2021 Los Angeles Area Conference - Sessions

Does Black English Stand Between Black Students and Success in Science?

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.

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NITARP: High School Teachers and Students Working with Astronomers on Current Research

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.

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ASEE Session: Coding in an Elementary School

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.

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Synthetic Biology: The Intersection of Biology, Engineering, and Computer Science

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!

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Fueling Success with Students—Win Up to $10K for You and Up to $15K for Your Classroom

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.

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Local Phenomenon-Based Projects

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.

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Getting Students to Read in Science

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.

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Rewriting the Story: Developing a More Inclusive STEM Classroom

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.

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Broadening Participation in STEM Through Implementation of a Computer Science Curriculum in Rural and Underserved School Districts

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.

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Teaching Science Standards Through Coding

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.

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Leading Conversations Around Identity, Race, Belonging, and Bias in STEM Spaces

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.

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Using Environmental Solutions as a Lens for Teaching Science and Engineering

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.

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Building STEAM Through Community Collaborations—You're Not Alone!

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.

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Creating and Maintaining an Equitable Science Classroom

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.

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Connecting Teachers with a University to Bring Computer Science to Life in Elementary-Level Classrooms

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.

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