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)

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)

This presentation will review the PBL strategy and how it is being used to enhance students’ learning, in-class and virtually, in relation to epidemiology.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Current research supports that project-based learning increases scientific efficacy and an explanation of project-based learning will be included. 2. Science is a collaborative endeavor and educators must teach students how to collaborate; both face-to-face and virtually. 3. Epidemiology is a field of study where many types of scientists must collaborate to solve public health problems and this field is accessible to middle and high school students.

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

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

EdReports is expanding into high school instructional materials reviews. Learn about the High School Learning and Listening Tour, provide feedback on our current thinking, and hear about opportunities to become a reviewer.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Build an understanding of the challenges educators face in finding quality materials and how EdReports aims to address those challenges; 2. Learn about the expansion into High School science and develop an understanding of the findings from our High School Learning and Listening tour, characteristics of alignment to the NGSS and usability, and discuss smart adoption processes; and 3. Hear about opportunities to engage as an EdReports reviewer in upcoming reviews, which includes NGSS training, an extended learning community, and a paid stipend.

SPEAKERS:
Teresa Eliopoulos (EdReports.org: Alexandria, VA)

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)

High school biology students use an inquiry-based approach to investigate the impact of five-minute mindful meditation in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn: 1. about the statistically significant impact short amounts of mindful meditation have in a classroom setting, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic; 2. about connecting mindfulness to physiological factors, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration rate; and 3. to recreate this experiment with their own classes and integrate this activity into a biology or life sciences curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Dana Bunnell-Young (Severn School: Severna Park, MD)

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)

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)

We will present the efforts of six secondary schools and lab-based partners at Stanford University to create relevant, impactful research-based learning curricula in the field of genetics. Learn how you can too!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Through Stan-X, middle school and high school students learn science through authentic, open-ended, publishable research; 2. Coordination between schools, both public and private, across the world can enhance scientific learning and research opportunities for your students, while also building a supportive network for teachers interested in providing these opportunities to students; and 3. Instructing teachers in the "process" to develop student-based classroom research is the crucial step in providing meaningful experiences in research-based classes.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Lantz (The Lawrenceville School: Lawrenceville, NJ)