Sixty teachers now have hundreds of dollars of classroom supplies and hands-on activities after attending a teacher-training workshop sponsored by the people of Oklahoma oil and natural gas at Kingfisher High School.

The Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (OERB) workshop instructed teachers on how to use one of nine energy-related curricula in their classrooms.

The curricula provide teachers from kindergarten through 12th grade Oklahoma-based, real-world applications to supplement their existing lesson plans, including science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) concepts. ›

“We wanted to provide Oklahoma teachers with a program that engages their students, while also meeting the Oklahoma Academic Standards,” said OERB Education Director Carla Schaeperkoetter.

“Our curriculum is unique because it is written by Oklahoma teachers and field-tested in classrooms around the state. This process ensures that our lessons are a true supplement to the textbooks and other resources Oklahoma teachers are utilizing throughout the school year.”

OERB workshops are free of charge and train teachers how to use the curricula in their classrooms.

Teachers earn professional development credits for attending.  

Upon completion of the workshop, teachers go home with a teacher’s guide, a $50 stipend and a free box of equipment and supplies, worth up to $1,100.

The kit materials, which range from graphing calculators and graduated cylinders to pencils and rulers, provide a much-needed boost in classroom resources, Schaeperkoetter said.  

“Some of our kit materials, like hot plates, beakers and scales, are in great demand in many classrooms across the state,” said Schaeperkoetter.

“Our resources can help provide new equipment, especially in math and science, that can be used for lessons beyond the OERB curricula.” ›

All of these materials and training are voluntarily funded by the state’s oil and natural gas industry, which funds the efforts of the OERB.

For more information on OERB’s education programs, or to sign up for a workshop, visit OERB-HomeRoom.com and click on the “Workshops” tab.