Learn how a nature storybook can help you meet Next Generation Science Standards and create crosscutting concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. review NGSS and cross-curricular concepts for early childhood students; 2. learn how to review a children's storybook for standards alignment, and how to match the text to relevant Next Generation Science Standards; and 3. work in small groups to analyze a text for NGSS alignment as well as cross-curricular concepts and STEM extensions.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Travaglini (Allegheny Land Trust: Sewickley, PA)

Design a robotic insect to meet the requirements of a given environment and adapt the designs to changes in or new information about the environment.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. NASA engineers use biomimicry to design robots for other planets; 2. NASA STEM educator guides provide detailed information to implement STEM in the classroom; and 3. Practice designing a Robotic Insect.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Kohler (NASA Glenn Research Center: Cleveland, OH)

The focus is on a Reggio-Inspired preschool classrooms' exploration of microorganisms and the human digestive system during the global pandemic. It will provide detailed documentation and practical STEAM experiences, and explore how they align with Next Generation Science Standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Examine a STEAM project about the human digestive system; 2. Discuss how STEAM experiences meet Next Generation Science Standards; and 3. Explore the implications for all children to develop STEAM habits of mind at a young age.

SPEAKERS:
Jacqueline Hernandez (California State University, Fresno: Fresno, CA), Pei-Ying Wu (California State University, Fresno: Fresno, CA), Sharon Arias (California State University, Fresno: Fresno, CA)

Bring the excitement of literacy and STEM to children as you discover how to incorporate STEM Imagination Guides in your classroom!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. discover this new resource and the potential for community partnerships by utilizing the STEM Imagination Guides; 2. walk away with book suggestions, guided questions, and expanded learning resources to support literacy development, enhance relationships, and make connections with local libraries; and 3. discuss the importance of incorporating nature and STEM into their early childhood classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Roberts (University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Lincoln, NE), Jackie Steffen (University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Cedar County: Hartington, NE)

Learn how to use a laboratory simulation and data analysis activity to teach students about using data to address real-world public health problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how CDC epidemiologists and other experts like laboratory scientists and biostatisticians use data to make evidence-based decisions and recommendations; 2. Get ideas on how to use public health examples to illustrate key STEM concepts and skills; and 3. Take CDC Science Ambassador educational activities back to your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Cordeira (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Atlanta, GA), Molly McKenna (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Atlanta, GA), Juliana Azeredo (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Atlanta, GA)

Explore simple cause-and-effect relationships with forces and motion through hands-on investigations with a toy dog named Newton and a toy car.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how the right picture books can set the stage for STEM learning; 2. Receive a STEM lesson plan that you can use in your classroom; and 3. Explore how the three dimensions (DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs) can be integrated to create meaningful learning experiences in the K–5 classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Morgan (Picture-Perfect Science: West Chester, OH), Suzy Jungmann (Lufkin High School: Lufkin, TX), Rebecca Walker (Tays Junior High School: Katy, TX), Amy Rush (Lufkin Middle School: Lufkin, TX)

Turning on a string of electric lights is the anchoring phenomenon in this storyline. Students ask questions about electricity sources, production, and uses.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The system of producers and consumers of electricity we call the power grid is changing, and users are becoming more active participants; 2. Generators use magnetism and mechanical turning to create electricity, and burning carbon-based resources provides much of the energy that powers these generators; and 3. Energy efficiency and renewable and clean energy sources are important to the energy system of the future.

SPEAKERS:
Jana Sebestik (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Champaign, IL), Christina Tran (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: Urbana, IL)

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)

Practice hands-on strategies for engaging students with scientific notebooks, letters, photos, and drawings, highlighting scientific practices, nature of science, and connections between science and society.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Access to millions of free digitized primary sources the Library of Congress has for K–12 science educators, including Thomas Jefferson’s weather journal, Robert Hooke’s first drawings of cells, photographs from the Dust Bowl, historic newspaper accounts about lead paint and electric cars, and much more!; 2. Multiple hands-on strategies for integrating science-related primary sources in the K–12 classroom to facilitate student engagement, critical thinking, and student-centered construction of knowledge; and 3. An understanding of how primary source analysis can lead to unique insights related to the Nature of Science, such as how scientists and engineers think, practice, and apply scientific principles and discoveries in the real world; how scientific ideas evolve over time; and how science and engineering are related to society.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Apfeldorf (Library of Congress: Washington, DC), Lesley Anderson (Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow: Washington, CA)

Increase multilingual learners’ success in STEM by taking a language-based approach. Assist multilingual learners to deconstruct and unpack dense scientific sentences as “STEM Sentence Detectives.”

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn: 1. to select juicy sentences in scientific texts that will be challenging for multilingual learners; 2. to “unpack” the meaning of each sentence chunk to point out which elements of each chunk in the sentence are helpful in illuminating the meaning; and 3. several reading strategies that support multilinguals’ understanding of scientistic text.

SPEAKERS:
Maria Cieslak (Center for Applied Linguistics: Washington, DC)

Become a Tinkering Teacher by participating in a hands-on STEM lesson derived from a classic fairytale. Learn how to detect STEM opportunities within your favorite pieces of children's literature to create rigorous novel engineering lessons of your very own.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. participate in a model STEM lesson derived from a problem found within children's literature. This model experience enables attendees to learn how to see science in every piece of material they choose to use in their classroom. Science is indeed everywhere and awaiting us to make the connections; 2. learn how to utilize and develop lessons using the 5E instructional model; 3. take away methods for preparing 5E lessons from their favorite children's literature; 4. utilize tips shared in the training session to identify science phenomena or concepts embedded in the literature; 5. recognize the significance of inquiry and facilitating collaborative discussion to further depth of knowledge; and 6. recognize the added benefit of journaling: differentiating instruction and strengthening 21st-century writing and communication skills.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Oden (Southern Arkansas University: Magnolia, AR), Angela Stanford (Southern Arkansas University: Magnolia, AR)

In this hands-on workshop, participants learn how a culminating student performance task provided evidence of student learning while having a lasting impact locally.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn: 1. building knowledge across units ensures success on culminating performance tasks; 2. a diversity of assessments allows access to a variety of learners to effectively assess student learning; and 3. building engaging performance tasks provides evidence of student learning while impacting the larger community.

SPEAKERS:
Vanessa Robertson (Envirolution: Reno, NV), Kristina Hadley (Swope Middle School: Reno, NV), Sylvia Scoggin (Washoe County School District: Reno, NV)

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)

My NASA Data will present the wealth of NGSS-focused NASA resources that promote learning in flexible Earth science classroom spaces such as hybrid, in-person, and virtual environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Test out the newly updated Data Literacy Cubes to scaffold Earth science data exploration for a variety of learners; 2. Explore a wealth of three-dimensional resources that support teaching and learning with NASA Earth data; and 3. Navigate through the My NASA Data offerings to locate resources that support your teaching and learning goals.

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

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)

Learn about the creative way one school district is getting more diverse students involved in STEM and explore classroom facilitation strategies that engage all learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn strategies to eliminate barriers and allow all students to feel included; 2. Identify discussion supports to foster effective collaboration and communication; and 3. Explore the benefits of engaging with community partners to provide new STEM opportunities.

SPEAKERS:
Lorri Coates (Museum of Science, Boston: Boston, MA), Sarah Slater (Marquardt School District 15: Glendale Heights, IL)

Learn how to develop holistic and equitable coding programs through positive social-emotional development, the inclusion of diverse role model representation, and connecting coding to activism!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. better understand the computer science landscape and how holistic programming can be a tool for addressing the gender gap in tech; 2. learn how to incorporate the three essential components every equitable coding program should have: a. holistic program activities that teach coding and social-emotional development, b. a culture of bravery where students join a supportive community of peers and role models from diverse career pathways, and c. connections to activism by using coding for positive impact; and 3. learn best practices for student recruitment and engagement of historically underrepresented groups in tech.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Ong (Girls Who Code: New York, NY)

Participants will explore forces with common objects in a carefully designed sequence using conversation to uncover conceptual understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to: 1. sequence instruction to explore forces; 2. use conversations to make thinking visible and drive instruction; and 3. make diverse classrooms equitable and inclusive.

SPEAKERS:
Deanna Buckley (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX)

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)

This session focuses on the core messages of the book Crosscutting Concepts: Strengthening Science and Engineering Learning, published by NSTA Press in 2021.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The power of crosscutting concepts is most fully realized when they are used in conjunction with science and engineering practices and disciplinary core ideas; 2. Crosscutting concepts serve as lenses on phenomena, supporting all students in question-asking and sensemaking; and 3. Teacher leadership is critical to realizing the power of crosscutting concepts in practice.

SPEAKERS:
Jeff Nordine (The University of Iowa: Iowa City, IA), Okhee Lee (New York University: New York, NY)

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)

Teach and assess engineering in the elementary classroom in an engaging way. Attendees will participate in an engineering instructional model to use in their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The difference between science and engineering; 2. Creating an effective teaching model to address NGSS engineering standards; and 3. The use of claim, evidence, reasoning for assessment.

SPEAKERS:
John Graves (Montana State University: Bozeman, MT), Jessi Anderson (Montana State University: Bozeman, MT)

Connect your school with local colleges and STEM employers using relevant, standards-based, hands-on activities that spark interest in science and STEM careers. Sample activity included.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to identify and reach out to potential community and industry partners; 2. How to build a program or event that meets the needs of all stakeholders; and 3. How to develop authentic learning experiences to impact student perspectives of locally available STEM careers.

SPEAKERS:
Bethany Kenyon (BioNetwork: Greenville, NC)

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)

This session introduces a way to create in-person and remote learning experiences that give all students a chance to learn how to use the DCIs, CCS, and SEPs to make sense of the world around them.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to make in-person and remote learnings experience more meaningful, relevant, and equitable for students; 2. How to give students an opportunity to use their own ideas along with the DCIs, CCs, and SEPs in the service of sensemaking; and 3. How embedded formative assessment during an investigation can be used to examine student sensemaking.

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

We are awash in assessment data, but often it’s overwhelming to make sense of it. Join us to learn tips and strategies for wrangling data.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore new ways to organize data collection and raw data to aid in exploring the data for stories after it is collected; 2. Acquire skills in tying questions, data types, and data visualizations to enhance your ability to make sense of your assessment data; and 3. Identify next steps to better utilize and leverage your assessment data to help you measure students’ learning and know what steps to consider next.

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

Learn how to apply for NMLSTA’s Classroom Teacher Awards and Hurd Award. This interactive workshop will provide information and an opportunity to begin an application.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. NMLSTA Classroom Teachers awards provide up to $200 to support science in your classroom and has a quick and easy application. 2. The Hurd Award is for exemplary science teaching performance including leadership in sharing these ideas and a great way to showcase what you are doing in science education. 3. This workshop will cover eligibility, requirements, and timelines along with how to write a successful application, an opportunity to brainstorm ideas and start an application.

SPEAKERS:
Alison Seymour (Science Teacher: Winchester, 0)

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)

Build a working solar oven and your students’ empathy for global issues in this inquiry-based lesson on convection, conduction, and radiation with an authentic audience!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Having an authentic, global audience for a STEM inquiry project can be engaging and inclusive for your students and can promote empathy in your classroom; 2. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (https://sdgs.un.org/goals) can pair wonderfully with STEM lessons to enhance project-based lessons and make them meaningful to students; and 3. Organizations like iEARN (https://www.iearn.org/) partner with teachers to help provide platforms and opportunities for global learning.

SPEAKERS:
Kate York (The University of Texas at Dallas: Richardson, TX), Katherine Donaldson (The University of Texas at Dallas: Richardson, TX)

This session will introduce participants to the three dimensions of “3-D thinking”—from the origin of the dimension to how integrating the three dimensions supports all students in learning science. Gain experience using resources that guide decision-making in the selection, revision, and/or development of lessons designed for “3-D thinking."

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Identify the three dimensions of “3-D thinking”; 2. Increase understanding of the three dimensions, including how the three dimensions increase in complexity from K to 12; and 3. Gain experience in how integrating the three dimensions supports all students in learning science.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Jennifer Meyer (Summitk12)

Join us to explore the use of fiction to help make complex topics like evolution, heredity, and natural selection more fun, understandable, and meaningful for elementary students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to: 1. conduct example activities using a fictional story that can help integrate science and ELA topics; 2. engage students in science and literature by scaffolding their learning with inquiry-based and hands-on activities related to a fictional story; and 3. apply these examples and strategies to other science content using other fictional titles.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Moskalik (NSTA: No City, No State), Nicole Ross (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy: Aurora, IL)

This session will give participants the opportunity to interactively and collaboratively engage in a sampling of simple activities to promote explicit instruction in the nature of science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. It is important to explicitly teach the nature of science to students; 2. The nature of science should be presented in an accessible way to all students; and 3. Attendees will walk away with activities they can use in their class immediately to teach the NOS.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)

Want to engage students in inquiry lessons, but don’t know where to start? Join us for hands-on experiences to take back to your classroom!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Participate in a three-phase inquiry; 2. Obtain resources and materials for designing an inquiry; and 3. See how to link phenomena, inquiry, and the three dimensions of NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Bay (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT), Kim Lewis (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT)

Come find out how to involve your students in learning how AI and ML can be taught to your students, how it can be used to promote equity in the classroom, and how it can make YOUR teaching job easier! If you can, bring a data set and computer.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. AI and ML can help equitize the science classroom by allowing students to participate in learning; 2. AI and ML can be taught to students in the classroom and is an excellent 21st-century skill for all students; and 3. AI and ML hold the possibility to make the science teacher's job easier.

SPEAKERS:
Holly Amerman (University of Georgia: Athens, GA), Anna Herdliska (Gwinnett County Public Schools: Suwanee, GA)

A classroom-simulation session highlighting an active-learning genetics module on the genetic inheritance and gene expression of rabbit coat colors.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Delve into the world of rabbit genetics and learn about the genetic inheritance behind their fantastic colors!; 2. Experience hands on how case study learning can be adapted to variety of classroom (and nonclassroom!) environments; and 3. Find out how to implement this case study in your own classroom, including notes on teaching methods and effective assessment strategies.

SPEAKERS:
Sydney Kornelsen (University of Arkansas at Little Rock: Little Rock, AR), Michael E. Moore (University of Arkansas at Little Rock: Little Rock, AR), Stefanie Leacock (University of Arkansas at Little Rock: Little Rock, AR)

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)

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)

The James Webb Space Telescope will be the most advanced astronomical space observatory ever launched. Learn how to bring the JWST into your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. What infrared makes visible—cool stars and warm planets; 2. Galaxies and Star Life Cycles; and 3. Spectroscopy to study celestial bodies.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Sleeper (Storm Grove Middle School: Vero Beach, FL)

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)

Take a peek behind the curtain of creating the NSTA Daily Do lesson plans driven by phenomena to engage all learners. Walk away with a rubric to guide your own lesson design.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore high-quality science lessons; 2. Utilize a tool to support you in designing phenomena-driven lessons; and 3. Leave with a collection of resources to improve your phenomena-driven instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Struggling to get your students to interact with the content? Want your students to do some critical thinking and defend their  thoughts? Come learn some instructional strategies that can be modified easily for any science content.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn instructional strategies that: 1. engage all types of students; 2. are modified easily for any science content; and 3. can be used for a quick and easy formative assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Clara Gravett (Camdenton High School: Camdenton, MO)

Explore how science education can help promote a more just and thriving world through phenomena-based science learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How NGSS/3-D science instruction relates to specific equity and justice projects; 2. Who else in the community is interested in similar equity work as you are; and 3. What professional learning resources exist—or should exist—to support equity- and justice-centered science instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Maya Garcia (Colorado Dept. of Education: Denver, CO), Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA)

Join us as we explore a continuum of engagement strategies to formatively assess your students’ ability to demonstrate mastery of 3-D science standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. gain new ideas to formatively assess 3-D learning; 2. participate actively in academic games; and 3. leave our session with accessible tools to use in the classroom next week!

SPEAKERS:
Mary Headrick (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Shundra Morris (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Ann Iott (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Cayce Perry (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL)

Bee-coming a data scientist—discover how honeybee researchers find pathogens that contribute to colony loss.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Understand the essential role of honeybees in agriculture; 2. Discover example phenomena to engage students as a data scientist and exploration into the universal language of DNA sequences; and 3. A simple and free computer-based activity that can be performed anywhere with a computer and internet (classroom, home, or public library).

SPEAKERS:
Zack Bateson (National Agricultural Genotyping Center: Fargo, ND), Jane Hunt (Nourish the Future - Education Projects, LLC: Columbus, OH)

This interactive workshop will feature authentic learning experiences that align with the preK–2 engineering design standards (NGSS), and promote critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to incorporate engineering design experiences into the existing curriculum in order to meet the preK–2 NGSS standards; 2. How to adjust learning experiences to adapt to the current learning environment; and 3. Learning experiences that can be used as is or modified to meet the needs of individual classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Jeanine Doxsee (Franklin Early Childhood Center: Hewlett, NY), Brian Terry (Hewlett-Woodmere Public Schools: Woodmere, NY)

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)

Discover this student-led hands-on workshop of “novel engineering,” a STREAM activity for solving problems in children’s books through the collaborative, imaginative engineering of inventions from upcycled items.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. engage in the 1st steps of a whole group novel engineering activity (a read-aloud of a children’s book to identify character problems); 2. engage in the final steps of a small group novel engineering activity (construction of an invention prototype to solve identified book character problems with presenter-provided upcylced materials); and be invited to share their small group inventions with the whole group and discuss additional activity ideas and modifications based on their students’ needs and abilities.

SPEAKERS:
Ethan Burrow (Texas Connections Academy Houston: Houston, TX), Lauren Burrow (Stephen F. Austin State University: Nacogdoches, TX)

Develop students’ understanding of how engineers help animals through collaborative engineering challenges that identify real-world problems, plan solutions, design models, and check and share results.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Teachers and students fully engage in science and engineering; 2. Innovative thinking through a process-oriented, project-based design approach to solving real-world problems; and 3. A spirit of teamwork through literacy and engineering collaboration.

SPEAKERS:
Amber Robinson (AEDI Foundation: Saint Petersburg, FL), Rafael Robinson (AEDI Foundation: Saint Petersburg, FL)

Teaching science through art makes learning more meaningful! Learn how our elementary specials team collaborates with classroom teachers to support science learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to use the arts to make science standards more meaningful to students who may otherwise not be engaged; 2. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in a simple green screen project to see how to put pedagogy first when teaching science through art; and 3. Teachers will leave with templates to help facilitate their collaborative efforts between elementary science teachers and specials/support staff.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsey Wuest (A. D. Henderson University School: Boca Raton, FL), Jennifer O'Sullivan (A. D. Henderson University School: Boca Raton, FL)

Learn how using NextGen TIME can help you get the best possible science instructional materials into the hands of teachers prepared to use them.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. NextGen TIME is a suite of tools and processes that support district leaders in: a. preparing to evaluate instructional materials; b. evaluating instructional materials for their quality and design for next generation science; and c. planning for next steps including customization to improve student outcomes and effective implementation in classrooms throughout the district; 2. NextGen TIME is a collaborative, evidence based suite of tools and processes for professional learning that helps teachers and others operationalize the characteristics of high-quality instructional materials designed for next generation science; and 3. Using NextGen TIME represents an investment in curriculum-based professional learning to increase the likelihood that all students and teachers have access to the best possible materials for the local context.

SPEAKERS:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

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)

Incorporate “Escape Room” activities that will assess and enrich your science lessons by using technology and cross-curricular connections. Come "Break Out"! Bring your own device.

Please note that hands-on materials are available to the first 40 participants.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to: 1. use a digital platform in creating break-outs for the classroom; 2. understand the benefits of using break-outs; and 3. participate in a hands-on engaging session that will leave you excited about how to implement and assess in your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Headrick (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Cayce Perry (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Charles Holloway (The University of Alabama in Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Ann Iott (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Shundra Morris (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL)

In this workshop, participants will experience how NGSS-focused instructional materials can create an equitable classroom that supports all students to design solutions to real-world problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. In the Next Generation Science Standards, problems are defined as “situations somebody wants to change,” which is different from construction or design projects, where the ultimate goal is achieving a design or tinkering; 2. Problems that describe real-world situations grounded in compelling contexts that students care about can create intrinsic motivation for all students to learn science and engineering ideas; and 3. The presence of an authentic and compelling problem in instructional materials is not enough; it also needs to be used in instruction in a way that will effectively support students’ learning and motivation.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Childress Self (NextGenScience: San Francisco, CA)

Participants will explore how to use phenomena to elicit student questions that can drive a 3-D unit of instruction. In such a unit, students see how the disciplinary core ideas they construct using practices and crosscutting concepts address questions and problems they care about. We will explore how to anchor units in phenomena and how to introduce additional phenomena to help students investigate and make progress on their questions. Examples will range across grade bands (elementary, middle, high school) and disciplinary core ideas (physical science, life science, and Earth and space science).

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explaining phenomena and/or designing solutions is the goal of all 3-D instruction; 2. Identifying differences between productive anchoring and investigative phenomena is key to designing coherent instruction; and 3. An anchoring phenomenon routine can help students explore the phenomena, attempt to explain it, and connect to their related experiences in ways that will help raise student questions that can drive an entire unit of instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Reiser (Learning Sciences, SESP, Northwestern University), Nicole Vick (Northwestern University), Dan Voss (Northwestern University: Evanston, 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)

Join us to learn what sensemaking is and how to use research-based resources to engage students in making sense of the world around them.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Develop an understanding of what sensemaking is and how it can help build classrooms where students are able to make sense of the world around them; 2. Using a Daily Do lesson plan, explore the four critical attributes of sensemaking: Phenomena; Science and Engineering Practices; Student Ideas; and, Science Ideas; and 3. Leave with a tool that you can use to move your lessons more toward sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Elizabeth Allan (University of Central Oklahoma: Edmond, OK)

Empower students through real experiences, engage them in learning about natural phenomena occurring locally, and teach them how to make the world a better place.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. explore current research findings from educators in the field who utilize place-based learning and review various ways educators can strengthen environmental literacy by addressing content standards related to interdependent relations between ecosystems, human impact, and conservation; 2. evaluate various ways to integrate inquiry-based learning activities related to their local environment into their existing curricula by engaging students in place-based learning; and 3. generate ideas for ways they can empower students to explore their sense of self in relation to their sense of space, through stewardship in person on a local level and realize a collective impact on a global scale through interdisciplinary literacy applications.

SPEAKERS:
Alvera McMillan (Louisiana Sea Grant)

STEM experiences are not limited to the school day. Get ready to roll up your sleeves to work on planning a STEM event for your organization!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn effective practices for STEM family outreach events and begin to plan their own STEM family outreach event; 2. engage as learners and participate in activities from successful STEM events; and 3. engage in small group discussion to brainstorm potential planning ideas for their own STEM events using the tips provided in the session for successful, family-friendly STEM events.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Meadows (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN), Leslie Suters (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN), Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)

Participants will engage with a lesson sequence for elementary-aged students designed to support science practices and connections between precipitation and river flow using real-world data.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Young learners (e.g., the fourth graders we engaged in the Streams of Data project) have and can develop thinking skills that can enable them to think critically with and about real-world, professionally collected data in order to understand connections between phenomena such as river flow and precipitation; 2. There are appropriate instructional scaffolds that can be applied to the use of datasets that are available online from sources (e.g., USGS, NOAA, and others) to provide students with a foundation for making meaning of events and phenomena in local and/or regional contexts; and 3. Varied instructional resources—including real-world data (i.e., that are professionally collected or gathered by students), hands-on models, and media-focused elements (e.g., still images, videos)—can be combined with students’ own experiences to generate meaningful understanding of real-world events and phenomena.

SPEAKERS:
Ed Robeck (American Geosciences Institute: Alexandria, VA), Amy Busey (EDC Center for Children and Technology: New York, NY), Lindsay Mossa (American Geosciences Institute: Alexandria, MD)

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)

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)

The vision of the Framework calls for engaging students in sensemaking about phenomena and problems that connect to their interests and identities and that make use of disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. Assessment can support this vision when embedded in high-quality materials and when tasks invite student sensemaking and help build a caring academic community in the classroom. In this session, participants will engage with principles, tools, and examples of curriculum-embedded assessments that support student learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Framework-aligned assessments require a system of tasks and activities that address five dimensions of science learning: the use of disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts and connections to students’ interests and identities; 2. For assessments to be fair, they need to be accessible and connected to what students have opportunities to learn (curriculum); and 3. There are principles and freely available tools for designing and adapting assessments that support equitable science learning.

SPEAKERS:
William Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), Sara Cooper (Contextus)

Carnegie Corporation of New York released a challenge paper calling on the education field to transform teaching and learning through the elements and essentials of curriculum-based professional learning. Learn how schools and systems are helping teachers experience the instruction their students experience to help change instructional practices, leading to better student outcomes.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore the rationale for a challenge paper dedicated solely to the issue of curriculum-based professional learning; 2. Discover the 10 elements and three essentials of professional learning critical to effective implementation of high-quality science instructional materials; and 3. Consider implications of the roles and responsibilities for putting into action the elements of curriculum-based professional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Jim Short (Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY)

Participants will be introduced to five strategies for creating an inclusive science class. Examples of hands-on activities, lessons, and assessments will be provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with: five strategies that can be easily implemented quickly; 2. a variety of lessons and hands-on activities for grades preK–5; and 3. examples of a variety of assessments that can be adapted for almost any activity.

SPEAKERS:
Jess Blust (White's Tower Elementary School: Independence, KY)

Participants will explore an engineering design challenge that engages upper elementary students in the creation of tiny homes as a solution to homelessness after a natural disaster. We will explore Design Thinking and how empathy plays a role in authentic STEM inquiry.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Engage participants in NGSS-based engineering design challenge where participants are required to design a solution for homelessness caused by natural disasters (hurricane, floods, wildfire); 2. Learn the role of empathy in authentic STEM inquires by using Design Thinking principles; and 3. Outline possible place-based strategies for implementing STEM inquiries in upper elementary classrooms that engage all learners in STEM.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Williams (Isidore Newman School: New Orleans, LA)

Explore assessment technologies that identify, formatively assess, and provide differentiated feedback on student behaviors and interactions during science collaboration activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to: 1. describe and identify collaboration in science; 2. observe a variety of diverse student behaviors and interactions and determine the degree to which collaboration in science is occurring; and 3. use an assessment technology to enhance collaboration during science teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Nonye Alozie (SRI International: Menlo Park, CA), Ron Fried (SRI International: Menlo Park, CA), Mindy Hsiao (SRI International: Menlo Park, CA)

Explore inexpensive hands-on demonstrations and interactive models to build conceptual understanding of Earth’s elasticity, structure, plate motions, and more.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to: 1. describe a suite of hands-on models, evaluating their merits and limitations; 2. differentiate between mental models and expressed models, linking multiple types of models to phenomena (to express the unviewable); and 3. support explanations by analyzing and interpreting data generated by physical models.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Hubenthal (IRIS | Earthscope Consortium: Washington, DC)

Participants will dive into makerspace as a means to create an inclusive classroom with student choice for many outcomes, including sensemaking and assessments.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore key elements of makerspace activities; 2. View makerspace challenges as a means to provide student choice and voice in how they make sense of a phenomena, a solution to a problem, and core ideas; and 3. Explore ways to use makerspace activities where student choose a means to demonstrate their understanding of a core ideas as a means of assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Michele Detwiler (Gary Adult High School: Tampa, FL)

See the resulting activities and Universal Design pedagogies when STEM educators and doctoral students in Occupational Therapy combine forces.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Universal design can also be applied to inquiry-based learning; 2. Many STEM careers are task-based and anyone can learn the task given the proper learning environment; and 3. The STEM pipeline currently “leaks” those with disadvantages, especially the learning impaired.

SPEAKERS:
Courtney Behrle (BioNetwork: Greenville, NC)

Have fun creating a faculty-centered lab-based mystery plus virtual CSI escape room for your young scientists to enjoy next week! Hands-on fun!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to use your own school community to create an engaging crime for students to solve while encouraging socialization, collaboration, and critical thinking; 2. How to use Google Forms to create a virtual escape room to set up a mystery that students can work to solve either in class or remote; and 3. Forensics concepts, including blood typing, fingerprints, genetics, hair and fiber analysis, handwriting analysis, chromatography, and ways to adapt these concepts to all levels and budgets.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Guzzetta (Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women: Rochester, NY)

The free app E-Bin identifies trash and recyclables as they’re tossed out and indicates which waste bin to use. Rewards are earned for doing so.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to: 1. set up a school recycling system based on rewards; 2. use a free educational app promoting a “green” environment; and 3. earn money for school clubs.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Supal (Retired Educator: Grosse Pointe, MI)

Can you land on Mars? Join us for a hands-on engineering design challenge that explores shock absorption and air resistance while making connections to careers and real-world experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Understand NGSS engineering practices about design, testing, and developing models and solutions for elementary and middle school students; 2. Learn effective teaching strategies to engage students in engineering practices that promote critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity; and 3. Learn how to motivate students with space exploration, including exciting current events and careers.

SPEAKERS:
Natasha Wilkerson (Texas A&M University: College Station, TX)

Explore free hands-on, inquiry-based learning activities using real national and local data and models to explore how to clean, conserve, and manage local water resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. explore geographic, social, political, and environmental concepts and problems related to their watersheds; 2. use maps, models, and simulations of their environment to learn the factors involved in interacting with and protecting water in their surroundings; and 3. investigate a systems approach to problem solving through hands-on, inquiry-based watershed-related activities while incorporating national and local data and geospatial analysis.

SPEAKERS:
Carolyn Staudt (The Concord Consortium: Concord, MA), Jerry Valadez (Fresno State and SAM Academy CSW)

This session focuses on taking a deep dive into how crosscutting concepts can be more explicitly leveraged to strengthen science instruction. Presenters will illustrate how two instructional units—one elementary and one secondary—have developed CCCs as lenses on phenomena in order to better connect with students’ everyday experiences and to enhance students’ ability to meaningfully integrate SEPs, DCIs, and CCCs to make sense of authentic phenomena and problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
CCCs are: 1. lenses on phenomena and problems; 2. critical to sensemaking about phenomena and problems; and 3. most useful when meaningfully integrated with SEPs and DCIs.

SPEAKERS:
Okhee Lee (New York University: New York, NY), Jeff Nordine (The University of Iowa: Iowa City, IA)

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)

The model of the atom has transitioned from the Bohr Atom to the Quantum Mechanical Model utilizing energy transitions and standing waves.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Spectral emission or absorption lines are the result of quantum jumps; 2. Quantized energy transitions are discrete; and 3. Quantized energy orbitals are produced by standing waves.

SPEAKERS:
Jan Mader (Retired Physics and Chemistry Teacher: Great Falls, MT), Emma Smith (Ridgeline High School: Millville, UT)

Engage in a variety of activities, collect information and resources, and network with middle level leaders from NSTA and NMLSTA. Discover new ideas and materials that you can use next week.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. have networking opportunities with other middle level science educators; 2. discover resources to help them in all aspects of their teaching; and 3. engage in a variety of new activities to use with their students.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Lou Lipscomb (National Middle Level Science Teachers Association: Naperville, IL), Rebecca Kurson (Collegiate School: New York, NY), Wendy Abshire (American Meteorological Society: Washington, DC), Alison Seymour (Science Teacher: Winchester, 0), Bruce Boehne (Zion Lutheran School: Dallas, TX), Marissa Nalley (The Algae Foundation: Midland, TX), Abigail Stimach (American Meteorological Society: Washington, DC), Kylie Wynaker (The Algae Foundation: Midland, TX), Amanda Clapp (The Catamount School: Sylva, NC), Covey Denton (Greenfield School: No City, No State), Katy Garvey (The Source for Learning, Inc.: Reston, VA), Edralin Pagarigan (Golden Ring Middle School: Rosedale, MD), Emily Ong (Girls Who Code: New York, NY)

This hands-on workshop will engage participants in outdoor STEM activities and experiments they can utilize in an early childhood classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn about the research outcomes surrounding outdoor learning for early childhood students, and the importance of nature and greenspace to mental and physical health; 2. engage with and complete at least three outdoor STEM activities such as sound maps, making scientific observations and drawings, journaling, etc.; and 3. take home at least six new ideas for outdoor STEM activities as well as accompanying resources.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Travaglini (Allegheny Land Trust: Sewickley, PA)

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)

Use everyday materials to construct models demonstrating the size and scale of atoms, planets, the solar system, number of stars in our universe, and more.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The universe at various scales can only be truly appreciated with an understanding and utilization of scientific notation; 2. “Scale” is important to grasping the bigness and smallness of various objects, events, and concepts in the universe; and 3. “Modeling” allows humans to literally “grasp” the various scales inherent of and in the universe.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Strong (SMARTCenter: Wheeling, WV), Robert Strong (SMARTCenter: Wheeling, WV)

Participants will explore the biology, chemistry, and physics of carbon dioxide’s role in climate and climate change.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. explore the biological pathways, stoichiometric reactions, thermodynamics, and environmental implications of hydrocarbon-sourced CO2 gas; 2. learn how to explain the role of carbon dioxide in climate change to high schoolers through hands-on activities; and 3. learn how to bring relevance and critical thinking to their science classes.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole DiLuglio (Houston ISD: Houston, TX), Marlo Diosomito (Houston ISD: Houston, TX), Cedric Williams (Houston ISD: Houston, TX)

Learn effective strategies for engaging multilingual learners and culturally diverse students in collaborative phenomenon-based sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Examine the principles for equitable engagement co-developed by NSTA and WIDA, and discuss how these relate to national reform efforts, but more importantly, how they are applied in science classrooms for multilingual students; 2. Examine suggested classroom norms that support collaboration and equitable engagement among linguistically diverse students and their peers—participants will engage in group discussion about equitable science teaching practices describing the data practices they currently use and which practices they would like to expand upon within their science teaching; 3. Learn new ideas about language and some new approaches to support multilingual students’ deep engagement in sensemaking; and 4. Map WIDA’s Teacher Discourse Moves and Student Discourse Moves onto the sensemaking process to support the exploration and transformation of science understanding.

SPEAKERS:
David Crowther (University of Nevada, Reno: Reno, NV)

How can teachers in bilingual, dual-immersion, and mainstream classrooms support student language use? How can we move beyond a focus on language as vocabulary to engage students in using all of their diverse linguistic and semiotic resources to engage in science? This workshop will focus on how teachers can use different tools and strategies to support ELLs in developing their language while meeting the NGSS. Participants will engage as learners in activities that involve the practices of modeling and argumentation and include embedded support for language development and collaboration. Based on their engagement, participants will identify the language opportunities afforded by the NGSS practices and concrete strategies to support student-to-student discourse and collective sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How to apply language development frameworks to support science learning; 2. How to plan lessons that integrate science and language goals; and 3. Strategies and tools to support multilingual learners to engage in science practices.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Reigh (Stanford University: Stanford, CA), Emily Adah Miller (University of Georgia: Athens, GA)

Focusing on wetlands and the connection to flooding puts STEM in a real-world context that is relatable to students, and virtual reality makes it fun.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. gain experience in developing virtual field trips using free software and a 360-degree camera; 2. experience a virtual field trip focused on ecosystems, participate in activities covering standards related to ecosystems components, and identify ways to incorporate their local context to the virtual environments; and 3. learn about relevant local connections and partnerships that they can leverage to design a more varied student experience unique for their classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Nastassia Jones (Southern University and A&M College: Baton Rouge, LA), Nikita LaCour (Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Magnet Academy: Baton Rouge, LA)

This session will be a hands-on approach to using STEM to transform literacy. The session will allow participants to take a peek into McKissick Academy and see the transformation. The session will include a school view, a classroom view, and a time to explore and learn.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. A key element to STEM is creating a universal language and signaling system for the entire school that fosters success after some failures; 2. STEM can be intergrated into any lesson utilizing the Engineering and Design Process at a rigourous level; and 3. Participants will take home a lesson that they can use when leaving the session that they created and practiced during the presentation.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Stovall (McKissick Academy of Science & Technology: Easley, SC), Andrew Shipman (McKissick Academy of Science & Technology: Easley, SC), Brittany Clark (McKissick Academy of Science & Technology: Easley, SC)

Join us as we explore how NSTA’s three-dimensional resources can be utilized to enhance your teaching. Walk away with effective strategies for science teaching and learning and hear from educators as they provide tips for using these resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how to use NSTA resources to shift your practice; 2. Leave with strategies to use in your classroom to promote student engagement in science learning; and 3. Hear from classroom teachers about how they are using NSTA Press publications.

SPEAKERS:
Wendy Binder (Program Director, STEM Professional Learning: Arlington, VA), Christine Anne Royce (Shippensburg University: Shippensburg, PA)

Experiment with and decode computational models of core physics topics. Learn how to support physics instruction through the use of computational thinking and coding.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. explore the “use-decode-modify” progression for using computational models in physics classrooms; 2. learn (and experience!) some of the benefits of using computational models for supporting physics instruction; and 3. learn about a set of freely accessible curricular units, supported by NSF funding, centered on the use of computational models in high school science.

SPEAKERS:
Victor Mateas (Education Development Center, Inc.: Waltham, MA), Kristen Bjork (Education Development Center, Inc.: Waltham, MA)

Inspiring the next generation of space explorers is our mission. Creating the next generation of space leaders, entrepreneurs, and explorers takes time. It is nurtured over many years. We believe in igniting a passion for STEM within the hearts and minds of the youngest of students all the way through college—giving them tools and access to knowledge and opportunities at each stage of their lives. PCG is proud to partner with the Aldrin Family Foundation to bring exciting virtual and hands-on STEM-based Space Programs to you.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will take away: 1. knowledge of Project Artemis and the first AA Female Astronaut to walk on Mars; 2. understanding of how Space, Moon, and Mars education can inspire students of all race and ethnicity; and 3. knowledge of a complete educational robotics system that teaches coding, STEM, rover construction, and operations on GIANT Aldrin Family Foundation Mars Maps.

SPEAKERS:
Jim Christensen (The Aldrin Family Foundation: Melbourne, FL)

Participants in this session will learn how to incorporate Project-Based Learning in the science classroom as a means to promote relevancy, engagement, empowerment, and authentic assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. learn what Project-Based Learning is and is not; 2. learn how to implement Project-Based Learning into a science learning sequence to maximize conceptual flow of the unit; and 3. engage in a Project-Based Unit as a learner, then be provided samples, and given time to collaborate.

SPEAKERS:
Allison Bogart (Stonecreek Junior High: No City, No State)

Democratic STEM Teaching (DST) centers student voice, creating inclusive classrooms where all students can thrive. Explore how human-centered design thinking turns DST principles into practice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will: 1. understand the DST principles and describe practical examples of student voice, shared authority, and STEM criticality; 2. develop ideas of how to use DST principles in their own classrooms in order to create a more inclusive classroom; and 3. use the design thinking approach and protocols to identify a focus area in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Houston (STEM Ed Innovators: Saratoga, CA)

This session will focus on building teacher capacity and understanding of the newly adopted Science TEKS to be implemented during the 2024–2025 school year. Participants will explore science engineering practices, recurring concepts, and content standards…and investigate the implications for science instructional practices in their classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Increased understanding of the SEPs and recurring themes in newly adopted science TEKS; 2. Increased understanding of the content standards that are part of the new science standards; and 3. Understanding the relationship between the new science standards and the K–12 Science Framework.

SPEAKERS:
Donald Burken (Science Teachers Association of Texas: Austin, TX), Rhoda Goldberg (Spring Branch ISD: HOUSTON, TX), Jennifer Meyer (Summitk12)

Discover the power of tiny things to promote equity through real-world problem solving with nano@stanford. Learn the biomimicry connection to water-resistant and other engineered materials being developed in nanotechnology to solve real problems that will promote equity by engaging more students.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn the biomimicry connections to water-resistant and other engineered materials that are being developed in nanotechnology to solve real problems; 2. All STEM disciplines are needed to solve real problems and nanotechnology provides the tools to develop solutions; and 3. Learn the locations of NGSS-focused activities, resources, and virtual experiences for your classroom connected to Nanotechnology Opportunities for free/ paid professional development with the NNCI and nano@stanford.

SPEAKERS:
Daniella Duran (Stanford University: Stanford, CA)

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)

We will investigate the difference between Project-Based Learning, Problem-Based Learning, and Transdisciplinary Learning. Each model incorporates real-world, hands-on experiences aligned to STEAM integration; yet there are distinguishable characteristics that one may be preferred over the other throughout one's teaching philosophy. Join us as we explore the pros and cons of each instructional approach in conjunction to your school's STEAM initiatives!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. take away a greater understanding of the three instructional models and will determine which model (if not all) works best for them; 2. receive supplemental resources (articles/ videos) to assist them in planning for future lessons and/or units using problem-based, project-based, or transdisciplinary learning; and 3. gain understanding of how to build teacher capacity for STEM/STEAM in their schools.

SPEAKERS:
Yolanda White (Clayton County Public Schools: Jonesboro, GA), Rebecca Dorsey (Mundy's Mill Middle School: Jonesboro, GA)

This session will focus on building teacher capacity and understanding of the newly adopted Science TEKS to be implemented during the 2024–2025 school year. Participants will explore science engineering practices, recurring concepts, and content standards…and will investigate the implications for science instructional practices in their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Increased understanding of the SEPs and recurring themes in newly adopted science TEKS; 2. Increased understanding of the content standards that are part of the new science standards; and 3. Understanding the relationship between the new science standards and the K–12 Science Framework.

SPEAKERS:
Denise Haynes (Science Consultant: Austin, TX), Cathy Harter (Katy ISD: Katy, TX), Jennifer Meyer (Summitk12)

Students are going to talk anyway. Learn to make talk productive with student-led talk circles. Use this powerful strategy next week to build students’ scientific literacy!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. How and when to use talk circles; 2. Talk Moves and how to use them; and 3. Materials and resources to take back and use immediately.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Bay (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT), Patricia McMahon (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT)

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)

Come network with the National STEM Scholars—a group of middle school science teachers—as we share our innovative hands-on projects, materials, results, and curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover new ideas, lessons, and projects that you can use in your middle school classroom; 2. Network with other middle school teachers from around the country; and 3. Experience effective real-world projects that encourage all learners to be scientifically literate.

SPEAKERS:
Kerrie McDaniel (Western Kentucky University: Bowling Green, KY), Rico Tyler (Western Kentucky University: Bowling Green, KY), Julia Roberts (Western Kentucky University: Bowling Green, KY), Tyler Clark (Western Kentucky University: Bowling Green, KY), Mike O'Connell (Chester Area School: Chester, SD), Amanda Huff (Christian County Middle School: Hopkinsville, KY), Jennifer Snead (North Belton Middle School: Temple, TX), Tammy Bartlett (Dinwiddie Elementary School: Dinwiddie, VA), Jaime Camero (Walter Douglas Elementary School: Tucson, AZ), Katie Lee (Cockrill Middle School: McKinney, TX), Rob Jackson (Seaman Middle School: Olathe, KS), Melissa Chesterfield (Marnel C. Moorman School: Shelbyville, KY), Allison Baas (Whiting High School: Laramie, WY), Andi Twiss (New Millennium Academy: Minneapolis, MN), Paula Carlson (Tripoli Community School District: Tripoli, IA), Chris Stark (Wachusett Regional High School: Holden, MA), Denise Wright (Ocean Bay Middle School: Myrtle Beach, SC), Paige Isner (Hendricks Middle School: Cumming, GA), Allison Bogart (Stonecreek Junior High: No City, No State), Ecil Miller (Glasgow Middle School: Glasgow, KY), Erin Lange (Surfside Middle School: Panama City Beach, FL), Holly Miller (Riverside Intermediate School: Fishers, IN), Jennifer Smith (Illinois State University: Normal, IL), James Brown (Sand Creek Middle School: Albany, NY), Laura Seaver (Loranger Memorial School: Old Orchard Beach, ME), Patrick Kyne (Duncan U. Fletcher Middle School: Jacksonville Beach, FL), Patrick Marti (Villa Academy: Seattle, WA), Tara Reinerth (Lakeside Middle School: Millville, NJ), Susie Fisher (Tongue River Middle School), Sarah Slack (I.S. 223 Montauk Intermediate School: Brooklyn, NY)

This workshop will focus in using real time data from a trusted site such as NOAA to predict weather patterns. The use of these visual models help the students understand more complex items that are found on weather maps such as isobars, high pressure, low pressure, cold fronts, ect. The participants will be creating their own maps to take home with them and a more detailed map given out by the presenter.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Weather map construction is a model; 2. Weather maps help with using one of CCC prediction and SEP creating models; and 3. Data is not boring.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Mulligan (Bridgeport Public School: Bridgeport, NE)

Learn how to use data from the COVID-19 pandemic to teach students key STEM concepts and how to make evidence-based decisions.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn how CDC epidemiologists and other public health experts use data to make evidence-based decisions and recommendations; 2. Get ideas on how to use public health examples to illustrate key STEM concepts and skills; and 3. Take CDC NERD Academy lesson plans, animated videos, STEM activities, and career spotlights back to your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Cordeira (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Atlanta, GA), Molly McKenna (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Atlanta, GA), Juliana Azeredo (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Atlanta, GA)

Participate in hands-on activities focused on data literacy to engage all students in questioning, analyzing, and using mathematical thinking around historical primary sources.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Free online resources from the Library of Congress for K–12 science and math teachers to use with their students; 2. Concrete strategies for analyzing primary sources via mathematical reasoning to engage all students; and 3. Hands-on activities that sharpen students' data literacy skills for deeper conversations around topics in science.

SPEAKERS:
Peter DeCraene (Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow: Washington, DC)

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)

Light reflects, refracts, and can be used for communications, but do we really understand some of the weird things it does? Come “see the light”!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Light can bend as it travels through objects; 2. Light has properties of particles, like grains of sand; and 3. Light has properties of waves.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Matsler (University of Texas Arlington: No City, No State), Cathy Barthelemy (STEMexperts: Keller, TX)

Use SageModeler to model real data on how hippos affect their environment in Tanzania and predict how invasive hippos might impact the environment in Colombia!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. discuss how to use hippos, and particularly Pablo Escobar’s hippos in Colombia (an introduced species), as an anchoring phenomenon to teach ecology; 2. examine data from a study of how hippos affect the ecology of aquatic ecosystems in central Tanzania and use those data to investigate key ecological concepts like nutrient cycling and eutrophication and 3. learn to use the free online program SageModeler to model the interactions described in the study above and predict how Pablo Escobar’s hippos may affect the Colombian ecosystem.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Schmidt (The Bronx High School of Science: Bronx, NY)

This session will focus on building teacher capacity and understanding of the newly adopted Science TEKS to be implemented during the 2024–2025 school year. Participants will explore science engineering practices, recurring concepts, and content standards, and investigate the implications for science instructional practices in their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Increased understanding of the SEPs and recurring themes in newly adopted science TEKS; 2. Increased understanding of the content standards that are part of the new science standards; and 3. Understanding the relationship between the new science standards and the K–12 Science Framework.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Birchfield (Weiss High School: Pflugerville, TX), Anna Wydeven (Leander ISD: Leander, TX), Kenric Davies (Liberty High School: Frisco, TX), Shawna Wiebusch (Bastrop ISD: Bastrop, TX), Jennifer Meyer (Summitk12)

This interactive session explores how having young children intentionally observe, discuss, and edit drafts of drawings is highly effective and equitable to build young children's scientific understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will use the “drawing like a scientist” strategy to: 1. explore the equity issues in using strategies that do not depend on verbal proficiency in a privileged language to support young children in acquiring and representing scientific understanding; 2. identify how using a “draft” approach allows young children beginning in preschool to experience NRC’s strand 4 Participating Productively in Science; and 3. examine how young children need many engaging authentic experiences to develop understanding that science process skills such as observing, representing, and analyzing data are closely interrelated.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Hynes-Berry (Erikson Institute: Chicago, IL)

Makerspace is an engaging teaching pedagogy where students participate in sensemaking to solve real-world problems through innovation, creativity, and collaboration.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Makerspaces are versatile and encourage student engagement; 2. Makerspaces teach students crucial 21st-century life skills; and 3. Hands-on exploratory learning leads to increased retention and understanding.

SPEAKERS:
Courtney Graf (Student: Shippensburg, PA)

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)

Let's review the best practices for integrating science instruction into literacy instruction. Presenters will share strategies for choosing the right text, teaching vocabulary, and how to incorporate reading skills and strategies into science instruction. Participants will have the opportunity to review a science text and work with a group to plan a lesson that incorporates science content with literacy strategies.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Strategies for selecting a text that meets the science and literacy standard to be addressed; 2. Teaching vocabulary; and 3. Asking questions at a variety of DOK levels to reinforce comprehension of literacy skill and science content standard.

SPEAKERS:
Alicia Kozimor (Grand Canyon University: Phoenix, AZ), Elizabeth Lemster (Grand Canyon University: Phoenix, AZ)

This presentation supports teachers’ knowledge and understanding of  instructional strategies to help facilitate students’ academic discourse and support inclusive science and STEM classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Understand the shift from traditional classroom talk Initiation, Response, Evaluation (I-R-E) to Productive Talk; 2. Learn practical and effective strategies to facilitate academic discourse to promote access; and 3. Understand how a variety of instructional strategies promotes scientific discourse that can be used in the classroom immediately to create an inclusive environment.

SPEAKERS:
Carol Waters (University of Houston-Clear Lake: Houston, TX), Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association)

This introduction to STEM for elementary, secondary, or special education classrooms will allow participants to explore motion and energy while creating their own Rube Goldberg machine using found objects.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Using the engineering design process to design and carry out a demonstration of motion and energy; 2. Using found/recycled objects to create a functional Rube Goldberg machine; and 3. Teaching the laws of motion through simple activities.

SPEAKERS:
Elaine Sevin (Isidore Newman School: New Orleans, LA)

This session will provide participants with a hands-on understanding of the Science and Engineering Practices to equip educators to  implement these practices in their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn how to utilize SEPs and content standards to plan for science instruction; 2. apply their understanding of the SEPs and content standards; and 3. collaborate and share instructional implications of Science and Engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
Terry White (Fort Bend ISD: Sugar Land, TX), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Jennifer Meyer (Summitk12)

STEM classrooms can be exclusive if teachers do not identify the lack of prior learning opportunities and misconceptions early in the year. Come learn how one teacher uses coding to bridge the gap in her STEM classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. STEM inclusion activities; 2. Coding in the classroom; and 3. STEM project ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA)

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)

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)