NEW! 2025-2026 Virtual Engagement
Science Standards Team Virtual Engagement Memo
| Date |
Session Science and Engineering Practice |
Session Time and Registration |
| April 8, 2026 |
Engaging Students in Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information |
OECI Registration
4:00 – 5:00 PM
1 hour of renewal credit |
Synchronous Professional Learning Opportunities
*Please fill out this intake form to begin the PLO scheduling process.
Note: Submit requests at least 4 weeks in advance of the anticipated delivery date.
Linking Science Instruction and Assessment
Time: full day
Format: in-person
Audience: science teacher leaders, administrators
- Grade 4 teachers of science, including special populations
- Grade 6 teachers of science, including special populations
- Biology 1 teachers, including special populations
Description: This full-day, in-person session supports educator teams in aligning instruction and assessment to the rigor of the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021. Participants will learn a structured alignment process and apply it directly to their own assessments with support from a Science Standards Education Associate. Teams must bring common assessments for review (for example, formative assessments, district unit assessments, district common assessments, etc.). District and/or school leadership attendance is required to support instructional decision-making and implementation. This session is available only as a full-day, in-person offering to ensure sufficient time for application and feedback.
Designing for Depth: Evaluating Science Materials for 3D Learning and Instructional Coherence
Time: half day
Format: in-person
Audience: K-12 teachers of science, science teacher leaders, administrators
Description: Are your science materials truly supporting three-dimensional learning? In this interactive session, educators will engage in a reflective process to evaluate the design of their instructional materials (IM) through the lens of the 5E instructional model, bundling of performance expectations, and the Performance Targets. Leave with practical tools and strategies to refine your materials and elevate student learning experiences. Participants will need access to common learning experiences (for example: IM units, district curriculum, etc.) for evaluation. This session is customizable by grade band and district-adopted instructional materials.
Teaching that Sticks: High-Impact Strategies for Science Educators
Time: half day (in-person), 2 hours (virtual)
Format: in-person or virtual
Audience: K-12 teachers of science, science teacher leaders, administrators
Description: This interactive session highlights impactful instructional moves found in adopted instructional materials (IM). Participants will analyze how these instructional strategies are intentionally designed to support three-dimensional learning. Participants will reflect on their own practice and plan for their implementation of high-leverage instructional strategies. This session is customizable by grade bands and district adopted instructional materials.
Some example topics include:
- Scaffolding Claim-Evidence-Reasoning Writing
- Anchoring Phenomena and Drive Question Boards
- Scaffolding the Explore Phase
- Clarifying Learning Goals
- Productive Talk
- Retrieval Practice (secondary focus)
Canvas Learning Units for SCDE Renewal Credit Hours
Foundations of 3-Dimensional Science Teaching and Learning
Time: 12 SCDE Activity Renewal Credit Hours
Format: asynchronous Canvas learning unit
Audience: K-12 teachers of science, science teacher leaders
Description: This self-paced learning unit is designed to guide classroom teachers of science and science teacher leaders in thinking about science education in their buildings and to provide background on and fundamentals regarding the South Carolina College-and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021 (SC CCR Science Standards 2021).
Self-enroll in Foundations of 3-Dimensional Science Teaching and Learning
Science in the Classroom for South Carolina Administrators
Time: 9 SCDE Activity Renewal Credit Hours
Format: asynchronous Canvas learning unit
Audience: South Carolina School Level Administrators
Description: This self-paced Canvas learning unit is designed to guide administrators in thinking about science education in their buildings and to provide background on and fundamentals regarding the South Carolina College-and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021 (SC CCR Science Standards 2021). Additionally, this learning unit will inform participants about the instructional shifts required for SC CCR Science Standards 2021 three-dimensional teaching and learning, guide the development of a plan to support science teaching and learning.
Science in the Classroom for South Carolina Teachers
Time: 6 SCDE Activity Renewal Credit Hours
Format: asynchronous Canvas learning unit
Audience: K-12 teachers of science
Description: This self-paced learning unit is designed to guide classroom teachers of science and science teacher leaders in thinking about science education in their buildings and to provide background on and fundamentals regarding the Science Standards. Additionally, this learning unit will inform participants about the instructional shifts required for the Science Standards three-dimensional teaching and learning.
Self-enroll in Science in the Classroom for South Carolina Teachers
Elementary Disciplinary Core Ideas Learning Units
Time: 9 SCDE Renewal Credits (Kindergarten-2nd Grade), 12 SCDE Renewal Credits (3rd Grade-5th Grade)
Format: asynchronous Canvas learning units
Audience: K-5 teachers of science
Description: These self-paced learning units are designed to help elementary school teachers of science strengthen and enrich their science instruction. Each learning unit is designed to deepen the science content knowledge found in the corresponding grade level of the South Carolina College-and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021.
K-5 self-enroll link for Elementary Disciplinary Core Ideas Learning Units
Science Professional Learning Library Recordings
Structures and Function of the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021
Duration: 1 hour
Description: This session is targeted to develop an understanding of the structure of the Science Standards. Major topics include: the South Carolina standards revision process, the three dimensions of science, and the structure of a Performance Expectation.
Recording link for Structures and Function of the South Carolina College- and Career-Ready Science Standards 2021
Increasing Student Engagement with the Science and Engineering Practices
Duration: 2 hours
Description: Participants work to build their capacity to engage their students in the Science and Engineering Practices. Teachers will be immersed in the "doing of science" through the practices with embedded time to reflect and discuss the implications of their learning for students.
Recording link for Increasing Student Engagement with the Science and Engineering Practices
Lensing the Crosscutting Concepts to Develop Student Discourse
Duration: 2 hours
Description: Participants work together to build capacity in using the Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) to develop student discourse around science. Teachers will be immersed in using the CCCs through a learner’s lens.
Recording link for Lensing the Crosscutting Concepts to Develop Student Discourse
Close Reading in Science
Duration: 1 hour
Description: This webinar focuses on strategies to improve students’ comprehension and critical analysis of scientific texts. Learn how to guide students in extracting key information, interpreting data, and constructing well-supported scientific arguments.
Recording link for Close Reading in Science
Performance Targets for the Science Standards Video Overview
Duration: 10 minutes
Description: Use this brief overview video as a guide to the Purpose, Use, and Features of the Performance Targets.
Recording link for Performance Targets for the Science Standards Video Overview
Webinar to Support the Science Instructional Planning Templates
Duration: 1 hour 10 minutes
Description: To promote the implementation of the Science Instructional Planning Templates, the Science Team hosted a webinar for teachers of science, science teacher leaders, and administrators responsible for science instruction in their buildings and/or districts.
Recording link for Webinar to Support the Science Instructional Planning Templates
Webinar to Support the Science Bundling Guides
Duration: 1 hour
Description: To promote bundling as an instructional strategy and to introduce the Science Bundling Guides, the Science Team hosted webinars for teachers of science, science teacher leaders, and administrators responsible for science instruction in their buildings and/or districts.
Recording link for Webinar to Support the Elementary Bundling Guides
Recording link for Webinar to Support the Middle and High School Bundling Guides
