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MoPOP’s Teacher Professional Development occurs throughout the school year and features workshops, tours, curriculum development, and networking opportunities.
Our goal is to create experiences in which teachers engage with pop culture and each other; where we provide useful teaching tools that are interactive, fun, equitable for all learners, and easy to use.
UPCOMING EVENTS
EDUCATOR EVENT
FREE Educator Day
October 14, 2023
11:00am-4:00pm
MoPOP
Cost: FREE!
- Join us for our FREE Educator Day at MoPOP! All educators who RSVP in advance get free access to the museum, including Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA.
- Don’t miss the special screening of LAIKA’s ParaNorman at 2:30pm in Sound & Vision Theatre!
- Meet Education staff and learn about education offerings for this school year!
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Teacher PD in connection with Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop
November 18, 2023 10:00am-2:30pm MoPOP
This teacher professional development will be led by James Miles (he/him), fondly known as Fresh Professor. Miles is an Assistant Professor at Seattle University and Executive Director of Third Stone, the nonprofit known for operating the Bumbershoot Arts and Music Festival in Seattle. James has worked internationally as an artist and educator, and was inspired to foment change after seeing so many children who looked like him being disregarded and treated like criminals by our educational systems. In New York City, he was the Director of Education at Urban Arts Partnership, where he created the Fresh Education program that used original hip-hop music and theater to boost academic success in middle school ELA and social studies classrooms. The arts-infused and standards-aligned curriculum guide he designed has been used around the world and has inspired many educators and adults to shift how they teach, work with, and speak to students of all ages. A graduate of Morehouse College and Brandeis University, James has provided professional development to teachers across the world, and has presented at SXSW EDU, NYU’s IMPACT Festival, New York Creative Tech Week, EdTechXEurope, Google Educator Bootcamp, and more. His work has been featured in media including Complex magazine, the Seattle Times, the New York Times, NPR, Billboard Magazine, CBS, NBC, the US Department of Education, and more. He is on the Board of the Frye Art Museum, MoPOP, on the Advisory Board for SXSW EDU, and is a mayoral appointee to the Seattle Arts Commission. His acclaimed TedXTalk focuses on his mission to narrow achievement gaps using the “arts as a tool to navigate the systems of educational inequity.” Learn more about James at www.freshprofessor.com
For more information, contact natashar@mopop.org
PAST WORKSHOPS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Dreaming, Creating, Completing: The Stages of Stop Motion Animation
Saturday, May 20, 2023 10:00am-2:30pm MoPOP
4 WA State Clock Hours available
$53 for Educators | $0 for Educator Members
(scholarships available, contact natashar@mopop.org)
Work with LAIKA's Art Department Production Manager and Production Designer to simply and clearly open the door to stop motion animation. Participants will learn the fundamentals of production design for story, character development, and basic stop motion animation shooting. This hands-on workshop is made to be adaptable to classrooms and share a variety of creative and technical career opportunities for students.
Jennifer Ludden (she/her) is LAIKA's Art Department Production Manager, working on the upcoming stop motion animation film Wildwood. Her career has spanned many types of Productions, including theme park lands such as Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Mario World at Universal Studios Hollywood, Head of Production for the LA Derby Dolls, and many theaters, events, short films, and web series productions in a variety of roles like Producer, Director, Writer, and Production Manager. She is an avid storyteller through all mediums and loves building beautiful new worlds for others to enjoy.
Nelson Lowry (he/him) is LAIKA’s Production Designer and has led their stellar production design team for ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings and Missing Link. His prior credits include The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Production Designer), Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (Art Director), the Christmas comedy Fred Claus (Digital Effects Art Director), and Danny Boyle's Sunshine (Visual Effects Matte Painter). Nelson's work on Eddie Murphy's TV series The PJs earned an Emmy Award® for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation and an Annie Award nomination. He won an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Production Design in an Animated Feature for Kubo and the Two Strings. He is the Production Designer on Wildwood, LAIKA’s sixth animated film, currently in production.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Afrofuturism in Weaving (Virtual)
Saturday, December 3, 2022
Weaving as a skill builds dexterity, spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination, and creative expression. Workshop participants learned the basic elements of weaving, material structure and technology, the manipulation of 2-D fabrics into 3-D structures through material and structural choices. Our work was inspired by our current exhibition, Ruth E Carter - Afrofuturism in Costume Design. Workshop participants took home activities adaptable for grades K through 12.
Erika (she/her) has been weaving since being introduced to it by her kindergarten teacher over 30 years ago. In the years since, she has explored weaving as an artist, archaeologist, university lecturer, and now high school teacher and member of the Seattle Weaver's Guild. She earned her Master's degree in Ancient Near Eastern Art & Archaeology from the University of Chicago and is currently a PhD student in bioarcheology at the University of Arkansas where she taught Intro to Egyptology for 5 years. As an educator, Erika is focused on integrating ancient technology into the classroom in modern ways. Erika is currently a long-term guest teacher in the Kent School District.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
STEAM Power Teacher PD (Virtual)
Saturday, March 12, 2022
MoPOP, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, and Pacific Science Center teamed up for a day of virtual professional development fueled by STEAM. STEAM Power features three skill-based workshops. These workshops are designed especially for educators addressing a broad spectrum of virtual STEAM learning, highlighting key topics from each organization’s specific areas of expertise, taught by each organization’s staff and professional educators.
EDUCATOR PREVIEW
Educator Preview for Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop (Virtual)
Friday, November 5, 2021
Our Virtual Educator Previews included a virtual tour of the exhibit, discussion with our Curators, an overview of connected learning content, and time to ask questions. For this preview, we were joined by Vikki Tobak, Curator and author of Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Costume Changes: from Disney to the Classroom (Virtual)
Saturday, October 2, 2021 10:00am-12:30pm
How do Disney costumes, character transformation, and the personal growth of students all tie together? Using examples from MoPOP’s exhibition Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume, we explored how costumes can be a direct reflection of personal and/or societal change. In literature, theatre, and film, we see our favorite characters go through costume transitions. How often do we ourselves go through costume changes too? What ignites those changes? This professional development workshop provided hands-on activities to explore character development through costuming and social-emotional learning in the classroom.
EDUCATOR PREVIEW
Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement
Friday, July 9, 2021
Our virtual Educator Previews include a virtual tour of the exhibit, discussion with our Curators, an overview of connected learning content, and time to ask questions.
EDUCATOR PREVIEW
Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume
Friday, June 18, 2021
Our virtual Educator Previews include a virtual tour of the exhibit, discussion with our Curators, an overview of connected learning content, and time to ask questions.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Exploring LGBTQIA+ Representation in Pop Culture
Saturday, May 15, 2021
We partnered with the the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) for this PD in connection with our past exhibition, "Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement." We explored frameworks for students to examine how LGBTQIA+ characters are represented in films, TV, literature, and more. Participants looked at examples from current pop culture and from MoPOP's exhibition, and left with tools that are applicable in their own classrooms.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
STEAM POWER 2021
Saturday, March 20, 2021
MoPOP, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, and Pacific Science Center teamed up for a day of virtual professional development fueled by STEAM. STEAM Power features a choice of two, 1-hour, skill-based workshops. These workshops are designed especially for educators addressing a broad spectrum of virtual STEAM learning, highlighting key topics from each organization’s specific areas of expertise, taught by each organization’s staff and professional educators.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
GAME TO GROW- USING TABLETOP
ROLE-PLAYING GAMES IN THE REMOTE CLASSROOM
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Are you interested in integrating games like Dungeons and Dragons into your classroom? Tabletop role-playing games are a great support not only for educational and academic outcomes, but also help students build social and emotional skills through authentic relational play. This tool is especially helpful for neurodivergent youth, as it recognizes and respects unconventional and creative expression, and builds community inside and outside of the classroom. Workshop participants learned the basic structure and elements of a tabletop role-playing game, how they can support social emotional learning goals, and how roleplaying games are especially useful as participation structures for neurodivergent youth.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
TEACHING MARVEL IN THE REMOTE
CLASSROOM WITH DONTE FELDER
Saturday, November 14, 2020
Discover the intersectionality of race, comics, and politics through the eyes of a “Blerd”. Donte Felder, a self-proclaimed Black nerd, used Marvel Comics as an entry point to discuss social justice movements that have played a role informing our world on race in the United States. Participants brought their imagination, critical analysis superhero goggles, tights, and capes to help Donte Felder save the world from boring classroom curriculum.
UPCOMING EVENTS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Dreaming, Creating, Completing: The Stages of Stop Motion Animation
Saturday, May 20, 2023 10:00am-2:30pm MoPOP
4 WA State Clock Hours available
$53 for Educators | $0 for Educator Members
(scholarships available, contact natashar@mopop.org)
Work with LAIKA's Art Department Production Manager and Production Designer to simply and clearly open the door to stop motion animation. Participants will learn the fundamentals of production design for story, character development, and basic stop motion animation shooting. This hands-on workshop is made to be adaptable to classrooms and share a variety of creative and technical career opportunities for students.
Jennifer Ludden (she/her) is LAIKA's Art Department Production Manager, working on the upcoming stop motion animation film Wildwood. Her career has spanned many types of Productions, including theme park lands such as Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Super Mario World at Universal Studios Hollywood, Head of Production for the LA Derby Dolls, and many theaters, events, short films, and web series productions in a variety of roles like Producer, Director, Writer, and Production Manager. She is an avid storyteller through all mediums and loves building beautiful new worlds for others to enjoy.
Nelson Lowry (he/him) is LAIKA’s Production Designer and has led their stellar production design team for ParaNorman, Kubo and the Two Strings and Missing Link. His prior credits include The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Production Designer), Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride (Art Director), the Christmas comedy Fred Claus (Digital Effects Art Director), and Danny Boyle's Sunshine (Visual Effects Matte Painter). Nelson's work on Eddie Murphy's TV series The PJs earned an Emmy Award® for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation and an Annie Award nomination. He won an Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement in Production Design in an Animated Feature for Kubo and the Two Strings. He is the Production Designer on Wildwood, LAIKA’s sixth animated film, currently in production.
Registration is full but email natashar@mopop.org to be added to our waitlist!
EDUCATOR PREVIEW
Educator Preview for Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA
Fall 2023 MoPOP
Cost: FREE!
Our Educator Previews include a tour of the exhibit, discussion with our Curators, an overview of connected learning content, and time to ask questions. For this preview, we will explore Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA with MoPOP Curator Amalia Kozloff.
For more information, contact natashar@mopop.org
PAST WORKSHOPS
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Afrofuturism in Weaving (Virtual)
Saturday, December 3, 2022
Weaving as a skill builds dexterity, spatial awareness, hand-eye coordination, and creative expression. Workshop participants learned the basic elements of weaving, material structure and technology, the manipulation of 2-D fabrics into 3-D structures through material and structural choices. Our work was inspired by our current exhibition, Ruth E Carter - Afrofuturism in Costume Design. Workshop participants took home activities adaptable for grades K through 12.
Erika (she/her) has been weaving since being introduced to it by her kindergarten teacher over 30 years ago. In the years since, she has explored weaving as an artist, archaeologist, university lecturer, and now high school teacher and member of the Seattle Weaver's Guild. She earned her Master's degree in Ancient Near Eastern Art & Archaeology from the University of Chicago and is currently a PhD student in bioarcheology at the University of Arkansas where she taught Intro to Egyptology for 5 years. As an educator, Erika is focused on integrating ancient technology into the classroom in modern ways. Erika is currently a long-term guest teacher in the Kent School District.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
STEAM Power Teacher PD (Virtual)
Saturday, March 12, 2022
MoPOP, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, and Pacific Science Center teamed up for a day of virtual professional development fueled by STEAM. STEAM Power features three skill-based workshops. These workshops are designed especially for educators addressing a broad spectrum of virtual STEAM learning, highlighting key topics from each organization’s specific areas of expertise, taught by each organization’s staff and professional educators.
EDUCATOR PREVIEW
Educator Preview for Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop (Virtual)
Friday, November 5, 2021
Our Virtual Educator Previews included a virtual tour of the exhibit, discussion with our Curators, an overview of connected learning content, and time to ask questions. For this preview, we were joined by Vikki Tobak, Curator and author of Contact High: A Visual History of Hip-Hop.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Costume Changes: from Disney to the Classroom (Virtual)
Saturday, October 2, 2021 10:00am-12:30pm
How do Disney costumes, character transformation, and the personal growth of students all tie together? Using examples from MoPOP’s exhibition Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume, we explored how costumes can be a direct reflection of personal and/or societal change. In literature, theatre, and film, we see our favorite characters go through costume transitions. How often do we ourselves go through costume changes too? What ignites those changes? This professional development workshop provided hands-on activities to explore character development through costuming and social-emotional learning in the classroom.
EDUCATOR PREVIEW
Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement
Friday, July 9, 2021
Our virtual Educator Previews include a virtual tour of the exhibit, discussion with our Curators, an overview of connected learning content, and time to ask questions.
EDUCATOR PREVIEW
Heroes & Villains: The Art of the Disney Costume
Friday, June 18, 2021
Our virtual Educator Previews include a virtual tour of the exhibit, discussion with our Curators, an overview of connected learning content, and time to ask questions.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Exploring LGBTQIA+ Representation in Pop Culture
Saturday, May 15, 2021
We partnered with the the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN) for this PD in connection with our past exhibition, "Rise Up: Stonewall and the LGBTQ Rights Movement." We explored frameworks for students to examine how LGBTQIA+ characters are represented in films, TV, literature, and more. Participants looked at examples from current pop culture and from MoPOP's exhibition, and left with tools that are applicable in their own classrooms.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
STEAM POWER 2021
Saturday, March 20, 2021
MoPOP, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Discovery Center, and Pacific Science Center teamed up for a day of virtual professional development fueled by STEAM. STEAM Power features a choice of two, 1-hour, skill-based workshops. These workshops are designed especially for educators addressing a broad spectrum of virtual STEAM learning, highlighting key topics from each organization’s specific areas of expertise, taught by each organization’s staff and professional educators.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
GAME TO GROW- USING TABLETOP
ROLE-PLAYING GAMES IN THE REMOTE CLASSROOM
Saturday, January 23, 2021
Are you interested in integrating games like Dungeons and Dragons into your classroom? Tabletop role-playing games are a great support not only for educational and academic outcomes, but also help students build social and emotional skills through authentic relational play. This tool is especially helpful for neurodivergent youth, as it recognizes and respects unconventional and creative expression, and builds community inside and outside of the classroom. Workshop participants learned the basic structure and elements of a tabletop role-playing game, how they can support social emotional learning goals, and how roleplaying games are especially useful as participation structures for neurodivergent youth.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
TEACHING MARVEL IN THE REMOTE
CLASSROOM WITH DONTE FELDER
Saturday, November 14, 2020
Discover the intersectionality of race, comics, and politics through the eyes of a “Blerd”. Donte Felder, a self-proclaimed Black nerd, used Marvel Comics as an entry point to discuss social justice movements that have played a role informing our world on race in the United States. Participants brought their imagination, critical analysis superhero goggles, tights, and capes to help Donte Felder save the world from boring classroom curriculum.
Thanks to our education and outreach sponsors:
