Join us to discuss how to enhance student learning by incorporating activities that relate to real-world environmental and agricultural challenges in science classes.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Incorporating real-world challenges relating to sustainable agriculture exposes students to meaningful applications of environmental, life, and physical sciences; 2. Communicating that science is not simply abstract concepts, but a way to solve important problems, may increase student engagement in the classroom; and 3. Sustainable agriculture activities lend themselves to adaptation to appropriate grade level or science class.

SPEAKERS:
Maud Walsh (Louisiana State University: Baton Rouge, LA), Jennifer Irving (Louisiana State University: Baton Rouge, LA)

Educators who specialize in the teaching of students with dyslexia describe vocabulary modifications, schema development, kinesthetic activities, and methods to modify science content for students with language-based learning differences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to: 1. craft well written vocabulary definitions; 2. use kinesthetic activities to help students gain understanding of vocabulary and complex science concepts; and 3. create a structured word wall that supports students.

SPEAKERS:
Clinton Kittrell (The Summit School: Edgewater, MD), Christine Zito (Miller School of Albemarle: Charlottesville, VA)

Find out how to use explore-before-explain learning to flip the traditional teaching script and promote long-lasting understanding in physical, life, and Earth and space science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Why sequence matters—a concise review of cognitive science and science education research explains why the order in which you structure your lessons is so critical; 2. What you need to do—an overview of important planning considerations covers becoming an “explore-before-explain” teacher and designing POE (Predict, Observe, Explain) and 5E (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate) instructional models; and 3. How you do it—ready-to-teach lessons that use an explore-before-explain sequence to provide an experience that meets the Next Generation Science Standards and makes interdisciplinary connections to the Common Core State Standards.

SPEAKERS:
Patrick Brown (Fort Zumwalt School District R-II: O'Fallon, MO)

Implement a three-dimensional middle school unit covering nervous system, chemical reactions, and engineering design! Session targets teachers, coaches, and supervisors from novice to advanced. To contact us, please fill out the form here.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore an NGSS-designed 3-D middle school integrated unit about instant ice packs; 2. Experience activities designed to model how to implement strategies for integrating 3-D learning; and 3. Reflect on how teachers can facilitate and motivate students to drive instruction .

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Bank (Kentucky Avenue School: Pittsburgh, PA), Arlene Friend (Von Tobel Middle School: Las Vegas, NV)

Sponsoring Company: NSTA, Shell Teacher Awards and Competitions

Do you impact your school and community with STEM? If you teach K–12, come learn how to apply to win one of eight Shell-supported awards through this teacher competition.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to apply for a Shell-sponsored award or competition; 2. begin your application or nomination of a Shell-sponsored program and receive a prize; and 3. collaborate with past winners and judges to learn how to strengthen your application.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Upton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Ruth Ruud (Cleveland State University: Cleveland, OH)

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

How do we support students to gather a variety of evidence in order to deepen their understanding of phenomena? Join program authors from UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science to experience how a multimodal approach allows students to grapple with phenomena and real-world problems like scientists do. We will unpack structures from the K–8 Amplify Science curriculum and consider how a deep understanding of NGSS can support you in making principled pedagogical decisions.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Gain a deeper understanding of the role that different sources of evidence play in phenomenon-based teaching and learning; 2. experience an exemplar of how students figuring out investigative phenomena can support their increasing understanding of more complex anchor phenomena; and 3. reflect on how students engage in all three dimensions of NGSS as they gather evidence and grapple with real-world phenomena.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Stenger (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Rebecca Abbott (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Sponsoring Company: TCI

Participants will be immersed in an investigation designed to reach all learners and make learning science concepts fun and engaging. Participants will experiment with a variety of materials to make different kinds of waves and come up with a scientific definition of waves.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will learn how to engage students with phenomenon-based storylines that provide real-world problems for students to connect their learning with their own experiences; 2. through the session immersion and hands-on investigations, they will see how each TCI's Bring Science Alive! lesson incorporates three-dimensional learning in the middle school classroom; and 3. attendees will walk away knowing how to use the TCI's digital platform to bring science alive in the distance and blended learning environment.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Thomas (TCI: Mountain View, CA), Deanna Morrow (TCI: Mountain View, CA)

Introduce students to ways we use energy—exploring thermal energy transfer, electricity, lighting, and more! Learn great investigation activities for both the home and school!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to use energy management tools to measure energy use in the school and at home; 2. Describe efficiency and conservation, and categorize an energy-saving measure as either efficiency or conservation; and 3. Teach students how to measure and calculate which devices use more electricity than others and which cost more than others.

SPEAKERS:
Tyler Cvitkovic (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA)

In examining student scientific explanations, one common finding is that understanding how to analyze data is often the missing piece in order for students to construct proficient explanations. However, we often tell students to analyze data, but we don't teach students how to do this. Participants will practice several strategies, acquire resources to share with students, and deepen their understanding of how to teach, not tell, students to analyze data.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Deeper understanding of data analysis as required by the NGSS; 2. Deeper understanding of common student misconceptions about data analysis; and 3. Practical strategies for scaffolding data analysis.

SPEAKERS:
Diane Johnson (EKU Partnership Institute for Math and Science Education Reform: Morehead, KY)

Sponsoring Company: Twig Education

Learn effective strategies that can be employed immediately to increase student engagement in your fully virtual or hybrid distance learning classroom, leading to better student learning outcomes. In addition, you will discover how to foolproof your online classroom to spend more time teaching and less time being tech support.

TAKEAWAYS:
By the end of the session, teachers will be able to implement three virtual assignment strategies to increase student engagement: 1. create micro-lessons for 100% student focus and attention; 2. evaluate (or create) and assign video-based science coaching; and 3. deploy and facilitate virtual labs that excite, engage, and get students doing science.

SPEAKERS:
Mary McGibbons-Craft (Imagine Learning | Twig Education: Santa Cruz, CA), Kimberly Mueller (Imagine Learning | Twig Education: Santa Cruz, CA)

Sponsoring Company: MatterHackers, Inc.

Learn how to lead students through engaging learning experiences such as the make:able challenge in order to improve learner outcomes and deepen student agency. They will be able to use empathy, STEM skills, and their own interests to improve the lives of others through assistive technology and 3D printing.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn about the make:able challenge and how you can implement it at your school; 2. use resources from the Build a Better Book project to facilitate design challenges for people with visual impairments based on student interest; and 3. gain strategies to help promote student independence, growth, and reflection.

SPEAKERS:
Mara Hitner (MatterHackers, Inc.: Lake Forest, CA), Steven Jones (Swanson Middle School: Arlington, VA)

Sponsoring Company: FOSS–Delta Education, School Specialty

Make the most of your instructional time by increasing student engagement and agency with an emphasis on sensemaking and science-centered language development. Using a FOSS lesson, we will demonstrate strategies developed to activate prior knowledge, collect and analyze collected data, construct explanations, and engage in argumentation during remote learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn three instructional strategies to increase engagement; 2. experience a physical science investigation as a learner; 3. determine learning expectation to build student success; and 4. learn about new FOSS resources.

SPEAKERS:
Diana Velez (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Erica Beck Spencer (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Joanna Totino (California Science Project: Berkeley, CA), Brian Campbell (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Discover how to incorporate forensic-themed projects into an introductory physical science class. Walk away with a Google Drive folder of resources and projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will: 1. be able to incorporate forensics content into a physical science course; 2. have a general understanding of project-based learning; and 3. be able to incorporate claim, evidence, and reasoning (CER) into a physical science course.

SPEAKERS:
Deonna Lynch (East Washington School Corporation: No City, No State)

Are you asked to incorporate reading and writing into your science classroom? We have literacy-based lesson plans that will engage students and improve their learning!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Lesson plans that incorporate literacy as well as hands-on activities; 2. Awareness of resources for incorporating literacy; and 3. A better understanding of how literacy improves student comprehension.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Suh (American Chemical Society: Washington, DC), Enrique Romero (Sweetwater Union High School District: Chula Vista, CA)

Hear innovative ideas for developing partnerships and programs with community, universities, and industry to equip students with STEM skills necessary for success in tomorrow’s world.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to go beyond one-off field trips to engage students in deeper, more meaningful, long-term, and real-world learning; 2. Learn how to take advantage of the coming "silver Tsunami" in most industries, to get unique learning experiences and measurable outcomes for your students; and 3. Understand that "STEM fields" are not limited to robotics or space exploration; most if not all fields soon will require at least a basic understanding of STEM concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Gordon Bourns (Bourns, Inc.: Riverside, CA), Sharon Gutierrez (Riverside Public Utilities: Riverside, CA), John Robertson (Riverside Unified School District: Riverside, CA), Damaris Velez (Riverside Public Utilities: Riverside, CA)

Do you impact your school and community with STEM? If you teach K–12, come learn how to apply to win one of eight Shell-supported awards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Share your passion and practice by applying for one of eight awards. Learn from past Shell awardees, finalists, and judging panel members’ important tips to apply for this award, and how to win a trip to next year’s national conference in Chicago.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Upton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Richard Embrick (Wright Junior High: No City, No State)

Sponsoring Company: TCI

Participants will be immersed in an investigation designed to reach all learners and make learning science concepts fun and engaging. Participants will experiment with a variety of materials to make different kinds of waves and come up with a scientific definition of waves.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will learn how to engage students with phenomenon-based storylines that provide real-world problems for students to connect their learning with their own experiences; 2. through the session immersion and hands-on investigations, they will see how each TCI's Bring Science Alive! lesson incorporates three-dimensional learning in the middle school classroom; and 3. attendees will walk away knowing how to use the TCI's digital platform to bring science alive in the distance and blended learning environment.

SPEAKERS:
Deanna Morrow (TCI: Mountain View, CA), Dawn Smith (TCI: Murray, KY)

Exploration of mineral properties using scientific tools. Session covers how to teach minerals in a 5Es (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate) investigation. Learn strategies for making your own classroom kits. Visit https://padlet.com/lbschneider/NSTAminerals to access all files related to this session.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn: 1. strategies for how to teach 5E hands-on science investigations that are NGSS focused; 2. about mineral properties and how to use them to identify common rock-forming minerals; and 3. how to select materials to create mineral kits to use with students.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Schneider (St. Mary's College of Maryland: Saint Mary's City, MD)

Leverage how people learn from data to teach data skills alongside content with these beginning strategies to build students literacy in science, math, and technology.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. A framework for thinking about how people learn from data and what are the steps along the progression from being a novice to expert user of data to do science, math, and use technology; 2. Strategies and resources to use in our teaching in any unit to better set students up for success as they build their mastery of data skills to become more data and science literate; and 3. a suite of tips and tricks to integrate into our current curricula across different disciplines that enhance how students work with data to learn their science and math content as well as critical evaluate claims in the world.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hunter-Thomson (Dataspire Education & Evaluation, LLC: No City, No State)

Explore how excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere makes water more acidic through hands-on activities from the free 5Es lesson plans in middleschoolchemistry.com.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Awareness of a free resource of NGSS-focused lesson plans in chemistry for middle school teachers and students; 2. Simple, safe, and inexpensive hands-on experiments showing that carbon dioxide gas makes water more acidic; and 3. Use of grade-appropriate explanations of the interactions of atoms and molecules to help students better understand the causes of the phenomena they observe and its connection to the problem of ocean acidification.

SPEAKERS:
James Kessler (American Chemical Society: Washington, DC)

Take part in activities making personal/local connections that encourage learners to reflect on the role of STEM in their lives, communities, and possible futures.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Through engaging students in investigations centered on STEM careers we can inspire the next generation of STEM pioneers and innovators to build a better world; 2. Geoscience is for everyone; and 3. Personal and local connections like those explored in this workshop demonstrate the role of STEM for all learners.

SPEAKERS:
Aida Awad (Education Consultant/ Adjunct: Ormond Beach, FL), Ed Robeck (American Geosciences Institute: Alexandria, VA)

Discussion centers on how to start an Environmental Education Club, incorporate green STEM-focused curriculum, and become part of the Eco-School global initiative.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn: 1. how to start an Environmental Education club at their school and will see examples from other schools and colleges; 2. about Green STEM lessons and interdisciplinary units that they can easily incorporate in their standards-based curriculum; and 3. about the Eco-School global initiative and will explore how they can inspire their students to collaborate with others and involve their local communities so together they can create creative and meaningful solutions to protect the planet.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Ristuccia (Fountain Hills Charter School: Fountain Hills, AZ)

We will introduce a collection of units and resources to help teachers engage students in three-dimensional learning through model-driven inquiry.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Anchoring instruction around authentic phenomena is the first step to 3-D learning; 2. The practice of modeling should be at the center of your instructional units; and 3. Models help groups of students build explanations of phenomena together over time.

SPEAKERS:
Todd Campbell (University of Connecticut: Storrs Mansfield, CT), Ron Gray (Northern Arizona University: Flagstaff, AZ), Victor Sampson (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX)

What makes it rain? M&Ms versus Skittles? Baking soda versus baking powder? Free online lesson plans of hands-on activities and animations help your elementary students build foundational concepts in chemistry.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Awareness of a free resource of NGSS-focused lesson plans in chemistry for Kindergarten and grades 2 and 5; 2. Questioning strategies built into lessons to help young students contribute to the design of an investigation to answer a question; and 3. An understanding of using grade-appropriate explanations of atoms and molecules to help students better understand the causes of the phenomena they observed.

SPEAKERS:
James Kessler (American Chemical Society: Washington, DC)

Participants will engage with phenomenon-based lesson using synchronous and asynchronous teaching in the 5E Lesson Framework. The lesson overview will guide teachers through using digital resources that promote 3-D learning with phenomena integrated throughout the 5E, both synchronously and asynchronously.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. identify points in a 3-D phenomenon-based lesson that are best suited for synchronous and asynchronous learning; 2. use digital platforms to obtain and evaluate information in video, image, and informational text form; and 3. integrate the 5E model for lesson delivery that includes a phenonomenon.

SPEAKERS:
Rabieh Hafza (Henry County Schools: McDonough, GA)

This session will engage teachers in experiencing and exploring free NGSS-focused resources for classrooms from STEM@GTRI.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Free NGSS-focused resources; 2. virtual field experiences; and 3. educational technology.

SPEAKERS:
Tyler Kinner (Georgia Tech Research Institute: Atlanta, GA)