Feeling challenged to teach the practices? Learn to take any traditional science lab and upgrade it to teach NGSS Practices!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. There is no need to "reinvent the wheel" with all new labs when you can upgrade your existing ones to be NGSS practice focused!; 2. Scientific inquiry as the basis of classroom lab experiences is more effective than typical cookie cutter–style labs; and 3. Creating personal connections to science content can dramatically increase engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Vanessa Ueltzen (Walther Christian Academy: Melrose Park, IL)

Experience two novel instructional routines supporting the integration of NGSS Crosscutting Concepts and learn how these routines can be used to foster belonging in science classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. learn the steps for how to facilitate two instructional routines to support student thinking and discourse; 2. learn how the use of CCCs during these routines can support students making sense of phenomena; and 3. come away with a deeper understanding of how to use the CCCs to foster belonging in science classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Joy Otibu (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY), Andrea Sau (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY)

Come participate in activities showing how all students’ understanding of science becomes deeper and broader when given the chance to interact with a professional scientist mentor.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn how the PlantingScience mentoring program works, and how they can participate; 2. understand the impact that exposure to real scientists can have on students' interest in and perception of science as a practice and a profession; and 3. learn mentoring strategies and understand how PS mentors are coached to respond to students in ways that promote inclusive conversations and learning.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Hartley (The Botanical Society of America: Saint Louis, MO)

Engage your students in real-world science about climate change, geology, and Earth’s history through free resources offered by the International Ocean Discovery Program.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to access the 100+ free classroom resources developed by the International Ocean Discovery Program; 2. Collaborate with other teachers to plan lessons that engage students in real-world science and engineering practices; and 3. Improve students’ science literacy through the opportunity to provide students with an authentic interaction with diverse STEM leaders.

SPEAKERS:
Maya Pincus (Bushwick Leaders' High School for Academic Excellence: Brooklyn, NY)

See how a high school science department unpacked the science and engineering practices to create and implement a flexible, competency-based assessment system across all courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Competency-based grading in a science classroom; 2. Assessing Science and Engineering Practices; and 3. Practical tips for assessment and rubric design and implementation.

SPEAKERS:
Alyssa Wallace (Del Lago Academy: Escondido, CA), Trish Stepanek (Del Lago Academy: Escondido, CA), Maria Vidaca (Del Lago Academy: Escondido, CA)

When teaching about complex social justice science issues, how do teachers decide what to include while learning about new content and contexts?

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Strategies for deciding what content is “worthwhile” when teaching about complex phenomena; 2. Strategies for deciding how much context is appropriate to include when dealing with social justice issues in science class; and 3. Suggestions for leveraging professional learning communities as sites where we can learn about unfamiliar contexts and contents in order to connect our subject to our communities.

SPEAKERS:
Daniel Morales-Doyle (University of Illinois Chicago: Chicago, IL), Alejandra Frausto Aceves (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Adilene Aguilera (George Washington High School: Chicago, IL), Mindy Chappell (North-Grand High School: Chicago, IL), Tiffany Childress Price (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL), Tomasz Rajski (Hubbard High School: Chicago, IL)

Invitations to Inquiry with FieldScope are free lessons designed to build student confidence to analyze and interpret data and answer questions about real-world phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Develop an understanding of an instructional model designed to incrementally provide students with opportunities to develop data analysis and interpretation skills using citizen and community science data sets; 2. Develop awareness and fluency in using an online graphing and mapping tool to analyze large data sets; and 3. Consider the benefits and barriers in using large data sets and digital tools in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Audrey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Sean O'Connor (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

Engage in three-dimensional learning with hands-on activities to explore human population, biodiversity, climate change, land and natural resource use, and paths to sustainability.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn ways to incorporate 3-D learning strategies into hands-on activities around the NGSS topic of Human Sustainability; 2. come away with ideas and lessons to supplement their coursework in High School Biology and Environmental Science (General and AP) with experiential activities for in-person and virtual classrooms; and 3. be able to identify how the presented hands-on activities meet the NGSS Disciplinary Core Ideas, Crosscutting Concepts, and Science and Engineering Practices; and how the activities can be used to reach all kinds of learners, for an inclusive classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Abby Watkins (Population Connection: Washington, DC), Pam Wasserman (Population Connection: Washington, DC)

A multidisciplinary open-ended investigation that incorporates absolute and relative dating, anomalies, historical context, volcanoes, solar proton events, energy cycles, Earth systems, terrestrial events, and supernovas.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Students will have a better understanding of the process of constructing knowledge; 2. Students will have to analyze and defend their results; and 3. Sometimes there is no answer key, only possible solutions from constructing and analyzing data from several sources that cross traditional disciplines.

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

Compare surface temperature data collected by students between urban and rural areas. Get involved and continue over the summer in a Google classroom. Resources will be provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The importance of collecting surface temperature data to study “heat islands” within communities and ways to interpret the data; 2. Analysis of ground-truthing data and NASA satellite data; and 3. Instructional materials from GLOBE and NASA to teach the science content (heat islands) and protocols aligned to NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Desiray Wilson (Science Systems and Applications, Inc.: Hampton, VA), Janet Struble (: Toledo, OH), Kevin Czajkowski (The University of Toledo: Toledo, OH), Jessica Taylor (NASA Langley Research Center: Hampton, VA)

Learn how to engage your students with the rich phenomena that stars and exoplanets can provide through the use of an open-source, NGSS-driven unit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. deepen their understanding of how to use phenomena-driven 3-D instruction to attend to student interest and relevance; 2. develop a clear vision for how to use argumentation to teach ESS concepts; and 3. learn how to access, use, and adapt a free high school Earth and space science unit.

SPEAKERS:
Charles Link (DeWitt Clinton High School: Bronx, NY), John Salazar (New Visions for Public Schools: New York, NY)

Use STEM web-based analysis software and real data to determine the rate of a supernova remnant expansion and its uniformity.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Astronomical observations with the same parameters separated by time can be used to study the dynamics of a supernova remnant; 2. Expansion velocity of a supernova remnant can be used to determine its age and perhaps connect it to historical observations of such; and 3. Js9 web-based software provides students with real opportunities to do astronomical research.

SPEAKERS:
Pamela Perry (Lewiston High School: Lewiston, ME)

Integrated science? Teach NGSS-focused geology, ecology, biology, engineering, and physical science through real-world problems. Access rubrics, guides, lesson plans, timelines, and other ideas.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Using a thematic approach to integrated science truly integrates the disciplines rather than the traditional one quarter of each discipline; 2. Integrated science can be highly engaging by giving students real-world applications of the content; and 3. Even though NGSS does not have a set of "integrated science" standards, aligning this kind of course to NGSS is still possible.

SPEAKERS:
Vanessa Ueltzen (Walther Christian Academy: Melrose Park, IL)

Connect the human impact of trash pollution to engineering design. Get your students thinking critically and creatively as they collaborate in real-world problem-solving. The global real-world issue of human-generated trash polluting local bodies of water is the main focus of this hands-on session. Using our partnership with the Howard County Conservancy, our students learn about their local watersheds and contribute to a Watershed Report Card. Students see how trash that is often found on our local schoolyards can affect our watershed, and they design a working model for trash removal in a local tributary. Basic coding will be used to design programs that will control sensors and motors through a microcontroller, thus removing the trash from the water source. The model will utilize solar and water power to move the trash into a separate receptacle. Various sensors will also be used to monitor water levels and determine the outcome of the program. This session will allow participants to find ways to increase the environmental stewardship of their students while incorporating engineering design into the science classroom. This project allows authentic integration of technology, mathematics, crosscutting concepts, science practices, and easy implementation of the Next Generation Science Standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Connecting the human impact of single-use plastics and their effect on aquatic ecosystems; 2. Exposing students to basic coding and engineering design in an NGSS-focused content classroom; and 3. Developing a project that enhances STEM skills in students such as collaboration, curiosity, and creative problem-solving.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Voorhees, NJ), Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA)

By using math, building models, analyzing earthquake data, and participating in scientific discourse, your students can discover and measure Earth's outer core!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Demonstrate that Earth cannot be a homogeneous mass and must have a layered interior; 2. Explain how seismic waves provide evidence for Earth’s internal structure and composition; and 3. Explain the usefulness of models in the process of science, as tools to generate predictions that can be compared to observations of the Earth system.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Hubenthal (IRIS | Earthscope Consortium: Washington, DC), John Taber (IRIS | Earthscope Consortium: Chevy Chase, MD)

During this session, we will discuss instructional tools and resources to leverage students' cultural capital in the science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore the tenets of Culturally Responsive Pedagogy; 2. Understand how all learning is cultural, especially science, and access to science helps students become change agents; and 3. Explore the components and values of an inclusive science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia Morgan (Georgia State University: Atlanta, GA)

Argument-Driven Inquiry is an instructional model that gives students an opportunity to learn how to use DCIs, CCs, and SEPs to explain natural phenomena, and it creates a learning environment where students are able to talk, read, and write in the service of sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to: 1. use this instructional model, or way of teaching, to give students an opportunity to learn how to use the DCIs, CCs, and SEPs to make sense of natural phenomena; 2. give students an opportunity to use their own ideas and ways of communicating to talk, read, and write in the service of sensemaking; and 3. give students more opportunities to decide what counts as valid and acceptable and develop new criteria for what counts evidence in science.

SPEAKERS:
Victor Sampson (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX)

Come learn how to teach in three dimensions and advance students’ scientific literacy by strategically applying the use of CERs and CEJs in your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
After this session, participants will be able to: 1. identify the CER and CEJ approach for building scientific literacyl; 2. identify opportunities for using CERs and CEJs to facilitate student discourse and discussion; and 3. apply what they have learned to their own classroom.

SPEAKERS:
McKenna Serowka (Lake Zurich High School: Lake Zurich, IL), Laura Cohen (Lake Zurich High School: Lake Zurich, IL)

Look for patterns in biodiversity and habitat structure as you investigate mesofauna to determine cause and effect relationships and understand how ecosystem services affect patterns of diversity.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Investigate patterns in mesofauna diversity, soil health, and carbon sequestration; 2. Calculate species richness, relative abundance, and soil structure to determine the diversity in a soil ecosystem; and 3. Identify human impact on ecosystem services that affect patterns of biological diversity.

SPEAKERS:
Heather Bryan (Nourish the Future - Education Projects, LLC: Columbus, OH)

Practice activities with simple materials exploring the EM Spectrum and explanatory models that illustrate real-world space science applications. Learn about the AAA program.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to: 1. employ Claim Evidence and Reasoning and a gallery walk of student work to review discuss models; 2. use collaborative learning to investigate filters and wavelengths; and 3. apply for the NASA teacher professional development program, Airborne Astronomy Ambassadors.

SPEAKERS:
Pamela Harman (SETI Institute: Mountain View, CA), Coral Clark (SETI Institute: Mountain View, CA), Spencer Cody (Edmunds Central School District: Roscoe, SD)

Arts integration for the science classroom! Utilize this session's takeaways to incorporate diverse learning practices that don't sacrifice content time.

TAKEAWAYS:
Provide attendees with: 1. diverse teaching methods with a curated selection of arts-integration practices; 2. make-and-take product(s) to use as exemplars; and 3. digital access to content (rubrics, examples, etc.) that would help these practices be implemented in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Suzanne Murphy (Farmington High School: Farmington, AR), Hailey Robinson (Farmington High School: Farmington, AR)

Oceanography is an appealing application to engage all students in the high school physical science, physics, and chemistry classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to leverage students' interest in oceans to engage all students in physical science inquiry; 2. Resources for training teachers to promote oceanography instruction at all levels; and 3. Example activities that incorporate oceans into the physical sciences.

SPEAKERS:
Steve Schulz (Manheim Township School District: Lancaster, PA)

Explore what it means to be scientifically literate and how to develop students who can participate in discussions about scientific issues that affect society.

TAKEAWAYS:
The goals of this session are for participants to gain an understanding of what scientific literacy is, how it can be supported in classrooms, and how the application of science principles and processes will enable students to join society’s science conversations.

SPEAKERS:
Tina Hovance (Katy ISD: Katy, TX), Cathy Harter (Katy ISD: Katy, TX)

Use STEM web-based analysis software and basic physics gravitation and centripetal acceleration equations to determine if a stellar core is a white dwarf or neutron star.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Light curves generated from image analysis software can be used to determine the period of rotation of some white dwarfs and pulsars; 2. Newton’s Universal Law of gravitation and centripetal acceleration calculations can be used as evidence for determining the type of star; and 3. Js9 web-based software provides students with real opportunities to do astronomical research.

SPEAKERS:
Pamela Perry (Lewiston High School: Lewiston, ME)

Meteorology is an appealing application that can be used to engage all students in the high school physical science, physics, and chemistry classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to leverage students' interest in weather to engage all students in physical science inquiry; 2. Resources for training teachers to promote meteorology instruction at all levels; and 3. Example activities that incorporate weather into the physical sciences.

SPEAKERS:
Steve Schulz (Manheim Township School District: Lancaster, PA)

Learn how to engage students in making sense of local climate justice phenomena and take action in response in partnership with impacted communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Ability to articulate the climate science standards within your own teaching context; 2. Examination of strategies to engage in climate justice instruction; and 3. Definition of your own action plan for designing science learning around climate justice phenomena for your own context.

SPEAKERS:
Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA)

Experience how the discussion diamond protocol can help support students’ argumentation skills and Claim Evidence Reasoning writing through peer discourse.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Student discourse can be used to support the development of students’ argumentation skills; 2. The discussion diamond protocol provides students with a structure to build scientific arguments based on evidence and reasoning in collaboration with their peers; and 3. The discussion diamond protocol is a versatile tool that can be adapted for students at different skill levels and in various subjects.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Ciccarello (Beverly Hills High School: Beverly Hills, CA)