Designed by award-winning science educator, author, and Michigan Teacher of the Year Gary Abud, Jr. in partnership with PBS, this session will focus on instructional strategies, high impact core teaching practices, and amazing learning resources about the Great Lakes from Detroit Public Television's award-winning show Great Lakes Now. In this session, you'll learn how to help your students explore the Great Lakes like never before and engage in productive discussions, engineering challenges, and intriguing investigations that they'll never forget. From fatbergs to watersheds to invasive species, biodiversity, climate change, and much more, you'll see how the Great Lakes makes for a GREAT way to teach myriad science concepts and engage students in the science and engineering practices of the NGSS no matter where they are learning, because the blended learning activities can go with you anywhere!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to explore the Great Lakes with your students while incorporating multimedia, cognitive science, and student discourse.

SPEAKERS:
SANDRA SVOBODA (Program Director, Great Lakes Now: , MI), Gary Abud Jr (Nourish the Future - Education Projects, LLC: Columbus, OH)

Experience an anchoring phenomenon lesson designed to engage students in a local climate impact. Reflect on how local community problems can be leveraged to engage students in understanding large-scale, shared global issues, like climate change, to increase relevance and agency for youth.

TAKEAWAYS:
Anchoring student learning in local phenomena and problems can tap into students’ interest and perceived relevance of science learning to their life and community. A storyline based on local problems also position students to for meaningful activities for future learning and taking action now.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Audrey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Enya Granados (Life Science Teacher: , GA)

Participants will investigate relationships between variables such as barometric pressure and precipitation, using data from a wide range of geographical stations in the United States. Selected stations represent sites with contrasting latitudes, altitudes, proximity to water bodies, and other elements, in order to best study the effect of these variables on weather and climate. The session will analyze data to look for patterns of change over time and to investigate regional patterns and region-specific effects of climate change. Data from Los Angeles & San Diego weather stations will also be included. The graphing tool is a freely accessible webpage that works on laptops, desktops, smartphones, and tablets. An internet connection at the session would additionally allow for participants to see a live demonstration as well as explore their own investigation questions. http://uanyc.science/pwc

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session attendees will learn to analyze and interpret weather and climate data using a custom designed graphing tool that simplifies visualizing and analyzing data on time scales of hours, days and weeks (weather) to decades and centuries (climate).

SPEAKERS:
Rachelle Travis (P.S. 288 The Shirley Tanyhill: Brooklyn, NY)

Engage with My NASA Data lessons as a model student to make sense of weather and climate phenomena while discovering the strengths and limitations of a conceptual model used to describe the complex energy transfer in our Earth system.

TAKEAWAYS:
Develop a better understanding of Earth’s energy budget by connecting weather and climate phenomena to a conceptual model developed by NASA from satellite-based observations. This is an example of how students may evaluate a model to engage in data literacy and employ systems thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Rizzi (NASA Langley Research Center/ADNET: No City, No State), Natalie Macke (Pascack Hills High School: Montvale, NJ)

Come learn about Data Puzzles, a free resource co-designed by climate scientists and instructional specialists from the University of Colorado Boulder that combine authentic data with Ambitious Science Teaching instructional practices to help students make sense of phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore authentic, contemporary data through Data Puzzles resources that frame data analysis for use in middle and high school classrooms with the Ambitious Science Teaching framework and leave prepared to implement these 2-3 day sensemaking tasks in their own classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Griffith (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, VT)

Research in climate change education indicates that knowledge alone is a poor predictor of student action toward addressing climate issues. Learn about how one high school is supporting students to connect local issues, climate and food justice through community partnerships and civic action.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session you’ll learn about: A framework for education that integrates knowledge of place, interdependence, and student agency Current research in climate change education How food justice can be a powerful motivator that leads to student engagement and action

SPEAKERS:
Andrew Margon (Teacher: NY, NY), Jennifer Cirillo (Shelburne Farms: Shelburne, VT)

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

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

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

Harness the power of technology with student designed solutions for a changing climate.

TAKEAWAYS:
Use technology to expose students to coding and engineering design solutions for severe weather.

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA), Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Voorhees, NJ)

Engage students in learning about extreme heat and the heat island effect through interaction with maps highlighting environmental and demographic indicators. Data interpretation activities will prompt students to identify vulnerable populations and examine strategies for addressing extreme heat.

TAKEAWAYS:
Extreme heat is relevant to everyone and can be used as an anchoring phenomenon to engage all learners. Depending on where they live, people experience extreme heat differently. Attendees will experience how maps can be used to teach about extreme heat through an environmental justice lens.

SPEAKERS:
Emma Refvem (Durham Public Schools: Durham, NC)

Are you looking for climate change lessons that provide strategies to engage high school students? Activity-filled lessons will explore natural cycles, proxies, and ways to minimize human impact.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore activities that offer strategies to demonstrate how and why Earth’s climate has changed over time

SPEAKERS:
Kathleen Brooks (CREC: No City, No State), Karin Jakubowski (eesmarts: No City, No State)

BRIDGES is a new initiative through the U.S. Department of Energy Bioenergy Technologies Office, Idaho National Laboratory and Argonne National Laboratory to bridge the awareness and learning gaps for rural and urban communities as well as students from underrepresented groups. In this session, we will introduce our four new educational case studies in bioenergy that place students in collaborative and decision-making roles. Through the cases, students learn how bioenergy is important in our lives and is also being used to solve real environmental and economic challenges. Students will also discover career options for both non-technical and technical skills that can be used in the government, national laboratories, as well as private industry. Scientific practice skills such as developing and using models and obtaining, analyzing and interpreting data are featured in the cases.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be introduced to four newly developed case study curricular resources that feature cutting edge science in sustainable aviation fuel, waste to energy, plastics upcycling, and biofuel feedstocks. After working one of the case studies, they will leave prepared to use it in the classroom

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Jackson (Precollege and Early Workforce Development Manager: , ID), Kelly Sturner (Argonne National Labaratory: Lemont, IL)

We will dive into hands-on, STEM-based activities and technology resources such as ArcGIS and web apps, that educators can use right away to help students understand the sustainability and climate justice issues most relevant to their school and local community. We will present best practices for executing a successful eco-audit and using design thinking methodologies to foster critical thinking and problem solving. These methodologies will help students tap into community funds of knowledge by engaging local stakeholders in their process. These K-12 activities help students cultivate sustainability and climate science literacy while exploring the uneven and inequitable impacts of climate change on the communities that have the fewest resources to respond. Teachers will explore how to foster student action through the creation of data-driven policy or use student-driven Eco-Audit resources to implement a climate solution at their school.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will explore how ArcGIS StoryMaps and other EcoRise resources related to climate data, mapping and climate justice can shape students’ understanding of the causes and impact of climate change within their community and foster student action.

SPEAKERS:
Brynn Johnson (Program Manager), Zakhia Grant (EcoRise: No City, No State)

Learn about Educating for Environmental Change, a free Indiana University program that helps educators teach the science and policy of climate change and participate in an exemplar ice core activity.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science teachers have stated that standards like the NGSS are a principal reason for teaching climate change in their classroom. This workshop will engage participating teachers in hands-on, exemplar climate change activities that align with the NGSS and emphasize science practices.

SPEAKERS:
Adam Scribner (Indiana University Bloomington: Bloomington, IN)

In this workshop, we introduce and explore applications of virtual and augmented reality (VR) learning resources as tools to help students connect with a dataset, incorporate accessible placed-based learning into classrooms, and communicate the nature of science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience and learn about three different application models of virtual and augmented reality in educational settings through examples and participate in a facilitated discussion on the practical application of VR in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Jonathan Griffith (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, VT), Daniela Pennycook (Communication Specialist and Program Integrator: Boulder, CO)

As Earth’s climate warms, the heat and humidity are rising, with major consequences for ecosystems. NASA scientists are tracking heat stress that can warn us of harmful conditions. Explore interactive inquiry-based lessons and participate in a heat island experiment.

TAKEAWAYS:
NASA provides free earth science resources and engaging interactive climate change lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Kohler (NASA Glenn Research Center: Cleveland, OH)

Come explore teaching strategies and supports for engaging in climate justice centered phenomena and issues. Youth are seeking this type of socio-ecological learning opportunities!

TAKEAWAYS:
Climate Ed Tools contain strategies to engage in climate justice instruction, to support climate change learning and communication among educator peers, and to get ideas for how to do this type of instruction in your own classroom.

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

Climate change has exacerbated the urban heat island issue. Understanding the issue at different spatial scales helps us clarify the problem and identify solutions. Participants unpack the science of urban heat islands at local and regional scales, and identify solutions to reduce the impacts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Urban heat islands are studied at local and regional scales using simple instruments, and remote sensing data to view the impact over time and space. Understanding the causes and effects of urban heat islands at different scales will ensure effective solutions are implemented to reduce the impacts.

SPEAKERS:
Desiray Wilson (Science Systems and Applications, Inc.: Hampton, VA), Missy Holzer (Chatham High School: Chatham, LA)

Attendees will participate in a lesson designed to engage students in the issues created by climate climate change and inequity in different communities. Students will use technology, visual literacy skills by evaluating graphs and maps to find meaning; constructing explanations and share ideas.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students will be able to use a Social-Scientific Issue related to climate change to foster interest in the science of climate change. We will use the Philadelphia temperature data to interpret and identifying the impacts of climate change differ by income level, as well as how nature plays a role.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Beech (William Penn School District: Lansdowne, PA), James Whetzel (The School District of Philadelphia: Philadelphia, PA), Eric Gold (School District of Philadelphia: Philadelphia, PA), Susan Chan-Peter (William Penn Charter School: Philadelphia, PA)

Teachers will hear about the EPA Gulf Guardian Award winning curriculum that teaches students about climate change. A Classroom Course in Community Resilience uses scientific problem-based learning to promote environmental stewardship.

TAKEAWAYS:
The human effect on the climate is evident in many ways, and today's students will be future leaders. Our program equips teachers with lessons that are easily implemented into their existing coursework and empowers students to think outside the box and creatively solve climate-related issues.

SPEAKERS:
Samantha Capers (USM Marine Education Center: No City, No State)

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

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

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

Climate change is here. Come explore ways to teach about this that intersect with issues of justice and provide action for the future. This workshop will support educators in all grades and contexts, including those who can’t even say “climate change”!

TAKEAWAYS:
Strategies for engaging in climate change and climate justice learning appropriate to grade band NGSS standards, climate and energy literacy standards, and for both school and community based learning contexts.

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

People learn better when they are having fun. This session will use Project WET’s guide—Climate, Water and Resilience—to effectively teach about local and global climate change using fun, hands-on, interactive lessons for middle and high school educators.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will feel more comfortable teaching about climate change using fun, hands-on activities such as the ones demonstrated in this session.

SPEAKERS:
Julia Beck (Project Wet Foundation: Bozeman, MT)