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TAKEAWAYS:
Presenting a compelling phenomenon or design challenge requires framing a question and choosing material carefully. Building a storyline requires testing out a launch of a unit to anticipate student questions about it, and first identifying what students will figure out in each lesson of a unit before it occurs.

SPEAKERS:
Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

What happens when you cook an egg? Is it possible to un-cook it? Investigate the characteristics of amino acids, the levels (and rules!) of protein folding, and how denaturing a protein alters its function, in an engaging hands-on modeling investigation using the Amino Acid Starter Kit ©.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt (3D Molecular Designs: No City, No State)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Let’s explore several intervention strategies to help struggling students in STEM. Let's move beyond differentiation & scaffolding. Come learn proven intervention techniques to help students. Let’s modify our traditional outreach to connect with students so that they gain greater understanding.

SPEAKERS:
Margo Dye (Accelerate Learning Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

There’s a break-in at the lab. Your students become forensic scientists as they walk into a crime scene. Analyze samples for blood and then catch the criminal with DNA fingerprinting. This exciting workshop will include ways to incorporate biotechnology and gel electrophoresis into your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Snowflack, PhD (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Tom Cynkar (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Photogates are simple to use, but also have some challenging aspects. We’re here to help you unravel the complexities of these helpful tools so you can incorporate them into your curriculum. We’ll experiment with the laser gate, and we’ll discuss gate and pulse mode, different measurement setups, and more!

SPEAKERS:
Frances Poodry (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: NOAA

Learn to leverage freely available global data visualizations using NOAA’s SOS Explorer mobile application (available on Apple and Android devices and Chromebooks), and an observational technique used in art museums to increase critical thinking and time spent on visual and group thought analysis.

SPEAKERS:
Beth Russell (NOAA Office of Education: Silver Spring, MD), Hilary Peddicord (NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory: Lyons, CO)

Sponsoring Company: Milestone C & STEMI

This essential Foundations of Tech will provide an introduction to areas of new-age tech that are embedded in Industry 4.0, including design, robotics, and AI. Let's work together to make students developers, instead of consumers, of tech and STEM for their future and ultimately, career choices.

SPEAKERS:
Dave Conelias (Milestone C LLC: Shelton, CT)

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Eaton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Spaeny (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Spark your students’ curiosity and prepare them for high school–and the world beyond. Learn how to introduce concepts to your students using the Go Direct Temperature Probe to measure the temperature of the palm of their hand, discover the reflectivity of various colors with the Go Direct Light and Color, measure sliding friction with the Go Direct Force & Acceleration Sensor, and determine the power of their grip with the Go Direct Gas Pressure.

SPEAKERS:
David Carter (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

The gene-editing tool CRISPR is one of the most exciting biotechnology breakthroughs of the past decade. In fact, this technique won the Nobel Prize in 2020! In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore CRISPR biology using fast, easy experiments that model the development of a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Snowflack, PhD (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Tom Cynkar (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Link physical science concepts like circuits and charged particles to the essential biotech method, gel electrophoresis. Build a reusable gel electrophoresis system with the Bandit STEM Electrophoresis Kit, and use it to separate colorful dyes. Also, add the A to STEAM with creative pipetting art!

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hennessy-McDonald, PhD (miniPCR bio: Cambridge, MA)

Sponsoring Company: Adventerra Games North America LLC

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Sue Mundell (Adventerra Games North America: Boston, MA), Bryan Mundell (Founder), Lauren Kelly (Crowley ISD: Fort Worth, TX)

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Eaton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

To analyze data from space and ground-based telescopes, scientists rely on computers, not only to do calculations, but also to change numbers into images. Scientists and programmers go through painstaking calibration and validation processes to ensure that computers produce technically correct images. Visual representation of X-ray data, and radio, infrared, ultraviolet, visible, and gamma, involves the use of representative color techniques where colors in the image represent intensity, energy, temperature, or another property of the radiation. This activity creates models from numerical data. Each model will be unique, depending upon how the photon intensity and energy data was processed – binned and assigned color values – and then analyzed. Artistic representations of this data will be made "by hand" and also by using web-based js9 imaging and analysis software. This is one step in allowing students to do their own astronomy research using real data sets.

TAKEAWAYS:
Scientists learn about astronomical objects from the light they produce. Colors in images are based on data from this light and are used to highlight different features.

SPEAKERS:
Pamela Perry (Lewiston High School: Lewiston, ME)

This lesson focuses on radio astronomy data collected with a $50 student-built telescope. The telescope is not needed to do the lesson. Students collect information on the locations of neutral hydrogen. Easy to do and a primary focus of radio astronomy. The data collected can be used in the classroom to teach lessons on the Doppler Effect, Wave behavior, galactic velocity curves, and effects of gravity as well as other science topics. Many physics concepts can be taught in a highly engaging way by studying the concepts found in astronomy. Doppler effect, rotational motion, wave behavior, the EM spectrum are examples. The challenges to doing such lessons is the high cost of the telescopes and the challenges of collecting astronomy data during daylight hours. Plans for building and operating the radio telescope will be provided. Lesson plans for teaching the Doppler Effect via Red Shift/Blue Shift and for teaching how to work with galactic velocity curves will be included.

TAKEAWAYS:
Radio astronomy is done during class time as radio wave detection is not affected by daylight. Students will learn about the unique nature of galactic rotational behavior as compared to circular motion and planetary motion under Kepler’s Laws.

SPEAKERS:
John Clark (Volusia Online Learning: Port Orange, FL)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Give your students a deeper understanding of what is happening inside those tiny tubes during PCR, endonuclease digest, and incubation wait times through hands-on modeling. This workshop will feature the use of the Biotechnology Kit © and focus on plasmid ligation.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt (3D Molecular Designs: No City, No State)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Students get engaged with practical and inquiry-based engineering experiences by using the DIVE-in method. This program was developed with the New York Hall of Science. Transform your classroom into an authentic makerspace with the DIVE process. Learn how to use the design process through consensus.

SPEAKERS:
Margo Dye (Accelerate Learning Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Participants use the lactase enzyme to produce lactose-free milk in an easy-to-perform lab and then modify experimental conditions to design and test their own procedures to maximize production of lactose-free milk.

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Nixon (Watauga High School: Boone, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Let us shed light on guided-inquiry lessons for your classroom. We’ll walk you through guided-inquiry simple circuit lessons, with attention to both the student experience and the teacher's view. You’ll be able to customize the lessons to feature the sensors and software you already have!

SPEAKERS:
Frances Poodry (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: DoD STEM

Department of Defense STEM scientists and engineers are the bedrock of our nation’s most advanced technology and research breakthroughs, including virtual reality, autonomous vehicles, and more! Join us as we explore multiple STEM career pathways supported by DoD STEM’s network of partners in academia, industry, not-for-profit, and local/federal government.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Marquis Mason (RTI International: Research Triangle Park, NC), Dr. Whitney White (RTI International: Research Triangle Park, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Explore the science of candy colors! We will extract food dyes from candy and separate them using agarose gel electrophoresis and paper chromatography. By separating the different colors, students learn about complicated mixtures, charges on molecules, and how science relates to everyday life.

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Snowflack, PhD (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Tom Cynkar (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

This will give information that will enable participants to replicate a STEM outreach event with various theme ideas. The activities are all low-cost and adaptable across student ages and generations of family members. The activities are meant to provide opportunities for students and families to experience success in a fun and enriching way while engaging with STEM concepts from the NRC K-12 Framework. We will also discuss how we used this event as a way for our preservice teachers to experience and practice implementing informal education strategies. This event was hosted at our local STEM Center, but we will also discuss ways that it can be implemented at school STEM nights, at community events, or even as neighborhood "pop-up" events to reach diverse learners in equitable ways.

TAKEAWAYS:
STEM Outreach events can be a way to engage students and families in equitable STEM learning to encourage and support all learners. This will provide information on how to replicate a STEM outreach event we hosted at our local STEM Center along with ideas about implementing it in different formats.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)

Participants will use light curve graphs and image analysis software tools located on the web to investigate stellar objects at the centers of supernova remnants, and determine if the objects are white dwarfs or neutron stars. Two sets of data from the Chandra X-Ray public archive will be used to plot brightness versus time to determine the rate of rotation of the object. Centripetal acceleration and Newton's Universal Law of gravitation calculations will then be applied. This activity is designed for physics and/or astronomy classes and integrates STEM analysis tools with the crosscutting concepts, physical science core disciplinary content and engineering concepts embodied by NGSS. Students may also use tools learned in this activity to use js9 to do further research projects using publicly available astronomy data sets.

TAKEAWAYS:
Light curves generated from web-based js9 image analysis software can be used to determine the period of rotation and identify objects as white dwarfs or pulsars using Newton’s Universal Law of gravitation and centripetal acceleration calculations.

SPEAKERS:
Pamela Perry (Lewiston High School: Lewiston, ME)

In Oklahoma, The University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University are working to prepare future STEM teacher/leaders by integrating Science Olympiad volunteering into each institution's pre-service teacher (PST) education programs. With partial funding through a grant from the Science Olympiad USA Foundation, the teacher education programs are partnering with the Oklahoma Science Olympiad (OKSciOly) to provide PSTs who serve as peer-mentors to OkSciOly member schools and Event Supervisors for OKSciOly tournaments as a part of their science education program expectations. The program goals are supported by prior studies that indicate that such a program could be associated with improving PSTs’ confidence, increasing opportunities for practicing skills in planning and assessment, and supporting intrinsic motivation associated with coaching Science Olympiad. We will describe the development and activities, and what we learned from PSTs and member schools about the experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how Universities and Science Olympiad can increase STEM education support to local schools and develop capacity within their pre-service teacher candidates to use Science Olympiad’s high quality, NGSS aligned science, math, and engineering experiences with their future students.

SPEAKERS:
Bob Melton (University of Central Oklahoma: Edmond, OK)

As teachers, it is important for us to understand how the brain works when students are learning. Brain science research has not been easy to transfer to the classroom setting. We are beginning to bridge the gap with real-world, classroom research. By joining this session, you will uncover some of the newest neuroscience/learning research and ways to use the information in your classroom. Retrieval practice, interleaving, spaced practice, and elaborate encoding are a few of the topics we will learn about. In addition, you will leave with plenty of short 5-minute tools you can use right away in your classroom, as well as a deeper understanding of the pros and cons of neuroscience research and classroom settings.

TAKEAWAYS:
Not all research is equal, especially when it comes to classroom teaching. This session will help you understand the research, it's strengths and limitations, and provide you with usable tools to start using right away.

SPEAKERS:
Kirsten Landry (Kent Denver School: Englewood, CO)

Students and educators must remain connected to, and motivated by, the elements of their world that not only spark curiosity and generate wonder but are real. Students care deeply about the environment, climate change, food insecurity, and sustainability. A sustainable and resilient future will only be achieved if we begin to make sense of these challenges in smaller, coherent investigations; starting in our science classrooms. An enormous piece of the sustainability puzzle lies within sustainable food systems. Food production and agriculture provide limitless opportunities for students to explore phenomena among the interactions of living things and the earth’s systems. Further, the practice of agriculture, since its origins, has been a continuous series of design challenges to cultivate nature for the needs of humans. This presentation provides a lens through which students and educators can find opportunities to spark inquiry and solve real-world problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will see successful examples of authentic phenomena and problems found within food and agricultural systems that are relevant to all students. We will demonstrate how all three dimensions of NGSS are used to make sense of these real-world phenomena.

SPEAKERS:
John McNamara (Wash. State Academy of Sciences), Brian Beierle (Vivayic, Inc.: No City, No State)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Phenomena is foundational to science and intellectual pursuits in general! Come make sense of the idea and think about how phenomena-based instruction can engage your students in meaningful learning.

SPEAKERS:
Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO), Tiffany Neill (Research Scientist: Oklahoma City, OK)

Working in teams, students take a short analog message and convert it to binary code for cell phone transmission. Students then send those zero’s and one over a carrier wave using a form of amplitude modulation to another team. At the other end the message is decoded and rewritten in analog form. which message was first? How close was it? A discussion of challenges the students’ faced in acting like a DSP (digital signal processor) lets student see some of the challenges of the original binary code and how subsequent forms of coding came about to address some of those challenges. Students discover the binary code they used was Morse code. Students then code and send a different message using the original 5-digit computer code. After racing to send their messages, students are guided through a follow-up discussion on the pros and cons of the new (Baudot) computer code used.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students will understand some of the challenges faced in digital signal processing as sending digital information evolved by completing a lab activity where they will code and decode messages into a digital format for transmission and receiving, similar to how cell phones work.

SPEAKERS:
John Clark (Volusia Online Learning: Port Orange, FL)

Finding causes, treatments, and cures for diseases is “STEM on the front-lines.” Without all four components of the STEM model firmly set in place, any serious medical research is destined to fail. Sanford Research in Sioux Falls, SD has formed an “all-star research team” that is committed to finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and Breast Cancer. In this session, we will highlight the progress that is being made in solving the T1D and Breast Cancer puzzles. Using interactive virtual activities, participants will develop an understanding of the difference between a body that is functioning normally and one that has developed T1D or Breast Cancer. We will wrap up the session with a discussion of the paths that Sanford Research is taking in their quest to help cure the disease. All discussion of human anatomy and physiology will be at a gentle introductory level.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using real case studies, attendees will follow the journeys of a breast cancer survivor and a teenage Type I Diabetic, from diagnosis through treatment.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Lukens (Retired Science Teacher: Sioux Falls, SD)

Learn how one district moved from individual teachers' curriculum-based professional learning to adopting and implementing high-quality instructional materials in middle school classrooms district wide. Hear the story from different perspectives within our multi-tiered system.

TAKEAWAYS:
Practical guidance for moving your multi-tiered system forward with implementation of high-quality instructional materials.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Bacolor (Wayne RESA: Wayne, MI), John Tafelski (Assistant Superintendent: Allen Park, MI)

Sponsoring Company: NSTA - Shell Science Teaching Awards and Competitions

In this hands on workshop you will begin your application for one of three programs sponsored by Shell USA, Inc. You will learn key components to creating a strong application, and strengthen your chances to win for your students, school. Prizes and gift cards will be given in a drawing.

SPEAKERS:
Adrine Williams (Jackson State University: Jackson, MS), Amanda Upton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Looking for ways to increase student ideas in the development of investigative phenomena? We will work in collaborative teams to develop a driving question board. Let’s discuss the types of phenomena and how they can be used effectively in the STEM classroom. Bring relevancy to students’ lives!

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Thompson (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Apply creative problem-solving skills and engineering practices to chemistry and physical science challenges. Experience how Carolina makes it easy to incorporate STEM into your classroom. Launch a chemical reaction rocket and race a car powered by a balloon.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia Kopkau

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Do your students struggle with the meaning of the slope of a graph? We'll demonstrate how to use all the sensors in a Go Direct® Sensor Cart to explore kinematics, force, and mass. These engaging, hands-on experiments will give your students multiple ways to practice working with these principles.

SPEAKERS:
David Carter (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Creating colorful bacteria with transformation is a memorable way to teach the central dogma of molecular biology. Take it a step further and have your students create art with the colorful cells! In this workshop, we’ll share tips for transformation success and create bio-art with microbial paint!

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Snowflack, PhD (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Tom Cynkar (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Examine how modeling deepens student engagement. Explore carefully designed models to discover basic features of DNA structure and function using an atomically accurate model. Model nucleotides, DNA and RNA polymers, genetic sequences, genetic engineering,...and epigenetics.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: Milestone C & STEMI

Bring AI tech to your classroom in an engaging way!  Visit this workshop to learn about how this technology is influencing and controlling our lives and how educators can teach your students so they are prepared and connected to the jobs of the future that are waiting for them.

SPEAKERS:
Dave Conelias (Milestone C LLC: Shelton, CT)

Participants will build their own digital slid whistle. They will experiment with a motion sensor and use that data to convert to sound frequency by creating a regression equation. This activity is a simple one to two day activity that can be completed in the classroom as an enrichment or as a stand alone activity that can be developed over several class sessions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with a simple STEM project that will engage students and can lead to incredible enrichment discussions!

SPEAKERS:
Brad Posnanski (Comsewogue High School: Port Jefferson Station, NY)

SPIN, a FREE web-based notebook created with funding by NSF, has 4 customizable lessons for data-focused investigations in Physics on Centripetal Force, Ohm’s Law, Pendulums, and Impact. Teachers can also input their own lessons into SPIN. One of the teachers who created the lessons in the notebook will be presenting. During the first 30 minutes, presenters will give teachers accounts in SPIN and show how students can use the notebook and the metacognitive support features such as the Communication Hub, I’m Stuck button, and SPAARC prompts. Experiences of teachers and students who have used SPIN will be discussed. In the final 30 minutes, teachers will customize a lesson in SPIN or input their own lessons with help from the presenters. By the end of the session, teachers will be able to use SPIN effectively with the ability to share the notebook with all of the teachers at their school. Use of SPIN is entirely free and is found at https://spin.cehd.gmu.edu/login.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to use SPIN to download and edit a lesson from the Global Marketplace or create their own lesson in SPIN. Teachers who have used SPIN note that it has helped their students understand data practices explicitly.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Barrett (Physics Teacher: Purcellville, VA), Erin Peters-Burton (George Mason University: Fairfax, VA)

Content will be delivered through Google Slides: participants discuss what bias is and the different types of biases that can show up. Participants will be asked to share biases they may hold (inside or outside of the classroom). We will watch a short video clip, then participants will engage in an activity called "How diverse is your universe?" Several prompts will be read and participants will indicate which racial group the prompt identifies with. An example prompt: "the people I grew up with in my household were...," and participants will indicate which racial group the prompt identifies with. Next, as a group, we will come up with our own definition of bias, and come up with examples of the different types of biases and what they look like in the classroom. We will then look at strategies on how to keep these biases in check. Next, we will discuss how to apply anti-bias work in STEM classrooms. We will develop and share content-specific lessons that we can implement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Anti-bias work in the classroom can be implemented in all curricular areas, especially in STEM/STEAM.

SPEAKERS:
Anissa Williams (Niper Middle School: Kirkwood, MO)

Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, teachers have had to restructure how they teach. When schools closed, teachers were given multiple options and had to pick one. Many schools chose the Google Classroom option as it was the easiest for some schools to set up, but didn't allow for inclusivity with every student both in and out of the room. Using examples from my own Chemistry and fully virtual Applied Digital Skills classes, I will show how Microsoft Teams can give both the teachers and students a hub for all their presentations, notes, assignments, and even assessments. It allows teachers the ability to grade assignments and for students and parents to see those grades within the platform. It also allows for teachers to keep track of students' mental health and insights that can be shared with parents or councilors about students' habits on their computer. This may not be a science specific topic, but it works so well for managing a science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will know how to use Microsoft Teams to host virtual lessons, create postings students can read and interact with, create and grade assignments, and how to check in with the emotional needs of students.

SPEAKERS:
Jill Elder (Assumption High School: Louisville, KY)

Ever since the Wright Brothers first took flight in Kitty Hawk, the idea of powered flight has fascinated and captivated people. Unfortunately, despite flight's engaging nature and connections to fundamental physics concepts it is not a common topic in classrooms. Throughout our combined 97 years of existence our organizations, the National Free Flight Society and Science Olympiad, have been working to change this reality. In this session, we will introduce attendees to the idea of free flight model aircraft, demonstrate how these aircraft can be flown safely in schools, and share the variety of instructional resources that are immediately available for classroom use. Following this, we will identify ways attendees can take what they have learned and the activities available to enhance their classroom instruction. The session will close with a demonstration flight of a free flight model aircraft built from start to finish during this 60-minute session.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the art of the possible when it comes to using flight as a topic to engage students in their study of forces, free body diagrams, and Newton's Laws.

SPEAKERS:
David Lindley (President: Lisle, IL), Julie Newman (Engineer), John Loehr (Science Olympiad: Oakbrook Terrace, IL)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Phenomena is foundational to science and intellectual pursuits in general! This session helps you understand powerful qualities of phenomena and how they can support meaningful student investigations in and out of the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO), Tiffany Neill (Research Scientist: Oklahoma City, OK)

Using the standard model kits for inspiration, attendees will see how using simulations for 3-D modeling of molecular geometry can help students "see" the unseen. Taking this knowledge, attendees will code a rover to draw the molecular shapes using simple and easy coding commands. NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED! Student's will be exposed to not only molecular geometry, but will also tie in mathematical geometry with the use of interior and exterior angles for their shapes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Give students new ways to visualize molecular geometry while integrating coding into the science classroom and maybe learning a little geometry!

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA), Chris Coker (Camden Fairview High School: Camden, AR)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Gain strategies and resources to support your evaluation and instructional coaching cycles.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

If you're using STEMscopes (or wanna-be), this session is for you. Come see the most popular digital curriculum during this session. Discover assessment packages, streaming videos with activities, coding with app building, hands-on engineering projects, STEM teacher certification, and much more.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Campana (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

TI graphing calculators now work with Vernier’s Go Direct sensors, wirelessly, with the TI-Bluetooth Adapter! Students can code their own data collection programs using Python to ensure their experiments are customized to their specific needs. Or they can use pre-existing programs from the TI web site to quickly start collecting data. Once the data is on the calculator, students can use one of many applications to better visualize, analyze, and understand the data they’ve collected.

SPEAKERS:
Gregory Dodd (Retired Chemistry Teacher: Pennsboro, WV)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Discover the awesome potential of the ELISA! This highly-sensitive assay allows for detection of low levels of antigens in biological samples, making it perfect to identify pathogens, allergens, and more. We'll also practice pipetting to improve accuracy and precision, ensuring experimental success.

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Snowflack, PhD (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Tom Cynkar (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

STEM educators often teach in traditional settings without exposure to innovative teaching methods. Traveling nationally or internationally can offer valuable insights into how other STEM educators use local experiences to teach. This session covers topics such as applying for national and international STEM professional development programs, benefits for educators and students, and strategies to broaden global perspectives through PBL. Participants will also learn how to apply for grants to fund classroom activities and potentially send students on the same experiences. The session provides practical examples and insights to empower participants to take action and apply their newfound knowledge in their communities. By attending, educators can enhance their teaching skills and create long-lasting lesson plans.

TAKEAWAYS:
Enhance teaching skills and knowledge in STEM subjects for better student learning outcomes with effective strategies and resources. Attend this session to discover the benefits of national and international educator study tours for professional development.

SPEAKERS:
Oktay Ince (Horizon Science Academy Columbus High School: Columbus, OH)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
The goal of this session is to support teachers in understanding how best to meet the needs of all learners by starting from where students are at and drawing on their intuitive ideas and real world experiences to inform instruction. All strategies are framed as equitable 3-D formative assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Participants will model the aspects of water and ion transport across cell membranes using the Phospholipid and Membrane Transport Kit © and our MIGHTY Model © Channel collection. 3-D models of Na+ and K+ channel proteins and aquaporin will help your students understand cellular transport.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt (3D Molecular Designs: No City, No State)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Spaeny (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Keep your students engaged by giving them opportunities to move and interact in class. Explore limb position and grip strength, balance, and EKG and EMG experiments designed to encourage students to think about the physiology of various human organ systems. Come ready to participate!

SPEAKERS:
Colleen McDaniel (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

The population of Latinx students is rapidly growing in the United States, yet Latinas are underrepresented in STEM careers compared to their peers of other identities. This could be in part due to the deficit-based ideology that has historically been utilized when describing this group's success in academic disciplines. This presentation will highlight the findings of a recent qualitative study that asked Latina STEM undergraduate students to reflect on their sources of persistence in high school STEM coursework. The study participants’ responses were correlated with Yosso's (2005) “Community Cultural Wealth Model" to identify their unique sources of strength and persistence in STEM. The study findings will serve as the foundation for recommendations to be made for the implementation of equitable and asset-based shifts to promote Latinas’ persistence and success in STEM at the secondary levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using an asset-based approach, participants will engage in social justice-themed conversations to equitably encourage Latina high school students’ persistence in STEM coursework. Ready-to-use strategies will be featured to promote greater perseverance in STEM for Latinas.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Vitello Lowell (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT)

Have you ever wondered where to find Federal STEM education resources that can provide authentic learning experiences for your students? Come join many federal agencies including but not limited to: Dept of Education, NOAA, EPA, and NIH , to learn more!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn what K-12 STEM learning resources are offered by federal agencies. In addition, teachers will engage in two-way conversations with federal representatives about the STEM resources, programs, and opportunities that are available. Educators will leave with a one-page resource guide.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Crowley (NIGMS, National Institutes of Health: No City, No State), Jorge Valdes (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Alexandria, VA), Kayla Smith (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Silver Spring, MD), Patti Curtis (U.S. Department of Education: No City, No State), Melissa Anley-Mills (U.S. EPA: Washington, DC)

This session provides insight for administrators, professional developers, curriculum coordinators, instructional coaches, higher education faculty, and teachers related to models of STEM instruction focused on SEPs at the K-8 level. Collaborative efforts between school leadership and university faculty have led to the development of STEM programming in two school districts in Southeast Missouri. Using and integrating the expertise of local STEM education professionals (university faculty specializing in STEM education), these school districts (one urban, one rural) designed and implemented very different STEM integration models. Attendees will learn about each model from those integral to the development process. Presenters will share elements of their strategic plans, including curricular structures, human capital/roles, resource/budget considerations, instructional components, and other sustainability aspects, such as environmental and political support and community partnerships.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about STEM program development and STEM professional development models. STEM Education frameworks and a toolkit used as a foundation for strategic planning and sustainability will be shared and available for attendees.

SPEAKERS:
Andi Maddox (Director of Curriculum and Instruction: Kennett, MO), Tyler Lappe (Instructional Coach: Cape Girardeau, MO), Trudy Giasi (Valle Catholic Schools: Ste. Genevieve, MO)

Join us for a chance to learn about the value and how to implement K-12 STEM innovative programs with hands-on learning strategies utilized to motivate engagement. NSTA administered programs are included from: the Army Educational Outreach Program, NSTA Teacher Awards, Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to enhance student STEM engagement through the use of NSTA-administered programs.

SPEAKERS:
Acacia McKenna (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Join us for a speed-sharing session with secondary (MS and HS) science educators who are passionate about STEM education. This session is sure to inspire you to take your STEM teaching to the next level! Microbiology Makerspace, one college-level biology faculty’s attempt to implement the ideas of the Framework for K-12 Science Education in a university course This formative assessment and college microbiology course project was designed to provide an opportunity for college students to learn about sustainability; reusing materials, creating art, and prokaryotic cell structures. Discussion on microbe models, concepts: core HS LSL-1-1 and cross cutting. Exploring Genetics with the Game "Animal Crossing" This session will explore the genetic basis behind hybrid flower production on the video game Animal Crossing New Horizons and how you can use this popular game to gain student interest in genetics. STREAMS - Moving beyond STEAM toward more Transdiciplinary Learning We propose the idea of "STREAMS” as a way to conceptualize the future of STEM: This conversation will be organized around STREAMS 1) Science, 2) Technology, 3) Reading/ELA, 4) Engineering, 5)Arts 6) Mathematics, 7) Social Studies and how this can push the ways we think about STEAM learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will hear about educators' innovative teaching practices, effective strategies for engaging students, and creative ways to use technology in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Miller (Associate Professor of Instruction: No City, No State), Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN), Kelli Feldman (Professor and Associate Dean: Lawrence, KS), Hannah Koford (Research Assistant: Provo, UT)

Join us for a speed-sharing session on the innovative STEM ideas of students. This session is a great opportunity to learn from your peers and get inspired by the creativity of students.

You mean to tell me... Social media can improve [science] literacy?
Students already spend so much of their time on social media, so why not use it to our advantage? Learn strategies to increase literacy and engagement in science through the social media accounts of science organizations such as the ocean-drilling research vessel JOIDES Resolution.

Nature Journaling: 1 book, 5 ideas, 10 minutes
Be introduced to a free nature journaling curriculum and several activities to get started using nature journaling to enhance science notebook routines in your classroom. Tips will include ways to integrate the SEPs and CCCs , as well as math and ELA, with nature journaling.

TAKEAWAYS:
Hear from informal science educators about how they have incorporated these ideas into their programs and how you can do the same.

SPEAKERS:
Maya Pincus (Columbia University / U.S. Science Support Program: Palisades, NY), Dana Atwood-Blaine (University of Northern Iowa: Cedar Falls, IA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

CER gets students to explain phenomena in a scientific way. Let’s use investigations to demonstrate how to use data collection to drive data-based conclusions. Guide students in how to think deeper, write scientifically, & incorporate vocabulary that strengthens their understanding of a phenomenon.

SPEAKERS:
Margo Dye (Accelerate Learning Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Explore easy, engaging, and safe chemistry activities that guarantee a reaction in your students. Whether you’re new to chemistry or feeling out of your element, create excitement with hands-on labs and demonstrations.

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Nixon (Watauga High School: Boone, NC)

Sponsoring Company: ExploreLearning

This interactive session will explore a digital interface that develops models to capture students' thinking when designing and testing solutions to real-world problems. We will immerse ourselves in solving a puzzling STEM Case to develop a model and use it to optimize a solution.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia Low (ExploreLearning: Charlottesville, VA)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Inspire your students’ curiosity about the world around them through hands-on activities using the Go Direct® Temperature Probe, Go Direct® Magnetic Field Sensor, and Go Direct® Motion Detector. See how age-appropriate, sensor-based experiments teach students about data collection and analysis—practices that promote scientific inquiry, build STEM literacy, and boost test scores.

SPEAKERS:
David Carter (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Experience our new collection of protein models enhanced by molecular stories, digital resources, and augmented reality technology. Bigger, better… and more robust.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Eaton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Since the early 2000s when the NSF coined the acronym “STEM” to increase attention and national investment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the “S” in STEM provided the foundation for the accompanying “TEM” disciplines. The pandemic exposed the need for increased public literacy around biomedicine, paving the way for an additional “M” (medicine) in STEM. Building a successful STEMM ecosystem includes increasing access to biomedicine across disciplines to advance equitable access for all students. Campuses and/or districts must reach consensus on the action plan for transdisciplinary STEMM curricular development. At BCM, we developed a 3-day STEMM Planning Institute for K-12 campus teams (administrators, support staff, and key educators) aimed at creating, building, or restructuring STEMM programs. This poster will highlight the planning tools, preliminary findings regarding the planning process, and thematic barriers/successes of STEMM implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
This poster will highlight the planning tools, preliminary findings regarding the planning process, and thematic barriers/successes of STEMM implementation for K-12 school campuses and districts.

SPEAKERS:
Matthew Blank (Assistant Professor: Houston, TX)

We will share the collaboration between Westminster College and local elementary schools to enhance the learning of science. At Westminster, we conducted a STEAM Night for the local elementary schools. Education and Science majors teamed up to create stations that covered science topics such as structure & function, force & motion, the engineering design process, the structure of DNA, botany, art & geometry, and robotics. Elementary students and their families participated in hands-on experiences to reinforce science concepts taught in the classroom. Our poster shares the benefits of collaboration that provide learning experiences which students may not have in the classroom. Not only do these activities have benefits for elementary students and their teachers, but it also gives college students experience in how to work with children and conduct impactful science lessons. This experience creates opportunities to build bridges between schools and colleges to learn STEAM together.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science education can be transformed through partnerships between colleges and schools. Elementary teachers sometimes lack time to focus on the subject of science. Colleges can collaborate with schools to give students science learning experiences they may not get otherwise.

SPEAKERS:
Tami Ensor (Westminster College: Fulton, MO), Annette Ramirez (Preservice Teacher/Student: No City, No State), Courtney Street (Student: No City, No State)

Although there is extensive dissemination of the research and results obtained from deep-sea cores within the scientific ocean drilling community, less focus has been placed on the lives and experiences of those carrying out the research, including scientists, technicians, ship’s crew, and shore-based staff. This project documents the stories of those that have sailed on and supported scientific ocean drilling expeditions through a collection of audio narratives that showcase what goes beyond the “science” part of science at sea. By highlighting the human aspect of ocean expeditions and emphasizing the experiences of those involved, we make the field accessible to those who may have previously felt uninterested, disconnected, or alienated. We are also seeking feedback from educators in terms of what additional supporting materials (eg: images and maps, scaffolds, formative and summative assessments) should be added to the project to maximize the benefit to all students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Free multimedia classroom resources, including audio narratives from the people involved in scientific ocean drilling and associated activities and worksheets, allow students to interact with the people who participate in complex science and engage in sensemaking about geoscience concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Maya Pincus (Columbia University / U.S. Science Support Program: Palisades, NY)

This presentation will examine current research showing the positive effect virtual/augmented reality has on student engagement and achievement when used effectively in the classroom. Educators will have the opportunity to review the literature to determine if and how virtual/augmented reality could be beneficial in their classrooms. Attendees will have the opportunity to use a virtual reality headset and experience educational applications. They will also be provided with various virtual/augmented reality educational resources. These resources range from requiring highly updated technology to simply needing a Chromebook. Any educator can implement virtual/augmented reality into their STEM classroom. This presentation will introduce many educators to a new age in educational technology.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn what educational research currently says about virtual/augmented reality in STEM classrooms, as well as what future studies should be conducted. Various tools and resources will be provided to enable teachers to utilize virtual/augmented reality in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Kayla Sullivan (Chemistry Teacher HS: Georgetown, OH)

Discussion of culture is often missing in garden-based education. To share and validate the interests of our culturally diverse students, we will delve deep into the significance of culture as it relates to food and gardens and also as it relates to the diverse populations with whom we work. Through student voices and examples we will share the principles of culturally responsive garden education that honors diversity and inclusion. Join us as we explore ways to celebrate and center culture through garden-based learning. School gardens have many benefits for students which include helping students make nutritious choices, encouraging students to be environmentally conscious, and providing experiential learning. Research shows that students who participate in garden-based science curriculum score significantly higher on science achievement tests than students in a traditional classroom-based control group. This garden-enhanced achievement benefits both boys and girls equally.

TAKEAWAYS:
By their nature, gardens embody diversity. Garden education is increasingly recognized as an interdisciplinary approach that integrates academic goals, health and wellness, place-based education, and community connections and relationships.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsey Noonan (Topeka Public Schools USD 501: Topeka, KS), Rhonda Gadino (Topeka Public Schools: No City, No State)

This poster presentation will use the Krebs Cycle of Creativity as created by Dr. Neri Oxman as a framework for a new approach to interdisciplinary sciences. I will explore the intersectionality of art, science, engineering, and design. This will include how the synergy between these disciplines creates opportunities to study how art and design affect our behavior, how design and engineering impact utility, how engineering and science creates knowledge, and how science and art portrays information. I will use examples from my own classes to highlight how the Krebs Cycle of Creativity can provide a new lens to view interdisciplinary teaching in the science discipline. This will include examples of projects, teaching materials, and student samples. Visitors will leave with a tangible understanding of how their school can move away from the siloed STEAM approach and move towards a more holistic approach that connects the many different disciplines of science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Visitors will leave with a new lens to view interdisciplinary science teaching including examples of projects, teaching materials, student samples, and a tangible understanding of how their school can move away from the siloed STEAM approach and towards a more holistic take on teaching science.

SPEAKERS:
Adam Vorel (6th Grade Science Teacher: Webster Groves, MO)

In 2014 Girls Building STEAM was concieved after attending an ISTE presentation. The goal was to do short, fun activities that girls could continue at home, like melted crayon art, air pressure games with cheeseballs, and MAKER activities. Once a month 30 minute meetings grew into weekly 1 hour meetings and stand-alone ideas grew into year-long projects. Along the way, a group of girls took charge and began leading, assisting in grant writing, planning, and teaching. We created a successful year-long fashion program that taught fashion design, jewelry-making, art, and more to bring attention to environmental issues in South Florida. In this session we will share our day plans, month plans, and year plans. You will hear from students and student leaders about why this program is important, and how it has enhanced their learning in school and guided their choices for the future.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain insight on how to start, maintain, and succeed with a student-led club that helps build young ladies into leaders. You will hear from current students and mentors who discovered their love of STEAM, and are now motivated to get others hooked on the fun and learning.

SPEAKERS:
Nancy Penchev (Scheck Hillel Community School: Miami, FL)

Prolonged exposure to radon, a colorless, radioactive, noble gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. Researchers at Georgia State University (GSU) and GSU Perimeter College are conducting research to measure levels of radon gas in metropolitan Atlanta with support from the U. S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation. GSU researchers are testing soil samples and remotely monitoring radon levels. To disseminate this research to the broader community, the researchers hosted a week-long radon research workshop for 6-12 grade teachers in DeKalb County Public Schools, Georgia, in June 2022. Four teachers attended the summer radon workshop at the GSU Perimeter College-Decatur Campus. They participated in experiments on soil and water quality testing, soil porosity measurements, gene editing for cancer treatment, and virtual reality lung exploration. The project was highly successful and received positive feedback. This poster will detail the workshop experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how universities can successfully partner with local districts to provide research experiences for teachers to expand their content knowledge and lab experience. This project demonstrates the broader impact of the project’s initial goal of measuring radon levels in Atlanta.

SPEAKERS:
Samantha Andrews (GSU Perimeter College: No City, No State)

Research has proved that active learning is more effective than traditional lectures. However, active learning requires additional support in addition to textbooks. For example, POGIL needs workbooks to assist students' learning. Flipped classroom needs clickers to collect students' responses. This talk will discuss what kind of support is required by active learning, specifically for flipped classroom and Just-in-time learning from practice standpoint and technology standpoint. After the presentation, the attendees will be able to design their own material for their classroom teaching. The webtool to implement the active learning strategy will also be introduced. After the presentation, the attendees will have skills to design their own material for their classroom teaching. For example, the attendee can prepare teaching material before class, during class and after class for flipped classroom and Just-in-time learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
The audience is expected to implement Just-in-time-teaching in their own classroom to teach chemistry.

SPEAKERS:
Jack Huang (associate professor: Jacksonville, FL)

Coaching Science Olympiad 30+ years and my science teaching cousin still a rookie, we offer tips and tricks on team startup or management. Join us to hear how I took a tiny Nebraska school to win B and C Divisions at Regionals my first year at Arcadia. Having been a veteran coach at four public schools, this amazing educational science event molded careers for my students, cousin, and four children. My cousin started a team in western Nebraska which added travel challenges across our state. We will share ideas on how to manage 2 teams of 30+ students to compete in 24+ events that coaches rarely get to see. Nebraska coaches often make tests for 2 events in 4 time slots to judge. Balancing team preparation and meeting NGSS/state science standards is a challenge while teaching a full day with 3-7 preps. The NE Director asked me to mentor more S.O. coaches so here we are. Teachers will be enlightened with a poster, slide show, paper examples and 3-D visuals to help coaches find success.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain ideas to start their own Science Olympiad Team/s. How to select students for various events to earn team points in each, make user-friendly maps with schedules, reminders and information students can follow, and build unity by wearing team designed school shirts .

SPEAKERS:
Marie Wadas (Arcadia Public School: Arcadia, NE)

Case Studies are stories with an educational message. Learn how case studies engage learners, develop critical thinking, and enhance collaborative and communication skills. You will experience a case and try to solve a real-world mystery of a woman who was told she was not her children’s mother.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience a case study as learners, reflect on the experience and on the pedagogical potential, and discuss ways to use the technique effectively. They will explore NSTA’s collection of almost 1000 freely accessible case studies in all STEM disciplines.

SPEAKERS:
Annie Prud'homme-Généreux (University of British Columbia: No City, No State)

Although there is no shortage of potential phenomena for teaching about the process of evolution, using human evolution is a sure way to make the topic relevant and engaging for all students. It is also an excellent way to address some of the most common student misconceptions surrounding the subject, such as “humans evolved from monkeys,” “if humans evolved from apes, why are there still apes?” and “humans are the pinnacle of the tree of life and therefore no longer evolving like other organisms.” By examining a wide range of evidence, including different potential variations of hominid skulls (physical replicas, cards, or 3D digital models), geographic data, artifacts, and climate trends, students will be able to piece together a model of hominid phylogeny and learn about the changes in anatomy, behavior, and distribution that led to our unique human features. Resources: https://ncse.ngo/supporting-teachers/classroom-resources

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore a range of paleoanthropology evidence to confidently guide students through one of the most engaging evolutionary phenomena – human evolution. Learn about extinct hominid groups and how they are connected to human origins through features, behaviors, and relationships.

SPEAKERS:
Blake Touchet (National Center for Science Education: Oakland, CA), Lin Andrews (National Center for Science Education: Oakland, CA)

In this session, participants will experience part of an NGSS-aligned unit on wastewater testing and COVID-19. This six-lesson unit utilizing the 5E learning approach was developed through the collaboration of educators, engineers, scientists, medical doctors, and public health experts within an NIH-funded project. Attendees will participate in the fourth lesson of the sequence, entitled “H-Two-Poo.” Participants will first test the quality of different water samples to answer the driving question “how do you know if water is safe to use?” Participants will then learn about sources of wastewater, methods of wastewater management, and the development of a wastewater testing protocol to detect the presence of COVID-19. The experiences of high school students and teachers who have participated in the implementation of this phenomenon-based unit will be shared, including data from student surveys and handouts, along with photos of field trips to the community wastewater treatment facility.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will utilize science and engineering practices to collect and analyze water quality data. They will further learn how science and engineering have been used to develop wastewater testing techniques that inform public health decisions in our communities.

SPEAKERS:
Sahar Alameh (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY), Jeff Chalfant (Ph.D. Candidate), Sagan Goodpaster (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY)

NEED’s Exploring Marine Hydrokinetics (MHK) is an exploratory unit for secondary students that includes teacher and student guides containing comprehensive background information on energy, the properties of fluids and waves, electricity, hydrokinetic technologies, and careers in the emerging industry of MHK. Participants will have the opportunity to apply the science of the oceans and electricity generation as they learn about the many types of MHK technology, explore case studies, consider siting a project, and build their own sample wave generator model. The curriculum is available for free and includes hands-on, inquiry-based explorations, group presentations, and cooperative learning activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
The energy of moving water can be harnessed and converted into electricity in many ways, including technologies for harnessing the energy in ocean tides, waves, and currents. Participants will learn activities for students that explore these concepts and best practices for implementing.

SPEAKERS:
Don Pruett, Jr. (Washington Science Teachers Association: Everett, WA)

In this session, participants will consider the ramifications of climate fatigue on generations who are and will continue to be responsible for climate-affecting decisions as scientists and citizens as well as the means to apply social-emotional learning (SEL) to equip educators and students with hope. Participants will explore the benefits (for educators and students) of integrating SEL concepts and benchmarks with the NGSS throughout educator and student learning experiences. We will identify connections between and opportunities for educator- and student-led discussions, advocacy opportunities, and giving educators and students ownership and agency in their learning through utilizing their backgrounds, interests, abilities, and voice. Participants will have access to strategies and tools that support the integration of SEL within climate science instruction and overviews of instructional units that lend themselves to building climate optimism.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a set of strategies and tools to implement with regard to their own relationships with climate science, as well as those they can use with other educators and their students to shift toward hope and advocacy.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Lark (Kognity: Stockholm, 0)

A lab done in science classes leads students to discover that the force of a hanging mass can be offset by the force of a spinning mass, finding equilibrium between centrifugal force and gravity. Discover how that same physics principle used in astronomy applies to the rotation of the Milky Way and led to the discovery of Dark Matter. Students will compare their calculations for circular and planetary motion with those for the rotation of the galaxy as collected by radio astronomer’s plotting the movement of neutral hydrogen. How will your students react when they discover these calculations don’t match? Learn how to lead your students through a discussion of the world of radio astronomers who grappled with the same problem when their data did not align with the laws of physics. The explanation became a new field in cosmology – the study of dark matter and dark energy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students will learn that galactic rotational motion follows different rules than either circular motion or Kepler’s planetary motion laws. This led to the discovery of dark matter.

SPEAKERS:
John Clark (Volusia Online Learning: Port Orange, FL)

Most students in Missouri only take physical and life sciences to graduate leaving the Earth & Space Science strands of NGSS untouched. Most educators, additionally, do not have a strong enough earth & space science background to integrate these strands into their science classes. However, most of these Earth and Science strands can easily be adapted into a high school chemistry class (and biology, although my background is in chemistry) without having to give up core content. In this presentation, educators will be do a wet lab (Cleaning Up an Ocean Oil Spill) and receive access to additional labs (precipitation lab, acid rain lab, and viscosity of volcanoes) that meet the basic general chemistry class standards (PS NGSS strands) and incorporate earth and space sciences. Attendees will also learn of additional resources such as Gizmos and NASA that can be incorporated and hit the ESS science standards. Lastly, attendees will learn of books and resources for them to learn more.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to integrate the Earth & Space standards into a basic chemistry high school class. Resources can be adapted for biology and middle school levels.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Coyle (Jefferson Middle School: Columbia, MO)

How can we assess the quality of sampling and variability of the data to help us in decision-making? The various metals and alloys used in the minting of the penny over the years will provide for rich explorations, which are part of the chemistry curriculum. We will highlight the important cross-disciplinary aspect, linking the science content (mass/chemical composition) to the mathematical models outlined in the NGSS section on Systems and Models to show how to use it to simulate systems and interactions. Through hands-on activities and the use of technology, participants will explore a variety of data sets and use this knowledge to better understand and use statistics to make accurate and fair arguments related to everyday topics. We will explore how the sample mean varies from sample to sample. While this is considered one of the more challenging topics for quality control, we will illustrate the concepts though some basic sampling of the typical age and mass of the U.S. penny.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will use real data to develop mathematical models and learn how to test our hypothesis by performing an experiment and analyzing the results, combining chemical analysis with statistical sampling for a cross-curricular approach.

SPEAKERS:
Karlheinz Haas (Science/Math Instructor, Retired: Tequesta, FL)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Models such as diagrams, drawings, physical replicas, mathematical representations, analogies, and computer simulations are helpful tools for representing ideas and developing explanations related to phenomena. This training will introduce educators to the ways in which models can be used to deepen student understanding of scientific concepts. Participants will also identify connections to the use of models in their instruction while examining their state standards and/or frameworks.

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Thompson (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

Combine science, math, paper towel tubes, popsicle sticks, cardstock, and a calculator into an actual working slide whistle. This project explores the frequencies of musical notes and uses a linear equation (y=mx+b) to create a functional, customizable slide whistle.

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Find out how you can use a simple reaction between food color and bleach to teach reaction kinetics. Learn how to select the best wavelength on a spectrometer, analyze the data to determine the rate constant, and write the rate expression. Collect data on your own device or use one of ours!

SPEAKERS:
Nüsret Hisim (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Company

Join Professor Michael Wysession in an inspirational session to reconnect you with the reasons you chose teaching as your profession. Through the lens of a modernized ancient concept (the Japanese “Ikigai”), participants will reflect on their teaching careers and rediscover the rewards (personal, societal, financial) of the teaching profession.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Wysession (Washington University in St. Louis: Saint Louis, MO)

Case studies are stories with an educational message that capture & hold students’ attention. Cases come in all shapes/sizes for small/large classes. They include intimate debate, clicker, discussion, Problem-Based Learning, and jigsaw. Learn how to pick the most appropriate one for your class.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will leave the workshop with a better understanding of several case study formats and will be able to choose the best one for their purpose. They will also discuss strategies for facilitating each one most effectively. The NSTA case collection has almost 1,000 selections.

SPEAKERS:
Annie Prud'homme-Généreux (University of British Columbia: No City, No State)

Stars form in clouds of gas and dust in star formation regions, and follow sequences that end in their destruction. Plotting their changing physical properties on the H-R diagram shows their evolutionary progress. Plotting light curves on the H-D diagram determines instability regions as stars transition to the next stage. Stellar evolution provides the energy which drives the universe and determines its future. Nucleosynthesis creates the elements which will enrich the next generation of protostars and planets. The resources developed by UoL are a progression from understanding astronomical images to plotting stellar transitions through instability strips on the H-R diagram, to analyzing observational data with the same JS9 tools that scientists use to determine everything from the chemical composition of supernovas to determining whether a stellar core is a white dwarf or a neutron star. The JS9 investigations include links to the original research papers and archived data sets.

TAKEAWAYS:
All our knowledge of stars and galaxies is determined by spectroscopy -- the analysis of radiation emissions, including radio, infrared, optical, ultraviolet, gamma, and X-ray. Knowledge of spectroscopy is essential to understanding the processes producing the individual wavelengths.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Young (NASA/NSO/UoL Program Manager: Laughlin, NV)

Content for our presentation includes: Opening-Introduction, History and Background of uBEATS, Highlights of the Program, Standards Alignment to NGSS and NCHSE, and a Canvas course walk-through Activity-In this activity portion, we will be taking a “Deep Dive” into uBEATS. We will preview a selected sample Freshman biology unit (Cellular Biology) and show specific modules that could be integrated into that unit of study (Cellular Structure and Function, Mitosis, and Cancer). The modules used in this preview will provide two different interactive activities that we will complete together while viewing them in the module. These modules will provide a review of core content, provide an extension to the core content, and bring in a career connection (Careers in Medical Imaging and Therapeutic Sciences). Closing-Register, Module Preview, social media, Podcast

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session, attendees will walk away with a clear understanding of what uBEATS is, how to effectively use this resource, and be fully prepared for implementation in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Zuzi Greiner (Instructional Technologist)

Learn to design moments people will remember and experiences that can have immediate impacts by adopting a human-centered mindset. Human-centered design thinking lets you better understand people's needs, motivations, and concerns to create highly-effective learning experiences for teachers and students. Implementing NGSS and three-dimensional teaching and learning requires ongoing support and high-quality professional learning opportunities for all stakeholders in science education. This session will explore how strategies and methods found in human-centered design can be leveraged to create professional learning to address the complexities teachers face in shifting practices to meet the vision of A K-12 Framework and the three-dimensional pedagogy of the NGSS. These strategies will enable designers to create inclusive spaces and environments to enhance professional development. Likewise, these strategies can be used by teachers to facilitate the student sensemaking process.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience practical human-centered design processes, methods, and tools used to deeply understand the people they are looking to serve and to continuously innovate solutions. Participants will leave this session equipped with strategies to design impactful learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Abby Tolley (Learning Analyst), Brian Beierle (Vivayic, Inc.: No City, No State)

SPIN, a FREE web-based notebook created with funding by NSF, has three customizable lessons for data-focused investigations in Earth Science on Sunspots, Tides, and Hurricanes. Teachers can also input their own lessons into SPIN. One of the teachers who created the lessons in the notebook will be presenting. The first 30 minutes presenters will give teachers accounts in SPIN and show how students can use the notebook and the metacognitive support features such as the Communication Hub, I’m Stuck button, and SPAARC prompts. Experiences of teachers and students who have used SPIN will be discussed. In the final 30 minutes, teachers will customize a lesson in SPIN or input their own lessons with help from the presenters. By the end of the session, teachers will be able to use SPIN effectively with the ability to share the notebook with all of the teachers at their school. Use of SPIN is free and is found at https://spin.cehd.gmu.edu/login. Biology, chemistry, and physics also available.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to use SPIN to download and edit a lesson from the Global Marketplace or create their own lesson in SPIN. Teachers who have used SPIN note that it has helped their students understand data practices explicitly.

SPEAKERS:
Kevin Cabaniss (Teacher, Science), Erin Peters-Burton (George Mason University: Fairfax, VA)

Chemical equilibrium is a central topic to the understanding of both Chemistry and Biology, yet students have many misconceptions. The NGSS standard HS PS1-6 covers this important topic. In a recent AP Chemistry Exam, the vast majority of students did poorly on the topic and had misconceptions about equilibrium; 73 % of the students received a zero or had no response to the equilibrium question. Students are most familiar with equilibrium problems and experiments where the K value is small; usually less than one. Exam questions dealing with a large K value cause the majority of students to do poorly. In this presentation, participants will take part in a “hands-on” inquiry activity with an equilibrium having a large K value. Participants will learn methods to overcome student misconceptions of equilibrium. Join this workshop to take an inquiry lab back to use in your classroom. Handouts will be provided. There will be time allotted for participant questions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn to use Inquiry to overcome student misconceptions about chemical equilibrium.

SPEAKERS:
Gregory Dodd (Retired Chemistry Teacher: Pennsboro, WV)

Connect the human impact of trash pollution to engineering design. Get your students thinking critically and creatively as they collaborate in real-world problem-solving. The global real-world issue of human-generated trash polluting local bodies of water is the main focus of this hands-on session. Using our partnership with the Howard County Conservancy, our students learn about their local watersheds and contribute to a Watershed Report Card. Students see how trash that is often found on our local schoolyards can affect our watershed, and they design a working model for trash removal in a local tributary. Basic coding will be used to design programs that will control sensors and motors through a microcontroller, thus removing the trash from the water source. The model will utilize solar and water power to move the trash into a separate receptacle. Various sensors will also be used to monitor water levels and determine the outcome of the program.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Connecting the human impact of single-use plastics and their effect on aquatic ecosystems; 2. Exposing students to basic coding and engineering design in an NGSS-focused content classroom; and 3. Developing a project that enhances STEM skills in students such as collaboration, curiosity, and creativity.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Voorhees, NJ)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn tools to create a culture-setting first unit that energizes students’ engagement in deep learning through a focus on equity. Student-created identity maps, discussion circles focused on science and justice, and using student science outside of the classroom are three such tools.

SPEAKERS:
April Luehmann (University of Rochester: Rochester, NY), James Kostka (New Visions Charter High Schools for Advanced Math & Science II: No City, No State), Hannah Cooke (Research Assistant: , CT), Katrina Robinson (Chemistry Teacher), Ellen Ellison (Science Teacher: Naples, NY)

STEM SAIL Ohio project team members will share how this grant-funded work is supporting science education in Ohio through focused regional partnerships. The discussion will include topics like: The Appalachian STEM Collaborative, a STEM Ecosystem that serves some of Ohio’s neediest students and has demonstrated exceptional growth in the wake of COVID-19. The DreamSTEM Educator Summer Externship Program, where teachers participate in business and industry activities and learn how those roles connect with their own content area. “STEM Stories” of teachers like Mark, a computer science teacher at an Ohio high school whose Game Design students are developing job training simulations for a local factory. Participants will see the immense value of cross-sector collaboration to advance classroom and workforce connections in STEM fields. They will be inspired to seek professional and industry connections to strengthen the classroom-workforce pipeline in their own schools and communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the STEM SAIL Ohio project from the perspective of program designers, STEM ecosystem partners, and Ohio educators. They will hear examples of activities designed to support teachers and student success, and will be encouraged to connect with their nearest STEM ecosystem.

SPEAKERS:
Sadie Norwick (TIES: No City, No State), Christa Krohn (Director of Learning Systems: , OH)

Presenters will share student work which showcases art and creativity in the chemistry classroom. Stop-motion videos can be used to show what is happening at the particulate level for different types of chemical reactions, bond enthalpy calculations, and electron excitation in light emission. TV theme song parodies can be used as a way to assess student understanding of a variety of chemistry topics. Sketchnotes can be incorporated to demonstrate knowledge of a particular lab, chemistry unit or short article which pertains to the topic being covered in class. Students also write children's books to showcase their understanding of climate change and ocean acidification. Finally, lab based art projects are a fun way to begin or end a unit of study and the student work can then be displayed in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a variety of ideas about how to incorporate sketchnotes, stop-motion videos, songs, painting, and storytelling into their chemistry classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Nathan Gustin (Adlai E. Stevenson High School: Lincolnshire, IL), Ashley Rose (Adlai E. Stevenson High School: Lincolnshire, IL)

Participants will use web-based image and data analysis software and real data sets to compare the Cartwheel Galaxy in optical and X-ray bands to determine the sources of the ultra and hyperluminous X-rays in the galaxy. This investigation can be done on smart phones, laptops, and tablets with an internet connection. The unusual shape of the Cartwheel Galaxy is most probably the result of a collision with one of the smaller nearby galaxies several hundred years ago. The collision produced compression waves within the galaxy which triggered bursts of massive star formation. Participants will use the location of the U/HLXs on the x-ray image and optical image, as well as information about expansion rates and the life cycles of stars to determine what these objects might be. This is a great introduction to the software that astrophysicists use. Participants will also learn about the possibilities for other kinds of investigations and research with the software and the thousands of available data sets.

TAKEAWAYS:
Astrophysicists use light in all bands of the electromagnetic spectrum to determine the nature of an object. Web-based software will be used; the same tools used by scientists. This software can be used by students to do their own investigations in astronomy with real data sets.

SPEAKERS:
Pamela Perry (Lewiston High School: Lewiston, ME)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

According to the CDC, there were 110,000 overdose deaths in the US in 2022. 75,000 of those were due to fentanyl, a powerful and dangerous synthetic opioid. Join us as we model action potentials, how fentanyl disrupts synaptic signaling, and how Narcan can stop an overdose.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt (3D Molecular Designs: No City, No State)

Sponsoring Company: Anatomage, Inc.

The Science Table by Anatomage provides a library of biology, chemistry, and physics experiments with realistic-quality visuals and an interactive touchscreen experience. The workshop will focus on incorporating the Science Table into middle school, high school, and college-level classrooms.

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Looking for an engaging and innovative way to get your students to understand the meaning of a word? Experience ways to zoom in and zoom out of science content using a variety of differentiated strategies. Take these ideas straight back to your classroom for immediate use, or for interventions.

SPEAKERS:
Margo Dye (Accelerate Learning Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Engage your students in learning about the effects of climate change with this hands-on experiment. Using the latest Vernier data-collection technology, we'll define ocean acidification, determine how we can measure it, and discuss why it is bad for our marine ecosystems. Get ready to dive in!

SPEAKERS:
Colleen McDaniel (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

This presentation will include a description of the participants accepted by AEOP RESET, a breakdown of the components of the program, and an overview of the past cohorts of the program. The session will be divided into the following time sections: AEOP overview (10 minutes); RESET overview (10 minutes); examples from previous cohorts (10 minutes); information about how to join and obligations (10 minutes); and questions from the audience (remaining time). Research in the STEM content areas is vital to the success of our nation. In AEOP RESET, educators have an opportunity to participate in real-world research at Army research centers or with universities conducting research funded by the DoD. They then work collaboratively with other educators around the nation to create standards-aligned STEM unit plans. This program seeks to help educators answer the “when will I ever use this” questions that students are asking!

TAKEAWAYS:
The audience will leave with information about AEOP programs, specifically RESET. Attendees will receive information about how to become involved with the AEOP RESET program.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Students experience learning in widely variable ways due to different factors. Our guide to practical measures—which includes many examples—shows how quick, goal-driven assessments can meaningfully guide how learning is experienced—in a classroom and even across an educational system. #NSFfunded

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO), Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA), Tiffany Neill (Research Scientist: Oklahoma City, OK)

As science educators, we often ask our students to make sense of phenomena that have a direct impact on human life such as hurricanes, floods, or wildfires. During this session, participants will explore free online modules which contain uncertainty-infused argumentation sets and interactive models that allow students to explore these events. Students’ work samples will be examined to see how their capacity for developing scientific arguments grows as they learn more about natural hazards. These samples include making claims from evidence, writing explanations that support their claims, and discussing the uncertainty of their explanations. The uncertainty discussions also include students’ evaluations of the models and data presented. This session is designed to introduce you to the modules and demonstrate how using them can strengthen your teaching and deepen student understanding of natural hazards through modeling and argumentation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore a series of simulations designed to deepen students’ understanding of natural hazards. They will create a free account to access these simulations and associated curricula. An emphasis on the practices of modeling and argumentation will be used as part of the sensemaking process.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Harmon (PIMSER (KY): No City, No State)

Stars form in giant molecular clouds of gas and dust in massive star formation complexes, and depending on their initial mass, usually follow a sequence that ends in their destruction in catastrophic collapses and explosions. The process of stellar evolution provides the energy which drives the universe, and thereby determines its future. During the last stages of evolution, nucleosynthesis creates the elements which will enrich the next generation of protostars and planets. formation of stars also sets the stage for possible exoplanets forming within the debris disks of young protostars as hydrogen begins to fuse in their cores. This basic sequencing activity is one of a series of activities designed to show how scientists view, study, and examine the process of stellar evolution. The card sets have descriptions and links and can be used as a pretest or a posttest, either individually or as a group. Multiple answers are acceptable. A scoring rubric is included.

TAKEAWAYS:
Stellar evolution is a cosmic cycle from the formation of protostars and stars in cold molecular clouds, through their final collapses into remnants and stellar cores. This process creates heavier elements and sets the stage for the formation of exoplanets and the next generation of star formation.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Young (NASA/NSO/UoL Program Manager: Laughlin, NV)

Adding engineering design and coding in the context of a core course like Chemistry may be difficult for teachers. This session will have participants collecting real world data, designing a solution to a real world problem, and adding a coding twist to that solution. Participants will either use a pH sensor or a temperature sensor to collect data, code a microcontroller to have an output of a fan or RGB LEDs, and play a sound. No coding or design experience necessary.

TAKEAWAYS:
Coding and engineering design in the Chemistry classroom based on real world data collection.

SPEAKERS:
Chris Coker (Camden Fairview High School: Camden, AR), Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA)

STEM Career awareness has been done in many ways, as has STEM experiences. Students doing research projects is not new, nor is having mentors. What IS novel is how a coordinated effort to move students from career awareness to interest, to proficiency, through doing research in a mentored and well-resourced environment with extensive Teacher PD at the core, really results in 89% of the students choosing a STEM career. Based on a 12-year case study, the combination of intentional (teacher/student) support centered around a specific STEM career has outcomes tracked in a free online database. This presentation will share the formula, coach teachers to create their own implementation plan during the session, and offer web access to the free online database so teachers/students can track their own progress and benchmark it to aggregated anonymous data of others doing similar programs. Teachers are able to pull/share a PDF report of their own outcomes and as compared to others.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a written plan for their chosen career focus and lists of resource suggestions to help implement this program locally, as well as access to an online data tracking system where they can benchmark outcomes and receive tabulated reports at no charge.

SPEAKERS:
Jill Ott (Science Coach: Saint Louis, MO)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

While building bottle rockets, students are instructed not to use more than 10 pumps on a bicycle pump. When a bottle bursts and injures students, it's up to you to investigate. Use Avogadro’s law and a Go Direct® Gas Pressure Sensor to solve the mystery in this hands-on experiment.

SPEAKERS:
Nüsret Hisim (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

If you're using STEMscopes (or want to be), this session is for you. Come see the most popular digital curriculum during this session. Discover assessment packages, streaming videos with activities, coding with app building, hands-on engineering projects, STEM teacher certification, and much more.

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Tour a crowded, active plasma cell to see how proteins are made and exported for use by the body. Explore how physical models foster an understanding of how the structure of DNA and RNA determines the structure of proteins, which carry out the essential functions of life.

SPEAKERS:
Ruth Hutson (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: DoD STEM

Department of Defense STEM’s mission is to inspire, cultivate, and develop exceptional STEM talent through a continuum of opportunities. Join us as we spotlight programming, resources, and opportunities available to educators and students through DoD STEM’s network of partners in academia, industry, not-for-profit, and local/federal government.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Marquis Mason (RTI International: Research Triangle Park, NC), Dr. Whitney White (RTI International: Research Triangle Park, NC)

After a brief introduction of session presenters and review of session norms, participants will be engaged in small group review and whole group discussion of a case study that provides evidence of why culture is important in the context of STEAM lessons. Following the case study, participants will be introduced to a Culturally Inclusive Lesson Planning Tool to enhance the participation of diverse learners from traditionally underrepresented students. The tool is grounded in culturally relevant research strategies that ensures that all students feel included in their specific classroom environment. The session will conclude with a debrief and evaluation of the experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Why are culturally inclusive strategies important in STEAM classrooms? How can you synthesize strategies that challenge and engage a diverse group of learners? In this session, we will reveal a planning tool that you can use to advocate for learner success in STEAM classroom settings.

SPEAKERS:
Deanna Taylor (Interactive Learning Solutions LLC: Columbia, SC)

STEM Education in rural areas needs to meet students where they are at, not push progress and advancement by utilizing non-relatable curriculums and extensions. Rural community culture needs to be recognized and respected as well as incorporated into STEM learning in order to achieve the most beneficial outcome for the student. The GO STEM Mobile Maker Lab is using & developing curriculum influenced by students and supported by teachers to elevate rural STEM Education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Awareness and insight into exploratory STEM education methods and tools designed to enhance classroom experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Kyle Koyle (GO STEM: La Grande, OR)

The vision of the Fairport STEAM Lab is to support, challenge, and prepare all Fairport students to be Future Ready. We believe that by engaging with curricular and extracurricular projects and inquiries, students will utilize their innate creativity to actively construct knowledge. Students engage with materials and technologies that help them share their learning and tell their stories. The Labs are a place for young people to develop skills that they can transfer to other parts of their lives as they prepare themselves for the future. The presenters will share our experience with building a Lab with attendees that are interested in creating them in their districts and how we have expanded our work to other area districts. We will explore how our curriculum is scaffolded to increase levels of sophistication regarding engineering design, computer science, and digital literacy concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with recommendations for creating STEAM Labs in their districts based on the blueprint that Fairport used to launch Labs that incorporate the NGSS Engineering Design standards, Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards, and a focus on social-emotional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Travis Wood (Fairport Central School District: No City, No State), Kristin Larsen (Honeoye Falls- Lima CSD: Honeoye Falls, NY)

We will explain how interdisciplinary collaboration between Westminster College’s education and science departments led to hosting a STEAM Night for the community. Our goals were to generate an active-learning opportunity for college students to learn and implement teacher pedagogy, appreciate the basics of STEAM concepts, and use soft skills necessary for their future careers. To accomplish this, college students created STEAM stations so elementary students could learn STEAM concepts and build a love for science! During this session, we will focus on developing and implementing this service learning project entitled “STEAM Ahead!” Attendees will participate in one STEAM station, and discuss ways to incorporate service learning that promotes STEAM education. Through interactive discussions, we hope teachers can learn from our experience as we continue to learn from a community of educators.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to design a service learning project that facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration between education and science departments. We will identify key stakeholders and potential pitfalls in planning a STEAM Night for the community.

SPEAKERS:
Matt Howell (Assistant Professor: Fulton, MO), Johanna Morrow (Assistant Professor of Biology and Environmental Science: Columbia, MO), Tami Ensor (Westminster College: Fulton, MO)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about a detailed 9-step process for conceiving, developing, testing, refining, and using 3-D science assessments focused on social justice phenomena and topics. Open education resources that support this assessment development process will also be shared. #NSFfunded

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO)

Adventures in Laboratory Science is a theme-based physical science course for non-science majors designed to expose students to the basic principles of chemistry and mathematics using common household substances. In addition to "non-science" college students, this workshop is appropriate for teachers of students in the 3rd through 12th grades. Attendees will work in groups of 4 to complete two experiments: the titration of vitamin C with iodine and the iodine clock reaction. The experiments will include the titration of standard vitamin C solutions to produce a linear curve which will be used to calculate the vitamin C content in juice samples. After collecting all data, participants will analyze and interpret the results using Excel and basic algebraic principles. The goal is to have participants do the Vitamin C project with their students and then enter the data into a shared file to create a national collaborative publishable work between the presenter and the attendees.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to integrate math into the vitamin C project and customize the project to meet the academic standards of your students and to join a collaborative research project for students in 3rd through 12th grade.

SPEAKERS:
Sharron Jenkins (Georgia Gwinnett College: Lawrenceville, GA)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

What happens when you cook an egg? Is it possible to un-cook it? Investigate the characteristics of amino acids, the levels (and rules!) of protein folding, and how denaturing a protein alters its function in an engaging hands-on modeling investigation using the Amino Acid Starter Kit ©.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt (3D Molecular Designs: No City, No State)

Sponsoring Company: Imagine Learning | Twig Education

In this session, participants will discuss strategies to support STEM classroom experiences that position all students as thinkers and problem-solvers. Participants will also reflect on peer experiences as they consider their own implementation of ideas that ensure the inclusion of all learners in authentic STEM focused tasks. Finally, attendees will identify success criteria for appropriate task engagement.

Sponsoring Company: Stile Education

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Kat Gentry (Head of Stile USA: Portland, OR)

Sponsoring Company: Plasma Games

It's all fun and games but does it work? Dive into the difference between gamification and game-based learning to innovate your classroom, and engage and excite students to learn Chemistry. Bonus: Leave with an all-inclusive access code to a 3-D game-based platform.

SPEAKERS:
Alison Baker (Lead Curriculum Specialist: Raleigh, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

This hands-on workshop challenges participants to make a vehicle to move a toy or other small object using motors, wheels, wires, and other equipment. This activity is one of 10 engineering design challenges in the Electric Motors Catalyst, a STEM curriculum for grades K-5.

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Buckwalter (Lyons High School: Lyons, KS), Penny Blue (Lyons High School: Lyons, KS)

Sponsoring Company: TCI

Join TCI in this interactive session to learn how to integrate language skills while guiding students in developing their science knowledge.

Sponsoring Company: CloudLabs Virtual STEM

Discover how gamified classrooms enhance STEM, creativity, and autonomous learning. Get engage with gamified environments, exploring benefits, challenges, and best practices for integrating technology in education.

SPEAKERS:
Jiovany Orozco (CloudLabs LLC)

Findings from this qualitative narrative inquiry that explored the lives of six women participants in an indoor agriculture associates in applied science (AAS) program in the United States, tell the stories of their memorable science experiences. The narrative process of restorying the women’s memorable science experiences gave voice and agency to their lives and provided perspective on the lives of women who have persisted and succeeded within the newly emerging STEM field of indoor agriculture. Narrative threads that emerged from the women’s stories included family and school influence, their pivotal and transformational participation in the indoor agriculture AAS program, and a theme of identity around science identity construction. Concerning their participation in this narrative inquiry process, the women conveyed appreciation for the opportunity to reflect upon and give voice to their memorable science experiences while making sense of their lives in the process.

TAKEAWAYS:
Gain viewpoints into the lives of women who have persisted and succeeded in the newly emerging STEM field of indoor agriculture, better understanding the themes of family and school influence, pivotal and transformational experiences in indoor agriculture, and science identity construction.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Kim Kolasa (Assistant Vice-President, Partnership Development)

In 2019, The Louisiana Department of Education was awarded an Education, Innovation, and Research(EIR) grant titled “Improving Pre-Engineering and Computer Science Education through Micro-Credentials”. As one of very few EIR grants awarded to a state education agency, we have had the opportunity to blend both research and practice through multiple lenses as we engage teachers and students across our state. The project has served as a mechanism for the research team to examine how job embedded professional development impacts the practices of our teachers, the content delivery in our classrooms, and its effects on student learning. We plan to share key take aways, including insights into the writing and revision process, how the series took shape over time, and preliminary outcomes from the qualitative measures utilized. This may be of interest to participants considering portfolio based assessments as a means of improving professional learning within their own context.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain insight from the perspective of a state agency into the process and key learnings from a four-year project focused on portfolio-based assessments in STEM.

SPEAKERS:
John Underwood (Louisiana Department of Education: No City, No State)

This session will consider current learning models, instructional strategies, and professional development opportunities to support growth in STEM and innovation. In sharing my experiences as a K12 science teacher and department leader, I hope to stimulate conversation, collaboration, and networking to support each other as we work to move STEM education forward. Methods will progressive learning, PBL, and teacher-designed professional growth experiences. This session will be a hybrid session that will include both presentation and discussion.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will connect and engage in critical conversations about our experiences as science teachers and leaders to imagine a path for growing our scientific future. Attendees will leave with new ideas, connections, and vision for the future.

SPEAKERS:
Tara Bonebrake (The Summit Preparatory School: Springfield, MO)

The Framework and NGSS vision calls for creating opportunities for ALL students to meaningfully engage in sensemaking and learning in science. A culturally responsive approach to instruction highlights the range of intellectual resources that students bring to learning situations based on their cultural histories. Intellectual resources such as student language, perspective, gestures, and prior knowledge are classroom assets. Through a series of concrete accounts of learning situations, this session will create opportunities for participants to work with others to ‘learn to see’ students’ sense-making resources—and connect these pedagogical strategies to their own classroom practice. We frame this approach through an equity and justice framework for culturally responsive instruction centered in the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education, which posits that science learning should be rooted in students’ ways of being and ways of knowing.

TAKEAWAYS:
Culturally responsive education supports student sensemaking and learning in science. Inclusive science strategies help teachers learn to see students’ diverse sensemaking resources. These methods help us create and adapt curriculum that is equitable and centered on justice.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Sponsoring Company: Plasma Games

It's all fun and games but does it work? Dive into the difference between gamification and game-based learning to innovate your classroom, and engage and excite students to learn Chemistry. Bonus: Leave with an all-inclusive access code to a 3-D game-based platform.

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Let’s explore several intervention strategies to help struggling students in STEM. Let's move beyond differentiation & scaffolding. Come learn proven intervention techniques to help students. Let’s modify our traditional outreach to connect with students so that they gain greater understanding.

SPEAKERS:
Margo Dye (Accelerate Learning Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: TCI

Build student interest in engineering with TCI's Engineering Challenges. In TCI’s Bring Science Alive! programs, students take charge of their learning and develop solutions to real-world problems just like engineers do. Join to discover the power of TCI and practical tips for your classroom.

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

This session will preview a professional learning opportunity being developed by 3-D Molecular Designs focused on the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases.  This project is funded by an NIH SEPA award to 3-D Molecular Designs.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: Imagine Learning | Twig Education

Join world class designers and engineers as we dive in to explore hydroelectricity and the growing need to harness force and motion found in the ocean. Participants will experience a simulated lesson, make a 3D model of a water turbine, and use it to investigate the relationship between force and motion.

SPEAKERS:
Charmaine Cowell (Imagine Learning | Twig Education: Scottsdale, AZ)

Part of an NIH Initiative, participants will engage in an interdisciplinary, phenomenon-based high school science unit composed of six 3-D lessons. Aligned with the NGSS, the lessons focus on viruses, wastewater, and public health, and aims to support students in making informed decisions about science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engage in a series of interdisciplinary 3-D lessons on science, technology, and public health using relevant phenomena like COVID-19, water quality, & wastewater treatment. All supporting documents and activities will be shared with the participants. Examples of student artifacts will be showcased.

SPEAKERS:
Sahar Alameh (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY)

SPIN, a FREE web-based notebook created with funding by NSF, has three customizable lessons for data-focused investigations in Earth Science, Chemistry, Physics, and Biology. Teachers can also input their own lessons into SPIN. One of the teachers and one of the researchers who created the lessons in the notebook will be presenting. Teachers will see how SPIN works and how students can use the notebook and the metacognitive support features such as the Communication Hub, I’m Stuck button, and SPAARC prompts. Experiences of teachers and students who have used SPIN will be discussed. Teachers can customize a lesson in SPIN or input their own lessons with help from the presenters. By the end of the session, teachers will be able to use SPIN effectively with the ability to share the notebook with all of the teachers at their school. Use of SPIN is free and is found at https://spin.cehd.gmu.edu/login.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to use SPIN to download and edit a lesson from the Global Marketplace, or create their own lesson in SPIN. Teachers who have used SPIN note that this has helped their students understand data practices explicitly.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Peters-Burton (George Mason University: Fairfax, VA)

Coaching Science Olympiad 30+ years and my science teaching cousin still a rookie, we offer tips and tricks on team startup or management. Join us to hear how I took a tiny Nebraska school to win B and C Divisions at Regionals my first year at Arcadia. Having been a veteran coach at four public schools, this amazing educational science event molded careers for my students, cousin, and four children. My cousin started a team in western Nebraska which added travel challenges across our state. We will share ideas on how to manage 2 teams of 30+ students to compete in 24+ events that coaches rarely get to see. Nebraska coaches often make tests for 2 events in 4 time slots to judge. Balancing team preparation and meeting NGSS/state science standards is a challenge while teaching a full day with 3-7 preps. The NE Director asked me to mentor more S.O. coaches so here we are. Teachers will be enlightened with a poster, slide show, paper examples and 3-D visuals to help coaches find success.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain ideas to start their own Science Olympiad Team/s. How to select students for various events to earn team points in each, make user-friendly maps with schedules, reminders and information students can follow, and build unity by wearing team designed school shirts.

SPEAKERS:
Polla Renken (Science Instructor: Kearney, NE), Stacey Bauer (Spalding Academy: Spalding, NE), Marie Wadas (Arcadia Public School: Arcadia, NE)

The population of Latinx students is rapidly growing in the United States, yet Latinas are underrepresented in STEM careers compared to their peers of other identities. This could be in part due to the deficit-based ideology that has historically been utilized when describing this group's success in academic disciplines. This presentation will highlight the findings of a recent qualitative study that asked Latina STEM undergraduate students to reflect on their sources of persistence in high school STEM coursework. The study participants’ responses were correlated with Yosso's (2005) “Community Cultural Wealth Model" to identify their unique sources of strength and persistence in STEM. The study findings will serve as the foundation for recommendations to be made for the implementation of equitable and asset-based shifts to promote Latinas’ persistence and success in STEM at the secondary levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using an asset-based approach, participants will engage in social justice-themed conversations to equitably encourage Latina high school students’ persistence in STEM coursework. Ready-to-use strategies will be featured to promote greater perseverance in STEM for Latinas.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Vitello Lowell (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT)

Female student engagement in the STEM fields does not currently match the level at which male students are engaged. Whether it is in high school course enrollment, college, or careers, males outnumber females in terms of enrollment and study of advanced STEM fields, particularly physics, and engineering. Incorporating Advanced Placement Potential as a measure of demonstrated aptitude, this program will review the current research findings and intervention strategies, including action steps to reverse this trend and promote a more proportional, and equitable, enrollment of males and females in advanced STEM courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Awareness of current enrollment trends, the phenomenology inherent in gender disproportionality, and the sharing of action steps to take to reduce gender disproportionality that are designed to increase enrollment for female students with documented individual Advanced Placement Potential.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Stec (West Windsor-Plainsboro High School: Plainsboro, NJ)

Create interactive questions with randomizable values for your students using our completely FREE tool!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to use my tool to create interactive, randomized questions to use with their students!

SPEAKERS:
Jack Replinger (FormerTeacher / Founder: , WA)

We report results from a large-scale nationwide study titled “Researching Pre-College Factors that Lead to Persistence in Computer Science,” which has been supported by the National Science Foundation. This retrospective cohort study, including data from 6,044 students at 58 institutions of higher education across the U.S., investigated, among other questions, the effects on students’ computer science related career intentions of designated computer science classes in high school, and the teaching of computational thinking in high school classes other than computer science classes. We specifically looked at the effects of various types of in-school computer science classes (AP CS A, AP CS Principles, non-AP courses), of grades received, and of specific pedagogies in computer science classes, as well as in other classes.

TAKEAWAYS:
What difference do various "flavors" of in-school computer science classes (AP CS A, AP CS Principles, non-AP courses) make?

SPEAKERS:
Gerhard Sonnert (Harvard College Observatory: Cambridge, MA)

Using TI Nspires, Rovers, Hubs, and arrays attendees will learn how a science teacher from South Arkansas incorporated simple coding into his science classroom. We will draw VSEPR molecular models with Rovers, see how hubs and arrays can "brighten" up the electromagnetic spectrum calculations of wavelength, frequency, and energy with sound, pictures, and color. No coding experience necessary.

TAKEAWAYS:
Ideas on how you may incorporate simple coding into the science classroom and give topics new life.

SPEAKERS:
Chris Coker (Camden Fairview High School: Camden, AR)

Prolonged exposure to radon, a colorless, inert noble gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. Researchers at Georgia State University and Perimeter College are conducting research to measure and monitor the levels of radon gas in metro Atlanta through support from USDA and NSF grants. This project will detail the partnership between Georgia State University and DeKalb County Public Schools to provide an authentic experience by hosting a radon research summer workshop for 6-12 grade STEM teachers in 2022 and 2023. The teachers conducted hands-on laboratory experiments that modeled the research that is being conducted by the Georgia State University researchers and toured the sampling sites. The workshop received positive feedback from both cohorts. The workshop will detail how universities and school districts partner to strengthen the STEM pipeline and incorporate university-level research in a secondary classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how universities and K-12 school districts can partner to provide authentic science experiences to transfer high-level university research to a secondary classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Samantha Andrews (GSU Perimeter College: No City, No State)

In this session, participants will experience part of an NGSS-aligned unit on wastewater testing and COVID-19. This six-lesson unit utilizing the 5E learning approach was developed through the collaboration of educators, engineers, scientists, medical doctors, and public health experts within an NIH-funded project. Attendees will participate in the fourth lesson of the sequence, entitled “H-Two-Poo.” Participants will first test the quality of different water samples to answer the driving question “how do you know if water is safe to use?” Participants will then learn about sources of wastewater, methods of wastewater management, and the development of a wastewater testing protocol to detect the presence of COVID-19. The experiences of high school students and teachers who have participated in the implementation of this phenomenon-based unit will be shared, including data from student surveys and handouts, along with photos of field trips to the community wastewater treatment facility.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will utilize science and engineering practices to collect and analyze water quality data. They will further learn how science and engineering have been used to develop wastewater testing techniques that inform public health decisions in our communities.

SPEAKERS:
Sagan Goodpaster (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY)

Explore an innovative K-2 STEM unit by Elaine Makarevich. Discover engaging lessons and resources tailored for young learners. Gain insights from the teacher/author on the creation and development process.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain access to STEM lessons and resources, and hear from the teacher/author who wrote the lessons on how she developed them.

SPEAKERS:
Elaine Makarevich (SubjectToClimate: No City, No State)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
You will takeaway teacher tools to support planning and implementing each flexible practice, along with understanding how these practices have played out with teachers and students. These takeaways will be supported by student and teacher examples of work with, and reflections on, these practices.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Lawson (Teaching Assistant Professor)

STEM Career awareness has been done in many ways, as has STEM experiences. Students doing research projects is not new, nor is having mentors. What IS novel is how a coordinated effort to move students from career awareness, to interest, to proficiency through doing research in a mentored and well-resourced environment with extensive Teacher PD at the core, really results in 89% of the students choosing a STEM career. Based on a 12-year case study, the combination of intentional (teacher/student) support centered around a specific STEM career has outcomes tracked in a free online database. This presentation will share the formula, coach teachers to create their own implementation plan during the session, and offer web access to the free online database so teachers/students can track their own progress and benchmark it to aggregated anonymous data of others doing similar programs. Teachers are able to pull/share a PDF report of their own outcomes and as compared to others.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a written plan for their chosen career focus and lists of resource suggestions to help implement this program locally, as well as access to an online data tracking system where they can benchmark outcomes and receive tabulated reports at no charge.

SPEAKERS:
Jill Ott (Science Coach: Saint Louis, MO)

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Eaton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

STEM Education in rural areas needs to meet students where they are at, not push progress and advancement by utilizing non-relatable curriculums and extensions. Rural community culture needs to be recognized and respected, as well as incorporated into STEM learning in order to achieve the most beneficial outcome for the student. The GO STEM Mobile Maker Lab is using & developing curriculum influenced by students and supported by teachers to elevate rural STEM Education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Awareness and insight into exploratory STEM education methods and tools designed to enhance classroom experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Kyle Koyle (GO STEM: La Grande, OR)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has a clearinghouse of free STEM education resources covering a wide range of health and biomedical research topics for students in grades K through 12. On science.education.nih.gov, you’ll find links to great content from NIH, as well as materials developed through our education grants. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS, part of NIH) has created a section of its Biomedical Beat blog called the Educator’s Corner (biobeat.nigms.nih.gov/educators-corner) with a collection of carefully curated blog posts designed to align with existing NIGMS science education resources, such as its Pathways collection for middle and high school students. You’ll find tools and ideas to enhance lesson plans, building upon existing science education material that’s already available at no cost. We hope these websites will be useful tools to bring STEM materials into the classroom and to encourage students toward health science careers.

TAKEAWAYS:
The National Institutes of Health has a wide range of free curriculum resources for teachers in the health science space. Materials vary from online interactives, Kahoot! games, and blog posts, to free printed magazine copies with teacher guides. Find them all at science.education.nih.gov.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Crowley (NIGMS, National Institutes of Health: No City, No State)

Mankind will not survive without water. It has been a quest for centuries to find clean and safe water to drink. The team gathered samples of water from nine (9) sources. Using the HACH Arsenic Test procedures, results show that all of the waters sources have an arsenic level of 30 parts per billion (ppb) which means that IF LEFT UNTREATED, water will NOT be SAFE for drinking, mixing into beverages, cooking, washing fruits and vegetables, or for animals to drink; but SAFE for all other domestic uses, including bathing, washing dishes, doing laundry or irrigating gardens. This has a negative impact on human health, the environment, and to the economy. It is recommended that the Zuni community should have a water treatment plant that will support reverse osmosis technology, and an iron oxide filter system, or they should switch drinking water sources.

TAKEAWAYS:
The audience will learn the importance of knowing the level of arsenic in water, and how this condition impacts the community and the whole ecosystem. The audience will also learn about technologies that can help get rid of/minimize arsenic contamination in water.

SPEAKERS:
Roy Basa (Zuni Public School District: Zuni, NM)

The vision of the Fairport STEAM Lab is to support, challenge, and prepare all Fairport students to be Future Ready. We believe that by engaging with curricular and extracurricular projects and inquiries, students will utilize their innate creativity to actively construct knowledge. Students engage with materials and technologies that help them share their learning and tell their stories. The Labs are a place for young people to develop skills that they can transfer to other parts of their lives as they prepare themselves for the future. The presenters will share our experience with building a Lab with attendees that are interested in creating them in their districts and how we have expanded our work to other area districts. We will explore how our curriculum is scaffolded to increase levels of sophistication regarding engineering design, computer science, and digital literacy concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with recommendations for creating STEAM Labs in their districts based on the blueprint that Fairport used to launch Labs that incorporate the NGSS Engineering Design Standards, Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards, and a focus on social-emotional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Travis Wood (Fairport Central School District: No City, No State), Kristin Larsen (Honeoye Falls- Lima CSD: Honeoye Falls, NY)

NASA’s UoL STEM program connects the public to the discoveries, scientists, engineers, and educators working with astrophysics missions, such as Hubble, Chandra, Spitzer, GALEX, Fermi, Swift, and JWST. The program includes a nationwide network of partners who share and develop resources. The UoL projects and events are designed to inspire engagement and learning with STEM materials to promote science literacy. All materials are free and excellent astronomy resources for STEM education programs. One of the UoL STEM partners is the National Science Olympiad (NSO), a national non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of K-12 science education, increasing interest in science for all students, and creating a STEM-literate workforce. The UoL program supports NSO space science events, and all materials are freely available from the UoL or the NSO websites. Other UoL partners include AstroViz, Planet Search, STEAM, MicroObservatory, Planet Watch, and View Space.

TAKEAWAYS:
NASA’s UoL team connects the public and learners to data, discoveries, and experts from NASA’s Astrophysics missions. The team of scientists, engineers, and educators have direct connections to these missions, and provide a range of projects and interactive activities for any educational setting.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Young (NASA/NSO/UoL Program Manager: Laughlin, NV)

Participants will have an opportunity to practice using a 3-D printing pen. They will be able to create small models and designs from a pattern (or just by doodling). This activity also aims to spark ideas for 3-D pens as a relatively easy and inexpensive way to introduce the engineering design process with practical applications for students. Information about eCYBERMISSION and the other programs sponsored by the Army Educational Outreach Program will be available as well. Submitted for the STEM Haven activity session on Saturday AM session, request access to electrical outlets and table space Please do not schedule to conflict with the following sessions: The Scoop on K-12 STEM Programs and Teacher Awards Administered by NSTA; eCYBERMISSION STEM Competition - The Power of Phenomenon-Based Learning; eCYBERMISSION STEM Competition - Authentic, Engaging, Accessible; or Translating Experience to Classroom Practice through Research Experiences for STEM Educators & Teachers (RESET)

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will have an opportunity to use a 3-D pen to make (and take) a small model or design for the classroom using a provided pattern or an original design. Information about eCYBERMISSION and programs administered by NSTA and sponsored by AEOP will be available.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Kutsch (National Science Teaching Association, eCYBERMISSION), Carey Dieleman (National Science Teaching Association: No City, No State)

Participants will have an opportunity to participate in a virtual reality simulation of a laboratory setting by wearing a VR headset. They will be able to “test” potential solutions for a refillable canteen by following verbal and visual instructions within the VR application. The VR experience also offers additional options to learn about various technological developments researched and developed by scientists and engineers working in Army laboratories, including night vision goggles and walkie talkies. Information about eCYBERMISSION and the other programs administered by NSTA and sponsored by the Army Educational Outreach Program will be available as well.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will have an opportunity to use virtual reality goggles and applications to explore a technological alternative to hands-on scientific inquiry and engineering design processes. Information about eCYBERMISSION and programs administered by NSTA and sponsored by AEOP will be available.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Kutsch (National Science Teaching Association, eCYBERMISSION), Carey Dieleman (National Science Teaching Association: No City, No State)

Climate change is the biggest threat affecting our collective futures. We need to provide young people with the tools to be able to navigate a future that is unclear. Technology is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to climate solutions. However, teaching students how to understand the limitations and benefits of how technology can lead to climate solutions is important. This poster session will showcase student work that was completed during the Howard County Conservancy’s Youth Climate Institutes STEM Action Team. Students worked collaboratively to identify climate impacts within their own communities and developed models to potential solutions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Get ideas of how to incorporate STEM projects while teaching Climate Change and Environmental Science.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Voorhees, NJ)

The interdisciplinary STEM unit is a series of six science lessons and activities for grades 9-12 about viruses, wastewater, and public health with COVID-19 as the anchoring phenomenon. The unit was implemented at a rural high school in the southeastern United States. The presenter co-taught the unit with each teacher during their regular biology classes. Along with the three biology teachers, over 160 students in grades 9-11 participated in the implementation. The students experienced hand-on, inquiry-driven lessons exploring the role of wastewater testing in public health. Additionally, the co-teaching provided an immersive perspective into students’ and teachers’ experiences throughout the unit. We will provide insight into these experiences and discuss how they helped students develop science understanding associated with wastewater testing and public health.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore the experiences students and teachers had during the implementation of the STEM unit on wastewater and public health. We will present examples of student work and share students’ and teachers' experiences from the unit.

SPEAKERS:
Jeff Chalfant (Ph.D. Candidate)

Looking for ways to integrate engineering in your science curriculum? Join us to become familiar with freely-available, high-quality instructional materials that create opportunities for students to apply science ideas to solve real-world problems, gain confidence and see themselves in STEM careers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to engage students in learning that centers on addressing pressing social challenges and be able to describe transdisciplinary approaches to education.

SPEAKERS:
Trudie Bryant (NSTA: Kenner, LA)

As science teachers, we understand the importance of innovation in driving progress and economic growth. However, many students living in high-barrier areas across the country lack access to the resources and opportunities necessary to participate in the innovation ecosystem. This presentation proposes strategies for expanding the innovation ecosystem and engaging these underserved students in innovation activities. We will discuss the Innovation Atlas, a valuable resource for identifying innovation clusters and potential partnerships. We will also explore ways to connect students with innovation centers, industry mentors, and entrepreneurship programs. By expanding the innovation ecosystem and breaking down barriers, we can inspire the next generation of innovators and ensure that all students have the chance to contribute to our shared future.

TAKEAWAYS:
Our mission is to inspire inclusive U.S. innovation and global competitiveness. This starts in the K-12 classrooms by identifying and breaking down barriers that prevent students from learning how to be inventors and innovators.

SPEAKERS:
Jorge Valdes (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Alexandria, VA), Kathleen Lanman (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Alexandria, VA)

Often art mimics science and some aspects of science seem divinely beautiful. As an approach for developing a holistic curriculum for the science classroom, the novel approach of using common, free, 3D modeling tools has been considered and implemented in the science classroom. The objective of this session is to introduce educators to the benefits and opportunities of using 3D modeling in the science classroom to enhance student learning and engagement. The session will provide practical tips and strategies for integrating 3D modeling technology (Blender) into science lessons, as well as showcase examples of successful implementation. Blender is a free, easy to use, yet robust, 3d modeling and simulation software.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will have practical tips and strategies for integrating 3-D modeling into their science lessons. Participants will have hands-on experience with 3-D modeling tools and software. Educators will be able to share their experiences and ask questions about using 3-D modeling in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Ashley Posey (McCallie School: Chattanooga, TN), Jessica Dobrin (Science Teacher: Chattanooga, TN), Caleb Bagby (Director of Educational Technology: Chattanooga, TN)

The workshop will offer ideas to move from the typical teacher-led classroom to one that focuses on problem-solving, data analysis and exploratory learning. Learn how to combine graphing calculators with handheld sensors to maximize class time and provide opportunities for engaging inquiry and discussion. We will illustrate how you can utilize science tasks to support your 3-D initiative and the goals outlined in the NGSS, while at the same time reinforcing and seamlessly integrating CCSS for Mathematics. You can use one sensor at a time or multiple sensors simultaneously for lab-based or in-the-field data collection to quickly collect and analyze data. Several sensors will be available to explore this integrated solution. Hands-on science using this integrated technology gets students excited about science and math and deepens their understanding of seemingly complex concepts. It will free up class time for student engagement in the analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of real data.

TAKEAWAYS:
Use real data to develop mathematical models and learn how to test your hypothesis by performing an experiment and analyzing your results, combining graphing calculators with handheld sensors to maximize class time.

SPEAKERS:
Karlheinz Haas (Science/Math Instructor, Retired: Tequesta, FL)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Leave with practical strategies and resources to adapt OER materials effectively, making science education more culturally relevant, engaging, and impactful for their students.