Learn about and experience teacher-created and phenomena-driven hands-on Chemistry and Physics courses designed for ALL students. Walk away with scope and sequences for both!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. A process for creating NGSS-focused lessons and instructional units; 2. A guide and example for creating phenomena-based models; and 3. How to access complete scope and sequences for the Chemistry and Physics courses we have developed.

SPEAKERS:
Zachary Sawhill (Oak Harbor High School: Oak Harbor, WA), Mackenzie Neal (Oak Harbor High School: Oak Harbor, WA), Malia Turner (Oak Harbor High School: Oak Harbor, WA), Jonathan Frostad (Washington Science Teachers Association: No City, No State), Michael Crebbin (Oak Harbor High School: Oak Harbor, WA), Gary Thayer (Oak Harbor High School: Oak Harbor, WA)

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)

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)

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 (Educational and Technology Consultant: Prairie Village, KS)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Model stellar evolution processes using NASA images, plotting H-R diagram transitions, and determining the chemistry and physics of supernovas using NASA STEM image analysis tools.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Knowledge of the process of how stars form and change over time ending in catastrophic events, providing conditions for the formation of planets; 2. Students will understand that all knowledge of celestial events is determined by analyzing the light from these events and provide possibilities—not definitive answers—as the data can be interpreted differently; and 3. Image analysis software tools allow scientists to gain detailed information of stellar physical and chemical processes and constantly refine our evolving models of stellar evolution.

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

Students engaged in this project-based learning unit master a variety of STEAM skills and content by creating pinhole cameras and coding a virtual reality environment.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Participants will learn how to create an interdisciplinary STEAM unit using the design-engineering process to employ differentiation in both process and product. 2. Participants will learn how to incorporate a virtual reality product into a project-based learning unit. 3. Participants will learn how to incorporate a wide variety of topics and skills into a project-based learning unit that spans multiple disciplines and incorporates both old technology (pinhole cameras) and new technology (virtual reality) while meeting the performance standards laid out by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Olivera (Columbia Grammar & Preparatory School: New York, NY)

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)

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)

EdReports is expanding into high school instructional materials reviews. Learn about the High School Learning and Listening Tour, provide feedback on our current thinking, and hear about opportunities to become a reviewer.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Build an understanding of the challenges educators face in finding quality materials and how EdReports aims to address those challenges; 2. Learn about the expansion into High School science and develop an understanding of the findings from our High School Learning and Listening tour, characteristics of alignment to the NGSS and usability, and discuss smart adoption processes; and 3. Hear about opportunities to engage as an EdReports reviewer in upcoming reviews, which includes NGSS training, an extended learning community, and a paid stipend.

SPEAKERS:
Sam Shaw (EdReports.org)

NITARP (NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program) gets teachers involved in authentic astronomical research. Small groups of mostly high school educators work with professional astronomers for an original research project.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. A clear understanding of the application process to apply for a NITARP opportunity; 2. An idea of the research experience of a participant involved in this astronomy experience; and 3. An awareness of the vast astronomy resources (images and astronomy programs) available for free to educators and their students.

SPEAKERS:
John Taylor (Marvin Ridge High School: No City, No State)

Learn practical strategies to build a more inclusive class culture in this NGSS-aligned session. Find out how to leverage student experience to promote learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Three-dimensional and phenomena-based teaching routines build classroom equity and inclusion; 2. Developing clear norms together is key to helping students find their voice; and 3. Productive student talk requires planning, but student and teacher tools are available.

SPEAKERS:
Steven Babcock (Louisiana State University Laboratory School: Baton Rouge, LA)

This session is for teachers new to and experienced with Patterns Physics, a 3-D, student centered curriculum that meaningfully integrates across the STEM disciplines. Participants will engage with several phenomena across multiple storylines and walk away an overview of a yearlong curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Model guide step aside; 2. Exposure practice mastery; and 3. When students talk, students learn.

SPEAKERS:
Connie Robbins (Crane Union High School: Crane, OR), Bradford Hill (Mountainside High School: Beaverton, OR), Matt McCollum (Mountainside High School: Beaverton, OR)

Participants will learn how to create a culturally relevant science lesson using an Earth science unit on conflict minerals in electronic devices as an example.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn how to identify concepts that readily lend themselves to connecting and engaging students in culturally relevant content; 2. brainstorm science content that can lead to social activism; and 3. learn how to connect the NGSS crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
Lesley Urasky (Saratoga Middle/High School: Saratoga, WY)