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 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)

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:
Linda Cook (The University of Texas at Dallas: Richardson, TX)

Learn how ungrading works in a science classroom as feedback and reflection replace points to increase student autonomy and connection to learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Connect deep 3-D learning with the tenets of ungrading to see how they work together; 2. Explore concrete ways of tracking student progress and feedback while devaluing points and centering learning; and 3. Leave with access to resources that support ungrading in STEM classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Johanna Brown (Washington State OSPI)

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)

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. Push Black students academically forward without making them feel torn between two language worlds.

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

We share inclusive approaches to science and engineering “flipped labs” that enabled hundreds of high school students to connect STEM with home and families.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Design guidelines for affordable and accessible STEM design activities that can expand from classroom to home and allow students to engage in inquiry and engineering exploration; 2. Example case studies, from high schools with diverse demographics, of integrated science and engineering “flipped lab” design projects that bridged the classroom to home; and 3. Suggestions for improving flipped labs into full 3-D learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Mihir Ravel (Visiting Scholar: Portland, OR), Stephen Scannell (Gresham High School: Gresham, OR), Dan Robinette (Clackamas High School: Clackamas, OR), Cary Sneider (Portland State University: Portland, OR)

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:
Linda Cook (The University of Texas at Dallas: Richardson, TX)

The focus of this presentation is to equip teachers with the pedagogical and technological skills needed to drive three- dimensional NGSS-focused instruction using phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Help teachers develop and use thought-provoking phenomena to enable students to make connections between the science concept and real-life situations; 2. This session provides participating teachers opportunities to experience lessons in the same manner as students; and 3. Help teachers to use digital platforms for academic dialogue that would spike discontent in the students' understanding of the phenomena, driving them to use science practices to explore their curiosities further.

SPEAKERS:
Chidi Duru (Prince George's County Public Schools: Upper Marlboro, MD)

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)

In this session, a teacher new to project-based learning, cognitive skills assessment, and virtual school shares her learning from SY20–21!

TAKEAWAYS:
We CAN: 1. create authentic engineering design experiences using online tools!; 2. assess student learning based on the application of cognitive skills AND content knowledge!; and 3. support the development of Science and Engineering Practices in virtual school!

SPEAKERS:
Ayla Wilk (Summit Atlas High School: Seattle, WA)

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)

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: Museum of Science, Boston – EiE

Learn how EiE can help grades 1–5 students develop 21st-century skills through high-quality scaffolded engineering and computer science experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Identify the connections and recognize the benefits of integrating engineering and computer science learning in the classroom; 2. Understand the habits of mind that learners develop when participating in high-quality engineering and computer science activities; and 3. Learn the structure and rationale behind EiE's Integrated Engineering and Computer Science Essentials units.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Glover (Museum of Science, Boston: Boston, MA), Jesus Garcia (Museum of Science, Boston: Boston, MA)

Sponsoring Company: Pitsco Education

The framework of our STEM PBL units includes a meaningful STEM challenge, authentic inquiry, student choice, applied development, and public engagement.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Elements of a STEM PBL unit; 2. Ways to incorporate hands-on STEM learning into an open-ended STEM PBL unit; and 3. Leave with the right tools and confidence to integrate a STEM PBL unit into your learning environment.

SPEAKERS:
Molly Underwood (Pitsco Education: Pittsburg, KS), Mohit Abraham (Pitsco Education: Pittsburg, KS)

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)