Algebraic Thinking in theElementary School Classroom (elementary)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course provides teachers of grades 3 through 5 with an opportunity to explore how activities that foster algebraic thinking can be integrated into the elementary classroom. Algebraic thinking consists of more than just learning how to solve for the variables x and y; it helps students think about mathematics at an abstract level, and provides them with a way to reason about real-life problems. In this course, participants will explore three components of algebraic thinking: making generalizations, thinking about the equals sign, and being able to reason about unknown quantities...
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Best Practices for Vocabulary Instruction in the Elementary Classroom (elementary)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

In this course, participants will examine best practices for direct vocabulary instruction in order to build the breadth and depth of students’ vocabulary for both comprehension and written expression in grades three through five. Participants will learn the importance of creating a word-conscious learning environment that encourages motivation and interest in learning new words. Participants will learn how to model and encourage independent word-learning strategies that students can apply while engaging in wide and varied reading... learn more about this course

Best Practices for Vocabulary Instruction in the Middle School Classroom (middle)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course will expand participants’ understanding of vocabulary development and instructional techniques that are effective in helping students in grades six through eight expand their vocabularies. Participants will learn how to assess students’ vocabulary knowledge and select words from a text that are most useful for instruction, including those with high-frequency Greek and Latin word parts. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to... learn more about this course

Choosing and Using Webquests (all)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

Webquests are constructivist-based activities delivered over the Internet. A webquest allows students to explore problems and create solutions. In this course you will learn how to identify the elements of a good webquest. You will also learn how to construct a quality webquest and identify the appropriate accompanying resources. You will build your webquest at zunal.com.. ...... learn more about this course

Classroom Management (all)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

In this course effective classroom management strategies and procedures will be discussed. What do good classroom managers do? Harry and Rosemary Wong will share the reasons for routines and how to establish them. What does a school-wide behavior management system look like and how will it enhance your classroom management? How do you develop your own comprehensive behavior management plan? How can use of cooperative learning enhance your ability to manage and academically reach your students? Learning how to develop a management plan and develop routines for students will allow you to be proactive in both your classroom management and in improving student achievement.
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The Complexities of Measurement (elementary)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course, The Complexities of Measurement, will give participants an understanding of common misconceptions students have about measurement and will provide teachers some tools and strategies to help students improve their conceptual understanding of this topic. Participants in this course will explore why it is important to study measurement in the upper elementary grades as well as why teachers need to pay particular attention to the ideas of unitization and iteration. In the final project for this course, participants will design activities for their students that promote a conceptual understanding of measurement and which are immediately useful in the classroom..... learn more about this course

Differentiating Instruction: Empowering All Learners (everyone)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course provides teachers a structured framework and strategies from which to teach a diverse group of learners in a single classroom. Implementing Differentiated Instruction transforms a teacher into a facilitator of learning – guiding students as they explore and master the curriculum using their unique learning styles and strengths individually and collaboratively. learn more about this course

Digital Storytelling (all)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

Digital storytelling is a way to share a story told by using a combination of video, images, voice, and/or music or other sounds. In this course you will learn how to tell a digital story using these elements. You will learn how to identify the software most appropriate for your project and hardware. Scripting and storyboarding will be the process tools you will use to plan your digital story. Additional skills to be learned include setting the timing and transitions for your story and selecting or creating sounds, images, and music.... learn more about this course

Geometric Measurement (middle/high)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

In this course, Geometric Measurement, designed for teachers in the middle and high school grades, participants will become familiar with relevant research in teaching geometric measure and learn how to analyze student work to inform their instruction. They will complete classroom tasks designed to help them learn approaches to teaching geometric measurement to help students develop stronger conceptual understanding and procedural knowledge, especially in linear measurement, area, surface area and perimeter. They will also explore relationships between perimeter and area and between area and surface area. In addition, they will become familiar with virtual manipulatives designed to promote both conceptual and procedural knowledge around geometric measurement.. learn more about this course

Getting Started in the School Library Profession (new library media specialists)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

The responsibilities associated with running a successful library media program can seem overwhelming to new library media specialists. This course provides a structure for the new LMS to explore the many facets of librarianship. Each participant will begin developing a library media program that will best meet the needs of his or her learning community. Participants will learn about the foundations of librarianship, the administration of the school library media program, the services typically offered by school library media centers, technology topics, and educational topics..learn more about this course

Information, Communications Technology, and Literacy: The new GLE’s and CLE's (all)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

These standards will replace the former Information Literacy strand in Communication Arts and will apply to all content areas. Our students live in an environment of rapid technological change and proliferating information resources. The standards are intended to assist schools as they prepare Missouri students for life in the 21st century. Because ICTM is common to all disciplines, to all learning environments, and to all levels of education, it has been proposed that this document become a separate content area, rather than remain a part of the Communication Arts content..learn more about this course

Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Program: An Introduction for Administrators (all)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course will provide practicing administrators and administrators-in-training, an overview of the Missouri Comprehensive Guidance Program (MCGP) and the benefits it provides to schools including its contribution to the mission of the school and school improvement, including student success. Participants will be introduced to the concept of program versus position as it relates to school counseling and to the major elements and components of the MCGP. Participants will also identify those barriers that prevent schools from fully implementing comprehensive guidance programs and possible solutions to removing those barriers.... learn more about this course

Personal Finance (high school) Free Course! (for the first 20 enrollees)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

In this course participants will learn strategies for teaching Personal Finance to students.Topics covered in this course are income, money management, spending and credit, saving and investing and the principles of backward design. Participants will design a lesson and outline the scope and sequence for thier own personal finance course for students. learn more about this course

Full scholarships are available to everyone and $100 stipends are available for successful completion of this course for teachers of personal finance in some schools through our Bank of America scholarships.

Promoting Reading Comprehension Skills in the Elementary School Classroom (elementary)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

Research on reading comprehension has demonstrated that readers differ in how they approach reading and the meaning they construct from text. Researchers have found that good readers use specific strategies to comprehend text, and those instructional programs that explicitly teach these strategies have been successful in improving students’ comprehension. In this course, participants will examine teaching practices that help students in grades three through five develop concrete strategies for constructing meaning from both narrative and expository text...
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Promoting Reading Comprehension Skills in the Middle School Classroom (middle)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course will help middle school teachers learn about comprehension strategies that students need to apply in order to comprehend a variety of text types. Participants will explore the challenges students commonly experience with different types of text, strategies employed by successful readers, and instructional approaches to support students in developing reading comprehension strategies. Throughout the course, participants will gather ideas about designing a lesson plan that focuses on developing students’ use of comprehension strategies....
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Proportional Reasoning (middle/high)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

In this course, participants will learn about different components and levels of proportional reasoning. They will complete classroom tasks that illustrate ways to develop stronger conceptual understanding and target different components of proportional reasoning. This coursel includes video and written examples of student work. Participants will also conduct a student interview in order to reflect on students’ approaches to proportions problems and to identify evidence of proportional reasoning at various levels. For the final project, participants will create a lesson that targets a component of proportional reasoning and that incorporates questioning techniques learned in the course. They will provide a rationale for the lesson that relates to the material learned in the course and reflect on their own learning.... learn more about this course

Rethinking Lesson Planning Using Backward Design (everyone)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

Enriching and improving the daily classroom curriculum may be accomplished by rethinking how instruction is developed. The use of Backward Design allows teachers to begin with the "end in mind". By examining the desired results first (goals), then determining acceptable evidence (informal and formal assessment), and finally planning appropriate learning experiences and instruction to meet those goals,teachers can effectively plan and deliver instruction. learn more about this course

Teaching Writing in the Elementary Classroom (elementary)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

All students have the capacity to be good writers and writers learn to write by writing. These are basic tenets of this course during which participants will learn instructional strategies to teach students in the upper elementary grades how to write narrative and informational text. Participants will explore how to teach their students about the traits of good writing through mini-lessons and writing conferences and how to ... learn more about this course

Teaching Writing in the Middle School Classroom (middle)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

In today’s middle school writing classroom, the pressures to achieve state and national standards are overwhelming for students and teachers alike. Many classrooms focus so completely on writing the perfect essay that the fun of writing wanes. In this course, participants will examine two common essay types—informative and persuasive—as they are approached in several non-traditional ways. To complement these alternative ways of teaching these two essay types, this workshop will also re-examine the writing process, writing motivation for teachers and students, and formative evaluation methods for writing progress. The end result of this work is a final lesson plan for an informative or persuasive essay that utilizes a creative approach in its instruction. It is the overall goal of this course to rekindle motivation and creativity in middle school writing instruction to help teachers and students have some fun on their journey toward the perfect essay.... learn more about this course

The Complexities of Measurement (elementary)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course, The Complexities of Measurement, will give participants an understanding of common misconceptions students have about measurement and will provide teachers some tools and strategies to help students improve their conceptual understanding of this topic. Participants in this course will explore why it is important to study measurement in the upper elementary grades as well as why teachers need to pay particular attention to the ideas of unitization and iteration. In the final project for this course, participants will design activities for their students that promote a conceptual understanding of measurement and which are immediately useful in the classroom..... learn more about this course

Using Models to Understand Fractions (elementary)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course provides an opportunity for teachers of grades 3 through 5 to explore how mathematical models can be used to promote a deep understanding of fractions and fractional relationships. All too often, students are taught mechanical ways to make sense out of fractions, whether in the form of an addition algorithm or a procedure that produces equivalent fractions. This course offers alternative ideas for fraction instruction and is premised on the belief that students can come to understand fractions in a number of different ways. Completion of a student interview and a final project are integral parts of this course. A variety of readings, applets, and videos form the content of this course, and participants are expected to share ideas with their online colleagues in the discussion forums... learn more about this course

Using Technology in the Elementary Math Classroom (elementary)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

In this course, participants will explore new technologies that can be used in elementary math instruction in kindergarten through sixth grade. Participants will review NCTM and state standards and examine the ways in which tools like virtual manipulatives, calculators, spreadsheet programs, online data sources, and applets can support these goals. In particular, the course will address ways in which technology can support elementary algebra, geometry, number and operation, and data analysis standards. Participants will leave the course with a lesson plan that integrates new technologies into instruction in their own classrooms...... learn more about this course

Water 9-1-1: Inquiry in the Science Classroom(all) NEW, FREE (for the first 20 enrollees)
optional graduate credit: 2 hours

This course explores the challenges communities are facing in maintaining water and wastewater infrastructure. Participants will develop an insight into these challenges and potential consequences to public health and other social costs if and when these infrastructures fail. In many communities immediate attention and spending needs to be dedicated to these challenges so water will flow from the faucet and waste water will go down the drain. Participants will be involved in defining the problems and determining solutions within their own communities and then encouraged to share these challenges with their students in inquiry based units.
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