2021 Los Angeles Area Conference - Sessions

How to Give Children More Opportunities to Use Science and Literacy to Make Sense of the World Around Them

This session introduces a way to create learning experiences that will give students opportunities to talk, read, and write in the service of sensemaking as they use the DCIs, CCs, and SEPs to explain natural phenomena.

Takeaways: 1. How to ensure students have access to science by designing investigations that promote and support the use of literacy skills; 2. How literacy can be used in the service of sensemaking; and 3. How to embed formative assessment of science practices and literacy skills into an investigation in a meaningful and informative way.

Speakers

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

Inspiring Literacy and Science Interest with Data

We use data to do science; data literacy is its own set of skills. Young learners benefit when we integrate data, literacy, and science together.

Takeaways: 1. Identify how data literacy is a critical aspect of literacy and science literacy in the 21st century; 2. Explore strategies and resources to use to authentically integrate data into K–5 science instruction; and 3. Develop a plan for next steps to elevate data as an aspect of meaningful connections between literacy and science.

Speakers

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

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

Using CERs as Formative Assessment to Show Student Learning in Interactive Notebooks

In this session, attendees will learn how to get students to write a scientific argument using a CER tool. They will also learn about a self-evaluation tool students can use to critique their writing.

Takeaways: Attendees will learn: 1. how to use a CER writing tool to make sure students are writing high-level scientific arguments; 2. the importance of the self-evaluation tool when writing CERs; and 3. how to use student interactive notebooks as a tool if students are reaching the learning goal.

Speakers

Nikki Luckin (Fairmont Elementary School: Sanger, CA)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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Taste Buds in Your Gut? Exploring Taste, Cell Communication, and Glucose Homeostasis

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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A Phenomenal Approach to Notebooking: Putting the Interaction into Interactive Notebooks

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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Classifying Solar System Objects: Is Pluto a Planet?

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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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.

Speakers

Jonte' Lee (Calvin Coolidge Senior High School: Washington, DC)

NASA's Space Food and Nutrition

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

STEM Teaching Tools: Resources for Justice-Centered Science Instruction

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)

Funding for Science Education Through the American Rescue Plan

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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Escaping the Mundane Classroom

Throw away your worksheets and turn your classroom into a collaborative, engaging “escape” room.

Takeaways: 1. Discover how to turn existing lessons into engaging escape rooms; 2. Receive dozens of hands-on puzzle ideas; and 3. Hear how to have your students create a standards-based escape room.

Speakers

Carissa Brazeal (Hollywood Academy of Arts & Science: Hollywood, FL)

Are These Materials Designed for NGSS? Understanding the EdReports Review Process (Grades K–8)

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

Develop Engaged, Future-Ready Science Learners

Attendees will actively engage with innovative, technology-rich tools while learning strategies to teach data collection and analysis, engineering design processes, coding, and robotics. Discover engaging ways to apply coding to make devices “work,” adding rigor and complexity as learners gain skills and understanding.

Takeaways: Attendees will learn how to: 1. design accessible, equitable hands-on learning experiences, in which ALL students actively participate and engage with innovative technology tools, helping students learn essential science concepts, engineering processes, and learn how to collaborate with peers to increase understanding; 2. teach authentic data collection and analysis, so that students can learn how to explore and test variables and measure and analyze their effects; and 3. use programmable technology tools and devices as effective teaching tools, helping students learn how to input code to achieve a desirable outcome, and how to analyze, diagnose, and correct the code when the device doesn’t perform as intended.

Speakers

Donna Knoell (Educational and Technology Consultant: Overland Park, KS)

Bridging the Gap: Using Teacher Leaders to Support Informal Educators

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)

NESTA Presents: Addressing the NGSS Through Topographic Maps and Profiles

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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NSTA Press Session: Ignite Your Professional Teaching Practice with NSTA’s Trilogy of Three-Dimensional Resources

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)

NSELA-Sponsored Session: How as Science Leaders Are We Supporting an Asset View of Science Learners?

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)

Phenomenon-Based, Literacy-Rich Learning Using Digitized Museum Objects

Engage with Research Quest, free, online, NGSS-focused, phenomenon-based investigations using authentic museum objects and research to build students' literacy, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills.

Takeaways: Teachers will: 1. experience an exemplar set of free resources that successfully integrate NGSS and ELA standards to provide students with meaningful, self-directed learning; 2. recognize that providing students with opportunities to research phenomenon-based problems professional scientists devote their careers to using the collections and data they build new knowledge from can empower students to better understand the enterprise of science, the natural world, and the natural history of our world—while building their literacy and critical-thinking skills; and 3. understand that creating opportunities to make critical thinking visible is an essential scaffold necessary to support student efficacy with problem finding and problem solving.

Speakers

Madlyn Larson (Natural History Museum of Utah: Salt Lake City, UT)

Unleashing Your Inner Scientist!

Find yourself teaching science with little or no “formal” science training? Have no fear—let’s uncover the unknown science within you!

Takeaways: 1. Science is not a mystical/elite field; 2. Educators know more science than they are aware of; and 3. Both educators and students can be more comfortable with "science" topics when presented in everyday terms.

Speakers

Carl Carranza (Cabrillo Marine Aquarium: San Pedro, CA)

Supporting Three-Dimensional Learning Through Model-Based Inquiry Units and Resources

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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The New Normal: Reviewing the Remote Experience, Keeping the Positive, and Blending Lessons When Returning to the Classroom

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)

Using Phenomena to Promote Sensemaking and Deepen Coherence

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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Build a Probe to Stimulate Muscle Movement

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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Partnering with NSTA to Reach Your Professional Learning Goals

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)

NMLSTA-Sponsored Session: The Great Water Design Challenge

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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Discover NSTA’s New Professional Learning Units to Earn Continuing Education Credit

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)

Tools for Justice-Centered Climate Change Teaching and Learning

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)

Real-World Science

The NWWII Museum has developed a science curriculum for students in grades 5–8 that uses stories from WWII and connected investigations to bring science to life for students.

Takeaways: 1. Get access to the free Real World Science curriculum; 2. Practice one or more of the activities; and 3. Find out about teacher workshops, student webinars, and other resources from The National WWII Museum.

Speakers

Rob Wallace (Teacher PD and Curriculum Design: Kenner, LA)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

Using Three-Dimensional Prompts to Drive Student Sensemaking

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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Engineering for STEM Literacy in Support of Workforce Readiness—Presented by Teacher Fellows from the 2020–2021 Northrop Grumman Foundation Teachers Academy

Come experience quality engineering lessons inspired by externships with engineers that require students to acquire and use elements of disciplinary core ideas (DCIs) from physical, life, or Earth and space sciences together with elements of DCIs from engineering design to solve problems.

Takeaways: 1. Experience how to create an authentic need to integrate science and engineering ideas to solve an authentic problem, making the interdependence of science and engineering explicit; 2. Explore examples of engineering lessons that provide access for all students that are grounded in sensemaking; and 3. Discuss what it means to be career ready and the skills that are inherent in three-dimensional learning as espoused by NGSS and the K–12 Framework for Science Education.

Speakers

Wendy Binder (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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CSSS-Sponsored Session: Supporting All Students in Making Sense of Phenomena by Building All of Their Intellectual Resources

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)

Protocols for Student Success with Science and Engineering Practices

Using protocols will scaffold students’ learning as they apply science and engineering practices to science lessons. Come see how this approach can change your science instruction!

Takeaways: 1. Teachers will receive a grade-band appropriate set of protocols ready to use in the classroom (printable copies, teaching slides, and digital versions compatible with Google Classroom will all be provided); 2. Experience a model lesson using the Science and Engineering Protocols; and 3. Receive training on how to use the Science and Engineering Protocols to engage students in doing science, not just learning about science.

Speakers

Lynn Gutzwiller (Murray City School District: West Jordan, UT), Rachael Coleman (Jordan School District: West Jordan, UT)

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.

Speakers

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

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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Pole of Inaccessibility: Bringing Ocean Science to North America’s Great Interior

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)

Transforming Science Classrooms by Redefining Learning Spaces with Stile

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: Los Angeles, CA), Julianna Jimenez (Stile Education: Los Angeles, CA)

Enliven Learning with Experimentation

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 Software & Technology: Beaverton, OR), Elaine Nam (Vernier Software & Technology: Beaverton, OR)

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning: Scientific Explanations to Increase Student Voice

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), Kenneth Heydrick (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Dynamic DNA: More Than Just As, Ts, Gs, and Cs

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)

Supporting Students in Engaging Fully in Three-Dimensional Instruction

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

NSELA-Sponsored Session: Highlighting Stories of Successful (Formal and Informal Science) Partnerships from National Science Leaders

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)

Welcome to the Inquiry Zone!

Elementary teachers can become comfortable teaching science without "adding to their plate." Our strategies have led to a natural approach to cross-curricular instruction.

Takeaways: Participants will learn: 1. an approach to decrease the load or stress for elementary teachers to help them feel more comfortable implementing inquiry; 2. how literacy is foundational to a robust cross-curricular science inquiry approach; and 3. an approach to help students "think like a scientist."

Speakers

Douglas Hunnings (Elkhart Community Schools: Elkhart, IN), John Taylor (ETHOS Innovation Center: Elkhart, IN)

What Do I Do with This? Making Sense of Your Assessment Data

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

3-2-1 Lift-Off! NASA’s Beginning Engineering Science and Technology (BEST) Curriculum

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

You Had Me at Toys :)

Middle schoolers haven’t grown up yet so trot out the toys and the science parodies…the best way to their brains!

Takeaways: 1. Reading is great but singing about a concept will cement vocabulary better than anything else; 2. Kids needs to be engaged with the material and nothing does that like PLAYING with something and raising their own questions; and 3. Science classes that are fun as well as challenging will be the ones that educate.

Speakers

Jen Taylor (Lakeview Academy: Saratoga Springs, UT)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

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.

Speakers

Jonte' Lee (Calvin Coolidge Senior High School: Washington, DC)

Featured Presentation: The Meaning Beyond the Words: How Language, Race, and Culture Impact Science Teaching and Learning

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)

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.

Speakers

Sue Whitsett (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Let's Get Back to Hands-On Learning and Use 5E Science Lessons to Emphasize Effective Instructional Sequences

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

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

Smashing Classrooms Walls Through Virtual Events

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)

NSTA Press Session: Argument-Driven Inquiry as a Way to Bring Three-Dimensional Instruction to Your Classroom

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)

Culturally Responsive Science: GBH's Framework for Diversity and Equity in K–12 Science Educational Media

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

Making the STEM Connection by Looking into the Future

This project-based STEM experience encourages your students to design and create cities of the future. Give your students a real-world experience of doing what an engineer does while working with real engineers.

Takeaways: 1. Discover how this career-related project-based experience can illustrate the application of STEM; 2. Help students understand the engineering design process and project management; and 3. Give students a real-world experience of doing what an engineer does.

Speakers

John Hutchens (Ruth Patrick Science Education Center: Aiken, SC)

Using Maggots, Flies, and Flesh to Solve a Mystery!

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)

Elevate Your Science Classroom with an Escape Room

Ready to break out of your everyday routine and foster cross-curricular collaborative conversations? Experience the power of using Escape Room techniques and draw on individual strengths to work through engaging puzzles and challenges while actively navigating science standards.

Takeaways: 1. Provide teachers with lesson plan ideas; 2. Show that escape rooms provide motivation and give students a reason to try and understand and connect with the material; and 3. Show that escape rooms are immersive experiences that encourage teamwork in solving puzzles and finding clues to complete an objective.

Speakers

Julia Cook (Savvas Learning Co.: Paramus, NJ), David Chinh (Savvas Learning Co.: Paramus, NJ)

Effective Intervention Strategies: Let’s Hook Students into 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

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

NMLSTA-Sponsored Session: Oil Spills and Dust Bowls

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

Plastic Waste and Mental Health: How Young People Build on Informal Learning to Make Change in Their School and Communities

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

Engaging Students in Local Science with Hands-On Activities

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)

Every Park in a Classroom: OutSCIder Classroom

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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Making Science Inquiry Work for Emergent Bilinguals

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)

Using Interactive and Digital Student Notebooks

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

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

Science—It's LIT!

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

A Better Way to Take Notes! Visually Processing Science Content with Sketchnotes

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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Nurture Through Nature: How Teachers Stumbled Their Way into Building the Most Innovative School Club in the Country

Want to get your students outside enjoying nature and taking an active interest in improving the world around us, but don’t know where to start and how to sustain it? Join in for strategies to encourage critical thinking about environmental issues, methods to help students gain awareness of everyday resources and uses, budgeting and funding procedures, and ways to meet multiple subject areas. Empower your students to become part of the solution!

Takeaways: 1. Critical thinking about environmental issues methods to help students gain awareness of everyday resources and uses; and 2. Ways to meet multiple subject areas.

Speakers

Dawn Chehab (Millennia Gardens Elementary School: Orlando, FL), John Martinez (Millennia Gardens Elementary School: Orlando, FL)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
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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.

Speakers

Leticia Perez (UCLA Science Project: Los Angeles, CA), Zachary Cue (UCLA Science Project: Los Angeles, CA)

Making Student Thinking Visible: Developing and Using Models in Instruction and Assessment

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)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

You 👏🏻  Better 👏🏻  Work 👏🏻—From Modeling to SuperModeling

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)

Inclusive Science Assessments: Supporting and Designing Equitable Formative Assessments to Build on Learners’ Interests and Knowledge

Learn how to integrate the cultural resources your students bring to class with your science teaching and learning. Come explore equity-based cultural formative assessments.

Takeaways: 1. Resources for instructional leaders and educators to support and create meaningful connections between classroom science concepts and the application of those ideas in everyday situations; 2. Discussion of the implementation of these tools and resources in dynamic school environments; and 3. The strategies presented in this workshop can be used with any curricula, at any grade level, and in all subjects of science and engineering.

Speakers

Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA)

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.

Speakers

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

Exploring the Properties of Water and Cell Membranes

Explore the properties of water and discover the structure and function of cell membranes with engaging models that allow students to drive their learning!

Takeaways: Attendees will: 1. learn how modeling the properties of water allows students to predict the structure of cell membranes; 2. use models to explain the structure and function of cell membranes, including the transport of molecules across the membrane; and 3. experience how the use of these models allows student thinking to become visible.

Speakers

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

Infusing Your STEM Curriculum with Real-World Connections

Discover how students may use their mobile devices to document “science in action,” anytime, anywhere, in this unique intersection between socratic questioning and place-based learning.

Takeaways: How students may use their mobile devices: 1. to demonstrate their knowledge of scientific concepts in a real-world context; 2. connect this real-world context to crosscutting concepts; and 3. explore how this learning model may be used to support service learning in the science curriculum.

Speakers

Eric Walters (Marymount School of New York: New York, NY)

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

NASA’s Scale of Discovery and the Solar System Scroll

Let’s make a pocket solar system scroll. Come learn how to apply ratios to create a scale model of the planets based on your height.

Takeaways: 1. With a properly scaled solar system scroll, participants will identify inner and outer planets and readily SEE why they are named as such (ESS1, ESS2); 2. Understanding the concept of rations and fractions, part-to-whole, participants will leave being able to create a proportional solar system in their classroom, on a football field, or across their state; and 3. This activity takes unique NASA content, places it in context within the curriculum, and makes applications beyond the solar system that include scientific inquiry and scientific discovery while using mathematics to show proportions and relate to the overall structure of our solar system (ETS2).

Speakers

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

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

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.

Speakers

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

A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Words

Connect place-based phenomena with concepts and language of the disciplines through collaborative storytelling while strengthening students' language skills and digital literacies.

Takeaways: 1. Support grade-specific state standards using phenomena found in plain view of the classrooms; 2. Identify picture books that support these phenomena and develop concept appropriate vocabulary; and 3. Build digital collaboration, design, and citizenship skills that support literacy.

Speakers

Morris McCormick (Arminta Street Elementary School: North Hollywood, CA)

Historical Accounting of Oppression in STEM Spaces

Empowering students to make science-based decisions requires acknowledgment and dialogue around the injustices marginalized communities have endured within scientific fields.

Takeaways: 1. Develop empathy through the exploration of historical events that have accumulated generational mistrust of STEM communities; 2. Create opportunities to acknowledge and validate personal experience even when it might contradict our personal experience or larger data sets; and 3. Explore the impact of the objectivity myth perpetuated within STEM educational spaces.

Speakers

Justin Betzelberger (UCLA Science Project: Los Angeles, CA), Zachary Cue (UCLA Science Project: Los Angeles, CA)

Mathematics and Computational Thinking Using Authentic Data and Practices

Start highlighting the practice of mathematics and computational thinking! We’ll utilize resources that allow students to engage in traditional and less traditional ways.

Takeaways: 1. Participants will engage as learners in different levels of mathematical representations, all of which emphasize how to make the practice more inclusive of all students; 2. Everyone will leave being able to demonstrate at least three different ways to mathematically represent authentic data; and 3. Participants will look critically at how to scaffold different graphical texts for student analysis.

Speakers

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

Presenter Materials for this Session:
(Please login with your NSTA account to view the materials)

Engaged and Online—Virtual Science Investigations Using Digitized Museum Specimens

EPIC Bioscience are free online investigations for NGSS middle school life science. Students collect and analyze data from digitized museum specimens to develop evidence-based arguments.

Takeaways: 1. Educators can evaluate online science investigations based on key features needed to engage students in real-world issues, motivate accurate data collection, and facilitate critical thinking and reflection; 2. Digitized museum specimens can increase student engagement during data collection and support student understanding of data patterns; and 3. Fully supported online science investigations have potential to reduce barriers related to museum access and specimen availability.

Speakers

Madlyn Larson (Natural History Museum of Utah: Salt Lake City, UT)