Primary sources, such as photographs, manuscripts, maps, and government documents, are now digitized. Educators can easily access and use them to enhance digital learning for their students. Join us at NCCAT as we partner with university libraries and online programs that provide relevant and engaging teaching resources in user-friendly online forms. We also will discover other online sources and explore means of using them that promote critical thinking and analysis skills and engage middle and high school students in technology, language arts, science, social studies, and other subjects. Together we will locate materials relevant to your own North Carolina hometowns or counties and share ways to improve your students’ digital literacy and make these sources more meaningful to them.

Designed for math teachers of grades 6–8.

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) tells us to beware of rules that expire; others say “Nix the Tricks.” Common Core says teach for understanding. Wouldn’t it make sense to students to divide when it says divide, rather than multiply when we are dividing fractions? It’s no wonder students and adults alike find math confusing and therefore hard and boring. Come engage in mathematics, make connections between the domains and grade levels, and leave ready to invigorate your classroom with depth and reasoning, at a level accessible to ALL students! We will open investigations concretely and utilize the 8 Mathematical Practices to build knowledge and understanding while moving to abstract representations of concepts. Explore the obvious connections between Ratio and Proportion and Expressions and Equations and the less obvious connections to Probability/Statistics and Geometry. Bring your TI-73 or TI-84 (limited number available). Let’s have some fun as we experience middle school math in new and exciting ways!

Designed for ELA teachers of grades 6–8 and those who coach them.

Middle grades ELA inhabits a type of educational limbo. Intellectually, students are capable of taking on complex reading and writing tasks but many are still developing the necessary maturity to do so. This program will examine the knowledge and skills necessary to transition successfully from elementary to high school. Teachers will engage in and then craft their own language arts activities that engage both the child and the budding adult in each of their students. Activities will address reading, writing, thinking, speaking and listening skills.