NSTA Engage: Spring21 - Sessions

Tapping into the Phenomena of Drinking Water

Water is the single most valuable resource essential for life on Earth, yet is subject to increasing scarcity, pollutants, and overuse. The Tapwater Tour curriculum makes the real-world connection between the phenomena explored in the lesson and actual hands-on laboratory activities that students experience while revealing the quality of their own tap water. Group discussions, activities, and analysis of class data provide opportunities for teamwork, collaboration, and reflection.

Takeaways: 1. Simple hands-on methods that students can easily and safely perform in the classroom, or as teacher demonstrations for distance learning, will be presented; 2. Examples of phenomena to engage students in water quality testing will be given; and 3. Ideas for adapting lessons to suit student audience/grade levels/abilities will be shared.

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Examining Nature of Science and Standards in a Post-COVID World

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.

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Biodiversity and the Environment

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.

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From Food Safety to Biotechnology—Using the FDA Curriculum in Your Classroom

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.

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Combating Ableism in the Biology Classroom by Teaching Disability as a Natural Form of Human Variation to Promote an Inclusive Classroom and School Environment

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.

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Lab Safety Protocols with Flinn Scientific, the Leader in Safety!

Please join Flinn for a quick refresher on common safety concerns and issues that arise in the classroom and remote settings. This is a must-attend session for new teachers and experienced teachers alike who want to deliver the most comprehensive and safe program possible! Come for an overview of best practices in the lab with Flinn!

Takeaways: 1. Refresher on science safety best practices; 2. Safety awareness culture; and 3. Practical :what to do in case of emergency" trainings.

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NSTA Press: Instructional Sequence Matters: Explore-Before-Explain, Grades 9–12 Physical Science

This session shows how simple shifts in the way you arrange and combine activities will help students construct knowledge while allowing you to put the NGSS into practice.

Takeaways: 1. Why sequence matters—a concise review of cognitive science and science education research explains why the order in which you structure your lessons is so critical; 2. How you do it—ready-to-teach lessons that use an explore-before-explain sequence; and 3. Connections to modern standards—Next Generation Science Standards and makes interdisciplinary connections to the Common Core State Standards.

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Using Maggots, Flies, and Flesh to Solve a Mystery!

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.

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From Food Safety to Biotechnology—Using the FDA Curriculum in Your Classroom

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.

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Preservice Day Session: Preservice Teacher Welcome

Come meet the NSTA Presidents and discover how NSTA can help you on your path to becoming a teacher of science at all levels.

Takeaways: 1. Meet the NSTA Presidents; 2. Learn about how NSTA can help preservice teachers; and 3. Discover NSTA resources available to you as a preservice teacher.

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Preservice Day Session: Science and Literacy: Complimentary Disciplines Inciting Critical Science Citizenry

Explore the placement of science literacy within the nature of scientific knowledge and the Next Generation Science Standards. Gain insights on implementing science literacy strategies.

Takeaways: 1. Exemplars with steps for implementing three or more literacy strategies; 2. Overview of how Science Literacy connects with the Nature of Scientific Knowledge; and 3. Overview of the position of Science Literacy within the NGSS.

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Preservice Day Session: It’s Debatable…for Preservice Teachers! Using Socioscientific Issues to Develop Scientific Literacy, K–12

During this session, participants will explore the use of controversial societal issues related to science to develop their students’ scientific literacy.

Takeaways: 1. Learn more about socioscientific issues; 2. Understand how socioscientific issues relate to scientific literacy; and 3. Learn how to address socioscientific issues in the classroom.

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Preservice Day Session: Teaching Science in a Virtual Learning Environment

Join us as we discuss strategies to provide ALL students opportunities for engaging in science and engineering practices individually from home and sensemaking collaboratively with their peers.

Takeaways: 1. Learn more about inequities that virtual learning has illuminated; 2. Strategize ways to make virtual learning more equitable; and 3. Learn more about NSTA resources to support that.

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Preservice Day Session: Elevating the Discourse Between Science and Religion

How do you address students’ questions on science and religion? Join me for a conversation on different ways to address science and religion in a science classroom.

Takeaways: Learn more about how teachers can: 1. address students’ questions about science and religion ; 2. better understand the relationship between science and religion; and 3. clarify the role of science teachers in helping students navigate the differences.

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Preservice Day Session: ELL Inclusion in Science Teaching

Learn about implementation of culturally relevant resources in secondary science and practices to teach ELLs in elementary and middle grades science.

Takeaways: Learn how to: 1. use bilingualism (English/Spanish) in science; 2. use and create culturally relevant resources; and 3. promote socioscientific reasoning in science .

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Preservice Day Session: Using Place-Based Education to Teach Beyond the Test

Learn how to incorporate place-based learning within your instruction to allow ALL students to apply their factual knowledge in practical, meaningful ways within a relevant context.

Takeaways: 1. Construct a deeper understanding of the content presented in state curriculum standards; 2. View experiential learning events as a critical aspect of science education in their classrooms; and 3. Discover how investigations of local natural phenomena can serve as the foundation on which investigations of more distant or abstract phenomena can be constructed.

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Preservice Day Session: Supporting Equity and Justice Through 3-D Science Instruction: The Road Travelled and the One Ahead

Explore how instruction can equitably support science learning that is consequential to students and their communities while promoting a more just society and flourishing world.

Takeaways: 1. Learn more about what equitable science teaching is; and 2. Learn how to use the STEM Teaching Tools resources to support equitable science instruction.

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Preservice Day Session: Safety in the Classroom

In this session, learn more about safety protocols specific for science and
critical to teaching science during a pandemic from NSTA’s Safety Advisor!

Takeaways: 1. Learn about NSTA supports for safety; 2. Explore safety issues for science teaching; and 3. Learn more about pandemic-related safety issues.

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Preservice Day Session: Next Generation Science Assessment

Next Generation Science Assessment (NGSA) consists of tasks designed to meet the Next Generation of Science Standards and for teachers to use formatively in their science classrooms. Come learn how to access and use equitable assessment tasks to engage all students in 3-D learning!

Takeaways: 1. Learn about how to assess 3-D learning; 2. Understand how formative assessment aligns with the NGSS; and 3. Learn more about resources to support equitable assessment through NGSA.

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Preservice Day Session: Navigating Your Student Teaching

Join our panel of  these recent student teachers to find out how to successfully navigate your student teaching, Ask questions and interact with these graduating seniors.

Takeaways: 1. Hear from recent student teachers about the challenges they faced; 2. Ask questions about what to expect while student teaching; and 3. Get advice on how to handle the unexpected.

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Preservice Day Session: Developing Leadership Through NSTA Student Chapters

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.

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Preservice Day Session: Preservice Teacher Wrap-Up

Don’t miss this final, short session to give feedback about the conference and  how NSTA can help you. We have some final information and door prizes as well!

Takeaways: 1. Provide feedback for today’s sessions; 2. Let us know how NSTA can help you grow as a preservice teacher; and 3. Win a $25 gift card for NSTA Press.

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Effective Questioning Strategies to Engage Students in STEM

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.

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Preservice Session: Preparing to Tackle Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Science Education

Ideas of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the science classroom are challenges for new teachers. Strategies, tools, and resources will be given to support preservice educators.

Takeaways: 1. How to teach for equity, diversity, and inclusion; 2. What you may not know and weren’t taught in your preparation program; and 3. Resources to help address these issues.

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Urban Science Educator Discussion and Panel

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.

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