Testing
All testing is to be done each year of the grant program even if a teacher may have finished or not yet started their own master's degree course work.

1. Administer pre and post content tests to their students.
2. Take pre and post content tests themselves.
3. Administer pre and post attitude/interest surveys to their students.
4. Teachers will demonstrate, either a 20 point gain with a post score at least greater than 70%, or a post score greater than 89%.

Unit Instruction
Teach at least one secondary life science unit aligned with their district's curriculum during each of the two years they are pursuing their master's degree. Implementation of additional secondary life science units is encouraged as part of their participation in the online professional learning community.

Participation

1. Participate in the full 3 weeks of classes in the summer portion of the Institute for both summers.
2. Participate in one online class during each of the Fall and Spring semesters (we estimate that this will amount to about 6 hours of work per week for each of the semesters) for two years.
3. Participate in program activities as assigned (primarily testing and the online professional learning community) regardless of cohort assignment. For Cohort 1 this means participating in the program even after completion of coursework and leadership plan. For Cohorts 2 and 3 this means participating in activities as assigned prior to starting coursework and continuing such activities after completion of coursework and leadership plans.
4. Participate as a teacher of secondary life sciences (biology, ecology, environmental science, etc.) throughout your involvement with the Institute. Some few exceptions will be made to include 7th or 8th grade teachers.

Evaluation

1. Allow for scheduled observations by the project evaluators to take place in their classrooms if necessary. Most likely this will only apply to local school districts.
2. Allow for scheduled observations by other project personnel to take place in their classrooms if necessary. Most likely this will only apply to local school districts.

Professional Learning Community

1. Participate in the online professional learning community during the 2 years of coursework as well as the subsequent years after coursework is finished (we estimate that this will amount to about 2 hours of work per week for each of the semesters).
2. Present a project based on classroom work with your students during an online professional learning community session.
3. Offer advice and participate in colleague-to-colleague discussions in the online professional learning community.

Leadership
We are thinking of leadership as including, but not being limited to these efforts: work on your local curriculum committee, presentation at a national conference (such as NABT or NSTA), publication of a paper in an education or professional journal, development of a curriculum unit usable by others, management of a local science fair, management of an after school science club. In all cases we would like for the development of your plan, its implementation and the results to be shared with colleagues in the online professional learning community.

1. Exhibit leadership abilities at various points during the 2 years of coursework.
2. Develop a leadership implementation plan during the second Summer of coursework.
3. Carry out the leadership implementation plan during the remaining years of the grant program.
4. If you weren't admitted as part of a team, we would expect you to develop a local collaboration with other life science teachers.

Computer skills

1. Participants must have at least twice weekly access to an Internet capable computer.
2. Participants must have the skills to work with word processing, presentation and spreadsheet programs, as well as being able to work with web browsing and email software.

Staying on Campus
Living arrangements are set-up in dormitories and the Institute will cover all of these costs; in most cases you will be with a roommate; a single room upgrade is available for additional cost; spouse rooming with participant is available for additional cost.