The first technology revolution may have passed you by but rest assured, the second one is going to rock your world!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Relevance/difference of 1st and 2nd technology revolutions; 2. Understanding real-world examples for quantum information science; and 3. Importance of teaching QIS in the K–12 classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Matsler (University of Texas Arlington: No City, No State), Janie Head (Lamar CISD: Rosenberg, TX), Emma Smith (Ridgeline High School: Millville, UT)

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)

Let me introduce you to hands-on lab-producing graphs that are critical to understanding properties for engineering bridges and more. We'll focus on making, interpreting, and teaching the graphs in a classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Cheap and effective beam and bridges labs; 2. Graph analysis and real-world applications; and 3. Iterative engineering design to improve results.

SPEAKERS:
Scott Spohler (Global Impact STEM Academy: Springfield, OH), Briana Richardson (Washington High School: Washington Court House, OH)

We will be building and testing paper airplanes to review concepts in physics. This is a hands-on, multi-day, and lab-based alternative to classic review methods.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will: 1. leave with a copy of the project; 2. review concepts and main ideas in physics using the plane you build; and 3. hopefully have fun!

SPEAKERS:
Jason Kane (MacArthur Senior High School: Houston, TX)

Participants will experiment, design, and inquiry with free software and custom tools for teaching and learning STEM in high school.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to capture real data with sensors and microcontrollers; 2. How to process data to find mathematical patterns and physical laws; and 3. How to encourage students to design and inquiry effectively.

SPEAKERS:
Arturo Miguel de Priego (STEM and EECS Academy: Chincha, Ica, Peru)

This workshop will focus on how collaboration between educators can provide an educational experience to all learners in a district that highlights STEM education from Kindergarten to High School. The presenters will introduce many activities and lessons for teachers and administrators to bring back to their schools and classrooms focusing on agricultural education, engineering activities, and STEM experiments. The workshop will be broken into three segments highlighting hydroponics, community gardens, robotics, computer science, and science experiments/demonstrations.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Our Science/STEM Instructor will present various STEM Night lessons and activities that are taught to high school students who participate in Family/Science Nights in the district throughout the year. These activities focus on NGSS standards that students learn throughout the year; 2. Our Agriculture Educator will present how to start and maintain a hydroponics lab and a community garden in the district for all levels of instruction; and 3. Our Engineering instructor will present a curriculum and activities in Robotics and Computer Science Applications that will build your students' knowledge and demonstrate how these students teach younger students in the district in STEM education.

SPEAKERS:
Kim Usery (Cabot High School: Cabot, AR), Nicole Gatewood (Cabot High School: Cabot, AR)

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)

Overview of thermoset versus thermoplastic polymers and hands-on activities to be done in the classroom, including predictive design, calculations, and environmental impact discussion.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Different ways of categorizing polymers; 2. Difficulties with recycling certain polymer materials; and 3. Design and environmental challenges for students.

SPEAKERS:
Scott Spohler (Global Impact STEM Academy: Springfield, OH), Briana Richardson (Washington High School: Washington Court House, OH)

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)

Explore a variety of careers in the energy sector and discover what soft skills and personality traits will help your students in the workforce.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn activities to help students identify the soft skills and personality traits that will make them stand out in workplace environments; 2. Help students in understanding just how many different career opportunities and paths exist in the world around them. The list is much broader than doctor, lawyer, teacher, or firefighter and the energy industry includes much more diversity in job types than just engineer, technician, and electrician; and 3. Be able to describe the traits and skills that are essential to being a good worker and team player, no matter what industry or job the student may enter.

SPEAKERS:
Sue Parrent (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA)

Participants will engage with the NGSS SEPs while utilizing Sphero Bolts and common materials to engineer a better solution to protecting a passenger in a collision!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Innovative ways to assess NGSS Performance Expectation HS-PS2-3; and 2. Integrating Project-based Learning and the Science and Engineering Practices from the NGSS into a physics classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Lukas Rieke (Houston Christian High School: Houston, TX)

Explore STEAM with concrete, metal, polymers, and clay. Apply math and design concepts to many real-world examples. Supplies are cheap and students love destructive testing!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Basic properties of materials science categories: metals, ceramics, polymers, composites; 2. Affordable labs exploring these properties and ways to adapt these labs for specific classroom needs; and 3. Real-world applications for these materials and lab concepts, focusing on the iterative design process.

SPEAKERS:
Briana Richardson (Washington High School: Washington Court House, OH)

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)

Set up a simple lab and watch a cool demo for ways to talk about resources and the environment, using copper as a specific example.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Great lab that can be used for many levels of understanding—geology, environmental science, chemistry; 2. Focus on environmental impact of resource acquisition; and 3. Resources to highlight for students the depth and complexity of these issues.

SPEAKERS:
Scott Spohler (Global Impact STEM Academy: Springfield, OH), Briana Richardson (Washington High School: Washington Court House, OH)