Education – Staff Development
Staff development workshops promote The Magic House philosophy of combining hands-on learning and fun! Educators can enjoy the camaraderie of fellow teaching professionals while learning activities that are easily integrated into classroom curricula. Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees provides elementary teachers with innovative economic education resources, as well as field trips for their classes. A Math-magical Workshop for Teachers makes early math instruction as simple as 1-2-3. A Taste of Science serves up a sampling of hands-on science experiences for early childhood educators, while Storytime Science and Math blends children’s literature and storytelling to bring simple science and math concepts into the preschool classroom. Two new programs help educators introduce hands-on science. Force, Motion and Simple Machines offers an interactive approach to understanding Newton’s basic laws of motion, while Going Green, an environmental awareness program, provides tips on teaching kids how to preserve our planet and its natural resources.
Staff Development Workshops
| An Evening with Ben Franklin | For teachers K to 8th grade |
Join Ben Franklin to celebrate the 210th anniversary of the first meeting of Congress in Washington D.C.! On Wednesday, November 17 from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, our favorite Founding Father will host a grand soiree at the museum. Ben (portrayed by actor Alan Prewitt) will conduct a tour of the Star-Spangled Center complete with witty observations, insight into the founding of the country, and his favorite wine and cheese. This special program, just for qualifying teachers of grades K-8, will also grant a FREE civic education field trip for every participating teacher’s class. Because Ben created the first lottery, teachers can also enter a drawing to win a V.I.P. school visit from Ben himself. Attendance is limited to 100. Teachers should register in groups of two or more by contacting the Education Department online at educationinfo@magichouse.org or by phone at 314.822.8900, ext. 13.
Thanks to a generous grant from The Boeing Company, a limited number of qualifying teachers and school groups will participate in this program free of charge.
| Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees | 1st to 3rd grades |
This workshop is designed to assist teachers in preparing students to participate in the Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees financial literacy field trip program and provide ideas on integrating economic education into classroom curricula. Attendance at the FREE teacher workshop is a prerequisite for teachers new to the Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees program and grants each teacher a FREE field trip!
Workshop Dates
Tuesday, October 12, 2010 from 6 to 8 pm
Monday, October 18, 2010 from 6 to 8 pm
Thanks to a generous grant for The Wachovia Wells Fargo
Foundation, a limited number of qualifying teachers will participate in this program free of charge.
| A Math-magical Workshop | Preschool to 3rd grades |
It all adds up in this workshop for teachers of preschool through 3rd grade! Magic House museum educators share teaching strategies and hands-on activities designed to demonstrate how Missouri and Illinois’ early learning standards for math can be integrated into the curriculum. Topics include number recognition, measurement, estimation, geometry, reasoning and more. This workshop makes early math instruction as simple as 1-2-3!
Workshop Cost: $250 per session
Workshop Length: Two hours
Size Limit: Minimum 10 teachers, maximum 50 teachers
| Storytime Science and Math | Preschool to 2nd grades |
Once upon a time, educators participated in a workshop on how to bring science, math and literature connections into the early childhood classroom. Employing favorite children’s books as a springboard, teachers will gather new ideas on using storytime to integrate basic hands-on science and math activities into the preschool curriculum.
Workshop Cost: $250 per session
Workshop Length: Two hours
Size Limit: Minimum 10 teachers, maximum 50 teachers
Thanks to a generous grant from the PNC Foundation, 10 teachers from qualifying schools will participate in this program free of charge.
| A Taste of Science | Preschool to 2nd grades |
This popular workshop is designed to “whet your appetite” for making hands-on science an important component of the early childhood and primary classroom. The workshop examines four thematic units in depth: the environment, kitchen chemistry, the scientific process and the five senses. Teachers gain hands-on experience while exploring activities that emphasize science process skills, and focus on active learning and sensory experiences that are easily integrated into your present classroom curriculum.
Workshop Cost: $250 per session
Workshop Length: Two hours
Size Limit: Minimum 10 teachers, maximum 50 teachers
New Staff Development Workshops
| Force, Motion and Simple Machines | 3rd to 5th grades |
With little effort teachers will grasp an understanding of Newton’s basic laws of motion and the effect they have on the world around us. This hands-on approach will cover the basics of balanced and unbalanced forces, the effects of friction and gravity and how force and motion play a part in the workings of simple machines.
Workshop Cost: $250 per session
Workshop Length: Two hours
Size Limit: Minimum 10 teachers, maximum 50 teachers
| Going Green | K to 5th grades |
It’s easy to go green with this new environmental awareness program. Through hands-on experience, teachers will learn how to teach students about the importance of recycling, ways to reuse everyday
materials and other ways to preserve the planet and its natural resources.
Workshop Cost: $250 per session
Workshop Length: Two hours
Size Limit: Minimum 10 teachers, maximum 50 teachers