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)

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/ Science Systems and Applications, Inc. (SSAI): Hampton, VA)

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)

Labs should be as much about sensemaking as hands-on skills. Learn to use online data to engage students in minds-on biology labs in or out the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engaging students in sensemaking during lab investigations fosters more meaningful learning than simply manipulating physical lab materials; 2. By shifting the focus from collecting data to making sense of data, teachers can still engage students in aspects of the investigation practice while prioritizing the development of science ideas; and 3. Taking advantage of online data sets can reduce barriers faced by students learning remotely or in schools with limited laboratory equipment.

SPEAKERS:
Jeremy Peacock (Jackson County School System: Jefferson, GA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Explore the lessons learned during the rapid adaption of our Type 2 Diabetes Curriculum into a format suitable for distance learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Examples of how lessons were adapted from hands on to digital; 2. Strategies for creating engaging lessons that work both online and in-class; and 3. Access and information to full Type 2 Diabetes Curriculum adapted for in-class, hybrid, or online learning.

SPEAKERS:
Atom Lesiak (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

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)

NSTA High School Committee members will discuss the strategies that they will bring forward from COVID teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Teaching for student engagement; 2. Distance, hybrid, in-person techniques; and 3. Time for questions and discussion between the presenters and particpants.

SPEAKERS:
Demetrice Smith-Mutegi (Old Dominion University: Norfolk, VA), Ruth Hutson (Blue Valley High/Middle School: Randolph, KS), Johanna Brown (Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: No City, No State), Brenda Walsh (Eden Prairie High School: Eden Prairie, MN)

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/ Science Systems and Applications, Inc. (SSAI): Hampton, VA), 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)