The Universe of Learning partnerships provides STEM educators tools, from exoplanet searches and robotic telescopes to image analysis, to implement programs specific to individual audiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
NASA’s UoL STEM program partnerships provide a wide range of free materials, projects and interactive activities that can easily be incorporated into any educational setting.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Young (NASA/NSO/UoL Program Manager: Laughlin, NV)

In this self-directed session, you will be able to: Interact with educators in face-to-face poster presentations; Watch short video submissions from educators around the world; and Participate in hands-on/minds-on, takeaway learning experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science education occurs everywhere on this planet. We can get ideas and best practices from collegues around the world.

SPEAKERS:
Alison Seymour (Science Teacher: Winchester, 0)

Growth mindset teaching strategies and standards-aligned engineering design challenges were tested with rural elementary students in out-of-school-time and classroom settings. Results, resources, and best practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this poster, growth mindset and engineering design will be explored as tools for enhancing student engagement and equity. During 2019-2021, standards-aligned engineering design challenges were tested with different elementary age groups in out-of-school-time and classroom settings (schools, afterschool programs, and 4-H summer camps). For each challenge module, students were given time to explore the topic and test materials, emphasizing the importance of prototype revision so that students viewed each design change as a step toward success. Early outcomes of the research will be shared, as well as resources and best practices for program replication.

SPEAKERS:
Suzanne McDonald (West Virginia University: Morgantown, WV), Jennifer Robertson (West Virginia University: Morgantown, WV)

Escape-room activities offer promise for fun and function in developing social problem-solving skills. Participants will learn implementation and design strategies for their own ER environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how escape rooms help to engage students in dynamic learning environments and how to begin developing up your own activities.

SPEAKERS:
Joy Barnes-Johnson (Princeton High School: Princeton, NJ), Mridula Bajaj (Mount Laurel Schools: Mount Laurel, NJ), Shefali Mehta (Princeton High School: Princeton, NJ)

Elementary preservice teachers integrate science and literacy with the Touch-Talk-Text interdisciplinary framework, allowing ALL students to access science through sensory, language, and discourse connections.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain insight into strategies for integrating science and literacy in the elementary school day, addressing issues of decreased time and resources for elementary science learning.

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Scharen (North Carolina State University: Raleigh, NC)