Teacher PD: Sea Otter Forensics, Mysterious Case of Brain Illness, (Climate related Issues)

From Sea to Brain: Tracing the Threads of Climate Change Teacher Professional Development | Presented by Rothrock State Forest EES — Thomas Allison What do dying sea otters off the Pacific coast and a mysterious outbreak of brain illness have in common? More than you might think. Join us for a full-day, hands-on professional development experience where teachers work in collaborative pairs to investigate two compelling real-world mysteries. In the morning, we'll dive into the waters of the Pacific to uncover what's threatening sea otter populations. After a provided lunch, we'll shift our focus to a puzzling wave of neurological illness and follow the clues wherever they lead. By day's end, your team will synthesize your findings into a working hypothesis connecting both cases to the broader forces of climate change. All labs are aligned to PA STEELS Standards and scaffolded with Depth of Knowledge (DOK) questions — guiding learners from foundational recall through complex, extended thinking. This inquiry-driven day models the kind of cross-disciplinary, evidence-based thinking we want students to practice, and it just might change how you look at the world around you. Teachers will leave with a complete set of lesson plans. AM & PM sessions | Collaborative pairs | Lunch provided | Door prizes!

Rothrock State Forest

9/3/2026 8:00:00 AM

9/3/2026 4:00:00 PM

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