Participants will learn strategies and receive numerous resources that increase students’ scientific literacy. The hands-on approach has participants engaged in the activities, games, and more.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. learn new strategies for incorporating scientific literacy into their lessons; and 2. receive numerous activities, templates, games, and other resources to help with doing this. These resources can be used “as is” or modified to allow for differentiation based on the needs of the learners. Strategies and resources will include ones effective with ELL and EC students.

SPEAKERS:
Iris Mudd (Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools: Winston Salem, NC)

Identifying problems, and complaining about them, is a talent many might claim. Identifying a problem and creating a solution is much less common but remains a core scientific principle needed to help students change the world. Finding a solution, however, is not enough; there must be an implementation plan as well. Scientific literacy teaches students to pinpoint and explore problems, but they must also take civic action--beginning in their own backyards. This session will introduce primary source-based inquiry learning tools by PBS NewsHour Classroom and Indiana University’s Center on Representative Government to help teachers meet this need. The workshop will consist of two NGSS-aligned activities on the connection between the environment and civic action.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to engage students in identifying environmental phenomena in their own backyards and how to take action to address it.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Osborn (Indiana University Bloomington: Bloomington, IN), Victoria Pasquantonio (PBS NewsHour: Arlington, VA)

In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the work of Kurt Vonnegut who argued that stories have shapes that can be graphed. They will explore different ways of graphing simple stories and how this technique can be used at all grade levels to introduce data visualization. Participants will also see examples of story graphs from different perspectives and discuss how this can be used as a tool to teach students about data representation and interpretation. Following the introduction, participants will engage in a story graphing activity, creating a graph of their own story and sharing it with another participant. We will then reflect on this experience and discuss how the activity can be used in the context of social emotional learning with both students and educators. Participants will then explore story graphing and data visualization resources and discuss how they might use these resources to address specific STEM topics or to integrate multiple content areas such as math, science, and art in their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to introduce graphing and data visualization using stories and how this strategy can be used in connection with social emotional learning to engage and empower educators and students.

SPEAKERS:
Anna Babarinde (Sonoma County Office of Education: Santa Rosa, CA)

Turn any multiple-choice review into an exciting escape! Learn to create digital and in-person escapes to help keep students interested, engaged, and motivated.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn tips for designing escape boxes, plus how to add riddles, puzzles, games, and small prizes. The digital escape uses Google Forms, and the physical escape uses lockable boxes with resettable combination locks. Links to a customizable digital and physical escape will be available to attendees.

SPEAKERS:
Sharon Beck (Davidson County High School: Lexington, NC)