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)

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)

Learn how to create engaging lessons, connecting to student interests and to the science and natural phenomena that surround us. Pick up strategies to engage K–6 students in explorations, helping them recognize and understand real-world science while creating a lifelong love of science. Handouts!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn: 1. innovative strategies to help children identify, explore, and understand a variety of interesting, real-life science that surrounds them in their everyday world; 2. how to design lessons that emphasize exploration, and give students the opportunity to test variables and analyze their effects; and 3. effective questioning strategies to engage students and increase the depth of student thinking, also helping to make student thinking visible; and to help teachers use effective questioning strategies to help students clarify and articulate their understanding of essential science phenomena and concepts.

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

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)

Join us as we explore how specialty crops can be a useful tool in the classroom by improving both instruction and student nutrition.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn: 1. about resources for teaching about botany, plant science, and soil science made available through the specialty crops block grant; 2. how to incorporate NGSS into Free Fruit and Vegetable education program requirements; and 3. how to incorporate NGSS into nutrition science across the curriculum.

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

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)

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)

Support SEL while meeting science standards through student investigations and citizen science. Motivate students with schoolyard projects and real data with our free inquiry curriculum!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will; 1. explore free resources to scaffold citizen science–inspired inquiry projects; 2. discover how outdoor learning and inquiry projects can support social and emotional learning; and 3. discuss the challenges and opportunities related to authentic scientific inquiry and how classroom teachers have successfully implemented these practices.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Fee (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Ithaca, NY)

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)

Use innovative video-assisted STEM activities, demonstrations, award-winning videos, and behind-the-crash-tests tours to teach the science of car crashes. Free lesson plans included. Visit  Classroom.IIHS.org  for more information.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participant will learn: 1. how to access inquiry-based activities and video-supported experiences integrating STEM concepts with vehicle crashworthiness and crash avoidance technologies; 2. how scientists and engineers use technology (crash dummies, crash tests, crash avoidance testing) at a vehicle research center to measure and evaluate vehicle safety systems; and 3. how to incorporate technology-enhanced STEM design challenges (Project Pedestrian Sensors and Egg-Carrying Paper Car Crash) into their curriculum to promote student awareness and understanding of how engineering and technology are used to build safer vehicles.

SPEAKERS:
Griff Jones (University of Florida: No City, No State)

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)

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)

Use award-winning videos, paper car crashes, egg drop cushions, and behind-the-crash-tests tours to teach motion and energy concepts. All resources are free at classroom.iihs.org.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how: 1. to access inquiry-based activities and video-supported experiences integrating STEM concepts with vehicle crashworthiness and crash avoidance technologies; 2. scientists and engineers use technology (crash dummies, crash tests, crash avoidance testing) at a vehicle research center to measure and evaluate vehicle safety systems; and 3. to incorporate culminating STEM design challenges (Project Pedestrian Sensors and Egg-Carrying Paper Car Crash) into their curriculum to promote student awareness and understanding of how engineering and technology are used to build safer vehicles. Examples of student assessments (formative and summative) are provided.

SPEAKERS:
Griff Jones (University of Florida: No City, No State)

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)

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)

Discover hands-on activities that introduce students to gathering, representing, and interpreting data on water and energy use, population ecology, and sustainability.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn ways to incorporate real-world data sets into elementary hands-on activities around the NGSS topic of Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems; 2. learn ways to incorporate real-world data sets into elementary hands-on activities around the NGSS topic of Earth’s Systems; and 3. be able to identify how the presented hands-on activities meet the NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts, and Science & Engineering Practices; and how the activities can be used to reach all kinds of learners in the elementary classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Sutorus (City of Colton: Colton, CA)

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)

Connect to nature, explore biodiversity data, and build science practices with eBird citizen science. Bring your own device and use free apps to discover birds and beyond, wherever you are.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to: 1. use the Merlin bird ID app to identify birds and create a list of the most 10 common birds in their area, and to use the eBird citizen science app to submit a checklist of birds; 2. define citizen science and describe how it can help students develop data literacy, deepen understanding of biodiversity, uncover real-world patterns and trends, and support conservation efforts; and 3. name and access at least three freely available resources (such as apps, online interactives, videos, lesson plans, data visualizations, and projects) that are suitable to use in their classroom to diverse learners in citizen science.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Fee (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Ithaca, NY)

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)

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)

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)

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)

No-mess dissections! Shark feedings! Find out how Cabrillo Marine Aquarium can bring these and more to your class through our online programming!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Cabrillo Marine Aquarium can be a valuable resource to educators beyond our immediate area; 2. Cabrillo Marine Aquarium provides a wide array of freely available online content for educators; and 3. Online materials can enhance classroom learning.

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

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)

Come get a window bird feeder and discover how to attract birds and student interest! Take home activities and ideas to teach science through birds.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. discover how to encourage student curiosity and learning through feeder birds and free Cornell Lab resources; 2. learn where and when to hang feeders in order to attract a variety of birds; and 3. explore apps and resources to help identify birds and participate in our citizen science projects.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Fee (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Ithaca, NY)

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)

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)

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)