2021 National Harbor Area Conference

November 11-13, 2021

Grade Level


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Strands







Session Type




Pathway/Course

FILTERS APPLIED:PreK - 5, Successful Collaborations Between Informal and Formal Educators, Mathematics

 

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

Creating Engaging K–6 Science Explorations That Will Ignite a Lifelong Passion for Science

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

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Annapolis 2


Show Details

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)

STEM Talks for Early Learners

Thursday, November 11 • 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.)
NSTA_STEM Talks for Early Learners 2021.pdf

Show Details

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: Washington, DC)

Using Picture Books Can Promote Literacies with Text to…Connections

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

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Woodrow Wilson B


STRAND: Literacy/Science Connections in the Classroom

Show Details

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: Shippensburg, PA)

Using Nature as Inspiration to Design Martian Landers

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

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Annapolis 4



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Martian Lander Data Sheet in Microsoft Excel format
This is a condensed data sheet geared toward upper elementary for students to collect speed or distance data.
NSTA Using Nature as Inspiration to Design Landers Lesson Plan document
Suggested lesson plan for "Using Nature as Inspiration to Design Landers" in pdf format.
NSTA Using Nature as Inspiration to Design Landers PPT
The presentation is in Power Point format. The file can be used as a student presentation. In the notes section, data sheets, lesson plans, and lesson ideas are listed or linked.

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

Show Details

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: Edmond, OK), Sheryl McCarthy (The Good Shepherd Catholic Montessori: Cincinnati, OH)

Developing Engaged, Future-Ready Science Learners

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

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Annapolis 4


Show Details

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)

Problem Solving by Design for Every Classroom

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

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Baltimore 3


STRAND: Sharing Authentic Assessment Strategies

Show Details

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)

Game On! Gamify Your Classroom and Student Learning

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

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Chesapeake D


Show Details

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)

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)

Exploring Equity: Fractions and Fairness

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

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Woodrow Wilson B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Fractions and Fairness - NSTA 2021.pdf
FoodPrints session powerpoint
Fractions and Fairness.pdf
FoodPrints lesson that is the subject of the presentation.

Show Details

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: Washington, DC), Susan Bandler (FRESHFARM FoodPrints: Washington, DC)

The Science of Energy: Exploring Forms of Energy and Energy Transformations

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

Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center - Chesapeake E


Show Details

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)

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