2021 National Harbor Area Conference

November 11-13, 2021

All sessions added to My Agenda prior to this notice have been exported to the mobile app and will be visible in your account when the app launches. Any sessions added now, will also have to be added in the app.
Grade Level


Topics

















Strands







Session Type




Pathway/Course

FILTERS APPLIED:Hands-On Workshop, Developing More Inclusive Classrooms, Chemistry

 

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

Science At Home: Bridging the Gap

Thursday, November 11 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - National Harbor 7


Show Details

Looking for ways to connect what students learn at school with their home learning environment? This session will provide participants with many overarching hands-on science lessons that integrate the science and engineering practices and can easily be completed at home or school. Materials are cheap and easily accessible for parents/teachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Overarching science concepts at each grade band; 2. Connecting hands-on science activities to at-home learning; and 3. Creating at-home lesson templates.

SPEAKERS:
Amber Cobb (Guy Fenter Education Service Cooperative: Branch, AR)

A Chemical Inquiry: Let’s Master Equilibrium!

Thursday, November 11 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Annapolis 4


Show Details

Join this workshop and participate in a hands-on activity to help students overcome common chemical equilibrium misconceptions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. take part in a hands-on inquiry activity with a chemical equilibrium having a large K value; 2. learn ways to overcome student misconceptions about equilibrium; and 3. learn to use appropriate technology to facilitate data collection and analysis for an inquiry lab.

SPEAKERS:
Gregory Dodd (Retired Chemistry Teacher: Pennsboro, WV)

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

Thursday, November 11 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - National Harbor 6



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Session Resource Document Form
Access resource document for the session through this form. The Resource Document has links to all activities and will include a link to the slide deck following the workshop.

STRAND: Sharing Authentic Assessment Strategies

Show Details

We are awash in assessment data, but often it’s overwhelming to make sense of it. Come 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)

Hot Metals, Cool Teachers

Thursday, November 11 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Baltimore 5


Show Details

Explore how students can change metal properties through alloying, heat-treating, and cold-work. Classroom activities enhance understanding of both atomic structure and real-world engineering relevance.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Labs for students to deepen understanding of metal properties; 2. Real-world applications for atomic-level changes; and 3. Engineering challenges for students to apply knowledge.

SPEAKERS:
Briana Richardson (Washington High School: Washington Court House, OH), Scott Spohler (Global Impact STEM Academy: Springfield, OH)

NSTA Press Session: Argument-Driven Inquiry as a Way to Bring Three-Dimensional Instruction to Your Classroom

Thursday, November 11 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Baltimore 4


Show Details

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:
• 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. • How to give students an opportunity to use their own ideas and ways of communicating to talk, read, and write in the service of sense-making • 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 (Del Valle ISD: Del Valle, TX)

Moving Beyond the Bold Words: Meaningful Language Development Through Science and Engineering Practices

Thursday, November 11 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Woodrow Wilson C



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NGSS Science and Engineering Practices
STEM Teaching Tool Sharing and Building on Each Others’ Ideas

STRAND: Developing More Inclusive Classrooms

Show Details

This workshop focuses on how high-quality instructional materials designed for the NGSS provide for language skills to be developed by all students, including emerging multilingual students, by engaging in Science and Engineering Practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
(1) By engaging with content first before learning science-specific vocabulary, students of varying language proficiencies are provided with an opportunity to express their ideas using the language they have. (2) Implementing meaningful student discourse in the science classroom can shift the focus on science and engineering practices and away from academic vocabulary. (3) Strategies that support emerging multilingual learners actually support all learners in developing proficiency in the science and engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
Neelo Soltanzadeh (WestEd: San Francisco, CA)

Getting Students to Read in Science

Thursday, November 11 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Woodrow Wilson B


STRAND: Literacy/Science Connections in the Classroom

Show Details

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:
Teachers will: 1. learn how to use articles to make their content more applicable to the lives of their 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)

A STEM Ice Core Investigation That Integrates the Three Dimensions of NGSS

Thursday, November 11 • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Baltimore 5



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Ice Core Records Downloadable Materials
Ice Core Records NGSS.pdf
NASA"s Universe of Learning Program STEM Literacy Program

Show Details

Join me for a multidisciplinary, open-ended investigation that incorporates absolute and relative dating, anomalies, historical context, volcanoes, solar proton events, energy cycles, Earth systems, terrestrial events, and supernovas.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students will have a better understanding of the process of constructing knowledge. Students will have to analyze and defend their results. Sometimes there is no answer key, only possible solutions from constructing and analyzing data from several sources that cross traditional disciplines.

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

Does Black English Stand Between Black Students and Success in Science?

Thursday, November 11 • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Woodrow Wilson C


STRAND: Developing More Inclusive Classrooms

Show Details

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. Emphasis will be placed 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)

Thermoset Versus Thermoplastic Polymers

Friday, November 12 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Baltimore 5


Show Details

Join me for an overview of thermoset versus thermoplastic polymers and hands-on activities to be done in the classroom, including predictive design, calculations, and environmental impact discussion.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Different ways of categorizing polymers; 2. Difficulties with recycling certain polymer materials; and 3. Design and environmental challenges for students.

SPEAKERS:
Scott Spohler (Global Impact STEM Academy: Springfield, OH), Briana Richardson (Washington High School: Washington Court House, OH)

Analysis of Supernova Remnants Using X-Ray Spectroscopy with Web-Based NASA Data and STEM Image Analysis Tools

Friday, November 12 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Woodrow Wilson C


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

Show Details

Identify elements in the spectra of supernova remnants to determine the properties of collapsed and exploded stars using web-based NASA X-ray data and image analysis tools.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Js9 web-based software can be used to analyze NASA data sets to determine the type of supernova; 2. Js9 provides students with real opportunities to do astronomical research; and 3. Energy spectra from NASA data are used to determine the elements in a supernova remnant.

SPEAKERS:
Pamela Perry (Lewiston High School: Lewiston, ME)

Inspiring Literacy and Science Interest with Data

Friday, November 12 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - National Harbor 6


STRAND: Literacy/Science Connections in the Classroom

Show Details

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)

Using Interdisciplinary Projects to Reach All Students

Friday, November 12 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - National Harbor 7


STRAND: Integrating Multiple Learning Experiences and Connecting to Move Forward

Show Details

Learn about interdisciplinary projects that have been used in a variety of science content areas (Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science, and Horticulture) to reach all students, from English language learners to AP Biology. Brainstorm and create your own ideas for projects in your classroom. The focus will be on creating games, children’s books, skits/videos, and more.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Interdisciplinary connections; 2. Project ideas; and 3. Reaching all students.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Cykert (Rogers High School: Newport, RI)

Collaborative Partnerships + Hands-On Activities = STEM Career Interest

Friday, November 12 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - National Harbor 6


STRAND: Successful Collaborations Between Informal and Formal Educators

Show Details

Connect your school with local colleges and STEM employers using relevant, standards-based, hands-on activities that spark interest in science and STEM careers. Sample activity included.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to identify and reach out to potential community and industry partners How to build a program or event that meets the needs of all stakeholders Developing authentic learning experiences to impact student perspectives of locally available STEM careers

SPEAKERS:
Bethany Kenyon (BioNetwork: Greenville, NC)

Easy Ways to Differentiate Science Curricula for Highly Able Learners

Friday, November 12 • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Baltimore 5


Show Details

This workshop explores a myriad of simple ways science classroom teachers can differentiate their lessons/units/curricula to meet the needs of highly able learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Highly able leaners often require differentiation to achieve their full educational potential. There are simple strategies that can be employed to enrich the education of high achieving students without adding hours to a teacher’s workload. Using a variety of strategies, teachers can adapt their lessons, units, and projects to meet the needs of highly able learners.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Ellis (Argyle Middle School: Silver Spring, MD), Alaina Piek (Oklahoma Road Middle School: Sykesville, MD)

Toppling the Straw Tower: What Does Problem-Driven Learning Look Like in an NGSS Classroom?

Friday, November 12 • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Woodrow Wilson D


Show Details

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): Baltimore, MD)

DCI, CCC, and SEP's, Oh My! Sweet and Salty Investigations with a 3-D Twist!

Friday, November 12 • 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Baltimore 4



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
DCI, CCC, and SEPs Oh My! (1).pdf

Show Details

Discover how to implement three-dimensional learning into any science curriculum, all while engaging learners to become phenomenal!

TAKEAWAYS:
How to use SEPs to drive student instruction. Molecular level modeling of processes using data to support claim

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA), Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Ellicott City, MD)

Cheap STEM for the Classroom

Friday, November 12 • 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Annapolis 3


Show Details

Explore STEM with concrete, metal, and clay. Apply math concepts and pull in lots of real-world examples. Supplies are cheap and students love destructive testing.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Basic properties of materials science categories—metals, ceramics, polymers, composites; 2. Affordable labs exploring these properties and ways to adapt these labs for specific classroom needs; and 3. Real-world applications for these materials and lab concepts, focusing on the iterative design process.

SPEAKERS:
Briana Richardson (Washington High School: Washington Court House, OH), Scott Spohler (Global Impact STEM Academy: Springfield, OH)

NASA Space Food and Nutrition

Saturday, November 13 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Woodrow Wilson C



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NASA Space Food & Nutrition File Collection
Resources from conference presentation

STRAND: Integrating Multiple Learning Experiences and Connecting to Move Forward

Show Details

Explore caloric and nutritional values of space food. Discover a menu of inquiry activities/resources to integrate into the classroom to satisfy your STEM appetite.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore NASA STEM activities that investigate space food and nutrition for astronauts living on the Space Station. Construct sample space food menus to develop a better understanding of nutrition for human space exploration. 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)

Chemistry of Copper: A Two-Part Inquiry

Saturday, November 13 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Annapolis 4


Show Details

Join this workshop to learn about the chemical properties of copper using appropriate technology in this hands-on activity.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn to research and design an inquiry experiment; 2. use technology to gather and analyze data from the inquiry; and 3. visualize what occurs on the submicroscopic level by employing particulate drawings.

SPEAKERS:
Gregory Dodd (Retired Chemistry Teacher: Pennsboro, WV)

NSTA Press Session: The NSTA Atlas of the Three Dimensions

Saturday, November 13 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Woodrow Wilson C



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Atlas Pres for NSTA National Harbor November 2021.pdf
PDF of the PowerPoint Presentation
NSTA Press Web Page about the NSTA Atlas of the Three Dimensions
This web page has information about the Atlas including how to order it.
Sample Maps from the NSTA Atlas of the Three Dimensions
This PDF is provided on the NSTA Website

Show Details

The Atlas is a set of 62 maps of the elements of the core ideas, practices, crosscutting concepts, connections to nature of science, connections to engineering, and performance expectations described in NGSS and other standards based on the Framework for K–12 Science Education. See how elements of the dimensions relate to and build on each other. Come learn how to use this powerful tool for interpreting standards to support work in curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to read, analyze, and interpret an Atlas map How to use the maps and other resources in the Atlas to unpack, clarify, and interpret an element of the three dimensions How to use the maps and other resources in the Atlas to help with decision about sequencing of instruction

SPEAKERS:
Ted Willard (Discovery Education: Silver Spring, MD)

Cultivating Successful STEM Projects

Saturday, November 13 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Annapolis 4


Show Details

Participants will utilize the new Framework for P–12 Engineering Learning to analyze one school's journey with high-altitude balloon research and its accomplishments and shortfalls.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: engage with examples of high school STEM research, collaborate with other participants to enhance personal growth in cross-curricular activities, identify small steps to work toward their larger STEM education goals

SPEAKERS:
Erich Sneller (Harrisonburg High School: Harrisonburg, VA), Seth Shantz (Harrisonburg High School: Harrisonburg, VA)

Enabling Real-World STEM Learning Through Collaboration with Industry Experts

Saturday, November 13 • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Annapolis 3


Show Details

Explore proven methods for developing collaborative relationships between students and professionals to utilize science and engineering practices to address authentic challenges.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will be given clear examples of impactful collaboration between formal and informal educators and professionals through interactive activities; 2. Through a guided work burst, participants will use a framework to develop their own written products to use with their students to develop collaborative relationships with informal educators and professionals, which can be assessed by a single point rubric for their effectivenessl and 3. Attendees will participate in an open panel discussion with experts and seasoned educators to address challenges and concerns, and how to create learning opportunities.

SPEAKERS:
Lauren Milord (DreamUp, PBC: Washington, DC)

For the Benefit of the People: Using National Parks as Virtual Classrooms

Saturday, November 13 • 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Woodrow Wilson C


STRAND: Successful Collaborations Between Informal and Formal Educators

Show Details

Learn how to effectively integrate free science-based resources from public land agencies into engaging and rigorous project-based learning experiences for students of all ages.

TAKEAWAYS:
- Learn how to access free lesson plans, data sets, multimedia resources, and experts that can help you create authentic projects focused on NGSS-aligned learning goals. - Learn about recent research that shows how a high-quality project-based learning framework provides the best learning outcomes for science students of all ages. - See exemplar projects that illustrate why PBL is a natural fit for learner-centered, experiential, inquiry-based lessons.

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

Say What? Getting Students to Learn and Use Scientific Vocabulary Words

Saturday, November 13 • 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Annapolis 3


Show Details

Emphasis will be placed on five-minute daily strategies that will get students to become fluent in scientific vocabulary.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Develop students’ critical-thinking skills through the use of scientific vocabulary words; 2. Provide teachers with five-minute daily strategies to strengthen students’ scientific vocabulary usage; and 3. Provide teachers with exercises that will help students recognize the difference between Tier 2 and Tier 3 vocabulary words.

SPEAKERS:
Jonte' Lee (Whittier Elementary: Kansas City, KS)

Back to Top