Engaging in scientific investigations can motivate students to read, write and participate in productive discourse. This session provides educators with lessons and resources to support teaching three-dimensional hands-on scientific investigation that motivates student learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants leave the session with insights into how to use engaging hands-on investigations to motivate students to read, write, and engage in discourse. They will receive a complete set of lesson plans for their NGSS state grade-level standards.

SPEAKERS:
Candace Penrod (Salt Lake City School District: Salt Lake City, UT), Brett Moulding (Partnership for Effective Science Teaching and Learning: Ogden, UT)

Identify common fossils of the Middle Devonian in a hands-on investigation. Work with Petoskey stones and other fossils to make inferences about the past and learn how to teach this with elementary students. Curriculum handouts and fossil kits will be provided to the first 30 participants.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to use the fossil curriculum with intermediate elementary students. Teachers will get to explore Devonian fossils of the Traverse Group and learn how to analyze data to make inferences about past environments. 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)

In this session, Nyamwija, a native Ugandan, will provide songs, dances, and instrument-making from Western and Central Uganda. Dees will provide cross-cultural and cross-curricular hands-on-learning activities to intersect the Ugandan arts with NGSS standards. Twabakiira! Karibu! Welcome!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will participate in music making (singing/dancing/drumming), as well as, instrument making to gain a greater sense of the Ugandan culture while combining those understandings in hand-on science activities for use in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Jenny Dees (Texas Tech University: Lubbock, TX), Ristella Nyamwija (Texas Tech University: Lubbock, TX)

Do you ever wish your lesson engaged everyone in the class? The readers, the mathematicians, the engineers and writers will all love these STEM and literacy lessons! In this session, you will learn how to mix and mingle - with read aloud books and STEM challenges, of course!

TAKEAWAYS:
When you leave this session, you will have a better idea of how incorporate literacy with STEM. I’ll be sharing STEM challenges that you can link to children’s books that you probably already have in your classroom! You’ll also learn some tips on how to create your own read aloud STEM challenges!

SPEAKERS:
Emily Gentile (STEM Teacher: Parker, CO)

Engage in the science practices of investigating, modeling, and arguing from evidence to make sense of why a toy train moves forward and backward without physical contact. Participants will explore gravity, static electricity, and magnetism to determine which most likely causes it to move.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants explore forces at a distance and make sense of how they might cause the phenomenon to occur by developing a model via a three-step sequence. Teachers examine sample student work to uncover ideas and determine that some ideas may make sense despite being inaccurate for the situation.

SPEAKERS:
Christi Pace (Augusta University: Augusta, GA), Jaclyn Murray (Mercer University: Macon, GA)

This session disseminates learnings from an early-phase STEM project of the federal Education Innovation and Research (EIR) program. A joint effort of the Community Training and Assistance Center (CTAC) and Tracy Unified School District in California, the multi-year project centers on the development and implementation of integrated STEM curricular units to every student in each grade level, pre-kindergarten through grade twelve. Developed by local teacher leaders, each 4- to 8-week unit centers on a design challenge, clusters the ETS and other NGSS standards related to that challenge, and requires students to develop a computational artifact as a part of demonstrating their learning. The project is enriched through the participation of community leaders who bring local industry experiences to students within each unit, and is supported through strategic work teams. Come see how this systemic reform is bringing equitable STEM experiences to all students PreK-12. Leave inspired with ide

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)

Discover interdisciplinary games and simulations that help younger students explore connections between themselves and the environment, including natural resource use, pollution and climate. Presented activities build skills in scientific inquiry, data analysis and critical thinking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will increase their understanding of basic human ecological concepts and best practices for introducing these concepts in their interdisciplinary elementary classrooms using 3D science instruction for a variety of learning styles.

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

Worms excite everyone! They are cheap, easy to get, and can be the phenomenon to drive learning on a host of topics. Come play with worms and see how they can stimulate learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience a series of activities that will help them use earthworms as phenomena in elementary science. For each activity, we will discuss how to move from the specifics of worms into sensemaking around more general concepts that the activities illustrate.

SPEAKERS:
Jodi Wheeler-Toppen (Author/ Staff Development: Atlanta, GA)

In this interactive workshop, you will use the NGSS K-2 Engineering Design Standards to integrate STEM into the storybook Mrs. Brown Went to Town and see how you can get your students excited about reading and science through engineering.

TAKEAWAYS:
Want to get your students excited about a story? Then have them be a part of the story and use their knowledge of materials and engineering to help Mrs. Brown! In this interactive session you will get to design and test your engineering project based on the storybook Mrs. Brown Went to Town.

SPEAKERS:
Kevin Hill (Wicomico County Public Schools: Salisbury, MD), Anna Ball (Wicomico County Public Schools: Salisbury, MD)

Find out how contemporary scientists’ cutting-edge research can be shared with elementary students and linked to curriculum topics. Activities and investigations which children (ages 7 to 11) can do in the classroom to mirror cutting-edge research will be demonstrated.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will learn how I bet you didn’t know… articles written in language that children can understand and accompanying Teacher Guides can be used in the classroom to increase engagement with practical activities, develop enquiry skills and an appreciation of the impact of science on real life.

SPEAKERS:
Alison Trew (Primary Science Teaching Trust: Bristol, England)

This workshop will cover technology tools for teaching essential elementary science concepts and topics to students through virtual field trips. Generally, teachers use in-person field trips to expose students to otherwise inaccessible learning resources. In some cases, such field trips come with prepared teaching materials that can be used to connect the content to important science concepts. However, teachers also need to know about technologies they can use for field trips when it is not possible for students to travel to the site due to unexpected bad weather or pandemic, or long distances. During the workshop, teachers will receive resources for virtual field trips to enhance virtual science instruction and student learning. These resources have shown the potential to aid teachers in engaging students in virtual field trips.

TAKEAWAYS:
With appropriate educational technology integration and carefully planned lessons, teachers can seamlessly shift their classes to virtual field trip instruction during unexpected school disruptions without sacrificing student engagement.

SPEAKERS:
John Ojeogwu (Student: Charlottesville, VA)

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

TAKEAWAYS:
Talk Circles enable educators to uncover student ideas and misconceptions as well as reveal students’ understanding to pave the way for further investigation.

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

Rocketry is a learning pathway - not an "event". Join Dr. Cassondra Zielinski as she takes you through the process of space-settlement design in a K-5 school. This session concentrates on designing a space settlement using paper and Lego through the SDG Sensor Kits. This is session 1 of 3.

TAKEAWAYS:
Session participants will understand how to combine NGSS, Mathematics, Art, and Technology by using a hands-on approach through space settlement design, creative lesson planning, and student interest. Participants will implement their own ideas into new lessons just like the K-5 students.

SPEAKERS:
Cassondra Zielinski (Mountain View Elementary School: Marietta, GA)

Engage in teacher play with us and ponder how light sources and open-ended materials entice children to grow executive function skills as they construct systems that produce unique images.  

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in teacher play as they handle light sources and open-ended materials and receive a handout to help them get started in preparing an environment for independent STEM experiences that can be offered daily in their PK-2 classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Beth Dykstra VanMeeteren (University of Northern Iowa: Cedar Falls, IA)

Teachers will begin the session by sharing their current understanding/practice of incorporating play in the classroom by using a “fishbowl” sharing strategy. Then they will learn the three types of play: free play, guided play, and games. They will run through a few scenarios and determine which type of play is occurring during that scenario. Teachers will then review questioning-types that could be used to help guide free play to move it toward guided play. Teachers will work in teams scripting a teacher's questions to match a given play scenario. After teachers have shared, they will have a chance to put their work in action by engaging in four guided play stations. The four stations will focus on measurement, parts of a bug, buoyancy, and engineering. Teachers will brainstorm guided questions as they play. They will have a chance to share out major takeaways using a modified four corners strategy. We will have a reflection whole group.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore strategies that enhance children's STEM learning during play in order to extend and support current play and science activities in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Judith Lozoya (Professional Development Facilitator: Phoenix, AZ), Jennifer Petersen (Professional Development Facilitator: Phoenix, AZ), Brenna Chambers (Manager of Professional Learning)

Attendees will participate in a guided walk through the process of developing inquiries to ensure students reach mastery of critical content. This will include analyzing standard(s), participating in hands on inquiry, and using a template to create inquiries for students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will understand how to plan opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding of critical content using methods that allow educators to easily monitor student progress toward mastery.

SPEAKERS:
Ryan Carlson (Orange County Public Schools: Orlando, FL), Desiree Siegel (Program Specialist Elementary Science: Orlando, FL), Matthew Timm (Orange County Public Schools: Orlando, FL), Kimberly Seaver (Orange County Public Schools: Orlando, FL)

Background information, teacher demonstrations, and fun, hands-on student explorations to better help you introduce K-3 students to the basic concepts of science and energy, as well as measurement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Help educators learn hands-on activities to introduce primary students to the basic concepts of science and energy using NEED's free curriculum while providing suggestions for use across the K-3 setting.

SPEAKERS:
Kimberly Swan (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA)

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)

Explore a seabird study and the effects of climate change. We will share our curriculum highlighting authentic data analysis, techniques used in the field, and seabird biology and the Arctic ecosystem. Come try out a fish foraging simulation, bird banding, data analysis, and the research tools!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about an integrated curriculum centering on a 48-year Arctic study and explore seabird biology and the impacts of climate change on the Arctic ecosystem. Attendees will try out a fish foraging simulation (very fun!), bird banding, data analysis, and research tools.

SPEAKERS:
Alyssa Barr (Science Teacher: Seattle, WA), Katie Morrison (University Child Development School: Seattle, WA)

Participants will explore critical components of “designed for NGSS” elementary units: phenomenon, embedded ELA resources, equity, professional learning, and assessment. Participants receive one exemplar unit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Place-based learning experiences that extend across a school year can have multiple benefits for elementary students. Designed-for NGSS units that elevate the brilliance of children must include new visions of phenomenon, embedded ELA resources, equity, professional learning, and assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network)

Explore-before-explain teaching creates conceptual understanding for students by allowing them to construct knowledge through hands-on experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in hands-on science instruction and learn why all students deserve to explore with hands-on science instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Luthi (Gwinnett County Public Schools: Suwanee, GA)

Teachers participate in hands-on lessons for Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, and 5th Grade from the free online resource inquiryinaction.org. Teachers investigate the questions: What makes it rain, are M&Ms or Skittles better dissolvers, and does baking soda or baking powder bubble the most with vinegar.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will practice using grade-appropriate explanations of atoms and molecules to help students better understand the causes of the phenomena they observe.

SPEAKERS:
James Kessler (American Chemical Society: Washington, DC)

Learn how to integrate the engineering design process and environmental education to engage students in this unit designed for upper elementary students! Participants will complete the Ocean Cleanup Challenge from the perspective of a student and learn about the Trashion Fashion Challenge.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session, participants will learn how to increase student awareness of ocean and land pollution through hands-on STEM challenges. They will also learn how to connect relevant, real world topics that matter to promote student voice.

SPEAKERS:
Meghan Marrero (Mercy University, Dobbs Ferry Campus: No City, No State), Johanna Vasquez (Trinity Elementary School: New Rochelle, NY), Terri Agravat (Trinity Elementary School: New Rochelle, NY)

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)

Discover how to build a STEM curriculum from the ground up, from ideation to final product. Design an alarm to protect your stuff, meet the STEM Quality Framework and 50+ free STEM units from Pre-K to High School, and explore amazing resources from the Dayton Regional STEM Center and DoDSTEM.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn the process of designing a high-quality STEM curriculum including; standards alignment, evaluation and improvement of curriculum and implementation within the classroom, along with a library of free, currently available unit plans and resources.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Carey (Xenia Community Schools: Xenia, OH)

Learn about the new NASA Next Gen STEM activity Sparking Participation with Real-world Experiences (SPARX), launching in school year 23-24. Explore this exciting opportunity and experience hands-on lessons from the SPARX portfolio - Priority Packing for the Moon.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave this session with an understanding of what resources will be necessary on a mission to the Moon, a knowledge of NASA SPARX, and an activity to ignite students' interest in STEM through space exploration resources.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Sebastian (Education Coordinator), Martha Lopez (Education Coordinator: Houston, TX)

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)

Do you or the educators you work with have questions about what science teaching and learning look like in classrooms implementing your state standards? Join us for a session where you will receive support to lead this module using classroom video of contemporary research-based teaching in action.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will build an understanding of sensemaking and receive a toolkit to lead this session with other educators.

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

This STEM activity includes reading a book and involves one-hour lessons over seven days. Student groups design, build, test, and analyze parachute models.

TAKEAWAYS:
Student groups learn that the engineering design process and the scientific method are circular processes as they design, build, test, and evaluate a parachute model then improve it.

SPEAKERS:
Suzanne Cunningham (Purdue University: West Lafayette, IN)

Scientific observations are deliberate, yet innate looking provides none of the skills needed to do this. In this session you'll undertake activities where the strategies and resources needed to successfully observe will be made explicit, before using your observations to communicate your learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
The strategies and resources a teacher needs to successfully support children to observer and then communicate learning.

SPEAKERS:
Jason Harding (Teacher Educator)

Protecting Whales is one of two new freely available units in the Smithsonian Science for Computational Thinking series. Learn about integrating computational thinking into your elementary STEM classroom using both hands-on and high-tech resources by using this specific third grade unit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to integrate computational thinking into the upper elementary STEM classroom using a problem-driven approach. Learn how to access everything needed to implement the 3rd grade Protecting Whales unit.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Rogers (Smithsonian Science Education Center: Washington, DC), Sarah Glassman (Smithsonian Science Education Center: Washington, DC)

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)

Experience off-screen coding/science activities that utilize science content, tools, and unplugged tasks. You will walk away with resources to show how coding is more than just computer science. Coding can be embedded within science to support concept development and sense- making.

TAKEAWAYS:
Computer Science is not something extra to teach- it is something we can use to develop key foundational skills and build conceptual understanding of core science ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Triebwasser (Hillsborough County Public Schools: Tampa, FL), Michele Wiehagen (Hillsborough County Public Schools: Tampa, FL)

Learn how you can give students an opportunity to use science concepts and skills to figure out how or why a natural phenomenon happens. This instructional approach also gives students an opportunity to use disciplinary literacy practices (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) during science.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to give students an opportunity to use science concepts and skills to make sense of natural phenomena, an opportunity to talk, read, and write in the service of sense-making, and ways to support students as they engage in real-world science while using literacy-based materials.

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

Teachers can engage their students, teach content areas and process skills, and address standards using a specific inquiry-based format. The format incorporates a two-setup discrepant event, one forming an expectation and the other resulting in unexpected outcome and thus a problem to be solved.

TAKEAWAYS:
A specific inquiry-based format allows teachers to engage students, teach content areas and science process skills, and address standards. This discrepant-event method is easy for teachers and students to learn and gives students skills needed to feel comfortable and competent when doing science.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Jean Lynch (North Central College: Naperville, IL), John Zenchak (North Central College: Naperville, IL)

Botany principals presented in unusual, indigenous myths of photosynthesis, mycorrhizal fungi, pollination, decomposers, seed diversity, forest ecology, etc. Discover elements of what makes story an effective educational tool and generate successful interdisciplinary experiences supporting science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Discover the essential elements of story and understand what makes story such an effective educational tool. Learn from indigenous myths to build the meaning of botanical/scientific concepts in the context of narrative, imagery, characterization and sensory elements.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Strauss (Author/ Storyteller: , OR)

Introduce basic energy concepts early on with hands-on lessons disguised through songs, stories, games, & chants to teach energy buzz words.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn exciting lessons that introduce and reinforce the sources of energy and energy conservation using expanded vocabulary and language arts extensions for young students.

SPEAKERS:
Kimberly Swan (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA)

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)

Although the S in STEM is science, this doesn’t mean science equals STEM. What makes a lesson STEM? Using two captivating hands-on activities, we compare STEM and science through the discussion of the value of student failure, why student choice is important, and how to integrate STEM into your scie

TAKEAWAYS:
A STEM lesson includes the possibility of failure, the opportunity for student choice, while also incorporating science standards. STEM uses processes within all the subjects included in the acronym to deepen student understanding of the content while creating skills for lifelong learning.

SPEAKERS:
Chauntèe Pitts (Professional Learning Specialist), Lauren Kelly (Crowley ISD: Fort Worth, TX)

Inclusive Community Science Workshops in schools, libraries, and communities fosters STEM learning, creativity, innovation, and identity through play, making, and positive social interactions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about instructional innovations, resources, and ideas for enhancing STEM learning and teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Jerry Valadez (Fresno State and SAM Academy CSW)

Experience language integrated science instruction and the equitable sharing of ideas as students listen, speak, read, and write about science content. We will construct an interactive word wall that visually organizes science concepts and academic vocabulary in meaningful ways.

TAKEAWAYS:
Experience language integrated science instruction. Attendees will listen, speak, read, and write as they participate in building an interactive word wall that visually displays connections between inquiry science activities and academic vocabulary and is constructed by students during class.

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

Immerse yourself in a classroom-ready lesson that creates the need to engage in Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking to build science ideas needed to explain a phenomenon young students are curious about.

TAKEAWAYS:
Elementary students engage in Using Mathematics and Computational thinking everyday as they describe, make comparisons between, and test predictions about systems in the world.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

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)

How do scientists study dark matter in a world where we only see matter? How do they study neutrinos, a subatomic particle with almost no mass, no charge, that travels near the speed of light and is constantly shifting? At the Sanford Underground Research Facility, scientists are doing just that!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with ideas for classroom strategies that support introducing difficult and abstract topics. Leveraging the SEPs, teachers can help students use what they can see to figure out things they cannot.

SPEAKERS:
Ashley Armstrong (Sanford Underground Research Facility: Lead, SD)

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)

Butterflies, birds, bees, bats, & books blend as topics and tools for teaching engaging outdoor lessons. Get hands on animal artifacts & rethink the student science journal. Interwoven throughout, suggestions for appropriate children’s literature will include books from NSTA Kids, the Outstanding Sc

TAKEAWAYS:
The main take away will be cost effective, hands on, content specific strategies for teaching appropriate NGSS standards outdoors or with materials gathered from the outdoors. integration of children's literature and strategies for science journals/notebooks will accompany each teaching strategy.

SPEAKERS:
Steve Rich (Science Author/Consultant: Atlanta, GA)

In this hands-on workshop, participants will explore an Elementary Grades Environmental Literacy learning module on the Eastern Oyster using stereo microscopes, smartphone lenses, the camera+ app, and iNaturalist to examine internal and external structures and how they support the species' survival.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science teachers will experiment with technologies and pedagogies that foster student engagement in scientific inquiry grounded in localized phenomena and environmental literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Green (University of Maryland, College Park: College Park, MD), John Frederick (Maryland Sea Grant: College Park, MD), Angela Stoltz (Asst. Clinical Faculty)

Model Eliciting Activities provide no-cost PBL, content area integration and an increase in computational thinking for students. Experience open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that reveal students’ thinking while considering constraints & tradeoffs in realistic problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn about PBL, called Model Eliciting Activities, as they experience them firsthand, analyze the required parts & hear about the research and successes it can bring to a diverse classroom. Teachers can formulate how to write their own and see the many integration areas possible.

SPEAKERS:
Jim Reynolds (STEM coordinator: Tallahassee, FL), Carrie Meyers (Curriculum Coordinator: No City, No State)

After being inspired by the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, participants will design their own musical instruments using “trash.” We will then learn how to add conductive materials to our instruments creating our own Garbage Band complete with music videos.

TAKEAWAYS:
While constructing their own musical instruments from recycled materials participants will explore conductivity as they use a variety of materials to create circuits adding to their Garbage Band experience. They will then learn how to make music videos via a green screen and iMovie.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Eades-Gill (Midland Trail High School: Hico, WV), Tiffany Pace (Cross Lanes Elementary School: Charleston, WV)

Create an electric car and race it against other participants’ cars. These cars are made using cardboard strips, paper fasteners, wooden skewers, tape and plastic wheels, in addition to motors and AA batteries, whose total cost is about $1.50.

TAKEAWAYS:
A car consists of a base, wheels, a battery, a motor and a drive system. Only one drive wheel is needed to propel the car, and the simplest drive system has this wheel attached directly to the motor.

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)

At the elementary level, having students explain what they are observing and learning in science class can be challenging. Using a strategy such as a claim, evidence, and reasoning (CER) to guide explicit instruction and student responses can immensely impact their understanding of the curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to use silly commercials to engage your elementary science students into creating detailed written responses to what they are learning in class using the CER strategy. CER will help them unlock their thinking skills in a way that can then be easily transferred to classroom content.

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

In this session, participants will work on hands-on activities and test a prototype to learn about forces using the engineering design model and translanguaging for elementary grades.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to teach about forces for elementary grade level using an engineering activity and translanguaging (English/Spanish).

SPEAKERS:
Brianna Ricker (Student: No City, No State), Max Vazquez Dominguez (University of North Georgia: Dahlonega, GA)

Ever run out of time to incorporate science into your elementary school day? The workshop model can help you conquer that problem. This tried-and-true, research-based instructional approach provides a framework for fitting an engaging, effective three-dimensional science lesson into a 30-minute bloc

TAKEAWAYS:
The workshop model isn’t just for math and literacy—elementary teachers can use this instructional approach to fit effective, engaging, hands-on science lessons into their daily instructional routine.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Bodner (Cobb County Schools & GSTA Board of Directors)

Engage in a variety of activities, collect information and resources, and network with high school-level leaders. Discover new ideas and materials that you can use next week.

TAKEAWAYS:
The participants will network with other high school-level science educators and leaders to discover and engage in activities that will expand their knowledge and be usable in all aspects of their work.

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

TAKEAWAYS:
The participants will network with other elementary-level educators of science and leaders to discover and engage in activities that will expand their knowledge and be usable in all aspects of their work.

How do our youngest students learn best? BY DOING! Come and experience some of our favorite lessons that are part of our fully integrated STEM units. From low-cost and low tech to high tech, experience how we teach STEM in our PK-3rd grade classrooms and leave with lessons you can teach next week!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience several of our favorite early childhood STEM lessons and leave with access to multiple fully integrated and standards aligned STEM units.

SPEAKERS:
Diane Trout (Academy Specialist: Athens, AL), Jennifer Kennedy (SPARK Academy at Cowart: Athens, AL)

This session introduces a way to create learning experiences that centers literacy as central to students' sensemaking as they use the DCIs, CCs, and SEPs to explain natural phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn about an approach to teaching science and literacy at the same time, supporting students learning of key science concepts will further developing their reading, writing, speaking, and listening proficiency.

SPEAKERS:
Todd Hutner (The University of Alabama: Austin, TX)

Learn how to teach your students about water using hands-on investigations. Activities include manipulating a drop of water to examine its characteristics, increasing science literacy using primary source analysis, and concentrating pond water for viewing organisms with a microscope.

TAKEAWAYS:
This workshop provides teachers with hands on ideas exploring properties of water. They learn a simple method for concentrating pond water to make finding organisms with a microscope much easier. Chemistry of water will be presented to strengthen your foundation of understanding.

SPEAKERS:
Beth Burch (Biology Professor and Lab Manager: Lake Wales, FL), Laurie Boulden (Warner University: Lake Wales, FL)

After reviewing the steps of the Engineering Design Process, educators will engage in a read-aloud story by Ashley Spires called The Most Magnificent Thing. Connections will be made between the story and the Engineering Design Process. From there, educators will put on their ‘student hats’ as they view a read-aloud of a story called Those Darn Squirrels! by Adam Rubin. With this story, educators will think like their students as they engage in an Engineering Design Process using elements from the book. For example, they will identify the problem in the story (How can Mr. Fookwire keep the squirrels away from his bird feeder?), and learn about the constraints involved. They will then brainstorm, diagram, and build their model as a team. They will also present their model and use feedback to make improvements. After experiencing the EDP, resources will be shared with teachers to assist them in designing an EDP using literature across many grade levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
Plan for upcoming STEM integrated lessons by exploring resources and brainstorming ideas with colleagues

SPEAKERS:
Brenna Chambers (Manager of Professional Learning), Judith Lozoya (Professional Development Facilitator: Phoenix, AZ), Jennifer Petersen (Professional Development Facilitator: Phoenix, AZ)

Participants will engage in STEM activities & strategies that will help their students apply the practices of science and engineering which can lead to solutions to real-world problems:. Hydroponics/Food Insecurity and the basics of Engineering Design will be highlighted for elementary grades 3-5.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will take away engaging STEM activities and strategies to help their students apply the practices of science and engineering to real-world problems.

SPEAKERS:
Tina Harris (Bedford North Lawrence High School: Bedford, IN), Carolyn Mohr (University Center of Lake County: Grayslake, IL)

BYO Device to this hands-on workshop for the Next Generation Science Assessment (NGSA) project. Explore free, high-quality, multidimensional tasks, consider how to use them for formative assessment in your elementary classrooms, and view online resources in a virtual learning

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn to access and use two related, freely available online resources that support elementary teachers’ use of NGSS-aligned assessment and instruction: A site with tasks aligned with the performance expectations for Grades 3-5 and a virtual learning community for science teachers.

SPEAKERS:
Jeanne Di Domenico (The University of Chicago: Chicago, IL), Brian Gane (University of Kansas: No City, No State), Carla Strickland (UChicago STEM Education: No City, No State)

How do we take the mystery out of abstract ideas for our kids? It’s elementary my dear, models are the answer! We will give you tools that will enable your kids to master the curriculum. We solve the mysteries so you can go back and use these ideas!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with resources and lesson ideas that they can implement the next day they are in class. Not only will they have access to the resources shown, but they will also be able to get ideas where these resources can fit into their current curriculum for the year.

SPEAKERS:
Krystal Poloka (Woodlake Unified School District: Woodlake, 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)

Meet the needs of every multilingual learner in your STEM classroom with Digital Learning Menus such as Tic-Tac-Toe, Bingo, and Restaurant style choice boards. Templates, examples, and design tips will be shared. Extend Three-Dimensional Learning with a language and literacy focus.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how digital language and literacy learning menus give multilingual learners voice and choice in a STEM classroom while focusing on Three-Dimensional Learning simultaneously.

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

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)

Come see how you can help your elementary students not only understand the science content but how the people behind the science do their work! This session will be hands-on and provide strategies, examples, and historical short stories to help students understand how science works.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with resources and examples to teach nature of science (what science is and how science works) they can use right away with their students.

SPEAKERS:
Jesse Wilcox (University of Northern Iowa: Cedar Falls, IA)

Out Teach Instructional Coaches will lead participants in a hands-on, real-world, cross-curricular experience proven to build inquiry-based skills and get students deeply engaged in sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
This interactive session will provide specific strategies for elementary teachers to engage students in 3-deminsional learning when exploring outdoor phenomena.

SPEAKERS:
Allie Graybeal (Out Teach: Fort Worth, TX), Jarri Goodman (Out Teach: Washington, DC), Teena Hine (Director of Professional Learning: , WV)

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)

A successful Family Science Night is a perfect coming together of informal science learning, community support, and schoolwide excitement. Come find out how to start or step up your STEAM family program. Target audience K-12

TAKEAWAYS:
Setup steps for a Family Science Night for elementary or middle school using activities with phenomena to engage students modified for elementary, middle school, home school, afterschool clubs and summer camps.

SPEAKERS:
Amber Hoke (Chattahoochee Elementary School: Cumming, GA), Denise Webb (Coal Mountain Elementary School: Cumming, GA)

Come to a fun, interactive workshop on integrating elementary science with math and writing. Learn how we prepare elementary science teachers to integrate across content areas in meaningful ways for students. Leave with a plan for integrating your own curriculum standards in your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students collecting data in science creates multiple possibilities to integrate math and writing. This session focuses on taking commonly used investigations and adding interdisciplinary connections. Attendees will learn strategies to integrate writing and math to argue scientific claims.

SPEAKERS:
Bailey Nafziger (Georgia Southern University), Alesia Moldavan (Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Science Education), Katie Brkich (Georgia Southern University: Statesboro, GA)

Participants will engage in real-world engineering challenges. Lessons are designed to apply scientific knowledge through problem solving solutions using everyday materials. Lessons embed the NGSS Practices and Cross Cutting Concepts to help foster a deeper understanding of engineering and content.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engineering Design is not extra, it can be part of everyday, standards-based lessons that expose students to real world problems.

SPEAKERS:
Michele Wiehagen (Hillsborough County Public Schools: Tampa, FL)

Schoolyards offer endless opportunities to engage students in three-dimensional learning within environmental education contexts. The teachers leading this workshop have direct access to a stream that served as the focus of the activities being shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
The activities and information in this workshop have been tested and will allow hands-on engagement by the participants while they learn ways to involve their own community and develop meaningful partnerships.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Hawig (Carrollton City Schools: Carrollton, GA), Brent Gilles (University of West Georgia: Carrollton, GA), Ann Catherine Cox (Carrollton Elementary School: Carrollton, GA), Stacey Britton (University of West Georgia: Carrollton, GA)

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)

This session explores the ideas behind why inquiry science is necessary when teaching young children and how it can be incorporated into already busy schedules. The session will focus on the study of how living things adapt during the winter season, regardless of geographic location.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through presentation, discussion, and activities, attendees will have the opportunity to experience and learn how to develop a hands on scientific curriculum, and then how this curriculum can be incorporated into a classroom with young children.

SPEAKERS:
Erica Green (Bellows Free Academy Fairfax: Fairfax, VT)

A team of Primary and Lower School educators will share strategies for effective implementation of STEAM through the Design Thinking Process with students in grades Pre-K - 6. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience hands-on activities and gain experience with various technologies.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to effectively implement various STEAM strategies with elementary students through hands-on activities, technologies, and literature.

SPEAKERS:
Tammy Felton (Instructor tech specialist: , GA), Amy Walker (Media Specialist: College Park, GA), Summaya Knight (Educational Technology Specialist: College Park, GA), Natalie Rachel (Woodward Academy: College Park, GA)

In this 60-minute workshop, practitioners will share best practices for engaging children in STEM learning. Participants will learn how to plan activities that invite children to explore, investigate, problem-solve, experiment, design and discover ways to improve STEM literacy and language.

TAKEAWAYS:
Workshop participants will participate in hands-on modeling of multidisciplinary best practices for engaging children in daily STEM learning.

SPEAKERS:
Meghan Marrero (Mercy University, Dobbs Ferry Campus: No City, No State), Amanda Gunning (Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry Campus: Dobbs Ferry, NY), Teresa Quackenbush (Mercy College: Dobbs Ferry, NY)

Research of informal science education institutions (ISEIs) documents the expansive and multifaceted ways that such spaces work in tandem with formal learning to support science instruction and lifelong learning (Kisiel, 2013). From a sociocultural perspective, ISEIs can be leveraged to include communities and celebrate the individual’s whole self in sense-making (Dawson, 2014; Warren et al., 2001). This presentation seeks to address the gap in ISEI opportunities for marginalized communities by sharing The Whynauts, a free virtual resource available for both English- and Spanish-speaking audiences. Using the Paleontology episode, the presenters will introduce the standards-aligned, interactive video series and engage attendees in hands-on, station-based activities. Attendees will learn how to adapt the video, educator guide, and supplemental activities for classroom use. Collectively, we will identify cross-curricular connections and discuss how to scale and differentiate the content.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain access to The Whynauts and explore ways to adapt the interactive video series and accompanying educator guides for use in teaching a variety of standards-aligned science topics.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia Ratanapraphart (STEM Content Manager: Dallas, TX)

Join STEM teachers from Cobb County Schools as we share hands on STEM learning opportunities for students in K-5. This session will be set up in a share-a-thon format. You'll be able to visit multiple teachers and collect STEM lessons, ideas, and strategies.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to network with elementary educators who integrate STEM practices into daily classroom instruction. These design challenges have been engineered to demonstrate mastery of core ideas and practices.

SPEAKERS:
Sally Creel (Cobb County School District: Marietta, GA)

Have you met Orville? He would really like to meet you and your students through the use of NASA Aeronautics lessons and activities in your PK through third grade classrooms. Come and experience NASA lessons appropriate for early learners and leave with your very own flat Orville!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn and experience NASA Aeronautics lessons that are appropriate for early childhood learners and will leave with NASA materials.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Kennedy (SPARK Academy at Cowart: Athens, AL)

Strong winds generated by hurricanes and tornadoes can lift the roof off a house. Use a model for the engineering design process that integrates the NGSS three dimensions to design a better roof.

TAKEAWAYS:
The NGSS student performance expectation addressed in this workshop is: 3-EES3-1 Make a claim about the merit of a design solution that reduces the impacts of a weather-related hazard.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Ostlund (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX)

In this 60-minute workshop, practitioners will share best practices for engaging children in STEM learning. Participants will learn how to plan activities that invite children to explore, investigate, problem-solve, experiment, design and discover ways to improve STEM literacy and language.

TAKEAWAYS:
Workshop participants will participate in hands-on modeling of multidisciplinary best practices for engaging children in daily STEM learning.

SPEAKERS:
Teresa Quackenbush (Mercy College: Dobbs Ferry, NY)

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)

Practice Morrow and Zawaski’s 5E Sky Time lessons for understanding a day, the seasons and a year, through an NGSS aligned movement and motion model.

TAKEAWAYS:
The workshop reconnects participants/students with the astronomical meaning of the day, year, and seasons.

SPEAKERS:
Coral Clark (SETI Institute: Mountain View, CA), Pamela Harman (SETI Institute: Mountain View, CA)

Looking for a way to bring meaning to data collection and analysis? Join members of the Air Camp USA Team to see how to engage students in this hands-on approach to help your students think like scientists and engineers. Make predictions, test variables, and design your perfect straw rocket!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn hands-on strategies to help students develop measurement, data collection, and analysis skills they can apply in engineering design lessons. You will learn methods to differentiate this in any K-12 setting and leave with resources for your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Shannon Coblentz (Director of Operations: Dayton, OH), Christina Davis (Air Camp USA, Inc.: Dayton, OH)

A skyrocketing global population is making us rethink how we feed people. Traditional protein sources are unequally distributed and can have devastating effects. We will be investigating how insects could help us feed the world in a more equitable and sustainable way. Bring your appetite!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how traditional ways of farming protein (poultry and cattle) negatively affect the ecological communities and explore how insects could help rectify this problem.

SPEAKERS:
Courtney Ologbosele (Teacher), Curtis Martin (Teacher)