Sponsoring Company: DoD STEM

Build STEM culture through community engagement! Develop interest and awareness, leading to increased demand for STEM programming and STEM career pathway courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn strategies for hosting community engagement events, including family STEM nights; 2. Explore the role of partnerships in supporting engagement events; and 3. Walk away with resources to support establishing and hosting community engagement events.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Blank (Watertown City School District: Watertown, NY), Tiara Davis (Teacher: Charlotte, NC), Heather Overkamp (Portsmouth Public Schools: Portsmouth, VA), Patty Brunet (Cypress High School: Cypress, CA)

Join us as we explore how NOAA Teacher at Sea can bring stimulating ocean science content to the classroom through a wide range of technology and media applications.

TAKEAWAYS:
NOAA Teacher at Sea provides numerous cutting-edge strategies to make ocean science accessible to students such as Google Cardboard and various VR applications to utilizing NOAA Teacher at Sea’s rich ocean science resources.

SPEAKERS:
Spencer Cody (Edmunds Central School District: Roscoe, SD)

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)

What kinds of talk, tasks, and tools do students need in order to fully engage in meaningful forms of science learning? Join us as we share a statewide virtual book study that allowed AMBITIOUS Iowa science teachers to connect, collaborate, and refine their practice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. focus on teaching practices relating to planning for engagement with big science ideas, eliciting students’ ideas, and supporting ongoing changes in student thinking; 2. learn how to set up opportunities for collaboration both online and with a local coach and peers; and 3. learn about the application of the learning related to a classroom action research option.

SPEAKERS:
Tammy Askeland-Nagle (Mississippi Bend Area Education Agency: Bettendorf, IA), Beverly Berns (Keystone Area Education Agency: Elkader, IA), Hope Garton Brown (Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency: Pocahontas, IA), Christopher Soldat (Grant Wood Area Education Agency: Cedar Rapids, IA)

Sponsoring Company: DoD STEM

Engage the power of visible thinking to heighten learning through scientific inquiry and authentic questioning while fostering connections with and between students in your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. understand and explain visible thinking; 2. describe multiple benefits of applying visible thinking in the classroom; and 3. learn strategies to apply visible thinking in inquiry-based science learning.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Blank (Watertown City School District: Watertown, NY), Patty Brunet (Cypress High School: Cypress, CA), Tiara Davis (Teacher: Charlotte, NC), Heather Overkamp (Portsmouth Public Schools: Portsmouth, VA)

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)

We will share how we use learning targets based on the NGSS science practices to develop assessments that are accessible to learners of all abilities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. understand how to develop assessments that are accessible to all learners; 2. distinguish between formative and summative assessments and see examples of effective ways to apply each; and 3. understand how to use assessments to fine-tune teaching practice.

SPEAKERS:
David Frangiosa (Pascack Valley Regional High School District: Montvale, NJ), Elise Naramore (Pascack Hills High School: Montvale, NJ)

You made the learning three dimensional in your classroom; now it's time to do the same for your grading.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Ways to help students focus on learning more than gradesl 2, Systems of efficient grading that make meaningful feedback possible; and 3. Tips to have students participate in telling their learning story.

SPEAKERS:
Johanna Brown (Washington State OSPI)

Architects of STEAM Ecosystems immerse cross sectors to develop a conduit for ALL students to be successful. STEAM Ecosystems embed authentic research experiences for teachers and students that bridge the cultural and opportunity gaps. Learn how to develop research education blueprints that incorporate cultural responsive externships outside the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to develop research education blueprints that incorporate cultural responsive externships outside the classroom; 2. Help students gain access to pathways for rewarding and productive STEM careers; and 3. Navigate through securing strategic STEM partnerships for a successful STEM Ecosystem.

SPEAKERS:
Doug Baltz (Seaholm High School: Birmingham, MI)

This session will focus on how to teach wave-particle duality (WPD) from a historical to present-day perspective. Engage students experimentally and relate the results to quantum information science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Recognition of the historical relevance and sequence of events that currently support WPD; 2. The double slit experiment can be done with electrons and photons; and 3. Experimental results show how a wave interference pattern can also be produced by a probability distribution of photons and electrons.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Matsler (University of Texas Arlington: No City, No State), Jan Mader (Retired Physics and Chemistry Teacher: Great Falls, MT)

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)

Engaging in thought-provoking conversations about female perceptions of STEM, participants will understand how an inclusive “To STEM” learning environment can influence their professional practice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. understand the value of using female STEM role models to break the mold of stereotypes and help students form new, meaningful connections to STEM careers; 2. understand the value of inclusive learning environments and how knowing female perspectives are important in building an inclusive STEM community; and 3. learn the role female perceptions can play in building inclusive learning environments that support engagement and learning among all students.

SPEAKERS:
Carol Waters (University of Houston-Clear Lake: Houston, TX), Mary Curtis (Curriculum & Instruction Consultant: Richardson, TX)

Let's explore student and teacher outcomes from inquiry-based laboratory instruction of scientific literacy and writing in a private high school setting.

TAKEAWAYS:
Effectiveness of: 1. professional development on teacher efficacy for writing instruction in science; 2. inquiry-based laboratory instruction on student writing performance in science; and 3. inquiry-based laboratory instruction on student perceptions of writing ability and scientific literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Ross Lyons (Ensworth High School Campus: Nashville, TN)

Citizen Chats allow students to find a voice on topics ranging from social justice issues to scientific experiments, and let the data collected guide their decisions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. be able to support their students in the incorporation of 21st-century skills to design and execute student-driven research in class; 2. be able to design and implement grading strategies to appropriately gauge student learning for a wide variety of topics; and 3. feel comfortable incorporating student-based research into their everyday curriculum for deepening student learning.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Lahr (Greene Central High School: Snow Hill, NC), Jose Garcia (Greene Central High School: Snow Hill, NC)

Participants will learn about how some districts around the country are using an asset approach to post-COVID learning and will collaboratively share ideas with others.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Some districts around the country are focusing on an acceleration rather than a remediation post-COVID approach to learning; 2. An asset approach to learning and learners supports social and emotional well-being; and 3. The NSELA Learning Center provides resources for continued learning about asset versus deficit approaches to learning.

SPEAKERS:
Andy Weatherhead (National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA): Downingtown, PA), Linda Cook (The University of Texas at Dallas: Richardson, TX)

Hear how to support the development of students' critical consciousness in STEM using COVID-19 to explore social and health disparities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Examine beliefs, practices, and policies that uphold and enforce the oppression of marginalized people; 2. Unpack the history of power, prejudice, privilege, and oppression that marginalized people have faced in healthcare; and 3. Explore how to help students evaluate the recent history of diversity and inclusion efforts and offer solutions to create inclusive classrooms, schools, and communities.

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

Learn how to develop a program where special education students work side-by-side with traditional students as they investigate real-word scientific phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how the Special Olympics Unified Sports idea can be extended into the content-area classroom to provide equity and access to ALL students. Hear from students, both traditional and special needs, about how participating in this Science Education Partnership has affected their lives; 2. Get tips for whom to partner with inside and outside of your school and how to raise support and interest for your program; and 3. Learn how to access detailed lesson plans and curated resources for both biology- and physical science–based courses.

SPEAKERS:
Dani Stroud (CERRA: No City, No State), Holly Sullivan (Richland School District Two: Columbia, SC)

EdReports is expanding into high school materials reviews. Learn about the high school tool development, share your experience, and hear about opportunities to become a reviewer.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Build an understanding of the challenges educators face in finding quality materials and how EdReports aims to address those challenges; 2. Learn about the expansion into high school science and develop an understanding of the tool development process, characteristics of alignment to the NGSS and usability, and discuss smart adoption processes; and 3. Hear about opportunities to engage as an EdReports reviewer in upcoming reviews, which includes NGSS training, an extended learning community, and a paid stipend.

SPEAKERS:
Sam Shaw (EdReports.org)

Join us as we share our journey of collaborating with science leaders to recognize and design quality professional learning to advance 3-D science teaching and learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. An understanding of the science leader’s role in putting the pieces of the NRC Framework together for a coherent science program; 2. Ways to strategically plan and prioritize professional learning based on system and individual teacher needs; and 3. Ways to approach addressing what teachers need to know and be able to do if students are to achieve our vision for science learning.

SPEAKERS:
Tonya Woolfolk (Houston County Schools: Perry, GA), Patricia Morgan (Georgia State University: Atlanta, GA), Casey Bethel (Douglas County School System: Douglasville, GA)

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)

We will share how we implemented current educational research to create a learning environment that supports learners of all abilities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. understand the educational research supporting a shift away from traditional grading; 2. describe which attributes of a learning progression model address each of several major classroom issues, including equity, differentiation, peer interactions, and growth mindset; and 3. describe methods of implementing the research in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
David Frangiosa (Pascack Valley Regional High School District: Montvale, NJ), Elise Naramore (Pascack Hills High School: Montvale, NJ)

Have you attended too many PD trainings that never made a difference in your classroom instruction? Let's explore ways to change that.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Setting and growing toward personal goals that align with campus and district priorities is one strategy we'll explore; 2. Designing content-specific learning for yourself as the classroom teacher creates opportunities for you to share with your students what you are learning, and that next question you are researching; and 3. We'll share available resources and practices that guide embedded science teacher learning. (Please bring yours.)

SPEAKERS:
Joey Belgard (Rockwall ISD: Rockwall, TX)

Teach students to build relatively simple, visual computer models to study system interactions associated with climate change. Software is free and web based.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. See how to build several relatively simple visual simulation models, in stages, dealing with systemic interactions involving population/global temperature, population/global potable water, etc.; 2. Learn how to incorporate nonlinear influences in a systems model; and 3. See a live demo detailing how to build a basic population model in the free web-based software.

SPEAKERS:
Diana Fisher (Portland State University: Portland, OR)