Discover Switch Classroom, a free, online, objective curriculum about energy use and nonrenewable and renewable resources centered on AP Environmental Science and NGSS Energy standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore Switch Energy Alliance resources, including Switch Classroom, energy videos, and full-length documentaries. The Switch Classroom curriculum covers six units of comprehensive lessons detailing renewable and nonrenewable energy sources, energy production fundamentals, and how energy decisions are made; 2. Learn how to set up your own class using Switch Classroom, creating a customized energy unit for your students that includes video and your choice of activities that include multiple-choice quizzes, critical-thinking writing and diagramming, and lab and math-based calculation activities; and 3. Increase your students' ability and skills to explain concepts, analyze visual representations, and propose solutions to complex energy decisions in a nonpartisan and objective manner.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Horne (New Market Junior/Senior High School: Newmarket, NH), James Corboy (Long Beach Unified School District: Signal Hill, CA)

Experiment with the “sugar-blocking” tea Gymnema sylvestre and model cellular communication pathways in the tongue and the gut before evaluating possible mechanisms of action.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn: 1. how to model the physiology of sweet taste perception; 2. how the systems that detect sugar can be disrupted; and 3. how to evaluate three proposed mechanisms of action.

SPEAKERS:
Joan Griswold (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Make student thinking come to life with notebooks! Increase the rigor of student work—learn new strategies for organizing content and how to use templates for any science class. Take home current NGSS classroom examples to get you started.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The how and why of science notebooks; 2. Engaging ALL students in science; and 3. Templates scaffold student learning for success.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Weibert (Fresno County Office of Education: Fresno, CA)

Solar system objects are grouped by characteristics. We model how scientists classify solar system objects. What’s a planet, dwarf planet, etc.? Is Pluto a planet?

TAKEAWAYS:
1. We, including scientists, group objects to help us understand and describe the world around us; 2. The way we, including scientists, group things may depend on the manner in which we are studying them, i.e., there may be more than one “correct” answer; and 3. Objects in the Solar System (planets, dwarf planets, asteroids, comets, moons) can be grouped by their properties: rocky surfaces, gaseous atmospheres, orbit around the Sun or a planet, where they are in the Solar System, etc.

SPEAKERS:
Larry Lebofsky (Senior Education Specialist: Tucson, AZ)

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)

You’ve used blood glucose regulation to teach homeostasis. Extend those lessons with classroom-ready strategies that address how policy and place contribute to type 2 diabetes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will; 1. become familiar with a research-based storyline that disassociates genetics from health outcomes; 2. l Learn that type 2 diabetes is a complex condition that is heavily influenced by environmental factors such as access to resources, personal choice, product marketing, public policy, socioeconomic status, and stress; and 3. learn that environmental factors can both increase and decrease a person’s risk for type 2 diabetes.

SPEAKERS:
Joan Griswold (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Explore caloric and nutritional values of NASA's space food. Discover a menu of inquiry activities/resources to integrate into the classroom to satisfy your STEM appetite.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore NASA STEM activities that investigate space food and nutrition for astronauts living on the Space Station; 2. Construct sample space food menus to develop a better understanding of nutrition for human space exploration; and 3. Make connections between math, science, nutrition, and exercise while exploring the impact of living in space and in our gravity-filled environment here on Earth.

SPEAKERS:
Barbie Buckner (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: Greenbelt, MD)

Choose which of these free resources for equitable science instruction are most relevant to your work. Then read, discuss, and plan!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Science learning is culturally rooted, and strong instruction should take an asset-based approach to young peoples’ ways of thinking and knowing; 2. Developing more inclusive classrooms is a constant process. There are always steps educators can take to support equity, no matter where they are in their journey; and 3. These resources offer tangible next steps educators can take toward equity in their classroom, from identifying meaningful anchor phenomena (stemteachingtools.org/brief/42) to teaching biology in more gender-inclusive ways (stemteachingtools.org/brief/76) to fostering more student talk (stemteachingtools.org/brief/35).

SPEAKERS:
Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA), Abby Rhinehart (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

To address the impacts of the pandemic on K–12 education, Congress has made emergency funds available through the American Rescue Plan Act Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) Fund. In this session for educators and science leaders at the district and school levels, we will discuss how these federal funds can be leveraged to support science education, students, and
teachers, and review the products and services NSTA has available to address learning loss.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Information on federal funding for pandemic relief for K–12 education; 2. How this federal funding can be used for science education; and 3. NSTA products and services that address learning loss.

SPEAKERS:
Erika Shugart (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Learn about the EdReports’ educator-led review process in science and how you can utilize our resources both in an instructional materials adoption and to grow your own understanding of high-quality instructional materials.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Build an understanding of the challenges educators face in finding quality materials and how EdReports aims to address those challenges; 2. Learn about EdReports' science review tools for grades K–5 and 6–8, characteristics of alignment to the NGSS and usability, and discuss smart adoption processes; and 3. Hear about opportunities to engage as an EdReports reviewer in upcoming reviews, which includes NGSS training, an extended learning community, and a paid stipend.

SPEAKERS:
Lacey Wieser (EdReports.org: Phoenix, AZ)

Want to create high-quality, NGSS-focused field trip experiences? Come learn how we brought together classroom teachers and informal educators to accomplish this goal with amazing outcomes!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. learn the steps we took to create a collaborative environment for teacher leaders to support informal educators in learning more about NGSS and the EP&Cs; 2. learn the value of bringing the expertise of informal educators and the knowledge of formal educators together in order to create high-quality, NGSS-focused field trip experiences; and 3. be given access to the agendas, handouts, and templates we used in our training/planning sessions.

SPEAKERS:
Lesley Gates (Fresno County Office of Education: Fresno, CA)

Make the conceptual leap from 2D to 3D and make teaching topography, topographic maps, and topographic profiles a concrete, engaging hands-on learning experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Modeling is a key process within the NGSS, participants will walk away with multiple engaging hands-on activities that will allow their students to model and visualize 2D topographic maps and profiles as 3D representations; 2. Using topography that is unique to the community (Mt. Saint Helens for example), participants will be able to understand the environmental and topographic impacts of geological processes; and 3. Making the abstract concrete using simple and inexpensive materials makes the learning accessible and impactful to more diverse learners.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Jones (University of Hawaii-West Oahu: Kaploei, HI)

Join us as we explore how NSTA’s three-dimensional resources can be utilized to enhance your teaching. Walk away with effective strategies for science teaching and learning and hear from educators as they provide tips for using these resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Hear from classroom teachers about how they are using NSTA Press publications; and 2. Leave with top-notch teaching tips and innovative lesson plan ideas that promote imaginative learning and student engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Wendy Binder (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Participants will learn about how some districts around the country are using an asset approach to post-COVID learning and will collaboratively share ideas with others.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Some districts around the country are focusing on an acceleration rather than a remediation post-COVID approach to learning; 2. An asset approach to learning and learners supports social and emotional well-being; and 3. The NSELA Learning Center provides resources for continued learning about asset versus deficit approaches to learning.

SPEAKERS:
Larry Plank (Hillsborough County Public Schools: Tampa, FL)

We will introduce a collection of units and resources to help teachers engage students in three-dimensional learning through model-based inquiry.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to utilize modeling across entire units of instruction; 2. Ways to anchor student learning in authentic phenomena; and 3. How to use public records to keep track of student ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Ron Gray (Northern Arizona University: Flagstaff, AZ)

Multiple lessons were learned with remote instruction that can be transitioned into the face-to-face classroom and that support blended science instruction. Examples, tools, and strategies provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discuss the lessons learned during remote instruction that have the staying power and should be part of blended instruction; 2. Identify positive instructional strategies that maximize technology and digital tools and determine the best way to transition those tools into the blended classroom; and 3. Engage in example activities where connections between digital tools and strategies for use in student engagement are made.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Anne Royce (Shippensburg University: Shippensburg, PA)

Dissect the differences between flashy engagers and phenomena to identify essential components of effective phenomenon-based teaching. Critically consider phenomena with personal relevance for your students.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Build a deeper understanding of the differences between “hooks” and phenomena, 2. Consider and identify the benefits of using contextual, locally inspired phenomena to support all students, and 3. Identify potential local phenomena for their own classrooms to support more inclusive learning

SPEAKERS:
Martha Inouye (University of Wyoming: Laramie, WY), Ana Houseal (University of Wyoming: Laramie, WY)

This workshop provides participants with materials to construct a probe that can safely stimulate muscle movements in the arms and hands to build understanding of the nervous system’s interactions with the muscular skeletal systems.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How the nerves utilize electrochemical energy to create muscle movements; 2. How muscles when stimulated can move limbs; and 3. How to repurpose and utilize a TENS unit to demonstrate interactions of the neural and muscular skeletal systems.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Malone (University of Colorado at Colorado Springs: Colorado Springs, CO)

Explore how to take advantage of NSTA’s vast resources and pathways, including both asynchronous and synchronous options, to create personalized professional learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover the value of being a School or District NSTA Partner; 2. Explore how to maximize online professional learning for all teachers; and 3. Discover how to utilize NSTA's online learning resources to support in-person professional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Wendy Binder (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Problem solving? Creativity? Collaboration? Design Challenge? Join in a mini design challenge and develop your own challenge tailored for your class before you leave.

TAKEAWAYS:
Design sprints: 1. support innovation by solving a problem in a quick and creative manner; 2. engage students in 21st-century skills; and 3. incorporate many of the Next Generation Science Standards Science and Engineering Practices.

SPEAKERS:
Liz Martinez (Curriculum/Professional Development: Escondido, CA)

Explore NSTA’s NEWProfessional Learning Units. Discover these bite-sized asynchronous professional learning experiences that support student sensemaking to earn credit to submit to your school or district.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover how NSTA can provide asynchronous and bite-sized continuing education credit options (2 hours per PLU); 2. Explore how each PLU contains reflections or tasks connected to the classroom that are submitted to NSTA for review or feedback; and 3. Explore how we can support professional learning for individuals or schools/districts including the flexible options available for Professional Learning Unit topics, and how these fit into our Professional Learning pathways.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Allan (University of Central Oklahoma: Edmond, OK), Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Our students are already impacted by climate change. How can we teach about it in ways that help them all thrive on a damaged planet?

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Justice-centered climate science instruction is possible and needed throughout the grade span, and intersects with a variety of other ecological topics; 2. Our young people are already aware of and experiencing the effects of climate change, and educators are in a unique position to help them better understand and process this new reality; and 3. There are many resources already available to support educators in this work, even if it may sound daunting at first.

SPEAKERS:
Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA), Abby Rhinehart (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Learning science means engaging in DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs. Come explore how to generate authentic prompts that integrate all three dimensions to drive student learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Practice creating 3-D prompts that explicitly promote the three dimensions and drive more integrated student learning and assessment; 2. Learn how to adapt your own questions and prompts to better target specific dimensions; and 3. Consider how framing of activities, through questions and prompts, can support specific DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs.

SPEAKERS:
Ana Houseal (University of Wyoming: Laramie, WY), Martha Inouye (University of Wyoming: Laramie, WY), Jessica Stephens (Rock Springs Junior High School: Rock Springs, WY)

Students bring amazing intellectual resources to make sense of natural phenomena. Come learn how to notice and leverage these resources in your teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Identify equity dimensions of sensemaking through the science and engineering practices; 2. Learn to see different ways students contribute to making sense of phenomena—and connect to science; and 3. Better appreciate that navigating multiple ways of knowing is the basic human condition, not the exception.

SPEAKERS:
Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA), Tana Luther (Louisiana Dept. of Education: Baton Rouge, LA)

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)

Join us as we explore how NOAA Teacher at Sea can bring stimulating ocean science content to the classroom through a wide range of technology and media applications.

TAKEAWAYS:
NOAA Teacher at Sea provides numerous cutting-edge strategies to make ocean science accessible to students such as Google Cardboard and various VR applications to utilizing NOAA Teacher at Sea’s rich ocean science resources.

SPEAKERS:
Spencer Cody (Edmunds Central School District: Roscoe, SD)

Experience how the discussion diamond protocol can help support students’ argumentation skills and Claim-Evidence-Reasoning writing through peer discourse.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Student discourse can be used to support the development of students’ argumentation skills; 2. The discussion diamond protocol provides students with a structure to build scientific arguments based on evidence and reasoning in collaboration with their peers; and 3. The discussion diamond protocol is a versatile tool that can be adapted for students at different skill levels and in various subjects.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Ciccarello (Beverly Hills High School: Beverly Hills, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Stile Education

Redefine your science classroom with Stile technology. Experience how Stile empowers teachers to facilitate student-centered learning environments, all grounded in relevant, real-world science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Technology in science classrooms should redefine how we teach, not substitute it; 2. Current classrooms require multiple entry points for students to learn; and 3. Teachers can redefine how they plan for, facilitate, and analyze student thinking connected to the NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Shawna Jensen (Stile Education: Portland, OR), Julianna Jimenez (Stile Education: Los Angeles, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Software & Technology

Excite your students with hands-on science, whether you’re in the classroom or teaching remotely through collaborative data collection and real-time analysis. Seeing data collected right before their eyes using the Vernier Graphical Analysis™ Pro app gives students the ability to connect abstract concepts to real-world applications. Learn how to use our app to energize your classroom through data sharing, interactive sample experiments with synced data, custom videos, and more.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Educators can create experiments and share the data with students in real time; 2. Seeing data collected right before their eyes gives students the ability to connect abstract concepts to real-world applications; and 3. Graphical Analysis Pro helps students experience three-dimensional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Tallarovic (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR), Elaine Nam (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) is a way for students to explain observed phenomena in a scientific way. This structured approach allows students to use observations and data from an investigation. Students use critical reasoning to connect the claim, evidence, and reasoning together. CER is an acclaimed and highly successful instructional strategy that is changing how students understand concepts and write explanations for phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Understand the benefits of using the CER Framework; 2. Construct and critique a scientific explanation; and 3. Develop appropriate scaffolds for scientific explanation skills.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Shield (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Dr. Kenneth Heydrick (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Join us as we use a variety of physical models of DNA student-centered activities to explore the structure and function of this amazing biomolecule.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. practice their understanding of the structure of DNA while transferring their knowledge across different models of DNA; 2. consider how a model-based approach to investigating DNA deepens student understanding and inquiry; and 3. investigate the differences between RNA and DNA while examining models.

SPEAKERS:
Keri Shingleton (Holland Hall: Tulsa, OK)

In this interactive session, explore ways that you can support your students in engaging in shifts in your instruction and increase their socio-emotional skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Build a deeper understanding of two instructional shifts needed to achieve three-dimensional instruction; 2. Consider and identify what students need to know and understand to be able to participate in these shifts; and 3. Identify potential ways to support students to participate in three-dimensional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Ana Houseal (University of Wyoming: Laramie, WY), Martha Inouye (University of Wyoming: Laramie, WY)

Participants will learn about the successful and varied informal and formal science partnerships developed by members of the NSELA leadership community.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Successful partnerships between formal and informal science institutions increase student and community engagement in STEM education; 2. Success stories include STEM ecosystems; and 3. The NSELA Learning Center provides resources and support for ongoing learning about formal and informal science partnerships.

SPEAKERS:
Larry Plank (Hillsborough County Public Schools: Tampa, FL)

We are awash in assessment data, but often it’s overwhelming to make sense of it. Join us to learn tips and strategies for wrangling data.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore new ways to organize data collection and raw data to aid in exploring the data for stories after it is collected; 2. Acquire skills in tying questions, data types, and data visualizations to enhance your ability to make sense of the assessment data; and 3. Identify next steps to better utilize and leverage your assessment data to help you measure students’ success and know what steps to consider next.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hunter-Thomson (Dataspire Education & Evaluation, Rutgers University: Princeton, NJ)

Use each stage of the Engineering Design Process to complete a team challenge of building and launching a satellite while making connections to NASA missions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn about and use the engineering design process to build and perform a drop test of a satellite using NASA’s BEST activities; 2. learn how to integrate the process skills of measuring, calculating, designing, and evaluating while teaching the engineering design process; and 3. make real-life connections to how NASA engineers use the engineering design process and work as teams to accomplish their mission goals.

SPEAKERS:
Barbie Buckner (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: Greenbelt, MD)

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)

This presentation explores how race, culture, and language intersect to create the condition of contemporary learning. For years, research on the language of classrooms explored how the way we say things impacts students’ sense of belonging. Despite this research, Science and Technology Education have failed to adequately explore how issues of race, language, and culture shape the outcomes of teaching and learning in science. Through a sequence of research, this presentation explores the theoretical and pragmatic aspects of this dilemma. From a theoretical perspective, the talk will explore the Language-Identity dilemma. As students learn, the way academic language is taught to them can present a cognitive and cultural conflict. From a cognitive perspective, if science is taught without respect to the implications of how language is learned, students can be misunderstood and misunderstand the teacher’s complex discourse. From a cultural conflict perspective, students may feel they are cultural outsiders when the language of the classroom positions them as outsiders. The presentation provides an overview of a series of qualitative and quantitative experiments that document the realities of this complex interaction.

SPEAKERS:
Bryan Brown (Stanford University: Stanford, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Co.

Explore the ways open inquiry and engineering and design challenges can be used within a chemistry program to deepen conceptual understanding for your diverse students.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The session will support teachers in the implementation of all three dimensions of the CA NGSS; 2. Educators will see how to use phenomena to drive instruction, and offer suggestions for celebrating and meeting the needs of the diverse learners in their classroom; and 3. Educators will work together to complete an engineering challenge from Savvas’ Experience Chemistry program.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Horner (Savvas Learning Co.: Paramus, NJ)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Research has shown that the actual doing of science or engineering will pique students’ curiosity, capture their interest, and motivate their continued study. Combining this information with simple shifts in instructional sequencing can help students construct scientific meaning. Are you ready to open your eyes to a whole new world of scientific inquiry!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore the research-based 5E instructional model with adaptations for acceleration and intervention; 2. Learn several techniques to embed hands-on learning experiences in various classroom environments; and 3. Learn how to make simple shifts in your instructional plan and sequence to foster better student understanding of concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Kenneth Heydrick (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Stephanie Shield (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Participants will interact with hands-on modeling activities to investigate how proteins fold and easy ways to connect back to the central dogma. DNA might be the king, but proteins are the star of the show!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn about the benefits of hands-on modeling; 2. practice using the model to illustrate protein folding; and 3. see how modeling with the Amino Acid Starter kit already fits into their curriculum and can increase student mastery.

SPEAKERS:
Diane Sigalas (Livingston High School: Livingston, NJ)

Take your students beyond your classroom walls through virtual speakers and field trips with those on the front lines of science, exploration, and conservation.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover the benefits of bringing exciting scientists, explorers, and conservationists live into your classroom through virtual guest speakers and field trips; 2. Explore how easy it is to do with exciting resources like Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants, Explorer Classroom, Google, and more; and 3. What to do before, during, and afterwards so your students get the most from these experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Joe Grabowski (Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants: Elora, ON)

Argument-Driven Inquiry is an instructional model that gives students an opportunity to learn how to use DCIs, CCs, and SEPs to explain natural phenomena and creates a learning environment where students are able to talk, read, and write in the service of sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to use this instructional model, or way of teaching, to give students an opportunity to learn how to use the DCIs, CCs, and SEPs to make sense of natural phenomena; 2. How to give students an opportunity to use their own ideas and ways of communicating to talk, read, and write in the service of sensemaking; and 3. How to give students more opportunities to decide what counts as valid and acceptable and develop new criteria for what counts evidence in science.

SPEAKERS:
Todd Hutner (The University of Alabama: Austin, TX)

We will discuss a model for merging art and science instruction to attract and engage diverse students, develop science communication skills, and increase environmental stewardship.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Strategies for, and benefits of, implementing interdisciplinary science research into a middle or high school science course; 2. Developing environmental stewardship in students; and 3. How to develop reflection skills, communication skills, and science research skills in students.

SPEAKERS:
Susannah Sandrin (Arizona State University West Campus: Phoenix, AZ)

In this session, we present the importance of cultural responsiveness in the science classroom and introduce GBH’s Framework for Diversity and Equity in K–12 Science Educational Media to make science instruction more inclusive.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to assess educational media for science against a framework for diversity and equity; 2. Real-world examples of how science media was improved for DEI after assessment using the Framework; and 3. Practical tips educators can use to assess the science media they use in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kim Gonzalez (GBH Education: Brighton, MA)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

Attendees will explore a virtual decomposing corpse along with other clues to solve a mystery.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Data-assisted problem solving; 2. The science behind decomposition and variables that affect it; and 3. Storytelling is a powerful way to engage students into learning science concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Lukens (Retired Science Teacher: Sioux Falls, SD), Jessica Kohout (Howard County Conservancy: Woodstock, MD)

Different strategies will be shared and discussed that have been used to make science accessible for all high school students.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Relationship building ideas to help get to know your students; 2. See different formative assessments that work for all; and 3. Learn classroom activities that support learning.

SPEAKERS:
Brenda Walsh (Eden Prairie High School: Eden Prairie, MN)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Let’s explore several intervention strategies to help struggling students in STEM, and let's move beyond differentiation and scaffolding. Come learn other proven intervention techniques to help students. Learn how to modify our traditional outreach to connect with students so that they gain greater understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore several intervention strategies to help struggling students in STEM; 2. Compare differentiation and scaffolding strategies, and learn successful adaptations of each strategy; and 3. Explore effective intervention strategies that are built into the STEMscopes curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Kenneth Heydrick (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Stephanie Shield (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Model the cellular processes of transcription and translation using manipulatives that support the NGSS three dimensions, most notably the science and engineering practice of developing and using models.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. work together to practice modeling transcription and translation, while learning how this approach deepens student inquiry and understanding; 2. investigate how a mutation in DNA can result in a change in the protein produced. In addition, attendees will explore how to make connections between the Amino Acid Starter Kit and the Flow of Genetics Kit to illustrate the impact a mutation may have on the structure of a protein; and 3. consider how this modeling approach to DNA function works well with phenomenon-driven lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Eberhard (St. Clair High School: Saint Clair, MI)

The Dust Bowl and oil spills and disasters. What do they have in common? Engage in hands-on activities that investigate the interaction of Earth’s four spheres.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Scientists from various disciplines work together to solve problems; 2. Earth’s atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere are constantly interacting with one another; and 3. Human interaction with Earth’s systems may be detrimental with long-term effects.

SPEAKERS:
Liz Martinez (Curriculum/Professional Development: Escondido, CA)

We’ll unpack examples of young people learning across different settings, showing how formal and informal educators can collaborate to support science engagement and community involvement.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Young people bring their learning across settings, making connections between the practices and activities they do in informal and formal spaces; 2. When educators partner and coordinate experiences across settings, they can better support young peoples’ learning pathways, identity development, and promote community involvement; and 3. This session will offer examples of how young people have brought their learning and made connections across settings, which will highlight opportunities for educators to design better partnerships in the future to support young people in the future.

SPEAKERS:
Abby Rhinehart (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

First steps in engaging students in life that surrounds them by using hands-on activities and community support.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to make action steps to incorporate a local topic with hands-on labs into an NGSS-focused curriculum (examples used will be Beekeeping, Fish anatomy and physiology, and astronomy); 2. How to build relationships with informal educators and bring them into the classroom; and 3. How to incorporate local topics and and deepen ties with informal educators into school culture through the creation of extracurricular clubs and student-led learning activities.

SPEAKERS:
Nels Lund (Chelan High School: Chelan, WA)

Discover how to connect your classroom to America’s best idea, our National Parks System. Participants will get access to engaging NGSS-focused science videos and instructional resources to connect classrooms to our public lands.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Integrate lesson plans with instructional materials that connect students to our national parks; 2. Develop a sense of environmental stewardship and conservation with students; and 3. Make concepts and current environmental impacts on the parks relevant to your students.

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

Learn how the structure of your inquiry activities can produce roadblocks for emergent bilinguals, and how shifts based on student strengths increase engagement and success.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Good science modeling uses words and picture to make meaning. Working through multiple representations of phenomena shares similarities to translanguaging among bilinguals, resulting in a resource as opposed to a deficit approach to learning; 2. Student collaborations centered around representations, as opposed to language, are more inclusive and improve understanding for all students; and 3. Generative frameworks through chunking steps and heuristics allow for organization of understanding and context transfer.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Moore (University of Nebraska Omaha: Omaha, NE)

Sponsoring Company: BIOZONE International Ltd.

Hear about our superb new resources to support AP Biology, AP Environmental science, plus NGSS programs for biology, chemistry, physics, and Earth and space sciences.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover how the new titles have been structured to follow the latest CEDs; 2. Inquiry, case studies, and data analysis are used to develop enduring understanding of key concepts; and 3. Personal Progress Checks prepare students for the AP exam.

SPEAKERS:
Scott Schultz (BIOZONE Corp.: Parker, CO)

Sponsoring Company: Beyond Labz

Built on a platform developed over 20 years, Beyond Labz creates an open-ended environment providing students the opportunity to experiment, practice, fail, discover, and learn.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Beyond Labz simplifies and reduces the cost and expertise needed to provide crucial laboratory experiences and practice for secondary and higher ed students; 2. Attendees will learn how the labs are used for pre- and post-lab experiences, credit recovery and lab make-up, student engagement in class, and meeting NGSS standards; and 3. Basic onboarding and startup instructions will be provided for drop-in solutions, and instructions for using some of the more sophisticated features will also be described.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Woodfield (Brigham Young University: Provo, UT)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Come learn several strategies to help students organize their learning. Transform the old composition notebooks into a useful and engaging tool that incorporates technology and multimedia. Interactive student notebooks use various modalities, left/right-side format, and offer students an electronic portfolio of learning. Join us!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn several strategies to help students organize their learning; 2. Learn how to adapt old student notebooks into digital interactive portfolios with Slides, Jamboard, Flipgrid, Padlet, and Screencasify; and 3. Learn how to structure notebooks for left-side "Output" and right-side "Input."

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Kenneth Heydrick (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Stephanie Shield (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

The NSTA High School Committee will share strategies used in their classrooms to help students wonder about science, ask questions, be engaged, and develop ideas.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learning and sharing engagement strategies for the high school classroom; 2. Learning about sensemaking at the high school level; and 3. Using NSTA's Daily Do's in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Brenda Walsh (Eden Prairie High School: Eden Prairie, MN)

Discover best practices for incorporating ELA and technology—they're easy to implement in your classroom! Grab your device and let's talk all things science…it's LIT fam!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Examples of activities and assignments will be shared that can be incorporated in a variety of classroom science activities; 2. Attendees will create a foldable that can be used for a variety of topics and see how it was used in the classroom; and 3. Attendees will participate in a digital activity that can be manipulated to fit their content.

SPEAKERS:
Andrea Starks (Houston Middle School: Germantown, TN)

EdReports is expanding into high school instructional materials reviews. Learn about the High School Learning and Listening Tour, provide feedback on our current thinking, and hear about opportunities to become a reviewer.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Build an understanding of the challenges educators face in finding quality materials and how EdReports aims to address those challenges; 2. Learn about the expansion into High School science and develop an understanding of the findings from our High School Learning and Listening tour, characteristics of alignment to the NGSS and usability, and discuss smart adoption processes; and 3. Hear about opportunities to engage as an EdReports reviewer in upcoming reviews, which includes NGSS training, an extended learning community, and a paid stipend.

SPEAKERS:
Lacey Wieser (EdReports.org: Phoenix, AZ)

As an extension of our Type 2 Diabetes curriculum, we developed an online game to learn about blood glucose metabolism and the impact of disease.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to use the web-based game Blood Glucose Balance to engage learners in the complex phenomenon of glucose metabolism and diabetes; 2. Blood glucose levels are regulated to stay within a healthy range. Type 2 diabetes is the result of chronic high blood glucose levels over time, as mechanisms for regulation fails; and 3. Type 2 diabetes is a complex condition that is heavily influenced by environmental factors such as access to resources, personal choice, product marketing, public policy, socio-economic status, and stress.

SPEAKERS:
Joan Griswold (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Students love sketchnoting in science! Come learn how visual notetaking leads to deep processing and retention of content. Editable templates will be provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. What are sketchnotes; 2. How to use sketchnotes in science; and 3. How to greatly increase student processing.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Weibert (Fresno County Office of Education: Fresno, CA)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Mitosis, meiosis, chromosome structure, and crossing over will be explored in this hands-on modeling event. Bring your student hat and be ready to engage.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Model chromosome structure and anatomy; 2. Compare and contrast mitosis and meiosis; and 3. Model mechanisms that contribute to genetic variation.

SPEAKERS:
Keri Shingleton (Holland Hall: Tulsa, OK)

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 (UCLA Science Project: Los Angeles, CA), Zachary Cue (UCLA STEM+C3 and Science Project)

We will explore how students can use modeling and linked practices to engage with phenomena. Participants will take home a goody bag and lesson plans.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. We will demonstrate how students can use modeling, argumentative writing, and data analysis to explain different scientific phenomena throughout Earth and space sciences, life science, and physical sciences; 2. Participants will have the opportunity to build and revise three different kinds of models during the session as learners, and then reflect on how to use the same strategies with their students; and 3. Everyone will engage with different modeling scaffolds that increase inclusion and link the practice of modeling to others such as arguing from evidence, analyzing and interpreting data, and obtaining, evaluating and communicating information.

SPEAKERS:
James Clark (Director: Pleasanton, CA), Samantha Johnson (Arroyo High School: San Lorenzo, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Co.

From concrete to abstract—encourage students to revise working models to become “supermodels.” Join us for a hands-on activity and leave with tools for your grade level.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Gaining a better understanding of various types of models; 2. Using models to create an inclusive environment; and 3. Improving models as a means to authentically assess.

SPEAKERS:
Julia Cook (Savvas Learning Co.: Paramus, NJ), Ruperto Gloria (Savvas Learning Co.: Paramus, NJ)