Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Teachers will engage in three examples of hands-on investigations, digital investigations, and digital teacher demonstrations from the Carolina 3D® kit lines for biology, chemistry, and Earth and space science. These activities illustrate how in-class hands-on laboratory investigations have been modified by Carolina for use in socially distanced classrooms and remote learning settings.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The modification of a face-to-face investigation to a digital investigation with data collection; 2. How to use live specimen in a remote, digital investigation; and 3. Examples of formative assessment appropriate for remote learning.

SPEAKERS:
Crystal Risko (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC), DeeDee Whitaker (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Pivot Interactives

Come learn how Pivot Interactives helps students learn chemistry concepts and lab skills using our online learning platform. Interactive video allows students to make their own measurements from libraries of thousands of high-resolution videos and interactive measurement tools. Customizable instructions, fast grading tools, and LMS integration make life easier for teachers too!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how Pivot Interactives allows students to start with phenomena and guides them to use their own measurements and observations to build and apply models; 2. see from the student perspective how Pivot Interactives enables online labs; and 3. explore the content library, grading tools, and LMS integration.

SPEAKERS:
Peter Bohacek (Pivot Interactives: Minneapolis, MN)

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: ExploreLearning

Create more “ah-ha!” moments with ExploreLearning Gizmos virtual labs and simulations. Highly interactive and visual, they are as fun as they are effective. Students learn by doing (just like real scientists) as they use Gizmos to explore, discover, and apply new concepts in STEM.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Technology can bring real-world experiences to students; 2. using simulations and animations in science makes science relative; and 3. even if students don't have access to lab materials they can still preform labs.

SPEAKERS:
Thom O'Brien (ExploreLearning: Charlottesville, VA)

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: Flinn Scientific, Inc.

Our current climate challenges us as educators with searching for meaningful ways to keep students in the practice of inquiry-based hands-on science. Given the limitations of remote and blended learning environments, what are effective ways to engage students effectively? Dr. Mike Marvel shares solutions for effective instruction for multiple environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to strengthen students’ experimental design and scientific reasoning skills regardless of the learning environment; 2. how videos of authentic scientific phenomena can be paired with prompts designed to improve students’ data analysis skills; and 3. how students can explore complex scientific topics in their homes without the need for expensive equipment and supplies.

SPEAKERS:
Mike Marvel, Ph.D. (Flinn Scientific, Inc.: Batavia, IL)

Sponsoring Company: Bio-Rad Laboratories

Use algae beads to study both photosynthesis and cellular respiration in AP and general biology courses. Extend this lab to study the effects of light intensity, light color, temperature, and other organisms. See how algae beads and other laboratory activities can be adapted for remote or socially distanced classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. See how algae beads are an extremely flexible and portable system to teach both photosynthesis and cellular respiration in AP or general biology courses; and 2. get instructions for how to adapt laboratory activities to remote or socially distanced classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Leigh Brown (Bio-Rad Laboratories: Hercules, CA)