NITARP (NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program) gets teachers involved in authentic astronomical research. Small groups of mostly high school educators work with professional astronomers for an original research project.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. A clear understanding of the application process to apply for a NITARP opportunity; 2. An idea of the research experience of a participant involved in this astronomy experience; and 3. An awareness of the vast astronomy resources (images and astronomy programs) available for free to educators and their students.

SPEAKERS:
John Taylor (Marvin Ridge High School: No City, No State)

Discussion centers on tools to properly analyze Black students’ scientific work to determine if the misconceptions and misunderstandings are a learning issue or language issue. This workshop focuses on the use of language to reduce the ethnic achievement gap in science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Analyzing students’ work from a linguistic lens; 2. Recognizing biases when it comes to student language; and 3. Pushing Black students academically forward without making them feel torn between two language worlds.

SPEAKERS:
Jonte' Lee (Whittier Elementary: Kansas City, KS)

Let's teach students, teachers, and families how to code. Learn how to promote creativity, problem solving, higher-order thinking, and digital literacy in your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will: 1. learn to incorporate unplugged activities; 2. gain skills to integrate coding into their classroom using multiple platforms; and learn how to involve families during Hour of Code Event.

SPEAKERS:
Gabriela Arroyo (Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School: Los Angeles, CA), Jennifer Nishimoto (Santa Monica Boulevard Community Charter School: Los Angeles, CA)

Participants will combine engineering and biology as they work through a free activity from a no-cost introductory curriculum on the emerging field of Synthetic Biology.

TAKEAWAYS:
Looking for free resources and innovative ways to introduce engineering into K–12 classrooms? American Society for Engineering Education’s (ASEE) pre-college division will share them!

SPEAKERS:
Leonardo Morsut (University of Southern California: Los Angeles, CA), Wendy Wooten (Reseda Charter High School: Reseda, CA)

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

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Share your passion and practice by applying for one of eight awards, and a teacher competition; 2. Learn from past Shell awardees, finalists, and judging panel members’ important tips to apply for this award; and 3. Learn how to win a trip to the 2022 NSTA Houston National Conference, March 31–April 3, 2022.

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

Reading should not be limited to English courses. Leave with strategies on how to motivate students to explore science through scientific novels. Review three years of qualitative data on how novels increased  literacy, scientific fluency, scientific connectivity, and college preparation in a marine biology course.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teahers will: 1. learn how to use articles to make their content more applicable to the lives of the students; 2. receive strategies on how to get students to read more scientific articles; and 3. receive resources on selecting grade-appropriate scientific articles.

SPEAKERS:
Jonte' Lee (Whittier Elementary: Kansas City, KS)

Sponsoring Company: AEOP

Come learn about using community-based phenomena as the basis for long-term STEM projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to intergrade local phenomena into STEM projects; 2. Using eCYBERMISSION in your middle school science classroom; and 3. How to better engage middle school students with local problems.

SPEAKERS:
Sue Whitsett (Retired: Arlington, VA)

Learn how to reach the three-dimensional science standards in your classroom through hands-on coding with the BBC micro:bit and free online Microsoft MakeCode simulator.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. gain personal hands-on experience using a BBC micro:bit to teach the Next Generation Science Standards; 2. learn how to teach problem solving through coding at an age-appropriate level with tips and pointers from presenters who each have over 10 years' experience in the elementary classroom; and 3. walk away with a free sample lesson from CYBER.ORG that includes the corresponding Next Generation Science Standards for the upper elementary classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Salvail (CYBER.ORG: Bossier City, LA), Brittany Pike (CYBER.ORG: Bossier City, LA)

This presentation gives an overview of a professional development program for inservice teachers designed to provide content knowledge and pedagogical strategies for engaging high school students from traditionally underrepresented groups in computer science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Professional development for inservice teachers; Culturally relevant teaching strategies in the STEM classroom; and 3. Broadening participation in STEM for traditionally underrepresented populations.

SPEAKERS:
Melody Russell (Auburn University: Auburn University, AL), Mohammed Qazi (Tuskegee University: Tuskegee Institute, AL), David Shannon (Auburn University: Auburn University, AL), Jared Russell (Auburn University: Auburn University, AL), Jeff Gray (The University of Alabama: Tuscaloosa, AL), Misty Thomas (Auburn University: Auburn University, AL)

Sponsoring Company: EiE | Museum of Science, Boston

Explore classroom facilitation strategies that engage all learners in high-quality STEM experiences and hear from educators who are implementing these strategies.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn strategies to eliminate barriers and engage all students; 2. Identify discussion supports that foster effective collaboration and communication; and 3. Explore the benefits of implementing STEM curricula designed for diverse classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Lorri Coates (Museum of Science, Boston: Boston, MA)

Join the UCLA Science Project as we explore structures and formats for science leaders looking to engage teachers around social justice in STEM classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Co-construct a learning experience centered around inclusion and belonging within school site meetings; 2. Recognize how our identities and lived experiences impact our approaches to science education and leadership; and 3. Establish space and culture that sustains conversations around equity issues.

SPEAKERS:
Leticia Perez (WestEd: Alameda, CA), Zachary Cue (UCLA STEM+C3 and Science Project)

Sponsoring Company: Green Ninja

The workshop will introduce and provide examples for a project-based framework that integrates climate science topics and themes with all the science disciplines, including engineering and computer science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. get the opportunity to reflect on the framework and model presented and share their own experience with other participants; 2. get the opportunity to develop a storyline and sequence of lessons that blend together multiple science NGSS standards using a project-based approach; and 3. get to review and discuss the work of other colleagues during the session.

SPEAKERS:
Eugene Cordero (Green Ninja: Mountain View, CA)

Learn about a STEAM Ecosystem providing hands-on connections between NGSS and STEAM careers. The collaborative includes a large school district and nine community agencies.

TAKEAWAYS:
Each attendee will be provided with Dramatic Results’ STEAM Ecosystem Mapping Tool to take back to their communities to: 1. identify potential collaborators in their community (“community” includes local, regional, national\, and even international) strengths and challenges posed with each potential collaborator; 2. establish shared goals for their STEAM Ecosystem; and 3. learn how to adapt their STEAM Ecosystem to include both in-person and virtual engagement and program delivery.

SPEAKERS:
Tori-Ann Hampton (Dramatic Results: Signal Hill, CA), Christine Pham (Dramatic Results: Signal Hill, CA)

STEM classrooms should establish a welcoming environment in which all individuals can use their cultural knowledge and practices to make sense of the world.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. A shared understanding of equity and social justice in science classrooms and STEM communities; 2. Approaches to identify and honor student-lived experiences and cultures; and 3. Challenge conventional notions of what counts as science.

SPEAKERS:
Jon Kovach (UCLA Science Project: Los Angeles, CA)

Best practices and lessons learned from the USC BOTS computer science teacher education program and recommendations for building successful university-elementary teacher partnerships in computer science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about: 1. the USC BOTS program and the major benefits of a successful university-elementary teacher CS partnership; 2. common challenges of such collaborations and how to overcome them; and 3. the steps recommended to foster their own successful university-elementary teacher CS partnerships.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Bonaparte-Saller (University of Southern California: Los Angeles, CA)