Come learn three discussion routines that can transform your science lessons: “I Notice, I Wonder, I Predict”, “Data Discussions”, and “Let’s Make Sense of It All”. Together we’ll explore key features of each talk, participate in enactments, and brainstorm ways to have more talk time in our lessons

TAKEAWAYS:
For young students, talking is learning as students learn as they talk through their own ideas and listen to the ideas of others. This session highlights three whole class science discussion routines that can transform elementary science lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Forsythe (Texas State University: San Marcos, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

High quality instructional materials are essential for equitable access to science, but materials are only the start of the instructional journey! Examine the importance of YOUR role as a teacher in leveraging NGSS-designed curriculum to inspire your students to figure out phenomena.

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

Teachers will be introduced to the four elements of the anchoring phenomenon routine from OpenSciEd for Middle School. Teachers will experience how an anchoring phenomenon can motivate students to explore & explain real-world phenomena, & develop strategies for creating a driving question board.

SPEAKERS:
Cory Ort (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC), Hoover Herrera (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

Sponsoring Company: VEX Robotics

STEM education needs to be inclusive. This workshop will discuss research proven methods for why STEM can help improve student participation in the classroom. Jason McKenna, Director of Education at VEX Robotics, will include examples and techniques that teachers can use in their own classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Jason McKenna (VEX Robotics: Pittsburgh, PA), Drew Ostry (Marketing Director: Greenville, TX)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Engage in strategies to help your English Learners (EL) population make sense of science concepts and apply their science knowledge to real-world applications. We will explore a variety of strategies for differentiating instruction so that ELs can build their ability to communicate science concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Stacey O'Connor (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Suzan Morris (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: PEER Physics

Are you passionate about engaging students in rich discourse and looking for strategies, norms, and protocols that can support this work? Join us for an interactive workshop to explore effective small-group and whole-class discourse techniques. Participants receive consensus building protocols.

SPEAKERS:
Valerie Otero (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO)

Generating STEM interest through a place-conscious framework is a pathway for students to solve issues relevant to their community. Framing instructional methods within the place-conscious design allow important issues to be at the center of the curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will explore how to design hands-on inquiry lesson developed from a place-conscious framework.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Bookheimer (Pre-service Teacher: , MT)

Washington County Public Schools, MD had adopted the definition of Acceleration as intentionally providing access to grade/course-level learning so students who have unfinished learning succeed in today’s learning experience. Underpinning this definition we have leaned on the work of John Hattie to identify 4 high-impact areas(relationships, scaffolds, clarity, feedback) of teaching and learning to frame our focus away from traditional remediation. This session will look at the practice of scaffolding instruction in the science classroom. Attendees will participate in collaborative discussions and experience the use of authentic classroom examples. These experiences will promote their own thinking of how our practical strategies can be transferred into their classrooms. Due to the organizational leadership role of the presenters, audience members will be able to have questions ranging from classroom implementation to curriculum integration discussed.

TAKEAWAYS:
The practical use of instructional scaffolds and the supporting strategies to increase access to student learning in science.

SPEAKERS:
Tara Ellis (Washington County Public Schools: Hagerstown, MD)

Come and learn how two different school contexts (rural and urban) are implementing science engineering practices through PBL experiences. Utilizing Engineering is Elementary resources as a model, teachers will share their instructional practices and strategies along with successes and challenges.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to explain that SEPs can and should be integrated in a manner to meet the individual needs of a school’s community and make-up.

SPEAKERS:
Trudy Giasi (Valle Catholic Schools: Ste. Genevieve, MO), Andi Maddox (Director of Curriculum and Instruction: Kennett, MO), Brandy Hepler (Southeast Missouri State University: Cape Girardeau, MO)

This intervention combined purposeful planning and innovative academic vocabulary instruction. Easily replicable classroom strategies and examples will facilitate implementation and demonstrate how to make science accessible to all students, including minorities, economically disadvantaged, English

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will strategically target academic vocabulary, visually display connections between inquiry activities and vocabulary, and explore opportunities for students to experience vocabulary in context, actively process word meanings, and practice using vocabulary to speak and write sentences.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Jackson (Texas State University: San Marcos, TX)

For anyone that has excitedly explained the power of phenomenon-based instruction or 3-dimensional learning and been met with a blank stare – this session is for you! Led by communication experts, this session is designed to help you create K-12 Science messages in succinct, compelling ways.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn new ways to describe and explain the importance of 3-dimensional instruction and phenomenon based learning to key audiences, including parents and communities, lawmakers, and non-science educators.

SPEAKERS:
Adam Ezring (Collaborative for Student Success: No City, No State), Josh Parrish (Collaborative for Student Success: No City, No State), Michelle Austin (Managing Director, SVP: Washington, DC)

We will share a model of science home/school partnership, focused on families of young multilingual learners (MLs) that fuels their science and language learning across contexts, sparks their interest and self-efficacy in science, and can be leveraged to support their school science learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with concrete strategies, tools, and resources for building science partnerships with families of MLs that support language-enriched science experiences at home and mutually reinforce children's NGSS-aligned science and language experiences at school.

SPEAKERS:
Mandell Academy (Connecticut Science Center: Hartford, CT), Rachel Shurick (Connecticut Science Center: Hartford, CT), Becky Fahey (Connecticut Science Center: Hartford, CT), Cindy Hoisington (Education Development Center, Inc.: Holbrook, MA)

How do we center students in NGSS units designed for a national audience? Join us to explore how a team of K-8 educators are developing resources and strategies that incorporate local phenomena, community needs, and the lived experiences of their students into their teaching of Amplify Science units

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will become familiar with an approach used to localize national curricula and take away research-based and equity centered tools, resources and approaches they can use in their own efforts to localize their curricula and create an inclusive classroom environment.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Abbott (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Brad Street (IslandWood: Bainbridge Island, WA)

As education professionals seek to engage with Tribal entities to support Youth, they need resources to help ensure that they are stepping respectfully and intentionally. Learn about an Un-guidebook, supported by 100kin10, to help non-Native education professionals engage with Tribal entities.

TAKEAWAYS:
After this session, STEM educators will know more about building relationship with indigenous communities, and how both formal/OST, educators can use the Un-guide to create the first steps of a relationship with Tribal entities in their community and better support Tribal learners, especially youth.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Hoppe (STEMisED, Inc: No City, No State), Melinda Higgins (U.S. Dept. of Energy - Fossil Energy & Carbon Management: Washington, DC)

The NSTA Sensemaking Tool (adapted from the research-based NGSS Lesson Screener) is designed to help educators be critical consumers of curricular materials as well as create and/or revise science lessons to reflect the instructional shifts required by new standards (sensemaking). Join us to gain experience using the tool and facilitating criteria-based consensus conversations with colleagues.

TAKEAWAYS:
Recognize the critical aspects of sensemaking in a science lesson.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Mathews (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Looking for an engaging and innovative way to get your students to understand the meaning of a word? Experience ways to zoom in and zoom out of science content using a variety of differentiated strategies. Take these ideas straight back to your classroom for immediate use or for interventions.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Arnette (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

Why is science discourse important? How does it impact improving equity in a science classroom? How do teachers implement this strategy? Learn the answers to these and other questions as you explore engaging (STCMS) lessons from the Smithsonian. Leave with resource materials.

SPEAKERS:
Cory Ort (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

Sponsoring Company: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Students' lived experience of brain disorders can strengthen lessons for Middle and High School science standards on structure/function. Validation of students as personal or cultural lived experience experts sets a foundation for their future learning, that is critical to achieve classroom equity.

SPEAKERS:
Rebekah Corlew (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD), Carlo Quintanilla (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD), Diana Andriola (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD)

Sponsoring Company: College Board

Come for an active conversation about helping introductory learners prepare for AP-level course work in STEM. We will align challenge areas identified using AP exam data with the Pre-AP Course Framework and explore instructional strategies to help students meet these challenges.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Casdorph (College Board: New York, NY), Mitch Price (College Board: New York, NY)

Does your district have limited support for science in Elementary schools? Join us to explore recruiting classroom teachers to develop a science teacher leader community that supports quality science instruction in PreK-5 in all schools.

TAKEAWAYS:
Strategies for developing these science teacher leaders that can increase student performance/interest in science, fostering a science community among educators, enhancing their capacity in science education best practice, and developing their leadership skills.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Reese (Howard County Public School System: Ellicott City, MD), Jenn Brown-Whale (Howard County Public School System: Ellicott City, MD), Linda Wilson (Manor Woods Elementary School: Ellicott City, MD)

In this session you will take a closer look at STEM instruction in order to reflect on whether it is inclusive of all students and how to use innovative ideas to continue moving forward as a STEM educator.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will have an opportunity to discuss and reflect on their own STEM instruction and focus on ways to include all students in STEM education regardless of abilities, language, or economic status.

SPEAKERS:
Pavel Escobedo Garcia (Principal: Ventura, CA), Adriana Guerra (E. P. Foster STEM Academy: Ventura, CA)

Many states are adopting policy that promotes the use of high-quality standards-aligned curriculum for all grade levels. However, educators may question the accessibility of these units for all students. In the Science Curriculum Adaptation Project for Special Educators (SCAPE) program, science specialists from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education worked with special educators to adapt the NYU SAIL “Garbage” unit for students with moderate to severe disabilities. Science specialists provided learning activities around the structures and routines in the unit and guided teachers through key lessons. Teachers then identified barriers and used Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to adapt the unit for their students to access ideas and SEPs in the unit. Each teacher participant left with an adapted unit to pilot with students. In this presentation we will outline the program and share examples of adaptations made for students with disabilities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Session attendees will learn about a MA program designed to support special education teachers in using the high quality “Garbage” unit with their students. Attendees will also see examples of UDL-based adaptations that can be used with science students with moderate to severe disabilities.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Palo (Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Boston, MA), Casandra Gonzalez (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Malden, MA)

Experience an inquiry-based dance class showcasing key pedagogical ideas that support all learners, creating equitable opportunities for engagement and access. Designed using a research-based model, and an inclusive framework, build instructional knowledge that transfers to the science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Experience best practices for science instruction including elements like differentiation, student choice, the power of kinesthetic learning, and more, all wrapped up in a research-based instructional model using an inclusive framework approach.

SPEAKERS:
Isaac Stauffer (Great Minds: Washington, DC)

How do students' learning experiences change when we expand what constitutes science and engineering and begin to see science as part of social justice teaching? The Brilliance and Strength report pushes us to include these two ideas in the form of science activities, teacher planning and implementation, and materials development. Join us as we explore these ideas as they are applied to elementary science. We will provide some examples of what we think these goals mean for teaching and learning, discuss them, and then co-design others as a way to dive more deeply into justice-centered learning. Brilliance and Strengths Report: Equity foci 3 and 4 and Recommendations 6 and 8

TAKEAWAYS:
Science learning is part of social justice teaching and learning.

SPEAKERS:
Carla Zembal-Saul (Penn State: University Park, PA), Heidi Carlone (Vanderbilt University Peabody College: Nashville, TN)

The NSTA Multicultural and Equity Committee invites you to attend our recruitment & informational social.  Refreshments will be served.

***Open to all interested

SPEAKERS:
Renata Casiel (Meetings Manager: Arlington, VA)

Making core instruction accessible to a variety of English Learners isn’t rocket science! With intentional planning and implementation of best practices, you can support multilingual learners with deepening their understanding of science concepts AND developing their English language proficiency.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn more about collaborating and intentionally developing resources for a range of English language learners.

SPEAKERS:
David Flores (Title III Resource Teacher: Charlotte, NC), Christina Mahar (English Language Resource Teacher: Charlotte, NC), Darlene Keyser (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: Charlotte, NC)

In this session, the presenters will share specific strategies and an intentional design for preparing elementary STEM teachers to create inclusive and equitable STEM classroms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about specific strategies to create inclusive STEM classrooms. Elementary STEM educators will model ways in which they have revised curriculum and integrated specific STEM pedagogy that is inclusive, culturally sustaining, and rooted in social justice.

SPEAKERS:
Bonnie Maur (Sacred Heart University: Fairfield, CT)

Culturally responsive pedagogy can help bridge the diversity gap in STEM. This session shares how our Dream City program supports all students in thinking like urban planners to design beautiful neighborhoods that are not only structurally sound but also inclusive and responsive to all who come.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will have a chance to see how IMSA Outreach provides inquiry-based, hands-on STEM learning. Attendees will see how inquiry-based teaching and learning is, by its very nature, inherently culturally responsive and can leave with practical ideas to use in their own classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Elaine Wu (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy: Aurora, IL)

Project-based learning, a strategy used in STEM education, improves student outcomes across racial and socioeconomic backgrounds and reading and language proficiency levels (LER, 2021).

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience project based learning while working to solve a real world problem.

SPEAKERS:
Falicia O'Mard (K-12 District STEM Coordinator: Suwanee, GA)

Empower our students to be solutionary thinkers with “think local, act global” as an important theme in student centered instruction. Create engaging 3D, phenomenon-based opportunities through a social justice lens and harness local and global community partnerships to deepen student learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Create a solutionary approach to lesson planning connecting local and global environmental issues in California and Africa, while enhancing SEL. Using the 3D5E DO-KNOW-THINK Learning Sequence, teachers create STEAM-centered lessons for engagement, interdisciplinary active learning, and empathy.

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

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Company

Take on the role of a consultant for NASA to design a system to model a rocket launcher. This challenge will highlight tools to support Gender Equity, Economically Disadvantaged Youth, English Learners, Students with Disabilities, and Advanced and Gifted Learners.

SPEAKERS:
Jessi Davis (Savvas Learning Co.: Paramus, NJ)

This uniquely inspiring and collaborative session invites participants to engage in the deep individual and collective work needed to transform educational systems and build a culture of responsiveness. This session offers an integrated approach between trauma-informed care, cultural competency, and restorative-resiliency practices. Strategies will be offered to ensure a fully restorative and healing-centered culture that is apparent in policy and action.

TAKEAWAYS:
Understand the impact of trauma on learning and advancing equitable policies for reducing adverse childhood experiences Embrace the power of social emotional learning to grow

SPEAKERS:
Marisol Quevedo Rerucha (National Parents Union: San Diego, CA)

Deepen engagement for all students by showing them the power of science to impact their worlds.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with practical strategies for empowering students to apply their learning to have a positive impact on their communities.

SPEAKERS:
Ben Talsma (Van Andel Education Institute: Grand Rapids, MI)

Looking for an innovative way to bring to life the science vocabulary your students need to know? This session will cover a strategy to enhance the ol' word wall of the past into an engaging learning experience that is low prep for the teacher with maximum benefit for the student.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with the ability to create an engaging visual representation wall, knowledge of current brain science behind building vocabulary memory, and factors to consider when prioritizing key vocabulary words.

SPEAKERS:
CHRISTINA SPEARS (Director of Teaching Academy: Comfort, TX)

Educators will experience how 3D learning in any curriculum can be made into 5D learning if they have the pedagogical framing that identifies both phenomena types and supports phenomena adaptation. Specifically, place, student interests, and identities provide motivation to engage in sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn to identify phenomena types, select related phenomena and use students' place, interests, and identities to promote equitable learning experiences. These pedagogical tools and framing will help educators turn 3D, NGSS-aligned phenomena-based units into 5D learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Leonard Kenyon (Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance: No City, No State)

STEM is a way of thinking and engaging in STEM skill-building activities can help students become better STEM thinkers. Every student benefits from these opportunities, but access is not equitable. Experience STEM skill-building activities that can be done with students of any age in any classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
By the end of this session, participants will understand why it is important to provide opportunities for every student to develop STEM skills and simple ways to engage students in STEM thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Dodie Resendez (Region 4 Education Service Center: Houston, TX)

We will explore the what, why, and how of integrated science and language teaching. We will describe, illustrate, and model research-based strategies, tools, and resources teachers can use to support inquiry, sense-making, and language development with their young multilingual learners (MLs)

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with some research-based strategies, tools, and resources to support planning and facilitation of language-enriched and inclusive science experiences that leverage science as a context for language and for building skills across the developmental domains with a focus on MLs

SPEAKERS:
Mandell Academy (Connecticut Science Center: Hartford, CT), Rachel Shurick (Connecticut Science Center: Hartford, CT), Becky Fahey (Connecticut Science Center: Hartford, CT), Cindy Hoisington (Education Development Center, Inc.: Holbrook, MA)

This session is presented by members of the Georgia Science Teachers Association Board of Directors and shares ways to incorporate literacy in science lessons using inclusive teaching strategies. The session will be a panel presentation that addresses using a broad range of analogies, a mix of textual and visual representations, inclusion of examples that include both women and ethnic minority groups, students with disabilities, use of funds of knowledge, a variety of learning exercises and assessments and the use of rubrics. Justin Harvey (GSTA Director) is submitting this proposal on behalf of the GSTA Board, but he is not one of the presenters. The panel of presenters include: Teresa Massey, GA District 10 Director Robert Bice, GA District 1 Director Jane Reed, District 2 Director Michelle Thompson, District 8 Director Kathryn Mullen, District 12 Director Melissa Niemi, GSTA President-Elect

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will see how the need to consider diversity is important for all students learning science. Participants will gain research-based strategies for integrating diversity in science lessons that meet the needs of all learners.

SPEAKERS:
Teresa Massey (Graduate Student), Michelle Thompson (Effingham College and Career Academy: No City, No State)

Sponsoring Company: National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Students' lived experience of brain disorders can strengthen lessons for Middle and High School science standards on structure/function. Validation of students as personal or cultural lived experience experts sets a foundation for their future learning, that is critical to achieve classroom equity.

SPEAKERS:
Rebekah Corlew (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD), Carlo Quintanilla (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD), Diana Andriola (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD)

This session presents a science and literacy instruction intervention aimed at helping improve student achievement on high-stakes standardized tests. This study found statistically significant results with medium to large effect sizes at multiple campuses. Findings contribute to research and practice by demonstrating how to make science education accessible to all students, including minorities, economically disadvantaged, English learners, and At-Risk students. It also advances knowledge about effective science and literacy instruction interventions. Participants in this session will learn how to strategically target academic vocabulary, visually display connections between inquiry activities and vocabulary, explore opportunities for students to experience vocabulary in context, actively process word meanings, and practice using vocabulary to speak and write sentences. Easily replicable classroom strategies and examples that may be used to facilitate implementation will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will strategically target academic vocabulary, visually display connections between inquiry activities and vocabulary, and explore opportunities for students to experience vocabulary in context, actively process word meanings, and practice using vocabulary to speak and write sentences.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Jackson (Texas State University: San Marcos, TX)

This session will provide educators with ideas for hosting STEM day/night for K-8 students (especially in Title I schools). Attendees will participate in hands-on STEM challenges that explore phenomena, require minimal preparation, and can be completed in 45 minutes or less. Educators will walk away with packets that include posters, supply lists, rubrics, and worksheets. This session will help attendees to facilitate and model simple Engineering Design Challenges that will engage ALL scholars.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to coordinate a STEM day/night including scheduling ideas, resources. Attendees will receive packets for their respective grade levels/grade bands that include posters, supply lists, rubrics, and worksheets.

SPEAKERS:
Karelle Williams (The Main Street Academy: Atlanta, GA)

Explore how engineering benefits English learners as you engage in lessons designed to foster engineering, science, and language learning for elementary students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engineering activities can offer multimodal experiences for English learners that encourage their participation and contributions to the engineering classroom community and engage them in purposeful uses of language.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Cunningham (Museum of Science, Boston: Boston, MA)

Sponsoring Company: College Board

Come for an active session about helping students prepare for AP-level course work in STEM. We will align challenge areas identified using AP Chem exam data and correlate these with the Pre-AP Chem Course Framework and explore instructional strategies to help students meet these challenges.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Casdorph (College Board: New York, NY), Mitch Price (College Board: New York, NY)

What does equity look like in Elementary Science & Engineering instruction? Through this interactive experience, participants will explore the meanings of equity & diversity and examine strategies instructional leaders can use to increase equity in the elementary science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learners will leave with a clear understanding of three-dimensional science instruction, causes of inequity in science education, and applicable strategies instructional leaders & teachers can use to increase equity in science education in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Felicia Pratt (Atlanta Public Schools: Atlanta, GA), Warren Edwards (Atlanta Public Schools: Atlanta, GA), Lindiwe Ngubeni (Atlanta Public Schools: Atlanta, GA)

Are you an elementary teacher trying to make more time for science? You are not alone. One of the biggest barriers in elementary science is time. Join us as we address this through science integration. Explore using your ELA, ELD, History… standards to create rich science experiences for students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through experiencing an integrated arc of learning, participants will leave this session understanding why other subjects should be integrated with their science lessons and how to lean on other content standards to create integrated standard based lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Nancy Wright (Hayward Unified School District: Hayward, CA), Channon Jackson (Alameda County Office of Education: Hayward, CA)

Come join the fun! During this session you will create tools you can use to differentiate your science instruction and provide for the diversity of your students’ needs. Strategies necessary to teach diverse learners science are provided. Participants will actively engage in hands-on activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will actively engage in hands-on activities modeled to deliver instruction using a multi-sensory approach. Materials and handouts are provided.

SPEAKERS:
Marianne Phillips (Texas A&M University-San Antonio: San Antonio, TX)

Professional learning is critical for identifying and using high-quality instructional materials and can be provided in multiple ways. Join us as we examine criteria for choosing high-quality professional learning experiences in K-5 science. Participants will explore useful tools and just-in-time supports for personal professional learning that meet teachers where they are. We will collaborate to refine expectations for professional learning that supports K-5 learning. Participants will have a different lens for knowing the types of support that are critical when evaluating and implementing high-quality instructional materials Brilliance and Strengths Report: Recommendation 10, 12, 14

TAKEAWAYS:
Professional learning should be connected to curriculum materials and be flexible enough to meet teachers needs.

SPEAKERS:
Shelly LeDoux (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX), Carla Zembal-Saul (Penn State: University Park, PA), Heidi Carlone (Vanderbilt University Peabody College: Nashville, TN), Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network)

Sponsoring Company: PEER Physics

Join us for an interactive workshop to explore how science practices can be used to build a more inclusive and engaging learning environment. Participants will explore the PEER Physics Learning Cycle and gain access to a phenomenon-driven Waves unit for high school physics and physical science.

SPEAKERS:
Valerie Otero (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO)

Sponsoring Company: School Specialty - FOSS

Join us for a hands-on experience and discussion as we consider the assets of our diverse students and how to leverage their funds of knowledge in science and engineering. Receive a toolbox of strategies the FOSS Project developed for educators to support universal access.

SPEAKERS:
Diana Velez (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), FOSS Project Staff (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Studies Weekly

Learn how to use phenomenon and inquiry to promote equitable talk and provide accessible entry points for all students during science class by using lesson design techniques such as concept building, student-driven inquiry, neutral prompting, localized vocabulary introduction, and processing time.

SPEAKERS:
Clayton Chamberlain (Studies Weekly: Orem, UT)

School campuses and school gardens provide inspiring learning opportunities for supporting elementary students’ scientific sensemaking. Students have explicit experiences with science phenomena that are relevant and developmentally appropriate. Scientific sensemaking in the students' local school environment includes (1) access to authentic scientific phenomena, (2) meaningful integration of 3D learning (disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts) and the 5E learning cycle, and (3) multimodal classroom discourse focusing on engaging all students. Students revise and refine their scientific understanding over time in the outdoor classrooms, while also enhancing reading, writing, and communication skills. We will share elementary science lessons and stories that integrate 3D learning and the 5E learning cycle and deepen students' investigation of their local learning environment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to use outdoor learning environments to teach 3D/5E elementary science lessons. They will see how standards were used and integrated to develop both in person and virtual science lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Camryn Lochner (Teacher: No City, No State), Tess Mitchner Asinjo (Principal: Dayton, OH), Hannah Salaiz (Teacher), Michelle Fleming (Wright State University: Dayton, OH)

Admins, Supervisors & TLs: Do you need a new way to engage your teachers about equity issues? Focusing on diversity, technology, assessment, and more, we will model case-based pedagogy as a tool for your learning community to have tough discussions. K-5 Resources Provided (focus), 6-12 Available.

TAKEAWAYS:
School leaders will be able to use cases (short stories around a central dilemma) to create a layered dialogue bringing together multiple stakeholders in a learning community. Multiple cases will be provided as take-home resources and training material for attendees.

SPEAKERS:
Chelsea Sexton (University of Georgia: Athens, GA)

Join middle level educators and enthusiasts for a social hour. Meet old friends and make new ones! NMLSTA officers and board members will be available.

SPEAKERS:
Renata Casiel (Meetings Manager: Arlington, VA)

This session will demonstrate drag, gravity, thrust and lift and how those forces are integrated into a unit that uses paper airplanes to explore science and engineering practices and disciplinary literacy techniques in reading and writing with Amelia Earhart, aviator & champion of women’s rights.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will come away from this session with concrete resources on how key concepts in physical science can be embedded within an engaging unit using airplanes that also support student learning in the practices of science and engineering.

SPEAKERS:
Michele Koomen (Research Professor: No City, No State)

Gifted students are a unique population we rarely have time to focus on while common misconceptions often prevent them from reaching full potential. This session offers an assessment tool to help students capitalize on strengths and realize their own potential in a STEM classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
A Total Talent Portfolio can be used to identify students’ interests, preferred learning styles, and expression styles to leverage motivation, engagement, & autonomy. A Talent Portfolio also serves as an assessment tool teachers can use to document talent development throughout the year.

SPEAKERS:
Bailey Nafziger (Georgia Southern University)

The purpose of this session is to discuss research findings from a synthesis we conducted from projects funded by the NSF's DRK-12 program related to improving preK and elementary science teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
More research is needed in lower elementary grades and professional development lasting a year or longer showed promised in increasing teachers' self-efficacy and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK).

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Ferguson (Researcher: Arlington, VA)

STEM careers are for ALL students! Learn how to bridge the gap between STEM careers and classroom spaces by exploring proven strategies for hosting STEM professionals in your elementary classroom! Walk away with a complete engagement guide written for elementary teachers, by elementary teachers!

TAKEAWAYS:
Through the lens of equity and inclusion, participants will explore tips for sustained classroom-based STEM career exposure success (both in-person & virtual), including: selecting and preparing speakers, planning an engaging classroom visit, and maintaining relationships with STEM professionals.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Pearson (Adams 12 Five Star Schools), Cameron McKinley (Technology Integration Coach), Kristen Record (Bunnell High School - National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY): No City, No State)

In this session we will share our model for sustainable and inclusive K-5 STEM teacher leadership, drawn from experiences working with teams of teachers and administrators. This work is part of an NSF-funded capacity-building initiative in preparation for a larger project which seeks to develop a robust cadre of Master Teacher Fellows. Our model for STEM teacher leadership is unique in that (1) it is focused on STEM learning at the K-5 level; (2) it centers equity and inclusivity in STEM teaching, and (3) it takes place within the context of a state that recently adopted K-12 climate change standards. We will first share the model and how it came to be. Then, we will provide examples of ways in which STEM teacher leaders can lead innovation within and across many contexts including schools, communities, professional organizations, and through social media.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will share a model for sustainable and inclusive K-5 STEM teacher leadership and examples of ways to leverage the assets of these leaders to bring about innovation in schools, communities, and society at large.

SPEAKERS:
Matthew Taylor (Assistant Professor of Special Education), Helen Corveleyn (Hopewell Elementary School: Hopewell, NJ), Melissa Zrada (The College of New Jersey: Ewing, NJ), Lauren Madden (The College of New Jersey: Ewing, NJ)

Science methods instructors will share how they engaged pre-service teachers in critical analysis of children’s STEM picture books and the design of literacy-integrated science lessons addressing equity and social justice. The critical analysis tool will be featured along with teaching implications.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the ways teachers could use the critical tool to analyze children’s science picture books, as a way to become more critical readers, facilitate equity-oriented science discussions for their students, and ultimately develop more inclusive classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Carmen Vanderhoof (Penn State: University Park, PA)

The need for all students to have STEAM-related strategies and practices that work is paramount for a equitable classroom. This presentation is to provide recommendations to support students with and without disabilities in remote and in-person classroom environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to implement evidence-based strategies for STEAM instruction that work for students with and without disabilities in a a variety of instructional settings.

SPEAKERS:
Jonté Taylor (Penn State: University Park, PA)

Are you a secondary educator looking for new resources to use in the classroom? Join this team of educators as they share resources from the US Geological Survey website, the paleontological society and National Park Service, and learn how to host a night sky observation event.

Data Literacy: Using US Geological Survey Datasets in the Classroom
Current Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow, Candyce Curry, discussing FREE RESOURCES from the U.S. Geological Survey website. This conversation will give teachers insight on finding & using, with minimal preparation, datasets from multiple sources within the website.

How to host a a star party for night sky observations
I will share my experience of hosting evening star parties for 15 years. And, I will provide a simple blueprint and share resources to help you plan an event. Night sky observation events engage students and romanticize science.

Exploring the expansion of the Universe, the Cosmological Principle, and the Big Bang Theory with a Hoberman Sphere.
We will explore how a Hoberman Sphere can be used to model the expansion of the Universe and the Big Bang Theory. Students manipulate and measure the physical model to explore the cosmological red shift, the cosmological principle, Hubble's law, and the Big Bang Theory.

SPEAKERS:
Candyce Curry (US Geological Survey: No City, No State), Lars Nelson (Teacher)

Systemic inequities inhibit access to high quality science instruction. Using an equity-based MTSS framework, we use the Leadership 4 Justice Framework to recognize, dismantle and rebuild initiatives to ensure they are truly serving ALL students. Participants create a Vision 4 Justice for science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Use MTSS to RECOGNIZE systems of inequity and racist policies, particularly in science. Discuss strategies to DISMANTLE these systems and achieve equitable outcomes, and Explore ways to REBUILD systems by creating a Leadership 4 Justice action plan outline to take back to your leadership teams.

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

Purposeful use of quality media and text is especially important for young learners, a group often overlooked in the development of science media. Media can connect science content to students’ lives and make the material more accessible to more students.

TAKEAWAYS:
You’ll leave the session with a list of resources and ideas for actively engaging your students with media during science instruction and tips for supporting your students in engaging in science practices.

SPEAKERS:
Shawn Stevens (GBH Education: Brighton, MA)

Our outreach program leveraged the 5E instructional model to deliver an authentic laboratory experience throughout underserved areas of our school district. Pilot results demonstrate significant gains in student learning and high interest in repeat opportunities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to identify successes and struggles experienced in the implementation of a district wide STEM outreach program. Participants will take away a model of STEM outreach and an example lesson that can be easily implemented through a small team, even across a large school district.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Heath (Student: Warrenville, SC), Kamani Barnes (Student: Warrenville, SC), Javaris Lightsey (Student: Warrenville, SC), I'Layna Highsmith (Student: Warrenville, SC), Ny'Aja Clemons (Student: Warrenville, SC), Alexandria Martin (Student: , SC), Christie Palladino (Teacher: Warrenville, SC)

Participants will learn how to utilize two different strategies for group collaboration within the elementary science classroom. The first strategy will show participants how they can use common pairs (ex. burger/fries, bacon/eggs) of items to quickly partner students up prior to the collaborative learning activity. This will allow students to get a variety of partners to work with while ensuring maximum time for engagement with the lesson. Secondly, after students are grouped for the investigation using the aforementioned strategy, they can then employ the simple and efficient investigation job cards in their groups so that each person will have a defined job to conduct throughout the entirety of the investigation. One example of a job would be the “Reporter” who would be responsible for sharing the group's data and conclusions with the entire class. These strategies aim to prepare educators with simple tools to ensure greater participation and engagement from all learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session, you will learn two different strategies for engaging students within the science classroom during collaborative learning. You will walk away with a simple partner pairing strategy, as well as, specific scientific jobs for students to utilize during classroom investigations.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Oberdorf (Big Spring School District: Newville, PA)

This interactive session will share a statewide model for systems-level change anchored in science where participants reflect on their own contexts to advance content integration anchored in science. Participants will engage in a discussion about how the focus of content integration could be a high-leverage strategy at a systems level for enacting change in elementary science teaching and learning and for supporting learning for all children. Participants will learn about the model created by Washington Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction's in collaboration with The Lawrence Hall of Science to discuss the strengths, challenges and affordances of this ongoing approach. Participants will have opportunities to share the conditions of their own contexts, reflect on how the strategies employed in this model may apply in their own systems, and identify entry points for beginning and/or advancing implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about a statewide model for supporting education systems in enacting content integration anchored in science, and will be able to reflect on their own systems’ context in order to identify their next step towards content integration.

SPEAKERS:
Diana Velez (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Sarah Pedemonte (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Kimberley Astle (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Olympia, WA), Vanessa Lujan (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

This presentation provides guidance on what it can look like for NGSS-designed instructional materials to support all students to design solutions to real-world problems and use them to drive instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
In the NGSS, 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. Real-world problems can create intrinsic motivation for students to learn science and engineering ideas.

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

NGSS fossil exploration that will teach intermediate elementary educators how to equitably use fossils of the Chesapeake Group to look for patterns and analyze and interpret historical science data to understand past environments. The first 30 participants will receive free classroom fossil kits.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore fossil samples from the Chesapeake in a hands-on investigation to understand past life and past environment in this region. Teachers will receive materials to use with intermediate elementary students.

SPEAKERS:
Kayce Wills (Captain Walter Francis Duke Elementary School: Leonardtown, MD), Laura Schneider (St. Mary's College of Maryland: Saint Mary's City, MD)

Learn to make cardboard mechanisms and structures, create a mechanism that looks like a letter, and mount it to make a structure. Students in pre-K classrooms in Brooklyn, NY have learned to identify mechanisms and structures by engaging in these activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Mechanisms and structures are all around us! Mechanisms have independent moving parts, while structures do not. Increasing the number of fasteners can turn a mechanism into a structure while removing fasteners can turn it back into a mechanism.

SPEAKERS:
Jazlyn Mena (Castle Bridge School: New York, NY), Jody Hilton (P.S. 44 Marcus Garvey Magnet School of Engineering and Design and The City College of New York), Lacey Samsoe (Teacher: Brooklyn, NY)

How can science learning experiences be designed to support reciprocal and caring understandings of the natural world and human-nature relationships? Come find out with us!

TAKEAWAYS:
Human-nature relationships are culturally rooted and embedded in approaches to science learning. Supporting reciprocal and caring human-nature relationships leads to socio-ecologically just and thriving systems, and aligns with NGSS 3D learning.

SPEAKERS:
Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA), Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Explore a socially engaged approach to engineering as you interact with lessons designed to help students consider how engineering connects to their lives and impacts stakeholders’ communities and cultures.

TAKEAWAYS:
Socially engaged engineering situates engineering in its larger societal context and helps students recognize how a range of stakeholders benefit or are harmed by engineering solutions. Through such work, students develop empathy and perspective-taking as well as more robust solutions.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Cunningham (Museum of Science, Boston: Boston, MA)

Sponsoring Company: NOAA

Cultivate a sense of belonging in your classroom with conservation, stewardship, and climate science using educational resources from NOAA and other socially conscious organizations. This workshop and resources to be shared is suitable for educators working with students at all grade bands.

SPEAKERS:
Bruce Moravchik (NOAA National Ocean Service: Silver Spring, MD), Symone Barkley (Education Specialist: Silver Spring, MD)

Have you wondered how to set group norms in your science classes in a way that feels engaging and relevant? This session combines the life science concept of mutualism with social emotional learning as students work collaboratively with their teacher to develop class norms that benefit everyone.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will learn how to implement a norm-setting protocol through a life science lens that will engage your students intellectually, emotionally, socially, and physically.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Rose Mosh (Greensboro Day School: Greensboro, NC)