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)

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)

How did the Environmental Justice movement begin? Come discover how science inquiry and justice-oriented practices support teachers and students as changemakers in their communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn: 1. that research supports connecting science content and opportunities for students to serve their communities as an essential facet of culturally relevant science instruction; 2. how to support students’ and teachers’ understanding of systemic inequities through science practices; and 3. how to create a critical inquiry instructional case study for students engaged in virtual or face-to-face instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Lenora Crabtree (The University of North Carolina at Charlotte: Charlotte, NC)

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)

Community-engaged learning promotes “big picture” understanding and hands-on experiences. Through ongoing reflection, reciprocity, and dissemination, students delve deeper into content and impact local communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Community engaged learning (CEL): 1. makes content relevant for students, providing a real-world application and big picture understanding; 2. provides hands-on experiences through which students apply course content and benefit a community partner; and 3. can be incorporated into traditional, hybrid, and online classrooms; session participants will learn best practices of CEL to ensure success within all STEM courses.

SPEAKERS:
Renee Clary (Mississippi State University: Mississippi State, MS)

Come hear how preservice teachers organized and hosted a virtual science fair that aligns with the NGSS science practices—and learn how to do this yourself!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how: 1. to hold a science fair virtually; 2. to align the traditional science fair project with the NGSS science and engineering practices; and 3. preservice teachers can learn from this real-world practicum experience.

SPEAKERS:
Debi Hanuscin (Western Washington University: Bellingham, WA), Isabel Martian (Western Washington University: Bellingham, WA), Emily Moran (Western Washington University: Bellingham, WA), Shannon Sandburg (Western Washington University: Bellingham, WA), Ruby Pappas (Western Washington University: Bellingham, WA), Emily Barr (Western Washington University: Bellingham, WA), Andrew Bumgarner (Western Washington University: Bellingham, WA), Kady McCartney (Western Washington University: Bellingham, WA)

Discover how an NSTA student chapter on your campus can support your professional growth and development! We’ll share tips for growing or starting your student chapter!

TAKEAWAYS:
1/ Learrn how to organize and start an NSTA student chapter for preservice teachers at your college or university; 2. Discover the wide range of activities that a chapter can organize for professional growth and development; and 3. Find out how NSTA is rebuilding our student chapter program at the National level.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Governor (University of North Georgia: Dahlonega, GA), Debi Hanuscin (Western Washington University: Bellingham, WA), Robbie Higdon (James Madison University: Harrisonburg, VA)

Explore inclusive ways of using case studies with structured small group work/discussion, as well as aligning case studies with content goals.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Using case studies; 2. Addressing inclusion; and 3. Achieving content goals.

SPEAKERS:
Ally Hunter (University of Massachusetts Amherst: Amherst, MA), Melissa Zwick (Stockton University: Absecon, NJ)

We will share the strategies and activities that made our first virtual STEM institute an engaging and educational experience for diverse upper elementary and middle level youth.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. identify best practices for engaging youth in informal STEM experiences, including an end-of-summer celebration; 2. learn how we delivered programming in STEM with multiple grade-level bands; and 3. gain a list of valuable resources we used to teach scientific concepts, including how we created and distributed kits.

SPEAKERS:
Demetrice Smith-Mutegi (Old Dominion University: Norfolk, VA)

Struggling to deliver lab experiences simultaneously to in-person and remote students in large numbers? Come learn how we did it and share your solutions too.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The approach one takes to delivering online/hybrid laboratory experience depends on learning objectives; 2. Course-based research experiences can be conducted through remote collaborations; and 3. Students acknowledge benefits of online/hybrid research experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Donald French (Oklahoma State University: Stillwater, OK)