Since its release, the NSTA Quick-Reference Guide to the NGSS has become an essential tool for many educators across the country. A new version titled the Quick-Reference Guide to the Three Dimension has been developed to not only support teachers in all states that have standards based on the Framework for K-12 Science Education. This new version of the Quick-Reference Guide still contains the most useful features of the original, including descriptions of the practices and the crosscutting concepts from the Framework of K-12 Science Education and K-12 progressions of the elements of all three dimensions. In addition, the new Quick-Reference Guide contains several new features that should make it even more helpful. For example, every element now has a unique code (based on the codes in the NSTA Atlas of the Three Dimensions) that makes it much easier to reference a particular element. In addition, there is an entire chapter devoted to the Performance Expectations. Finally, the guide also contains a number of tools for working with standards. This session will outline all of the features of the guide through the process of unpacking the crosscutting concepts to better understand how to make curriculum, instruction, and assessment more three-dimensional.

TAKEAWAYS:
A deeper understanding of the Crosscutting Concepts and how a well-designed reference guide can make it easier to unpack the three dimensions for work in curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Ted Willard (Discovery Education: Silver Spring, MD)

Online investigations with digitized specimens offer broad opportunities for teachers to engage their students in authentic scientific research. EPIC Bioscience investigations are free, online, NGSS-aligned research investigations that guide students to participate in science practices: asking a question, collecting data, analyzing and interpreting findings, and communicating to others. Investigations use specimens from natural history collections in entomology, vertebrate zoology, mycology, and botany to provide fully-supported, online investigations centered on real phenomena and aligned to NGSS MSLS2-1 through NGSS MSLS2-4. These investigations offer key opportunities to enhance scientific literacy through effective sensemaking with student-collected data on compelling specimens. This session focuses on two key goals to help teachers support sensemaking during phenomena-based student investigations: (1) Identifying and remediating common student errors and confusion during data collection and analysis. (2) Practicing effective instructional strategies focused on enhancing students’ scientific reasoning and data interpretation. This session will involve hands-on experiences with student activities, as well as interactive discussion of classroom examples and evidence.

TAKEAWAYS:
Identify common student errors and sources of confusion during data collection, analysis, and interpretation and deploy strategies designed to enhance student sensemaking from data.

SPEAKERS:
Kirsten Butcher (The University of Utah: Salt Lake City, UT), Madlyn Larson (Natural History Museum of Utah: Salt Lake City, UT)

“You’re good at math; be an engineer.” Isn’t there more to it? Who is an engineer? Engineering helps society by solving problems. Let’s explore “why.”

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn that engineering is more than math + science and take away classroom activities addressing engineering identity, ethics, and society (not your typical engineering activities).

SPEAKERS:
Ken Reid (University of Indianapolis: Indianapolis, IN)

General-education science classes are often the last chance we have to empower students with the science literacy skills necessary to navigate today’s world. But what is science literacy? Memorizing facts and following recipe-like labs? Or is it understanding how the process of science learns about the world by testing explanations and critically scrutinizing the evidence? A good science education teaches students how, not what, to think. Science isn’t just what we know; it’s how we know. This presentation explores a novel course developed using a backward design approach designed to teach the essential skills of critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy. By focusing on the process of science over content, students learn how to evaluate the evidence for claims to determine how we know something. Directly including pseudoscience (e.g. astrology, psychics, homeopathy, Bigfoot) and science denial (e.g. climate change, evolution, GMOs) increases engagement, addresses common misconceptions, and teaches students how to recognize the characteristics of good science. Assignments and activities in which students actively create misinformation inoculates them against the real thing. Finally, providing students with a structured toolkit to evaluate claims (with lots of opportunities to practice) helps students apply what they’re learning to the “real world.”

TAKEAWAYS:
The goal of general education science should not be memorizing facts, but learning the essential skills of critical thinking, information literacy, and science literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Melanie Trecek-King (Massasoit Community College)

Come explore creative storylines for integrating up-to-date, research-driven climate science into high school Chemistry courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Climate-related storylines provide powerful frameworks for students to learn fundamental chemistry core ideas and reinforce understandings of crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices; 2. The wealth of Earth-orbiting NASA satellite data now available in real time provides us with an unprecedented understanding of the science of climate change and also provides many opportunities for student experiential learning; and The latest advances in climate modeling can allow all students to both see the inequitable impacts that humans are currently having on Earth systems and build a sense of hope in how future changes in human practices can reverse current impact trends.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Wysession (Washington University in St. Louis: Saint Louis, MO)

To help develop more scientifically curious and literate students, we use scientific literature or documentaries to engage students in developing the NGSS science practices. Students find an interesting topic, generate a question, collect and analyze data and then develop a Science Installation that communicates their learning to the greater community. Our most recent class project had students study how to grow food in a simulated Mars environment with the conditions controlled by student programmed raspberry pis. High school students organized 6th graders to do hands on data collection. They created a 10x12 foot exhibit that looked like a Martian landscape and highlighted the equipment they used with the plants still growing. The display included QR codes to communicate data and research using student-created videos, infographics, and data tables. Other installations include a monochromatic yellow room where everything looks grey and allowed observers to learn about the properties of light and the ways light energy is used in photosynthesis, the way it can be used to promote electrons, and the way it produces color. Other exhibits include sound waves and a history or music and musical instruments, the chemistry of color, and an environmental study of our use of carbon.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to guide students in the reading of scientific literature or the watching of documentaries in order to generate an authentic question and project. (How can we develop the capacity to farm on Mars? How does yellow monochromatic light produce the absence of color (an episode of Abstract, What can we learn about pollen structure from 3D printed files from Bayer’s agricultural division?) Participants will review a process to take the question and generate an authentic study that transcends a single class, grade, or discipline. (Students in 11th grade worked with students in 6th grade to test growing plants under controlled conditions that simulated Mars. Students in art and physics classes explored the properties of light and created a light-based art exhibit with science lessons on QR codes) Participants will explore a template for guiding students through the creation of an installation/exhibit that creatively shows the question, their experiment, their analysis, and potential solutions or conclusions in a creative and community-informing way. The exhibit is similar to an art installation with QR codes and experiment/study artifacts presented in a museum like scenario.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Helfant (Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School: Saint Louis, MO)

We will model activities that link Latino folktales to science and ELA learning as a means to connect natural phenomena and culture.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with Latin American folktales that connect to science phenomena for quick implementation in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Ivan Ochoa Martinez (Irene C. Hernandez Middle School for the Advancement of Science: Chicago, IL), Julio Mendez (Friedrich W. Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center: Chicago, IL), Madison Delaney (Teacher: , IL)

Wander your way through 30 different STEM stations to learn about resources, lessons, and teaching strategies to incorporate more STEM into your school and classroom. This farmer's market–type event brings together educators, authors, researchers, and leaders in early childhood through fifth-grade STEM education. Leave with a mindful of great ideas and be inspired!

TAKEAWAYS:
Pick up great ideas and be inspired during this farmer's market–type event.

SPEAKERS:
Sharon Bird (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA), Heather Pacheco-Guffrey (Bridgewater State University: Bridgewater, MA), Lauren Burrow (Stephen F. Austin State University: Nacogdoches, TX), Susan Erickson (Country School: Weston, MA), Sara Nelson (Iowa State University: Ames, IA), Constance Beecher (Iowa State University: Ames, IA), Elizabeth Dethloff (Robert R. Shaw Center for STEAM: Katy, TX), Christine Preston (The University of Sydney: Sydney, 0), Catherine Scott (Coastal Carolina University: Conway, SC), Kristin Cook (Bellarmine University: Louisville, KY), Richard Cox, Jr. (Atrium Health), Annette Venegas (Kent School District: Kent, WA), Juliette Guarino Berg (The Town School: New York, NY), Katie Morrison (University Child Development School: Seattle, WA), Wendi Laurence (Education Specialist: Park City, UT), Katrina Kmak (Park City Library: Park City, UT), Brittnie Hecht (Park City Library: Park City, UT), Diana Lockwood (Author & Executive Director), Godwyn Morris (Dazzling Discoveries / Skill Mill NYC: New York, NY), Bridget Miller (University of South Carolina: Columbia, SC), Christie Martin (University of South Carolina: Columbia, SC), Rebecca Kurson (Collegiate School: New York, NY), Cori Nelson (Winfield School District 34: Winfield, IL), Shelly Counsell (Self Employed Consultant), Belle Akers (Convent & Stuart Hall's Schools of the Sacred Heart: San Francisco, CA), Kathleen Tate (American Public University System: Charles Town, WV), Dennis Schatz (Institute for Learning Innovation: Beaverton, OR), Beth Pesnell (Kansas State University: Manhattan, KS), Bill Burton (Tatnall School: Wilmington, DE), Barbara Bromley (Hazelwood Elementary School: Lynnwood, WA), Kim Stilwell (BIOZONE Corp.: Parker, CO), Nancy McIntyre (Robotics Education & Competition Foundation: Greenville, TX), Shari Haug (Science Olympiad: Oakbrook Terrace, IL), Jane Savatski (Janet Berry Elementary School: Appleton, WI), Katrina Pavlik (Deputy Executive Director: Oakbrook Terrace, IL), Mitchell Rosenberg (Kinderlab Robotics, Inc.: Waltham, MA), Tiffany Leones (Digital Promise: Washington, DC), Beth Dykstra VanMeeteren (University of Northern Iowa: Cedar Falls, IA), Danielle Scharen (North Carolina State University: Raleigh, NC), Frances Hamilton (The University of Alabama in Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Jennifer Williams (Isidore Newman School: New Orleans, LA), Anne Lowry (Aleph Academy: Reno, NV)

This session is intended to discuss the importance of formative assessment as a tool for guiding students and helping all students to make progress. A variety of formative assessment tools will be explored. Most importantly, the use of individual feedback on formative assessments will be demonstrated and we will discuss how this leads to improved metacognition and critical thinking skills for students. Attendees will see sample student work on formative assessments and accompanying sample teacher feedback. They will practice making comments of there own, in addition to discussing logistical concerns with the practice of individualized feedback.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session is intended to discuss the importance of formative assessment as a tool for guiding students and helping all students to make progress.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Maguire (Virginia Tech: Blacksburg, VA)

Let's discuss the expansion and availability of geospatial data (arcGIS, EJScreen, CalAdapt) to examine environmental justice issues in their own community and create climate resilience action plans for an authentic audience (city council, school district, state lawmakers).

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will explore strategies for using geospatial data to examine, interpret, and act on place-based environmental justice issues in their communities.

SPEAKERS:
Nancy Metzger-Carter (Sonoma Academy: Santa Rosa, CA)

This session will focus on how educators can support students to change their mindset in relation to the “labels" used to classify their science courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to: 1. understand the impact that labels used to classify science courses—such as regular, honors, or AP—can have in the academic performance of high school students; learn simple strategies that can be implemented in the classroom to help students changing their mindset in regards of the courses that they are taking; and 3. learn how these strategies can contribute to foster a more positive attitude and a more productive culture of learning in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Ileana Bermudez Luna (University of South Florida: Tampa, FL)

This session is designed to help teachers deepen their understanding of the effective and practical strategies needed to facilitate a successful science fair competition or symposium in either a face-to-face or hybrid environment. Participants will be provided with a variety of instructional strategies and free curriculum materials to ensure that all students have access to a social learning platform that will encourage opportunities to collaborate with peers and mentors through intentional planning. The instructional strategies used in this presentation will promote student engagement, differentiation, and scientific understanding to help form a more inclusive learning environment within the classroom and within the district community.

TAKEAWAYS:
--Participants will experience a variety of impactful instructional strategies that promote authentic scientific research and presentation to promote access to equitable future opportunities for students regarding college and/or career endeavors

SPEAKERS:
Angela McMurry (The Ohio Academy of Science: Dublin, OH)

In this presentation we will start with an existing basic physical science lesson that uses disciplinary core ideas on electricity, the engineering practice of making a model by constructing a basic electrical circuit, and the cross-cutting concept of cause and effect (closing the circuit starts current flow and turns on the light). We will then modify it using Universal Design for Learning (UDL) so it is more accessible, especially for students with disabilities. UDL encourages multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement for presenting and receiving content and information related to the lesson and gives students several ways to acquire the lesson knowledge, Multiple means of expression allows the students several choices in how they can “show what they know” and multiple means of engagement offers learners offers appropriate challenges to get students interested and motivated. Planning or modifying lessons using UDL not only makes lessons more accessible, but it also makes lessons more engaging for all students in inclusive classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
1) Universal Design for Learning (UDL) encourages multiple means of representation, expression, and engagement for presenting and receiving content and information related to the lesson. Use of UDL makes lessons more engaging for all students. 2) Applying UDL (Universal Design for Learning) will make the lesson more accessible, especially for students with special needs. 3) You may start with a lesson you already have. It is not necessary to develop a lesson from scratch when using UDL.

SPEAKERS:
Mary O'Donnell (Penn State University), Gargi Adhikari (Holland Brook School/Readington Township Schools: Whitehouse Station, NJ)

Sagan said that when kids are young, they cannot stop asking questions. By high school, they stop asking. This needs to change.

TAKEAWAYS:
Ways we can help students learn and retain science concepts, critical-thinking skills, and inquisitiveness using alternative approaches to teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Juan Bacigalupi (Eagle Hill School: Hardwick, MA)

Too many students fall for disinformation. Learning facts is not enough. New research shows students need more critical-thinking skills, and supplemental curriculum helps.

TAKEAWAYS:
Critical-thinking curriculum is available to help “inoculate” students against disinformation and science denial.

SPEAKERS:
David Hundsness (Critical Thinking Project: PACIFICA, CA)

This session focuses on improved outcomes for students’ written science explanations when including data description prompts and instructional facilitation to adapt the CER framework.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about the importance of a preliminary step of incorporating data descriptions when utilizing the CER framework to guide students’ written explanations and reasoning of data visualization.

SPEAKERS:
Andrea Drewes (Rider University: Lawrenceville, NJ)

Explore the many ways dinosaurs and paleontology can be integrated into STEM curricula to attract all learners. Resources and collaboration ideas will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with a plethora of hands-on ideas and resources (including children's literature) relating to dinosaurs, paleontology, and community resources to help inspire all learners in their contexts.

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Pangan (Butler University: Indianapolis, IN), Becky Wolfe (The Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Indianapolis, IN)

Participants will begin in the role of a student as the instructor models how picture books are often used ineffectively in the sequence of a 5Es lesson. This will be followed by a presentation of when and how different types of picture books are most effectively integrated into an NGSS-aligned lesson plan. Participants will play a game to apply what they have just learned by identifying where within a lesson specific picture book examples (both fiction and nonfiction) would be most effectively integrated. Next, participants will be introduced to picture book questioning “cheat sheets” for each of the seven crosscutting concepts. These sheets are filled with question examples and stems for each of the CCC. The instructor will model how to use these “cheat sheets” to prepare for and conduct a read aloud that emphasizes a specific CCC. Then, participants will be invited to choose a picture book from one of over 100 3-5 NGSS-aligned books found throughout the room in seven CCC “stations” and to use the “cheat sheet” to prepare for their own read aloud. Participants will then “Pair and Share” a portion of their read alouds. Finally, the instructor will briefly discuss how to use CCC graphic organizers (a link to organizers will be shared) to encourage students to independently identify CCCs in picture books. The session will wrap up with a final Q&A. Note: Specific examples of picture books that promote diversity will be discussed as well as the importance of representation in children’s literature. Methodologies demonstrated are based on research by Dr. Yen Verhoeven of Qi Learning (used with permission) and the text “Sharing Books Talking Science” by Valerie Bang-Jensen and Mark Lubkowitz.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through instructor modeling and active participation, participants will learn when they should (and shouldn't!) include picture books in their 3-5NGSS lesson plans well as how to use picture books to explore each of the seven crosscutting concepts with their students.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Starr (STEM Specialist: Clinton, IA)

Let's explore creative storylines for integrating up-to-date, research-driven Earth and space science into high school physics courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Earth and space science storylines provide engaging avenues for students to learn fundamental physics core ideas and reinforce understandings of both crosscutting concepts and science and engineering practices; 2. Most of the classical physics curriculum originated within fields of Earth and space science, so aspects of geophysics integrate naturally within a modern high school physics curriculum; and 3. For most high schools, aligning a high school curriculum with the NGSS requires the addition of a substantial amount of Earth and space science, and integrating relevant geophysical content into a high school course can help do this.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Wysession (Washington University in St. Louis: Saint Louis, MO)

Science denial, anti-intellectualism, and conspiracy theories have long, sordid histories. Today, rampant science denialism threatens personal and public health, economic sustainability, and prosperity. Globally, it poses existential threats to humanity. How has the situation deteriorated so far? How can so many people deny, not only the reality of climate change - a slow-moving and invisible enemy - but also the reality of a global pandemic and the effectiveness of simple protective/preventive strategies? The explanation is straightforward. Widespread scientific illiteracy enables moneyed and/or politically powerful interests to manipulate a credulous public in ways that undermine understanding of science and generate distrust of the scientific community. Campaigns often waged on unregulated social media are disturbingly effective. When disinformation, willful ignorance, and belligerence strike, who's on call? Right now, almost nobody ... and that's a problem for all of us who, as science educators, understand and value the role of science in general, and STEM topics and approaches more specifically. We will then explore a variety of online resources and discuss individualized teaching strategies that educators can deploy to overcome these challenges in our classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
This workshop will briefly review the history, driving forces behind, and current status of science denialism, to clarify what we are up against. We will then explore online resources and individualized teaching strategies that can overcome these challenges in our classrooms. No single "magic bullet" (or magic YouTube video) can rescue us. We need a full-court press by all of us in education, focusing on cultivating in our students a true understanding of the nature of science, appreciation for the value of expertise in STEM fields, and a willingness to engage on a personal level with disturbingly cult-like beliefs.

SPEAKERS:
Joseph Levine (Science Writer and Producer: Concord, MA)

We are living in an Age of Misinformation. Developing the capabilities to evaluate scientific information is a key goal of scientific literacy. Moreover, “obtaining, evaluating and communicating information” is a core practice of NGSS. The NGSS standards, however, were developed a decade ago before misinformation became so pervasive and were not developed to address this threat. Much of this misinformation is scientific. Therefore, this session will present a set of ideas and materials about how to address this challenge. These have emerged from a report developed at Stanford University drawing on the expertise of an international group of science educators, scientists and psychologists entitled “Science Education in an Age of Misinformation”. In this session, we will present the main arguments and recommendations of the report. Using a set of practical, web-based classroom examples, participants will work in small groups to trial and discuss the suggested teaching approaches and materials we have developed. Opportunities will be provided for feedback, questions and discussion in a final plenary. What we will present will empower teachers of science with ways they can support their students to avoid being misled by the purveyors of misinformation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn what are the challenges posed by misinformation and what they can do to help science education address this challenge using practical examples of exercises and ionnovative teaching materials.

SPEAKERS:
Daniel Pimentel (Stanford University: Stanford, CA)

Get your students talking in ways that increase student understanding and literacy in science! Come learn about why academic dialogue is so important. Explore current and effective strategies to encourage and improve academic dialogue in the science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will understand why academic dialogue is important to scientific literacy and explore ways to encourage and improve academic dialogue in the science classroom through the use of current and effective strategies resulting in higher student engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Erica Baker (Kentucky Department of Education: Frankfort, KY)

In this session, attendees will extend their understanding of learning design for the NGSS specifically focused on developing scientific literacy in the elementary grades. Participants will learn about selecting instructional phenomena and/or problems that can effectively anchor student learning experiences and create authentic needs for students to engage deeply with other content areas to make sense of phenomena and design solutions to problems, thus supporting meaningful integration of science with other STEM and content areas. Attendees will explore ways to design for elementary learning that meets at the intersection of three-dimensional standards, phenomena/problem driven learning, sensemaking, and integration. Participants will also be connected to a variety of Open Education Resources (OERs) and other freely available resources that support integrated elementary learning design.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how anchoring learning in phenomena and problems and leveraging integrated content as sensemaking resources for students supports scientific literacy development in grades K-5.

SPEAKERS:
Kimberley Astle (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Olympia, WA)

Educators have a mandate to provide quality science/STEM instruction for ALL students, but making instruction accessible to every student presents enormous challenges. In order to teach students with broad ranging abilities and experiences, differentiating science/STEM instruction is imperative. We must differentiate instruction to accommodate the differences in readiness and background knowledge, fluency and facility with English, differences in learning styles, and the broad range of student interests that comprise our schools. Accessibility, inclusivity, and collaboration must be assured for special needs and ELL learners, whose instructional needs can definitely be accommodated with effective differentiation strategies and resources. When teachers differentiate, they enhance learning, creating environments where instruction and assessment are matched to student abilities and needs. Differentiation is an approach involving numerous strategies, while students all access the same curriculum. Content, process, and products can all be differentiated. Students who lack experience and background knowledge can have targeted instruction, to provide hands-on explorations and build knowledge. Likewise, gifted students can extend and expand their science/STEM experiences, keeping them challenged and interested. Presenter will offer strategies and exploration ideas, tiered assignments that increase levels of complexity, instructional grouping and collaboration techniques, and suggest a variety of resources, to enable teachers to advance and evaluate student learning for ALL children. Attendees will actively engage with discourse and exploration of hands-on resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Attendees will learn differentiation strategies to engage all learners actively with hands-on explorations, assuring collaboration and accessibility for ALL, incorporating collaborative explorations where students of varying abilities share the learning experience, to advance learning and deepen conceptual understanding and sense-making for all K-6 students.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Knoell (Educational and Technology Consultant: Prairie Village, KS)

Toshiba America Foundation wants to work together with teachers who are looking for a better way to engage the community in STEM. Participants will hear from educators that have won money for their school and communities to implement STEM action projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how they can receive cash awards and acknowledge for STEM action projects.

SPEAKERS:
John Anderson (Toshiba America Foundation: Irvine, CA)

Explore the use of primary sources to support three-dimensional science learning during an interactive presentation of examples, resources, and ideas for your own lesson plan.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn what primary sources are in science, why primary sources support acquisition of science literacy skills, and how to integrate primary sources into science and STEM lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Loris Chen (Science Education Consultant: Fair Lawn, NJ), Donna Governor (University of North Georgia: Dahlonega, GA), Kathy Biernat (Zanilu Educational Services, LLC: No City, No State)

It takes time and intentionality to build a community of learners who trust each other, respect differing perspectives, share ideas freely, and seek feedback from their peers. This session explores a variety of strategies that can be easily implemented to build this culture and community from day one. Strategies that foster this type of connection, collaboration, and camaraderie will be discussed using examples and tips to implement in the classroom, starting with some fresh ideas for getting to know students and helping them get to know their classmates. Many of these ideas combine strategies we already know and add a collaborative and inclusive spin to them. Allowing for multiple types of student interaction is important to ensure all voices are heard and valued, not just the loud and proud. Including time for students to process independently, in small groups, and in the large group is important to developing an inclusive community. A variety of strategies will be shared to support these levels of interaction in the classroom, making student thinking visible in individual, small group, and whole group displays.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers can elevate their practices to include all students and develop a classroom culture that invites student interaction, increases student engagement, and fosters equitable experiences on a daily basis.

SPEAKERS:
Beth Pesnell (Kansas State University: Manhattan, KS)

Dive into (equitable) three-dimensional learning and promote STEM teaching and sensemaking strategies that place equity at the center of learning, making science connections to local context.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore how placing equity at the center of STEM education changed teacher attitudes about science teaching and learning, developed supportive networks for formal and informal educators to advance science education, created opportunities for teachers to design three-dimensional learning experiences, and provided equitable opportunities for students and families in an urban high-needs district.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Nunez (New Brunswick Public Schools: New Brunswick, NJ), Sarah Sterling-Laldee (New Jersey Department of Education: No City, No State), Ashley Delgado-D'Amore (Lord Stirling Community School: New Brunswick, NJ), Grace Lugo (Boston College OEI: No City, No State)

Through the 2021-2022 school year, Pulaski County Special School District sought to scale inclusive STEM experiences throughout grades K-5. Considering the need for sense-making opportunities provided in an inclusive and culturally relevant environment, a new districtwide initiative was birthed- STEM is Lit! STEM is LIT! seeks to take culturally relevant literature as the framework for authentic STEM experiences through sense-making practices. The idea is simple. Find a culturally relevant and diverse piece of literature. Frame a STEM challenge experience around this piece of literature. Design authentic lesson plans and resources for teachers to implement these challenges in their schools. Organize your supplies. Support your teachers and students. By creating districtwide monthly STEM challenges for all students in grades K-5, PCSSD was able to integrate literacy with mathematical sense-making, scientific inquiry, and the engineering design process creating memories that will last a life time. In addition to monthly challenges, STEM is Lit! also became the driving bus behind the Deputy Superintendent's book club for all 4th graders throughout the district, where a special STEM challenge was added and performed at each elementary in the district. This presentation seeks to share those authentic practices that can be scaled in any district to expose broad elementary audiences to equitable STEM experiences and conversation.

TAKEAWAYS:
How can districts expand STEM experiences through culturally relevant and inclusive practices in a large-scaled initiative?

SPEAKERS:
Justin Luttrell (Pulaski County Special School District: Little Rock, AR), Alesia Smith (Pulaski County Special School District: Littel Rock, AR)

Participants will begin in the role of a student as the instructor models how picture books are often used ineffectively in the sequence of a 5Es lesson. This will be followed by a presentation of when and how different types of picture books are most effectively integrated into an NGSS-aligned lesson plan. Participants will play a game to apply what they have just learned by identifying where within a lesson specific picture book examples (both fiction and nonfiction) would be most effectively integrated. Next, participants will be introduced to picture book questioning “cheat sheets” for each of the seven crosscutting concepts. These sheets are filled with question examples and stems for each of the CCC. The instructor will model how to use these “cheat sheets” to prepare for and conduct a read aloud that emphasizes a specific CCC. Then, participants will be invited to choose a picture book from one of over 100 K-2 NGSS-aligned books found throughout the room in seven CCC “stations” and to use the “cheat sheet” to prepare for their own read aloud. Participants will then “Pair and Share” a portion of their read alouds. Finally, the instructor will briefly discuss how to use CCC graphic organizers (a link to organizers will be shared) to encourage students to independently identify CCCs in picture books. The session will wrap up with a final Q&A. Note: Specific examples of picture books that promote diversity will be discussed as well as the importance of representation in children’s literature. Methodologies demonstrated are based on research by Dr. Yen Verhoeven of Qi Learning (used with permission) and the text “Sharing Books Talking Science” by Valerie Bang-Jensen and Mark Lubkowitz.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through instructor modeling and active participation, participants will learn when they should (and shouldn't!) include picture books in their NGSS lesson plans well as how to use picture books to explore each of the seven crosscutting concepts with their students.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Starr (STEM Specialist: Clinton, IA)

Culturally relevant pedagogy embodies a professional, political, cultural, ethnical, and ideological disposition that supersedes mundane teaching acts; it is centered in fundamental beliefs about teaching, learning, students, their families, and their communities, and an unyielding commitment to see student success become less rhetoric and more of a reality. This session will aid in building awareness and sensitivity to the culture-based genius that students bring to the classroom using science inquiry strategies. Emphasis will be placed on a model for the inclusion of culturally relevant content that accommodates student backgrounds and methods of learning. In this session, we will exhibit how to identify the key characteristics of culturally responsive lessons. Attendees will acquire lesson design methods that employ cultural competence and effective communication. Attendees will use collaborate boards during the presentation to respond and interact. Activities to exhibit how students identify with what they know in the classroom will be utilized to help educators make connections and apply this information when planning lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
Building awareness and sensitivity to the culture-based genius that students bring to the classroom using science inquiry strategies. Emphasis will be placed on a model for the inclusion of culturally relevant content that accommodates student backgrounds and methods of learning.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Haynes (Baker High School: Baker, LA), Jennifer Norwood (Instructional Support Specialist), Tara Hollins (Exceptional Student Services Educator: Zachary, LA)

Marshall Escamilla, one of the co-hosts of the freely-available Tumble Science Podcast for Kids, will share some of the basics of creating a podcast with your class. Classroom podcasts are a great way for students to share their learning with the broader community, and can be used both as assessment and communication tools--and it's a lot easier to do than you'd think. Beginning with a brief description of what features make Tumble free and accessible, Marshall will walk educators through all the thing they'll need to consider when creating a podcast. We'll start by asking questions like: -Who is the intended audience for this podcast? -What is the overall topic for it? -How many episodes do we want to create, and how often do we want to release them? Then we'll move on to some of the technical elements. What are the requirements for creating a podcast studio in your classroom? What equipment do you need to buy? What software do students need to have access to? how do you ensure that students can have access to what they need in order to be successful? Finally, we will discuss some of the basic skills teachers will need to ensure student success: knowledge of best audio recording practices, and how to use a few easily-accessible software tools to make students' work sound its best.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees at this ession will learn the very basics of how to create a classroom podcast from a professional podcaster.

SPEAKERS:
Marshall Escamilla (Tumble Media Production: Greenfield, MA)

Participants will begin by playing a game in which they discover the research regarding the impact of effective science instruction in elementary school on students’ future STEM career choices. Research on the importance of diversity and representation in children’s literature will also be included. Next, participants will be introduced to a picture book questioning “cheat sheet” for the science and engineering practices. This sheet is filled with question examples and stems for each of the S&EPs. The instructor will model how to use this “cheat sheet” to prepare for and conduct a read aloud that emphasizes specific S&EPs. Then, participants will be invited to choose a picture book from one of over 100 K-5 NGSS STEM Career focused picture books found throughout the room in six grade level “stations” that have been aligned to NGSS performance expectations. Participants will be asked to use the “cheat sheet” to prepare for their own read aloud. Participants will then “Pair and Share” a portion of their read alouds. Finally, the instructor will briefly discuss how to use S&EP graphic organizers (a link to organizers will be shared) to encourage students to independently identify S&EPs in picture books. The session will wrap up with a final Q&A.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through instructor modeling and active participation, participants will learn how to develop read aloud questions that effectively highlight the science and engineering practices in texts that feature STEM Careers.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Starr (STEM Specialist: Clinton, IA)

In this panel discussion, we will discuss the ways that audio content like podcasts can be used in the classroom to increase student engagement. This discussion between several leaders in the field of audio education will share some of the ways that teachers can and should use audio content to enhance science learning at all grade levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to include audio in their lesson plans in ways that are effective, engaging, and inclusive.

SPEAKERS:
Marshall Escamilla (Tumble Media Production: Greenfield, MA)

It is important to share your instructional needs in science specifically so that the media specialist can support identifying and evaluating three-dimensional text resources with you. In this session we will share ways that you can help your media specialist support your need for science instructional resources to make your instruction more effective for all students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science learning should lead literacy, this can happen (in part) through read alouds which should focus on 3D learning.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network), Katherine Pfeiffer (Discovery Middle School: Orlando, FL)

Expectations on deeper learning and more rigor in our curriculums have led to increased demands on our students. As we collectively shifted from paper to digital, our access to tools improved but has our instruction kept pace? How do we prevent our curriculum from becoming simply a digital pencil with disconnected simulations and activities that fail to embrace high-quality scientific practices? In this session, we will examine how digital science journals can be used as a means for evidence collection and reflection on student learning. Together, we will focus on how students collect and analyze evidence in a variety of meaningful ways. Examples of primary sources will showcase how students can observe and categorize similarities to help answer a driving question. We will also examine best practices around using simulations to drive student inquiry. An emphasis on exploring data, from organization to manipulation will also be highlighted. Finally, we will showcase how AR and VR can be effectively used in the classroom to allow students to think and act like real scientists along with open-sourced 3D prints. Join me for an engaging session!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to design educational opportunities focused on evidence collection and reflection to provide scientific arguments and explanations to a phenomenon.

SPEAKERS:
Mike Jones (Illinois State University: Normal, IL)