How do scientists study Earth’s historical climate? Are ice cores the only source of data? The fossil record can provide insight into cyclical changes in Earth’s climate. Teamwork, data analysis, and more scientific skills are used to analyze fossil data to study ocean temperature and level changes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will receive hands-on activities that use fossil evidence which indicates changes in ocean temperatures and levels, showing fluctuations in Earth’s climate over time. Activities can be easily modified based on the needs of the teacher and grade level.

SPEAKERS:
Sabrina Ewald

Dr. Michael Wysession, NGSS co-author and geophysics professor, will explore ideas for using recent NASA and NOAA data for recent extreme-weather-related phenomena, such as heat domes and severe flooding, to anchor storylines that make climate science relevant and engaging for students.

TAKEAWAYS:
The 2023-2024 severe weather events, analyzed with NASA and NOAA data, can drive climate-related storylines that can engage students and prepare them for assessments for the HS-ESS2-4 and HS-ESS3-1&5 performance expectations, covering climate systems, natural disasters, and environmental justice.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Wysession

Engage in hands-on learning! Explore wind energy's pros/cons and then design, and test windmills made with recycled materials. Take away a ready-to-use lesson adaptable for grades 4-12.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave equipped with a student-tested wind energy lesson, incorporating hands-on activities and collaborative learning, adaptable for grades 4-12, fostering a deeper understanding of renewable energy concepts aligned with NGSS standards.

SPEAKERS:
Lynn Kistler

Dr. Michael Wysession, NGSS co-author and geophysics professor, will explore fascinating Earth and space science (ESS) storylines of how geologic events such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and climate swings have shaped the rise and fall of civilizations and altered human history.

TAKEAWAYS:
The unusual and sometimes bizarre history of human impacts from geological events provides engaging phenomena and storylines that help students understand not only the impacts of natural disasters (NGSS HS-ESS3-1) but the potential impacts of human changes to Earth’s surface (HS-ESS3-4/5/6).

SPEAKERS:
Michael Wysession

What does it take to store CO2 underground? Discover how engineers determine where CO2 can be stored in subsurface geology by engaging in an engineering design challenge and learn how the energy industry is currently storing ‘captured’ carbon emissions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how the engineering design challenge can be integrated into AP Environmental Science, ESS, or Environmental Science courses and learn how it aligns with NGSS and APES standards. A document version and an online version are provided to attendees.

SPEAKERS:
Sabrina Ewald

Utilize Switch Classroom to develop engaging energy-related PBL experiences for your students. Using the free classroom resources from Switch Energy Alliance teachers will learn how to incorporate balanced, non-partisan information on energy resources, power generation, and energy usage.

TAKEAWAYS:
Switch Classroom can be used for primary source research, or to scaffold bigger driving questions or lessons involving energy resources, production, generation, use, and effects. Teachers will leave with ideas and examples to facilitate the development of their own PBL lessons involving energy.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Daniels

Discover how sensemaking mini-projects can be used to engage students in the world around them. Learn how using non-traditional assessments helps students with obtaining and communicating high-level information. Strategies for assessment development will be shared with an emphasis on SEPs and CCCs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Discover strategies for authentic assessment of high-level concepts through phenomena-based mini-projects. Explore pre-developed earth science projects and student examples showcasing mastery of science and engineering practices. Gain tips for crafting NGSS-aligned assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Lauren LaSota, Molly Sponseller

Come see how we use a 5E lesson with geologic maps, many of which are free online, to help students determine plate boundaries. We also highlight nature of science with Marie Tharp and her discovery of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Finally, we will discuss sense-making and model-building strategies.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will take away a complete 5E lesson on plate boundaries using freely available maps. Participants will also take away strategies for developing student sense-making and model-building.

SPEAKERS:
Alexa Clements, Jesse Wilcox

Louisiana leads the nation in coastal wetland loss. They also lead in approaches to address this crisis through development of updated five-year Coastal Master Plans. In this activity, participants take on the role of a regional coastal planner and put forth projects that seek to protect the coast.

TAKEAWAYS:
This is a hands-on, interactive activity that allows students to understand and address a complex environmental challenge while analyzing project costs and benefits. All tools represent real projects in the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan and show future workforce opportunities.

SPEAKERS:
Dani DiIullo

The National Center for Science Education has developed a free tool called DataWISE that can be used by students to critically examine data-based claims. Participants will practice using the tool as they engage in activities to teach critical data literacy skills (aligned to NGSS SEPs and CCCs).

TAKEAWAYS:
The goal of this session is for participants to move past functional data literacy to critical data literacy so that students can learn to evaluate data-based claims for various types of bias, intent, and misleading presentations of data in addition to basic strategies for understanding data.

SPEAKERS:
Blake Touchet

NSF’s NOIRLab’s Teen Astronomy Café – To Go! program brings students the excitement of scientific discovery by exploring astronomical data. Learn how students can hunt for brown dwarfs and planets in the outer solar system using the citizen science project Backyward Worlds. Laptops are encouraged.

TAKEAWAYS:
By exploring the Teen Astronomy Café – To Go! program designed to support the NGSS, participants will learn about the resources available to introduce astronomical data analysis their classrooms and help students develop critical thinking and data literacy skills.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Sparks

This is a hands-on interactive workshop that focuses on understanding multimessenger astronomy by the use of the four senses: sight, smell, touch, and sound.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain an understanding of the increasing significance of multimessenger astronomy and how it aids astronomers in their observation of the universe through the coordination of information from different sources like light, gravitational waves, neutrinos, and cosmic rays simultaneously.

SPEAKERS:
Vernita Adkins

Experience the free Verizon Innovative Learning Lab VR app - Visceral Science - along with hands-on supportive learning activities about space science. Discover strategies to incorporate VR as a teaching tool in limited-resource classroom settings with students of diverse backgrounds.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn to use the Visceral Science app as an opportunity for novel learning of space science. Discover how to effectively use limited virtual reality resources in a large classroom setting.

SPEAKERS:
Andrew Bundas, Mariam Khella, Brandon Daniels