Participants will learn how to choose a picture book as a basis for an engineering unit, examine examples of several books that we have turned into engineering units, follow our journey to construct a force and motion unit, and participate in the Engineering Challenge to build a better race car.

TAKEAWAYS:
The participants will understand how to select a picture book to support a science standard, as well as be able to construct an engineering unit based on the chosen book. Participants will also receive a copy of our force and motion unit based on to use in their classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Jenna Henkel (Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers, Inc.: Kennesaw, GA), Pamela Parks (Georgia Youth Science and Technology Centers, Inc.)

Is your science time getting squeezed? In this interactive workshop, learn how to use the NGSS K-5 Engineering Standards to find the STEM in ANY storybook to get your students excited about science and engineering through reading in the elementary classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this interactive session, participants will learn how to plan lessons and units that integrate science, engineering, and other content areas into your reading time by starting with any storybook.

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

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

In this workshop, participants dive into a 2nd grade module on Matter. Using the six steps of the Engineering Design Process, participants will ask, imagine, plan and test a solution to the real-world problem: How can you design and build a shelter that provides protection from rain?

Sponsoring Company: Estes Industries

Empower your students to become confident problem solvers by providing hands-on STEM experiences that improve their resilience and motivation through trial and error. Build a free rocket with us and walk away with great strategies to use in your classroom!

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Bayeur (Estes Industries: , United States)

Opening a lab is a daunting process. Learn about how Fairport developed a vision, wrote a horizontally and vertically aligned curriculum, and utilized intentional decision making to design the Elementary STEAM Lab experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with recommendations for creating STEAM Labs in their districts based on the blueprint that Fairport used to launch Labs that incorporate the NGSS Engineering Design standards, Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards, and a focus on social-emotional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Travis Wood (Fairport Central School District: No City, No State), Kristin Larsen (Honeoye Falls- Lima CSD: Honeoye Falls, NY)

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

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

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

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

In this workshop, participant explore parts of a 4th grade module on Energy to see how hands-on experiences and other modes of discovery enable students to build knowledge and gather personally meaningful evidence to support their scientific explanations.

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Students get engaged with practical and inquiry-based engineering experiences by using the DIVE-in method. This program was developed with the New York Hall of Science. Transform your classroom into an authentic makerspace with the DIVE process. Learn how to use the design process through consensus.

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

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

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

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

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Python is a dominant programming language, and we have created libraries and sample code so that you can use most of our sensors in Python programs. Web VPython even allows you to read our Go Direct® sensors without installing anything, and it works on Chromebooks, PCs, and Mac® computers.

SPEAKERS:
Josh Ence (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR), Frances Poodry (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: PASCO Scientific

Give your students a real-world engineering challenge! Explore the relationship between momentum and impact forces with real-time measurement of collisions.

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

Rockets zoom and race cars zip through hands-on activities that engage your middle and high school students. Apply creative problem-solving skills and engineering practices to chemistry and physical science challenges. Experience how Carolina makes it easy to incorporate STEM into your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Patti Kopkau (Retired Educator: National City, MI)

Sponsoring Company: Werkz Publishing Inc.

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SPEAKERS:
Pamela Gullotti (US Lead Sales Team & Trainer), David Gentry (Stem Teacher: , NC), Amanda Hightower (4th grade Math and Science: , NC)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Meghan Marrero (Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry Campus: Dobbs Ferry, NY), Johanna Vasquez (Trinity Elementary School: New Rochelle, NY), Terri Agravat (Trinity Elementary School: New Rochelle, NY)

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

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

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

Sponsoring Company: School Specialty - FOSS

Engage in activities using lasers and optical fibers and concepts of refraction and reflection in the FOSS Next Generation Waves Course for middle school. Explore the phenomena that allow information transfer by fiber optic technology, and identify connections to the three dimensions of NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Penchos (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), FOSS Project Staff (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Kendall Hunt

Anchored Science by Mi-STAR is a middle school science curriculum motivated by a vision for the future in which science including engineering practices is taught and learned as an integrated body of knowledge that is applied to address societal issues. Attend this session to learn more.

SPEAKERS:
Teresa Rockwood (Science Curriculum Specialist: , TX)

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

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

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

Elementary educators will explore ways to add scientific modeling into their class through drawings. Through the introduction of modeling through examples, teachers will experience the process and then be able to plan ways they can use scientific modeling in their own classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will be able to experience scientific modeling through a classroom example. They will then be able to plan a way they can use scientific modeling in their own classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Mouland (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Introduce your students to renewable energy to sharpen their problem-solving and engineering skills. This workshop will provide three-dimensional learning opportunities for your students as they explore the engineering design elements of a wind turbine, such as number of blades, blade shape, etc.

SPEAKERS:
David Carter (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Come experience how “Tub People” can be used to deepen young learners’ understanding of subtraction under 10 and how rapid prototypes help solve compelling engineering challenges. We’ll explore how this text and other literature can be an anchor for hands-on early mathematics and engineering.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Great mathematics and engaging engineering challenges can be found in children's literature; 2. Learners of all ages benefit from identifying patterns and discovering multiple ways to represent their understanding; and 3. Whether it be in solving mathematical expressions or finding engineering so

SPEAKERS:
Kate Burton (Trinity School: Atlanta, GA)

School leaders and university faculty will share and discuss two different grassroots approaches to the development of STEM programming in K-8 levels. The processes of continued collaboration, strategic planning, professional development, and STEM culture have led to initial successful outcomes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about STEM program development and STEM professional development models. STEM Education frameworks and a toolkit used as a foundation for strategic planning and sustainability will be shared and available for attendees.

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

Sponsoring Company: hand2mind

Looking for a flexible, hands-on, standards-aligned program that engages students in scientific learning? Come experience phenomena-based learning with Investigating Everyday Phenomena! Explicit, ready-to-implement lessons easily fit into your classroom routine, and kits include hands-on materials.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Make three-dimensional learning work for you! We will explore an everyday phenomenon, the heating of a gas when it is compressed, using Vernier technology. Using science and engineering practices, you'll actively engage students by integrating crosscutting ideas into this real-world experiment!

SPEAKERS:
David Carter (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Do you need help in planning engineering experiences for young learners? Collaboration with others in a learning community can help! This session will show how a group of teachers used Flip to share ideas for STEM/STEAM and engineering focused lessons. Get ready to join our engineering fun!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in using the Flip application and learn how they can create learning communities focused on STEM/STEAM and engineering education.

SPEAKERS:
Tara Hood (Science Specialist: Jacksonville,, AL), Carol McGinnis (Jacksonville State University: Anniston, AL)

I Can't Do It! We have all heard that cry from the students during a STEM project. But what do you do about it? This session helps you understand more about the power of failure. We will share our experiences with you to help students understand trial and error along with the engineering process.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with proven strategies to help children overcome the fear of failure in order to attempt or complete a STEM Challenge.

SPEAKERS:
Linda Gowen (Curriculum Consultant), Sue Bedard (iBuild Academy, Inc: ORANGE CITY, FL)

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

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

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

Integrating engineering content and skills into elementary science classrooms is an important goal as evidenced by the emphasis placed on it in the NGSS. This presentation will provide teachers with skills and strategies for the successful integration of engineering content and practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
The main takeaway from this presentation is a set of tools that teachers can use to gain skills in the implementation of engineering content and practices in the science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Ceglie (Associate Professor)

Paper is so commonly used for drawing and writing but it is amazingly versatile and easy to use for making 3-dimensional projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
You do not need fancy equipment to do STEM and hands on activities.

SPEAKERS:
Godwyn Morris (Dazzling Discoveries / Skill Mill NYC: New York, NY)

Our poster session will answer the following questions: What makes a good STEM Challenge? What types of supplies do I need? What happens if students are not engaged in the challenge? How do I assess the challenge? Our interactive poster board will answer these questions and more. Attendees can view videos of activities we have done to help students generate solutions to problems using the engineering design process. When they own it they will do it!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with a STEM Supply list to use to create an unlimited amount of STEM challenges to encourage creative design and problem-solving. Many of the items on the list are free or very low-cost.

SPEAKERS:
Linda Gowen (Curriculum Consultant), Sue Bedard (iBuild Academy, Inc: ORANGE CITY, FL)

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

TAKEAWAYS:
In the NGSS, problems are defined as “situations somebody wants to change,” which is different from construction or design projects, where the ultimate goal is achieving a design or tinkering. Real-world problems can create intrinsic motivation for students to learn science and engineering ideas.

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

In this session attendees will engage with a robotics lesson and evaluate the interdisciplinary lesson that integrates robotics into the science classroom. Many times, robotics materials are utilized solely in a competition setting but the focus of this session is daily instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
Robotics integration in the science classroom addresses all three dimensions (SEP, CCC, & Core ideas) providing students with one or more of the following instructional domains: Engineering, Coding, and/or Science Practices.

SPEAKERS:
Rabieh Hafza (Henry County Schools: McDonough, GA)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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