We will begin by exploring opportunities to use AI as a partner for brainstorming phenomena that enhance learning and assessment, including ways to customize existing high-quality instructional materials like OpenSciEd. After selecting a focal Performance Expectation (PE), we will utilize MagicSchool AI along with a phenomenon brainstorming script to create an initial list of potential phenomena. These will include natural, everyday, historical, contemporary, culturally significant, and justice-oriented phenomena, as well as design challenges and starting points for data sources. Collaborating with colleagues and receiving support from the 5D Assessment Project team, we will ask follow-up questions to refine our results. Finally, we will consider our knowledge of students' interests and identities, along with a brief unpacking of the standard, to select 2-3 top candidates for further development. We will also reflect on the ethical considerations of using AI tools in our practice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Join us to explore how to use AI to assist in brainstorming NGSS-aligned phenomena that enhance 3D instruction and assessment and connect to students’ interests and identities. These tools come from the 5D assessment project, a collaboration between inquiryHub and BSCS Science Learning.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Campanella

In this workshop participants will engage with our innovative computational thinking curriculum unit. Our approach is grounded in phenomena, science storylines, coherence and student modeling. We have innovated upon these time tested NGSS teacher practices by incorporating computational thinking through physical computing (Micro:Bit). In our approach, students use programmable sensors to ask questions, define problems and engage in the rest of the science and engineering practices. The participants will experience these practices in student-hat so that they better understand the student experience and how to implement the units. Participants will write computer programs, collect/analyze data and connect investigations to place-based contexts. Participants will walk away with a co-designed, classroom ready toolkit of resources that they are ready to implement based on the workshop experience. No prior experience using sensor technologies or programming is needed.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to effectively bring computational thinking., data collection, and programming into the middle school classroom, based on curriculum units developed by inquiryHub at the University of Colorado Boulder. Our place-based focus is a powerful promoter of equity for all student

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Bush, Greg Benedis-Grab

In this workshop we will explore the AIK12 standards through an unpacking activity. We will then explore tested lessons that can engage students in learning about the nature of AI and how to responsibly use it. During the session we will use the lesson materials to have participants reflect on the value of learning about AI and to deepen the conversation on the role of AI in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will gain a deeper understanding of AI, its role in education and how to incorporate AI in your classroom. You will leave with proven lessons that you can add to your classroom to get students thinking about and be critical of AI.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Bush, Greg Benedis-Grab

In this session, we will share about programming focused on supporting the wellness of educators through providing supports for caring for themselves, cultivating and sustaining compassion for students, students’ families, and colleagues, and working towards more compassionate schools. We will share audio recordings from educators that highlight key realizations or themes that emerged for educators related to compassion in schools, including how compassion has impacted their professional lives. We will explore the concept of compassion and identify the benefits and science of compassion. Participants will also engage in compassion practices, reflect, and discuss in small groups their experience of the practices and how they intend to strengthen compassion in their lives, in their classrooms, and in their schools. Cultivating compassion for oneself and others strengthens the social and emotional competencies of self-awareness, social awareness, self management, and relationship skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Cultivating compassion within the context of teaching and learning can be an important resource for sustaining caring for self and others. We invite you to join us to pause and practice compassion. Come learn about tools for resourcing yourself to apply in school and personal contexts.

SPEAKERS:
William Penuel

In this workshop participants will engage with our innovative Self Driving car unit. Our approach is grounded in phenomena, science storylining, coherence and student modeling. We have innovated upon these time tested NGSS teacher practices by incorporating AI and computer science. In our approach, students explore the phenomenon of Self Driving Cars to ask questions, define problems and engage in the rest of the science and engineering practices. The participants will experience these practices in student-hat so that they better understand the student experience and how to implement the units. Participants will engage with Teachable Machines to create their own AI image classifier.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will leave ready to implement our high quality unit with your students engaging student interest and using powerful storylining teaching routines. You will also have authentic student assessments to accompany the unit.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Bush, Greg Benedis-Grab

In this workshop participants will engage with our innovative STEM unit on MagLev trains. We will engage as a group in the anchoring phenomenon routine to rehearse the unit. We will also explore the freely available materials so that the unit can be implemented in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will leave with a high quality, ready to implement unit that you can use in your classroom. Our storyline teaching routines will engage students and spark their curiosity. The MagLev phenomenon is engaging and exciting for students.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Bush, Greg Benedis-Grab, Kate Henson

In this session, we will focus on creating 3D assessment tasks that engage students in computational thinking. We’ll begin by starting with students, collecting and analyzing information about their interests and identities to ensure the assessments resonate with them. Next, we’ll get to know the standards by identifying your assessment target, conducting a grade band analysis, and unpacking the essential components of the standard. Finally, we’ll choose phenomena by evaluating their potential to engage student interest and identity, ensuring alignment with Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), and identifying the necessary data or information for computational sensemaking. By the end of the session, you will have a clear plan for selecting a phenomenon or problem for your upcoming assessment of computational thinking that connects to your students' interests.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using tools from the 5D Assessment Project (inquiryHub and BSCS Science Learning collaboration), practice selecting phenomena and problems that align with standards, connect to students' interests, and develop computational thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Bush, Melissa Campanella

In today’s science classrooms, students need to be able to make their thinking visible and work with the ideas of others, but this is risky for students. It’s important to cultivate an inclusive culture where students can take risks sharing their ideas, no matter who they are. Just as routines can help teachers partner with students on the direction of their learning, routines can help foster an inclusive culture of knowledge building. In this workshop, we will engage participants in a pair of routines for establishing agreements with students and for helping students reflect on how well they are following those agreements, both to hype good work and make repairs to the group culture when needed. Teachers will leave with a description of the elements of the routines and examples of how other teachers have used them successfully.

TAKEAWAYS:
Leave with a ready to use plan to implement community agreements in your classroom. It will include eliciting students’ ideas for how to be respectful, equitable, committed to community, and move science thinking forward. It will also have strategies for student reflection on these agreements and ho

SPEAKERS:
Greg Benedis-Grab

In this workshop participants will engage with the proven Animal Prosthetics Unit. Participants will engage in an activity using TinkerCad to explore the value of spatial thinking for students. We will explore the freely available unit materials together and discuss strategies for implementation in a variety of school settings.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will leave ready to use the freely available TinkerCad software with your students to develop their special thinking. You will be ready to implement this innovative and engaging unit on building animal prosthetics for animals with special needs.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Bush, Greg Benedis-Grab