Engineering encompasses hands-on activity, inquiry, teamwork, and other instructional practices that develop students’ collaboration and problem-solving skills. Given that students with disabilities or at risk need support with social skills, especially collaboration, this presentation will share strategies on planning and implementing engineering activities in an inclusive classroom that engage students in the Engineering Design Process and collaborate to solve design problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Two distinct patterns of social interactions are seen during preschool students' participation in engineering activities: collaboration and “baby steps” toward collaboration; 2. The type of materials provided and the manner in which the classroom environment is set up plays an important role in how students with diverse needs can access and meaningfully participate in engineering activities; and 3. Engineering activities, in turn, also give teachers more detail and insight into what students are capable of, especially students with disabilities who are often thought of through a deficit-first lens.

SPEAKERS:
Gurupriya Ramanathan (Salisbury University: Salisbury, 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)

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)

Presenters will describe an approach to creating culturally relevant curricula for preschoolers in science, technology, and engineering (STE) that places family engagement and home-to-school connections at the center of STE curriculum development and implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to: 1. foster home-to-school connections that value families’ cultures and funds of knowledge; 2. use children’s everyday knowledge from their families, homes, and communities to design culturally relevant science, technology, and engineering learning experiences for preschoolers; and 3. create powerful STE experiences that connect, deepen, and extend preschoolers’ STE learning.

SPEAKERS:
Betty Zan (University of Northern Iowa: Cedar Falls, IA), Daryl Greenfield (University of Miami: Miami, FL)

This session will describe Arts-STEM Afterschool Programming in two low-performing schools in primary grades based on the theme of Thinking and Inventing like Leonardo da Vinci.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. To engage participants in the connection between nature, art (design), math, and science and the core disciplines for three-dimensional thinking; 2. To promote three-dimensional thinking by promoting science and engineering practices and crosscutting processes (particularly, form and function); and 3. To promote inclusivity by showing how a variety of children and families from diverse races, ethnicities, and countries in high-need areas worked together to promote a high level of learning in the design thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Jo Pollman (Professor Emerita, Metropolitan State U of Denver: Denver, CO)

Elementary teachers—let's read some awesome books and pair those books with opportunities to go outside to DO something. Targeted for preK–5, this session offers opportunities to connect environmental issues and aims to empower young learners to make pro-environmental choices every day. Session takeaways include an annotated list of trade books and sample classroom and at-home activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Participants will use selected award-winning books as a foundation to build and deliver hands-on activities incorporating the crosscutting concept of cause and effect while practicing the science and engineering practice of asking questions and defining problems; 2. Presenter will lead activities focusing NGSS science and engineering practices extracted from texts with hands-on activities to promote students' growth in scientific processes and environmental stewardship; and 3. Participants will leave the session with a list of resources, books, and activity samples ready to be personalized for use in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Parks (Stetson University: Deland, FL)