2022 Houston National Conference

April 31-2, 2022

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FILTERS APPLIED:PreK - 5, Strategies for Creating Inclusive Science Classrooms, Informal Science Education

 

Rooms and times subject to change.
26 results
Save up to 50 sessions in your agenda.

NASA STEAM: Biomimicry and Robotics—Robotic Insects

Thursday, March 31 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 322A


Show Details

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)

Storybooks and STEM

Thursday, March 31 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 310B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
2022 STEM Imagination Guides Social Media.pdf
STEM Imagination Guides NSTA Presentation-2.pdf

Show Details

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)

Beyond Labz: Realistic Virtual Labs That Bridge the Gap Between Real Labs and Scientific Inquiry

Thursday, March 31 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 350E


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Beyond Labz

Built on a platform developed over 20 years, Beyond Labz creates an open-ended environment providing students the opportunity to experiment, practice, fail, discover, and learn.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Beyond Labz simplifies and reduces the cost and expertise needed to provide crucial laboratory experiences and practice for Secondary and Higher Ed students; 2. Attendees will learn how the labs are used for pre- and post-lab experiences, credit recovery and lab make-up, student engagement in class, and meeting NGSS standards; and 3. Basic onboarding and startup instructions will be provided for drop-in solutions, and instructions for using some of the more sophisticated features will also be described.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Woodfield (Brigham Young University: Provo, UT)

Building a Culture of STEM: Engaging Our Communities!

Thursday, March 31 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 360 A/D



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Session Resources

Show Details

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)

Getting Creative to Be Inclusive

Thursday, March 31 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 332B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
EiE's Online Platform (Includes free materials)
Information about EiE

Show Details

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)

Advancing Science Instruction with Social-Emotional Learning

Thursday, March 31 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 340A


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: PhD Science

Explore the five social-emotional competencies as defined by CASEL. Research instructional routines that foster these competencies and learn how to incorporate these routines in your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. PhD Science was designed with the research-based understanding that social, emotional, and academic learning are interconnected multi-directionally; 2. Students’ social and emotional well-being is intimately connected to their academic success; and 3. Engaging with science content in a safe, supportive classroom helps students feel competent, significant, and successful.

SPEAKERS:
Margaret Goodner (Great Minds: Washington, DC), Victoria Soileau (Great Minds: Washington, DC)

Explore NSTA's High-Quality Elementary Lesson Plans and Units for Implementing New Standards

Thursday, March 31 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 322B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Explore NSTA’s High-Quality Secondary AND Elementary Lesson Plans and Units for
Collection of resources

Show Details

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)

Leveraging Partnerships to Strengthen the STEM Engagement Pipeline

Thursday, March 31 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 360 A/D



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
DoDSTEM at NSTA.pdf

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: DoD STEM

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

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

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

Introducing Bandit: STEM Explorations Using Gel Electrophoresis

Thursday, March 31 • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 340A


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

The new Bandit™ STEM Electrophoresis Kit brings affordable hands-on biotech and integrative STEM investigations to middle and high school classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Assemble and use a simple electrophoresis system; 2. Explore a high-quality curriculum that uses electrophoresis techniques; and 3. Affordable electrophoresis for all levels.

SPEAKERS:
Bruce Bryan (miniPCR: Cambridge, MA)

Little Changes, Big Impact: Integrating Evolution in Science and ELA

Thursday, March 31 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 310A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Link to Little Changes, Big Impact Presentation Supplemental Files
This file includes a QR code that links to our institution's digital commons which includes links to all session files and supplemental resources.

Show Details

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), Nicole Ross (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy: Aurora, IL)

NSTA Press Session: Using Picture Book to Inspire STEM Learning, K–5

Thursday, March 31 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 361B


Show Details

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)

Meeting Learning Standards with Planetarium Software

Thursday, March 31 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 350F


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Digitalis Education Solutions, Inc.

Use Digitalis' Nightshade NG planetarium software to target NGSS and/or TEKS at multiple age levels in various scientific disciplines.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will: 1. gain ideas about how Nightshade NG planetarium software can be used to target NGSS and/or TEKS at multiple grade levels; 2. experience how Nightshade NG planetarium software can be used to target NGSS and/or TEKS in various disciplines such as astronomy, Earth science, engineering, ecology, biology, physics, and more; and 3. learn how astronomy can be used as an anchor for interdisciplinary units.

SPEAKERS:
Karrie Berglund (Digitalis Education Solutions, Inc.: Bremerton, WA), Beau Hartweg (Tyler Junior College: Tyler, TX)

How to Implement STEM and NGSS into Your Classroom Through the Use of NSTA Competitions

Friday, April 1 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 361A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Presentation Slides

Show Details

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)

STEM + Families = Engagement: Planning Your Next Family Outreach Event

Friday, April 1 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 351E



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Google Slides

Show Details

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)

Zoom a WISE Woman: Using Virtual Informal Opportunities in the Classroom to Promote More Inclusive Experiences

Friday, April 1 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 370D


Show Details

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

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

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

Building Success for All Students with Pre-AP and AP Chemistry

Friday, April 1 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 350F


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: College Board Pre-AP Program

Explore vertical alignment of content and skills between Pre-AP and AP Chemistry, compare performance tasks in both courses, and examine how Pre-AP prepares students for advanced coursework.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. explore vertical alignment of content between Pre-AP and AP Chemistry, which allows students of all backgrounds to build a cognitive framework for advanced study; 2. examine how both courses elucidate conceptual understanding and build student skills in particulate reasoning, quantitative reasoning, and argumentation; and 3. analyze how models can be used to support deeper understanding and student engagement, particularly among underrepresented students and students who may not identify as "science students."

SPEAKERS:
Laura Casdorph (College Board: Richmond, VA), Paul Price (Trinity Valley School: Fort Worth, TX), Jamie Benigna (College Board: Detroit, MI)

Build a Heart with STEM…and Play-Doh!

Friday, April 1 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 350D



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Anatomy of Saving a Life - NSTA 2022.pdf
Anatomy of Saving a Life - NSTA 2022.pdf

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

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

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

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

Building Success for All Students with Pre-AP and AP Biology

Friday, April 1 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 350F


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: College Board Pre-AP Program

Explore vertical alignment of content and skills between Pre-AP and AP Biology, compare performance tasks in both courses, and examine how Pre-AP prepares students for advanced coursework.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. explore vertical alignment of both content and disciplinary skills between Pre-AP and AP Biology, which allows students of all backgrounds to build a strong foundation that better prepares them for continued studies in biology and other natural sciences; 2. examine how both courses utilize science practices to develop a deeper understanding of biological concepts as students engage in sensemaking activities that require modeling, data analysis using quantitative reasoning, and scientific argumentation; and 3. analyze how science practices and key instructional scaffolding can be used to support deeper understanding and student engagement, particularly among underrepresented students and students who may not identify as "science students."

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Walsh (College Board: Alachua, FL), Karen Lionberger (WestEd: San Francisco, CA), Mitch Price (College Board: New York, NY)

Getting Little Hands on the Land: STEM Outside

Friday, April 1 • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 352E


Show Details

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)

Get Out, Reach Out: Collaborating with Community Partners to Design Interdisciplinary Outdoor Learning Experiences

Friday, April 1 • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 350B


Show Details

Tired of disconnected, one-day field trips? Join this interactive presentation on collaborating with community experts to embed outdoor science learning within an interdisciplinary PBL.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with specific strategies for: 1. building strong relationships with community science partners; 2. linking outdoor learning experiences to standards-based science and interdisciplinary learning through Project-Based Learning; and 3. helping students explore real-world environmental issues and become advocates for change.

SPEAKERS:
Victoria Martinez (Artemisia Bowden Academy: San Antonio, TX), Jared Holmes (Selah, Bamberger Ranch Preserve: Johnson City, TX), Ellen Barnett (Trinity University: San Antonio, TX), Melissa Rodriguez (Mirabeau B. Lamar Elementary School: San Antonio, TX), Lyric Johnson (Trinity University: San Antonio, TX)

Using Maggots, Flies, and Flesh to Solve a Mystery!

Friday, April 1 • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 340A


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

An empty field. A human corpse. Maggots and flies. Who is the victim? What happened? Can you solve the mystery? This middle and high school activity will challenge you to apply science and deductive reasoning to determine what happened!

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Forensic science is a STEM career field that combines science, math, and criminal justice concepts; 2. Understanding the natural process of decomposition can help investigators narrow in on identifying victims and causes of death; and 3. Using stories is a great way to engage students and provide context to the science/STEM they are learning.

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

NOAA in Your Classroom 5—Sea to Sky: Get to Know NOAA’s Online Educational Resources

Friday, April 1 • 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 320A


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: NOAA Office of Education

Join us for a demo and discussion about the NEW searchable database of 1,200+ educational resources from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

TAKEAWAYS:
1. NOAA has 1,200+ resources for educators, including lessons, videos, activities, posters, and more; 2. You can now search by grade, resource type, subject, and topic to find what you’re looking for; and 3. We have NGSS resources too! Search by DCI.

SPEAKERS:
Marissa Jones (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Washington, DC), Bekkah Lampe (NOAA Office of Education: Silver Spring, MD)

Using Science to Teach Common Core: A Classroom-Ready Curriculum for Nonfiction Books That Kids Love

Saturday, April 2 • 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 342F



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Bibliography-New Trade Science Books with Curriculum for Teaching ELA
Curriculum for OUT OF THE BLUE HOW ANIMALS EVOLVED FROM PREHISTORIC SEAS
Presentation Using Science to Teach Common Core
Raffle Ticket!
IT'S A RAFFLE! Fabulous free books - new, top notch nonfiction from major trade publishers. Tickets also handed out at the door. Come join us at the session for a chance to win--plus fun activities and free bibliographies.
USING SCIENCE TO TEACH COMMON CORE - Flyer
Using Science to Teach Common Core: Classroom-Ready Curriculum for Nonfiction Books that Kids Love. Saturday April 2 at 9:30, Room 342F. Link to bibliography. FREE BOOK RAFFLE and books signing.

Show Details

This interactive session offers focused strategies for leveraging nonfiction books to integrate Common Core standards with content-rich science instruction. Handouts include bibliography of recommended resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Discover classroom-ready tools for using nonfiction books to accomplish dual goals of reading comprehension and science learning for all students, regardless of background; 2. Explore ways to inspire budding scientists by leveraging nonfiction books that appeal to children’s love of stories, learning styles, and innate curiosity on a range of subjects; and 3. Obtain bibliography of recent high-quality nonfiction trade books with associated classroom-ready curricula that address specific Common Core standards.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Shreeve (Science Writer: Mill Valley, CA), Sierra Satterstrom (Teacher: San Marcos, CA)

Inspiring Literacy and Science Interest with Real-World Data

Saturday, April 2 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 352D



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Session Resource Document Form
Complete this form to access the session Resource Document with links we will use during the session. I will send you via email a copy of the slide deck from the session.

Show Details

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)

What IS Light?

Saturday, April 2 • 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 362E


Show Details

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)

NSTA Press Session: Inspiring Curiosity and Writing with NSTA Kids Books, K–5

Saturday, April 2 • 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM

George R. Brown Convention Center - 362B


Show Details

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)

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