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 (Collegiate School: New York, NY)

Author Emily Morgan will share ideas for adding “green breaks” to the school day that provide an opportunity for students (and teachers) to get away from their screens and reset and refresh their minds.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Research on the importance of green time 2. Ideas for simple "green breaks" 3. Projects the integrate more extensive green time

SPEAKERS:
Emily Morgan (Picture-Perfect Science: West Chester, OH)

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 (Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM (TIES): Cleveland, OH)

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:
Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

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 (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

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 (STEM West: CLAREMONT, NC), Regina Barrier (North Carolina School of Science and Math - Morganton: Morganton, NC)

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 (The Bridge Academy of New Jersey: Lawrence Township, NJ)

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 (Sehome High School: Bellingham, WA), Heather Ryan (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI), Kris Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

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 (Immersed Games: Buffalo, NY)

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 (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

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 (Visual Science Studio: Lovettsville, VA)

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 (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

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 (Scientist and Educator: Fall River, MA)

Have a great activity to share? Join in for an overview of how to write for The Science Teacher. Learn tips and tricks for being a published author.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Participants will learn about the inner workings of the journal. 2. Participants will gain skills in how to write for the journal. 3. Participants will be introduced to what kinds of articles are sought for the journal.

SPEAKERS:
Ann MacKenzie (Miami University: Oxford, OH)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Carolina Kits 3D® FLEX is a full-year, phenomena-based lab program to actively engage students with investigations that are safe, rigorous, and designed for both remote and socially distanced instruction. Learn how this solution offers extensive teacher support, lesson plans, and authentic science investigations for students. Visit www.carolina.com/FLEX to learn more.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover a flexible learning solution for a Biology and Chemistry lab program. 2. Investigate a hands-on lab program that transitions seamlessly from social distanced to remote instruction. 3. Determine funding sources that could be available for your school, district, or state for the Carolina 3D® FLEX program.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Hodges (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC), Jen Black (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

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 (miniPCR: Cambridge, MA)

Want to add more data collection to your STEM classroom? Then this session is for you!

TAKEAWAYS:
Data collection and mathematical modeling coding with Basic language and a micro controller engineering design

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Kohout (Howard County Conservancy: Woodstock, MD), Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA)

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 (Nipmuc Regional High School: Upton, MA)

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 (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY)

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 (Denver Museum of Nature & Science: Denver, CO)

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 (Texas Instruments: Dallas, TX)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

We have all faced the terrifying “blank stare wall” when teaching biotechnology concepts such as PCR, Sanger sequencing, and restriction enzymes. Explore how you can cover all of these topics and more using a single modeling kit. Through NGSS-focused lessons, your students can experience the process, not memorize results.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Participants will learn about the benefits of hands-on modeling. 2. Participants will practice one application of PCR modeling. 3. Participants will see how modeling with the Biotechnology kit already fits into their curriculum and can increase student mastery.

SPEAKERS:
Diane Sigalas (Livingston High School: Livingston, NJ), Heather Ryan (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI), Kris Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Use real data to visualize the human impacts of pollution on our waterways. Learn ways to use this information to make graphing meaningful and fun!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Use real data to make mathematical models to visualize relationships. 2. Identify the human-caused problems and identify potential solutions based off evidence. 3. Help students to build and interpret graphs effectively to be better scientifically informed citizens.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Kohout (Howard County Conservancy: Woodstock, MD), Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA)

Concepts addressed include skeletal muscle anatomy and physiology, and the cellular physiology of the muscle cell, which are applied in formulating explanations that describe muscle cell function in healthy individuals and those with a disease. BackYard Brains electromyograms recordings as well as physical models will be used. These modules have been used in high school– and college-level classes.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. engineering design activities challenge teams to build 2-D and 3-D models 2. Skeletal muscle anatomy and physiology, and the cellular physiology of the muscle cell is learned as well as implications in a disease state. 3. • STEM content knowledge is applied in explaining a human health issue—muscular dystrophy

SPEAKERS:
Robin Cooper (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY), Rebecca Krall (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY), Tawny Aguayo-Williams (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY)

Have your students explore the theories of life’s origins. Guide your students through historical research to memorable experiences of independent experimental design with Proteinoid Production. Student-produced samples will be on display.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will receive instructional materials and learn how to guide students through historical technical research to develop independent labs for Proteinoid Production. Discussions will include ways to implement and manage lab experience and stay sane. Methods of providing quick (and judicious) feedback as well as streamlined collective result sharing will be addressed.

SPEAKERS:
Catherina Sammons (Tates Creek High School: Lexington, KY)

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:
Alexis Mundis (Army Educational Outreach Program: Arlington, VA), Acacia McKenna (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Matthew Hartman (BrainPOP: Pittsburgh, PA)

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 (Florida International University: Miami, FL)

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 (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Engage in free sensemaking modeling and digitally enhanced activities developed by Concord Consortium that zoom into the mechanisms behind fur coloration in mice across various levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
Boldly go where no curriculum has gone before using cutting-edge simulation software and digital zoom-ins to present to students what is typically missing from their understanding. Explore how students can generate accurate biological datasets to work with, compare, analyze, and/or applied to group statistical analysis. De-silo biology instruction to teach interconnected content across multiple levels (population, organismal, cellular, molecular).

SPEAKERS:
Louise Mead (BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action: East Lansing, MI), Rebecca Brewer (Troy High School: Troy, MI), James McCusker (Ridley School District: Folsom, PA), Frieda Reichsman (The Concord Consortium: Concord, MA), Timothy Newman (Bishop O'Dowd High School: Oakland, CA)

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 (Ellington Middle School: Ellington, CT), Katy Connolly (Right Question Institute: Cambridge, MA)

Explore how your students can integrate computer science and biology to address real-world problems through data collection, visualization, analysis, biological modeling, and hypothesis testing. No programming background required!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn applications of building and using computer simulations of biological systems to introduce students to biological modeling. Collect ecological data using our web app to support a real-world project on pollinator decline and loss of biodiversity Use computational tools to visualize and analyze ecological data to test hypotheses about the effects of environmental stressors on ecosystems

SPEAKERS:
Shari Weaver (The STEM Education Center at WPI: Worcester, MA), Maria Berrios (Auburn High School: Auburn, MA), Maureen Chase (Quabbin Regional High School: Barre, MA), Jennifer Field (Nipmuc Regional High School: Upton, MA), Carolina Ruiz (Worcester Polytechnic Institute: Worcester, MA)

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 (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY), Rebecca Krall (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY), Tawny Aguayo-Williams (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY)

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 (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Help your students explore two evolutionary processes: adaption and speciation. Participants will use computer models to examine these processes at various spatial and temporal scales and collect evidence to articulate the impacts of inheritance, mutation, selection, forage, competition, and reproduction on the processes. This session targets NGSS Biology Evolution core ideas at the high school level (HS-LS4).

TAKEAWAYS:
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SPEAKERS:
Lin Xiang (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY)

Sponsoring Company: MSOE Center for BioMolecular Modeling

We will focus on the defining feature of CRISPR technology, the ability of the Cas9 endonuclease to find and cut DNA at a unique site in the 3.2 billion base-pair human genome. We will also explore how a related CRISPR protein is being used to detect the SARS CoV-2 coronavirus.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Participants will see how models can be used to investigate how the mechanism of the CRISPR/Cas9 system is used to edit genomes. 2. Participants will learn how CRISPR technology is being used in current Coronavirus research. 3. Participants will discover the benefits of hands-on modeling and how it improves student understanding.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI), Heather Ryan (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI), Kris Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

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 (University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown: Johnstown, PA)