for high quality, facilitated learning for PreK-3rd grade science and engineering in the classroom. Our platform offers both online and in-person experiences tailored to your needs. Dive into our online, asynchronous, self-paced curriculum, designed to fit diverse schedules and preferences. For added support and engagement, you can also opt for a facilitated online or in-person Institute experience with other educator peers.
Following your Institute experience, you can join NURTURES Learning Groups (LGs) where peer collaboration is guided by experienced facilitators. These sessions provide a supportive environment for shared insights and experiences to flourish.
Whether you’re an individual educator seeking personal growth or a group of teachers aiming to enhance science and engineering education collectively, the NURTURES Institute is here for you.
Over the past decade, NURTURES has worked with hundreds of PreK and Elementary teachers along with thousands of students and families nationwide.
NURTURES (Phase 1: 2011-2017) was founded on the goal of creating an integrated system of science education for PreK-3rd grade, transforming the way in which PreK-3rd science is taught through the development and implementation of a complementary science education learning model that combines inquiry and learning, formal and informal education, teachers and parents, schools, and the community, in a comprehensive effort to improve science subject interest and science achievement.
Building on the success of the initial phase of the program, the aims of NURTURES (Phase 2: 2017-2020) were to transform early childhood science teaching based upon Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and engage families of PreK-3 students in science inquiry practices to measurably improve student science, literacy, and math achievement. A particularly important facet of this follow-up project was to research how each component (teacher professional development versus family engagement) impacts student learning.
NURTURES (Phase 3: 2020-2024) is funded to specifically work with military-connected teachers and their classroom families. In this latest phase, NURTURES is working with multiple site teams to implement teacher professional development and family engagement programming on a nationwide scale. The foci of this latest phase necessitates further program development and iterations on delivery methods as well as the development of formal facilitator training components to support the addition of multi-site teams.
