Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub

We are proud to offer these comprehensive professional development programs designed to elevate teaching practices.

Project Based Learning: Middle School

S.T.E.A.M.-Powered Project-Based Learning for the Secondary Classroom.
This session is for middle and high school educators interested in learning how to design and facilitate Project-Based Learning (PBL) experiences at the secondary level. We will cover relevant terminology, including what PBL is and how it relates to S.T.E.A.M. and transdisciplinary learning, as well as the elements of PBL. We will also review how Oregon’s Transformative Social and Emotional Learning framework can be integrated into a PBL experience. A framework for designing S.T.E.A.M.-powered PBL experiences will be shared, as well as tools for getting started. Attendees will leave the session with a planning template they can use in their classrooms, as well as a collaboration tool to use with grade level colleagues. Please attend Part 2 - Workshop: Designing S.T.E.A.M.-Powered Project-Based Learning for the Secondary Classroom to have more focused time to work with regional colleagues and design a PBL unit of your own!

This session is in our August PDs.

Because great teachers never stop learning, we are delighted to offer these engaging PD experiences.

STEAM with Quirkles
Discover an engaging approach to teaching STEM with the Quirkles curriculum. This training will show you how to effectively foster STEM learning in your classroom while introducing fun, classroom-friendly science experiments. Through Quirkles, you’ll gain hands-on experience not only with conducting experiments, but also with integrating language skills such as alliteration and letter awareness, along with key social-emotional learning components.

This is in our August session only.

It is our privilege to support educator growth through these targeted, high-impact professional development sessions.

S.T.E.A.M.-Powered Project-Based Learning for the Elementary Classroom
In this session, participants will learn how to design and facilitate Project-Based Learning (PBL) experiences in the elementary classroom. We will cover relevant terminology, including what PBL is and how it relates to S.T.E.A.M. and transdisciplinary learning, as well as the elements of PBL. We will also review how Oregon’s Transformative Social and Emotional Learning framework can be integrated into this type of learning experience. A framework for designing S.T.E.A.M.-powered PBL experiences will be shared, as well as tools for getting started. Attendees will leave the session with a planning template they can use in their classrooms and across different content areas. Please attend Part 2 - Workshop: Designing S.T.E.A.M.-Powered Project-Based Learning for the Elementary Classroom to have more focused time to work with regional colleagues and to design a PBL unit of your own!

Why Are You Grading That? Making Assessment Easier

After going through trainings with NWEA (Northwest Evaluation Association, Rick Stiggins and Anthony Muhammed, the presenter drastically changed his instructional practices in his elementary classes. This led to a more refined way of assessing students, spending less time doing so and with greater results. He continued with this work as an administrator and the three schools in which he worked, increased (specifically math) their assessment scores in 18 of 19 years. Practical techniques, analyzing assessments, conferring with students and developing a plan for success will be a part of this workshop.

We’re looking forward to growing and learning alongside you with these new professional development offerings.

Growing Minds: Creating a Growth Mindset Classroom

This session focuses on practical strategies for building classrooms where effort, perseverance, and learning from mistakes are part of the culture. Participants will explore how mindset impacts student confidence, motivation, and willingness to take academic risks. Through real classroom examples and simple, meaningful practices, teachers will learn ways to encourage productive struggle, foster resilience, and help students see challenges as opportunities for growth. The session also highlights the importance of teacher language, feedback, classroom routines, and modeling a growth mindset in everyday interactions. Teachers will leave with realistic, ready-to-use ideas that help create supportive learning environments where all students can grow and succeed.

We are offering this in both our July and August sessions. For registration information check our our www.umpquavalleysteam.com

S.T.E.A.M.-Powered Project-Based Learning for the Elementary Classroom

In this session, participants will learn how to design and facilitate Project-Based Learning (PBL) experiences in the elementary classroom. We will cover relevant terminology, including what PBL is and how it relates to S.T.E.A.M. and transdisciplinary learning, as well as the elements of PBL. We will also review how Oregon’s Transformative Social and Emotional Learning framework can be integrated into this type of learning experience. A framework for designing S.T.E.A.M.-powered PBL experiences will be shared, as well as tools for getting started. Attendees will leave the session with a planning template they can use in their classrooms and across different content areas. Please attend Part 2 - Workshop: Designing S.T.E.A.M.-Powered Project-Based Learning for the Elementary Classroom to have more focused time to work with regional colleagues and to design a PBL unit of your own!

This PD will be held in our August session.

Empowering educators through next-level PD! 💡

The Embedded Teacher Program from Space for Teachers gives educators a rare opportunity: guide students in designing a real microgravity experiment, then fly with it on a Zero G parabolic flight. Join Nick Krissie as he shares what it’s like to take a student built experiment into microgravity, how the program works, and practical, classroom ready ways to explore microgravity when you don't have a parabolic flight.

For more information and registration go to our website

Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub - Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub Engaging Students, Supporting Educators Services available to all educators in Douglas County, Oregon. Engaging Students, Supporting Educators Services available to all educators in Douglas County, Oregon. Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub The Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub provides services

Thrilled to bring these new growth opportunities to our amazing educators. 🚀

Using Multisensory Strategies to Engage Students in Coding
In addition to exploring the different platforms of coding, this session will engage the participants in multiple ways of getting students active in coding (beyond the normal sit, type and observe. Several new coding programs will be featured. Products available for checkout from the Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub will also be demonstrated.

For more information and registration see our website www.umpquavalleysteam.com

We’re looking forward to growing and learning alongside you with these new professional development offerings!

Counting Collections
This session is designed for pre-K through second grade teachers who want to strengthen young children’s number sense and early mathematical understanding through the use of counting collections. Participants will explore how counting collections can support children’s development of counting strategies, quantity relationships, and understanding of our base-ten number system. The seminar will highlight ways that thoughtfully chosen collections encourage students to reason about place value and build foundational ideas related to addition and subtraction. Teachers will examine how children’s counting behaviors reveal important insights about their mathematical thinking and understanding. Through videos, student work samples, and collaborative discussions, participants will consider instructional moves that promote flexibility, efficiency, and confidence with numbers. Teachers will also engage in planning experiences that help integrate counting collections into daily classroom routines and small-group instruction. The session emphasizes hands-on, student-centered learning experiences that nurture curiosity, mathematical reasoning, and joyful engagement with numbers.

For more information and registration go to our website at umpquavalleysteam.com

Don't miss out on this opportunity!

Making Middle School Math Engaging.

There will be three project-based learning sessions over three days. Attend one, two, or all three sessions. Today we are covering the 8th grade project.

Day three: 8th Grade Project is Amusement Park Architect: Let your imagination run wild!

More about the project:
The project is designed to run between 12 and 18 lessons, around 40 minutes per lesson. It centers around some of the most important 8th grade math standards, both in terms of OSAS as well as from listed priorities of high school math teachers (graphing linear functions). *Important: You do not have to be a math teacher to do this unit!. This training will be held in June.
For more information about this PD and the 6th and 7th grade projects go to our website Umpqua Valley STEAM Hub and find all our summer PDs under our ‘For Educator’ tab.