The Summer Institute for Teacher Professional Development will bring small teams of middle school teachers together with project scientists in a three-day Summer Institute held at the Valles Caldera National Preserve (VCNP). The teachers will participate with project scientists in field activities, such as equipment deployment and data collection, and they will receive a set of prescriptive activities to take back to their classrooms. The teachers will return for two weekend workshops, one in the fall and one in the spring, that will strengthen the bonds within the teacher teams, provide updates and expand the scientific content delivered during the summer, and allow the teachers to share best practices for science teaching.

The Summer Institute will host seven teacher teams each year in Years 1–4 with participants selected competitively. Teams will include three teachers (science, math and social studies) to encourage team teaching and the integration of science into geography and math. Teachers will receive a stipend, on-site housing, meal and travel allowance. Teachers completing the program will be eligible for two graduate credit hours towards professional development requirements, as mandated by the NM Three-Tiered Licensing legislation.

Enhance professional teacher development for STEM areas in northern New Mexico.

• Support teams of 9th grade school teachers that will participate in a three-day Summer Institute and weekend workshops where they will be engaged in scientific research in the field and curriculum development for classroom projects on water and climate change
• Provide hands-on classroom science teaching materials on climate change in New Mexico to teachers.
• Provide additional mentoring and support during the school year.