Come learn about a variety of formula poems that can reinforce science learning on a wide range of topics. See student examples and try writing some.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about a wide variety of formula poems that can be used across elementary grade levels and tie easily to commonly taught science concepts. Attendees will learn how they might modify the formula poems to meet the needs of diverse students. Attendees will realize how to use the poetry as a type of informal assessment to see what science content students know and what they still need reinforced.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Altieri (Coastal Carolina University: Murrells Inlet, SC)

Learn how Next Time You See books can connect students with nature and inspire them to write their own books about natural objects and phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
• Explore research about the positive effects of time in nature on children and adults • Learn how literacy and science can be connected through writing activities • Receive classroom-ready resources (videos and graphic organizers) to guide your students through a Mentor Text Study

SPEAKERS:
Debra Sawyer-Moulton (NSTA Sales Rep for DC, DE, MD, PA, VVA, WV: Charlestown, MD)

Experience hands-on Science and ELA investigations with the FoodPrints Curriculum’s interdisciplinary approach to teaching nine major food and garden education themes.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage in hands-on investigation from three different elementary lessons: Edible Plant Parts, Seed Dispersal, and the Garden Ecosystem for grades 1–3 that can be used in the classroom and in outdoor learning using literacy-based approaches aligned to Common Core ELA and hands-on science investigations aligned to NGSS; 2. Learn methods for teaching and assessing vocabulary using live worms, engage students in discourse as they sort real food to classify edible plant parts, create seed packets using nonfiction text features while addressing speaking and listening standards, using student discourse, real-world and authentic vocabulary and incorporating read alouds to support instruction and learning methods for authentic assessment with each investigation; and 3. Explore the FoodPrints Curriculum’s interdisciplinary approach to teaching elementary science lessons with garden and food education themes and gain free access to our lessons and resources for preK—5.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Ramsey (FRESHFARM FoodPrints: Annapolis, MD), Susan Bandler (FRESHFARM FoodPrints: Washington, DC)

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. 3). 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: Murray, UT), Rachael Coleman (Jordan School District: Riverton, UT)

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 (self: Shawnee Mission, KS)

Early positive experiences in STEM are critical for future student success. Come explore research and resources for increasing STEM practices, student discourse, and family engagement! Bring your laptop for hands-on engagement.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. STEM activities for young learners; 2. Resources for STEM discourse; and 3. Family engagement strategies for math explorations.

SPEAKERS:
Tanaga Rodgers (D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education: Washington, DC), Lauren Thompson Allen (D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education: Clinton, MD)

Literacy has used “text to…”connections  to help students make authentic connections. Strategies/examples of expanded “text to…” connections for science and math are modeled.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. Explore how to expand a common literacy strategy of “text to” connections when using picture books in the elementary science classroom. 2. Engage in investigations that model the use of “text to” connections which help students connect their own authentic experiences and help students understand and make sense. 3. Consider criteria for the selection of books, identification of phenomenon, and selection of investigations can be a powerful experience for students.

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

Explore ways to integrate science and ELA with picture books to help students master science concepts, while at the same time enforcing literacy standards!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Using picture books will help bring the science to life while enforcing ELA National and State Standards; 2. Inquiry can be embedded and implemented with the use of interactive picture books; and 3. You can use any picture book to engage and help students practice crosscutting concepts and engineering skills.

SPEAKERS:
John Taylor (Marvin Ridge High School: FORT MILL, SC), Douglas Hunnings (Elkhart Community Schools: Elkhart, IN), Aliya Caldwell (ETHOS Innovation Center: Elkhart, IN)

Authors of this report from the Board on Science Education of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will give an overview of the report’s key issues, conclusions, and recommendations.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Challenges facing elementary science education; and 2. Solutions for increasing elementary science education.

SPEAKERS:
Heidi Schweingruber (The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: Columbia, MD), Amy Stephens (The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: Washington, DC)

Grades K–8 teachers—please join us for this hands-on workshop using biomimicry to design a system to land payloads safely to the surface of Mars.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. integrate data using pocketlab sensors; 2. learn about modifications to this lesson that can help increase equity for all learners; and 3. see examples of formative assessments that can be used to assess student learning.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Pitts (Oakdale School: Midwest City, OK), Sheryl McCarthy (The Good Shepherd Catholic Montessori: Cincinnati, OH)

Attendees will actively engage with innovative, technology-rich tools and learning strategies to teach data collection and analysis, engineering design processes, coding, and robotics. Come learn 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 (self: Shawnee Mission, KS)

This workshop provides participants with explicit literacy strategies designed to increase academic discourse by supporting students with understanding, doing, and communicating science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to utilize scaffolds such as science talk moves, sentence stems, etc. to increase academic discourse. Participants will learn how to integrate connected text to support reading accuracy, fluency, and comprehension throughout daily science instruction. Participants will learn how to implement reciprocal teaching to increase academic discourse, reading comprehension, and student engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Jacqueline Stephens (DeKalb County School District: McDonough, GA)

Join us for a hands-on FoodPrints lesson that explores the Three Sisters Garden to teach teamwork, SEL practices, cooperation, groups discussion, and more!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage in a hands-on engineering investigation to design and build a Three Sisters Garden model and learn the Native American legend of the Three Sisters Garden as participants work in groups to explore the themes of teamwork, cooperation, and empathy as it relates to their investigation and the legend. 2. Participants will practice strategies to engage students in discourse and develop habits for discussion and collaboration through a series of hands on investigations, as well as explore tools for assessing through discourse. 3. Explore the FoodPrints Curriculum’s interdisciplinary approach to teaching elementary science lessons with garden and food education themes, and gain free access to our lessons and resources for Pre-K through 5th grade.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Ramsey (FRESHFARM FoodPrints: Annapolis, MD), Susan Bandler (FRESHFARM FoodPrints: Washington, DC)

This session provides ideas for engaging students in Science, Math, and Literacy while addressing learning loss and school culture.

TAKEAWAYS:
Ideas on how to address leaning loss through fun and engagement. Integration of Science, Math, Literacy, and local studies Building a school culture based on positivity and love

SPEAKERS:
LaCosta Hodges (Oakvale Elementary School: Princeton, WV), Racine Stefancic (Oakvale Elementary School: Princeton, WV), Summer Thomas (Oakvale Elementary School: Oakvale, WV)

Are you new to elementary science education, or looking for ways to streamline your current science instruction? If so, this is the place for you! In this session I will share tips, strategies, and best practices that I’ve found to be successful year after year to not only teach rigorous material, but to do it in a consistent way that ensures student engagement and learning!

TAKEAWAYS:
- How to setup a routine specifically for science instruction to help units flow more smoothly - How to thoroughly use the standards to plan your units - How to embed claim, evidence, and reasoning practice opportunities, and engineering activities throughout your instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Nancy Flowers (Cumberland County Elementary School: Burkesville, KY)

Orchestrate whole-class and independent inquiries that integrate science, social studies, technology, and literacy using phenomena, investigations, historical primary sources, picture books, and driving question boards.

TAKEAWAYS:
(1) Participants will learn strategies for using driving question boards to support student agency and manage multidisciplinary student inquiries that connect to an anchoring phenomenon. (2) Participants will learn how to layer texts like picture books and primary sources to support student writing and inquiries in science and social studies. (3) Participants will learn strategies for supporting student writing across the disciplines of science and social studies with the help of digital tools.

SPEAKERS:
John Smith (Chester A Arthur School: Philadelphia, PA)

Sponsoring Company: National Geographic Learning | Cengage

As a teacher, connecting with students and connecting students to the curriculum is becoming either more difficult or more effortless, depending on the perspective. The ability to teach students using state-of-the-art technology makes for displaying concepts and topics more efficient than ever. With the global pandemic amidst and with no foreseeable end in sight, we’ve converted to convenient online instruction. But how do we incorporate that meaningful teacher-student social interaction? Carter will pull from his own experience to share the events that sparked his early interest in science and the teachers who curated that spark. He will discuss his current research with the New York African Burial Ground and the importance of listening to students to hear their perspectives and enrich the lesson. Setting a trajectory for students and teachers themselves is a necessary component of academia, and we must introduce students to all career paths and create a solid plan of development to continue evolving as masters of instruction.

NSTA wishes to thank National Geographic Learning | Cengage for sponsoring this speaker.

SPEAKERS:
Carter Clinton (Penn State: University Park, PA)

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. Discuss 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:
Lauren Thompson Allen (D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education: Clinton, MD), Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC)

Come "tinker" with a classic fairy tale and then practice detecting STEM opportunities within any piece of children's literature.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. recognize that science is all around us and can be found in any storyline; 2. use tips to hone in on identifying science phenomena or concepts in literature; and 3. develop a draft of a three-dimensional STEM lesson of their own.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Stanford (Southern Arkansas University: MAGNOLIA, AR), Lisa Oden (Southern Arkansas University: El Dorado, AR)

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 start-up instructions will be provided for drop-in solutions, and instructions for using some of the more sophisticated features will also be described.

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

Sponsoring Company: Legends of Learning

From unplugged to plugged-in game design, explore how games create an authentic learning experience in which students collaborate, communicate, and have fun in the process!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Use an innovative approach to game-based learning as a primary vehicle for science instruction; 2. Make lessons fun and accessible while encouraging students to take personal responsibility for their education; and 3. Create an equitable learning environment where students can progress at their own rate, allowing for differentiation based on student needs.

SPEAKERS:
Joselyn Whetzel (Legends of Learning: Laurel, MD), Joshua Goldberg (Legends of Learning: Laurel, MD)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Stacey O'Connor (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Dr. Kenneth Heydrick (: Austin, TX), Pam O'Brien (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, 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, LLC: Santa Cruz, CA)

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)

In July, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine issued the report Call to Action for Science Education: Building Opportunity for the Future . In the report—funded by the Carnegie Corporation—leading scientists, educators, and other key stakeholders identify effective science education practices and lay out the major challenges educators face to implement a coherent K–16 science education program.

The report provides recommendations that call on federal agencies, state and local governments, and other stakeholders to elevate the status of science education and make science education a core national priority, and empower and give local communities the resources they need to deliver equitable science education and to track progress. Panelists will provide key highlights from the report, share their vision for the future of science and STEM education, and discuss what educators can do to help implement the report’s recommendations.

SPEAKERS:
Heidi Schweingruber (The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: Columbia, MD), Erika Shugart (NSTA: Rockville, MD), Jim Short (BSCS Science Learning: Ridgefield, NY)

Sponsoring Company: The NEED Project

Engage in hands-on, critical-thinking activities to help students explore the technology, siting considerations, and benefits of floating offshore wind turbines.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to describe and measure wind speed and why that is important for siting a wind turbine; 2. Be able to test, modify, and re-test a design to learn how wind can do work; and 3. Learn about free NGSS-focused curriculum resources.

SPEAKERS:
Kimberly Swan (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Let’s explore several intervention strategies to help struggling students in STEM. We'll move beyond differentiation and scaffolding. Come learn other proven intervention techniques to help students. Let’s 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:
Stacey O'Connor (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Dr. Kenneth Heydrick (: Austin, TX), Pam O'Brien (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture

Designed to address the Next Generation Science Standards, this workshop will focus on using agriculture to increase the relevancy and authenticity of content in science classrooms, provide valuable resources, and introduce attendees to professional learning opportunities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How NGSS can or will incorporate agricultural content to create relevant and authentic content for students; 2. Learn about the developed resources available for science teachers to integrate science into their classrooms through the lens of agriculture (middle and high school); and 3. Explore professional development (CEU credit events) available to science teachers through AFBFA.

SPEAKERS:
Jenna Large (American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture: Washington, DC), Craig Rebich (Relevant Classroom: Lawrenceburg, IN)

This session introduces a way to create learning experiences that 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:
Takeaways: • How to ensure students have access to science by designing investigations that promote and supports the use of literacy skills • How literacy can be used to be used in the service of sense-making. • How to embed formative assessment of science practices and literacy skills into an investigation in a meaningful and informative way.

SPEAKERS:
Todd Hutner (Del Valle ISD: Del Valle, TX)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Daniel Williams (Shelter Island Union Free School District: Shelter Island, NY)

Learn about strategies teachers use to help students comprehend scientific information. Polar Opposites, 3-2-1, Multiple Gist, and other ideas will be discussed.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will understand why even "good " readers may struggle with understanding and remembering scientific information. 2. Attendees will learn the importance of teaching students to use and understand text features, focus on specific content, engage with multiple texts, and support their opinions with textual evidence. 3. Attendees will learn specific strategies elementary teachers have used to develop each of the above skills in the science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Altieri (Coastal Carolina University: Murrells Inlet, SC)

In this workshop, participants will discuss how NGSS-focused instructional materials can support an equitable classroom that empowers all students to design solutions to real-world problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
(1) In the NGSS, problems are defined as “situations somebody wants to change,” which is different from construction or design projects, where the ultimate goal is achieving a design or tinkering. (2) Problems that describe real-world situations grounded in compelling contexts that students care about can create intrinsic motivation for all students to learn science and engineering ideas. (3) The presence of an authentic and compelling problem in instructional materials is not enough; it also needs to be used in instruction in a way that will effectively support students’ learning and motivation.

SPEAKERS:
Neelo Soltanzadeh (WestEd: San Francisco, CA), Jenn Brown-Whale (Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): Randallstown, MD)

Learn how to integrate STEM and literacy through the use of high-quality STEM-related picture books.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Strategies for integrating STEM and literacy in K–5 2. Suggested picture books that integrate STEM and literacy 3. A STEM lesson you can use right away.

SPEAKERS:
Debra Sawyer-Moulton (NSTA Sales Rep for DC, DE, MD, PA, VVA, WV: Charlestown, MD)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Kenneth Heydrick (: Austin, TX), Pam O'Brien (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Stacey O'Connor (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Join us for a hands-on FoodPrints lesson using the garden and kitchen as a venue to discuss equality and fairness with students.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover new ways to integrate math, cooking, and garden science using an inquiry-based lesson; 2. Learn and practice hands-on investigations that ask students to consider issues such as equality and fairness in their classrooms and communities through the lens of sharing a snack or dividing a garden bed; and 3. Explore the FoodPrints Curriculum’s interdisciplinary approach to teaching elementary science lessons with garden and food education themes, and gain free access to our lessons and resources for preK–5.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Ramsey (FRESHFARM FoodPrints: Annapolis, MD), Susan Bandler (FRESHFARM FoodPrints: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: The Walking Classroom

Walk, Listen, and Learn! The Walking Classroom is a research-proven program that enables students to get fresh air and exercise while building content knowledge.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Understand the research-proven impact that exercise during the school day has on student physical, mental, and academic health; 2. understand how The Walking Classroom engages different learning styles and helps narrow the achievement gap; and 3. learn how The Walking Classroom works by experiencing the program and learn how to create a walking classroom of your own.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Fenn (The Walking Classroom: Chapel Hill, NC)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Modeling CRISPR technology engages students in understanding the foundational concepts of molecular biology and biotechnology through two-dimensional and three-dimensional representations of the CRISPR/Cas9 protein.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Receive professional development in the endogenous CRISPR/Cas9 system and learn how it can be incorporated into your current biology curriculum; 2. Use models to investigate how the mechanism of the CRISPR/Cas9 system are used to edit genomes; and 3. Discuss the ethical issues related to using gene editing technology.

SPEAKERS:
Daniel Williams (Shelter Island Union Free School District: Shelter Island, NY)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Lukens (Roosevelt High School, Sioux Falls, SD: Sioux Falls, SD), Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Ellicott City, MD)

Sponsoring Company: The NEED Project

Introduce basic energy concepts early on with hands-on lessons disguised through songs, stories, games, and chants to teach energy buzzwords.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn fun, free energy-themed lessons designed to reinforce vocabulary and concepts; 2. Learn a variety of language arts skills and artistic skills to teach students about energy and STEM information; and 3. Learn how to easily differentiate energy in literacy activities for primary, elementary, and intermediate levels and align to NGSS and state standards.

SPEAKERS:
Kimberly Swan (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA)

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

SPEAKERS:
Douglas Hunnings (Elkhart Community Schools: Elkhart, IN), John Taylor (Marvin Ridge High School: FORT MILL, SC)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Software & Technology

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

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

SPEAKERS:
David Carter (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Kenneth Heydrick (: Austin, TX), Pam O'Brien (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Stacey O'Connor (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: The NEED Project

Explore hands-on stations to learn about the forms of energy and energy transformations. Share with your elementary students lots of “ooh” and “aah” experiments!

TAKEAWAYS:
Workshop participants will: 1. receive resources and creative ideas for teaching numerous energy concepts correlated to NGSS as well as their state standards; 2. learn simple energy transformations through hands-on activities; and 3. visualize through experiments and follow-up informational text how energy forms and transformations are in the world around us.

SPEAKERS:
Kimberly Swan (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA)

Does your district have limited support for science in elementary schools? Come explore development of a science teacher leader community to support instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
1 - Ideas for starting and maintaining a community of science teacher leaders that can increase student performance/interest in science; 2 - Benefits of having science teacher leaders to support science programs in elementary schools; and 3 - Strategies for developing these science teacher leaders: fostering a science community among educators, enhancing their capacity in science education best practice, and developing their leadership skills.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Reese (Howard County Public School System: Ellicott City, MD), Jenn Brown-Whale (Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): Randallstown, MD), Linda Wilson (Manor Woods Elementary School: Ellicott City, MD), Kelley Hatcher (Hollifield Station Elementary School: Elkridge, MD)