NSTA Engage: Spring21

May 12-8, 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.
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Rooms and times subject to change.
190 results
Save up to 50 sessions in your agenda.

Keynote Presentation: Equity-ology

Monday, April 12 • 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

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Growing up in a single parent home on the south side of Chicago, IL, Justin J. Shaifer had little awareness of the potential of a STEM career. His worldview drastically transformed after experiences at Hampton University. Justin graduated with a bachelor's degree in marine and environmental science with the highest departmental GPA, and was also president of Hampton University's student body while receiving scholarships from NASA and NOAA that covered 100% of his tuition and room and board. Now 24 years old, Justin travels the country empowering young students to "embrace their inner nerd" despite their surroundings, and developing culturally responsive STEM curricula for New York City institutions.

Justin is executive director of Fascinate, Inc., an organization created to excite underrepresented students about STEM. He is known for his work on the Magic Cool Bus Project. Past partners of his organization include Microsoft, MIT Media Lab, and the Children’s Aid Society. Justin is studying these programs’ effects as a PhD student at Columbia University.

SPEAKERS:
Justin Shaifer (Fascinate, Inc.: New York, NY)

NSTA’s “State of Education” Message

Tuesday, April 13 • 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM


(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTA State of Education Message.pptx

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Hear about the new administration’s priorities and plans for supporting science and STEM educators and learn more about education and funding priorities in Congress. Bring your questions, and join us in this discussion about what’s going on in Washington, D.C.

SPEAKERS:
Jodi Peterson (: Arlington, VA)

Best Practices for Offering Remote Science Activities

Tuesday, April 13 • 5:45 PM - 6:45 PM

STRAND: Continuing Effective Distance Learning Strategies Post-COVID

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Attendees will participate in a hands-on experience as they construct an understanding of the best practices for presenting hands-on activities remotely.

This session is targeted for novice attendees.

Materials needed:

  • scissors
  • several paperclips
  • sheet of scrap paper

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover tips, techniques, and strategies for the successful facilitation of online activities; 2. Discover new activities appropriate for online delivery, including virtual field trips; and 3. Participate in an online activity to experience (as a student) what works and what doesn't.

SPEAKERS:
Michael DiSpezio (Master Educator, Presenter, and Author: North Falmouth, MA)

Using Picture Books to Make “Text to Investigation” Connections in Science

Tuesday, April 13 • 5:45 PM - 6:45 PM

STRAND: Integrating Science and Literacy

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Literacy has used “text to” connections to help students make authentic connections. Integrating picture books helps expand text to investigation connections in the science classroom.

This session is targeted for novice/intermediate attendees.

Materials needed:

  • Children's book (related to science) of your choice
  • shallow plastic tub with water (similar to plastic shoeboxes)
  • variety of different objects that can be placed in water—some that sink and some that float
  • tin foil
  • common objects for weight to be used in tin foil boat such as pennies, marbles, similar sized legos, etc.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. explore how to expand a common literacy strategy of “text to” connections when using picture books in the elementary science classroom; 2. engage in investigations that model the use of “text to” connections that help students connect their own authentic experiences and help students understand and make sense; and 3. consider criteria for the selection of books, identification of phenomena, and how the selection of investigations can be a powerful experience for students.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Anne Royce (Shippensburg University: Shippensburg, PA)

Supporting Educator Understanding of the NGSS Three Dimensions of Learning While Engaging Elementary Students in Engineering Design and Design Thinking

Tuesday, April 13 • 5:45 PM - 6:45 PM

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Learn to access hundreds of free hands-on engineering design activities that exemplify the interconnected three-dimensional elements of K–5 science learning.

For this beginner-level hands-on activity, each participant will need: 

  • 4–6 Lifesaver® mints
  • 4–6 plastic straws (with diameters smaller than the Lifesaver® mint’s hole diameter)
  • 2–4 popsicle sticks
  • 1–2 index cards (or thin cardboard or poster board scraps)
  • tape (duct or masking)
  • scissors
  • paper
  • pencil
  • ramp (made from sturdy poster board or rigid cardboard)
  • meter stick
  • 10–30 pennies

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. engage in a hands-on NGSS engineering design–aligned activity for elementary students from the FREE TeachEngineering digital library; 2. experience the integration of design and design thinking through 3-D learning while exploring a fun way to ignite student creativity; and 3. experience the interconnectivity of 3-D learning while strengthening their own ability to implement 3-D teaching and learning practices in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Dua Chaker (Teach Engineering: No City, No State), Michael Soltys (TeachEngineering: Boulder, CO), Jennifer Kracha (Teach Engineering: No City, No State)

Using Literacy Elements as a Cross-Curricular Bridge to Strengthen Science Teaching

Wednesday, April 14 • 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM


(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
ALI All Product Overview_2021.pdf
NSTA 2021 Sessions Flyer_0412.pdf
NSTA-Mathis-Morse-STEMscopes-Literacy-Elements-Cross-Curricular-Bridge-final.pdf
Presentation slides from the session
Summer STEM Enrichment brochure.pdf

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Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes

Literacy strategies, such as analyzing, discussing, and summarizing, can be utilized while reading science-based articles, authentic science research, journals, and textbooks. The use of these strategies provides a cross-curricular bridge that not only increases understanding but also increases a student's ability to think critically. Our professionally trained STEM coaches know what it takes to effectively integrate literacy and writing into the science content. Using a constructivist approach, participants will experience hands-on learning that will give them a greater understanding of literacy in science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. work in a collaborative group to understand the importance of a constructivist approach; 2. understand how constructivist strategies provide a cross-curricular bridge that not only increases understanding but also increases a student's ability to think critically; and 3. work on an interactive activity to know what it takes to integrate literacy into the science content.

SPEAKERS:
Ashley Mathis (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Jessica Morse (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Investigative Phenomena: An Equitable Approach

Wednesday, April 14 • 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM


(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
HMH Into Science Grade 1 Phenomena Storyline White Paper.pdf
Into Science Grade 5 Phenomena Storyline White Paper.pdf

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Sponsoring Company: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Join Global Educator and Into Science author Michael DiSpezio for an engaging and motivating session on the tenets of an equitable approach to phenomena-based learning. Profiling an assortment of investigation phenomena, you'll discover how these process interactions are presented using everyday and inexpensive materials. Driven by experiences common to a diverse student population, the approach levels the often more exclusive playing field of traditional experimentation. Plus, it's fun! So, whether you are teaching face-to-face, hybrid, or remotely, this informative and practical session offers ideas for immediate implementation and success.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Tenets of an equitable approach to phenomena-based learning; 2. Discover how the process interactions are presented using everyday and inexpensive materials; and 3. Approaches that level the often more exclusive playing field of traditional experimentation.

SPEAKERS:
Michael DiSpezio (Master Educator, Presenter, and Author: North Falmouth, MA)

Always Time for Science in Early Grades with Streaming/Literacy Connections

Wednesday, April 14 • 12:00 PM - 12:45 PM

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Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes

With the increased focus on accountability for science, we can offer a play- and literacy-based program for young learners. This hands-on science program supports child development and socio-development in a meaningful way. There is always time for science!

TAKEAWAYS:
Science: 1. provides real-life applications for math and language arts; 2. develops problem-solving and critical-thinking skills; and 3. fosters curiosity and creativity.

SPEAKERS:
Mindy Stroup (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Amber Gunner (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning: Scientific Explanations to Increase Student Voice

Wednesday, April 14 • 1:00 PM - 1:45 PM


(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
ALI All Product Overview_2021.pdf
NSTA 2021 Sessions Flyer_0412.pdf
NSTA-STEMscopes-Arnette-Green-CER.pdf
Presentation slides from the session - CER
Summer STEM Enrichment brochure.pdf

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) is a way for students to explain observed phenomena in a scientific way. This structured approach allows students to use observations and data from an investigation. Students use critical reasoning to connect the claim and evidence together. CER is an acclaimed and highly successful instructional strategy that is changing how students understand concepts and write explanations for phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will explore how to: 1. encourage student curiosity and engagement in authentic science and engineering practices; 2. engage students in deeper skills of inquiry; and 3. empower students to lead discussions about scientific phenomena, based on logical protocol for using evidence to make a claim.

SPEAKERS:
Maeve Green (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Susan Arnette (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Argument-Driven Inquiry in Grades 3–5

Wednesday, April 14 • 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM

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Sponsoring Company: NSTA Press

Argument-Driven Inquiry is an instructional model that gives students in grades 3–5 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:
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; and 3. Ways to support students in both remote and in-person contexts.

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

Connecting with NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, Grades 3–5

Wednesday, April 14 • 2:00 PM - 2:45 PM


(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
An Introduction to the James Webb Space Telescope Mission
James Webb Space Telescope Features Page
Explore a list of featured Webb items that illuminate and educate you about NASA's James Web Space Telescope.
James Webb Space Telescope website
Webb will be the largest, most powerful and complex space telescope ever built and launched into space. It will fundamentally alter our understanding of the universe.
Nebula Spin Art Activity
Pack a Space Telescope Activity
Webb Paper Model
Webb Space Telescope Community Events sign-up form
Sign-up form to host an event celebrating the launch of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. NASA will work to connect you to experts who could be featured at your Webb events (virtual or in-person, as appropriate). We will also share digital and hard copy event materials to help you promote and host your own event.
Webb Star Cycle Bookmark Activity

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Sponsoring Company: NASA James Webb Space Telescope Prog.

Launching in October 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope will be a large infrared telescope, serving thousands of astronomers worldwide. It will study every phase in the history of our universe. Join this workshop to see how to connect your class to this incredible telescope.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will be more powerful than its predecessors and will be able to see further into space to discover distant planets in far-off galaxies; and 2. It will even give us the tools to search for indications of an atmosphere that could sustain life.

SPEAKERS:
Peter Sooy (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center: Greenbelt, MD)