New technologies and related initiatives have been arriving in the classroom with alarming frequency: Chromebooks, iPads, interactive white boards, Web 2.0 and 3.0 tools, student response systems, and countless apps. In an effort to remain current, many teachers may find themselves in a classic tail-wags-dog scenario; their curriculum is driven by the technology, when it is the technology that should support the curriculum. During this program, teachers will receive instruction in how to use digital tools to support and enhance their reading, writing, speaking, and listening instruction.

Generation Z has never known a world without cell phones, texting, and the Internet. Our students are more comfortable with the use of technology than former generations. However, this technology-driven style of learning seems to have resulted in a generation of learners who seek immediate gratification—are prone to boredom and ready to jump to the end of the book. How do we teach the Zs? In a mash-up of professional education—a blend of an EdCamp, an interdisciplinary conference on active learning and assessment, and a gamification boot camp—educators will answer that question.

Learn research-based methods for using the natural human desire to be involved in “play” to enrich classroom outcomes. Game-based learning can be a powerful educational tool. Meet your curricular goals by giving students tools to collaboratively design solutions in an environment that encourages intellectual risks. Explore the fundamentals of game-based learning that engages students in core subject areas based on their interests and needs. Led by the Institute of Play, participants will create, modify, prototype, and playtest non-digital games for their individual classrooms. Leave with play-based activities tailored to the needs of your students.

Preference will be given to teachers in Grades K–5.

Meeting the needs of academically or intellectually gifted children can be a challenge for teachers who have these students in regular or enrichment classroom settings. The North Carolina General Assembly, through special legislation, mandates that public schools identify and serve gifted students, and each LEA is required to have an AIG plan. Join teachers of AIG students and experts in the field of gifted education as we investigate strategies to provide enhanced literacy instruction integrated across the curriculum. Create lessons that enrich, extend, and accelerate AIG literacy standards. Explore the policies and best practices of AIG expectations, create ways to challenge gifted children, enhance literacy needs, and encourage continual intellectual growth.

Join the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and NCCAT as we look at ways to enhance student literacy skills through the natural world. Take a critical look at the human connection with nature through American literary greats. Learn to use nature journaling as a tool to motivate your students and improve their writing. Study the environment and participate in citizen science projects using informational texts and digital tools. Discover ways to sharpen your students’ skills in reading, writing, and researching through the natural world.

Preference will be given to teachers in Grades K–3.

Develop your teaching tool kit to support the reading initiatives in North Carolina’s Read to Achieve legislation. Join us as we examine best practices for developing a welcoming and enriching reading and writing environment for the early childhood classroom. Open to teachers in grades K–3, this program will focus on developing strategies that link foundational skills to comprehension in the classroom. Set the stage for comprehension at the listening level for kindergarten students and transition instruction to thinking beyond the text as students move through the early grades.

Educational research and experienced teachers recognize that most school-aged students learn by doing. Teachers who build movement into their instruction report that their students are less disruptive and more engaged. Research supports that physical activity improves memory retention, comprehension, and self-regulation in students of all achievement levels. Learn how you can transform a typical desk-and-chair classroom into an active classroom. Design and create your own physically and mentally active lessons with low-cost materials. Please note that these activities are not intended to improve cardiovascular or muscular fitness. All teachers from pre-K through 12th-grade, including teachers of exceptional students, are encouraged to apply.

Educators often find themselves overwhelmed with the constant changes in digital technology and have difficulty utilizing these new tools to modify instruction. Learn how to effectively teach in any digital learning environment, no matter the tool: laptop, tablet, 1–1 technology, or BYOT (Bring Your Own Technology). Discover strategies to engage students and examine ways to maximize classroom space and time. Gain confidence and skill as you seamlessly integrate digital tools into the curriculum. Motivate your students by developing technology-enriched learning experiences.

Preference will be given to teachers in Grades K–3.

Literacy instruction is as difficult as it is essential. This program will provide early grades teachers with a complement of research-based tools and strategies to help answer some of their more burning questions: How do I teach “close reading” to students who don’t yet know the alphabet? What level of writing can I attain from children who are still learning to spell? How do I simultaneously provide enrichment for advanced readers and remediation for delayed readers? How can I integrate reading and writing instruction into all other subject areas? Finally, what does this instruction look like in the classroom and how are student engagement and learning measured in this process?*

*Administrators of teacher participants are invited to attend sessions on Thursday, July 16, and engage in activities that build and support school-wide literacy. Overnight accommodations will not be available. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner will be provided.

Which of our state’s national parks has a Road to Nowhere? Where is Torpedo Junction and how did it get its name? In which park can you walk in the footsteps of Revolutionary War patriots? North Carolina is home to nine national parks stretching from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Cape Hatteras shores. These parks offer diverse opportunities to spark students’ desire to learn more about the rich science and history of our state. Discover how park resources, including informational texts and supplemental materials, can enhance literacy skills. Learn ways your students can experience our parks both physically and virtually. As the National Park Service prepares to celebrate its 100-year birthday in 2016, partner with national park rangers and literacy experts to create lessons that will engage student learning in your classroom.