Teacher workshop conducted by Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont. Image courtesy of the Institute.

KNOXVILLE — Great Smoky Mountains National Park is partnering with Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont and the Knoxville Zoo to offer a free teacher workshop, “Making STEM Easy”, on Saturday, October 4 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Knoxville Zoo.

The workshop focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts for middle and high school teachers. In particular, this workshop will provide activities and demonstrations on how to teach some of the more difficult parts of STEM such as engineering, chemistry, and geography/GIS. The workshop also focuses on technology resources for the classroom including hands-on demonstrations of software and apps that can enhance classroom learning. Each session will include tools, techniques, and resources to help enhance classroom experiences and further engage students in STEM curriculum.

“We are excited about our partnership with Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont and the Knoxville Zoo which allows us a wonderful opportunity to offer resources and support to a wider audience of teachers in the communities surrounding Knoxville,” said Chief of Resource Education Elizabeth Dupree. “We were inspired by the enthusiastic feedback we received from teachers who attended our STEM workshops this past spring and are looking forward to working with even more teachers throughout the region.”

The workshop will include lunch, free materials, and take-home resources. Flexible in-service hours will be offered to all participants (must be approved by your school). Limited space is available and registration closes on Tuesday, September 23, 2014. Please contact Emily Guss to register at 865-436-1713.

Funding for this workshop is made possible through a grant from the Alcoa Foundation through Friends of the Smokies. As a requirement of the funding grant, participating teachers are required to bring their students on a free field trip to Great Smoky Mountains National Park during the 2014-2015 school year. Rangers will work with teachers to reach all necessary curriculum goals. Bus stipends will be provided for the field trip to the park.

Teacher workshops, along with Parks as Classrooms programs and other student opportunities, are made possible with the generous support of Friends of the Smokies and Great Smoky Mountains Association. To learn more about teacher opportunities within the national park, you may also visit the website www.nps.gov/grsm/forteachers.