Explore the use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) a freshwater fish at the forefront of biomedical research and easily maintained in a classroom aquarium, to spark ALL students’ curiosity and scientific engagement with real-life science experiences through multiple-learning modalities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learning how zebrafish and low-budget pet store supplies can be used to engage diverse learners in multimodal (visual, kinesthetic) real-life science learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Vinita Hajeri (The University of Texas at Dallas: Richardson, TX)

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)

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)

Want to make phenomena come alive for your students? Well use live animals for your phenomena! In this session, Samuel Pruitt will show how to use the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) teaching strategy and an array of live reptiles as phenomena to teach biology and environmental science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) and live animals in biology and environmental science phenomena can provide critical to learning and can be motivational to students. This session will blend the CER teaching strategy with the interest that comes from using live reptiles in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Samuel Pruitt (Biology/Environmental Science Teacher: , GA)

Experience two novel instructional routines supporting the integration of NGSS Crosscutting Concepts; learn how these routines can be used to foster belonging in science classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will come away with a deeper understanding of how to use the CCCs to foster belonging in science classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Joy Otibu (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY), Andrea Sau (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY)

test SCST 1.1 Engaging 1st- and 2nd-Year College Students with Science and Engineering Near-space experiments (NSEs) using high-altitude ballooning are offered to engage 1st- and 2nd-year college students to foster learning through science and engineering practices. NSEs are student-generated to build off students’ curiosities, perspectives, expressions, and sense of discovery. SCST 1.2 Fostering the Information Literacy of Community College Anatomy & Physiology Students Many students experience difficulty locating, evaluating, using, and communicating reliable information. Strategies to foster information literacy among A&P students will be presented. Students demonstrated an increased ability to evaluate claims and improved self-perception of critical thinking. SCST 1.3 Developing Literacy in the Science Classroom: Strategies that Transcend Grade Levels Literacy strategies that foster speaking, writing, reading, and listening engage students in the content, identify misconceptions, and optimize teachers’ instructional time. College science students identified Carousel and ABC brainstorming as their favorite literacy activities.

SPEAKERS:
Derrick Nero (University of Nebraska Omaha: Omaha, NE), Renee Clary (Mississippi State University: Mississippi State, MS), Cheston Saunders (Southeastern Community College: Whiteville, NC)

Join us to learn how to introduce the practices of modeling and scientific argumentation at the beginning of the school year by using phenomenon-based instruction. We will share how our Biology PLC helped students to define a model for life that could be used to determine if a virus is living .

TAKEAWAYS:
Phenomena can serve as a way to introduce and build skills in the science practices. Students will develop a model based on one organism and use that model to construct an argument about whether a virus is living.

SPEAKERS:
Crystal McDowell (Greenbrier High School: Evans, GA)

In this session we will showcase how to unpack the NGSS Science Standards to develop transparent rubrics. We will showcase how to use the rubric for backwards planning and what formative process to follow so students can set their own success criteria.

TAKEAWAYS:
Setting students to be successful in your Science Classes by Backward planning and setting success criteria.

SPEAKERS:
Rodrigo Diaz (Science Teacher: Managua, 0)

This session will focus on sharing instructional modules that have been developed to facilitate relationships between herbaria and high school students to highlight the importance of plants and preserving botanical specimens.

TAKEAWAYS:
Many times, plants are overlooked and considered less significant than animals. This is known as Plant Awareness Disparity. Participants in this session will learn about free instructional modules that will help high school students connect with plants through exploring their own botanical history

SPEAKERS:
Rachel May (Graduate Student), Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)

Learn how to engage your students with the rich phenomena around the mismatch between our human body physiology and our modern environment, using a free, EQuIP-reviewed unit designed for HS NGSS.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will develop a vision for how to use engineering practices to teach genetics and epigenetics while creating a more engaging and inclusive classroom environment for all learners

SPEAKERS:
Joy Otibu (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY), Andrea Sau (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY)

Listen, reflect and be challenged by district leaders who are leading change in the composition of high school Science and Math classrooms. Walk in the footsteps of DAV, a Biology student, as she is introduced to an educational experience designed to challenge her and her teachers' self-efficacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
The session will addressing some of the Systemic Barriers to Advanced Placement STEM Courses and future careers in STEM fields and reflect on ways we are changing the teacher and student efficacies about “math and science persons”

SPEAKERS:
Alina Castillo (Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools: Chapel Hill, NC), Valerie Sellars (Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools)

test SCST 2.1 Comparing learning outcomes across different course delivery methods: face-to-face, online and video conferencing Do students learn better in a face-to-face, online or video conference course? The COVID-19 pandemic provided opportunity to help answer this question by allowing comparison of student learning outcomes in a human anatomy course taught using each of these modalities over the course of the pandemic. SCST 2.2 Digital Media Assignments in Online Geoscience Classrooms: Engaging Students and Building Community Digital media assignments allow students to share knowledge in nontraditional ways. This presentation showcases online geoscience courses that use media assignments, includes discussion of advantages and challenges and components required for creation of multimedia assignments for online class. SCST 2.3 Quality Matters: Our Experiences in Building Online College Courses to be Quality Matters-certified Quality Matters (QM) is an organization that ensures quality control in online instruction. Two professors will discuss the process for QM certification in their online courses. This presentation will discuss experiences and lessons learned to better assist others in the QM review process.

SPEAKERS:
Renee Clary (Mississippi State University: Mississippi State, MS), Thayne Sweeten (Utah State University: , UT), Athena Nagel (Mississippi State University: Mississippi State, MS)

Simple, easy, and inexpensive methods for starting an indoor school garden, even with limited space or no windows

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will give teachers pratical ideas about how to grow plants in a classroom setting

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Kurson (Collegiate School: New York, NY)

Equity-mindedness and meaningful inclusion is achieved with identification and belonging in the biology curriculum. This NSF-funded research project uses the lived experiences and narratives of Black heritage and Gullah-Geechee African Americans to facilitate the learning of biology concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about the connection between identification and belonging and equitable classroom practices and science content. The research literature is used to describe how the emergent themes from the free curriculum resources shared brings equity into the biology lesson.

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Quinlan (Howard University)

Techniques such as CRISPR, mitochondrial transfer, and mRNA therapeutics have opened up new possibilities for genetic manipulation, bringing with them new possibilities that can energize the biology curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be introduced to high interest case studies/phenomena to engage their students in human molecule biology and gene therapy.

SPEAKERS:
Kenneth Miller (Brown University: Providence, RI)

Engage your Forensics students with a few of my favorite labs, investigations, and activities! You will leave this session with ready-to-implement resources that you can use right when you get back to your classroom. (DOOR PRIZES)

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to engage their Forensics students with some of my favorite labs, activities, and classroom investigations.

SPEAKERS:
Dana Niblett (Teacher)

Learn about free NSTA resources that support integrating learning in Life Science, Computer Science, and Artificial Intelligence. Experience programming your own Artificial Intelligence device on your laptop. Discover the free professional learning resources available to support the lesson materials

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn code to program a simple dialogue with an AI Device. Discover how NSTAs free lessons authentically integrate Life Science, Computer Science, and AI. Learn about free professional learning that supports the lesson materials.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Phillips (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

In the session, I will present information about how to make your own videos using PowerPoint, Canvas Studio, or EdPuzzle. In addition, I will discuss how you can use either embedded quiz questions or open-note quizzes in class to assess students' completion of the outside of class learning prior to participating in the in-class extension activities. I will show some of the videos that I have made and share how making this shift has improved my students' scores on the End of Course tests and AP Biology exam. I will also share an open-source paper from Harvard that shows how active learning improves student performance even though students express a preference for passive learning (lecture).

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to make their own videos or use existing videos to present the basic content to their students, leaving class time for the hands-on and group activities that achieve deeper understanding of the content.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Dyer (Science Teacher: Canton, GA)

What was once considered an insurmountable hurdle is becoming more real by the day. Strides are being made in the treatment and cure of both breast cancer and Type 1 diabetes. Join us and learn how to help your students better understand these diseases.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using real case studies, attendees will follow the journeys of a breast cancer survivor and a teenage Type I Diabetic, from diagnosis through treatment.

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

COVID, Monkeypox, and influenza didn’t appear out of nowhere. They were spawned by dynamic ecological and coevolutionary relationships between hosts and pathogens. These diseases demonstrate the value of evolutionary and ecological concepts in medical practice, public health, and students’ lives.

TAKEAWAYS:
Viruses, especially those that have alternate animal hosts, evolve in complex and unpredictable ways, interacting with all members of their infectious ecosystem in ways that constantly challenge medicine and public health.

SPEAKERS:
Joseph Levine (Science Writer and Producer: Concord, MA)

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)

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)

This program aims to dramatically increase the exposure to and consumption of locally produced honey by developing a network of apiaries and supporting curriculum for preK–12.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn about: 1. how educational apiaries can be used in an education setting; 2. the benefits of implementing curriculum related to honey production; and 3. strategies to engage migrant students in STEM education.

SPEAKERS:
Spencer Cody (Edmunds Central School District: Roscoe, SD)

PFAS are a harmful class of widely used chemicals that can be found in everything from drinking water and crops to cosmetics and food packaging. Secondary science teachers from North Carolina used design-based thinking to develop standards-aligned activities featuring the cutting-edge research taking place to understand exposure to PFAS and to describe the biological processes behind health outcomes, such as autoimmune disease or cancer. This session will showcase how teachers adapted published scientific data for use with diverse learners to address life science standards while conveying important environmental health concepts and promoting biomedical research careers. Teachers also will receive an array of curated media resources to help them incorporate this nationally relevant topic into their instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
Humans are exposed to PFAS before birth, and exposure continues throughout life due to the prevalence of these chemicals in our environment. Attendees will learn about the biomedical research taking place to understand the biology underpinning health effects and receive standards-aligned activities.

SPEAKERS:
Andromeda Crowell (Orange High School: Hillsborough, NC), Clare Matusevich (Chapel Hill High School: Chapel Hill, NC)

How can you use science inquiry for engineering design? What makes a lesson "engineering design"? Learn three go-to teacher strategies for integrating engineering into science lessons for all grades. Leave with free resources, templates, and terrific ideas for confidently integrating the "E."

TAKEAWAYS:
You'll learn how to integrate the E without wasting precious science time by making three strategic moves: set up enticing phenomenon-driven challenges, grow student engineering identity through creative problem definition, and scaffold engineering tasks that require science investigations.

SPEAKERS:
Katey Shirey (edukatey: Washington, DC)

Are you looking to integrate discovery engineering design principles and historical case studies into your biology class? Attend this session to explore serendipitous, real-world stories that have influenced engineering discoveries and learn how to incorporate these ideas in your classroom!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants attending this session will explore historical case studies describing discovery engineering stories and learn how to integrate case studies as interactive, data driven activities for students to learn biology and create innovative designs to address specific challenges in biology.

SPEAKERS:
M. Gail Jones (North Carolina State University: Raleigh, NC), Rebecca Hite (Texas Tech University: Lubbock, TX), Gina Childers (Texas Tech University: Lubbock, TX)

Do you impact your school and community with STEM? If you teach K–12, come learn how to apply to win up to $20K through this teacher competition.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to apply for the Shell-sponsored teacher competition, and collaborate with past winners and judges to learn how to strengthen your application.

SPEAKERS:
Ruth Ruud (Cleveland State University: Cleveland, OH), Amanda Upton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

In this multidisciplinary 5E lesson plan, students will dive deep into many aspects of aquatic pollution through a wide variety of lab experiences and project based learning activities. This 5E unit plan is aligned to AP Environmental Science and NGSS standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
A full 5E multidisciplinary lesson plan about aquatic pollution that can be incorporated in full or in parts within the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Feifei Liu (Ph.D. candidate: Atlanta, GA), Laura Rogers (Teacher)

Big Lessons from a Little Worm focuses on how to introduce the model organism, c.elegans into the classroom. Using c.elegans in the classroom has the potential to introduce inquiry-based labs, student-led research and much more. This presentation will highlight a chemosensation lab.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to run a chemotaxis assay, learn about GPCR signaling, and neurobiology and will learn how to introduce this lab into the classroom. Participants will learn the basics in working and maintaining worm stocks in their lab

SPEAKERS:
Kimberly Monahan (North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics: Durham, NC)

Examine how climate understandings are developed over the three courses in the OpenSciEd high school program. Discussions will revolve around incorporation of Earth and space science throughout the program and look closely at human impacts on various scales of Earth systems.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will see how climate understandings are built coherently across the OpenSciEd high school program while addressing social justice and equity. Various disciplinary lenses are leveraged across courses to explore how humans influence and are influenced by climate.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Henson (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), Nicole Vick (Northwestern University)

Come learn from a fellow chemistry teacher how to incorporate history and culture using chapters from Napoleon's Buttons. We will focus on Birth Control Pill, Malaria Pill, and DDT by DuPont. Mini-lessons will be enacted and full lessons for chapters will be shared at the end of the semester.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the history, chemistry, and cultural implications of the Birth Control Pill, Malaria medicines, and DDT. Real-world applications will be addressed and lessons will be shared that have been tested in high school chemistry classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Benkoski (Greene County High School: Greensboro, GA), Lacey Huffling (Georgia Southern University: Statesboro, GA)

The Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science (TIES) provides teachers with free and downloadable resources for an entire unit of instruction, including a variety of assessments.

TAKEAWAYS:
The TIES website contains a variety of teaching materials including presentations, online resources, online games, video questions, data analysis, puzzles, and formal assessments. The formal assessments include student response sheets and rubrics to support teaching evolution.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Clapp (The Catamount School: Sylva, NC), Alison Seymour (Science Teacher: Winchester, 0)

Engage in conversations for how to use the three dimensions of the NGSS and the NRC Framework, storylines, driving questions, formative and summative assessments, and hands-on activities to learn science and engineering skills while making sense of one of our most basic needs – FOOD.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in a morsel of a storyline on producing the perfect apple. In this storyline, students notice and wonder about different varieties of apples and are challenged to explain why it took 30 years for the Honeycrisp apple to be available to consumers.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Chris Embry Mohr (Olympia High School: Stanford, IL)

Are you hybrid, 1:1 or want to be paperless? Then use a digital learning log! Our team has used these in digital classrooms for a year with great success! We’ll demonstrate content logs, and a SPED / EL support strategy log. BYOD as we will provide digital docs you can use now!

TAKEAWAYS:
BYOD Session! Not only will you take away ideas and templates to help you build your own digital interactive learning log, but you will hear ideas of how these can be easily integrated into your current classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Robin Tillotson (Gwinnett Online Campus: Lawrenceville, GA), Wanda Allen (Gwinnett Online Campus: Lawrenceville, GA), Erin Springthorpe (Gwinnett Online Campus: Lawrenceville, GA), Jennifer Barnes (Gwinnett Online Campus: Lawrenceville, GA)

Let's discuss food safety, nutrition, and activities to bring real-world knowledge into the classroom. Activities will be demonstrated and a curriculum will be provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students will: 1. be introduced to the fundamentals of microbiology while, at the same time, identifying important public health information through literature and hands-on learning activities; 2. learn about the label, and that nutrition not only aids in general well-being.

SPEAKERS:
Tiska Rodgers (Clarkton High School: Clarkton, MO), Leanne Thele (Perryville High School: , MO)

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)

Learn about the scope and sequence of a model-based Earth science-integrated biology course and how our phenomenon-question-model framework is used to develop a set of models to explore the history of life on Earth and human impact.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore one way to develop a coherent year-long curriculum that integrates Earth science standards into biology.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Passmore (University of California, Davis: Davis, CA)

The Earth system can be used for phenomena-based instruction in any discipline. Learn how NASA visualization tools can be used to explore our Earth system and then put your creative hat on to work with colleagues and discover ways to engage learners with Earth system science in your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Online data acquisition and visualization tools from NASA are explored. A work session is facilitated for teachers of biological and physical sciences to consider how Earth system datasets may be leveraged to support instruction of disciplinary core ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Desiray Wilson (Science Systems and Applications, Inc.: Hampton, VA), Natalie Macke (Pascack Hills High School: Montvale, NJ)

Go behind-the-scenes of a vehicle crash-test facility to learn about the latest research regarding equity issues and crash testing.

TAKEAWAYS:
Is crash testing biased against women? Exploring the reality of this question offers students and teachers an opportunity for real-world studies of nature of science topics such as correlation vs. causation as well as statistical data analysis techniques and other engineering practices concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Griff Jones (University of Florida: No City, No State), Pini Kalnite (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Highway Loss Data Institute: Arlington, VA), Linda Jones (University of Florida: Gainesville, FL)

Marginalized groups have been historically overlooked in the typical classroom. Normalizing the classroom includes a shift in educator mindset, language, and behavior. What does this look like in a science classroom, often led by non-marginalized teachers?

TAKEAWAYS:
Culturally responsive tools to implement in your classroom right away

SPEAKERS:
Bridget Sparks (Princeton City Schools: No City, No State), Rashanna Freeman (Princeton High School: Cincinnati, OH), Melinda Cottrell (Princeton High School: Cincinnati, OH)

In this presentation you'll learn one way to meet the challenge of providing meaningful, growth-focused feedback on student lab work, while also conserving teacher time and energy. It can be used for courses from AP to on-level courses, and may streamline department-level alignment as well.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will come away with reusable tools for implementing the method I have developed, as well as rationale, examples, and ideas for applying this approach to any set of instructional standards.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Miller (Visitation School: Mendota Heights, MN)

The Citizen Science model provides students with opportunities to engage in authentic, purposeful, and relevant educational activities in support of local, state, and national scientific research and monitoring projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be introduced to a variety of Life Science and Ecology-based Citizen Science ideas ranging from simple to highly complex activities: activities that teachers can do on their own with students or in collaboration with local, state, or federal wildlife or conservation organizations.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Hodgdon (Richmond Hill Middle School: Richmond Hill, GA)

Bring the analysis and fiber to life through a classroom court case. As students learn the forensic significance of hair and fiber evidence, they must defend their conclusions with evidence through court

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will provide materials and guidelines for bringing forensic analysis of hair and fiber to a classroom court case. Students apply their microscopic analysis to either prosecuting or defending their client. Students love it.

SPEAKERS:
Tobie Hendricks (Walton HS: Marietta, GA)

Is a field trip enough? Connect your science students to STEM career opportunities found within their own community by helping those businesses solve challenges they already face! Participants will gain insight on planning STEM project-based learning units for science courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Those attending this session will come away with unique ideas about how to connect their students to the STEM community in which they live through problem-based learning units that bring the content to life for the learner and give back to local businesses through student-led problem solving.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia Rushing (PhD Candidate: , VA)

Authentic Research Experiences (AREs) allows 6th-12th grade students to contribute to real-world, ongoing, science research. Implementing AREs in classrooms improves students’ science identity and interest STEM classes and careers while meeting NGSS standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Authentic Research Experiences (AREs) allow students to collaborate as scientists in research. Students develop a deeper understanding of science content, experimental design, and implementation. The practice of being a scientist expands student’s STEM identities and interest in STEM careers.

SPEAKERS:
Ashley Kass (ARE Coordinator: St Louis, MO)

Labs! Assessments! Feedback! Notetaking! Sharing teaching strategies and classroom practices that motivate ALL students and shift ownership of learning from the teacher to the student

TAKEAWAYS:
Increase student engagement for ALL learners by using these tried-and-true strategies and practices for labs, note-taking, feedback, and assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Hannah Crowder (Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton: Atherton, CA)

Looking to increase achievement in an immersive way? The Air Camp Team will demonstrate how to harness the universal appeal of flight by captivating students with lessons and engaging activities rooted in biology standards while exploring exciting and fast growing aviation career fields!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn strategies to construct activities resulting in greater interest and mastery of biology for students in grades K-12. Explore distinct professional practices that expand biology standards into unforgettable learning experiences associated with human life, animals, plantlife, and so much more!

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

This session will introduce NSTA's phenomenon-driven, three-dimensional instructional materials designed for high school classrooms. These lessons and units provide opportunities for all students to engage in science learning meaningful to them.

TAKEAWAYS:
Phenomenon-driven, three-dimensional lessons and units provide students opportunities to actively try to figure out how the world works or design solutions to problems (sensemaking).

SPEAKERS:
Patrice Scinta (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

A Research Experience for Teachers Program at the University of Puerto Rico (BIORETS: BioInteractions) aims to engage eight secondary school teachers in the development of standards-centered curricular materials after they participate in a summer research immersion experience. The focus of the research experiences is on the overarching theme of biological and biomolecular interactions. Teacher participants engage in a broad range of research activities: from molecular biology to ecology. Curricular materials are designed based on their research experience to promote students’ scientific literacy and foster positive attitudes towards STEM. In this session, we will share experiences from the summer research immersion experience as well as examples of the curricular materials that have been developed and tips for their implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will take away strategies to transfer scientific research experiences into their classroom to promote students’ scientific literacy and positive attitudes towards STEM.

SPEAKERS:
Diana Rodríguez-Pérez (Teacher), Brenda Lee Estévez Moreno (Science Teacher), Diana Galloza Ramirez (Teacher: Aguada, PR), Michelle Borrero (University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus: San Juan, PR)

Engage students in a hands-on cellular respiration learning activity using handouts and manipulatives.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Learn the stages of cellular respiration; 2. Discover how to follow glucose through the oxidation steps and track the carbons that are converted to CO2; and 3. Calculate the energy production (ATP) through substrate-level phosphorylation and oxidative phosphorylation.

SPEAKERS:
Deborah Cardenas (Collin College, Wylie Campus: Wylie, TX)

Students are taught various scientific concepts that can be applied to a plethora of global phenomena. It is important to connect these concepts to local environments. Learn about a CER investigation that engaged students with thinking about mosquitos and global warming in their neighborhood.

TAKEAWAYS:
By the end of this session, attendees will have an example of a CER investigation that ties big picture concepts and phenomena to a student's local environment. This investigation can be seen as a framework and modified to fit different phenomena while still allowing students to think critically.

SPEAKERS:
Alexander Eden (Florida International University: Miami, FL)

In The Story of Our Stuff, students choose an everyday object, trace its history backwards to its roots in natural resources, and its future all the way to the point when it returns to the earth. They represent the story in a creative way.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students make connections about mining and agriculture, consumerism and the value of everyday objects, transportation, energy, and the value of workers and artists.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Miller (Visitation School: Mendota Heights, MN)

Experience a lesson where students take on roles of stakeholders while engaging in guided research, discussion, and designing solutions to address algal blooms in Florida. Plans, protocols, and templates for student work and collaboration will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn a strategy for guiding students to research and generate solutions an environmental issue that impacts various stakeholders in different ways. I want attendees to see the need to teach skills related to research, discussion, and consensus building.

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

Explore strategies to modify various storylines that increase belonging and student identity in the science classroom. Testimonies from biology and special education teachers who have implemented storylines to bring NGSS and equity to students with learning needs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to recognize barriers to students' success and implement strategies via storylines to remove those barriers and promote equity in the classroom. Participants will be able to modify storyline activities as we discuss and work through the modification process.

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

What is the purpose of technology? In this session we want to help you improve the time, effectiveness, and proficiency of curriculum planning, lesson delivery, and student engagement.

TAKEAWAYS:
With these applications, tools, and helpful examples, we will show you how to speed up the process of curriculum planning, lesson delivery, and student engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Felicia Poole (Wilkinson County School District: Irwinton, GA), Chivas Spivey (Educational Consultant: MACON, GA)

A free online resource titled “Science as a Human Endeavor” provides an avenue to address diversity, equity, and inclusion. Learn practical ways to use this resource in your 7th–12th grade classroom to highlight diversity in STEM and to invite all students to participate in science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to highlight diversity and foster inclusion in their classes by leveraging NGSS’s Connections to Nature of Science concept “Science is a Human Endeavor.” Participants will be introduced to a free online resource and receive guidance and examples for use in their teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Ben Koo (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Introducing teachers to storylines in an online graduate-level setting.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to facilitate professional development by introducing storylines in an online setting.

SPEAKERS:
Shane Cullian (Whitewater High School: Whitewater, WI), John Graves (Montana State University: Bozeman, MT)

This session will highlight how to embed literacy strategies to increase engagement, fluency and comprehension in biology through the phenomenon of Sickle Cell Gene Therapy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn new strategies that can be used in the classroom to increase engagement, fluency and comprehension.

SPEAKERS:
Elissa Blount (Vidalia High School: Vidalia, GA)

Tired of your students clicking on the first link of a search? Help them make smart research decisions using Stanford History Education Group's Civic Online Learning curriculum. Examples are all embedded in science content and include search techniques and social media.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science teachers can take the front seat in teaching students best practices in online searches with mini-lessons embedded in science content.

SPEAKERS:
Adrianne Toomey (Neuqua Valley High School: Naperville, IL)

Do you have dry skin? Evaluate a variety of skin care products on simulated skin cells using Orbeez super absorbent polymers in an inquiry-based lab.

TAKEAWAYS:
Take home an exciting new inquiry-based lesson to incorporate into any biology or anatomy and physiology class.

SPEAKERS:
Kevin Mason (University of Wisconsin-Stout: Menomonie, WI), Gregory Matthias (University of Wisconsin-Stout: Menomonie, WI)

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)

The Algae Academy’s FREE STEM kit and curriculum includes teacher resources, all necessary lab supplies, and live algae that will have your students asking big questions as they realize the real potential of algae.

TAKEAWAYS:
Introducing hands-on curriculum about all things algae—from the basic living requirements to how algae will help solve pressing global issues!

SPEAKERS:
Marissa Nalley (The Algae Foundation: Midland, TX)

Our problem based learning project ‘Impacts to biodiversity on campus,’ merges scientific inquiry and hands-on, authentic experiences. We share our unit sequence, materials and methods, and finished products as well as the intangible benefits such as class camaraderie and appreciation for science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the unit sequence, materials and methods, and finished products of our problem based ecology unit, as well as intangibles such as class camaraderie, enthusiasm and appreciation for the challenges of science.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Jenkins (Rabun Gap Nacoochee School: Rabun Gap, GA)

Join us on an exploration to see how teachers used citizen science web camera projects and ArcGIS Storymaps to engage their students in the question: How is Earth’s water like a community well? Lesson materials, resources, and assessments will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to engage their students in citizen science research and explore access to Earth’s water resources through ArGIS Storymaps.

SPEAKERS:
Heather Scott (Georgia Southern University: Statesboro, GA), Kelly Moore (Berrien High School: Nashville, GA), Miranda Simmons (Mary Persons High School: Forsyth, GA), Natalie Sumner (Secondary Science Teacher: Forsyth, GA), Lacey Huffling (Georgia Southern University: Statesboro, GA)

Promoting scientific literacy is a critical 21st century skill for all students to obtain, but it can be challenging to incorporate this into your classroom due to time constraints and content coverage concerns. We use a variety of readily available, free resources to help students develop the skills associated with the NGSS Science Practices 1, 4, 5, 6, & 7. In this session, we will model this process by having educators complete one of the data activities together and discuss possible ways to scaffold and differentiate for students. We will also provide student examples of work from our classrooms in order to show educators what to expect and how we implement them.. Educators will leave with copies of several activities that are ready to implement in their classrooms, including tips for differentiation, student self-assessment and extension activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science requires data analysis skills and critical thinking skills. These skills are part of the Next Gen Science Standards (NGSS) as well as state science standards. How do we promote these skills in our students? How do we teach these skills? We will share our strategies!

SPEAKERS:
Emily Boatwright (Wren High School: Piedmont, SC), Mary Dillingham (Wren High School: Piedmont, SC)

A team of middle/high school STEM teachers with university teacher educators lead a discussion about what we’ve learned from planning, implementing, and evaluating social-justice-oriented STEM lessons in school districts with varying support for integrating social justice into the curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants receive lesson samples that (i) define a target concept aligned with curriculum, learning targets, and social justice issue; (ii) identifies the STEM-knowledge informing the issue, (iii) articulates discourse boundaries, and (iv) anticipates varying student perspectives on the issue.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Barrett (Marietta High School: Marietta, GA), Marshai Waiters (Marietta Middle School: Marietta, GA), Mike Dias (Kennesaw State University: Kennesaw, GA)

In this session, we will share a jigsaw style activity that uses 4 primary source readings and a series of questions arranged to help build understanding with secondary students about the cultural significance of milkweed.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will offer specific examples of lessons and assignments using phenology of native plants, including common milkweed (and monarch butterflies) that support students to learn and relate indigenous science and disciplinary core ideas in ecological concepts with personal or cultural connections.

SPEAKERS:
Jake Ross (Student: Saint Peter, MN), Emelia Hinrichs (Student), Michele Koomen (Research Professor: No City, No State)

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)

Want to make phenomena come alive for your students? Well use live animals for your phenomena! In this session, Samuel Pruitt will show how to use the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) teaching strategy and an array of live reptiles as phenomena to teach biology and environmental science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) and live animals in biology and environmental science phenomena can provide critical to learning and can be motivational to students. This session will blend the CER teaching strategy with the interest that comes from using live reptiles in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Samuel Pruitt (Biology/Environmental Science Teacher: , GA)

How do we prepare our youth of today to become tomorrow’s future leaders and decision makers? In this presentation, we will explore a Marine Science course designed to instruct students through experiential learning in our changing world.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will explore a Marine Science course designed to instruct students through experiential learning in our changing world.

SPEAKERS:
Molly Dushay (High School Science Teacher)

Gene expression is a key topic in the AP Biology curriculum that can be difficult for students to investigate and explore. In this lesson, students are introduced to RNA sequencing and are able to analyze NASA data to create hypotheses of how space impacts biological functions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be guided through the process of analyzing RNA sequencing data using the GeneLab platform so they can use this tool to teach gene expression in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Bliss (Teacher)

Goal: address the disconnect between science, design, and technology at the high school level. Objectives: 1. integrate art/design into STEM education (STEAM), 2. foster plant science knowledge, 3. apply augmented and virtual reality (AVR) technologies, and 4. inspire interest in and provide skills for future STEAM careers. Collaborative teams of self-identified science, technophile, and art students receive training in 3D modeling. With support from scientists, the students create models of research plants, practice science communication skills during public/scientific events, and make connections to real-life situations using AVR devices. We use a mixed-methods assessment approach. Results from the first year of this project indicate that students are more aware of the role of art/design in science and vice versa. Students acknowledge the benefits of productive failure when facing challenges creating 3D models and are more interested in STEAM career paths.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn 3D modeling skills to increase student interest in STEAM subjects and careers through creative learning. Instructors help students create 3D AVR models, integrate art/design with plant science content, and gain collaboration and communication skills using education technologies.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Arango-Caro (Donald Danforth Plant Science Center: Saint Louis, MO)

First Green is a free, innovative, environmental and STEM education outreach program using golf courses as environmental learning labs. Golf Course staff host grades 4-12 students who engage in site-based, hands-on learning activities related to golf course agronomy, technology, and ecology.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how First Green activities increase student engagement and learning and receive information regarding contacts and scheduling a First Green field trip from Leann Cooper, Senior Manager, Chapter Services, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Hodgdon (Richmond Hill Middle School: Richmond Hill, GA), Leann Cooper (Golf Course Superintendents Association of America: Lawrence, KS)

Use award-winning videos, crash-science demos and teacher tip-assisted activities including paper car crashes, egg drop cushions and stretchy slime to teach science and engineering concepts related to vehicle crashworthiness and highway safety.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participant will learn how to access inquiry-based lessons and video-supported activities integrating STEM concepts with vehicle crashworthiness and crash avoidance technologies.

SPEAKERS:
Pini Kalnite (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Highway Loss Data Institute: Arlington, VA), Griff Jones (University of Florida: No City, No State)

We will present the efforts of fifteen secondary schools and partners at Stanford University to create authentic fruit fly-based research experiences for students, and how you can too!

TAKEAWAYS:
Through Stan-X, students learn science through authentic, open-ended, publishable research. Coordination within a network of schools across the world can enhance scientific learning and research opportunities for students, while also providing support for teachers leading research courses.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Lantz (The Lawrenceville School: Lawrenceville, NJ)

Join us as we explore how NOAA Teacher at Sea can bring stimulating ocean science content to the classroom through a wide range of technology and media applications.

TAKEAWAYS:
NOAA Teacher at Sea provides numerous cutting-edge strategies to make ocean science accessible to students such as Google Cardboard and various VR applications to utilizing NOAA Teacher at Sea’s rich ocean science resources.

SPEAKERS:
Spencer Cody (Edmunds Central School District: Roscoe, SD)