How can you craft space to help emphasize student-centered environments for inquiry-based, interdisciplinary, and freedom-centric learning? Join an architect with the Committee on Architecture for Education to explore strategies and examples on how spaces can inspire community, creativity, curiosity, and caring.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will learn from a case study of a new K-8 STEAM school how various design qualities of openness, art, connectivity, and nature can create freedom-centric learning. 2. Attendees will learn what it means to craft space and how creating diverse and agile settings removes barriers and allows teachers and students to take ownership and adapt the environment to their needs. 3. Attendees will explore how theme-based design can be utilized to shape cultural interactions, indoo/outdoor connections, and the building as a canvas for art.

SPEAKERS:
Olivia Graf Doyle

Develop critical thinking and research skills in your science students via debate. Bring the ideas you study into the real world. Hear how I researched and planned a debate to give my students a chance to investigate how communities evaluate environmental concerns.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to structure a science debate in the classroom How to select an appropriate topic How to help students find relevant information for the debate

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Kurson

Students will love launching their own aircraft to study flight! Receive three types of flying models and everything you need for teaching with them. Lessons and activities are suitable for a wide range of ages and include flight dynamics, control surfaces, Newton’s laws, potential/kinetic energy, center of gravity, speed, weight/lift, thrust/drag, and centripetal force.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Experience for yourself how model aircraft provide a hands-on, engaging and memorable way to learn about STEM concepts including basic flight dynamics, potential and kinetic energy, center of gravity and more. 2. Learn specific strategies for incorporating these activities into your classroom, making this STEM learning experience both successful and fun for you and your students. 3. Go back to your classroom feeling prepared with a free kit that includes three types of aircraft plus curriculum, directions for student activities, hand-outs and instructions on receiving post-workshop support.

SPEAKERS:
Rick Crosslin

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Software & Technology

Test Live Demo

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to integrate data-collection technology into remote learning 2. Ways to show students hands-on science from home 3. Experiment ideas that are aligned to the NGSS framework

SPEAKERS:
Linda Crossley

Engaging Quality Instruction through Professional Development (EQuIPD) is helping teachers to develop inquiry lessons that teach students to think critically and learn to solve the mysteries in the world around them using three-dimensional practices. Learn to create and use inquiry to truly engage your students in STEM.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Identify a main learning goal, phenomena to explore, and concept model to plan effective STEM lessons. 2. Use the 5Es model of inquiry to create a real-world mystery that students will be motivated to solve. 3. Use technology as a tool to support model concept development. 4. Use Question Formulation Technique and Claim-Evidence-Reasoning to elicit student thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Nancy Ruzycki, Christine Angel Danger

Sponsoring Company: Twig Science Next Gen

Learn how Twig Science Next Gen leverages the strengths of multicultural backgrounds to help students feel valued and empowered with STEM. Twig Science raises expectations for all students (No deficit mindset here!) and helps build an equitable community of science and engineering in classrooms where all students see themselves as valuable contributors.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Distance Learning does not have to be difficult! 2. Underrepresented populations in STEM can be strategically empowered 3. Inspire all students to pursue STEM Careers

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Larsgaard

What if students habitually explored the key questions posed by scientists, engineers, and designers in anything they do? Innovators’ Compass is a 5-question tool, in all-free online and offline formats, to make that possible—developed by an MIT and IDEO alumna who’s now an Olin College educator. A quick introduction will include short videos of the Compass used in STEM.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about a visual tool, in all-free on-and-offline formats, with 5 questions distilled from many practices in science, engineering, design, and beyond. See students and educators applying these for STEM, interdisciplinary, and SEL problems and projects. Use these 5 questions with peers on a pressing problem: how to advance hands-on STEM in (semi) virtual times.

SPEAKERS:
Valeria Rodriguez, Ela Ben-Ur

Hear how the Samueli Foundation along with its partners designed and scaled the STEM Learning Ecosystem to now 89 communities around the world.

TAKEAWAYS:
What it takes to build a STEM Ecosystem How to build a STEM Ecosystem The evidence to support the value of a STEM Ecosystem

SPEAKERS:
Veronica Gonzales

Bring STEM lessons to the next level with Appy Hour. From augmented reality to literally holding the world in your hand, the possibilities are endless!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to use augmented reality to bring your projects to life and how to share those projects with your students' families. Find exciting ways to let your students be immersed into new worlds. Learn how to combine subject areas while using these engaging free apps.

SPEAKERS:
Tiffany Pace

Using the LOC digitized primary sources, an activity can be created that helps students engage in learning, develop critical-thinking skills, and construct knowledge. Some possible resources participants will analyze are early periodic tables, researcher notebooks, photographs, engineering design plans, and scientific drawings.

TAKEAWAYS:
• Connect with a primary source • Make inferences based on prior knowledge and close observation • Discuss benefits and strategies for engaging students with primary sources

SPEAKERS:
Barbara Bromley

Discover STEAM-y starters in books we know, love, and have on our shelves. Titles, activities, and resources will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn why picture books are great starters for STEAM exploration. Discover favorite books and challenges. Explore how to add STEAM into already utilized texts in your curriculum and classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Burton

Join Mike Massimino, former NASA astronaut, as he relates his time in space with the feelings of isolation and loneliness that many of our teachers and students are experiencing in this distance/virtual learning environment. Mike’s message is a reminder to all of us, that in spite of the physical distancing, we can (and, should!) stay “connected” to one another.

SPEAKERS:
Mike Massimino

When schools closed in the spring of 2020, many educators felt as though they could only be reactive instead of proactive, with many pieces constantly in flux. As we consider the 2020–2021 school year, many questions remain. Join us as we process what remote learning looked like and provide a space to process what the upcoming year may look like (remote, hybrid, or in-person). Through a Q&A moderated by Denver Public Schools science team lead Renee Belisle, the panelists will describe their approaches to STEM learning in a remote environment, describing how teachers facilitate learning in traditionally hands-on subjects during the spring, as well as discussing ideas for the fall.

SPEAKERS:
Reneé Belisle Kelly, Phil Kim, Stephanie Hervey, Meghan Gardner

So great, we got through this year: Now what? As we prepare for next school year, what digital tools are out there to support us in blended learning situations that will put us in the classroom, in the home, and back? Join us for a select list of flexible, easy-to-use tools that have the potential of opening up new possibilities for teaching and learning. We’ll keep it lively and engaging and along the way as we share a host of digital resources for middle level education and classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Payo, Tim Blesse, Ari Leventhal, Elizabeth Johnston

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

We will bring science and coding together as participants learn to do some basic coding (no experience necessary) while developing a mood ring! The science of color mixing is explored while determining the right body temperature thresholds. Is fuchsia flirty? Should green be groovy? Lets find out!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Teachers will see how to get up to speed on STEM and coding with TI’s STEM projects. 2. Specifically, teachers will see how they can engage their students in designing a working digital mood ring by mixing primary colors to create any color they want. 3. If teachers or coordinators need help getting a STEM project going at their school and district, then the TI STEM Team can help.

SPEAKERS:
Fred Fotsch

Address the NGSS chemistry disciplinary core ideas with STEAM! Several mini-units / activities presented, which are Monday doable, environmentally focused, and develop students’ STEM understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. This session is Engineering activity focused, giving teachers several mini-units and activities that focus on the Chemistry related DCI's. 2. Participants will get several strategies to incorporate Art and Technology–related activities into their Science classrooms. 3. Participants will come away with a new appreciation for the "nonmechanical" Engineering strands, such as Chemical, Construction, and Environmental Engineering strands, as well as Material Science.

SPEAKERS:
Julie A. Smith

Review findings from a study of grade 6 students participating in a semester-long computing program focusing on STEM-based integrated coding activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Strategies to increase the interest of middle school students in STEM will be shared. 2. Strategies to increase the interest of underrepresented minorities in STEM will be shared. 3. Strategies to improve the attitudes of underrepresented minorities in STEM-related careers will be shared.

SPEAKERS:
Michiko McClary, Deidra Morrison, Yolanda Bennett

Hear about various NSTA competitions and how they can bring STEM and the NGSS into the classroom, as well as give students and teachers a chance to earn recognition and prizes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about NSTA competitions Learn about how you can use competitions as a resource to implement NGSS and STEM into your curriculum Learn how you and your students can win prizes and recognition

SPEAKERS:
Acacia McKenna, Matthew Hartman, Alexis Mundis

Attention will be paid to ideas and lessons on programming robots in mathematics classes that allow students to apply their mathematical knowledge in new contexts.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Ideas for using programming robots in mathematics classes. 2. How to enhance students’ engagement in mathematics, programming, and robotics. 3. How programming robots provides feedback to student learning.

SPEAKERS:
Adam Scharfenberger

Build student understanding and ability to look for patterns, analyze data, and use their own mathematical rules in the context of a photo finish they orchestrate.

TAKEAWAYS:
Build positive mathematical identity by using math to describe their situation. Create a richer understanding of the mathematics they do when they create rules (functions) to describe the movement of their object. Collaborate and problem solve with others to create an collective experience connecting mathematics and science.

SPEAKERS:
Katelyn Barnes, David Barnes

Hear about a PBL project called Filling the Gap that connects educators with local STEM businesses to develop classroom units around real business issues/problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with: 1. Understanding of a local STEM Ecosystem in western North Carolina 2. Understanding of the Filling the Gap Program 3. Examples of PBL units partnering classroom teachers with local STEM businesses

SPEAKERS:
Carol Moore, Regina Barrier

Studies continue to show a low representation of women in STEM careers, even though the number of jobs available grows year after year. A key component to combat this growing gap involves providing young women in middle school and high school with opportunities to connect with role models and mentors so that they can see themselves in these STEM careers. Moderated by Mellisa Blankenship, Kentucky Science Center programs director, this panel will explore how programs that inspire and reengage students with hands-on STEM concepts and career mentorship can help young women build confidence and encourage them to pursue STEM subjects academically, as well as elevate them through the STEM career pipeline.

SPEAKERS:
Mellisa Blankenship, Gabi O'Daniel, Mackenzie Bardin, Patrick Burton, Stacey Hubbard, Kathleen Riley

Join a group of architects with the Committee on Architecture for Education to explore how alternate learning environments and a connection to nature and sustainability can encourage discovery, innovation, and problem solving.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will explore various opportunities for fostering innovation in nontraditional classroom settings. Attendees will investigate case studies of successful spaces that incorporate nature as part of both the learning environment and as a learning tool. Attendees will learn how to create their own alternative learning environments, utilizing sustainable strategies and designing for discovery.

SPEAKERS:
John Dale, Claire Gallagher

Are you a grades 6–12 science teacher in need of a science lab makeover? Attend this Shell Science Lab presentation and learn how you can apply to win the Shell Science Lab Challenge! Learn the tips to completing a winning application. You will have an opportunity to actually begin to complete the application and have your questions answered.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Pick up tips to completing an application. 2. Learn how to apply for the competition . 3. Learn how to begin the application process.

SPEAKERS:
Ruth Ruud

Discover Orton-Gillingham strategies and activities for science vocabulary, concepts, and organizational skills that can be used immediately in all grade levels and inclusion classes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Vocabulary-based strategies for all levels of students. Language-based differentiation that can be adjusted for STEM classrooms. Orton-Gillingham method can be adapted for all levels of science classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Kathryn Wink Gilligan

Sponsoring Company: Immersed Games

Video games can help improve your students’ three-dimensional, NGSS learning by having students use science and engineering practices as they directly engage with phenomena as part of storylines. We will examine model activities and discuss how games can fit into your classroom instruction even in a remote or hybrid setting.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsey Tropf

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Support three-dimensional learning with individual membrane modeling packs useful for home or school lessons exploring the chemical properties of water and the phospholipid bilayer membrane.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Participants will learn how hands-on modeling tools support student learning outcomes and help uncover student misconceptions. 2. Participants will learn how a phospholipid bilayer is constructed based on the unique chemical and physical properties of water and phospholipids. 3. Participants will simulate and describe passive and active transport of molecules across a membrane.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Auld, Heather Ryan, Kris Herman

Scoop up new learning with an ice cream insulation project that serves as a unit anchoring phenomenon, providing students with three-dimensional learning experiences interwoven with the strands of STEM.

TAKEAWAYS:
A guide for how to utilize an engineering project as the phenomenon for an NGSS unit . Tips on how to effectively manage students working on engineering group projects. A format for 3-D assessment of an engineering design project

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Davis

If you’re new to coding, come get up to speed! By combining coding and hands-on activities, you can learn how to program a robotic vehicle to perform different challenges.

TAKEAWAYS:
Bring coding and hands-on science learning together; Learn creative ways to use the engineering design process to teach science; Write simple code to use a Rover to explore the relationship between speed, distance, and time.

SPEAKERS:
Karlheinz Haas

Join us to explore a holistic view of the challenges, as well as learn tips and strategies to successfully implement distance learning in your middle school classrooms. Moderated by Kavita Gupta, panelists will share experiences and wisdom gained toward driving equity across learning styles, changing assessments, and addressing interventions. Participants will walk away equipped with best practices in distance learning, including a new educational context.

SPEAKERS:
Kavita Gupta, Charu Gulati, Jessica Holman, J. T. Hardin, Tara Krishnan

Join an interview with Kaitlin Graff, School and Higher Education Subject Matter expert at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as we navigate through the challenges of how to best educate our students around COVID-19 and its impact on their daily lives and the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kaitlin Graff

How are you prepping your kids? If you are letting them make and teaching them coding, then you know they will be OK. Why not attend a session where you can learn both? We will dive into building your own hardware to work with any subject.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students select and use digital tools to plan and manage a design process that considers design constraints and calculated risks. Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts, or solving authentic problems. Students develop, test, and refine prototypes as part of a cyclical design process

SPEAKERS:
David Lockett, Denise Wright

Find out how Cobb County Schools, the Cobb County Fire Department, and Underwriters Laboratories are creating an authentic STEM learning experience for physical science students.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Experience quality STEM-infused learning through UL Xplorlabs: Fire Forensics (free curriculum) 2. Learn about the Community Partnerships of Cobb County Schools, Cobb County Fire Department, and Underwriter Laboratories 3. Identify potential for building similar STEM ecosystems

SPEAKERS:
Sally Creel, Amy Gilbert

Daily Do sensemaking tasks are designed to engage students in authentic, relevant science learning whether at home or in the classroom. Join us to explore how these phenomenon-driven tasks motivate students to engage in science and engineering practices to make sense of science ideas (disciplinary core ideas) they need to explain how or why the phenomenon occurs. No matter the grade level or science subject you teach, we have Daily Do sensemaking tasks for you!

TAKEAWAYS:
Understand what sensemaking is and how to create opportunities for sensemaking (recognize sensemaking tasks). Strategies for ensuring students are part of a rich learning community (science is social)—remote or classroom—and how being part of that community supports sensemaking. Opportunities for family engagement in sensemaking tasks to build a family-school connection/community that supports all students learning science.

SPEAKERS:
Tricia Shelton, Kate Soriano

Culture is the key to engaging underrepresented populations in STEM education. Understanding the pedagogy is necessary to grow STEM diversity.

TAKEAWAYS:
Understanding the role culture plays in learning ; Application of strategies that can be used in the learning experience to meet the needs of culturally diverse learners ; Understanding the framework of culturally relevant pedagogy

SPEAKERS:
Rochelle Darville, Nikita LaCour, Ashley McClure, Bobbie Shujaa

See robots in action during this event! Educators from around the world will bring their robots to virtually demonstrate their uses in a showcase format. This is an interactive event where attendees wanting to know about robots can ask questions and collect ideas for their own classrooms. Together, we'll establish a professional learning network of educators using robots to engage students. 

SPEAKERS:
Alex Crooks, Amy Slotnick, Anna Elzer, Ben Smith, Gary Garber, Tom Lauwers

Hear how a model car design challenge used project-based learning to interweave the strands of STEM into a student-driven learning experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. A scaffolded process for designing, organizing, and assessing their own STEM-based PBL unit. 2. Tools to use to manage student learning and group work. 3. A collection of resources to help with designing a STEM-PBL unit.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Davis

Practical exercises convinced these science teachers to use art in their classrooms to improve learning. Leonardo was right: art and science belong together. See how!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how the physical act of drawing can enhance science learning and observation skills. 2. Take away practical exercises that help teach observation skills . 3. Discover how drawing practice can dovetail with the Next Generation Science Standards.

SPEAKERS:
Sally Bensusen

STEM educators are quickly responding to the challenge of teaching students virtually through online classrooms and asynchronous assignments, but in hands-on technology classrooms, like Fab Labs and makerspaces, learning is especially difficult without access to 3D printers, laser cutters, and other digital fabrication tools. Over the past few months, the SCOPES-DF educators and makers network has been innovating and prototyping solutions to this challenge. In this workshop, participants will hear about some ideas and practices from innovative educators in the network using digital fabrication technologies with their students and will be challenged to get creative in their own virtual classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Shifting the focus to design is important for virtual projects. Computer simulations are an added step for digital fabrication that can be helpful in virtual assignments as well as in-person prototyping. Educators all over the world are facing this challenge with digital fabrication technologies, learn from others by joining the network.

SPEAKERS:
Liz Whitewolf

The Engaged Quality Instruction through Professional Development (EQuIPD project) provides weeklong summer sessions for teachers. To aid teachers in implementing the project goal of increased inquiry, coaches met with teachers twice per month for one year. The coaching model used was a facilitative one. Come learn about the EQuIPD Facilitative Coaching Model and its effect on teachers and student performance.

TAKEAWAYS:
1) A copy of the EQuIPD Facilitative Coaching Model will be disseminated to elucidate the meaning of facilitative coaching. 2) Strategic Activities coaches used across three phases of inquiry implementation: Planning, Implementation, and Sustainability phases will be distributed so participants can utilize these to increase the use of inquiry in their own schools. 3) Sample Coaching Reports, Logs, and Coaching Work Plans utilized in the project will also be shared to illuminate goal setting and progress tracking.

SPEAKERS:
Krista Dulany, Xavier Rozas, Nancy Ruzycki, Julie Edmunds

Walk through a unit design centered upon the student question, “What is blood and how is it used in a transfusion?” Emphasis will be placed on analyzing science education tools with the eye of a scientist so as to maximize student-scientist discovery of evidence, as well as communication of its significance (meaning).

TAKEAWAYS:
Unit design walk-through the process for creating a student-scientist adventure from freely available internet resources Science and interdisciplinary (math and literacy) lesson materials that serve to promote efficient communication of student-scientist discovery Ideas for generating and sample student guided notes sheets

SPEAKERS:
Helen Flavin

Daily Do sensemaking tasks are designed to engage students in authentic, relevant science learning whether at home or in the classroom. Join us to explore how these phenomenon-driven tasks motivate students to engage in science and engineering practices to make sense of science ideas (disciplinary core ideas) they need to explain how or why the phenomenon occurs. No matter the grade level or science subject you teach, we have Daily Do sensemaking tasks for you!

TAKEAWAYS:
Understand what sensemaking is and how to create opportunities for sensemaking (recognize sensemaking tasks). Strategies for ensuring students are part of a rich learning community (science is social)—remote or classroom—and how being part of that community supports sensemaking. Opportunities for family engagement in sensemaking tasks to build a family-school connection/community that supports all students learning science.

SPEAKERS:
Tricia Shelton, Kate Soriano

Discussion centers on the concept of artificial intelligence and how it is taught in the middle school classroom. Emphasis will be placed on real-life examples and how they interact with AI. Resources/technology that support teaching AI will be shared, especially the AI4All movement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Create experiences for learners to make positive, socially responsible contributions and exhibit empathetic behavior online that build relationships and community. Attendees will be exposed to a variety of resources that assist educators, so they, may introduce middle school students to AI. Design authentic learning activities that align with content area standards and use digital tools and resources to maximize active, deep learning.

SPEAKERS:
Denise Wright, David Lockett

Learn how to use purposefully designed, engaging questions to elicit and address students’ commonly held ideas about core concepts and practices related to engineering and technology.

TAKEAWAYS:
1) Learn how formative assessment probes reveal students' ideas about engineering and technology, including common misconceptions and stereotypes about engineers. 2) Learn how to embed the engineering and technology probes into instruction. 3) Learn how the engineering and technology probes support disciplinary core ideas and practices.

SPEAKERS:
Page Keeley, Cary Sneider, Mihir Ravel

Join us for this demo show by the Kentucky Science Center. You won't want to miss this display of favorite science demonstrations that are brought to students and families everywhere!

Architects with the Committee on Architecture for Education will explore strategies to learn how architecture and design can be combined with innovative pedagogy to transform spaces into student-centered, collaborative learning environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will explore methods to engage and connect your learning environment with nature and the outdoors. 2. Attendees will explore a variety of models for classroom flexibility and adaptability. 3. Attendees will explore examples of creative use of space and opportunities for meaningful display. 4. Attendees will explore suggestions for physical learning in regards to social distancing and capacity restrictions.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Maza

Discussion centers on pre-college educational preparation, acquisition of career information, and career options. Strategies for first-year college success will be described.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. High school course work preparation 2. Needed student strengths for success 3. Sources and uses of career information

SPEAKERS:
C Dale Elifrits

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

With BioBits® cell-free systems, students visualize biological concepts in ways never before possible. Watch DNA make RNA and protein in real time—then, in a separate activity, directly investigate the relationship between amino acid sequence and protein structure and function. All in a visual, engaging format that is quick and easy and requires minimal equipment—ideal for distance learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Students can visualize the flow of genetic information from DNA to protein using BioBits cell-free technology 2. Fluorescence can illuminate how DNA makes RNA makes protein in what is known as the Central Dogma of Molecular Biology 3. Students can identify and manipulate the steps of transcription and translation in guided inquiry experimentds

SPEAKERS:
Ally Huang

Hear how to use NASEF’s state-approved esports high school curriculum to engage and motivate students in STEM learning and careers.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to use esports to attract students to deeper STEM learning . Learn how to implement a state-approved esports curriculum . Learn about the STEM careers in the world's fastest growing industry—Esports.

SPEAKERS:
Laylah Bulman

Big data analytics and aerospace are two courses developed at Concordia International School Shanghai to empower students, develop STEM skills, and build community partnerships.

TAKEAWAYS:
Understand two STEM collaboration projects between schools, corporations, and outside organizations. Understand that STEM ecosystems vary from one school to another, there is no one recipe, but there are guiding principles. Gain hands-on experience in building and testing balsa wood planes.

SPEAKERS:
Peter Tong, Craig Gingerich

The need for STEM literacy—the ability to understand and apply concepts from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in order to solve our nation’s most complex problems—is growing exponentially. The requirement for STEM literacy goes beyond the traditional STEM occupations of scientist, engineer, and mathematician. In addition, the United States and the Army have a growing need for highly qualified, STEM-literate technicians and skilled workers in advanced manufacturing, logistics, management, and other technology-driven fields. For more than 50 years, the U.S. Army has supported educational opportunities in STEM for youth and undergraduate students, as well as teachers.

Join a diverse panel of students from the U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) as they describe their experiences with the AEOP programs, the importance of STEM in their lives and schools, how STEM will help them in their futures, and why they think STEM is important.

Introductions and Moderator: Matt Hartman, eCYBERMISSION Educational Content Manager, U.S. Army Educational Outreach Program, NSTA, Arlington, Va. (www.usaeop.com)

Student Panelists: To be announced

SPEAKERS:
Matthew Hartman

Computer Science education is growing and CS teachers are often singletons in their districts. Join us for an edcamp/unconference–style session to discuss topics of your choice in small groups and build your network!

TAKEAWAYS:
Specific concrete takeaways for issues specific to Computer Science education Connect with like-minded educators for future collaboration Choose from topics such as: CS for All, Curricula/PD, Teaching Practices and Methodologies, Building your District's Program, CS Pathways, Licensure Requirements, Standards and more!

SPEAKERS:
Kerri Murphy

Explore how the STEM2 Hub has built a thriving STEM ecosystem that is now impacting students across multiple districts through systems thinking and leadership’s willingness to change course.

TAKEAWAYS:
An overview of the systems-thinking approach and theory of change applied in our ecosystem. Strategies to build trust to deepen collaborative partnerships across once disparate and competitive organizations with actionable tools to apply in your setting. Standards-based strategies to develop and infuse high-quality resources into the school day in a consistent manner, with resources to apply in your setting.

SPEAKERS:
Kathleen Schofield

Model stellar evolution processes using NASA images, plotting H-R diagram transitions, and determining the chemistry and physics of supernovas with NASA STEM image analysis tools.

TAKEAWAYS:
Knowledge of the process of how stars form and change over time ending in catastrophic events, providing conditions for the formation of planets. Students will understand that all knowledge of celestial events is determined by analyzing the light from these events. Image analysis software tools allow scientists to gain knowledge of the physical and chemical processes involved to create constantly evolving models of stellar evolution.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Young

Engage your students in this multidisciplinary application of civics and the scientific process. Implement this real-world problem-solving venue in your school!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to plan and execute co-curricular classes that integrate aspects of criminal justice, forensic science, and crime scene investigation. Expand these experiences for students by encouraging the involvement of other teachers/faculty in your schools. Explore how the implementation of student agency in the classroom can encourage students to grow in their ability to prioritize and chose responsibly, which is a lifelong skill.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Field

Can the popular comic book medium be used to better support students learning chemistry? Science comic books are comic books designed to visually engage readers using sequential art to navigate a narrative that delivers science content. My investigation showed that students who read the comic book had higher gains in chemistry content knowledge than those who read the chemistry text. Given the findings, science comic books will be an effective educational tool.

TAKEAWAYS:
How science comics can benefit my students. How I can use science comics in my classroom. What science comics are there to use and where to find them.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Preece

Uncertainty and lack of predictability can stimulate the biological mechanisms of stress. Join in for a practical look at the science of stress from the perspectives of neuroscience and behavior. How do we benefit from stress and get harmed by it? How can we and our students regulate stress in the distance learning environment, in a way that promotes health and learning?

TAKEAWAYS:
Social-Emotional Mind and Brain Science Classroom Management

SPEAKERS:
Tim Blesse

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

Be part of a zombie apocalypse! Learn about disease-spread modeling using simulations and fun storylines about a zombie outbreak. Applicable for middle school and high school, this workshop is sure to scare you and your little zombies with its exciting Hollywood themes used to engage students in learning science!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. This session will explore disease-spread modeling using fictional zombies. 2. Attendees will also see how using Hollywood themes combined with actual STEM careers can be a fun way to engage students in learning science and STEM. 3. Attendees will find out about free science and STEM lessons from Texas Instruments.

SPEAKERS:
Erick Archer

Find out how math, writing, and history/geography can come alive in a science classroom when assessing students through the use of claim, evidence, and reasoning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to: - Integrate claim, evidence, reasoning assessment strategies into their lessons - Develop lessons that challenge students to not only strengthen scientific thinking skills but math and writing skills as well - Challenge their students into applying their knowledge to the immediate world around them.

SPEAKERS:
Alexander Eden

The Carnegie STEM Excellence Pathway is a successful partnership initiative that proves schools can improve their STEM education practices through a positive, collaborative approach with community organizations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Designed to help the widest range of school districts and schools adopt best practices in STEM education, the Pathway includes: a tool and process for assessing current STEM programming and creating a practical plan for improvement a guide to specific steps a school or district can take to improve STEM education supports for teacher professional development and district-to-district mentoring.

SPEAKERS:
Toni Stith

Sponsoring Company: Nutrien/ National Agriculture in the Classroom Org

Journey 2050 is a free, online STEM program designed for grades 7–12. Students virtually explore the complexities of sustainably feeding the world’s population of 10 billion by the year 2050. Lesson plans and resources provided, including a new lesson on technology and innovations.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. A growing population requires making sustainable choices 2. For every choice made there is a ripple effect on our environment, economy and society 3.New technology and innovations are essential to feeding the world

SPEAKERS:
Tessa Matuszak

Add new learning that increases student engagement in analysis and evaluation of real data. Engage students of different ability levels in mathematical models with measurements not previously accessible in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
* Combine graphing calculators with handheld sensors to maximize class time; * Use real data to develop mathematical models; * Learn how to test your hypothesis by doing an experiment and analyze your results;

SPEAKERS:
Karlheinz Haas

An interactive module in experimentation, data gathering, and interruption was developed with a focus on the benefits of knowing life cycles and behavior of two animal models related to real-life implications in forensic science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1.How to set up an experimental design with flies of different species that feed and lay eggs on different food sources. 2.Understand behaviors of insects related to food choice to lay eggs: related to forensics. 3. Develop NetLogo simulations whereas middle level students are limited to the live investigations and graphing using paper-and-pencil methods.

SPEAKERS:
Robin Cooper, Rebecca Krall, Tawny Aguayo-Williams

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Software & Technology

Vernier has collected free resources to help educators integrate remote learning into their teaching. In this virtual workshop, we will outline how to use Pivot Interactives, coding activities with Scratch, and the Vernier Experiment and Sample Data Library.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to integrate data-collection technology into remote learning 2. Ways to show students hands-on science from home 3. Experiment ideas that are aligned to the NGSS framework

SPEAKERS:
David Carter, Josh Ence

Experience the Question Formulation Technique: a simple, powerful strategy that can spark curiosity and deepen remote learning by teaching students to ask their own questions.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Participants will learn the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) by experiencing it for themselves. They will walk away with a practical strategy they can immediately use in a remote setting to teach students how to ask better scientific questions and drive science inquiries. 2. Participants will explore student work from science classrooms across the country to see how the strategy can be used for a range of instructional purposes. 3. Participants will reflect on their learning, think on how they can implement it in their own setting, and get access to free tools and resources to do so.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Bolduc, Katy Connolly

The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network has developed a strong, statewide STEM ecosystem for K–12 educators. We will focus on ways to connect and highlight communities of STEM teachers, encourage innovative teaching practices through targeted STEM professional development, and establish a STEM culture through statewide programming efforts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Identify the niches of your ecosystem—what are the roles necessary to promote diversity and unity? Identify the resources needed to sustain an ecosystem Identify potential challenges to the viability of the ecosystem and possible mitigation strategies

SPEAKERS:
Brandi Stroecker, Becky Ashe

A purposeful sample of 196 Texas administrators provided responses to the STEM Awareness Community Survey (SACS). We will share research and discuss school administrators’ awareness of parental STEM knowledge and the critical role parents play in their children’s STEM education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Inform K-12 administrators that parents are not aware of: (1) available school-related STEM opportunities for their children; (2) the importance of engaging in STEM with their children; (3) and the scope of preparation needed to prepare their children for STEM-related careers.

SPEAKERS:
Omah Williams-Duncan, Sandy White Watson

Faculty and current students will discuss Pitt-Johnstown’s unique approach to their STEM Endorsement Certification, including students’ personal experiences and future teaching goals, and the program’s benefits and implications for  research.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in discussion to learn about: • Current focuses on teacher preparation in STEM education • Pennsylvania’s approach to endorsing students via their STEM Endorsement Certificate model and its program design and evaluation competencies • Pitt-Johnstown’s unique approach to the model, through a Q&A with faculty and current students.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Chesney

It takes a village to build a STEM culture. We will share how two international schools built a culture of making through makerspaces and maker fairs.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to develop partnerships with outside organizations, corporations, and makers. 2. Understand that STEM ecosystems vary from one school to another, there is no one recipe, but there are guiding principles. 3. Gain understanding in how a maker space and a school maker faire can build a STEM culture.

SPEAKERS:
Craig Gingerich, Brian Wright