The authors of the Picture-Perfect STEM series will share how  picture books can make STEM come alive for your students!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Strategies for integrating STEM and literacy in K–5; 2. Suggested picture books that integrate STEM and literacy; and 3. A STEM lesson you can use right away.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Morgan (Picture-Perfect Science: West Chester, OH), Karen Ansberry (Picture-Perfect Science: West Chester, OH)

Experience the interdisciplinary approach of the FoodPrints Curriculum with a Science and ELA focus to teach nine major garden and food education themes.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage in three different lessons (Edible Plant Parts, Seed Dispersal, and the Garden Ecosystem) for grades 1–3 that can be used in the classroom, and adapted for virtual instruction using literacy-based approaches aligned to Common Core ELA and hands-on science investigations aligned to NGSS; 2. Learn methods for teaching vocabulary in the garden, using visual literacy as a tool for teaching science content, addressing speaking and listening standards, using creative approaches to early writing, and using read alouds to support instruction; and 3. Explore the FoodPrints Curriculum’s interdisciplinary approach to teaching elementary science lessons with garden and food education themes and gain free access to our lessons and resources for preK–5.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Bandler (FRESHFARM FoodPrints: Washington, DC), Jennifer Ramsey (FRESHFARM FoodPrints: Washington, DC)

Investigate using inquiry-based learning and the SEPs to deepen students’ understanding of both science concepts and literacy strategies remotely or in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. l eave with a toolkit of hands-on, inquiry science investigations inspired and enhanced by literature; 2. l earn about distance-learning tools that support integrating the Science and Engineering Practices with literacy strategies to engage students in real-world science; and 3. identify strategies and resources for using books, productive talk, and science writing to integrate science, literacy, and discussion in ways that foster critical thinking, academic language, and meaning making.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Ryack-Bell (Wade Institute for Science Education: Quincy, MA), Kathy Renfrew (Wade Institute for Science Education: Quincy, MA)

STEAM activities are for early childhood students, too! Connect STEAM and literature with three-dimensional learning in a series of culturally relevant, play-based activities exploring simple machines.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Literature and visual texts provide opportunities for students to experience STEAM in a context that is familiar and meaningful to them; 2. STEAM-integrated activities, such as those presented in this unit of study, promote 3-D learning through scientific inquiry and investigation, mathematical exploration, and initial development of executive functioning skills; and 3. There is a need to engage in literature-connected, STEAM-integrated activities in the early childhood years. In formal and informal educational environments, young children are curious, inquisitive, and eager to explore STEAM concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsey Herlehy (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy: Aurora, IL), Cassandra Armstrong (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy: Aurora, IL)

Early positive experiences in STEM are critical for future academic success and the development of STEM-related habits of mind. In this session, participants will make connections between current research and resources for science and math implementation. Educators will also explore resources for increasing STEM discourse and engaging families in math exploration at home.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. STEM activites for young learners; 2. Resources for STEM discourse; and 3. Family engagement strategies for math explorations.

SPEAKERS:
Lauren Thompson Allen (D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education: Washington, DC)

Join the author of Notable Notebooks and Exemplary Evidence to discuss effective notebooking practices. Get a preview of her upcoming book about elementary science notebooks!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Science notebooks are an essential component of 3-D student-centered classrooms; 2. While there are a variety of notebook models in use, a flexible, hybrid approach is best to meet the needs of elementary students; and 3. Notebooks can be a rich source of formative and summative assessment data.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Fries-Gaither (Albert Einstein Fellow: Washington, DC)

Discover how "Tub People" can be used to deepen young learners’ understanding of subtraction under 10 and how quick prototypes help solve engineering problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Great mathematics and engaging engineering challenges can be found in children's literature; 2. Learners of all ages benefit from identifying patterns and discovering multiple ways to represent their understanding; and 3. Whether it be in solving mathematical expressions or finding engineering solutions, young learners benefit from using manipulatives as they work.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Burton (Trinity School: Atlanta, GA), Becky Holden (Trinity School: Atlanta, GA)

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)

Five STEM authors provide hand-on activities and ideas for using picture books to support both literacy and science in the classroom and via distance learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. An understanding of how to incorporate STEM activities into your literacy routines; 2. Full lesson plans for classroom and at-home activities that can be used with each of our books; and 3. A list of STEM book titles to support literacy and science learning in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kirsten Larson (Author: Lancaster, CA), Vicky Fang (Product Designer & Author-Illustrator: Los Altos, CA), Jen Malia (Norfolk State University: Norfolk, VA), Colleen Paeff (Author: Los Angeles, CA), Lindsay Metcalf (Author: Concordia, KS)

Join NASA Aeronautics and author Kirsten Larson for hands-on STEAM learning, and find exciting ways to stimulate creativity and design thinking in younger students.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Effective STEM learning strategies for younger students focused on storytelling, real-life applications, and engaging hands-on learning; 2. The use of authentic and engaging children's literature that will provide a context for STEM topics, engage students, and support reading, writing, and critical-thinking skills; and 3. Introduction to NASA’s STEM resources that provide high-quality learning resources, instructional support, and opportunities to join in on new missions and events.

SPEAKERS:
Kirsten Larson (Author: Lancaster, CA), April Lanotte (NASA Headquarters: Washington, DC), Lisa Wininger (West Shore Educational Service District: Ludington, MI)

Want your students to read and write science more effectively? Join the author of the Once Upon A Science Book series for lessons from her newest book integrating literacy and physical science content.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. There are three main impediments to students becoming confident science readers: they do not expect what they are reading to make sense, they lack the background knowledge assumed in the text, and they have found shortcuts around doing classroom reading; 2. Using a literacy learning cycle (exploration, reading, writing) makes reading science easier; and 3. Participants will also try out a literacy learning cycle that they can use with their classes (so they will learn a new lesson plan).

SPEAKERS:
Jodi Wheeler-Toppen (Author/ Staff Development: Atlanta, GA), Karen Kraus (Retired Teacher: Goodyear, AZ), Matthew Hackett (Delta Woods Middle School: Blue Springs, MO)

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 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)

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)

We are currently in an epidemic of fake news and misinformation. This session will help teachers guide students (and themselves) to use critical-thinking tools and skills to evaluate sources of information.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Misinformation and bias is on the rise, and we are consistently exposed to it through social media and other news sources; 2. There are great tools and resources to help students identify and avoid the traps of fake news and misinformation; and 3. By helping students become more critical consumers of information, teachers are helping create better informed citizens.

SPEAKERS:
Jason Carter (The Science House at NC State University: No City, No State), Michelle Benigno (The Science House at North Carolina State University: Mills River, NC)

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.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Anne Royce (Shippensburg University: Shippensburg, PA), Omah Williams-Duncan (University of Houston-Clear Lake: Houston, TX)

A 21st-century museum will share strategies developed through school partnerships that strengthen student language and listening skills while meeting Next Generation Science Standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. be introduced to strategies to practice student-led, evidence-based discussions about scientific concepts; 2. see the application of this open inquiry technique for in-person or digital learning; and 3. experience the process in action.

SPEAKERS:
Kerri Ziemann (The Wild Center: Tupper Lake, NY), Michael Trumbower (The Wild Center: Tupper Lake, NY)

Share ways your students learn to speak clearly, read thoughtfully, write coherently, and create and/or critique media while learning science. Also consider examples in https://open.oregonstate.education/physicsforteachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will learn about ways to integrate science and literacy learning; 2. From these examples, attendees will learn about different perspectives on what it means to integrate science and literacy learning; and 3. Attendees also will learn about ways to integrate science and literacy lessons while enacting NGSS recommendations such as engaging students in the science and engineering practices of asking questions and defining problems, constructing explanations and designing solutions, engaging in argument from evidence, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information within the context of using relevant cross cutting concepts while exploring phenomena on which to base development of disciplinary core ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Van Zee (Retired Associate Professor: Corvallis, OR)

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)

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)