Hurricanes, flash floods, and wildfires. Climate change brings more extreme weather, and the results can be catastrophic to our communities. As the weather becomes more severe, there is an increased need for shelters that can be easily transported and assembled to provide relief shelter for families who have been displaced from their homes. In this session, attendees will engage in an authentic STEM inquiry implemented in third and fourth-grade classrooms. The inquiry was designed so that students would be able to explore homelessness caused by natural disasters and design a tiny house prototype for a family in need. Participants will learn about planning and implementing a place-based and integrated STEM inquiry during this session. A major focus will be on planning and sensemaking as students learn through authentic opportunities and real-world mathematics and science. The presenter will share experiences using the Design Thinking Framework and place-based methodology as a guide for implementing and designing integrated STEM inquiries. In addition, the presenter will give specific strategies for developing problem statements to engage students in empathetic responses within STEM inquiries. The presenter will also share specific strategies for developing empathy during STEM inquiries for elementary-aged students. Participants will have the opportunity to experience key parts of the inquiry and view student examples.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage participants in NGSS-based engineering design challenge where participants are required to design a solution for homelessness caused by natural disasters (hurricane, floods, wildfire); 2. Learn the role of empathy in authentic STEM inquiries by using Design Thinking principles; and 3. Outline possible place-based strategies for implementing STEM inquiries in upper elementary classrooms that engage all learners in STEM.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Williams (Isidore Newman School: New Orleans, LA)

Science literacy is essential to be informed and engaged citizens in the 21st century. Data are what we use to do science. Thus, reading and making sense of real-world data are fundamental skills to being scientifically literate and a fun way to engage learners with science. However, how do we incorporate data into K-8 science without feeling overburdened with yet another thing to teach? By integrating it into what we are already doing! Join us to explore the connections between data, science, and literacy. We will experience research-based strategies and freely available resources for integrating phenomenon-based and local data into our science instruction to promote science literacy. We will participate in activities ourselves and reflect on approaches for how to bring these into our classrooms. The goal is to increase our data toolkit of strategies and resources to increase science literacy and relevance for students. Participants will leave more empowered to integrate data into their science content in purposeful ways to better helps students do and communicate science. Working with and learning from data fosters critical thinking skills, lifelong interests in science, and facilitates learners’ literacy skills. Let’s set our students up for success now and in the future!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will identify how data literacy is a critical aspect of science literacy in the 21st century and how to leverage existing strategies to authentically integrate data into K-8 science instruction to teach their science content and increase literacy simultaneously.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hunter-Thomson (Dataspire Education & Evaluation, LLC)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Software & Technology

Guests are getting sick at a dinner party. White powder is collected at a crime scene. Use pH and conductivity sensors to identify the powder. Bring your own device with our Graphical Analysis app installed or use our devices. All activities are available as a free download for attendees.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Gain experience with hands-on technology that encourages students to explore and test different solutions and make connections to the real world; 2. Get access to free resources to keep students engaged while learning key scientific concepts either remotely or in the lab; and 3. Gain hands-on experiences with innovative products that increase student engagement, promote creativity and collaboration, and develop problem-solving skills.

SPEAKERS:
Nüsret Hisim (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR), Colleen McDaniel (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: Center for BioMolecular Modeling

COVID 19: Science to the Rescue! The COVID19 pandemic has created many challenges for educators over the past two years. Amidst all this chaos, there is one positive outcome of this pandemic – it has provided educators in the molecular biosciences with an opportunity to highlight the power of modern biology and the many ways in which this science has been used to provide solutions to the control of this virus. This workshop will tell the story of the COVID19 pandemic from the perspective of the CoV-2 virus, the structure of the spike protein, the molecular mechanism of the infections process and the successful application of an mRNA vaccine to provide protection from infection. Workshop participants will use physical models of the CoV-2 coronavirus – enhanced by Augmented Reality – to explore these topics.

TAKEAWAYS:
The nucleotide sequence of the CoV-2 RNA genome was the first step in vaccine development.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: SAE International

Attendees will explore different methods and student & teacher resources for enhancing real-world STEM skills with meaning-making literature. Using AWIM's award-winning STEM curriculum and complementary comic & children's books as examples, teachers will engage in discussions and hands-on activities they can facilitate in their classrooms. This workshop will also address how diverse representation in storytelling can foster more accessible & impactful STEM learning for all students. Participants will receive a free AWIM book.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn methods and resources for incorporating age-appropriate literature into hands-on STEM activities.

SPEAKERS:
Bonnie Thibodeau (SAE International: Warrendale, PA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Students get engaged with practical and inquiry-based engineering experiences by using the DIVE-in method. This program was developed in partnership with the New York Hall of Science. Transform your classroom into an authentic makerspace with the DIVE process. Learn how to facilitate and use the design process through consensus.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to create a stomp-rocket using the engineering design process.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Spaeny (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Respiratory viruses like influenza or COVID can lead to worldwide pandemics. We’ll discuss how diseases spread and perform experiments to explore how disease testing works.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will explore pathology of common diseases, including clinical testing and epidemiology of pathogens.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Danielle Snowflack (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

What does pH actually measure? In this investigation, you will measure pH indirectly using indicators and absorption using the Lab-Master. Using their data participants generate a graph of absorbance vs. pH. This graph can be used to determine the pH of solutions, within the measured pH range. Join us for this activity from The Natural Approach to Chemistry program.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to calculate the pH of a basic solution.

SPEAKERS:
Wendy Jackson (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Fisher Science Education and Eisco Scientific

Participants will have the opportunity to build a Rube Goldberg machine and engineer an overly complicated process to accomplish a simple task. Put your engineering and creative skills to the test as you create your own Rube Goldberg machine out of cardboard, tape, rubber bands, a toy car and other everyday items. Attendees will be broken into teams of five and given a set of raw materials. They will then have approximately forty minutes to work as a group to create a complex series of steps to pop a balloon. Attendance will be limited to the first twenty-five people to register. This is a joint workshop presented by Fisher Science Education and Eisco Scientific. This workshop has a maximum capacity of 25 participants.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to create a Rube Goldberg lab using excess materials and common laboratory items.

SPEAKERS:
Tom Wright (Thermo Fisher Scientific: Waltham, MA), Tim Montondo (Eisco Scientific LLC: Victor, NY)

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Genes in Space is an experimental design competition that invites students in middle and high school to design biology experiments addressing challenges faced by space travelers. Each year, one winning project is launched to the International Space Station, where it is carried out by astronauts. Join us to learn how the contest can engage your students in authentic research combining science and engineering practices. We will also share how you can access free Genes in Space classroom resources, including lesson plans, classroom activities, explainer videos, and biotechnology equipment loans.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engage students in an experimental design contest, access free classroom resources including lesson plans, activities, videos, and biotechnology equipment loans, and make a real-world scientific contribution for a chance to launch your experiment to the International Space Station

SPEAKERS:
Bruce Bryan (miniPCR: Cambridge, MA)

Sponsoring Company: Legends of Learning

Attendees will learn how employing game-based learning (GBL) engages and develops all learners. Understand how games empower students, develop critical thinking skills, provide instant feedback (and more) to develop content mastery as well as social-emotional learning. Game-Based Learning: encourages players to take risks without fear of failure, provides instant feedback that takes advantage of the richest teachable moments, creates individualized experiences through student agency, develops 21st century skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity, allows students to experience that actions have ramifications, and invites all students to engage, providing expanded opportunities for equitable learning. Attendees will experience examples of each of these benefits, discuss how they could apply to their own classrooms, and will learn about the research that supports them. Attendees will collaborate with each other as they explore and discuss concepts during the session. They will also investigate how to apply game-based learning to creating experiences that address their own learning objectives.

TAKEAWAYS:
Apply game-based learning to make a difference to your students.

SPEAKERS:
Janet Pittock (director: , CA)

Trade books are often used to support science instruction, and are an effective way to connect ideas about how science works to classroom science experiences. In this workshop, we will share a rubric for evaluating trade books for science read-alouds and discuss how the tool can be used to inform instruction (e.g., developing discussion questions). The rubric focuses on four concepts related to humanizing science, and aligned with views of nature of science in the Next Generation Science Standards: Science is done by diverse people, Scientists interpret empirical evidence to support their claims, Scientists use a variety of methods, and Scientists are creative at all stages of their investigations. These four concepts support students’ understanding of how science works, laying the foundation for being an effective consumer of science. Additionally, these four concepts present a more accurate representation of scientists, in contrast with many long-standing stereotypes about scientists. Attendees will have the opportunity to use the rubric to analyze elementary-level science trade books and develop a plan for implementing the read-alouds in class. We will conclude by examining how teachers can layer selected trade books effectively into their existing science curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn why representing science as a human activity is important for students’ understanding of how science works, and will learn how to select and plan for read-alouds of books that humanize science into their existing science curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Jeanne Brunner (University of Massachusetts Amherst: Amherst, MA), Kathleen Mahoney (University of Massachusetts Amherst: No City, No State)

To effectively engage audience members, I will balance their readiness to learn, cognitive load, and stimulating activities. Using real-world examples, I will demonstrate the power of STEM in elementary classrooms to grow all learners and provide necessary 21st-century skills. Often STEM is an enrichment offered to high-achiever but struggling learners have even more to gain from STEM including confidence and leadership. I will focus on practical application, but valuable references and data will be included to support my practices. I will begin the session with a survey to identify the needs and perceptions of participants regarding STEM integration. Based on input, I will share research-based strategies, classroom integration examples, or dispel misconceptions. I will include an interactive STEM activity using index cards and paper clips to provide a STEM lesson model and demonstrate the ease of integrating STEM with simple, classroom supplies. Participants will leave the session with a better understanding of the benefits of STEM in K-5 classrooms and feel more comfortable integrating STEM into their own classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will understand the value of STEM integration beyond the four letters of the acronym, including the benefits of productive struggle of high achievers and how the grit of struggling learners are paramount in the success of STEM challenges.

SPEAKERS:
Erika Neuman (University of Texas at San Antonio: No City, No State)

The basic physical science principles of gravitational force and air resistance are explored as students design, build, test, and evaluate parachutes. K-W-L charts are used to assess students’ knowledge of the engineering design process and the scientific method. The book, “Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot” by Margot Theis Ravin, is read to students and they discuss whether the pilot acted like an engineer as he wanted to share sweets with children during the Berlin Airlift. The students are presented with a problem, getting food and water to islanders whose homes and roads have been damaged by hurricanes. Simple materials such as paper napkins, paper towels, crocheting thread, and paper clips are used to build the parachutes. The students use the five ‘E’s’: engagement, exploration, explanation, evaluation, and elaboration as they compare their various parachute models. Students learn that air contains particles, and it is these particles that place forces on bodies moving in the air and counteract the force of gravity. Students use math in the analysis of their models. Students learn that models representing parachutes can be designed in many ways and may behave differently when tested. Students learn the many ways engineering and science are used to explore and explain nature and are employed in manufacturing and technology processes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Student groups learn that the engineering design process and the scientific method are circular processes as they design, build, test, and evaluate a parachute model then improve it.

SPEAKERS:
Suzanne Cunningham (Purdue University: West Lafayette, IN)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Literacy strategies—such as analyzing, discussing, and summarizing—can be utilized while reading science-based articles, authentic science research, journals, and textbooks. The use of these strategies provides a cross-curricular bridge that not only increases understanding but also increases a student's ability to think critically. Our professionally trained STEM coaches know what it takes to effectively integrate literacy and writing into the science content. Using a constructivist approach, participants will experience hands-on learning that will give them a greater understanding of literacy in science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Work in a collaborative group to understand the importance of a constructivist approach.

SPEAKERS:
Jacque Garcia (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Alicia Chiasson (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: PASCO scientific

Give your students a real-world engineering challenge! In this PASCO workshop, you will explore the relationship between momentum and impact forces with real-time measurement of collisions. You will design your own crash barrier to minimize the maximum collision force of a moving cart colliding into your barrier. Next, you will analyze your results to iterate and improve on your original design.  Attend for a chance to win equipment for your school!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to design a crash cushion to minimize the collision force of a moving cart and analyze the results to iterate and improve on your design.

SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Hanna (PASCO Scientific: Roseville, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Cereal City Science

Inspire your students’ sense of curiosity and wonder with Cereal City Science! Gone are the days of students just “learning about science”. With a high quality, K-8 NGSS curriculum, like Cereal City Science, students are doing science as they take on the roles of scientists and engineers to figure things out. Developing models and activity summary boards gives students tools to explain phenomena. The “Let’s Give Them Something to Think About!” workshop begins with the introduction of a phenomenon and discussion on how to facilitate inquiry, Science Talk, and student-led investigations. Participants engage in modeling as a practice-rich tool for figuring out phenomena, use a summary board to document learning - keeping the storyline visible, and experience bringing it all together in the context of a multiple literacy lesson.

TAKEAWAYS:
Developing models is a practice-rich tool for figuring out phenomena.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Erwin (Cereal City Science: Battle Creek, MI)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Software & Technology

Get active and participate in hands-on experiments. Explore limb position and grip strength, balance, and EKGs/EMGs experiments designed to encourage students to think about the physiology of various human organ systems. Walk away with valuable information, including sample labs and teaching tips.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Gain experience with hands-on technology that encourages students to explore and test different solutions and make connections to the real world; 2. Get access to free resources to keep students engaged while learning key scientific concepts either remotely or in the lab; and 3. Gain hands-on experiences with innovative products that increase student engagement, promote creativity and collaboration, and develop problem-solving skills.

SPEAKERS:
Colleen McDaniel (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR), Nüsret Hisim (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

With the Tinkering Labs Electric Motors Catalyst, your students can create their own inventions using real wood, real hardware, and real motors. They will learn STEM through project based design challenges that allow them to wonder, test, invent (and yes, play!) while learning important physical science and engineering core ideas, such as force, motion, electricity and energy. The Tinkering Labs STEM curriculum was designed for grades K-5 by a team led by Gever Tulley, founder of the award-winning, independent Brightworks School in San Francisco. This hands-on workshop challenges participants to make a vehicle to move a toy or other small object using motors, wheels, wires and other equipment. This activity is one of 10 engineering design challenges in the Electric Motors Catalyst, a STEM curriculum for grades K-5 that comes complete with equipment, lesson plans, assessments, embedded support for ELA, and is fully aligned to NGSS. The program is distributed exclusively by Lab-Aids.

TAKEAWAYS:
A project based design challenge that allows participants to wonder, test, invent (and yes, play!) while learning important physical science and engineering core ideas, such as force, motion, electricity and energy.

SPEAKERS:
Matthew Brocchini (Tinkering Labs: Ronkonkoma, NY)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Want to learn today’s top biotechnology techniques? Join us for a hands-on exploration of PCR and electrophoresis in one hour using the EdvoCyclerJr and the EDGE!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will explore the science behind the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and learn strategies for performing PCR in short class periods.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Danielle Snowflack (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

Attendees will explore disease modeling through the use of real (virtual) ZOMBIES!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. This session will explore disease-spread modeling using fictional zombies; 2. Attendees will also see how using Hollywood themes combined with actual STEM careers can be a fun way to engage students in learning science and STEM; and 3. Attendees will find out about free science and STEM lessons from Texas Instruments.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Lukens (Retired Science Teacher: Sioux Falls, SD)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Participants will examine the structure of phospholipids and how it shapes the function of the cell membrane using multiple representations including hands-on models. Cellular processes like active and passive transport will be explored while demonstrating how these models can amplify traditional biology labs and classroom activities. Participants will explore examples of membranes in action that can be applied to units on genetics and evolution to extend the reach of the models throughout the school year.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students can create and revise models to explore how the structure of phospholipids influences the function of cell membranes.

SPEAKERS:
Kim Parfitt (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Come experience a model lesson from OpenSciEd for Middle School and see how the new Carolina Certified Edition makes these high-quality instructional materials even better!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Experience the pedagogy of OpenSciEd through a model lesson; 2. Learn ways to encourage equitable classroom discourse; and 3. Create a Driving Question Board to explore real-world phenomena.

SPEAKERS:
Cory Ort (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Anatomy in Clay

In this workshop, attendees will build replicas of human anatomy using clay and a specially designed skeletal model in a classroom setting. Educators will learn how to implement a unique curriculum system which helps students create a kinesthetic map of the human anatomy. They will acquire the knowledge to engage science students with immediate, hands-on learning using a proven method that is nationally recognized to increase student retention and test scores. This workshop will emphasize directional terms, planes, cavities and landmarks on the skeletal model and then build several skeletal muscles. Emphasis will be placed on building the rotator cuff showing their origin and insertion, their movement and discuss exercises to strengthen these muscles.

TAKEAWAYS:
They will acquire the knowledge to engage science students with immediate, hands-on learning using a proven method that is nationally recognized to increase student retention and test scores.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Simonsen (Billings Career Center: Billings, MT)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Software & Technology

Learn how to introduce new scientific concepts to your students through the lens of climate change. We will discuss experiments that let students study climate change in the classroom using data-collection technology, such as an investigation into the effect of carbon dioxide on ocean and freshwater pH. All activities are available as a free download for attendees.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Gain experience with hands-on technology that encourages students to explore and test different solutions and make connections to the real world; 2. Get access to free resources to keep students engaged while learning key scientific concepts either remotely or in the lab; and 3. Gain hands-on experiences with innovative products that increase student engagement, promote creativity and collaboration, and develop problem-solving skills.

SPEAKERS:
Colleen McDaniel (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR), Nüsret Hisim (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Explore several intervention strategies to help struggling students in STEM, moving beyond differentiation and scaffolding. Learn other proven intervention techniques and discover how to modify traditional outreach to connect with students so that they gain greater understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore several intervention strategies to help struggling students in STEM.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Spaeny (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Jacque Garcia (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

An empty field. A human corpse. Maggots and flies. Who is the victim? What happened? Can you solve the mystery? This middle and high school activity will challenge you to apply science and deductive reasoning to determine what happened!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Forensic science is a STEM career field that combines science, math, and criminal justice concepts; 2. Understanding the natural process of decomposition can help investigators narrow in on identifying victims and causes of death; and 3. Using stories is a great way to engage students and provide context to the science/STEM they are learning.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Lukens (Retired Science Teacher: Sioux Falls, SD)

Sponsoring Company: PASCO scientific

Bridging the gap between science and coding can be challenging without the proper support. In this workshop, you'll learn how to use block-based coding as part of your existing physical and life science activities by integrating it into students' data collection process. Learn how you can help students develop computational thinking skills alongside science literacy without reinventing your curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to incorporate block-based coding into your current physical and life science activities.

SPEAKERS:
Barbara Pugliese (PASCO Scientific: Roseville, CA), Jonathan Hanna (PASCO Scientific: Roseville, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

Explore how to elicit and leverage students’ connections to the phenomena-based storylines in your science curriculum using strategies designed to deepen conceptual understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Eliciting and leveraging student ideas, when done strategically, can not only promote equity and relevance, but can also support deep science learning; 2. How to use a particular routine to elicit students’ ideas and experiences at the beginning of a unit and how to leverage these ideas at strategic points along the storyline; and 3. Teachers can effectively use phenomena-based storylines from a research-based national curriculum by incorporating their students' funds of knowledge into those storylines.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Abbott (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Kyla Cook (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Kai Osorio (Professional Learning: Berkeley, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Apply creative problem-solving skills and engineering practices to chemistry and physical science challenges with race cars and rockets. Experience how Carolina makes it easy to incorporate STEM into your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will take away hands-on experience in designing, making, and testing balloon race cars and reaction rockets.

SPEAKERS:
Patti Kopkau (Retired Educator: National City, MI)

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

Dive into a PhD Science® module to explore the six steps of the Engineering Design Process and test a solution to a real-world problem.

TAKEAWAYS:
PhD Science provides students with the opportunity for hands-on experiences that require the practical application of scientific processes.

SPEAKERS:
Ranell Blue (Great Minds: Washington, DC), Isaac Stauffer (Great Minds: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Forensic science combines disciplines to determine “whodunit.” In this workshop, learn how to merge hands-on biotechnology experiments with literacy exercises to create an immersive lesson.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will perform hands-on biotechnology experiments that will allow them to discuss the implications of genetic fingerprinting and blood testing of forensic samples in class.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Danielle Snowflack (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Teach electrophoresis from the inside out. The BanditTM STEM Electrophoresis Kit allows students to build a working gel electrophoresis apparatus. After building it, they use their fully functioning system to run an electrophoresis lab. Link the concepts of circuits, electric fields, and charged particles through this essential biotechnology tool as students will make connections across scientific disciplines. With the accompanying high-quality curriculum, you'll perform molecular biology labs on a budget you didn't think was possible!

TAKEAWAYS:
Connect the physical sciences to biotechnology techniques and implement accessible and affordable electrophoresis for all levels, ranging from Mendelian inheritance to molecular genetics.

SPEAKERS:
Bruce Bryan (miniPCR: Cambridge, MA)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

During this workshop, participants will work explore cell communication using hands-on models of synapses. Participants will experience how using models to explore abstract concepts deepens student understanding and inquiry for students and provides opportunities for formative assessments of student understanding. Participants will also have opportunities to deepen and challenge their own conceptual understanding of cell communication by altering the biochemical events within the synapses. These changes will reflect what happens when synapses are disturbed by drugs, including both prescription and drugs of abuse, as well as some mental health disorders. Finally, ideas for three-dimensional summative assessments will be explored.

TAKEAWAYS:
Hands on models of synapses let students explore cell communication and the structure and function relationship of proteins and signaling molecules including toxins and drugs.

SPEAKERS:
Kim Parfitt (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Participants will understand how to develop and effectively implement STEM curriculum units that include project based activities and performance based assessments. Participants will learn to help students answer complex questions and develop solutions for challenges and real-world problems. They will also assist students with extending and refining their acquired knowledge to routinely analyze and solve problems. By the end of this session: 1) Participants will gain a clear and coherent understanding of what a STEM PBL is and how it works. 2) Participants will be able to identify and create effective essential questions. 3) Participants will be able to identify and apply the components of a STEM PBL. 4) Understand how STEM PBL’s will impact instruction for participants and students. Agenda: What is PBL? Why is it important? How does a STEM PBL Work? How to effectively integrate journal reflections. Ways to Implement STEM PBL’s

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to effectively implement STEM PBL’s (Project Based Learning) by integrating the components of STEM and PBL in order to grow students' capacity for creativity, fun, and back-loaded learning in a STEM context.

SPEAKERS:
Adero Carter (Fulton County Public Schools)

Explore EiE’s curriculum design principles for inclusivity and NSTA’s sensemaking pillars as tools to evaluate curricula for inclusivity and equity.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave this session with a framework for evaluating curricula with equity and inclusivity in mind.

SPEAKERS:
Diana Christopherson (Museum of Science, Boston: Boston, MA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Teaching students to reason and problem solve is the cornerstone of quality math instruction. This session will highlight several engaging strategies such as Three Reads, Numberless Word Problems, and more that will provide multiple entry points for all students to engage in the math and ignite a passion for problem solving in your classroom!

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore several reasoning routines such as Three Act Tasks, Three Reads, and Numberless Word Problems.

SPEAKERS:
Alicia Chiasson (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Ashley Mathis (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Software & Technology

Use Vernier pH and carbon dioxide sensors to learn about the differences between baking soda and baking powder while applying chemistry content skills all while using chemicals used for food preparation. All activities are available as a free download for attendees.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Gain experience with hands-on technology that encourages students to explore and test different solutions and make connections to the real world; 2. Get access to free resources to keep students engaged while learning key scientific concepts either remotely or in the lab; and 3. Gain hands-on experiences with innovative products that increase student engagement, promote creativity and collaboration, and develop problem-solving skills.

SPEAKERS:
Nüsret Hisim (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR), Colleen McDaniel