2021 Portland Area Conference

October 28-30, 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

 

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

Connecting NGSS to Student Interests and the Science That Surrounds Us in Real Life

Thursday, October 28 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Oregon Convention Center - E144


Show Details

Learn 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)

Science Learning at Your Window

Thursday, October 28 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

Oregon Convention Center - E145


Show Details

Come get a window bird feeder and discover how to attract birds and student interest! Take home activities and ideas to teach science through birds.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will; 1. discover how to encourage student curiosity and learning through feeder birds and free Cornell Lab resources; 2. learn where and when to hang feeders in order to attract a variety of birds; and 3. explore apps and resources to help identify birds and participate in our citizen science projects.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Fee (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology: Ithaca, NY)

Teachers as Curriculum Writers: Design for NGSS with Our Articulated Writing Process

Friday, October 29 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Oregon Convention Center - A103/104



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Slideshow
PDF version of presentation slides
Slideshow (Google slides)
Presentation slides in Google slides format

STRAND: Developing More Inclusive Classrooms

Show Details

Writing your own NGSS units? Learn about our articulated writing process that achieves NGSS and English Language Proficiency standards. Applicable to all levels!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn: 1. how we unpack PEs and approach writing a unit; 2. how to consider NGSS from a language perspective; and 3. why the investment in time upfront leads to a more effective writing experience and a more coherent experience for students and teachers.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Mayo (Portland Public Schools: Portland, OR), Jennifer Scherzinger (Portland Public Schools: Portland, OR), Geoff Stonecipher (Portland Public Schools: Portland, OR)

Integrating Elementary Science and ELA—It's the Perfect Match!

Friday, October 29 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Oregon Convention Center - A105



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Slides and All Session Links

STRAND: Literacy/Science Connections in the Classroom

Show Details

Maximize instructional minutes through integration strategies that deeply engage students in science, engineering, and ELA learning.  I'll share links to free resources for all your NGSS standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn: 1. how to use science phenomena and driving questions to engage students deeply with English Language Arts strategies and standards (reading, writing, speaking, and listening); 2. where and how English Language Arts fit and function in the arc of science learning; and 3. about free resources that can help them integrate science and ELA in their elementary classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kimberley Astle (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Olympia, WA)

Assessing in 3-D: K–5 Common Science/ELP Assessments

Friday, October 29 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Oregon Convention Center - E144



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
K-5 Common NGSS/ESL Assessments
OER Commons
Oregon Open Learning Hub
Presentation

STRAND: Sharing Authentic Assessment Strategies

Show Details

The Portland K–5 Common Assessments assess student learning in a relevant and compelling 3-D  task, centered in local phenomena. The assessments and rubrics provide access for emerging bilinguals.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. There are key features of three-dimensional assessment design that include both a local phenomenon or problem and access for English learners; 2. Evidence statements serve as tools for rubric design to inform assessment goals and enable feedback about student learning; and 3. Strategies for using the Common Assessments provide opportunities for teacher self-reflection and collaboration.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Holveck (Portland Metro STEM Partnership: No City, No State), Noelle Gorbett (Portland Public Schools)

Facilitating Emancipatory and Justice-Centered Environmental and Climate Learning with Elementary Students

Friday, October 29 • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

Oregon Convention Center - E144


Show Details

We’ll explore key stances, strategies, and resources for supporting elementary students to learn about and take collective action in response to authentic socio-ecological challenges.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Young learners are capable of consequential and justice-centered learning about social, political, environmental, and climate issues. Concerns about “developmental appropriateness” can perpetuate dominant forms of science and invisibilize marginalized students’ lived experiences; 2. Science learning should support students in understanding and engaging with local and global challenges through centering the world views, perspectives, and leadership of BIPOC communities; and 3. The use of project-based approaches can allow young learners to develop their voice and leadership capacity as they solve problems that are real and urgent in their communities.

SPEAKERS:
Rae Han (EarthGen: No City, No State), Pranjali Upadhyay (Educational Service District 112: Vancouver, WA)

Creating  Problem-Based Learning Opportunities Through Partnerships

Saturday, October 30 • 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Oregon Convention Center - D137/138



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Creating problem-based learning opportunities Powerpoint
Powerpoint presentation for creating problem based learning through partnerships.

Show Details

Learn and understand  how an industry partner and a team of educators collaborated to create activities in helping students design a microgravity space toilet.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to develop a successful problem-based Learning unit incorporating NGSS, Common Core, and CTE; 2. How to infuse 21st-Century soft skills and connections to career pathways into a problem-based learning unit; and 3. Tips on forming strong partnership collaborations.

SPEAKERS:
Barbara Bromley (Hazelwood Elementary School: Lynnwood, WA), Zayd Sarwat (Hazelwood Elementary School: Lynnwood, WA), Alexandra Willwerth (Hazelwood Elementary School: Lynnwood, WA), Makena Nymeyer (Hazelwood Elementary School: Lynnwood, WA), Sylvie Kacmarcik (Civil Air Patrol, Washington Wing: Bothell, WA)

Science Classroom Tasks That Support Girls' STEM Identities

Saturday, October 30 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Oregon Convention Center - E146


Show Details

Learn about the role of classroom instructional strategies and types of tasks in creating a more gender-equitable science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn about Science Capital and how teachers can work to build student Science Capital; 2. Examine the six SciGirls Strategies to support a gender-equitable science classroom; and 3. Examine a classroom assessment task as a learning moment and opportunity for enacting SciGirls Strategies.

SPEAKERS:
Tom Hathorn (University of Washington Tacoma: Tacoma, WA)

Building Community Through Writing Science Curricula

Saturday, October 30 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Oregon Convention Center - D133/134



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTA 01 Question Starters.pdf
NSTA Driving Question Board Guide.pdf
NSTA Portland Oct 2021.pdf

STRAND: Integrating Multiple Learning Experiences and Connecting to Move Forward

Show Details

Learn about the shift to NGSS in our large urban district, including collaboration between Science and ESL departments in writing K–5 curricula that meet both Science and English Language Proficiency expectations.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Glimpse into our collaborative writing process; 2. Experience several high-leverage instructional strategies in our K–5 NGSS and ELP units; and 3. Ideas for how to collaborate across departments, including how this work has developed during and post-COVID-19.

SPEAKERS:
Geoff Stonecipher (Portland Public Schools: Portland, OR), Kate Yocum (Portland Public Schools: Portland, OR)

Transform Your Literacy Block Through the Engineering and Design Process

Saturday, October 30 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Oregon Convention Center - E145



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Transform Literacy Through the Engineering Design Process
Updated Presentation (Transform Your Literacy Block Through EDP)

STRAND: Literacy/Science Connections in the Classroom

Show Details

Through STEM notebooks and the Engineering and Design Process, transform your literacy block to become more engaging and inquiry based.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The steps of the engineering and design process and what each step means and how it looks in the classroom; 2. STEM notebooks and how to use them effectively; and 3. Using STEM notebooks and the EDP during your literacy block and demonstrating how the EDP is cross-curricular.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Spearman (McKissick Academy of Science & Technology: Easley, SC), McKenzie Martin (McKissick Academy of Science & Technology: Easley, SC)

Back to Top