From PLDs to Practice: Hacking the Science Regents

KEY INFORMATION

• DATES, TIMES, LOCATIONS:
  Part 1: Monday, November 17, 5-7pm on Zoom
  OPTIONAL Part 2: Saturday, December 6, 2-4pm (or later) at City College or on Zoom

• LED BY: Carolina Castro and Brendan Harney
• CTLE AVAILABLE: 4hrs
• THIS WORKSHOP IS FOR: Science Regents teachers (any subject) anywhere in NY State.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

Are you a regents science teacher in any of the 4 subjects? Are you confused by the new labs and tests and how those came to be? Do you need more resources to prepare your classes? The NYSED PLDs (Performance Level Descriptions) inform the new exams and labs, and in this 2-part workshop, you will explore the PLDs and how to use AI tools to generate materials for your class.

Part 1: In this fully virtual session. We’ll first explore what the PLDs are, what the levels mean, and how those are used at the state level in generating materials. We will go over sections and terminology, how they are constructed, where to find them, and more. You will read your subject’s PLD and evaluate existing exam questions based on specific standards. Then we will explore how to upload a PLD into a generative AI alongside questions from a recent exam to create an understanding of the levels tested, and how to level-up or -down particular questions for you to teach with. By the end, you will have taken a deep dive into the standards, and developed new content to incorporate immediately into your class.

Part 2: This is a hybrid working session that you can attend in person at City College, or online. We will focus on building out material from the PLDs, and you will walk away with a fully formed, 3-dimensional lab, lesson, or other activity, with an AI tool to help you develop additional future activities. If you are using a prescribed curriculum (e.g. OpenSciEd, New Visions), we can help you develop an AI tool to focus the learning that you want to happen in your classroom. We will work together, and share what has been created, and if you are able to come in person, we will be able to help with technical issues in a fully collaborative experience.

You can stop after Part 1, or join us for both parts. Those joining Part 2 will have some suggested HW to help you explore and implement. When selecting a ticket, you will indicate which option you are taking.

WORKSHOP LEADERS

Carolina Castro is a veteran science educator with 23 years of classroom experience and currently serves as the Head of the Science Department at the Comprehensive Model School Project in the South Bronx. She is a Master Teacher with Math for America and an Educational Specialist for the New York State Education Department, where she contributes to the development of the Earth Science Regents exam. Recognized for her work in sustainability and hydroponics education, she was named the 2025 Outstanding Earth Science Teacher of the Year for New York State.

Brendan Harney is a science educator and department chair at the Bronx Lab School with 10 years of experience implementing project based curriculum across all science disciplines. He is always looking for ways to implement technology and new tools in his classroom, and that has brought him into the STEMTeachersNYC AI Working group, CIOB 25/26 AI Fellows, and PlayLab 2025 Design Institute. Outside of the classroom, he can be found literally outside either running or camping (with or without his students).

ABOUT STEMteachersNYC

Since 2011, STEMteachersNYC has delivered professional development workshops for teachers, by teachers, about teaching. We are an approved CTLE and NYCPS MTAC vendor. All workshops over 2hrs offer CTLE. Below is some important information, but please see our official Registration FAQ on our website for full details and policies.

Pricing: workshop/event pricing reflects a desire to offer affordable professional learning experiences. Some workshops are subsidized and offered at a discount or for free.

CUNY & other partner campus pre-service students: If you are training to be a teacher, we want to welcome you to attend our workshops for free! Please email registration@stemteachersnyc.org for details and to see if you qualify.

Want to pay by invoice or purchase order? We encourage you to ask your school or organization if this is a possibility. Please see the Registration FAQ for the process.

Are there discounts available? Often, yes! In the summers, we offer Early Bird and Teacher discounts alongside a Full Price ticket meant for those whose school or organization is funding their ticket. In the summer, we also have full scholarships, and a Fellowship available. All year, we announce specials and discounts on our social media (@STEMteachersNYC on Instagram, LinkedIn, Bluesky, and Facebook), and in our Weekly Newsletter – sign up here. Additionally, we partner with several organizations and CUNY to offer free tickets to teachers and pre-service teachers involved, and if at any time price is a barrier to you purchasing a ticket, please contact us at registration@STEMteachersNYC.org

Refunds, cancellations, and other registration/ticketing policies or changes: Please see the full Registration FAQ for details and policies.

Please note: We take screenshots, photographs and record video of our workshops in order to publicize a positive image of science teaching, and of STEMteachersNYC – a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization – and to support future teacher leaders. If you register, you are agreeing to be photographed and to have your voice and image video-recorded. You are also agreeing to relinquish all your rights to the photographs and video recordings.

If you do not wish to be photographed or video-recorded – you must inform us before the workshop starts. For in-person workshops, we may take one photograph of your face so that we can erase your image if we happen to catch it by chance during the workshop, and we will do our best to avoid you.

Have more questions? Please see the full Registration FAQ for further details and policies, or contact us directly:

• Registration or ticketing questions - registration@STEMteachersNYC.org
• Questions about invoice/PO issues - bookkeeper@STEMteachersNYC.org
• Any other questions - info@STEMteachersNYC.org