STEAM-integrated activities are for all learners, including those in an early childhood setting. Participate in a series of play-based STEAM activities that promote three-dimensional learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Early childhood students will engage in scientific investigation and inquiry through student-centered activities that promote curiosity, creativity, and innovation; 2. Kindergarten Readiness Math skills are developed through STEAM-integrated investigations highlighting number sense, measurement, and data; and 3. Activities will develop executive functioning skills through play and open exploration.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsey Herlehy, Cassandra Armstrong

Learn how to engage preK–2 students in light and shadow concepts as they engineer light sources, materials, and screens to produce a desired effect.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Identify meaningful contexts for exploring light and shadow phenomena that already exist in the young child's world; 2. Engage in strategies that enable young learners to explore how properties of materials interact with light, and then use their understanding of light and properties of materials to engineer effects on a screen to communicate with peers; and 3. Recognize multiple paths to conceptual understanding contingent on each child's unique backgrounds and experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Beth Dykstra VanMeeteren

This session presents interactive “Cricket Challenges” to engage students in nature-based activities designed to encourage curiosity and to make cross-curricular STEM connections to literature.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Innovative ways to engage readers to use fiction as a springboard to explore their natural world and make text-to-real-world connections; 2. Handouts including instructions for activities such as “An Outdoor Challenge for Every Season," ”Creating a Nature Wonder Hour,” “Nature Scavenger Hunts,” “Creating a Nature Journal from the Point of View of the Main Character in the Book You’re Studying,” and “Bloom Bingo”; and 3. Writing prompts educators can use to encourage students to analyze and explore their natural world.

SPEAKERS:
Jo Watson Hackl

Let’s make a foldable solar system scroll. Come learn how to apply ratios to create a scale model of the planets based on your height.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. With a properly scaled solar system scroll, participants will identify inner and outer planets and readily SEE why they are named as such; 2. Understanding the concept of rations and fractions, part-to-whole, participants will leave being able to create a proportional solar system in their classroom, on a football field, or across their state; and 3. This activity can be used at any grade level.

SPEAKERS:
Barbie Buckner

Need a simple and creative way to engage students? Create a green screen area in your classroom. This workshop will demonstrate a simple way to make creative videos with a green screen.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to use a chroma key with different apps and programs; 2. Simple video editing techniques; and 3. Using different objects for green screen props.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Crane

Sponsoring Company: PAEMST

Come learn about the highest recognition for STEM educators in the U.S. We will discuss eligibility criteria as well as the nomination, application, and review process for the awards. Awardees receive a certificate; a $10,000 award; a trip to Washington, DC, for a recognition event; and access to over 5,100 award-winning teachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How you can win $10,000; 2. how you can apply for this prestigious award from the U.S. Government; and 3. the benefits of applying for this award.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Mayes

Learn about an innovative teacher PD model employing free youth summer camps to support elementary grade teachers’ authentic understanding of NGSS principles and pedagogy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn: 1. about a new practicum-based professional development model that pairs NGSS PD with informal (summer) youth learning; 2. approaches to measure the effectiveness of NGSS teacher professional development; and 3. how district-level PD needs can be addressed through university-district partnerships.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Kennedy, Emily Mathews, Jessica Mahon

Learn to teach observation investigations with young learners that integrate geology, art, and math. Participants will receive hands-on materials and lessons to use with students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to; 1. do three-dimensional investigations with young learners; 2. integrate teaching of art and math concepts with geology; and 3. teach young students to observe and collect geological data.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Schneider

Come along as a kindergarten class explores the world of nature, experiences the seasons, and engages in STEM activities with Joe the Ginkgo Tree as its guide.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Promote inquiry-based learning through the lens of a schoolyard tree; 2. Learn how to design a yearlong, child-centered STEM project; and 3. Connect students with the natural world both inside the classroom and outdoors with hands-on STEM and art-based activities and experiments.

SPEAKERS:
Amie Petronis Plumley

We will use Micro:bits, programming, and sensors to empower student learning and accelerate conceptual model development. Participants will simulate this online.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Sensors can accelerate the learning process and empower students when used correctly; 2. Computational thinking is catalyzed by block-based programming languages; and 3. Conceptual model development and inquiry are intricately linked.

SPEAKERS:
Jared Carter

Learn how teachers link sixth-grade math concepts and science processes through decoding mechanisms in computer models.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Decoding is a powerful way to link math and science processes through coded mechanisms in computer models; 2. Teachers have developed pedagogical moves to teach decoding without having to explicitly teach computer programming; and 3. Decoding mechanisms in math class benefit students by enabling them to understand scientific processes encoded in computer models during science class.

SPEAKERS:
Emma Anderson, Aditi Wagh, Fritzie Culi, Eric Prileson

This past year has demonstrated the need for diverse tools, resources, and support to teach students in dynamic K–12 learning environments. This session will focus on strategies to integrate project-based learning in diverse learning environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn strategies to engage students in science and engineering concepts; 2. Obtain tools to foster a learning environment and classroom culture grounded in the habit of reflection and reasoning; and 3. Gain practical resources and tools to apply project-based learning in a diverse K–12 learning environment that you can begin implementing in your classroom this fall.

SPEAKERS:
Acacia McKenna

Use each stage of the Engineering Design Process to complete a challenge of building and drop testing a satellite while making connections to NASA missions.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. We can use the engineering design process in our everyday life to solve problems and make improvements; 2. NASA engineers must ask a question, imagine a solution, plan a design, create that model, experiment and test that model, then take time to improve the original—all steps that are crucial to mission success from Moon to Mars and beyond!; and 3. While this activity will focus on teaching the engineering design process using the process skills of measuring, calculating, designing, and evaluating, the "boring part" of ask, imagine, plan will be focused on to emphasize deeper learning as a thought process prior to simply "building stuff."

SPEAKERS:
Barbie Buckner

Bring the world to your urban classroom with Global Science / Citizen Science. Experts will share their work and provide details on how to actively involve students in real-world science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage with educators who have led their school systems to meet various challenges; 2. Learn from successful programs; and 3. Discuss relevant issues related to urban science educators.

SPEAKERS:
Pat Shane, Mary Beth Berrien, Michelle Ellis, Susan Meabh Kelly, Brad Rhew, LeeAnne Jimenez, Acacia McKenna

This workshop explores the connection between the NGSS, STEM identity, and project-based learning (PBL) through a series of culturally responsive activities for virtual learning environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. critically consider their own STEM identity and the STEM identities of their students to inform PBL in online and in-class learning environments; 2. respond to students’ needs and interests to plan PBL that develops their STEM identities; and 3. learn instructional strategies that engage students in PBL and the Scientific and Engineering Practices within the Next Generation Science Standards.

SPEAKERS:
Alicia Lane

Take a trip through MathAlive!, an 8,000-square-foot exhibit that connects math to daily life and potential careers. Bring to life the real math behind what students love most—video games, sports, fashion, music, robotics, and more.

Increase 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:
1. Combine graphing calculators with handheld sensors to maximize class time; 2. Use real data to develop mathematical models; and 3. Learn how to test your hypothesis by doing an experiment and analyze your results.

SPEAKERS:
Karlheinz Haas

This workshop introduces strategies and digital tools to help students develop high-quality STEM presentations and posters in online and in-class learning environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. embody the role of a student conducting a scientific/engineering investigation leading to a STEM presentation; 2. be able to create a digital STEM visual using presentation applications; and 3. learn instructional strategies that engage students in developing high-quality presentations and Scientific and Engineering Practices within the Next Generation Science Standards.

SPEAKERS:
Alicia Lane

Have you been asking whether you should trust loud claims of advertising? How could false positives in medical testing affect you? Or do you simply want to know what a penny is made of?

TAKEAWAYS:
1/ Explore cross-disciplinary aspects by linking the science content to the mathematical models; 2. Understand the importance of simple sampling for product quality control; and 3.Explore the use of technology for simulations to evaluate statistical claims.

SPEAKERS:
Karlheinz Haas

Through research conducted by the Growing Future STEM Teachers in Maine grant, this presentation explores the upsides, downsides, and enticements of secondary STEM teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. explore perceptions of careers in STEM secondary education; 2. understand factors that influence interest in STEM fields; and 3. identify evidence-based practices for preparation and retention of high-quality secondary STEM teachers.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia Waters

As COVID-19 changed learning environments, the rift between curricula and instructional practices widened with detrimental results for students and teachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Issues with curriculum leading instructional practices; 2. Need for support and professional development of teachers for conceptual model development in students; and 3. Teachers who were trained in conceptual modeling pedagogical practices were better able to serve students in their classes in new learning environments.

SPEAKERS:
Nancy Ruzycki

The “quantum revolution” is on the horizon. What can we do today—through policies and programming—to ensure quantum computing education is accessible to all students?

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to: 1. explain why quantum computing is an important emerging technology and STEM discipline; 2. identify the barriers to accessible, widespread quantum education and describe actionable strategies to combat them; and 3. discuss ideas to increase diversity in quantum computing, starting at the K–12 level.

SPEAKERS:
Kiera Peltz

Explore family engagement events that provide fun, hands-on experiences and an opportunity to teach parents strategies to support their children's academic vocabulary at home.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage in both virtual and in-person family engagement events that expand classroom learning that families with members of all ages can participate in; 2. Learn strategies to support linguistically diverse students in the STEMSS (STEM + Social Studies with an emphasis on real-world, cross-curricular learning) classroom; and 3. Develop a plan to integrate these strategies into your family engagement events to help parents learn how to support academic vocabulary at home and to bridge the home-school connections to increase opportunities for language learners.

SPEAKERS:
Margarita Jimenez-Silva, Karen Guerrero