Nonfiction films featuring diverse scientists telling their own stories can do more than promote conceptual understanding. We will screen two short films, Decoding Ancestral Knowledge and CRISPR Apostle, and show preliminary results of their impact on science identity and nature of science learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will learn about the films from the study, how to access them, and the results that suggest they not only support student learning; they can also broaden perspectives on who does science and how science is done.

SPEAKERS:
Shannon Behrman

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:
Rose Chaffee-Cohen

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Imagine the excitement of middle schoolers as they learn how to use micropipettes and run their own gel electrophoresis! Come learn how to bring these exciting and fun techniques to your middle school classrooms using the teacher- and student-friendly MiniOne equipment.

SPEAKERS:
Whitney Hagins

Use current environmental issues as an engaging teaching tool! View clips from Chasing the Tide, a docuseries that shows the 370-mile journey of a couple as they walk the length of Texas’s coast. Access FREE NGSS-aligned resources that guide students to explore pressing issues in coastal ecosystems.

TAKEAWAYS:
Gain three-dimensional teaching resources and strategies that guide your students to explore current environmental issues and identify actions they can take, no matter where they live or what resources they have access to, to support the health of our coastal and marine ecosystems.

SPEAKERS:
Anne Marie Fayen

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Explore the world of forensic science with these fun and exciting escape room activities! Try forensic blood detection and agarose gel electrophoresis experiments, decipher clues, and solve puzzles. Learn to design your own escape room to have students unravel the evidence and free the innocent.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell, Maria Dayton

This workshop will describe methods used to engage a range of learners, including neurodivergent and English Language Learners, in grades 3-5, in place-based investigations of plants and weather. Lesson descriptions and student work will be used to initiate discussion with attendees.

TAKEAWAYS:
This workshop will describe methods used to engage a range of learners, including neurodivergent and English Language Learners, in grades 3-5, in place-based investigations of plants and weather. Lesson descriptions and student work will be used to initiate discussion with attendees.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Feit, Andreia Ferreira, Soraya Santana, Peter Garik

Come learn how we integrate science and language arts mini units, using food chains to guide participants through the process. Also, learn how we instruct our teacher candidates in higher education to do the same and then implement the lessons in local schools with immediate feedback from us.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to integrate science with language arts in classrooms, as teachers or instructors of higher education.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Lampley, Frances Hamilton

Help students see the forest for the trees -- and all its biodiversity -- in this interdisciplinary, hands-on session. Engage in a game inspired by The Lorax, a simulation of biodiversity in temperate and tropical rainforests and a resource management game of strategy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn ways to introduce elementary students to concepts about natural resource use and management and the importance of preserving biodiverse ecosystems through games and 3D simulations that are interdisciplinary and inquiry-based.

SPEAKERS:
Bennett Steidinger, Pam Wasserman

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Inspire curiosity by examining pond water! Observe freshwater organisms feeding patterns and reproduction firsthand while exploring microbial diversity. These activities will build an understanding of ecosystems and provide phenomena that connects with biology and nature.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Stubbs

5th through 12th grade students are ready to learn about the problem with microplastics! Join a group of educators who sailed Lake Erie with scientists to study plastic pollution. Help your students become citizen scientists, collecting, organizing, and reporting data within their own community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn the impacts of and solutions to tackling microplastics as well as strategies for involving their students in hands-on microplastics research along local bodies of water from educators who experienced this scientific research first-hand.

SPEAKERS:
Lara Roketenetz, Sabrina Deschamps, Kate Krischke, Brienne May

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Explore CRISPR-Cas gene editing in our hands-on electrophoresis workshop! The Nobel-winning biotechnology breakthrough is making dramatic changes to human health TODAY. Dive into CRISPR biology with quick experiments modeling cures for genetic diseases like Sickle Cell Anemia and Cystic Fibrosis.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell, Maria Dayton

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

This authentic case study analyzes microbial DNA from the International Space Station. Available as a hands-on gel electrophoresis experiment or a free virtual lab. This session will also feature Genes in Space, a free experimental design competition that sends student experiments to space!

SPEAKERS:
Katy Martin

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Agriculture, biology, and business knowledge are essential on the modern farm. In this hands-on workshop, use gel electrophoresis to visualize genotypes for a gene necessary for high quality cheese, and help a dairy farmer select which breeding pairs give her the best chance to have a Ca$h Cow!

SPEAKERS:
Glenda Goh Denison

Engage students in learning about the evolution of antibiotic resistance by exploring prevention strategies. Assess their understanding via infographics. Attendees will view student examples and receive a link to lesson plans and student worksheets.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how students can illustrate their understanding of antibiotic resistance evolution through infographic creation. The infographics will highlight why specific strategies for reducing antibiotic resistance are effective.

SPEAKERS:
Andrea Bierema

Did you know sugar is grown and refined in 17 US states? Sugar cane thrives in the south, while sugar beets flourish in the north. Discover the difference!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about the sugar-making process from field to final product and see a variety of activities you can use with students to discover the difference between sugar cane and sugar beets.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Sponholtz, Michelle Blodgett

Interested in bringing river ecology to your classroom? This presentation will introduce strategies to engage learners in place-based ecology on a budget. In this unit, students will research local riparian plant species, design a tank to house them, and monitor the ecosystem health over time.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students are more engaged when the learning they are doing resembles their surroundings. Viewers of this lesson can expect to encounter strategies to bring local riparian ecology into the classroom and how to adapt their lessons to reflect their local ecosystems.

SPEAKERS:
Tobias Kochenderfer

Ethics, biology, algebra, reading, what do all of these things have in common? Much more than you would think! Stop by to learn how we have been using ethics as a throughline to help students develop their literacy and numeracy skills in their science class.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with cross-disciplinary tools. Attendees will see examples of ethics in science and how that fosters discussion and develops class culture while creating connections between core disciplines.

SPEAKERS:
Leila Haghi

Carbonated beverage containers, juice and fruit drinks, dairy products, and sports beverages all contain sugar. Students better understand quantities and volumes and gain an understanding of serving size. Reading labels is important!

TAKEAWAYS:
One major goal of this activity is to get students to better understand quantities and volumes. What is the difference between a gram and a teaspoon? How much fructose, glucose, and/or sucrose is in the beverage you are drinking? A second goal is to assist students in understanding serving size.

SPEAKERS:
Suzanne Cunningham

This poster will present an activity that dives into the phenomenon of bee vision, building personal relevance and connection through engagement in STEAM practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore the intersections between science sensemaking and STEAM, taking home a lesson that engages students in discovering how bees see the world.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Carsten Conner

This workshop will have participants engaging in an abbreviated version of a highly interactive and creative project that emphasizes key concepts about biodiversity and ecology while allowing for creative flexibility. Teachers involved in the life sciences are encouraged to join!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about an engaging, fun, and creative multi-day in-class project centered around key concepts related to biodiversity and ecology. Attendees will also leave with materials to seamlessly integrate this project into their own classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Paul Marban

This research project is a multi-day project that enables students to improve their communication skills, their ability to find accurate information, and to use the creativity inside of them. Students will create a diorama of their animal in its habitat and assist a younger student in their learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
This poster will help give attendees an idea of how they can incorporate more activities that dip into multiple subjects in their lessons. It will provide them with practical examples that they can take and use in their own classroom regarding research projects.

SPEAKERS:
Kylie Buchholz

Participants will engage with different stations that focus on 3D models and activities that are modified to help students who are blind experience inquiry in an appropriate and parallel way as sighted peers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave this 60 min workshop with strategies for modifying their own labs and hands-on class activities to better ensure that every child can “see” biology.

SPEAKERS:
Steffanie Shoop, Hellanna Koflowitch

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Teach macromolecules without the crazy prep! In this micro-scaled lab activity, students test for starch, glucose, protein, lipids and DNA, without the need for large volumes of reagents, cleaning test tubes, or boiling reagents. Then students apply their knowledge and test various unknown samples.

SPEAKERS:
Priya Mangano, Lindsay Hamilton

Join us for an exciting mini workshop designed to familiarize students with innovative technology, entrepreneurship, and career pathways leading to a career in STEM. This hands-on session is perfect for teachers to explore trending STEM careers with easily scaled classroom programs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers and faculty will walk away with examples of STEM innovation and entrepreneurship programs developed by the Manufacturing USA network. These programs can layer over existing classes and familiarize students with career pathways and new technologies.

SPEAKERS:
Brad Conrad, Amy Keesler, Christy Johnson, John Zappa

Sponsoring Company: NOAA

Dive into a sea of classroom-ready resources! With standards-aligned teaching materials, tutorials, hands-on activities, PD, and funding opportunities, NOS Education supports ocean, coastal, and climate learning at ALL levels and engages students and communities in hands-on stewardship.

SPEAKERS:
Alexandria Gillen

Learn to use some of the standards-based physical activities and "kinesthetic clue" mnemonic devices used at one of New Jersey's top-performing middle schools. See how when you get kids moving, it gets them learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Tired of having your students waste time and energy trying to memorize things? Have them “Get Moving!” Kinesthetic activities help make the shift from memorizing to mastery.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ciuffreda

Navigate utilizing hydroponics in the classroom to inform plant science concepts to generate a product used by your school lunch program. Teach students about the dynamics from seed to harvest and the scientific practices to manage systems to help feed a growing population in their communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will gain strategies to incorporate standards into a variety of course offerings using hydroponic systems as a view into the world of agriculture and their life science standards to support their learning. Teachers will walk away with lessons ready to implement in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Megan Sprague, JESSICA JONES

Why is data science important? How can I integrate it in my classroom? The High School 2 Health Care project will share engaging data science content for teacher professional development. Join our interactive session to gain confidence to teach real-world data science and inspire your students.

TAKEAWAYS:
The High School 2 Health Care project aligns with the NSTA’s Position on Data Science that all students should have knowledge of data science and ethical use of data. Data science modules will be provided and results showing our modules increased teachers’ data science knowledge and self-efficacy.

SPEAKERS:
Simpfronia Taylor, Rebecca Reynolds

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Bring molecular techniques to Ecology and Evolution units with an activity based on the work of the Duke Lemur Center. Has an extinct lemur species been found again in the wild? Test DNA with gel electrophoresis, build phylogenetic trees, and analyze authentic field data.

SPEAKERS:
Rose Chaffee-Cohen

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Wildlife conservators often return captive-bred animals to their native habitats to rewild the area. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore the use of RFLP analysis and phylogenetics in conservation biology to analyze the DNA samples of two lions. Can we return them to their ancestral home?

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell, Maria Dayton

This session will dive into how projects like a leaf pack ecology lab can turn students into citizen scientists and increase engagement in a high school biology classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a better understanding of ways they can help develop their students into citizen scientists through a leaf pack lab or other methods - the opportunities are endless!

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Aguiar

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Explore hands-on training in biotechnology! Teachers in this workshop will conduct two activities with BioBuilder’s proven classroom and laboratory curriculum designed for students gain industry microcredentials and to be college and career ready. Search "BioTechBuilder" online to learn more!

SPEAKERS:
Natalie Kuldell

Participants will explore hands-on stations as they use inquiry analysis tools to dive into phenomena, primary sources, and discovery boxes about coastal phenomena. Participants will share, engage, and connect with multiple tools, strategies and PreK-2 resources to use to analyze coastal phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
Inquiry-based teaching focuses on moving students beyond general curiosity into the realms of critical thinking and understanding. We must encourage our students to ask questions and support them through the investigation process, understanding when to begin and how to structure an inquiry activity.

SPEAKERS:
Betsy Glisson

Gamify your classroom with "The Adaptation Game," a fun activity supporting critical thinking, art skills, and data organization. Loosely based on the nonfiction book, THE ODDBALL BOOK OF ARMADILLOS, the game helps kids understand natural selection. Free card decks and book giveaway!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will gain a free, easy-to-use classroom activity that encourages science literary and supports reading skills. During the session, we'll play a round or two. You'll design and draw your own special critter...but will it survive? Suitable for MS and upper elementary levels.

SPEAKERS:
Sierra Satterstrom, Elizabeth Shreeve

Students cross alleles to create a dragon genotype. They will then interpret the genotype into a phenotype and assemble a paper dragon.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to decode genotypes and turn them into phenotypes.

SPEAKERS:
Sharon Miller

Animalearn will showcase hands-on and tech-focused dissection alternatives, including a newly developed and low cost dissectible frog model and AR/VR experiences that will wow middle school students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Middle level science teachers will learn about a wide variety of non-animal anatomy resources that can be utilized in the classroom to replace dissection specimens.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Green

Come try engaging, exciting and hands-on biotechnology activities for middle school students. Using colored dyes, students learn the basics of pipetting and running an electrophoresis gel.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about age appropriate biotechnology activities for middle school.

SPEAKERS:
Whitney Hagins

The Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science has dozens of FREE resources, including entire units for teaching evolution in an engaging way. We will be giving away copies of our book, On Teaching Evolution. Become a part of a friendly teacher network that pays you to present to fellow educators.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers are their own best resources. Whether you are looking for resources or want to share your love of evolutionary biology with colleagues, our institute wants to help. Funded entirely by donors, we offer free professional development in all 50 US States.

SPEAKERS:
Bertha Vazquez

Urban tree populations have a unique ecology that you can bring into your classroom! Join the Wade Institute for Science Education and the Forest Service’s Springfield and Philadelphia Urban Field Stations to explore storyline teaching, inquiry investigations and local phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be introduced to strategies central to storyline teaching, including phenomena-based instruction, and learn how to collect data using tools and methods to evaluate urban forest and tree health, and share that data through participatory science.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Ryack-Bell, Kathryn Atkins

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Finally, an easy-to-implement genetic engineering lab. This robust lab allows students to visualize the transformation of bacteria from white to bright blue with a protocol that fits in a 45-minute class. Simple teacher prep with no starter cultures, and reliable student results!

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hennessy-McDonald, PhD

Explore how to design authentic assessments that align with NGSS and utilize standards-based grading. Learn practical strategies for unpacking rubrics to guide student learning and provide clear, actionable feedback that drives improvement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to create NGSS-aligned assessments and develop rubrics that students can easily understand and use for self-assessment, promoting deeper learning and growth.

SPEAKERS:
Parwaneh Rezai Sepasi

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Join this hands-on workshop to explore three engaging experiments about how light, gravity & nutrients impact plant growth. Each participant receives Fast Plants seeds flown in space with Emily Calandrelli on a Blue Origin rocket, plus fun lesson plans for all experiments.

SPEAKERS:
Hedi Lauffer, Alexandra Felts

This workshop teaches methods for schoolyard investigations aligned with Pennsylvania STEELS standards. Students collect and analyze local environmental data, designing solutions to enhance community well-being. It emphasizes 3-dimensional learning and fosters student-led change.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants investigate the links between climate change, environmental impacts, and human health. They gather and evaluate data for sensemaking, connecting it to environmental justice topics. The focus on instructional practice enhances educators' capacity to teach environmental literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Peglow

Engage in plant-focused classroom demos and investigations using budget-friendly materials, and learn about community resources such as Master Gardeners who can ignite students' curiosity about plants in their local environment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be provided with resources for implementing low-cost, standards-based life science demonstrations and investigations and learn about the classroom resources that their local Master Gardeners can provide free of cost.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Cummings, Kristin Rearden

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

You’ve planned the experiment and collected data, now let’s discuss the best way to analyze it. In this workshop, we’ll use PCR, ELISA, and AI to bring quantitative data analysis and statistics to the lab. Mastery of these skills is crucial to prepare students for careers in biotechnology and STEM.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell, Maria Dayton

This session will provide strategies and resources to support Pennsylvania science teachers, administrators, and curriculum supervisors transitioning to the PA STEELS standards. Many of the resources provided are also applicable to NGSS standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with knowledge of a website with a variety of resources for implementing 3-dimensional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Wack

Should you text and drive? Let’s find out with fun, easy-to-do, hands-on, and content-rich activities from the Exploratorium. Open your eyes to your eye-brain system and how clearly you see the world. Explore your visual perception while engaging with three dimensions of the NGSS.

TAKEAWAYS:
Find out why you need to “Keep your eyes on the road!” Participants will engage in hands-on activities. They will collect, analyze, and interpret data about their own eyes and visual systems. Discover the “Structure and Function” and how “Information Processing” works in the eye-brain system.

SPEAKERS:
Eric Muller

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Sickle cell is an autosomal recessive disorder, and genetic testing is available to determine carrier, affected and normal genotypes. Run and visualize an electrophoresis gel to determine the genotypes of a family with history of sickle cell, and hear about progress with treating this disease.

SPEAKERS:
Ariel Cohen, Holly Khong

Led by NSTA Early Childhood-Elementary Committee members, the session addresses the relationship between the NSTA book series and natural phenomena, providing an interactive platform for educators to discover how this series of books can support & enhance SEPs in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore the integration of this series with science and engineering practices through cross-disciplinary connections and hands-on activities. Resources provided.

SPEAKERS:
Simone Nance, Jenn Brown-Whale, Anne Lowry, Mary Lynn Hess, Jennifer Williams

Cognitive science has identified flexible and often counterintuitive cognitive strategies that boost learning across diverse groups of students . Teachers will learn how to implement these techniques within their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to apply multiple practical, flexible, and research-based cognitive strategies, including retrieving information from memory, distributing practice across time, scaffolding, and mixing together different examples, within their own classrooms to improve student learning.

SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Tullis

This session will use the attributes of sensemaking (phenomena and science ideas) through tactile, auditory and visual simulation to examine how organisms adapt to their environments. Participants will walk away with a free whale vision simulator which they can replicate to create a classroom set.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will participate in a “student hat” to explore the power of sensemaking via simulation to learn how whales have adapted to their environment. A “make and take” and lesson plan will allow teachers to apply the lesson easily in their own classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Snyder

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Tired of textbook diagrams showing DNA to RNA to protein? Bring the central dogma to life with a hands-on experiment to visualize transcription and translation using fluorescence. Explore gene expression in real-time using low-cost tools made for the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Katy Martin

Engage in cancer focused classroom-ready interactive lessons, discuss the myths of cancer and explore the technology advances in cancer research to share with students. View more free lessons www.decodingcancer.org

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will gain an understanding of cancer innovations and STEM careers within cancer health advocacy to share with their students.

SPEAKERS:
Casandra Gabriele

Feeding birds can spark kids’ curiosity, interest in the outdoors, and engagement with science. You can make the experience more meaningful by incorporating engineering practices and challenging students to design their own feeders to help their local birds by using our Feeder Design Guide.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to develop students’ science and engineering skills with a feeder design challenge. Students will work together to consider the needs of birds, develop an understanding of what makes a good bird feeder, brainstorm designs, build the feeder, and evaluate its performance.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Schaeffer

Let's DO Science and increase our language development! Come investigate plants as we walk through a Science talk protocol, ask questions, make comparisons and predictions, and document and share our results from five plant exploration stations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science talk protocols will help develop understanding of science concepts, academic vocabulary, and oral language skills. Learn discussion and questioning techniques, ways to engage and communicate, how to use inquiry to spark curiosity, and strategies that build speaking, listening and writing.

SPEAKERS:
Betsy Glisson

Sponsoring Company: PASCO Scientific

Learn how to facilitate simple hands-on photosynthesis experiments with wireless sensors. Help students collect and analyze carbon exchange data from plant leaves in real-time! Dispel student doubts in their understanding of photosynthesis and respiration.

SPEAKERS:
Shelly Riley

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Use forensic genealogy to identify two boys separated from their parents and reunite the family. In this hands-on electrophoresis experiment, students will analyze dye samples that represent mitochondrial and chromosomal DNA. Through data analysis, students explore inheritance and DNA polymorphisms.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell, Maria Dayton

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Transforming bacteria with vibrant colored proteins is an unforgettable way to teach the central dogma of molecular biology. Take it further by creating bio-art with your students! In this workshop, we’ll share transformation tips, explore microbial creativity, and even award our favorite designs!

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell, Maria Dayton

Sponsoring Company: Bio-Rad Laboratories

Discover forensic biotech in our workshop. Perform Bradford Assay for biological sex identification from fingerprints, and delve into biochemical analysis with practical skills.

SPEAKERS:
Tamica Stubbs, Leigh Brown

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

What do your genes say about your beer preference? Research behind bitter taste has been ongoing for over 100 years. Come see how bitter taste genotype and phenotype are linked, and how it can play a role in your fondness for certain foods!

SPEAKERS:
Ariel Cohen, Holly Khong

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Join us to explore best practices for using biomedical sensors with Graphical Analysis! We'll cover EKGs, EMGs, heart rate, and respiration. Designed for health sciences, biology, and physiology educators, this session offers hands-on experience, Q&A, and support for all experience levels.

SPEAKERS:
Kathryn Martin

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Puppies are born to Molly the Labradoodle, and students must use genetics to solve the paternity mystery. Use Punnett squares and DNA gel electrophoresis to track the inheritance of a single trait across the litter. Then decide who’s the daddy: Zeus the Poodle or Otto the Labradoodle?

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hennessy-McDonald, PhD

Benefits of Flipped Classroom models to foster Student-Centered Learning in Middle and Upper School Life Sciences courses. Learn about tools, strategies, implementations, and resources to use when creating a course using Flipped Classroom models. Use literacy content and skills as enrichments tools.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn to use a Flipped Classroom model and Literacy tools to foster a more robust Student-Centered learning experience. Attendees will also be able to brainstorm the design of a lesson using flipped classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Fernando Azcona

Discover how birds and participatory science connect kids to nature while providing exciting gateways to authentic science learning for all students. We’ll explore the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s participatory-science projects, share free resources, and go on an eBird walk. Bring your smart device!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participatory-science projects, like eBird, provide an authentic way to meet science standards while building a lifelong passion for science and nature. We’ll discuss strategies for engaging students typically underrepresented in STEM fields.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Schaeffer

Gain strategies and tools for enhancing opportunities for computational thinking in your current high school life or physical science curriculum. Bring current lessons and leave with concrete ideas for helping students engage authentically in the SEP of Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will take home strategies and tools based on the Computational Thinking for Science Framework that they can use to enhance opportunities for CT-S in any high school science curriculum. They will receive immediate feedback on lesson modifications they can implement in their classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Maia Binding, Eric Greenwald, Wendy Jackson

Explore a hands-on lesson answering utilization of soil, water, and land use data to make decisions. Put on your student hat and see how they will analyze data to construct a solution for a relevant land use concern. Then, switch over to teacher mode and discuss ways to apply in our classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with experience in a versatile lesson that can be applied as an assessment tool, an engagement tool, or both. These tools are phenomenon based and use science and engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
Megan Sprague, JESSICA JONES

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Explore water’s structure, polarity, and hydrogen bonding in this hands-on workshop. Through interactive activities, gain insight into water’s role in biological and environmental systems. Aligned with NGSS, this session offers an innovative approach to teaching fundamental chemistry principles.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt

Nature is a perfect lens for sparking a child's curiosity. Nature-based materials provide opportunities for children to dive into the world of scientific inquiry, asking questions, designing experiments and collecting data. Come explore some exciting nature-prompts and see where it takes you.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in a range of activities designed to spark science inquiry in young children through nature-based materials and explorations. They will leave with tools for using nature as a resource to provide opportunities for science inquiry with young children.

SPEAKERS:
Rina Zampieron

Educators will get our free teacher-tested support materials for two participatory (citizen) science projects and explore how to increase students’ outdoor learning experiences, authentic data collection, and sensemaking in third through sixth grades.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will walk away with materials to engage their students in 3D learning opportunities and support sensemaking for data that students collect in their own schoolyard. The two standards-aligned participatory science projects involve daily precipitation data and searching for native ladybugs.

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Scharen

We will integrate science with language arts using the book "I'm Going to Eat You!" as inspiration. Activities include food chains in Miro (visually representing), presenting boards (speaking and listening, viewing), writing about food chains, and creating 2-D models of food chains.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to integrate science with language arts using food chains.

SPEAKERS:
Frances Hamilton

'Why are wetlands important?' is the question that these series of hands-on labs answer through student-led construction, experimentation, and data collection of 3 main characteristics of wetlands: Absorption, Filtration, and Wildlife Habitats.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to facilitate construction of a reusable watershed model with removable wetlands and what materials are required. Build and test your own filter with layers of various materials in a 2L bottle! See examples of student-made field guides for your own local wetland observations.

SPEAKERS:
Anna Grant

What do young learners know about how the brain works? Brain-based research and mindfulness can have a profound impact on young learners. Foster a growth mindset in your young students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learning about the brain in elementary school supports lifelong achievement and development.

This year’s OSTB award books will be available for participants to peruse and enjoy. Learn about connections you can make to your instruction using these books and our experiences serving on the committee.

TAKEAWAYS:
NSTA and The Children’s Book Council have given awards for the best science trade books for over the past fifty years – At this share-a-thon table, learn more about this year’s selection and peruse some potential instructional connections.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Geary, Ana Houseal

Sponsoring Company: Simulation Curriculum

Join our anatomy and physiology workshop and see Interactive Anatomy & Physiology in action! Explore key body systems, interactive models, and teaching strategies to boost student engagement. Gain practical tools and resources to enhance lessons & make complex concepts easier to understand.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Goodman

Techniques such as CRISPR, mitochondrial transfer, and mRNA therapeutics have opened new possibilities for genetic manipulation of plants, animals, and the humas genome, bringing with them new opportunities to energize the biology curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be introduced to high interest case studies/phenomena that will engage their students in biology, demonstrating that biology is both dynamic and relevant to their lives.

SPEAKERS:
Kenneth Miller

This session describes how Hawaiian knowledge and practices were integrated with NGSS project-based curriculum. Central to the project-based curriculum are contemporary ecological and watershed challenges. Session participants will explore resources and strategies to support sustainable communities,

TAKEAWAYS:
Session participants will takeaway strategies for integrating indigenous practices into science classrooms. Session leads will provide a toolkit of practical strategies and resources that can be used to implement sustainable initiatives in their own communities.

SPEAKERS:
Shawna Nishimoto, Katrina Roseler, Lupita Ruiz-Jones, Christina Chan

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Use DNA testing to support claims of innocence in this hands-on lab for high school and university-level biology and forensic science students. Explore evidence types and factors leading to wrongful convictions.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsay Hamilton

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Model with us to explore phospholipid structure, their role in cell membranes, and membrane transport proteins through hands-on experiences and classroom modeling strategies that make abstract concepts tangible.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt

Models are excellent tools assisting students’ understanding of chemical structure and function. Different models highlight different aspects of the chemical they represent.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students can discuss how the 3-D structures of molecules affect their chemical properties as they “Act as Enzymes”. The students use another analogy, the English language, to explain cellular processes and growth. Models are used to develop questions, predictions, and explanations.

SPEAKERS:
Suzanne Cunningham

Sponsoring Company: Bio-Rad Laboratories

Join our workshop to explore Ozempic's dual action on diabetes and weight loss. Learn about semaglutide's role in blood sugar and appetite regulation through hands-on ELISA simulations.

SPEAKERS:
Tamica Stubbs, Leigh Brown

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

In 1483, two English princes vanished; now, their remains may have been found! Students use DNA analysis based on the FBI CODIS system to determine if the remains might belong to the lost princes. This gel electrophoresis activity makes it easy to add hands-on DNA analysis to your forensics class!

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hennessy-McDonald, PhD

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Unlock biology's mysteries with model organisms! Learn to culture and study C. elegans in your classroom laboratory. Explore chemotaxis with a simple locomotion assay. Integrate STEM concepts, data collection, and statistics for an enriching learning experience. Meets standards for AP Bio Lab 11.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell, Maria Dayton

Sponsoring Company: Anatomy in Clay

In honor of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Awareness Month, this one-hour interactive workshop will explore the human nervous system using Anatomy in Clay® models to gain a deeper understanding of this disease and its impact on the body.

SPEAKERS:
John-Paul Theriault

Sponsoring Company: Bio-Rad Laboratories

Explore Auto-Brewery Syndrome (ABS), where gut fermentation causes intoxication without drinking. Use PCR and electrophoresis to genotype ADH and ALDH genes, study ethanol metabolism, and apply genetic findings to support legal defenses for involuntary intoxication cases.

SPEAKERS:
Tamica Stubbs, Leigh Brown

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Explore how genetic testing can assess hereditary cancer risk. Students use gel electrophoresis and pedigree analysis to test family members for Lynch syndrome. Plus, engage with the medical and bioethical implications of genetic testing through a role-play activity!

SPEAKERS:
Rose Chaffee-Cohen

Science films are immersive storytelling formats that can engage students and promote conceptual understanding, while also supporting science identity formation and nature of science learning. Get a quick demo of free short films and teaching resources by the Science Communication Lab.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave knowing the different types of free science films and teaching resources made by the Science Communication Lab, examples of science standards they cover, and where to access them.

SPEAKERS:
Shannon Behrman

Explore how zebrafish (Danio rerio), a common pet store fish and key biomedical research model, can spark students’ curiosity in science. Join 32 educators using zebrafish aquariums and their transparent embryos for hands-on experiments, providing diverse learning experiences for ALL students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learning how zebrafish and low-budget pet store supplies can be used to engage diverse learners including English learners in multimodal (visual, kinesthetic) real-life science learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Pam Kirkland, Vinita Hajeri

Teachers are introduced to micro fossil material from the Pungo River formation, Aurora, North Carolina. Session will include ways to incorporate the materials into the early childhood science classroom (ages 4-10).

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will receive teaching materials as well as a hands on lesson in searching for and identifying micro fossils that are dated from 25 million t 5 million years old.

SPEAKERS:
Ginny Switt

Saving Flood Line Area is based on Research that my students and I did at Boys Latin Charter High School. Based on the flooding of the Vine Street Express way three years ago. Students look at the change in weather and ways that we could possible help other cities.

TAKEAWAYS:
This presentation gives knowledge about the changing in our weather climate and how we can support each other in these changes due to flooding in areas.

SPEAKERS:
Anthony Edmond-Pinckney

Participants will get free teacher-tested support materials for two participatory (citizen) science projects, engage in the projects' monthly activities, and explore how to increase students’ outdoor learning experiences, authentic data collection, and sensemaking in third through sixth grades.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away ready to engage their students in 3D learning opportunities as students make sense of real-world data collected in their own schoolyard involving daily precipitation data and searching for native ladybugs.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsey Sachs, Danielle Scharen

Attendees will participate in hands-on, inquiry-based classroom activities and demonstrations based on research involving air quality, algae, bees, flies, and macroinvertebrates. We will showcase how these activities, using flexible resources, help students build essential scientific skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will be equipped with different strategies and contexts to promote students’ engagement and essential scientific practices through hands-on activities and demonstrations that focus on air quality, algae, bees, flies, and macroinvertebrates.

SPEAKERS:
Carlos Vazquez Vargas, Marisel Cherena-Martinez, Aixa López Muñoz, Michelle Borrero, Jacqueline Lopez, Wilmari Torres-Ortiz, Yajaira Torres - De Jesus, Myraida Torres Cotto, Elianid Espinosa

This essential biology investigation requires students to compare hominid skulls, studying the morphological changes as humans evolved. Skull models cost thousands of dollars. Do this important investigation for free with our slide presentation, student instructions, 2D skulls, and online resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
With a free slide show, informational handout, blank data table, links to a 3D skull collection, and assessment questions, teachers will identify basic trends in hominid evolution from early ancestors six million years ago to modern humans, including brain/jaw size, language, locomotion, etc.

SPEAKERS:
Bertha Vazquez

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Come learn and get hands-on experience on how to teach gel electrophoresis and DNA fingerprinting in a single classroom session. You will pour, load, and run a gel, capture gel image, analyze the results, and deduce a probable conclusion for a whale of a forensic mystery.

SPEAKERS:
Ariel Cohen, Holly Khong

This session will explore how a cell-phone free classroom has impacted student learning and how when done in conjunction with Apple Classroom or other tools can change how students learn and collaborate.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn some of the advantages of a cell phone free classroom and will learn some strategies for how to make students forget they even brought their phone.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Aguiar

This session will explore an inquiry-based strategy for redesigning middle school lab notebooks to meet diverse learning needs. This strategy improves student engagement and performance while allowing them to demonstrate their knowledge and skills of all 3 dimensions of the NGSS framework.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn key parts of an effective lab notebook that helps students incorporate all 3 dimensions of the NGSS framework. Through enhanced structures, students will have authentic opportunities to show what they know and can do.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Marino

After learning the chemistry of sugar, starch, and fiber, students use information from food labels to measure out the correct weight of sugar, starch and fiber and create physical presentations to compare energy value in familiar foods.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will get everything they need to implement this activity in their classroom, whether during a nutrition unit or during a unit on types of energy. This activity weaves in themes such as human body energy needs, cultural food choices, food deserts, and student wellness.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Grumbach

This session will describe how stop action videos are one of the most powerful and most underused tools in life science education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave understanding how stop action videos can be such a powerful tool and will be able to think about how they might incorporate them into their own teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Aguiar

Aquaponics (aquaculture + hydroponics) can be an amazing tool to use in the classroom with students. Using aquaponics in the classroom allows students to learn in a more hands-on way and physically see how the life cycle works along with how certain things are essential for life to exist.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how they can create their own aquaponics tank in their classroom for only a small amount of money and how much of an impact it can have on their student's learning. They will also learn how to take care of an aquaponics tank and how their students can assist with caring for it

SPEAKERS:
Emery Breitbarth, Kylie Buchholz

This poster presents strategies for creating equitable chemistry classrooms that engage first-generation students. It includes specific examples of inclusive practices and culturally relevant approaches, demonstrating how these methods can be integrated into lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to create lessons that connect with the cultural backgrounds of first-generation students while exploring effective classroom practices that utilize collaborative learning to boost engagement and academic achievement in chemistry.

SPEAKERS:
Wenting Hu

This presentation offers strategies for engaging learners in place-based ecosystem studies. Students research a local plant or animal, design an infographic detailing their species, and model the flow of energy between classroom dwellers, fostering deeper understanding of ecological relationships.

TAKEAWAYS:
A flexible, adaptable lesson plan that can be customized for different ecosystems and grade levels. Strategies for promoting engagement through place-based learning and integrating science and engineering practices into ecosystem modeling.

SPEAKERS:
Crystal Shepard

Nematode Hunters is a community science project with a remote-delivery format that brings 4th grade classrooms and university researchers together as collaborators on a project to discover new viruses that infect nematodes.

TAKEAWAYS:
The goal of Nematode Hunters is to increase interest in biology and STEM careers. In conjunction with the classroom program, a survey study is being conducted to determine if participation affects science efficacy for 4th grade participants.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Sowa

Looking to elevate student achievement through immersive learning? Discover how to harness the universal appeal of flight by captivating students with lessons and engaging activities rooted in biology standards while exploring exciting and fast-growing aviation career fields!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn strategies to construct activities resulting in greater interest and mastery of biology for students in grades K-12. Explore distinct professional practices that expand biology standards into unforgettable learning experiences associated with human life, animals, plantlife, and so much more!

SPEAKERS:
Christina Davis

The importance of health literacy in the general public was highlighted by the recent pandemic; undergraduate STEM students are well positioned to address this issue. Seniors are trained as Health Connectors to share their knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for health sciences with K-8 students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Benefits emerge across all levels: from undergraduates to K-8 students and classroom teachers. Persistence of the learned content and increased awareness of health sciences and careers in K-8 students and expanded Health Connector confidence and skill in sharing complex scientific content with novices.

SPEAKERS:
Kevin Kehl, Kanita Olson

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

PTC tasting is a classic way to link genotype and phenotype. Use PCR and gel electrophoresis to determine if students have taster or non-taster alleles for bitter taste perception. Learn about our all-new digital curriculum and see how easy it can be to bring molecular genetics to your class!

SPEAKERS:
Katy Martin

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Join leading scientists from a one-of-a-kind research institute as they dive deep into a CRISPR gene editing experiment from their educational kit. CRISPR in a Box can be integrated into high school and college classes. Get ready to master skills used in a cancer research lab!

SPEAKERS:
Sarah LaTorre, Amanda Hewes, Alexandra Felts

Sponsoring Company: Bio-Rad Laboratories

Can your students save the Giant Pandas? See how your students can explore challenging topics such as homeostatic regulation and the effect of reproductive hormones, immunological responses and ecosystem balance all at once as they engineer a hormone detection system that can be utilized for Giant Panda population conservation efforts.

SPEAKERS:
Tamica Stubbs, Leigh Brown

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Delve into the world of breast cancer markers, explore the scientific and bioethical considerations associated with genetic testing, and analyze specific genetic markers linked to breast cancer susceptibility using pedigree analysis and gel electrophoresis.

SPEAKERS:
Priya Mangano, Lindsay Hamilton

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Discover innovative strategies for teaching the structure and function of DNA through inquiry-based, hands-on activities. This session explores tactile learning with Dynamic DNA models, fostering student engagement and critical thinking aligned with NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Join this hands-on workshop to explore three engaging experiments about how light, gravity & nutrients impact plant growth. Each participant receives Fast Plants seeds flown in space with Emily Calandrelli on a Blue Origin rocket, plus fun lesson plans for all experiments.

SPEAKERS:
Hedi Lauffer

Participants will learn how to deliver instruction using professional scientific career settings creating friendly competition and engagement. This instruction promotes creativity and problem solving, and it builds communication, collaboration and investigative skills while meeting standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using physics as a primary example, participants will learn how to teach 3D science classes from the perspective of a professional in the career world. Audience participation will include brainstorming ways this can be applied to any science content area in middle or high school.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Strong

Outdoor exploration and participatory science can help shape the STEM leaders of our future! Discover the benefits of outdoor learning as we explore free lessons, activities, and participatory-science projects that support social and emotional learning (SEL) while meeting science standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Discover free resources and strategies to ensure outdoor exploration and participatory science experiences give all students authentic opportunities to build life-long skills that help them thrive in and out of the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Schaeffer

Sponsoring Company: Animalearn

Teach anatomy labs using exciting hi-tech non-animal methods that you can integrate into your science labs and use in place of animal dissections. Demo hands-on realistic models and AR/VR teaching tools that will let you experience dissection labs of the future! Plus giveaways for your classroom!

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Green

Sponsoring Company: PASCO Scientific

Learn how to facilitate simple hands-on photosynthesis experiments with wireless sensors. Help students collect and analyze carbon exchange data from plant leaves in real-time! Dispel student doubts in their understanding of photosynthesis and respiration.

SPEAKERS:
Shelly Riley

Modeling in STEELS allows students to make sense of their learning in a variety of ways. Modeling incorporates all three dimensions of learning and are tools for sense-making of phenomena that helps students improve their understanding over time and identify misconceptions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience various types of modeling: using models to introduce phenomena, initial models, sharing models, refining models. Types of models: physical models, drawings, diagrams, 3D models, simulations, mathematical models, data representations and conceptual models.

SPEAKERS:
Natalie Hafer, Karen O'Neill

Unlock the power of student sensemaking in science. Learn research-based strategies to ignite curiosity, foster discourse, and writing to create an inclusive classroom. Elevate science teaching to ensure you have a student-centered classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
For students, communication through talking and writing is natural. When they are making sense of science through talking and writing, they are making their thinking visible. The session highlights strategies and routines that will transform science lessons into student-centered learning.

SPEAKERS:
Eric Rhoades

“Them bones, Them 3D Printed bones” are utilized in a lab setting where students learn about homologous structures and age of fossils which provides a tactile exploration and visual aids that foster a deeper understanding of this topic. My students "dig' the unique, immersive learning experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in learning solid, classroom strategies with unique 3D printed fossils & bones. They will be able to challenge their students to think outside the box as they use reliable, classroom-friendly strategies to promote collaboration, hypothesizing, and solid discussion.

SPEAKERS:
Tammy Will

The Dallas Arboretum has been engaging students of all ages with educational programming for nearly two decades, making standards-based, hands-on learning fun for everyone. Stop by to try out a garden-themed STEM activity and learn about all of the programs we have to offer!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about educational programs at the Dallas Arboretum.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Liken

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Explore real CRISPR technology with a hands-on DNA experiment. Program Cas9 to cut DNA, make predictions using sequence analysis, and verify results with gel electrophoresis. This activity is an engaging way to show how CRISPR works and why it’s such a groundbreaking tool for genome editing!

SPEAKERS:
Ally Huang

Sponsoring Company: Bio-Rad Laboratories

Experience CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing experiments designed for your students' learning! In this hands-on workshop edit a chromosomal gene, complete with essential experimental controls, using the same cut-and-repair technology used in medicinal and agricultural applications.

SPEAKERS:
Tamica Stubbs, Leigh Brown

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Valley Fever is a respiratory infection caused by a fungus that thrives in the soil of the southwestern United States. Learn about genetic predisposition through various case studies and use gel electrophoresis to assess the prevalence of the fungus in various regions to find the hot spots!

SPEAKERS:
Glenda Goh Denison

Who doesn't love a baby tiger cub? Learn how the Philadelphia Zoo and the author of the nonfiction picture book “A Family for Zoya” inspire children through field trips, engaging educational materials, contests, and more to enhance your science curriculum and spark students’ interest in nature.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using the upcoming release "A Family for Zoya: The True Story of an Endangered Cub" as an example, participants will learn how zoos can provide teachers with practical tools for their science teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Debra Goldstein

In this lesson, students will analyze sloth body size variation in the Bocas del Toro Island Region of Panama. (NGSS disciplinary core idea LS3.B Variation of Traits addressed)

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will be provided with links and physical materials to teach and assess the lesson

SPEAKERS:
Kristen Conklin- Kearney, Tyler St. Clair

Sponsoring Company: Ward's Science

Ward's Engage Kits transform standard cookbook-style labs into inquiry-based learning, allowing you to guide students through their questions, research methods, and data interpretation. Engage Kits cover a variety of subjects and grade levels and include professional development opportunities.

SPEAKERS:
Amelia Mindich, Michelle Linn, Norman Marshall

Sponsoring Company: NOAA

Connecting students with deep-sea habitats and how humans can impact them is challenging. Creative hands-on and gamified activities, stunning videos, & talking to scientists at sea brings an important ecosystem they may never see to them instead! Explore corals, restoration, careers, & tech. preK-12

SPEAKERS:
Roy Arezzo, Sasha Francis

Figuring out phenomena engages students in the nature of science through the integration of all three dimensions. Come explore strategies that make explicit the nature of science through figuring out “How did the blue whales get so big?” from an AMNH Curriculum Collection.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to use the Science Flowchart interactive journaling tool to illuminate the dynamic nature and process of science, and how to apply the tool to any phenomenon or lesson in their classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Miranda Orellana, Kirsten Smith, Betsy Barent

Every schoolyard is an outdoor learning space that can enhance learning outcomes and engagement, and provide field-based experiences while supporting our health. Walk away with design and lesson ideas, identify opportunities and hazards on your campus, and get started teaching outdoors!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the basics of how to get started creating an outdoor learning space including best practices teaching, lessons, funding sources, conservation practices to benefit water and wildlife, and the essential tools to move a project forward.

SPEAKERS:
Tara Muenz

Biomimicry can captivate students' imaginations and deepen their connection to the natural world. In biomimicry lessons, studying animals, plants, or ecosystems is combined with learning patterns, structures, and functions and the engineering design process to inspire new inventions.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will help teachers define biomimicry, explore elements of the natural world that can be used in biomimicry lessons, practice an engineering design challenge that showcases biomimicry in an elementary classroom, and brainstorm connections to their own classroom lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Kola, Nicole Glen

Explore how NSTA's popular Uncovering Student Ideas series, including the newly published Volume 2 life science formative assessment probes, are used in an instructional sequence to understand the key ideas about life science concepts your grades 3-12 students bring to their learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to use the life science formative assessment probes to uncover and understand the prior knowledge that grades 3-12 students bring to their learning in order to tailor next steps where student thinking is valued, misconceptions are addressed, and deeper conceptual understanding is supported.

SPEAKERS:
Page Keeley

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Explore protein structure and function through folding principles and enzyme active sites. Use hands-on molecular models, including our Amino Acid Starter Kit and the redesigned Acetylcholinesterase Active Site Model. Aligned with NGSS, this offers an innovative approach to teaching proteins!

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt

Harness the power of generative AI by engaging students in debates with ChatGPT. Learn how to implement structured debates with AI in large-enrollment courses, both synchronously and asynchronously. Attendees will receive lesson plans and worksheets for classroom use.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will discover how students can develop debate statements and effectively engage in debates with ChatGPT. Attendees will have access to lesson plans, worksheets, and strategies to implement structured debates.

SPEAKERS:
Andrea Bierema

Unlock the power of inquiry by integrating puzzling phenomena into every unit you teach. Teaching this way has a dynamic impact on your students and truly makes them curious about the world around them. By incorporating puzzles and mysteries into the learning process, all students will love science!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with the template of how to develop units using a puzzling phenomenon to drive their lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Andrew Bean

Place-based issues ignite student interest and provide powerful phenomena in which to anchor both disciplinary content and the SEPs. In this adaptable biodiversity project, students collected and used data to understand the causes and implications of limited water resources in their desert region.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore ways to immerse students in place-based ecological issues. Participants will learn protocols they can adapt and use for student-designed investigations outside while improving students’ data literacy. Inspire students to engage in the SEPs as they dig deep into local threats to biodiversity.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Carpenter

As passionate educators creating science learning products for STEM focused on mental health with apps, Emmy Award winning TV, YouTube videos, games and teacher resources, we share our research and development of the right tools for accessing everyday science for the student's worldview.

TAKEAWAYS:
Understanding the students' world view and what's important to them is fundamental, because what kids say are their stressors aren't always what adults think they are. It is critical to follow-through with pre- post assessment and evaluation.

SPEAKERS:
John Pollock

This session will explore literacy practices in the science classroom using the Playlist Model, in which all learners are empowered to take ownership of learning while enhancing scientific literacy related to the NGSS framework.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn strategies for embedding literacy skills into science lessons, including reading comprehension, note-taking, and vocabulary development.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Marino

This hands on workshop explores how AI tools can transform the learning experience for ELL students in understanding abiotic and biotic factors. Through engaging activities, we will demonstrate how AI can help bridge language gaps, foster deeper comprehension, and enhance student engagement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will leave with practical strategies and resources (graphic organizers) to make science more accessible and interactive for their ELL students.

SPEAKERS:
Maureen Collazo-Rodriguez

Join us to explore how we’ve made dissection purposeful, NGSS aligned, assessment based and FUN! We’ll look closely at an 8th grade Evolution and Adaptation Unit that focuses on sharks as the phenomena to drive this unforgettable learning experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
A hands-on dissection is a worthwhile and rigorous way to motivate middle school students to learn about adaptations. Participants will learn how to contextualize a dissection within a unit focused on evolution and how to prepare students to achieve maximum impact and then demonstrate learning.

SPEAKERS:
Megan Janke

The Path of the Panther is an award-winning film that tells the story of the endangered Florida panther and efforts to protect its habitat. Learn about free Educator Guides and a podcast that use the Florida panther story to teach life science concepts, geography, and systems thinking.

TAKEAWAYS:
New education guides and multimedia materials tell the story of the endangered Florida panther and efforts to protect its habitat. Learn about these free materials that teach life science concepts and geography through a real-world conservation issue and compelling media.

SPEAKERS:
Gabby Salazar

Bring science to life through place-based learning! In this adaptable lesson, students explore their school campuses to reveal the biodiversity of the schoolyard and discover hidden food webs, from the micro to the macro!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn to leverage natural surroundings to make science relevant and engaging. Participants receive customizable lesson plan with inspiring student examples. Learn how to use free apps to improve knowledge of local ecosystems and support student artistry through nature journaling and game creation.

SPEAKERS:
Jaime Camero

It seems so simple! All you have to do is observe! What do you see? What do you hear? Come experience and test your powers of observation as participants engage in science through illusion. Learn how to build wonder with your students and leave with activities you can put into action immediately.

TAKEAWAYS:
Take home the experience of illusion! Being part of this session, participants will leave with strategies they can implement any day of the school year to spark wonder and curiosity in their students or staff.

SPEAKERS:
Joseph Santoro

Students experience “real science” through hands-on interaction with 3D-printed fossils in an activity that brings fieldwork and lab research into the classroom via an exploration of crucial geoscience concepts (deep time, paleoclimate, functional morphology, and extinction).

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain confidence in guiding their students through tackling big-picture and open-ended questions about the societal and scientific relevance of paleontology and geology using a hands-on and inquiry-based activity that incorporates 3D-printed fossils and aligns with the NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Mattea Horne

Begin your outdoor education journey and cultivate student curiosity in your classroom! Nature journaling is an accessible outdoor activity that allows students to apply classroom knowledge and skills to authentic phenomena in their local environments - showing that learning can take place anywhere!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to implement outdoor education pedagogies through nature journaling, a low-cost and adaptable activity that allows learners to apply scientific knowledge and skills (e.g., framing problems, analyzing data, and obtaining evidence) to their local environments.

SPEAKERS:
Andrea Weinberg, Sarah Suloff

Learn how to use the Uncovering Student Ideas probes in an explore-before-explain instructional sequence to support a classroom where all students' ideas matter!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about a resource for formative assessment and explore-before-explain teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Patrick Brown

CRISPR and other gene therapies have inherent risks that can lead to the creation of cancerous cells. Participants will be introduced to various experiments and procedures related to the question, “Can we cure genetic diseases?” through modeling.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to explain the mechanisms used in many different gene therapies, specifically how they can increase a patient’s cancer risk with the difference between a treatment and a cure.

SPEAKERS:
Phoebe Gruetter, Casandra Gabriele

Explore the Kids in Nutrition (KIN) program, an NGSS-aligned curriculum that engages middle school students in project-based learning focused on food sustainability and nutrition. Discover how to implement its flexible modules in various educational settings to foster student-led advocacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to implement phenomena-based learning experiences that engage students in exploring nutrition and sustainability issues. This approach positions students as decision-makers, problem-solvers, and advocates within their communities.

SPEAKERS:
Akanksha Pabari, Victor Pereira

What’s in a good assessment? Learn what to look for (or include) in an effective assessment that tracks students’ 3D learning related to middle school PEs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn about key features for summative, benchmark 3D assessments designed to be used in any NGSS-aligned middle school classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Maia Binding

Empower students to address ecological issues with experiential activities focused on three-dimensional learning. Engage in simulations, modeling and interpreting data on natural resource use, population ecology, food and agriculture, and more. Receive lessons aligned to NGSS.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn ways to guide students’ inquiry around key environmental challenges, using hands-on simulations and modeling activities that employ 3D learning in an inclusive classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Sharonda Eggleton-McNeil

In this workshop, attendees will build replicas of human anatomy using clay and a specially designed skeletal model in a classroom setting. Educators will learn how to implement a unique curriculum system which helps students create a kinesthetic map of the human anatomy. Come build with us!

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore a hands-on method to studying and teaching anatomy while collaborating with fellow teachers, benefiting from a supportive community of educators passionate about Health Sciences.

SPEAKERS:
Chuck Roney

Be a bioengineer! Preview a free middle school curriculum module that merges engineering design with life science standards.  Students learn about sensory and motor systems through multimedia and kinesthetic activities, and complete a scaffolded challenge to design, test, and improve prosthetic hands.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to access and use a free 3-5 day curriculum module that integrates NGSS middle school standards in life science and engineering design, enabling students to describe how the nervous system responds to stimuli through motor and sensory neurons, and design a solution to a bioengineering problem.

SPEAKERS:
Jen Taylor

Gender disparities in STEM persist despite progress. This session explores Science Lunch & Learns—30-minute sessions where professionals share their career journeys with students. Dive into research around gender equity in science education while gaining insights on how to launch your own program.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students are more likely to pursue science courses and careers when they hear from guest speakers who reflect their own backgrounds and experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Wack

Chemical formulas, 2-D pictures, and 3-D models illustrate various characteristics of atoms and small molecules, but they cannot depict actual structures. Some models are good, others poor; it is important for students to know an atom’s and a molecule’s structure to understand its properties.

TAKEAWAYS:
Electrons in the outer shell of an atom relate to the binding of atoms thus forming molecules of specific structure, and ultimately, function. Bonds between atoms are not fixed, molecules are not rigid structures. Models assist students’ understanding of molecular bonds.

SPEAKERS:
Suzanne Cunningham

Learn the benefits of nature journaling and outdoor experiences for teachers and students. Discover how reconnecting with nature can reduce burnout, enhance creativity, and boost engagement. Create your own nature journal while practicing drawing and observational skills to enrich your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
The key takeaway is that nature journaling can help reduce teacher burnout while enhancing creativity and student engagement through outdoor experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Bridget Burke

Attendees will work in groups to build a trophic pyramid supported by the resources found in their habitat. Starting with abiotic materials, attendees must compete for resources to earn producer tokens that will allow them to complete their model. Follow the flow of matter through an ecosystem!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain perspective on how the availability and flow of abiotic and biotic materials is affected by the different trophic roles of organisms within a given habitat and how these roles contribute to the complexity of ecosystems.

SPEAKERS:
David Walker

You will be given a sample of material from the Miocene epoch. Your mission will be to analyze the microfossils found in this material and how it could be used in a lab and in introducing lab reports with students. Student handouts and more sample material will be available.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how microfossils can be used in a fun and exciting way to introduce what is, and how to conduct, a scientific investigation. It can also be used as part of a more comprehensive unit in earth or life science.

SPEAKERS:
Rick Glatz

Come learn the science of scuba diving! This session will present some of the physics and human physiological processes associated with scuba diving, and will include hands-on modeling activities that can be built into your science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the real world connections between science and recreational scuba diving, and will be provided with ideas on how to model some of these phenomena in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Merryn Cole, Jake Johnson