During this session (on the HASTI Pathways document), HASTI members and non-members are able to come and interact with HASTI Board members. They can ask questions, offer suggestions, and share their thoughts about the future of HASTI.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to connect with HASTI board members, find out about our current work and offer suggestions for future work.

SPEAKERS:
Kristen Poindexter

Are you interested in learning more about what HASTI has to offer or how you can become more involved? Attend this session to hear from current board members about their experiences and learn more about each board position. We have a position for everyone! We will share a short history of HASTI and why our mission and focus is so important, now more than ever! Teachers of ALL grade levels and areas are welcome, including pre-service, informal, and postsecondary educators!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about HASTI's mission and how they can become more involved with our state science teachers association.

SPEAKERS:
Kristen Poindexter

This hands-on session will showcase engaging low-prep activities from Project WET, Project WILD and Project Learning Tree that are correlated with NGSS and have a STEM and Career Connection. Participants will leave with 3 data collection activities that model earth systems and ecological community interactions. These activities can be adapted for use in grades 6-12 classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
This hands-on session will showcase engaging low-prep activities from Project WET, Project WILD and Project Learning Tree that are correlated with NGSS and have a STEM and Career Connection. Participants will leave with 3 data collection activities that model earth systems and ecological community

SPEAKERS:
Kristen Poindexter

Explore online tools that enrich forest & watershed activities from Project WET and Project Learning Tree that will help you localize the phenomena desired in the environmental science classroom. These ecosystem activities are designed for grades 6-12 instruction and have extensions that can be used at the AP/IB level.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore online tools that enrich forest & watershed activities from Project WET and Project Learning Tree that will help you localize the phenomena desired in the environmental science classroom. These ecosystem activities are designed for grades 6-12 instruction and have extensions that can be use

SPEAKERS:
Kristen Poindexter

This workshop will introduce the Educating for Environmental Change project at Indiana University and provide information on how teachers can get involved. The presenter will also facilitate exemplar activities from the project that are designed to engage students in the practice of scientific argumentation. Surfacing student thinking, addressing student misconceptions, and alignment to the NGSS will also be emphasized. The EFEC project is designed to elucidate and deepen understanding of environmental issues through hands-on lessons co-designed by IU's Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, the School of Education, and veteran K-12 science teachers. EFEC utilizes the following driving questions: how do we know the climate is changing; what are the impacts of these changes; what can be done moving forward; and how do we cultivate optimism in our students?

TAKEAWAYS:
The Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) project utilizes the following driving questions: how do we know the climate is changing; what are the impacts of these changes; how can we mitigate these changes; and how do we cultivate optimism in our students while teaching them about climate change?

SPEAKERS:
Adam Scribner

In this hands-on professional development workshop, teachers will use physical and conceptual models of atoms and isotopes to explore how scientists reconstruct past climates. Participants will investigate how isotopic signatures preserved in ice cores and sediments reveal information about vegetation, temperature, precipitation, and Earth’s climate history. Model-based reasoning and alignment with NGSS and Indiana science practices will be emphasized. The goal of this workshop is to support teachers in translating authentic climate science research into engaging classroom investigations. This workshop will be led by Dr. Julia Kelson, IU Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and Dr. Robyn Embry, high school science teacher, Mitchell High School. This workshop was developed for Indiana University’s Educating for Environmental Change project (EfEC) project.

TAKEAWAYS:
The Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) project utilizes the following driving questions: how do we know the climate is changing; what are the impacts of these changes; how can we mitigate these changes; and how do we cultivate optimism in our students while teaching them about climate change?

SPEAKERS:
Julia Kelson, Adam Scribner

This workshop will present a climate engineering teaching module that was co-designed by Indiana University atmospheric scientists and veteran high school educators for the Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) project. The module consists of five complete lessons that encourage students to design technological solutions to slow global warming: including in-class experimentation demonstrating the potential cooling effect resulting from brightening marine clouds. The hands-on activities are supplemented with cutting-edge climate engineering and climate modeling research – including discussions on geoengineering’s potential to limit the negative impacts of climate change. Each lesson is aligned with Indiana state science standards and the Next Generation Science Standards. This workshop will be led by Dr. Ben Kravitz and Dr. Paul Goddard from Indiana University’s Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences.

TAKEAWAYS:
The Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) project utilizes the following driving questions: how do we know the climate is changing; what are the impacts of these changes; how can we mitigate these changes; and how do we cultivate optimism in our students while teaching them about climate change?

SPEAKERS:
Ben Kravitz, Paul Goddard, Adam Scribner

Why do some natural hazards become disasters while others do not? This workshop explores the complex relationship between natural processes, human decision-making, and community resilience. Through data analysis and case studies, participants will examine hazards such as floods, droughts, wildfires, hurricanes, extreme heat, and earthquakes while considering the social, economic, and environmental factors that influence their impacts. In this workshop, teachers will engage in activities to better understand how climate change, land-use decisions, infrastructure, and public policy shape vulnerability and resilience. Participants will explore classroom-ready activities that integrate environmental science, geography, and civic decision-making, helping students investigate real-world challenges through inquiry-based learning. This workshop was developed for Indiana University’s Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) Project.

TAKEAWAYS:
The Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) project utilizes the following driving questions: how do we know the climate is changing; what are the impacts of these changes; how can we mitigate these changes; and how do we cultivate optimism in our students while teaching them about climate change?

SPEAKERS:
Michael Hamburger, Adam Scribner

The Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) Galápagos Islands Collaborative Education Project is an international professional development initiative that connects K12 educators from Indiana with teachers, researchers, and community partners in the Galápagos Islands. This workshop will share the design, implementation, and early outcomes of this international collaboration. Participants will learn how the project leverages the Galápagos Islands—one of the world’s most significant ecological and evolutionary laboratories—as a context for teacher learning, place-based education, and global environmental literacy. Presenters will discuss strategies for building international partnerships and creating opportunities for teachers and students to engage with authentic environmental challenges. The session will examine how international partnerships can enrich teaching by helping educators connect global environmental issues to the communities where their students live.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with practical ideas for integrating global environmental issues into STEM instruction and fostering meaningful cross-cultural learning experiences that promote environmental stewardship and scientific literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Ben Kravitz, Adam Scribner

This presentation introduces a dynamic resource designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and professional STEM applications. The STEM Career Repository offers an extensive collection of 2–3 minute videos featuring diverse professionals who share insights into their daily work and career paths. By providing students with relatable role models and clear examples of success, this tool helps demystify the vast landscape of STEM opportunities. Attendees will learn how to leverage the repository's keyword search functionality to align career exploration with specific curriculum topics. The session also highlights supplemental resources, including STEM Career Highlights, which facilitate direct integration into middle and high school lessons. Whether you are looking to enhance college and career readiness or inspire students through representation, this repository provides the practical materials needed to bring professional science into the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Access a searchable database of 2–3 minute videos from STEM professionals to link curriculum to real-world careers. Use "STEM Career Highlights" handouts to support student exploration and boost representation, helping every student find a relatable path to success in science and technology.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Nern

Well-designed lockbox activities are more than just games; they are powerful pedagogical tools that foster critical thinking (sensemaking), collaborative problem-solving (productive student discourse), and deep engagement with core curriculum. In this interactive session, you will transition from player to creator. We will begin by solving clues together as a large group, modeling diverse activity styles that successfully translate complex concepts into immersive challenges. Our team will share a variety of classroom-tested examples from our science-based lockbox activities. Whether you want to implement a premade lesson or build a custom experience from scratch, these resources will be immediately available for your teaching needs. All participants will receive full access to our resources, including templates and digital guides, to adapt these tools for any subject or grade level.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain full access to our premade lock box style lessons and templates, enabling them to customize these resources for any grade or subject area.

SPEAKERS:
Steven Smith

In a world where bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to traditional antibiotics, how can we empower students to think of creative solutions? This session introduces an integrated laboratory experience where students explore the biological process of bacterial competition through the lens of medicinal chemistry and soil science. Students gather soil, isolate the bacteria that live in the soil sample, and determine whether the bacteria they isolate can defeat the bacteria from another soil sample. Using concepts from chemistry, biology, and environmental science, students develop skills in systems thinking and evidence-based reasoning. Through participation in this lab, students learn to connect the history of the development of penicillin to modern innovations in medicinal chemistry, while learning how integrated science creates lasting solutions for complex, real-world problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn to implement an integrated soil-to-lab investigation that bridges chemistry and biology. Full access to virtual resources and lab handouts will be provided.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Parkinson

Want to introduce fun chemistry concepts into your upper elementary classroom? This session showcases a suite of physical science lessons developed by Purdue University Honors Chemistry students specifically for upper elementary educators. Participants will explore a curated collection of "kitchen chemistry" investigations that transform common household items (red cabbage, honey, and baking soda) into scientific tools. We will demonstrate how to model abstract concepts like surface tension and proton transfer through kinetic group games, and how to use student-built spectroscopes to investigate the properties of light. Participants will learn how hands-on approaches support student sensemaking and facilitate interest in science. These lessons emphasize student learning while keeping prep time and material costs at a minimum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore fun and creative “kitchen chemistry” demonstrations to use in the upper elementary classroom. Attendees will gain full access to premade lesson plans and resources.

SPEAKERS:
Hannah Starr

Uncover the secrets of the past using the power of nuclear chemistry through an engaging exploration of geochronology and absolute dating. This hands-on session demonstrates how scientists utilize radioactive isotopes to reconstruct Earth's 4.6-billion-year history, bridging the gap between physics, chemistry, and archaeology. Participants will explore the fundamental concepts of radiation and half-life, starting with the visualization of charged particles in cloud chambers and moving into simulations that model the random nature of radioactive decay. Participants will learn how to calculate decay constants and analyze carbon-14 activity. These skills are put to the test in a series of "artifact mysteries," where data is used to verify the authenticity of items. This presentation provides high school educators with classroom ready materials to help students investigate the reliability of scientific evidence and the precision of the primary tools used in modern geochronology.

TAKEAWAYS:
Understand radiation and half-life through cloud chamber visualization and simulations. Learn to calculate decay constants and apply carbon-14 dating to determine the absolute age of materials. Participants will get usable lessons that can be taught in person or virtually.

SPEAKERS:
Steven Smith

Explore the creative use of board games as a dynamic and effective tool for teaching science concepts in the classroom. In this session, participants will select from a variety of board games that align with various science curriculum standards. Through hands-on play, educators will gain practical strategies for incorporating and adapting board games into their teaching practice to enhance student engagement, sensemaking, and problem-solving skills. Presenters will address the benefits of board games in fostering collaborative learning, promoting scientific literacy, and making science accessible to students of all backgrounds. No experience is required to play any of the games that we will be presenting. Presenters will teach the games as we go. Participants will be provided access to templates and planning tools for immediate classroom use. No gaming experience required.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to boost student engagement and sensemaking by integrating board games into their science curriculum. This hands-on session offers practical strategies for collaborative learning and provides templates and planning tools ready for immediate classroom use.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Nern