Explore how to take advantage of NSTA’s vast resources and pathways, including both asynchronous and synchronous options to create personalized professional learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover the value of being a School or District NSTA Partner; 2. Explore how to maximize online professional learning for all teachers; and 3. Discover how to utilize NSTA's online learning resources to support in-person professional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Engage with Research Quest, free, online, NGSS-focused, phenomenon-based investigations using authentic museum objects and research to build students' literacy, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will: 1. experience an exemplar set of free resources that successfully integrate NGSS and ELA standards to provide students with meaningful, self-directed learning; 2. recognize that providing students with opportunities to research phenomenon-based problems professional scientists devote their careers to using the collections and data they build new knowledge from can empower students to better understand the enterprise of science, the natural world, and the natural history of our world—while building their literacy and critical -thinking skills; and understand that creating opportunities to make critical thinking visible is an essential scaffold necessary to support student efficacy with problem-finding and problem-solving.

SPEAKERS:
Madlyn Larson (Natural History Museum of Utah: Salt Lake City, UT)

Argument-Driven Inquiry is an instructional model that gives students an opportunity to learn how to use the DCIs, CCs, and SEPs to explain natural phenomena. It creates a learning environment where students are able to talk, read, and write in the service of sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. 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; 2. How to give students an opportunity to use their own ideas and ways of communicating to talk, read, and write in the service of sensemaking; and 3. 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:
Victor Sampson (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX)

How can we elevate equity and justice in our work in science education, personally and in community? Learn about Oregon’s efforts in this critical process.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn about the Oregon Equity in Science Teaching and Learning Symposium; 2. experience (briefly) several components of the symposium; and 3. contribute to our collective understanding of this critical work.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Mayo (Portland Public Schools: Portland, OR), Jamie Rumage (Oregon Dept. of Education: Salem, OR), Noelle Gorbett (Oregon Dept. of Education: Salem, OR)

Join us as we explore how NSTA’s three-dimensional resources can be utilized to enhance your teaching. Walk away with effective strategies for science teaching and learning and hear from educators as they provide tips for using these resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Hear from classroom teachers about how they are using NSTA Press publications; and 2. Leave with top-notch teaching tips and innovative lesson plan ideas that promote imaginative learning and student engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kim Stilwell (BIOZONE Corp.: Parker, CO)

PERFECT FOOD will instruct teachers how to bundle their diverse science standards and present them in an authentic, empowering, and engaging unit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will: 1. be shown how the complex food system gives their individual students the power to positively impact the world; 2. participate in unit activities and actively brainstorm how they can integrate their required standards into an authentic Perfect Food unit; and 3. take home templates and activities to initiate the process of developing their own Perfect Food unit.

SPEAKERS:
Daniel Jamsa (Silverton Middle School: Silverton, OR)

Formative assessment through scientific discourse and argumentation regarding evidence for scientific phenomena or theory gives authentic insight into student understanding of difficult science concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. understand the importance of formative assessment in the learning process; 2. value argumentation as a form of formative assessment; and 3. identify that scientific discourse with peers is a valuable learning tool within a classroom that gives insight into student thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Mansell (Washington Fields Intermediate School: Washington, UT), Jessica Jones (Washington Fields Intermediate School: Washington, UT)

Discover how to connect your classroom to America’s best idea, our National Parks System. Participants will get access to engaging science videos that are NGSS-focused and instructional resources to connect classrooms to our public lands.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Integrate lesson plans with instructional materials that connect students to our national parks; 2. -Develop a sense of environmental stewardship and conservation with students; and 3. -Make concepts and current environmental impacts on the parks relevant to your students.

SPEAKERS:
Chris Anderson (Hamilton County ESC: Cincinnati, OH)

Take your students beyond your classroom walls through virtual speakers and field trips with those on the frontlines of science, exploration, and conservation.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover the benefits of bringing exciting scientists, explorers, and conservationists live into your classroom through virtual guest speakers and field trips; 2. Explore how easy it is to do with exciting resources like Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants, Explorer Classroom, Google, and more; and 3. What to do before, during, and afterwards so your students get the most from these experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Joe Grabowski (Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants: Elora, ON)

Teach homologous structures by having students design and build limbs and compare them with other students’ creations.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to: 1. design a hands-on activity to illustrate homologous structures; 2. design an engineering activity for students to design and build limbs, like arms, wings, and flippers; and 3. use these limbs to begin a discussion about homologous structures and common ancestors.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Rockow (Leslie Middle School: Salem, OR)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Explore the processes of DNA replication, transcription, and translation using manipulatives that support the NGSS three dimensions, most notably the SEP of developing and using models.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Model the leading and lagging strands of DNA; 2. Understand the semiconservative nature of DNA replication; and 3. Investigate how a change in DNA code can result in a change in the protein produced.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Auld (Sehome High School: Bellingham, WA)

Sponsoring Company: Bio-Rad Laboratories

In this hands-on walk-through, learn about a CRISPR gene editing classroom activity and discuss strategies to reveal student misconceptions with a free paper model set.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Free paper models for teaching CRISPR gene editing and revealing student misconceptions; 2. A deeper understanding of CRISPR gene editing at the molecular level; and 3. Information about a CRISPR gene editing classroom activity.

SPEAKERS:
Damon Tighe (Bio-Rad Laboratories: Hercules, CA)

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:
Christina Bowers (Meridian School: Round Rock, TX)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Work through cycles of PCR using foam manipulatives that make the invisible visible. Demonstrate the role of Taq polymerase, primers, and nucleotides as they copy target DNA.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore the chemical mechanism involved in PCR; 2. Model polymerase chain reaction and how flanking primers result in the exponential amplification of a short product; and 3. Use a real-world scientific example of how PCR is used to help solve a crime.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Auld (Sehome High School: Bellingham, WA)

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)

Explore NSTA’s new Professional Learning Units. Discover these bite-sized asynchronous professional learning experiences that support student sensemaking to earn credit to submit to your school or district.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover how NSTA can provide asynchronous and bite-sized continuing education credit options (2 hours per PLU); 2. Explore how each PLU contains reflections or tasks connected to the classroom that are submitted to NSTA for review or feedback; and 3. Explore how we can support professional learning for individuals or schools/districts including the flexible options available for Professional Learning Unit topics, and how these fit into our Professional Learning pathways.

SPEAKERS:
Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Elizabeth Allan (University of Central Oklahoma: Edmond, OK)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Learn how trouble in a yogurt factory exposed CRISPR biology, paving the way for a groundbreaking biotechnology tool. This session explores virus-cell interactions at the boundary of living and nonliving systems.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. To update teachers’ knowledge of bacteria-phage interactions; 2. To demonstrate how teachers can connect this new technology to basic concepts of molecular biology they are already teaching; and 3. To connect a basic biological system to technological innovation.

SPEAKERS:
Christina Bowers (Meridian School: Round Rock, TX)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

This session introduces CRISPR-Cas9 in the context of DNA, RNA, and protein structure. Functional interactions in the natural system are explained as well as engineered improvements for sequence-specific targeting in the human genome.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. To update teachers’ knowledge of this new gene-editing technology; 2. To demonstrate how teachers can connect this new technology to basic concepts of molecular biology they are already teaching; and 3. To explore the potential and limitations of genome-editing technology applications.

SPEAKERS:
Christina Bowers (Meridian School: Round Rock, TX)

Join me for this FREE 3-D unit featuring progressive modeling supported by multimedia tools. A realistic and dynamic exploration of cells, cell systems, and disruption by pathogens. Visit https://teach.genetics.utah.edu/content/cells/ for more information.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Where to access a new, free, NGSS-friendly middle school unit on cell structure and function, cell systems. and pathogens; 2. How to integrate realistic multimedia and paper-based modeling exercises to depict the dynamic inner workings of cells and tissues; and 3. Experience with cell models that can be carried through to cell systems and infection by pathogens.

SPEAKERS:
Molly Malone (The University of Utah: Salt Lake City, UT)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Support three-dimensional learning with the hands-on Phospholipid Membrane Transport Kit, exploring the chemical properties of water and the phospholipid bilayer membrane.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Model how phospholipids spontaneously assemble in water; 2. Identify and simulate the function of the various types of channel proteins involved in membrane transport; and 3. Show how the membrane model can be used over time to add increasingly more advanced topics such as transport of ions or active transport using sodium potassium pumps.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Auld (Sehome High School: Bellingham, WA)

Sponsoring Company: Bio-Rad Laboratories

A COVID-19 outbreak among restaurant customers has researchers puzzled. It's time for your students to analyze DNA samples by electrophoresis and propose evidence-based explanations.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Walk through a hands-on classroom lab activity to teach about SARS-CoV-2 detection methods; 2. Learn about a case study, based on a publication in 2020, in which researchers analyzed diagnostic data from patrons of a restaurant to learn about how SARS-CoV-2 spreads; and 3. See how students can use classroom lab results to propose evidence-based explanations for how SARS-CoV-2 may have spread in the case study scenario.

SPEAKERS:
Damon Tighe (Bio-Rad Laboratories: Hercules, CA)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Let's explore membrane transport and signaling support neuron function. This session covers the relationship between structures and the electrical changes during excitation along with strategies to deepen engagement and understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. deepen their understanding of the molecular mechanisms that support neuron activation and signal propagation during an action potential; 2. become familiar with the specific impacts of neurotransmitters on the pre- and post-synaptic neurons; and 3. use foam models to explore approaches to learning that invite deep questioning, such as via making predictions of the consequences of specific mutations in the sodium potassium pump on neuron activity.

SPEAKERS:
Christina Bowers (Meridian School: Round Rock, TX)