NSTA School and District partnerships provide personalized professional learning experiences for K–12 educators. Find out more about these NSTA opportunities that combine membership with access to resources, online tools, and the national network.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover the value of being a School or District NSTA Partner; 2. Explore how to maximize online professional learning for all teachers; and 3. Discover how to utilize NSTA's online learning resources to support in-person professional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Flavio Mendez (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education

Learn from a panel of educators from across the U.S. as they share their impactful stories of bringing science to life in today’s classrooms with Discovery Education. Please note that attendees must preregister for this workshop here.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn strategies and activities that engage students in classrooms across the country; 2. See science come to life with innovative classroom practices; and 3. Leave with a toolkit of resources to bring those ideas to your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kristy Vincent (Discovery Education: Silver Spring, MD), Justin Karkow (Discovery Education: Silver Spring, MD)

Daily Do sensemaking lessons are designed to engage students in authentic, relevant science learning. Join us to explore how these phenomenon-driven lessons motivate students to engage in science and engineering practices to make sense of science ideas (disciplinary core ideas) they need to explain how or why the phenomenon occurs. Learn strategies for implementing Daily Do lessons  in both face-to-face and virtual settings. If you are a K–5 teacher, we have Daily Do sensemaking lessons for you!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore how phenomenon-driven lessons motivate students to engage in science and engineering practices to make sense of science ideas; 2. Understand the critical attributes of sensemaking; and 3. Discuss strategies for implementing Daily Do lessons in face-to-face and virtual settings.

SPEAKERS:
Patrice Scinta (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

During this session, school leaders will explore an NGSS Implementation Toolkit that leverages classroom observations to support strategic alignment of resources for elementary science education.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Gain a deeper understanding of student sensemaking and discourse in an NGSS-focused elementary classroom; 2. Explore an elementary classroom observation tool that builds instructional leadership in support of science learning; and 3. Examine structures and supports needed to build capacity at the school or district level to implement NGSS in elementary school classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Dawn O'Connor (CSU East Bay: Danville, CA), Nancy Wright (Hayward Unified School District: Hayward, CA)

Sponsoring Company: DoD STEM

Hear about how DoD STEM partners with nonprofits, academia, industry, and government to work in schools and produce college- and career-ready graduates.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn: 1. about the mission and vision of DoD STEM; 2. how DoD STEM programs connect schools, students, and teachers with STEM professionals and opportunities; and 3. how they can engage with DoD STEM to support and/or enrich local programming.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Leikin (National Math + Science Initiative: Dallas, TX), Rebecca Stanley (DoD STEM/RTI International: Durham, NC), Jennifer Preston (DoD STEM/RTI International: Research Triangle Park, NC), Laura Larkin (Einstein Fellow, DoD STEM: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: National Science Foundation, Presidential Awards

Join NSF as we share professional development opportunities for teachers within the federal government and hear from Presidential Awardees about their experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Federal professional development opportunities that you may not have been aware of before; 2. The Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) application process and benefits received; and 3. The paths of accomplished teachers and Presidential Awardees as they continue to grow their career.

SPEAKERS:
James Colby (National Science Foundation: Alexandria, VA)

Learn how successful users integrate NSTA resources together to promote STEM and literacy through the use of high-quality STEM-related picture books.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Hear success stories and learn strategies for integrating STEM and literacy in K–5 with NSTA resources such as Picture-Perfect, Uncovering Student Ideas, NSTA Kids books, and more;l 2. Explore suggested picture books that integrate STEM and literacy; and 3. Walk away with a STEM lesson you can use right away.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Lewis (Blue Springs School District: Blue Springs, MO), Ryan Bohannan (Cordill-Mason Elementary School: Blue Springs, MO), Aubrey Tsevis (Lucy Franklin Elementary School: Blue Springs, MO)

Hear about various NSTA competitions and how they can bring STEM and the NGSS into the classroom, as well as give students and teachers a chance to earn recognition and prizes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn: 1. about NSTA competitions; 2. how NSTA competitions help integrate STEM and NGSS in the classroom; and 3. how students and teachers can win recognition and prizes.

SPEAKERS:
Acacia McKenna (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Matthew Hartman (BrainPOP: Pittsburgh, PA)

Authors of this report from the Board on Science Education of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine will give an overview of the report’s key issues, conclusions, and recommendations.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Science and Engineering education needs to be prioritized through fifth grade; 2. State policymakers should ensure these subjects are taught comprehensively, frequently, and consistently; and 3. Ways to support learning and engagement with science and engineering.

SPEAKERS:
Heidi Schweingruber (The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: Washington, DC)

The Texas A&M Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) organization invites you to join a mock Zoom a WISE Woman session with scientists and engineers!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Connecting real-world female scientists and engineers with K–12 classrooms; 2. Understanding the importance of connecting diverse role models in order to broaden participation in STEM; and 3. Experiencing the ease and benefits of collaborating with a virtual outreach program.

SPEAKERS:
Iliana De La Cruz (Texas A&M University: College Station, TX), Sarah Poor (Texas A&M University: Columbia, MO)

Come experience how one California district is leveraging an opportunity to bring equitable STEM experiences to all preK–12 students.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How one district approaches integrated STEM; 2. What an integrated STEM unit feels like; and 3. How one district supports and builds accountability for equitable STEM instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Scott Reynolds (Community Training and Assistance Center (CTAC): Boston, MA), Dean Reese (Tracy Unified School District: Tracy, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

Explore the use of a Driving Question Board (DQB) as a tool to make the phenomena meaningful and connected to science content. Using an example activity from Ecology, we will model the DQB at the start of the unit, then jump to an activity to make connections to the phenomena and content. Pro-tips and full exemplary DQB walkthrough with our experienced classroom trainers.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Develop a DQB to help drive phenomena throughout a unit of study; 2. Develop a model of an ecosystem; and 3. Determine how an introduced species affects the flow of energy and cycling of matter throughout an ecosystem.

SPEAKERS:
Cindy Lilly (Ocean Bay Middle School: Myrtle Beach, SC)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

You will learn how to build and code a four-chambered heart (no coding experience required) while learning about how the heart works. This is a great project for middle and high school science and STEM students!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. You can do STEM with your science students and science with your STEM students!; 2. Apply knowledge of science to inform an engineering design (artificial heart); and 3. Combining science, coding, and engineering design helps students get to higher-order thinking skills.

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

Student-centered science instruction can embrace the diversity of students with special needs. Create engaging instructional opportunities with accommodations and learn strategies for special education achievement.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to embrace the needs of students with special needs and use the 3D5E DO-KNOW-THINK Learning Sequence that allows teachers to create STEAM-centered lessons for engagement, active learning, and interdisciplinary instruction; 2. Understand the specific needs and accommodations necessary for students with special needs and walk away with a matrix of learning strategies that can be used to modify and differentiate your instruction for all students; and 3. Create a co-teaching model with action planning steps, questions to think about, and collaboration strategies between special education, general education, and parent communication.

SPEAKERS:
Leena Bakshi (STEM4Real: No City, No State), Marie Gorman (STEM 4 Real: San Francisco, CA)

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: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Learn how professional learning culminates in STEM certificates from the National Institute for STEM Education (NISE) and systemically strengthens STEM instruction for all students. Hear from several district experts on how they integrated STEM certification into district initiatives.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn about different STEM certifications (teacher, campus, and district) opportunities offered through NISE; 2. Learn how Texas districts have used national certificates to increase and strengthen STEM instruction, and also increased numbers of STEM students; and 3. Learn from Lewisville ISD’s STEM Administrator, Dr. Jonas Greene, about their experience in combining NISE certifications with other district efforts to maximize STEM for their students.

SPEAKERS:
Jonas Greene (Lewisville ISD: Lewisville, TX), Jacque Garcia (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Jennifer Culver (Little Elm ISD: Little Elm, TX), Judy Zimny (National Institute for STEM Education: Houston, TX)

We use data to do science; data literacy is its own set of skills. Young learners benefit when we integrate data, literacy, and science together.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Identify how data literacy is a critical aspect of literacy and science literacy in the 21st century; 2. Explore strategies and resources to use to authentically integrate data into K–5 science instruction; and 3. Develop a plan for next steps to elevate data as an aspect of meaningful connections between literacy and science.

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

Learn from successful users how NSTA Kids books can be integrated into your classroom to spark student notebooking and mentor text writing activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how literacy and science can be connected through writing activities with NSTA Kids books Notable Notebooks, Exemplary Evidence, and The Next Time You See series; 2. The NSTA Science Notebooks in Student-Centered Classrooms resource address the essential component of 3-D student-centered classrooms. While there are a variety of notebook models in use, a flexible, hybrid approach is best to meet the needs of elementary students; and 3. In this session, you will receive free classroom-ready resources (videos and graphic organizers) to guide your students through a Mentor Text Study.

SPEAKERS:
Heather Kirk (William Yates Elementary 2022 Partner School: Blue Springs, MO), Christine Lewis (Blue Springs School District: Blue Springs, MO), Ryan Bohannan (Cordill-Mason Elementary School: Blue Springs, MO), Aubrey Tsevis (Lucy Franklin Elementary School: Blue Springs, MO)