2021 Los Angeles Area Conference

December 9-11, 2021

Grade Level


Topics

















Strands







Session Type





Pathway/Course

FILTERS APPLIED:6 - 8, Supporting the Social and Emotional Needs of Students Post-COVID-19, Environmental Science

 

Rooms and times subject to change.
24 results
Save up to 50 sessions in your agenda.

STEM Teaching Tools: Resources for Justice-Centered Science Instruction

Thursday, December 9 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 514


STRAND: Developing More Inclusive Classrooms

Show Details

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

NESTA Presents: Addressing the NGSS Through Topographic Maps and Profiles

Thursday, December 9 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 404



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
LA 2021 Topographic Maps and Topographic Profiles.pdf
Activity that will be completed during the session. Several of the topographic maps used are placed based and should be familiar to anyone from the greater LA Basin.
NSTA 2021 -Topographic Maps and Profiles.pdf
PowerPoint of presentation that shows how to construct the two models used to help students understand how 2D topographic maps represent 3D surfaces.

Show Details

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)

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

Thursday, December 9 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 503


Show Details

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 (Program Director, STEM Professional Learning: Arlington, VA)

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

Thursday, December 9 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 408B


STRAND: Literacy/Science Connections in the Classroom

Show Details

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)

Using Phenomena to Promote Sensemaking and Deepen Coherence

Thursday, December 9 • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 507



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Print-out of scenarios
Science Teacher Article on phenomenon examples
Session PPT

Show Details

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)

Partnering with NSTA to Reach Your Professional Learning Goals

Thursday, December 9 • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 408A


Show Details

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 (Program Director, STEM Professional Learning: Arlington, VA)

NMLSTA-Sponsored Session: The Great Water Design Challenge

Friday, December 10 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 408B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Algal Blooms and Algae Resources.docx
Flooding and Severe Weather Resources.docx
General Topics and Resources.docx
IMSA Developed Research Questions.docx
IMSA Team Schedule.docx
Individual School Schedule Letter.docx
Marine Debris Resources.docx
Plant and Animal Invasive Species Resources.docx
Problem Statement List.docx
School Team SME Sessions.docx
Student Generated Questions for SME.docx
The Great Water Design Challenge LA.pdf
Vector Borne Diseases Resources.docx

Show Details

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/Assessment: Escondido, CA)

Discover NSTA’s New Professional Learning Units to Earn Continuing Education Credit

Friday, December 10 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 502A


Show Details

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

Friday, December 10 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 401


STRAND: Developing More Inclusive Classrooms

Show Details

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

Voices of Hope: Climate Science Unit

Friday, December 10 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 502B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Voices of Hope: Climate Science Unit
Graphic Organizer "A Warming earth"

STRAND: Literacy/Science Connections in the Classroom

Show Details

Climate Science can be a difficult topic, however focusing on hope and action allows students to see they can make a difference. Come see how!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Gain strategies to support all students, but especially English Learners (using OCDE, Orange County Department of Education, Project GLAD® strategies); 2. Learn the content and the relevant issues that are impacting climate change; and 3. How to focus on the importance of maintaining hope. We do this by showing students how their actions will make a difference.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Lindholm (North Central Educational Service District: Wenatchee, WA)

Using Three-Dimensional Prompts to Drive Student Sensemaking

Friday, December 10 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 507



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
3D Prompts_Guide_NSTA LA2021.pdf
Guide to writing 3D prompts
Guide to writing 3D prompts
Session PPT

STRAND: Sharing Authentic Assessment Strategies

Show Details

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)

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

Friday, December 10 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 505



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Session Resource Document Form
Form to access the Resource Document and slide deck from the session.

Show Details

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, LLC)

Local Phenomenon-Based Projects

Friday, December 10 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 406B


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: AEOP

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Sue Whitsett (Retired: Arlington, VA)

Who Is Baby Whale’s Father? DNA Fingerprinting Solves the Mystery!

Friday, December 10 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 409B


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Develop an understanding of gel electrophoresis and environmental science principles while helping a whale calf identify which whale is her father.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how the MiniOne Electrophoresis System has made teaching DNA separation labs more teacher and student friendly; 2. See how you can affordably teach genetics labs that allow students to take ownership of every step from prep to analysis; and 3. Learn how hands-on labs can inspire students with real-world inquiry-based science.

SPEAKERS:
Callen Hyland (Embi Tec: San Diego, CA)

Smashing Classrooms Walls Through Virtual Events

Friday, December 10 • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 502A


STRAND: Innovating the Future of Education: Technology and Science Education

Show Details

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)

CSSS-Sponsored Session: What Is Computational Thinking and Why It's Not Just a Buzzword

Friday, December 10 • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 506


Show Details

Participants will learn about the key pedagogical model of computational thinking (CT) and see how it can be incorporated into lessons by teachers at all grade levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Conceptual thinking; 2. Coastal erosion phenomenon; and 3. Take a complex problem, deconstruct it, and use data to reason a testable answer.

SPEAKERS:
Jamie Mixon (Louisiana Dept. of Education: Baton Rouge, LA), Tana Luther (Louisiana Dept. of Education: Baton Rouge, LA), Molly Talbot (Louisiana Dept. of Education: Baton Rouge, LA), Michelle Lewis (Louisiana Dept. of Education: Baton Rouge, LA)

NMLSTA-Sponsored Session: Oil Spills and Dust Bowls

Friday, December 10 • 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 501



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Dust Bowl Event Cards.docx
Dust Bowls and Oil Spills Activity.docx
Oil Spills and Dust Bowls Images.docx
Oil Spills and Dust Bowls.pdf

Show Details

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/Assessment: Escondido, CA)

Engaging Students in Local Science with Hands-On Activities

Friday, December 10 • 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 506


Show Details

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

Friday, December 10 • 3:30 PM - 4:00 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 408B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
OutSCIder Classroom Presentation NSTA

Show Details

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)

Beyond Labz: Realistic Virtual Labs That Bridge the Gap Between Real Labs and Scientific Inquiry

Friday, December 10 • 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 407


Show Details

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)

Science—It's LIT!

Saturday, December 11 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 506



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Lab RERUN
*Not my original document. Use for wrap up and clarifying lab/hands-on activities
SPACE Writing.pdf
*Not my original document. Prompts for writing in the science classroom. Use for daily activities, lab activities, etc.

Show Details

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)

Using Environmental Solutions as a Lens for Teaching Science and Engineering

Saturday, December 11 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 406B


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Green Ninja

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

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

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

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

Saturday, December 11 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 504


Show Details

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)

Featured Presentation: Fostering Joy: Designing Science Learning Around Climate Justice and Action

Saturday, December 11 • 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM

Los Angeles Convention Center - 515A


Show Details

The intersections of climate, justice, and science learning offer a multitude of challenges and opportunities. As we look forward to our shared future, there is a growing understanding for the need to accelerate just climate action in mitigation of fossil fuel emissions and climate change adaptation efforts. However, not all of the choices we make will foster justice and not all decision-making practices on how to act are foundationally equitable in nature. To ensure our communities, particularly our youth, are equipped and inspired to engage in just climate action, we need to design learning that crosses historic boundaries, shifts power dynamics, and engages all involved in transformative experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Deb Morrison (University of Washington)

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