Discover free age-appropriate "Cooped Up Kids" activities that connect kids to the outdoors and exciting science content whether in school, remote, or blended.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover free hands-on lessons that are tied to the NGSS and Common Core Standards and discuss how to implement them whether learners are at home or in school; 2. Describe the socio-emotional benefits of place-based outdoor experiences for diverse K–8 students; and 3. Learn how to access a variety of free educational interactives, online multimedia resources, and citizen science projects scaffolded by lessons that are perfect for K–8 settings.

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

Discover research-based approaches on how to build a strong makerspace community that taps into foundational scientific literacy skills. Participate in a makerspace project-based literacy challenge.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Improve culturally responsive teaching in an informal makerspace environment through the development of makerspace pop-up activities and training approaches following a makerspace project-based literacy process; 2. Increase scientific literacy achievement through informal literacy hands-on makerspace pop-up activities focused on STEM real-world activities; and 3. Describe opportunities and hands-on mobile approaches to build capacity of existing informal makerspace learning of remote communities, diverse learners, and STEM professionals serving underrepresented minority populations.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Miller (Sul Ross State University: Alpine, TX), Thomas Tomas (Little Singer Community School: Winslow, AZ)

Sponsoring Company: BrainPOP

Learn how to build on the core concepts of WISE interventions to integrate social-emotional learning competencies into science teaching and learning with the new BrainPOP Science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to: 1. reduce ambiguity for students to build self-efficacy and confidence in science; 2. provide immediate and precise feedback for students through formative assessments incorporated throughout the lesson; and 3. incorporate reflection questions at the end of each science lesson, and pause points throughout the lesson to promote meaning-making.

SPEAKERS:
Maneeza Dawood (BrainPOP: New York, NY)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

Learn how to create a project-based camp or classroom lesson that enable students to apply concepts, such as photosynthesis and the water cycle, to design a smart irrigation system. Inspired by real-world events, students are motivated to apply problem-solving skills and learn some basic programming to come up with innovative solutions to using water more efficiently.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Developing models to better understand a process; 2. Constructing explanations and designing solutions; and 3. Introducing students to coding to solve a science problem with an engineering solution.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Kohout (Howard County Conservancy: Woodstock, MD)

Join us for a variety of short, modified Pecha Kucha–style presentations, after which the presenters will be available for questions and further discussion.

The presentations included in this session are:

EarthKAM: Have Your Students Take Photos from ISS
Presenter: David Curry

The Post-COVID Dissection Lab
Presenters: Nicole Green and Bailee Henderson

Teaching Physics on the Cheap
Presenter: Shannon Hudson

Shape of Life: Virtually Teaching The Greatest Story Ever Told—Evolution of the Animal Kingdom on Planet Earth
Presenter: Denise Ryan

NMLSTA Award Opportunities
Presenter: Alison Betz Seymour

Parent/Family Involvement in Science: Why It's Important and How to Make It Work
Presenter: Jessica VanValkenburg

Teaching the Engineering Design Process Through Urban Gardening
Presenters: Elizabeth Weissman and Rebecca Somogyi

Moderator: Mary Lou Lipscomb

Note: This session involves Breakout Rooms. In order to participate, you must have the latest version of Zoom downloaded to your computer. Before accessing our Zoom platform, please visit Zoom.us/download, click on Download, and then click on Execute file to initialize.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover a variety lessons, units, professional development opportunities, and resources for hybrid or virtual instruction; 2. Learn ways to engage middle level students in exciting inquiry learning; and 3. Become aware of ways to involve parents and/or community in science.

SPEAKERS:
Denise Ryan (Shape of Life: Capitola, CA), David Curry (Newtown Middle School: Newtown, PA), Nicole Green (Animalearn: Jenkintown, PA), Bailee Henderson (Animalearn: , United States), Shannon Hudson (Crawfordsville Middle School: Crawfordsville, IN), Alison Betz Seymour (Science Teacher: Winchester, 0), Jessica VanValkenburgh (Columbus State University: Columbus, GA), Elizabeth Weissman (The Ramaz School: New York, NY)

Sponsoring Company: NSTA Press

Learn about Argument-Driven Inquiry and how it can help students engage in real-world science while using literacy-based materials in the service of sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session, participants will: 1. how to use this instructional model, or way of teaching, to give students an opportunity to learn how to use the core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and practices of science to make sense of natural phenomena; 2. how to give students an opportunity to talk, read, and write in the service of sensemaking in science; and 3. ways to support students as they engage in real-world science while using literacy-based materials in the service of sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Victor Sampson (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX)

Using COVID data and multimedia sources, teachers can elevate students’ understandings of science as a human endeavor, and explore diverse contributions and other nature of science themes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. acquire multiple classroom resources for COVID data, updates, and multimedia; 2. examine connections among pandemic examples and grade level nature of science (NOS) themes in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS); and 3. explore opportunities to enhance science lessons with key NGSS NOS themes such as science as a human endeavor, diverse contributions and cultures, using a variety of methods, and knowledge open to revision in light of new evidence.

SPEAKERS:
Daniel Bergman (Wichita State University: Wichita, KS)

Participants explore strategies and resources for engaging students during face-to-face and virtual instruction. Equity, differentiation, and nonlinguistic representations of instruction and learning will be targeted.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. learn research-based strategies that increase student engagement so that all students are involved in the learning process; 2. learn new ways to increase the confidence of learners who may be reluctant to engage in classroom activities and discussions; and 3. obtain numerous activities, templates, games, resources, etc. they can use with their students. These can be used “as is” or modified to include other content based on the needs of the attendees.

SPEAKERS:
Iris Mudd (Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools: Winston Salem, NC)

Teachers will learn to integrate bias recognition as part of the normal science curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Recognizing bias requires practice; 2. Recognizing bias requires critical thinking; and 3. Recognizing bias can be integrated as part of the normal learning process.

SPEAKERS:
Bailey O'Reilly (Academie Da Vinci Charter School for the Arts and Technology: Dunedin, FL)

Connect the human impact of trash pollution to engineering design. Get your students thinking critically and creatively as they collaborate in real-world problem solving.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Connecting the human impact of single-use plastics and their effect on aquatic ecosystems; 2. Exposing students to basic coding and engineering design in an NGSS-focused content classroom; and 3. Developing a project that enhances STEM skills in students such as collaboration, curiosity, and creative problem-solving.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Kohout (Howard County Conservancy: Woodstock, MD), Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA)

My NASA Data will model interactive resources for students learning in-person and via virtual environments that feature short activities, lessons, and access to NASA data.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. walk away with access to NASA resources for their Earth science classrooms that can be linked directly to their learning management systems; 2. learn of interactive strategies for using these resources with students in a variety of learning environments; and 3. learn of an Earth science data visualization tool that enables students/educators to access and visualize NASA data for a particular region or time period.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Joyner (NASA Langley Research Center: Hampton, VA), Angela Rizzi (NASA Langley Research Center/ADNET: No City, No State)

Explore how to use argumentation and explanations supported with the CER framework and the KLEWS chart to engage in the science and engineering practices in the science classroom—both virtually and in person. These ideas will support students to actively participate in inquiry-based, phenomenon-centered activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Students need a scaffolding of supports to fully participate and grow in their ability to use the SEPs; 2. Teachers can use many different supports, in different ways for varied learners, to help all students be successful in science. ALL students can be successful!; and 3. These supports can be tailored to all topics in science.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)

Discover lesson plans and teaching resources to better integrate science and engineering practices in our food system.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage in the practice of phenomena-based learning through the phenomena of photoperiodism; 2. Improve critical thinking while investigating food production systems; and 3. Integrate STEM concepts through design thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Andrea Gardner (Utah State University: Logan, UT), Tessa Matuszak (National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization: Palm Coast, FL)

Come learn about Data Puzzles, a free resource co-designed by climate scientists and instructional specialists from the University of Colorado Boulder that are aimed at bringing authentic data into classrooms in the context of current and relevant scientific research.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Introduction to inquiry-based instruction in the context of Ambitious Science Teaching practices; 2. Strategies for facilitating Data Puzzle resources and other inquiry-based activities in your MS/HS classroom; and 3. Skills to design your own data-driven learning activities.

SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Griffith (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, VT)

Sponsoring Company: American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History teaching cases are curriculum materials designed to facilitate student exploration of sets of data they did not collect themselves. Participants will use videos, essays, and analysis tools to investigate how blue whales, the largest animal to ever live, survive by eating some of the smallest.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about: 1. how blue whales have evolved into the largest animal to have lived on Earth; 2. the AMNH teaching case model designed to contextualize large sets of data for students; and 3. opportunities to explore AMNH teaching cases with other teachers.

SPEAKERS:
David Randle (American Museum of Natural History: New York, NY)

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education

The 16 units in Discovery Education’s brand-new Science Techbook for middle school are driven by engaging anchor phenomena that prompt students to ask driving questions. Students engage in storylines using the science and engineering practices to collect evidence that answers their questions, learning both core ideas and crosscutting concepts along the way.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Curriculum units should begin with an anchor phenomena that stimulates student questions; 2. A unit should be designed to allow students to collect evidence from investigative phenomena that they can use to answer their questions; and 3. Students should make sense of phenomena by engaging in practices that lead them to develop disciplinary core ideas and crosscutting concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Hailey Adams Mangum (Discovery Education: Chicago, IL), Ted Willard (Discovery Education: Silver Spring, MD)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

In this session you will learn how to use a simulation of an aquatic ecosystem to help students see the relationships between biotic and abiotic factors such as dissolved oxygen, pH, and temperature. The simulation makes it possible to model environments that would otherwise be very difficult to monitor and experiment with. Plus, the fish animations are really cool!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Using simulations with students can help them better visualize the mechanisms behind phenomena; 2. Simulations are a great complement to hands-on learning and work best when hands on isn't possible/practical; and 3. Effects of changes to certain variables in aquatic ecosystems can have negative effects on the organisms that live there.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Kohout (Howard County Conservancy: Woodstock, MD)

Sponsoring Company: PAEMST

Come learn about the highest recognition for STEM educators in the United States. We will discuss eligibility criteria, nomination, application, and review process for the awards. Awardees receive a certificate; a $10,000 award; a trip to Washington, DC, for a recognition event; and access to over 5,100 award-winning teachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How you can win $10,000; 2. How you can apply for this prestigious award from the U.S. Government; and 3. The benefits of applying for this award.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Mayes (National Science Foundation: Alexandria, VA)

Join us for a variety of short, modified Pecha Kucha–style presentations, after which the presenters will be available for questions and further discussion.

The presentations included in this session are:

Innovation in Biology
Presenter: Jessica Kohout

Eureka! Bioprospecting for Medicine
Presenter: Liz Martinez

FIRST at Home
Presenter: Libby Simpson

Opportunities and Resources for All Middle Level Educators!
Presenters: Anne Schoeffler and Edralin Pagarigan

Inspiring the Future of Aerospace
Presenter: Melissa Sleeper

Ten STE(A)M Skills for Everyone
Presenters: Lydia Kidane

Moderator: Mary Lou Lipscomb

Note: This session involves Breakout Rooms. In order to participate, you must have the latest version of Zoom downloaded to your computer. Before accessing our Zoom platform, please visit Zoom.us/download, click on Download, and then click on Execute file to initialize.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover a variety lessons, units, professional development opportunities, and resources for hybrid or virtual instruction; 2. Learn ways to engage middle level students in exciting inquiry learning; and 3. Become aware of ways to involve parents and/or community in science.

SPEAKERS:
Edralin Pagarigan (Golden Ring Middle School: Rosedale, MD), Lydia Kidane (Sustainable Forestry Initiative: Washington, DC), Jessica Kohout (Howard County Conservancy: Woodstock, MD), Liz Martinez (Curriculum/Professional Development: Escondido, CA), Libby Simpson (FIRST®: Manchester, NH), Anne Schoeffler (Seton Catholic School: Hudson, OH), Melissa Sleeper (Storm Grove Middle School: Vero Beach, FL)

Sponsoring Company: BrainPOP

Learn how to facilitate student exploration of phenomena through simulations and virtual worlds that support three-dimensional learning with the new BrainPOP Science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. As the students interact with the Sims and virtual worlds, they develop disciplinary knowledge, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices in authentic and engaging ways; 2. Sims and virtual worlds provide rich student-generated artifacts and process data that can be used for effective teaching, learning, and formative assessment (e.g., the number of trials performed, evidence collected in support of scientific argumentation); and 3. Sims and virtual worlds foster student collaboration and discussion when focused around well-crafted driving questions that are correctly answered in multiple ways, creating a robust learning experience that reaches beyond the screen.

SPEAKERS:
Brendon Trombley (BrainPOP: New York, NY)

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education

Discovery Education’s brand-new Science Techbook for middle school provides multiple opportunities to assess students’ proficiency with all three dimensions. This session highlights the opportunities for formative assessments throughout the unit as students engage in practices, as well as a summative unit project and a set of performance-based assessments (PBAs) targeting every performance expectation.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Students' engagement in science and engineering practices provides an opportunity for formative assessments; 2. Assessments should be tied to phenomena; and 3. Assessments should be three-dimensional.

SPEAKERS:
Nikki Brassell Snyder (Montgomery County Public Schools: Christiansburg, VA), Ted Willard (Discovery Education: Silver Spring, MD)

Sponsoring Company: NSTA Press

Argument-Driven Inquiry is an instructional model that gives middle school students a chance to learn how to use DCIs, CCs, and SEPs to explain natural phenomena and provides them with a meaningful context to talk, read, and write in the service of sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to use this instructional model, or way of teaching, to give students an opportunity to learn how to use the core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and practices of science to make sense of natural phenomena; 2. How to give students an opportunity to talk, read, and write in the service of sensemaking; and 3. Ways to support students in both remote and in-person contexts.

SPEAKERS:
Victor Sampson (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX)

Join us for a variety of short, modified Pecha Kucha–style presentations, after which the presenters will be available for questions and further discussion.

The presentations included in this session are:

Telling Data Stories
Presenter: Loris Jean Chen

AMS Project Atmosphere: Jet Streams
Presenter: David Curry

3 Cs of Bridging the Gap to Science Literacy
Presenters: Jennifer Ledbetter and Lisa Reis

Stack the Deck
Presenter: Liz Martinez

Greetings from Mars!
Presenter: Melissa Sleeper

Science Simulations and Digital Notebooks
Presenter: Stacy Thibodeaux

NGSS-Focused STEM Projects
Presenter: Vanessa Ueltzen

Moderator: Mary Lou Lipscomb

Note: This session involves Breakout Rooms. In order to participate, you must have the latest version of Zoom downloaded to your computer. Before accessing our Zoom platform, please visit Zoom.us/download, click on Download, and then click on Execute file to initialize.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover a variety lessons, units, professional development opportunities, and resources for hybrid or virtual instruction; 2. Learn ways to engage middle level students in exciting inquiry learning; and 3. Become aware of ways to involve parents and/or community in science.

SPEAKERS:
Loris Chen (Science Education Consultant: Fair Lawn, NJ), David Curry (Newtown Middle School: Newtown, PA), Jennifer Ledbetter (University School: Johnson City, TN), Lisa Reis (University School: Johnson City, TN), Liz Martinez (Curriculum/Professional Development: Escondido, CA), Melissa Sleeper (Storm Grove Middle School: Vero Beach, FL), Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA), Vanessa Ueltzen (Walther Christian Academy: Melrose Park, IL)

Discover research-based approaches on how to build a strong makerspace community that taps into foundational scientific literacy skills. Participate in a makerspace project-based literacy challenge.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Improve culturally responsive teaching in an informal makerspace environment through the development of makerspace pop-up activities and training approaches following a makerspace project-based literacy process; 2. Increase scientific literacy achievement through informal literacy hands-on makerspace pop-up activities focused on STEM real-world activities; and 3. Describe opportunities and hands-on mobile approaches to build capacity of existing informal makerspace learning of remote communities, diverse learners, and STEM professionals serving underrepresented minority populations.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Miller (Sul Ross State University: Alpine, TX), Thomas Tomas (Little Singer Community School: Winslow, AZ)

Learn how to navigate the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication's Educator Page. Engage with data-based, NGSS-focused activities that you can easily use with students.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Communicating effectively about climate change is just as important as understanding climate science itself if we hope to realize viable, equitable climate solutions in our lifetime; 2. The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication conducts scientific research on public climate change knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Through YPCCC's Educator Page, students can engage with current data from this research to identify effective climate change communication strategies and think critically about what it takes to implement climate action; and 3. Students are a critical audience to engage in the work to find and enact climate solutions. The activities on the Educator Page can help students develop a sense of agency around climate change communication while honing important NGSS-related skills.

SPEAKERS:
Ruthie Gold (Yale Program on Climate Change Communication: New Haven, CT)

Learn effective techniques, including Claims-Evidence-Reasoning, to help students navigate media filled with fictional information promoted as fact and cherry-picked data offered as evidence.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Teachers are provided with a checklist to assist their students in determining if information found on the internet is reputable, factual, and accurate; 2. Learn effective techniques to consider and understand why someone would believe common misconceptions about climate change and global warming; and 3. Participate in group discussions that take a deep dive into data to determine its relevance to a question or issue.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Tucker (Consultant: Port Townsend, WA), Lois Sherwood (Professional Development Coordinator: Port Townsend, WA)

Experience tools and data sources that help learners connect climate science content to local and global phenomena.

Note: Attendees will need the ability to stay in the virtual session while exploring new tools online simultaneously, so split-screens or multiple monitors would be helpful but are not required. Presenters will not have the ability to correct internet issues or the inability of attendees to access resources presented that might arise due to time limitation. So please keep in mind firewalls and administrative privileges before the session.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. walk away with peer- and science-reviewed resources they can immediately integrate into their teaching; 2. walk away with strategies for engaging students in collaborative explorations of climate data; and 3. experience materials as learners that help make thinking visible.

SPEAKERS:
Lin Andrews (National Center for Science Education: Oakland, CA), Jessica Bean (University of California, Berkeley: Berkeley, CA), Mark Chandler (Columbia University: New York, NY), Louise Huffman (U.S. Ice Drilling Program: Hanover, NH), Cory Forbes (University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Lincoln, NE)

Sponsoring Company: Animalearn

Discover how you can make your dissection lab dynamic and innovative after COVID-19! Learn about new life science resources, including mixed reality (AR/VR) education technology; and explorative, hands-on teaching tools that will amaze and engage your students. Participants will be entered to WIN FREE PRIZES like dissection resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Life science resources; 2. Education technology; and 3. Hybrid classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Green (Animalearn: Jenkintown, PA)

Sponsoring Company: Shell Science Lab

Come start your winning application for one of three Shell-sponsored programs. We'll walk through the application step by step and you'll be able to begin your application or nomination form live.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn: 1. tips to complete a successful application; 2. who's eligible to apply; and 3. how to nominate a deserving teacher.

SPEAKERS:
Ruth Ruud (Cleveland State University: Cleveland, OH), Amanda Upton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Sponsoring Company: FDA/ Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Join us in exploring FDA's free curriculum designed for middle level and high school students. The Science and Our Food Supply series provides hands-on lessons in food safety, nutrition, and agricultural biotechnology…and provides a bridge for students to experience science in the real world.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will: 1. explore the variety of lessons found in the FDA curriculum; 2. understand how this curriculum can be integrated into a variety of science classes; and 3. be exposed to how this curriculum can be adapted to both hands-on and distance learning.

SPEAKERS:
Elena Stowell (Kentwood High School: Kent, WA), Laurie A Hayes (Retired Biomedicine Teacher: , CA)

We are teaching students in class, at home, and in quarantine. TIES offers FREE evolution units packed with activities. Check them out at www.tieseducation.org.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. You can teach evolution virtually, but effectively; 2. There are free online activities that can replace our more traditional active learning lessons; and 3. This session can give your students high-quality evolution instruction all in one free, downloadable unit with student response sheets, rubrics, answer keys, and assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Bertha Vazquez (G. W. Carver Middle School: Miami, FL)

Across the western United States, wildfires are burning more and more of the landscape. In the NASA-funded "Future of Forests" curriculum, tied to NGSS Life Science standards, students engage with online mapping tools and authentic datasets to discover how landscapes recover after wildfires.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Introduction to the model-based inquiry instructional framework designed around the construction, revision, and testing of explanatory models; 2. Strategies to implement the NASA-funded "Future of Forests" MS/HS curriculum tied to NGSS Life Science standards; and 3. Skills to connect unit to the GLOBE citizen science protocols.

SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Griffith (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, VT)

Attendees will learn about unique and interactive assessments that go beyond multiple choice tests. These options offer learners a variety of ways to demonstrate their mastery of content. Varied assessment options will be explored, including alternative testing questions, interactive assessments, concept maps, and projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will learn about alternate ways of assessing student learning that allows all learners to demonstrate mastery of content; 2. Alternate midterm and final exams options will be shared; and 3. Attendees will learn how to create valid assessments for English Learners.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Matson (Thomas Worthington High School: Columbus, OH), Kimberly Thesing (Thomas Worthington High School: Columbus, OH)

Unsure how to address disability in biology? Learn models of disability, identify ableism, and learn how to accept disability as a natural form of variation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. be able to identify and remedy common examples of ableism, while learning about the beliefs and practices of the ability-inclusive mindset to promote an inclusive classroom and school environment; 2. be provided a set of slides that teach how disability is a natural form of human variation, the other above concepts in the context of a biology lesson on the natural sources of variation (meiosis, mutation, sexual reproduction); and 3. learn about the positives and negatives of the social, medical, inspirational, and social justice models of disability.

SPEAKERS:
John Gensic (Penn High School: Mishawaka, IN), Katy Fattaleh (The Nora Project: Highland Park, IL), Lainey Bristow (Penn High School: Mishawaka, IN)

Discover lesson plans and teaching resources to better integrate science and engineering practices in our food system.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage in the practice of phenomena-based learning through the phenomena of photoperiodism; 2. Improve critical thinking while investigating food production systems; and 3. Integrate STEM concepts through design thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Tessa Matuszak (National Agriculture in the Classroom Organization: Palm Coast, FL), Andrea Gardner (Utah State University: Logan, UT)

Come learn about Data Puzzles, a free resource co-designed by climate scientists and instructional specialists from the University of Colorado Boulder that are aimed at bringing authentic data into classrooms in the context of current and relevant scientific research.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Introduction to inquiry-based instruction in the context of Ambitious Science Teaching practices; 2. Strategies for facilitating Data Puzzle resources and other inquiry-based activities in your MS/HS classroom; and 3. Skills to design your own data-driven learning activities.

SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Griffith (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, VT)

Connect the human impact of trash pollution to engineering design. Get your students thinking critically and creatively as they collaborate in real-world problem solving.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Connecting the human impact of single-use plastics and their effect on aquatic ecosystems; 2. Exposing students to basic coding and engineering design in an NGSS-focused content classroom; and 3. Developing a project that enhances STEM skills in students such as collaboration, curiosity, and creative problem-solving.

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA), Jessica Kohout (Howard County Conservancy: Woodstock, MD)

Learn effective techniques, including Claims-Evidence-Reasoning, to help students navigate media filled with fictional information promoted as fact and cherry-picked data offered as evidence.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Teachers are provided with a checklist to assist their students in determining if information found on the internet is reputable, factual, and accurate; 2. Learn effective techniques to consider and understand why someone would believe common misconceptions about climate change and global warming; and 3. Participate in group discussions that take a deep dive into data to determine its relevance to a question or issue.

SPEAKERS:
Lois Sherwood (Professional Development Coordinator: Port Townsend, WA), Laura Tucker (Consultant: Port Townsend, WA)

Case studies highlight serendipitous discoveries that integrate engineering and science. Cases rooted in history capture students’ imaginations and can be used with online, remote instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will explore the historical background that case studies provide to teach science; 2. Attendees will apply scientific practices with the engineering design process.; and 3. Using case studies, attendees will work in small groups and will learn how to use cases to challenge students to use their imaginations and creative skills to ideate new products or applications of current products.

SPEAKERS:
M. Gail Jones (North Carolina State University: Raleigh, NC), Rebecca Hite (Texas Tech University: Lubbock, TX), Megan Ennes (University of Florida: Gainesville, FL), Gina Childers (Texas Tech University: Lubbock, TX), Elysa Corin (Institute for Learning Innovation: Beaverton, OR), Emily Cayton (Campbell University: Buies Creek, NC)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Whether breaking bonds, dissolving NaCl, or exploring states of matter, your students will be captivated by 3D Molecular Designs’ magnetic Water Kit©. The versatile kit will engage students in chemistry, biology, biochemistry, Earth science, or physical science and its usefulness spans from middle and high school to college.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Teach bonds and bond strength with models; 2. Teach solutions and states of matter with models; and 3. Teach polarity with models.

SPEAKERS:
Jim Lane (Mahtomedi High School: Saint Paul, MN)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Have you missed dissections? Sign up and receive a Carolina’s Perfect Solution® cow eye dissection kit, including PPE! We’ll dissect during this hands-on workshop and construct a Scienstructable 3D Eye Dissection Model®. Have your colored pencils and glue sticks ready! See how dissection and NGSS converge; you won’t believe your eyes! Limited quantity available—sign up now! Open to continental U.S. residents only.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Eye dissection techniques; 2. How dissections correlate to NGSS standards; and 3. Dissection safety.

SPEAKERS:
Candace Berkeley (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

A decomposing corpse is found in a field. Four possible missing persons fit the description. But who is it? Using clues near the scene will help determine identity. Forensic anthropologist Diane France helped to develop this free middle school and high school forensic science lesson.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Forensic science is a great career field that combines science with criminal justice; 2. Natural processes of decomposition of flesh can be clues to determining cause of death; and 3. Storytelling is a great way to engage students in science.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Lukens (Retired Science Teacher: Sioux Falls, SD)

Participants explore strategies and resources for engaging students during face-to-face and virtual instruction. Equity, differentiation, and nonlinguistic representations of instruction and learning will be targeted.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. learn research-based strategies that increase student engagement so that all students are involved in the learning process; 2. learn new ways to increase the confidence of learners who may be reluctant to engage in classroom activities and discussions; and 3. obtain numerous activities, templates, games, resources, etc. they can use with their students. These can be used “as is” or modified to include other content based on the needs of the attendees.

SPEAKERS:
Iris Mudd (Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools: Winston Salem, NC)

In this session, learn how to engage all students in vocabulary development in the science classroom. Instructional strategies for all students, with a focus on English Learners, will be highlighted.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn: 1. how to teach vocabulary alongside content; 2. immediately implementable activities to promote vocabulary acquisition; and 3. about resources to support vocabulary instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Kimberly Thesing (Thomas Worthington High School: Columbus, OH), Stephanie Matson (Thomas Worthington High School: Columbus, OH)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

In this hands-on interactive workshop, participants will learn how to utilize physical phospholipid and transport protein models to explore the structure of the cell membrane, the role of transport proteins in moving ions and small molecules across membranes, and how defects in transport proteins can cause diseases such as cystic fibrosis.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Teach membrane transport with models; 2. Teach the role of transport proteins with models; and 3. Teach how defects in transport can cause diseases.

SPEAKERS:
Chris Chou (Longmont High School: Longmont, CO)

Sponsoring Company: Flinn Scientific, Inc.

This workshop will focus on how to incorporate more hands-on experiments into science courses in a way that connects the experiences to the broader world. The workshop will also discuss how to make the experiences doable for all students regardless of prior knowledge, training, or learning environment.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to do more hands-on, authentic experiments; 2. How to make experiments relevant; and 3. How digital media and adaptable platforms can help cater experiences to all students.

SPEAKERS:
Mike Marvel (Flinn Scientific, Inc.: Batavia, IL)

Sponsoring Company: XR Guru

Integrate VR/AR science modules to help your students understand complex topics in an immersive engaging environment.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn the research on using VR/AR in education; 2. View sample science module content; and 3. View the teacher portal and receive immediate free access to all content.

SPEAKERS:
Doug Smith (XR Guru: Dublin, OH)

Sponsoring Company: FDA/ Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition

Join us in exploring FDA's free curriculum designed for middle level and high school students. The Science and Our Food Supply series provides hands-on lessons in food safety, nutrition, and agricultural biotechnology…and provides a bridge for students to experience science in the real world.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will: 1. explore the variety of lessons found in the FDA curriculum; 2. understand how this curriculum can be integrated into a variety of science classes; and 3. be exposed to how this curriculum can be adapted to both hands-on and distance learning.

SPEAKERS:
Elena Stowell (Kentwood High School: Kent, WA), Laurie A Hayes (Retired Biomedicine Teacher: , CA)

My NASA Data will model interactive resources for students learning in-person and via virtual environments that feature short activities, lessons, and access to NASA data.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. walk away with access to NASA resources for their Earth science classrooms that can be linked directly to their learning management systems; 2. learn of interactive strategies for using these resources with students in a variety of learning environments; and 3. learn of an Earth science data visualization tool that enables students/educators to access and visualize NASA data for a particular region or time period.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Rizzi (NASA Langley Research Center/ADNET: No City, No State), Elizabeth Joyner (NASA Langley Research Center: Hampton, VA)

Engage in a lesson from NOAA’s Data in the Classroom to explore some effective engagement and assessment tools and technologies for the post-COVID classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Keep experimenting with EdTech inside and outside of your classrooms; 2. Utilize EdTech for assessment and engagement of all learners in the classroom; and 3. Access scientific data from NOAA to help students evaluate claims, construct arguments, and better understand the world around them.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Dean (Jewish Community High School of the Bay: San Francisco, CA)

Explore how to engage students in the science of climate change using the question., “How will we produce food in a changing climate?”

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Resources for students to understand that food is grown in climate-specific areas of the world; 2. Critical thinking regarding the environmental footprint of food production; and 3. Context for the carbon cycle.

SPEAKERS:
Andrea Gardner (Utah State University: Logan, UT)

Integrate gender diversity into your teaching for accurate, inclusive, NGSS-focused, and future-ready biology lessons! Participants will explore our free framework, example lessons, and resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Biology teaching presents many opportunities to teach about gender, sex, and sexuality; 2. We can support our LGBTQ+ students and all students by discussing gender-diversity in an evidence-based, ongoing, and positive way; and 3. Gender-inclusive teaching creates opportunities to engage in the NGSS science and engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
Sam Long (St. Vrain Valley Schools: Longmont, CO), Lewis Steller (Academy for Precision Learning: Seattle, WA), River Suh (Leadership High School: San Francisco, CA)

Explore with Indigenous Knowledge Keepers how and why to include Indigenous Ways of Knowing and voices in your place-based STEM projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
With guidance from an Indigenous Knowledge Keeper: 1. gather examples of, and reasons for, looking at NGSS PEs, DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs through the complementary lens of Indigenous Ways of Knowing, which we call Indigenizing STEM; 2. create an ancestral land acknowledgement statement, with instructions, that can be used at your school, organization, or project site; and 3. create an honoring (blessing) protocol from the Indigenous perspective that acknowledges the respected human-environment relationship. This protocol could be done on the land of STEM project before changing or taking from the ecosystem.

SPEAKERS:
RunningHorse Livingston (Mathematize, Inc.: Madison, WI), Pte Ska Hinapa Wi Poor Bear (Indigenous Educator and Knowledge Keeper: Denver, CO), Laura Arndt (Global GreenSTEM: Franktown, CO)

Join presenters from the University of Maryland in exploring the natural history, ecology, and behavior of the seven species of periodical cicadas indigenous to North America.

TAKEAWAYS:
(1) Explore the natural history, ecology, and behavior of the seven species of periodical cicadas indigenous to North America. (2) Learn about how cicadas are unique in the insect world. (3) Learn when cicadas will appear and how they will impact humans, pets, wildlife, and plants in our region.

SPEAKERS:
Flavio Mendez (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Michael Raupp (University of Maryland: College Park, MD)

Are you located in the U.S. near a Shell asset? Attend this session for the Shell Science Lab Regional Challenge to learn how to apply for this amazing opportunity. Pick up tips for completing a winning application and begin your journey in applying to win an updated science classroom. This program will award 33 prize packages valued up to $15,000 for high school and $10,000 for elementary and middle school!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how you can apply to win the Shell Science Lab Challenge; 2. Learn the tips to completing a winning application; and 3. Have an opportunity to actually begin to complete the application and have your questions answered.

SPEAKERS:
Ruth Ruud (Cleveland State University: Cleveland, OH), Amanda Upton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Collaborate and share tools that can be used either in person or in a distance-learning environment. Discover how you can use these tools in the science classroom, especially with STEM projects and competitions.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Collaborate and share tools that can be used either in person or in a distance-learning environment; 2. Discover how you can use these tools in the science classroom, especially with STEM projects and competitions; and 3. Engage with educators that are interested in improving science literacy with K-12 students via interactive engagement strategies for students.

SPEAKERS:
Acacia McKenna (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Join us to learn more about our journey to support teachers' social and emotional well-being by designing differentiated learning experiences as we implemented three-dimensional science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Methods to design effective differentiated learning for science educators; 2. Ways to support adult learners via differentiation; and 3. Ways to strengthen the implementation of 3-D science teaching, learning, and assessment across districts.

SPEAKERS:
Tonya Woolfolk (Houston County Schools: Perry, GA), Denise Richardson (Rockdale County Public Schools: Conyers, GA)

Engage students in building scientific models, mapping, and service learning to explore climate change phenomena while inspiring them to take action.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover how to integrate, develop, and use scientific modeling to promote 3-D learning as the means to explore the phenomena of climate change as identified in the ESS NGSS; 2. Explore how to integrate maps to promote 3-D learning of climate change and environmental justice phenomena; and 3. Take a step further in 3-D teaching by offering students opportunities to propose a solution to address a local problem in connection to core ideas learned in class.

SPEAKERS:
Yajaira Fuentes-Tauber (Rocky Mountain High School: No City, No State)

Do you impact your school and community with STEM? If you teach K–12, come learn how to apply to win one of eight Shell-supported awards.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to apply for a Shell-sponsored award; 2. begin your application or nomination of a Shell-sponsored program and receive a prize; and 3. collaborate with past winners and judges to learn how to strengthen your application.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Upton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Richard Embrick (Wright Junior High: No City, No State)

Bring science processes and SEL alive using wonder and the natural world. Free online resources help in-person or virtual teachers access nature with students.

Note: If you are able to watch this short video "Pocket Worlds" BEFORE the session, it will be beneficial to you. 

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn how to access and use a suite of free web-based resources designed to promote discovery learning in nature; 2. experience the lesson individually and discuss it with colleagues to make meaning and increase relevance for both teachers and their students; and 3. share and discuss applications for using these tools for discovery learning in their own setting.

SPEAKERS:
John DiDiego (Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont: Townsend, TN)

Do you care about inspiring girls to pursue STEM careers? Then join us to learn about the IF/THEN Collection designed to help ensure equitable gender representation in STEM! The IF/THEN Collection is the world’s largest FREE library of images, videos, and other content portraying women in STEM.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn about the background and purpose of the IF/THEN Collection; 2. learn how to use the IF/THEN Collection to support STEM learning programs; and 3. get hands-on experience utilizing assets from the IF/THEN Collection.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Hay (National Girls Collaborative Project: Seattle, WA)

Educators share challenges and strategies to enhance STEM learning in the urban environment. A variety of real-world issues and their successful solutions will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage with educators who have led their school systems to meet various challenges; 2. Learn from successful programs; and 3. Discuss relevant issues related to urban science educators.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Ellis (Hunter Huss High School: Gastonia, NC), Acacia McKenna (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Pat Shane (UNC-Chapel Hill Emerita: No City, No State), Brad Rhew (Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools: Winston Salem, NC), Rabiah Harris (Jefferson Middle School Academy: Washington, DC), Mary Beth Berrien (Greenfield Commonwealth Virtual School: Greenfield, MA), Charles Hayes (Highland Oaks Elementary School: Memphis, TN)