Looking for more in your partnerships with edtech providers? Join InnerOrbit and Wicomico Science Leaders as we unpack our partnership providing sensemaking supports for science educators. We aim to provide the inspiration and structures to shape the landscape of edtech and district partnerships.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave this session with a replicable structure of partnership between a Technology Provider and District to move the needle on Sensemaking in High School. Additionally, lessons learned will be shared to give attendees a strong foundation to build upon in their future partnerships.

SPEAKERS:
Hemalatha Bhaskaran (Wicomico County Public Schools: Salisbury, MD)

In this session we will look at how engaging students in the practice of Developing and Using Models over the course of a unit can be used for different purposes. Participants will experience building a consensus model and reflect on how building a class consensus model is an important step in ensuring that all members of the learning community can contribute to the knowledge building and that ALL students have access to the ideas the class agrees moves the understanding forward. We will also highlight how models are a powerful way to uncover new questions students may have, requiring students to dig for a deeper understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
Developing and using scientific models allows all students to be integral members of the knowledge-building community.

SPEAKERS:
Holly Hereau (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

What would it look like if we designed all aspects of the assessment system to prioritize impact on instruction and students? We will discuss key principles for designing systems, and examples and implications for state, district, and classroom assessments.

TAKEAWAYS:
Systems of assessment can center students and instruction, and simultaneously surface trustworthy information for decision-making–if they are intentionally designed to do so.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Cooper (Contextus)

The Stackable, Instructionally-embedded, Portable Science (SIPS) Assessments project is applying current research, theory, and best practice to establish replicable and scalable processes and resources to drive shifts to science instructional practice and assessment as envisioned by the Framework.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators’ ability to design and implement high quality 3-dimensional science instruction, evaluate student learning, and make appropriate instructional decisions will be modeled. Beneficial tools and resources will be shared to ensure a coherent system of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Charlene Turner (Senior Associate: Laramie, WY), Mary Nyaema (University of Illinois Chicago: Chicago, IL), Rhonda True (Nebraska Department of Education: Lincoln, NE), Bill Herrera (edCount, LLC: No City, No State)

We will share how we implemented current educational research to create a learning environment that supports learners of all abilities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will understand the educational research supporting a shift away from traditional grading and describe methods of implementation that address issues of equity, differentiation, peer interactions, and more.

SPEAKERS:
David Frangiosa (Pascack Valley Regional High School District: Montvale, NJ)

Data from exams over the last several years has revealed what we maybe already knew. Students have misconceptions about Biology content. This session will illuminate what those misconceptions are and what data tells us about what the students really think.

TAKEAWAYS:
The main takeaway from this session will be how to meet student misconceptions head-on and help guide students away from their confusion and towards correct knowledge.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Neesemann (Bay Ridge Prep: Brooklyn, NY), Catherine Walsh (College Board: Alachua, FL)

Grading that supports student sensemaking doesn't have to keep you at school all night. Learn approaches to grading that prioritize 3D sensemaking and utilize technology, collaboration, and existing resources so you have can your evenings back.

TAKEAWAYS:
The process of giving feedback and assigning grades is easier when there are strong materials and assessments to build from and technology can help make it faster without decreasing effectiveness for students.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Delaney (OpenSciEd: San Carlos, CA)

Science notebooks can be a powerful tool for students to capture their thinking and chart growth in learning. But, how can notebooks be assessed to help students grow in their science and engineering practices? Proficiency rubrics will be shared to allow teachers and students to assess notebooks.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave this session with 4 different proficiency scales to assess student notebooks through the science and engineering practices. While notebooks should not be assessed as “right and wrong,” they can be used to help students grow in their science and engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
Chelsie Byram (Central Rivers Area Education Agency: Cedar Falls, IA), Mandie Sanderman (Central Rivers Area Education Agency: Cedar Falls, IA)

In this interactive session, we share important lessons learned through our work with states, educators, and developers to support equitable systems of science assessment. These lessons can help us develop better 3D assessment tasks, processes, and systems that lead to better outcomes for learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Three dimensional assessment design is tricky - come join us to discuss how we can take a systems approach and develop better 3D assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Katie Van Horne (Concolor Research: Orlando, FL)

We have developed a flexible, equitable assessment strategy that can be applied to all levels, grades and courses, that keeps students engaged and accountable. Even better, it can be scaled: used by an individual or by an entire district. We call this the Learning Progression Model.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will understand how learning progressions are used to assess student learning, provide descriptive feedback, set goals, evaluate teaching, and report out achievement.

SPEAKERS:
Elise Naramore (Pascack Hills High School: Montvale, NJ)

The session will consist of modeling how to flip a traditional classroom. Participants will learn how to create a Pear Deck, use Screencatisfy and EdPuzzle to flip their classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with the basic knowledge of how to flip their classroom and be able to implement the strategies immediately into their classroom so that they are able to increase equity and inclusion.

SPEAKERS:
Cecelia Gillam (Hahnville High School: La Place, LA)

Starting with eliciting students' initial ideas, experience a responsive teaching sense-making structure to take students through a process of developing conceptual understanding of core disciplinary ideas in science using NSTA's highly Uncovering Student Ideas in Science Formative Assessment Probes

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to transition from diagnostic probes to formative assessment and responsive teaching by taking students through a sense-making structure to change or further develop their initial ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Page Keeley (NSTA Past President: No City, No State)

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)

COESEE - Join us to learn more about assessment of elementary science learning using elementary learning stories.

TAKEAWAYS:
Creating student learning stories can help support assessment in elementary classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Molly Ewing (The Charles A. Dana Center: No City, No State)

A school's MTSS focus is often on math and literacy skills and scores, leaving some science teachers to wonder, "How does my science classroom fit in MTSS?". In this session, we will explore ways to identify students that need Tier 2 science supports and provide them with the assistance they need.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science teachers can utilize formative assessments, unit planning, and creative engagement strategies to provide their science students with Tier 2 support, (regardless if the school building provides an intervention period) resulting in improved student outcomes.

SPEAKERS:
Adam Moss (Northwest Area Education Agency: Sioux City, IA)

Sensemaking with the three dimensions is the focal construct we want to measure in science assessments - not the phenomenon or problem or the three-dimensions. Join us for a deep dive into centering sensemaking in 3D assessment design.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with examples of 3D sensemaking in assessment tasks and activities for building better assessments that elicit sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Cooper (Contextus), Katie Van Horne (Concolor Research: Orlando, FL)

Discover an NGSS-aligned, student-driven unit where students are conservation biologists who participate in rigorous opportunities by taking responsibility for their learning, reading scientific papers, analyzing real data, and developing a solution to propose in a culminating exhibition.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with an understanding of how a unit can be designed with a blended approach to project-based learning, standards-based grading, and NGSS as well as with thorough unit resources such as assessments, proficiency rubrics, students exemplars, text sets, and learning tasks.

SPEAKERS:
Allison Wise (American Community School of Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)

What is the big deal with a phenomenon—and how is it structured for science learning? A phenomenon drives three-dimensional science instruction. Join this session to discuss the importance of phenomena as well as what it is and what it isn’t. Resources will be shared!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the importance phenomena plays in 3D Science instruction , instructional strategies to use when sensemaking. and how to assess student learning using phenomenon-based assessment tasks.

SPEAKERS:
Judie Beccaro (Georgia Department of Education: Atlanta, GA)

The purpose of this session is to explain how NGSS-aligned state assessments are developed alongside our state partners. We will use our Item Review Framework to analyze a sample item from New Meridian and ask participants to compare/contrast that with released items from their state. This comparison will provide teachers with the tools they need to review their own state assessment content and provide evidence for the changes they would like to see enacted within their state program.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with a better understanding of how state-wide assessments are created and the role educators can play in influencing the direction of those assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Lazzaro (New Meridian Corporation: austin, TX)

Students in the general education science classes have multiple abilities by which they learn. With more districts turning to the use of technology in the classroom for all students, targeted technology can aid in deeper comprehension and retention of biological content.

TAKEAWAYS:
Biology is a difficult science to master with its broad content and specific terminology that can be tricky to understand, however for students with moderate/severe disabilities and ASD it can be more frustrating and more extensive supports need to be put into place to allow for student success.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Minton (Houston High School: Germantown, TN)

Learn how to create NGSS-focused middle school integrated STEM projects that won’t break the bank. Take home rubrics, guides, lesson plans, timelines, and other ideas.

TAKEAWAYS:
Integrated STEM no longer needs to be a separate elective or after school activity. Integrated STEM activities can be aligned with NGSS standards and provide a unique way to assess learning while also teaching integrated STEM skills.

SPEAKERS:
Vanessa Ueltzen (Walther Christian Academy: Melrose Park, IL)

Looking to help your students reflect both as an individual and as a learning community as they make sense of the world around them? In this session, participants will explore tools and techniques that provide opportunities for students to develop their social and emotional skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore all of the tools and techniques that are provided in OpenSciEd units that allow students to improve their social-emotional learning skills as they reflect on community agreements, class discussions, and working as a team.

SPEAKERS:
Thomas Clayton (K-5 STEAM Specialist: Berkeley Heights, NJ)

Problematizing phenomena requires that tasks pose productive uncertainties related to a phenomenon or problem explicitly to students. During this interactive session, participants will analyze various assessments and artifacts for how problematizing is an integral part of the assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage with well problematized assessment scenarios and will have access to these assessments for future use.

SPEAKERS:
Dawn Novak (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Sara Cooper (Contextus)

Come and learn how to transform your classroom instruction, increase engagement, and more importantly empower your students to put their knowldege into practice. In this session you will learn how to incorporate project and problem based learning into your science class, as well as see real examples

TAKEAWAYS:
How to plan for and implement project and problem based learning into the Science classroom.

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

Ungrading! Have you thought about the implications of you assigning grades to your students. What if instead you asked your students the grade themselves on their learning? This session will present the pros and pitfalls of what this looks like in the high school chemistry classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Once the stress and challenges of the teacher giving grades to the students is removed the students are allowed to focus on the learning. Imagine how your classroom will change for the better.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Fitzner (Chemistry Teacher: Beverly Hills, MI)

Looking for ways to personalize learning and implement the 5E's (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), come learn how to use Choice & Voice, Varied Strategies, & Flexible Pacing to promote Mastery of Standards

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to see student exemplars of Choice & Voice, and PBL. They will see how ISTE, NSQ standards, 5 E's of Science come together to promote student engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Gaganjot Singh (Fulton Virtual)

We all make assumptions about how we think students will respond to our seemingly basic questions on what they know. We also assume that they are thinking what we are thinking – until they tell us.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn to work with research-based misconceptions that students hold across grade bands in the physical sciences in order to incorporate those into assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Crockett (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian: Cambridge, MA)

Learn how to use the Uncovering Student Ideas probes in an explore-before-explain instructional sequence to support a classroom where all students' ideas matter!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about a resource for formative assessment and explore-before-explain teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Page Keeley (NSTA Past President: No City, No State), Patrick Brown (Fort Zumwalt School District R-II: O'Fallon, MO)

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)

In this session, we will share how to use NGSS performance expectations to design classroom assessments. Sample assessments will be provided that require students to incorporate models and use evidence to support their responses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will come away with both examples of assessments and tools for developing their own three-dimensional assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole McRee (KCSD#96), Tracy Eschrich (KCSD96: No City, No State)

Teaching literacies in your secondary classroom is not typically on top of your to-do list, but they are equally important, so we will share how we build various literacies into our lab reports. Strategies will be backed by cognitive and science education research and rubrics will be provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to develop, implement, and evaluate a lab report utilizing various literacies and a deeper understanding of the Nature of Science.

SPEAKERS:
Althea Roy (Clemson University: Clemson, SC), Tiffany Jones (South Cobb High School: Austell, GA)

This session will introduce teachers to a variety of note-booking techniques that will increase student engagement and excitement for learning. Students will take pride in their notebooks and therefore increase the level of effort they put into their work.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will provide teachers and administrators with various strategies to differentiate learning for English Language Learners, Special Education Students, and General Education Students and accurately assess student learning through note-booking. By using our notebook format students will d

SPEAKERS:
Darren Wells (Mather Elementary School: Dorchester, MA), Karen Ziminski (EMK Academy for Health Careers: Boston, MA)

Claim Evidence and Reasoning a strategy to increase engagement and assess student learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will use the Claim Evidence and Reasoning protocol to check student content knowledge, increase discourse and improve literacy.

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

This is session #4 in the PL Committee CCCs Pathway and is designed to support K-12. The crosscutting concepts provide a consistent language for student communication. When teachers’ assessment prompts are designed with the crosscutting concepts, the focus of student thinking can be directed to different aspects of the phenomenon or, the system being investigated. Patterns may be used as evidence to support explanations or arguments for the causes of a phenomenon. Participants will explore the progression of Crosscutting Concepts throughout a student’s K-12 career. They will consider phenomenon and discuss several appropriate prompts that bring different CCCs to the forefront (patterns, scale, systems). Participants will engage with the process of developing assessment prompts which use the Crosscutting Concepts to initiate student sensemaking responses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participant will leave with resources that guide their development and use of Crosscutting Concepts to focus student sensemaking on assessments. These can be integrated with assessments prompts which are aligned to Science and Engineering Practices and Disciplinary Core Ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Leah Litz (Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium: No City, No State), Christopher Soldat (Grant Wood Area Education Agency: Cedar Rapids, IA)

You made the learning three dimensional in your classroom; now it's time to do the same for your grading.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Ways to help students focus on learning more than gradesl 2. Systems of efficient grading that make meaningful feedback possible; and 3. Tips to have students participate in telling their learning story.

SPEAKERS:
Hannah Kiser (Pullman High School: Pullman, WA), Johanna Brown (Washington State OSPI)

Equip all students with the ability to succeed. Two high school teachers pair up to create lessons for special education biology students to focus on student achievement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Gain ideas and strategies to help reach all students at all levels of learning.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Minton (Houston High School: Germantown, TN)

Feeling timid about embracing the challenge of engaging students in fun and creative engineering design challenges? The presenter will share a method for structuring, scaffolding, and assessing student growth and learning during NGSS aligned engineering design challenges.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engaging students in the engineering design process fosters life long skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. Assessment of engineering design should focus on these skills rather than the overall success or failure of a student designed project.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Stasi (Retired Secondary Science Educator: , IL)

Gradebooks can be a powerful tool for communicating student learning with students & families. Using open-source lessons, I will share a gradebook build design I have used to offer a fairer, comprehensive record of student learning with three-dimensional standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Gradebooks are not a "necessary evil" for 3D learning. You will see a model gradebook and complete an example analysis of student work and practice with a gradesheet.

SPEAKERS:
Kerri Wingert (Good Question Research: Boulder, CO)

Have you given back assignments, after spending hours writing detailed comments, only to have students look at the grade, shrug, and stuff them away? Using feedback is an important and teachable skill. I will describe several effective approaches to get students to read and use that feedback.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will develop of research-based rationale for practicing the skill of “Using Feedback”, that can be used to create a scoring rubric to guide student growth in this area. They will examine several examples of student work, and score them using the rubric.

SPEAKERS:
Elise Naramore (Pascack Hills High School: Montvale, NJ)

Learn strategies for introducing CER writing and strengthening students’ CER writing skills through scaffolded training, peer feedback, teacher feedback, and revision. Rubrics, task templates, and sample tasks will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn strategies for training their students to effectively write CER responses, how to best format practice tasks, and how to provide feedback on responses.

SPEAKERS:
Steve Kuninsky (Science Teacher/Instructional Coach: Lawrenceville, GA)

Join NSTA Professional Learning Facilitators for informal conversations about science teaching and learning. Bring questions and ideas to explore and discuss — no topic is too big or too small! Let’s work together to make science learning engaging, important, and accessible to all students.

TAKEAWAYS:
We’ll draw on the expertise of NSTA professional learning facilitators and educators in the room to answer questions, provide research-based feedback, and share resources to help you continue to shift your practice toward three-dimensional teaching and learning.

A virtual reality chemistry activity was evaluated as a supplement to laboratory instruction for first-year college chemistry classes. Student self-evaluation of confidence in certain lab activities was surveyed prior to and post VR session.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Virtual reality offers an engaging and kinesthetic way to supplement lab-based instruction; 2. The virtual environment can evaluate student lab performance on a level that can't be duplicated in a laboratory setting; and 3. VR offers an effective source of remediation for students lagging in labo

SPEAKERS:
Donald Carpenetti (Craven Community College: New Bern, NC)

This session will go over formative assessment techniques that will improve student participation and reflection. A year long study performed on this homework technique indicated 99% student homework completion and an over 80% reattempt rate on assignments.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with the knowledge of how to create formative assessments to increase participation and reflection in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
James Evans (Professor of Chemistry)

National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Frameworks are developed through a comprehensive, inclusive, and deliberative process​. The frameworks describe the content and format of a NAEP assessment​ including: (1) what to measure at each grade​, (2) how to measure it​, and (3) how achievement levels are to be represented. ​The frameworks are written for a diverse audience of educators, policymakers, and the public​. The NAEP Science Assessment covers: Physical Science, Life Science and Earth and Space Sciences. It includes four science practices (1) Identifying Science Principles (2) Using Science Principles (3) Using Scientific Inquiry (4) Using Technological Design. Results for grades 4, 8, and 12 are reported. In this session, members from the NAEP Steering and Development panels will give an overview of the recommendations for the NAEP Science Framework, gather ideas, answer questions, and provide information about submitting public comment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will have an understanding of NAEP, the recommended revisions to the NAEP Science Framework, and how to submit public comment on the proposed revisions.

SPEAKERS:
Heather Morley (Science Teacher: Hinesburg, VT)

Learn how communicating student progress with standards based grading can improve achievement and drive student growth for all learners in science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how standards based grading can be applied in their individual classroom setting, regardless of grade level, subject, or local school grading policies, and how targeted feedback improves instruction and increases learning.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Kelly (Teacher: No City, No State)

An online network learning environment (ONLE) is one built and run by instructors and educators to create a network for students and their PLE's (personal learning environments). ONLE strategies allow for collaboration and enhanced learning communities. Strategies such as creating a participatory web environment, widget and social-network linkages, and use of IvfoViz will be explored. This style of learning supports both constructivist and connectivist learning theories. Explore a model lesson using these strategies. Be ready to walk away with ways to include these strategies in your own lessons whether you have in-person or online students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to infuse ONLE strategies in your lessons which support various learning needs and enhance collaboration. These strategies support in-class and online learners. Discover how they can support your students.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Williams-Clermont (Science Teacher), Nikki Gutierrez (Science Teacher: No City, No State)

Join us and learn how to incorporate Kagan cooperative grouping structures into your science curriculum. Your students will benefit from these research-supported strategies that are easy to implement and flexible enough to meet your needs.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will model each structure as our participants join in. This experience will help participants develop a sense of efficacy and confidence to add these structures to their own programming. Each participant will leave confident in his/her ability to use three different cooperative groups structures.

SPEAKERS:
Traci Kell (Assistant Professor of Education: , AL), Grace Langston (Student: , AL), Tami Shelley (Auburn University at Montgomery: Montgomery, AL), Nicholas Bourke (Auburn University at Montgomery: Montgomery, AL)

Students in the first semester of the General Chemistry sequence participated in a peer-teaching exercise and were subsequently evaluated for information retention and test anxiety. Students participating in peer-teaching scored on average 20% higher on a final exam question.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students participating in peer-teaching scored on average 20% higher on a final exam question than those who participated in a non-peer-teaching review. This increased retention was shown to carry over into the subsequent semester in students participating in General Chemistry II.

SPEAKERS:
Donald Carpenetti (Craven Community College: New Bern, NC)

Making observations about the world around us and being able to record that in written and drawn form is a skill critical for scientists. In the elementary classroom, students comprehension greatly increases when observation skills are expanded. Learn how to increase this within your own classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to engage your students as scientists in a new way, drawing! Understand the basics of drawing and how it connects to scientific observations. These simple and easy steps will transform the scientific drawings your students are creating during class to increase their overall comprehension.

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

Research shows that writing enhances learning outcomes. In place of long research papers, low stakes writing was incorporated in an online geoscience course. This presentation will demonstrate various strategies to incorporate low stakes writing in an online course to facilitate learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Low stakes writing assignments (worth a small percent of the final grade) are a great way to increase student engagement with the material, apply topics to a student's local area, increase critical thinking and improve scientific writing skills.

SPEAKERS:
Christa Haney (Mississippi State University: Mississippi State, MS)

This presentation will cover an effective coding strategy that our team has applied to evaluate initiatory and responding practices during student teaching. Pre-service and in-service teachers are encouraged to transcribe and analyze audio recordings of classroom interactions for self-evaluation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be introduced to (1) a recommended chart for coding teacher/student interactions, and (2) the value of self-evaluation in improving teaching practices with the goal of promoting student engagement and dialogue.

SPEAKERS:
Allie Randall (7th Grade Science Teacher), Sharon Davis (Student Teacher: No City, No State), Christie Chow (University of Georgia: Athens, GA)

Describing, producing, and brainstorming the creative concept of Explainer Sheets as a way to engage all students and assess their understanding of the science standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Bring the freedom of creativity into the everyday science lesson!

SPEAKERS:
Matt Brady (Atkins High School: Winston-Salem, NC)

How can we, as educators, promote life-long learning and a growth mindset? Provide opportunities for reassessment. Give students the chance to demonstrate their new learning of concepts and skills. This is not a retake or a “do-over”, but an honest demonstration of proficiency.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with an understanding of the importance of reassessment and tools for managing and facilitating the process in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Allison Wise (American Community School of Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)

Through the reflective process students have the opportunity to grow as learners. Using this contemplative tool, students develop a deeper understanding of their own learning process and how to grow as a result of the reflection.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will receive a tool to support student growth as learners and contemplate applicability to their own classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Tara Bonebrake (The Summit Preparatory School: Springfield, MO)

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)

Engage in an interactive panel discussion exploring the importance of English language arts skills for STEM career success, and strategies for building English language arts skills through K-12 science and engineering practices in a sensemaking model.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave the session with ideas for using K-12 science and engineering practices to enhance student acquisition of communication and media literacy skills necessary for success in STEM careers.

SPEAKERS:
Liz Martinez (Curriculum/Professional Development: Escondido, CA), Elizabeth Allan (University of Central Oklahoma: Edmond, OK), Loris Chen (Science Education Consultant: Fair Lawn, NJ)

Did you know that using gamification and game-based learning can create a more engaging and interactive learning environment? Learn the difference be gamification and game-based learning. Explore ways that each method can be used in your classroom (with any content). Try both technology-rich examples as well as non-tech or low-tech options. Learn about the research supporting gaming models in the classroom and how it can be used in a way to support learning content, building collaboration, and supporting socio-emotional skills. Come and join us for some learning and of course some fun games! Walk away with ideas you can use immediately with your learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore in an interactive manner how gamification and game-based learning supports collaborative learning, builds intrinsic student motivation, and even supports socio-emotional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Williams-Clermont (Science Teacher), Nikki Gutierrez (Science Teacher: No City, No State)

Hear experiences of implementing a Project Based Learning approach, based upon the Sprocket AP Environmental Science Curriculum, to increase engagement for diverse learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to modify the Sprocket PBL curriculum to create culturally responsive teaching and learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Pavic (Glenbrook South High School: Glenview, IL)

When returned tests end up crumpled in lockers, important learning opportunities are lost. Help build metacognitive awareness, identify trends, and reward students’ grit using assessment "wrappers."

TAKEAWAYS:
Leave with teacher-created modifiable documents you can use next week to help your students evaluate their learning, preparation, and performance on assessments to strengthen their learning experience and metacognitive awareness.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Smith (Harpeth Hall School)

Allowing students to work at their own pace within the framework of a highly structured classroom leads to true differentiation and increases equity. The many pros, and few cons, to this classroom practice will be discussed, as well as practical techniques for implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
An introduction to self-paced learning and how you can successfully implement it in your course, leading to true differentiation and increased equity.

SPEAKERS:
Heather Mallory (Instructor of Biology: Durham, NC)

This session uses real life experiences teaching and designing a course on art and infectious diseases to highlight how art can be a powerful interdisciplinary tool to teach and assess students understanding of microbiology.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn strategies for using art in microbiology while becoming familiar with contemporary bioartists; attendees will also appreciate how art can provide students with a creative outlet and coping mechanism, as well as providing opportunities to process recent experiences with COVID-19.

SPEAKERS:
Stefanie Iverson Cabral (University of Washington Bothell: Bothell, WA)

Learn how we leveraged the UN Sustainable Development Goals and global partnerships to create authentic three-dimensional summative assessment experiences for our elementary students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to unpack NGSS Performance Expectations, match them with UN Sustainable Development Goals and create high quality standards-based assessments that incorporate authentic audiences.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Ricks (American Community School of Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates)

When we broaden our idea of assessment beyond traditional paper and pencil tests, we give our students the opportunity to demonstrate their learning in both creative ways and real world applications of Earth Science concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Assessment can take a number of different forms that are more relevant than traditional paper and pencil tests. These assessments are particularly valuable for Earth Science Students who struggle with traditional assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Vanessa Ueltzen (Walther Christian Academy: Melrose Park, IL)

Finding the time in your class schedule to reteach content can be daunting, especially with frequent absenteeism and different degrees of understanding. Learn how self-paced structures can be leveraged to create time for your students to achieve mastery of each learning target in a sustainable way.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will receive multiple frameworks for immediately implementing self-paced structures in their classroom. Materials include sample class schedules, pacing trackers, and lesson templates to fit students’ needs in any classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Hannah Reed (The University of Alabama: Tuscaloosa, AL)

The STEM Scholar program was created to aid in the goal of diversifying the STEM workforce, by supporting the best and brightest students from underrepresented populations in their pursuit of STEM. Our program’s goal is to increase the number of diverse students from underrepresented populations graduating with degrees in STEM, through recruitment and retention efforts, and leadership development, while strengthening TCU’s academic community and contributing to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The foundation for these scholar’s success is laid during the required Summer Enrichment Program (SEP). The SEP is a four-week experience, designed to acclimate students to the rigors of STEM and higher education. During the summer program our students complete a 3-credit hour critical thinking course in STEM, live on campus, maintain on campus employment and participate in a variety of professional, metacognitive, and personal development experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants can pull from a real-life case study on how to lay the framework for supporting, assessing, and creating a successful program that promotes retention of underrepresented student populations as they pursue education and careers in STEM.

SPEAKERS:
Zoranna Jones (Assistant Dean: Fort Worth, TX), José Luis Cano (Graduate Assistant: Fort Worth, TX), Brianna Edwards (Assistant Director of Institutional Effectiveness: Fort Worth, TX)

Good questions help us assess student’s learning, but are we asking the right – or best – questions?

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn the nuances of assessment without bias or excess difficulty that reaches all students.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Sadler (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian: Cambridge, MA), Cynthia Crockett (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian: Cambridge, MA)

This session will explore strategies to ensure students are receiving the opportunities and coaching necessary to develop proficiency in the science and engineering practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will understand the roles of guided and independent practice, when to use each, and a system for supporting students as they engage with the science and engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
David Frangiosa (Pascack Valley Regional High School District: Montvale, NJ)

What’s a good assessment? Learn what to look for (or include) in an effective assessment that tracks students’ 3D learning related to middle school PEs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn about key features for summative, benchmark 3D assessments designed to be used in any NGSS-aligned middle school classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Wendy Jackson (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Ben Koo (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Maia Binding (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Ever had a project fail? Too difficult or easy? Students make great products but without actually learning or using the content? We will share our journey of learning to plan better projects through a way of thinking anchored in real-world engineering ideology: thinking in Solution/Problem Space.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn to consider how the criteria and constraints you set for a project will affect the Solution Space your students must navigate. This will help you avoid trivial or unaligned solutions, as well as more easily create projects with rich potential for students to create imaginative solutions.

SPEAKERS:
Patrick McClanahan (Teacher: Suwanee, GA)

The session engages participants in the process of developing three-dimensional multiple-choice assessment items to be used as a component of classroom instruction. The focus is on the role of phenomena and crosscutting concepts in assessing student understanding of practices and core ideas.

TAKEAWAYS:
Process for developing three-dimensional multiple-choice assessment items. Strategies for measuring student understanding of core ideas, practices, and of crosscutting concepts. Understanding the central role of phenomena in assessing student application of scientific knowledge.

SPEAKERS:
Juan-Carlos Aguilar (Georgia Dept. of Education: Brookhaven, GA)

During this session participants will learn practical strategies for developing, implementing, and differentiating three-dimensional assessments. Participants will develop an understanding of three-dimensional assessments by engaging in activities to support discussion around how and why three-dimensional assessment tasks and instructional tasks share many similarities. We will discuss how a three-dimensional assessment task attends to access and equity using differentiation strategies already embedded into the task. Participants will also gain experience evaluating student learning across the three dimensions using authentic student work samples. We will also use these examples to discuss strategies and tips for developing success criteria for grading that allows for interrater reliability.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain a stronger understanding of how to use three-dimensional assessments to evaluate student learning.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA), Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Explore classroom-tested techniques that shift the focus to learning, boost engagement, and de-emphasize grades.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to build a flexible framework that takes students through a learning progression as they engage with science practices and content.

SPEAKERS:
David Frangiosa (Pascack Valley Regional High School District: Montvale, NJ)

In the past 20 years, we've learned so much about the brain. Come learn about, or get data to back up, some neuroscience-backed best practices to help students stay engaged and motivated while also combatting the devastating impacts of stress, anger, and trauma.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn brain-based best practices to transform school culture and instructional time.

SPEAKERS:
Katie Busch (The University of Alabama at Birmingham: Birimingham, AL)

Join NSTA Professional Learning Facilitators for informal conversations about science teaching and learning. Bring questions and ideas to explore and discuss — no topic is too big or too small! Let’s work together to make science learning engaging, important, and accessible to all students.

TAKEAWAYS:
We’ll draw on the expertise of NSTA professional learning facilitators and educators in the room to answer questions, provide research-based feedback, and share resources to help you continue to shift your practice toward three-dimensional teaching and learning.