Discussion centers on how to successfully implement current events in science into lessons and curriculum, increasing student engagement in science content and overall science literacy. Participants will read and analyze a blog post on a recent breakthrough on CRISPR, a genetic editing technique.

TAKEAWAYS:
-How to use blogs, videos, and podcasts on current events in science to engage classroom discussions -How to put use current events in science to put the curriculum into context -How to connect local science researchers to your students and classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Chris Anderson (Hamilton County ESC: Cincinnati, OH)

Engage in argument-driven scaffolds for Earth and environmental science topics to critically evaluate connections between evidence and alternative scientific explanations using model-evidence link (MEL) diagrams.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn what a MEL diagram is; 2. Practice using a MEL diagram to promote evaluation; and 3. Learn how to access the suite of MEL materials.

SPEAKERS:
Timothy Klavon (Black Hills State University: Spearfish, SD), Janelle Bailey (Temple University: Philadelphia, PA), Doug Lombardi (University of Maryland: College Park, MD)

Learn how to leverage community resources and infuse criticality into your science curriculum. Presenters will engage attendees in standards-focused activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to: 1. embed justice-oriented practices into their classroom teaching; and 2. create transformative curricula and innovative professional learning experiences to develop highly effective science teachers and teacher leaders.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Pena (Georgia State University: Atlanta, GA), Natalie King (Georgia State University: Atlanta, GA), Christine Thomas (Georgia State University: Atlanta, GA), Desmond Lee (Georgia State University: Atlanta, GA), Vanessa Grady (Rex Mill Middle School: Rex, GA), Nicholas Collins (Langston Hughes High School: Fairburn, GA)

Learn to dissect a leaf pack and identify macroinvertebrates to infer water quality. Engaging hands-on activity for all grade levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover how to use this student- or teacher-driven investigation to learn about your local watershed; 2. Learn to identify macroinvertebrates and discover what they can tell you about water quality; and 3. Learn how data can be entered in a global database as part of a citizen science project.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Brown (Northland Preparatory Academy: Flagstaff, AZ), Carrie Jenkins (Sinagua Middle School: Flagstaff, AZ)

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)

Explore how human activities have affected marine ecosystems, including the Gulf Coast, since the Industrial Revolution. Engage in hands-on simulations, interactive stories, and demonstrations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn ways to incorporate hands-on activities related to marine ecosystems around the NGSS Middle School topic of Human Impacts; 2. acquire ideas and techniques for helping students deepen their understanding of the connections between population trends, land use, natural resource use, and environmental impacts through simulations, interactive stories, and labs; and 3. be able to identify how the presented hands-on activities meet the NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts, and Science and Engineering Practices; and how the activities can be used to reach all kinds of learners.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Torres (INFINITY Science Center: Pearlington, MS)

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)

We will share unique and interactive assessments that go beyond multiple choice tests. These options offer learners a variety of ways to demonstrate their mastery of content. Varied assessment options will be explored, including alternative testing questions, interactive assessments, concept maps, and projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will learn about alternate ways of assessing student learning that allows all learners the ability to demonstrate mastery of content; 2. Alternate mid-term and final exam options will be shared; and 3. Attendees will learn how to create valid assessments for English Learners.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Matson (Thomas Worthington High School: Columbus, OH), Kimberly Thesing (Thomas Worthington High School: Columbus, OH)

Explore the critical role that creativity plays in addressing essential skills required for ALL students and their future success.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Why creativity must be a critical component of effective planning; 2. How creativity impacts student success; and 3. How to provide continuous and effective creative opportunities for students.

SPEAKERS:
Cathi Cox-Boniol (Louisiana Tech University: No City, No State), Missy Wooley (Louisiana Tech University)

Keeping the Earth big and blue requires getting students out into the schoolyard. Discover how to put in gardens or an outdoor classroom and how to support the learning through crosscutting concepts with journals and children’s literature.

TAKEAWAYS:
1.Teachers will experience through photographs, stories, and activities how to engage all students in connecting sustaining Earth to the local schoolyard and their backyards; 2. Teachers gather resources for lessons, units, and a wide selction of chidlren's literature, going home equipped to address crosscutting concepts effectively; and 3. Hands-on activities and anecdotes of the presenter's expereinces will give teachers inspiration to help children find connections to nature at home and at school.

SPEAKERS:
Steve Rich (Science Author/Consultant: Atlanta, GA)

Explore an authentic problem-based learning lesson that covers land pollution, water pollution or air pollution. This lesson promotes engineering design, problem-solving, scientific inquiry, and literacy. This lesson highlights a 3-D learning experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
The attendees will learn: 1. What is Project and Problem-Based Learning? 2. How human actions around the world are influencing our natural resources? 3. How to use everyday, low budget supplies to model solutions for various forms of pollution?

SPEAKERS:
Ashley Lyle (Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet School: Baton Rouge, LA), Alison Baker (Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet School: Baton Rouge, LA), Brittany Hinyard (Sherwood Middle Academic Magnet School: Baton Rouge, LA)