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)

Learn how a science teacher incorporated HOTS (higher-order thinking skills), technology, and alternative assessments in her classroom and doesn't want to go back to traditional assessments.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Describe higher order thinking skills and how educators need to help students obtain these skills. 2. Show examples of how technology can be used as a tool to help students learn HOTS. 3. See examples of how alternative assessments were used in a science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Emilie Tekely (Dauphin County Technical School: Harrisburg, PA)

Discover how to successfully launch and retrieve payloads engineered by your students into the stratosphere. In the 21st century, the sky is truly the limit!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to design, predict and track stratospheric ballooning projects. Attendees will learn about the FAA guidelines and regulations associated with unmanned balloons. Attendees will learn about the challenges and pitfalls of gathering data from extreme environments up to 20 miles from the surface of the Earth.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Ferrell (St. Georges Technical High School: Middletown, DE), Michael Oberly (Springer Middle School: Wilmington, DE)

Did you realize that elders used inquiry, a multidisciplinary project-based approach, hands-on learning, and innovation? Incorporating these ideas will improve your classroom for ALL students.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. All teachers can adapt their teaching methods to match those of our elders. 2. The sequence and methods that were used by our elders insured that students were active learners. 3. The elders not only had students build a foundation of knowledge, but also they accomplished this by using inquiry, exploring phenomena, implementing a hands-on approach, and concluding with an innovative extension.

SPEAKERS:
Joel Truesdell (Kamehameha Schools Hawaii Campus: Keaau, HI)

Successful environmental science education needs to balance data with compassion and equitable sensemaking. How do we manage student anxiety and invite them into the problem?

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will form support groups to recognize their own anxiety in order to prevent burnout and deliver content effectively and sensitively. Subtractive problem solving will be highlighted as a means to ease "hopelessness" in climate discussions. The role of sensemaking, as it applies to students of various backgrounds and with various needs, will be brought into the climate discussion as well.

SPEAKERS:
Margaret Epstein (The Baldwin School: Bryn Mawr, PA)

Discover 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: Prairie Village, KS)

Consideration of both the NGSS and Environmental Education Guidelines can help teacher educators prepare K–12 teachers who are developing environmental curricula that humanize and democratize education for all K–12 students by being inclusive, anti-racist, and working to achieve equity and sustainability for all communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Integration of of environmental education into preservice and inservice science teacher training; 2. Developing an environmental curriculum that humanizes and democratizes education for all; and 3. Preparing activist teachers who are ready, willing, and able to create activist students.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Gordon (NYU Steinhardt School of Education: New York, NY)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Lynn Kistler (Upper St. Clair High School: Pittsburgh, PA), Ruthann McComb (Elkin High School: Elkin, NC)

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:
Andy Weatherhead (National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA): Downingtown, PA)

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), Flavio Mendez (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Learn how to utilize the technology you’ve come to love in innovative ways not discussed by their accompanying user guide for both instructional and noninstructional purposes.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Technological platforms can be used creatively to do more than what each platform is marketed for 2. Technology is beneficial for both instructional and non-instructional practices 3. Technology is a powerful tool for educators whether students are in person or virtual

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Allessio (Robbinsville High School: Robbinsville, NJ)

Model stellar evolution processes using NASA images, plotting H-R diagram transitions, and determining the chemistry and physics of supernovas using NASA STEM image analysis tools.

TAKEAWAYS:
Knowledge of the process of how stars form and change over time ending in catastrophic events, providing conditions for the formation of planets. Students will understand that all knowledge of celestial events is determined by analyzing the light from these events and provide possibilities – not definitive answers, as the data can be interpreted differently. Image analysis software tools allow scientists to gain detailed information of stellar physical and chemical processes and constantly refine our evolving models of stellar evolution.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Young (NASA/NSO/UoL Program Manager: Laughlin, NV)

Learn how to bring the Amazon to life in your classroom through learning from Indigenous community elders, entomologists, primatologists, ornithologists, other formal and informal educators.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn how to connect the Amazon to their classroom through engaging, thoughtful activities Develop an understanding of the Indigenous Tribe of the Maijuna people and how we can support them and their work Make connections with scientists in different fields of study to collaborate and engage students

SPEAKERS:
Kate Price (Moore Square Magnet Middle School: Raleigh, NC)

The challenges presented to our students by the world in which they will live require committed problem solvers with the academic, life, and social skills promoted through an education utilizing design learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how each step of the design process can promote essential skills in their classroom. Attendees will learn where effective and appropriate technology use enhances the design process and problem solving. Attendees will learn how design learning fosters leadership skills in those facilitating the learning and in those participating in the challenges.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Chad LeDune (Southwest School Corporation: Sullivan, IN)

We present the EQuIPD coaching model used in establishing collaborations between teachers and coaches in a professional development to improve teaching practices and student outcome.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The attendees will learn how coaching can foster collaborations among teachers and coaches to effect improvement in teaching practices. 2. The attendees will reflect on their practices by engaging with a facilitative coaching method by EQuIPD experts. 3. The attendees will learn the critical features of the EQuIPD facilitative coaching model.

SPEAKERS:
Nancy Ruzycki (University of Florida: Gainesville, FL)

How does toxic ammonia from fish waste end up serving as a nitrogen source for plants? Attend this informative session to learn about aquaponics.

TAKEAWAYS:
How the nitrogen cycle influences both plant and fish health. How to use a modular design philosophy to allow students to innovate and create an aquaponics system in the classroom. How to incorporate Virginia's Trout in the Classroom program into your aquaponics system.

SPEAKERS:
Eric March (Browne Academy: Alexandria, VA), Kristen Oberhofer (Browne Academy: Alexandria, VA)

Gain important insight on how to easily and gently integrate lessons on Climate Education and Environmental Justice using project-based and class-tested activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to offer students ways to understand events, make changes and be a voice for changing the current climate dilemma and environmental injustices. Attendees will learn about activities that can be used to support students to drive social change or offer citizen science. Attendees will be inspired by the innovative ways shared on best practices to communicate effectively with students.

SPEAKERS:
Lolita Kiorpes (Thomas Stone High School: Waldorf, MD)

What is an effective and engaging way to get students to care about climate change and take action? This session will focus on how to help students teach the story of climate change through the creation of their podcast episodes and the publication of their class podcast series.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Teach students how to create podcast episodes in partnerships and a podcast series as a class; 2. Integrate authentic assessments into a unit of study on climate change that will be incorporated into the climate change podcast series; and 3. Structure a unit of study on climate change into different parts with a logical sequence of NGSS work products leading to the creation of the class podcast series.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Gordon (NYU Steinhardt School of Education: New York, NY)

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

Participants explore using a "Chemical Reaction of the Week" to target SEPs and CCCs. Related activities require students to connect their thinking to multiple disciplines.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. identify SEPs and CCCs for students to practice and refine and will develop activities related to a chemical reaction that explore those practices; 2. experience the activities from the perspective of a student, responding to prompts, drawing models, analyzing data, and drawing conclusions based on evidence; and 3. make transdisciplinary connections for themselves and their students by exploring various applications of the components of the specified reaction.

SPEAKERS:
Dina Dormer (West Chester Area School District: Exton, PA)

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)

It takes a village to build and sustain formal and informal environmental educational partnerships. Join the nonprofit ShoreRivers, Maryland's Wicomico County Public Schools, and funder The Chesapeake Bay Trust, as they share how the "Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience Academy" created 15 unique partnerships and curricula that support Next Generation Science Standards and Maryland's Environmental Literacy Standards, and connected students with their communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience provides a curriculum framework that embraces and enhances formal and informal partnerships that support Next Generation Science Standards. 2. Formal and informal educators can collaborate to support Environmental Literacy through local issue investigations that culminate in students doing science while engaging directly with field professionals and community networks while advocating for community solutions. 3. Best practices for informal and formal collaborations and funding opportunities to support systemic and sustainable partnerships.

SPEAKERS:
Suzanne Sullivan (ShoreRivers: Easton, MD), Mairin Corasaniti (Education & Outreach Coordinator: Easton, MD), Hemalatha Bhaskaran (Wicomico County Public Schools: Salisbury, MD)

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:
Andy Weatherhead (National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA): Downingtown, PA)

Let's discuss ways to get students excited about independent scientific research.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will learn ways to incorporate independent research in their classroom. 2. Attendees will learn about the opportunities that are available to students who are involved in independent scientific research. 3. Attendees will review what paperwork and student developed materials are necessary for a middle/high school science fair and where to obtain needed resources.

SPEAKERS:
Emilie Tekely (Dauphin County Technical School: Harrisburg, PA)

Explore innovative approaches to incorporating vocabulary and text in the science classroom using strategies encouraging reflection, critical thinking, communication, and consistent connection to content.

TAKEAWAYS:
1) Immediately applicable, engaging activities that can be used at any grade level 2)How to help students connect what they are doing in science to themselves, their world or the world around them 3) How to create a space in your classroom for weekly vocabulary in order to ensure all students have the same base of information for classroom discussions, activities and content instruction

SPEAKERS:
Kate Price (Moore Square Magnet Middle School: Raleigh, NC), Kim Patterson (West Pine Middle School: West End, NC)

Join us as we share our journey of collaborating with science leaders to recognize and design quality professional learning to advance 3-D science teaching and learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. An understanding of the science leader’s role in putting the pieces of the NRC Framework together for a coherent science program. 2. Ways to strategically plan and prioritize professional learning based on system and individual teacher needs. 3. Ways to approach addressing what teachers need to know and be able to do if students are to achieve our vision for science learning.

SPEAKERS:
Tonya Woolfolk (Houston County Schools: Perry, GA), Patricia Morgan (Georgia State University: Atlanta, GA)

Participate in a discussion of how to purposefully integrate problem-based learning into life science instruction while leveraging student choice as part of the assessment process.

TAKEAWAYS:
What problem-based learning looks like in a biology/life science classroom. How to make assessment authentic and as real-world as possible for high school students. The role of student choice in assessment and what that looks like.

SPEAKERS:
Dennis Dagounis (Berkeley Heights Public Schools: Berkeley Heights, NJ)

Love teaching 6–12 climate? Hate it? Stop by either way! We'll share ideas for weaving e-justice into climate change for middle school on up through APES!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Environmental racism has already created a need for environmental justice. 2. Climate change is exacerbating the need for e-justice by making inequities sharper. 3. Climate justice is, therefore, environmental justice, and we as science educators need to carefully choose our climate change lessons, data, and resources to include e-justice through the lens of climate change.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Duvall (Appoquinimink High School: Middletown, DE), Steven Sygowski (Appoquinimink High School: Middletown, DE)

Learn the rationale behind hypothesis testing methods like the Student’s t-Test. A classroom activity comparing surface areas of sun and shade leaves will be presented.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will understand… • the logical reasoning underlying hypothesis testing. •how to compare the means of two samples, for example, an experimental and a control group, to see if there is a significant difference between them. Participants will be able to apply… •a simple and elegant procedure for determining the surface area of leaves which is useful in the sun leaf vs shade leaf activity, as well as in activities determining the rate of transpiration of leaves.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Cooper (Pennsbury High School, West Campus: Fairless Hills, PA)

Discover safe ways to lower the barriers to a fair and equitable science education for student groups who have been excluded or marginalized.

TAKEAWAYS:
- Activities that build a positive student/teacher relationship as well as a positive classroom community - Activity to nurture challenging but achievable student created goal building -Activity to differentiate your current science lessons

SPEAKERS:
Donna Kaiser (Stamford High School: Stamford, CT)

Learn how a research-backed approach to project-based learning is the best way to develop students who are ready to tackle Earth’s biggest environmental challenges.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn simple yet powerful strategies for integrating PBL into environmental science classes and lessons. Leave with resources you can use to immediately improve how you approach standards focused on environmental science at the secondary level. Learn the results of recent research which proves PBL results in better environmental science learning outcomes for all students, even those furthest from opportunity.

SPEAKERS:
James Fester (Hill-Murray School: Maplewood, MN)

Let's explore student interest and perceived barriers to careers in STEM education and engage with potential STEM teacher candidates through interdisciplinary urban ecology modules.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Generating interest in STEM education through curriculum innovation; 2. Barriers to careers in STEM education; and 3. Developing STEM education recruitment pipelines.

SPEAKERS:
Joseph Stabile (Iona College: New Rochelle, NY), Margaret Smith (Iona College: New Rochelle, NY), Benjamin Gaines (Iona College: New Rochelle, NY)

Experience three different digital design challenges using branching scenarios that provide student choice and data sets. Each challenge is presented on a different digital platform.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Participants will engage in a digital design challenge to test efficiency of wind turbine blades. 2. Participants will engage in a digital design challenge to test the strength of electromagnets. 3. Participants will engage in a digital design challenge to test the greenhouse effect in an area of a specific land surface (polar region, water, desert).

SPEAKERS:
Kathleen Brooks (CREC: No City, No State), Rebecca Tonkinson (eesmarts: Hartford, CT), Sharyon Holness (eesmarts: No City, No State)