Join us at the Georgia World Congress Center for an opening reception to mark the start of NSTA Atlanta23! We’ll keep it casual—meet new colleagues and greet returning friends while enjoying beverages and small bites and a photo opportunity with keynote speaker—NASA Astronaut, Dr. Megan McArthur. The event is complimentary and open to all registered conference attendees. Immediately following the reception, McArthur will share her thrilling experiences while working on the International Space Station in an inspirational fireside chat facilitated by NASA’s K-12 Education Advisor Cindy Hasselbring.

Join NASA Astronaut Megan McArthur as she shares her passion for science and the experiments she conducted during her stay on the International Space Station. McArthur will be joined by NASA’s K-12 Education Advisor Cindy Hasselbring for an inspirational fireside chat. They will discuss McArthur’s thrilling experiences during more than 200 days in space, lessons learned, NASA's return to the moon through the Artemis program, and much more.

Grab a cup of coffee (or tea) and join us for an informal get-together with your peers. Each day of the conference will feature a morning coffee chat, providing participants an opportunity to share ideas and experiences, expand their network, and connect with colleagues and friends from around the country. All are welcome to attend!

Calling all yoga enthusiasts. Regardless of whether you’re a newbie or veteran, schedule time to join Jasmine for a gentle warm-up; traditional vinyāsa-style yoga (balance poses, core, strength building); deep stretching for hips and hamstrings; and, of course, meditation for relaxation and de-stressing. Beginner friendly!

Feeling overwhelmed by all there is to see and do at an NSTA conference on science education? Join us for an interactive exploration through the conference app and NSTA’s social media. By the end of the session, you will know just how to get the most from your conference experience in addition to bu

Explore the NSTA Website with us! NSTA provides high-quality digital resources and opportunities—all within a professional community—that supports professional learning and classroom instruction. NSTA staff will be available to answer questions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will become knowledgeable about the plethora of digital resources available on NSTA’s website, about the live events, and professional learning community that can help them enhance their knowledge and improve their teaching practices.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Phillips (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Flavio Mendez (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

This is the first session in the PL Committee CCCs Pathway and is designed to support K-12. This session is an opportunity for members of the Professional Learning Committee to recruit and connect with fellow NSTA members. Attendees will be introduced to topics included in the pathway, highlighting how CCCs are used as tools in service of DCIs and SEPs, student sensemaking, and assessment of CCCs to guide further instruction. Using the Framework progression documents and STEM Teaching Tool #41, attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate with fellow participants to uncover vertical progressions of CCCs and leave with tools to use in the classroom to elicit student sensemaking. The PL Committee will utilize research from Jeffery Nordine and Okhee Lee’s book, Crosscutting Concepts: Strengthening Science and Engineering Learning, to ignite the call to action for realizing the power of CCCs.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session is a call to action for realizing the power of CCCs. Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with members of NSTA’s PL Committee, gain an overview of the connected sessions included in the pathway, and leave with an invitation to further understandings of sensemaking and CCCs.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA), Kimberley Astle (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Olympia, WA), Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association), Holly Baldwin (Instructional Support Specialist: No City, No State), Christopher Soldat (Grant Wood Area Education Agency: Cedar Rapids, IA), Leah Litz (Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium: No City, No State)

During this session, participants will discuss the significance of culture in STEAM learning. Additionally, participants will obtain and practice using a tool to include culturally inclusive practices in STEAM lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
Why are culturally inclusive strategies important in STEAM classrooms? How can you synthesize strategies that challenge and engage a diverse group of learners? In this session, we will reveal a planning tool that you can use to support learner success in STEAM classroom settings.

SPEAKERS:
Deanna Taylor (Interactive Learning Solutions LLC: Columbia, SC), Regina Ciphrah (Verbalizing Visions, LLC)

The design of scaffolds can support or take away opportunities for student sensemaking. We will identify scaffolds already built into high quality curriculum, like OpenSciEd, and analyze teacher designed scaffolds to determine if they support or undermine sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Before high quality curriculum, teachers had to aggressively scaffold materials. Teachers will see how the materials support sensemaking without major redesign. They will consider how additional scaffolds may support or undermine student sensemaking elevating the deep expertise of teachers

SPEAKERS:
Hillary Paul Metcalf (Boston College: Chestnut Hill, MA), Nicole Ruttan (Boston College: Chestnut Hill, MA), Ji-Sun Ham (School Support Specialist: Chestnut Hill, MA)

Our session will support science teachers in discovering and incorporating diverse and relevant experiences so ALL students can see themselves as scientists. We will review culturally responsive science instructional practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Explore the tenets of Culturally Responsive Science Teaching; 2. Understand how all learning is cultural and the importance of access to diverse representation; and 3. Explore the components and values of an inclusive science classroom and the need for students need to see themselves.

SPEAKERS:
Tonya Woolfolk (Houston County Schools: Perry, GA), Patricia Morgan (Georgia State University: Atlanta, GA)

Come learn how to carefully unpack elements of the Crosscutting Concepts to support the development and implementation of curriculum, instruction, and assessment using this brand-new version of the NSTA Quick-Reference Guide to the Three Dimensions. The “purple book” is now better than ever.

TAKEAWAYS:
A deeper understanding of the Crosscutting Concepts and how a well-designed reference guide can make it easier to unpack the three dimensions for work in curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Ted Willard (Discovery Education: Silver Spring, MD)

CDC staff will provide a tour of CDC’s publicly available STEM resources for teachers. The session will feature the newly released CDC NERD Academy curriculum, which uses real-world COVID-19 data and scenarios to teach foundational science, math, and critical thinking skills. These lesson plans, activities, and videos are designed to include everything a STEM teacher needs, even without previous knowledge of public health. CDC staff will illustrate how Module 2: How does disease spread? can be used to teach students about the science behind prevention strategies. Attendees will also meet a diverse group of fictional characters and real CDC staff to help introduce some public health STEM careers. By session’s end, attendees will have practiced how to use one of CDC’s ready-to-go STEM resources, gained insight on how to create lessons using real CDC data and scenarios from journal articles, and gathered ideas on how to get students interested in public health careers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to use public health examples to illustrate key STEM concepts and skills and to introduce students to STEM careers in public health.

SPEAKERS:
Juliana Azeredo (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Atlanta, GA)

Review data analysis/collecting techniques to help students young and old to learn the relationships between types of data and analysis of it.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about "orders of variables" and how understanding these can help their students to better engage in making and interpreting graphs.

SPEAKERS:
G. Michael Bowen (Mount Saint Vincent University: Halifax, NS)

Whales are complex creatures whose adaptations and behavior can serve as engaging phenomena for lessons. The Wade Institute and New Bedford Whaling Museum invite you to explore interdisciplinary approaches to teaching with whales and participate in inquiry investigations you can do with students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Whale adaptations, behavior, and relationship with humans can serve as investigative phenomena that you can use to teach inquiry-based lessons in science and across a variety of interdisciplinary subjects.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Ryack-Bell (Wade Institute for Science Education: Quincy, MA), Allison Pagliaro (Wade Institute for Science Education: Quincy, MA)

Executive function deficits are common in students and impact achievement. Come learn what executive functioning is and strategies to make your classroom executive function friendly.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of what executive functioning is and how problems with executive functioning can impact student engagement in the classroom. Through hands-on activities, participants will walk away with ready to implement strategies and ideas to reach all learners.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Thomas (F. A. Day Middle School: No City, No State)

In today’s fast-paced world, chronic stress is common, but your mind and body can pay a high price. Learn to recognize overwhelming stress—and what you can do about it. Most importantly, learn how to use the power of your senses to relieve stress on the spot and stay calm, productive, and focused—no matter what life throws at you.

TAKEAWAYS:
Tips on how to manage stress.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Phillips (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Azra Chughtai (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Sponsoring Company: Simulation Curriculum

Experience Simulation Curriculum’s award-winning Starry Night Curriculum featuring classroom-ready, standards-based, interactive lesson plans. Covers grades K-4, 5-8 and 9-12 with engaging simulations, jaw-dropping interactions, activities and comprehensive teacher support resources!

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Let’s explore several intervention strategies to help struggling students in STEM. Let's move beyond differentiation and scaffolding. Come learn other proven intervention techniques to help students. Let’s modify our traditional outreach to connect with students so that they gain greater understandi

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

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

High quality instructional materials are essential for equitable access to science, but materials are only the start of the instructional journey! Examine the importance of YOUR role as a teacher in leveraging NGSS-designed curriculum to inspire your students to figure out phenomena.

Sponsoring Company: BIOZONE Corporation

Discover BIOZONE WORLD - a new platform bringing all our digital resources together for easy access and delivery. Incorporating BIOZONE’s eBooks with our rich collection of presentation slides, 3D models & curated videos, it provides powerful options for delivering your high school science programs.

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education, Inc.

Start your day with the Discovery Education team as they take you on a high energy and hands-on immersion into the wonderful world of Phenomena!

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Company

What's so phenomenal about phenomena? Join the Savvas science team for an engaging, hands-on workshop as we explore the purpose of phenomena, the power of using it to drive your instruction, and the way it will support your students as they bring their own life experiences into your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Jessi Davis (Savvas Learning Co.: Paramus, NJ)

Sponsoring Company: LaMotte Company

Water is the single most valuable resource essential for life on Earth, yet is subject to increasing scarcity, pollutants, and overuse. The Tapwater Tour curriculum make the real-world connection between the phenomena explored in the lesson and actual hands-on laboratory activities.

SPEAKERS:
Joseph Evans (Kent County High School: Worton, MD)

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

Asking questions and defining problems provides students with an authentic and meaningful entry point into science and engineering. Experience a puzzling chemistry phenomenon and learn how to elicit, organize, and revisit students’ questions so that students feel ownership over their own learning.

SPEAKERS:
Tracy Marmolejo (Activate Learning: Greenwich, CT)

Sponsoring Company: Flinn Scientific

The persistence of laboratory incidents injurious to high school students demonstrates the need for work towards implementing strong safety cultures in our school science labs. Please join us to learn about simple things you can do to make the laboratory a safer environment for your students.

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

In this workshop, participants are introduced to a 5th grade module on Earth Systems to uncover a new process for developing models in science and see how the communication of ideas through models and sketches increases opportunities for student engagement.

Sponsoring Company: Simulation Curriculum

Join us as we use Simulation Curriculum’s Layered Earth to investigate Geology including Plate Tectonics and Meteorology including Weather & Climate using our amazing interactive Earth simulator to engage and excite students!

Sponsoring Company: Bozemanscience.com, Inc

Paul Andersen will demonstrate how to use targeted mini-lessons to explicitly teach the concepts (CCCs) and practices (SEPs) of the NGSS. You will learn the main elements of an effective science mini-lesson and be provided examples of mini-lessons to deliver to your students. For grades K-12.

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Engage in strategies to help your English Learners (EL) population make sense of science concepts and apply their science knowledge to real-world applications. We will explore a variety of strategies for differentiating instruction so that ELs can build their ability to communicate science concepts.

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

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

How can a phenomena-based NGSS curriculum promote sensemaking in science and also support language development? See how embedded supports in well-designed instructional materials, along with teachers’ best practices, can create a successful science learning environment for Multilingual Learners.

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Company

Scientific literacy is vital to economic and public health and security. How can we respond to forces that undermine public understanding and trust in science. We will then explore online resources and individualized teaching strategies that can overcome these challenges in our classrooms.

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

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

Explore the teacher’s side and experience the student side of our IDE. While engaged in an OSE lesson we'll explore the Teacher Edition’s and its structure while also experiencing the different features that students have available to use in their interactive student edition.

SPEAKERS:
Jen Gutierrez (IntegratedSTEMk12, LLC: Chandler, AZ)

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)

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education, Inc.

Built exclusively for Florida, learn about the Discovery Education K-8 Florida Science Program delivers active science lessons designed based on the Statewide Science Assessments. Pre-registration is required and a light lunch is served first come first serve. Pre-register at bit.ly/de-at-nsta-2023

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)

Use your position to impact more teachers and students and actualize the NGSS vision. Success stories include: launching an NGSS-aligned curriculum, forming collegial circles, hosting administrator-focused workshops, and providing assessment resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be inspired to form partnerships with formal and informal organizations supporting science education. Participants will hear success stories and receive electronic links to relevant resources.

SPEAKERS:
Harry Rosvally (Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES: Yorktown Heights, NY), David Jacob (Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES: Yorktown Hghts, NY)

As long as there have been CER templates, there have been students who struggle. What’s the difference between evidence and reasoning, or an explanation and an argument, exactly? Our Mi-STAR CER lesson and templates help answer these questions and they are open to all - join us to learn more!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with clear and concise definitions of reasoning, explanations, and argumentation, along with a lesson plan, activities, and templates to help students define and construct all three in the science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Tubman (Michigan Technological University: Houghton, MI), Chris Geerer (Mi-STAR: , MI)

This is session #2 in the PL Committee CCCs Pathway and is designed to support K-12. Attendees will explore the Framework progression documents to understand what is appropriate for their grade level. They will learn about and engage in hands-on activities paired with talk strategies and protocols that focus classroom talk on making sense of observations and data using the Crosscutting Concepts. Attendees will have the chance to talk with fellow participants about how they might use these strategies and tools in their classroom or role and how they can be differentiated to be used at different grade levels. Participants will leave with a virtual toolbox of resources they can take home and apply right away in their sphere.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with discussion strategies and tools they can implement right away in classrooms to support student discourse and sensemaking anchored in the Crosscutting Concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association), Leah Litz (Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium: No City, No State), Kimberley Astle (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Olympia, WA)

In this unique curriculum, called BioScann, students become science experts, interpreting data to address a real-world challenge from their expert perspective. Students share their expertise in teams where communication and collaboration are essential to finding a final class solution to the problem. By showcasing a broad array of careers that require a range of training and education, we expose students to science careers that are in high demand; a major point being that STEM is for everyone! BioScann modules are web-based and free. The workshop will showcase a 3-day module designed for grades 7-9, but additional modules that focus on plastic pollution and antibiotic resistance are under development. And are expected to be released in 2023. Evaluations of the original BioScann module indicate that students show dramatic and sustained increases in life sciences interest and career awareness and demonstrate an increased ability to read graphs and interpret complex data.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engage in web-based curriculum that introduces students to a wide range of science careers. You will first experience the curriculum from the student perspective but will also be coached to deliver this free curriculum in your classroom. This curriculum is compatible with google classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Maggie Keeler (Senior Curriculum Specialist), Michelle Mischke (VP of Biotechnology Education Programs: CAmbridge, MA)

This session will integrate programming/coding as a tool for use in a science classroom. Participants will use various tools, such as Scratch, to implement programming in their already designed science classes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will: 1. learn how to integrate computer science into their science classroom; 2. experience resources they can use in their classrooms; and 3. develop a lesson using computer science in their classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Tammie Schrader (NorthEast Washington ESD 101: Spokane, WA)

Participants will learn about block coding, physical computing, and how small microcontrollers can be used with middle school students to conduct inquiry investigations using a computational thinking approach.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn the basics of block coding (using either Scratch or the web-based emulator for a widely available microcontroller) & the principals of physical computing/computational thinking as applied to science classrooms to help students conduct better inquiry investigations.

SPEAKERS:
Susan German (Hallsville Middle School: Hallsville, MO), G. Michael Bowen (Mount Saint Vincent University: Halifax, NS)

While it may seem like there’s nothing you can do about stress at work and home, there are steps you can take to relieve the pressure and regain control. Stress wreaks havoc on your emotional equilibrium, as well as your physical health. It narrows your ability to think clearly, function effectively, and enjoy life. Effective stress management helps you break the hold stress has on your life, so you can be happier, healthier, and more productive

TAKEAWAYS:
Tips on how to relieve pressure and regain control.

SPEAKERS:
Azra Chughtai (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Michelle Phillips (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

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)

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: Savvas Learning Company

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Forsythe (Texas State University: San Marcos, TX)

Sponsoring Company: The National WWII Museum

When students investigations began with a real story from history, with true situations and high stakes, science learning can be everything we want it to be. Learn about using our free activities to teach science the NGSS way, and integrating science. literacy, and social studies.

Sponsoring Company: Stile Education

The NGSS calls for a shift from knowing to doing. This includes analyzing real-world data and using that analysis to create models. Join us as we talk about tangible classroom strategies that meaningfully improve students' skills with data and receive the award-winning game, CHARTY PARTY!

SPEAKERS:
Julianna Jimenez (Stile Education: Los Angeles, CA), Hailey Vogel (Head of Teaching and Learning: Los Angeles, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Phenomenon Science Education

We will explore what phenomena are through hands-on activities specific to your grade band. We will look at examples and non examples of phenomena and use criteria to figure out the differences.

SPEAKERS:
Joshua Smith (Phenomenon Science Education: Amherst, MA)

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

Engage in a PRIME lesson to see modeling scaffolds that support student discussions and literacy strategies in the context of science. Experience incorporating academic language in written responses and oral discourse in conjunction with investigations using an interactive word wall.

Sponsoring Company: TCI

Join TCI in this interactive session to learn how to integrate language skills while guiding students in developing their science knowledge.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Thomas (TCI: Mountain View, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education, Inc.

Learn how Discovery Education supports Texas educators with a Texas 2-Year Science Package that is fully aligned to TEKS and includes Mystery Science. Pre-registration is required and a light lunch is served first come first serve. Pre-register at bit.ly/de-at-nsta-2023

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Discover hands-on activities using temperature probes and other Vernier sensors that will excite your students. See how age-appropriate, sensor-based experiments teach students about data collection and analysis—practices that promote scientific inquiry, build STEM literacy, and boost test scores.

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

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Looking for an engaging and innovative way to get your students to understand the meaning of a word? Experience ways to zoom in and zoom out of science content using a variety of differentiated strategies. Take these ideas straight back to your classroom for immediate use or for interventions.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Arnette (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

Why is science discourse important? How does it impact improving equity in a science classroom? How do teachers implement this strategy? Learn the answers to these and other questions as you explore engaging (STCMS) lessons from the Smithsonian. Leave with resource materials.

SPEAKERS:
Cory Ort (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Company

Professor Michael Wysession will use a modern revision of an ancient concept (the Japanese “Ikigai”) to help teachers take a deep look at their teaching careers and (potentially) rediscover the balance of rewards (personal, societal, financial) of the teaching profession.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Wysession (Washington University in St. Louis: Saint Louis, MO)

Sponsoring Company: Legends of Learning

Have fun building a catapult to launch cows and learning about trajectories. After this presentation, you’ll walk away with techniques to bring an engaging gaming experience to your classroom, which your students will explore science and engineer practices through.

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

Using the storyline approach, a logical sequence of lessons motivated by students’ questions arising from their interactions with phenomena, we’ll navigate through the OSE model using the five routines to help students achieve the objectives and actively work through the sense-making process.

SPEAKERS:
Jen Gutierrez (IntegratedSTEMk12, LLC: Chandler, AZ)

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education, Inc.

Looking to level up your teaching and learning toolkits? Don't miss this highly-rated session! Join Discovery Education as we unveil seven things that you didn’t know about your FAVORITE science learning platform, and one thing you probably did! Pre-register at bit.ly/de-nsta-2023

Three-dimensional science instruction puts students at the center of the learning. In this session, we will share how educators statewide engaged in a three-part book study featuring Helping Students Make Sense of the World Using Next Generation Science and Engineering Practices. The three courses are organized around the Investigating, Sensemaking, and Critiquing Practices. Educators explore and demonstrate through a Plan-Do-Study-Act how the Science and Engineering Practices are interwoven in their instruction, focusing on small shifts at a time. Opportunities for collaboration and reflection with other science educators help further individual implementation. We will share strategies, examples, and teacher experiences for engaging and supporting students in sensemaking discussions, developing, using and revising models, and making claims and explanations. In shifting to 3D learning, quick strategies will be shared that build toward more complex classroom shifts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will access teacher professional learning resources including implementing a Plan-Do-Study-Act Cycle, embedding instructional coaching, and providing a collaborative space to share classroom practice.

SPEAKERS:
Hope Garton Brown (Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency: Pocahontas, IA), Christopher Soldat (Grant Wood Area Education Agency: Cedar Rapids, IA), Beverly Berns (Keystone Area Education Agency: Elkader, IA)

Much of the technology around us has been designed for persons with different needs. We can now set an alarm just by asking a device to do so. We can enter stores without touching doors, and read captions for the news on television while listening to music on earbuds. Online curriculum needs to mirror this type of access to give all students the ability to engage with content. Can the visually impaired student in a biology classroom use a microscope? Where are videos with captions for hearing impaired students? Can a student with limited dexterity independently access interactive slides? Deliberate planning of online lessons and selective use of virtual resources can help foster your students’ independence and alleviate barriers. Come learn from the experts.

TAKEAWAYS:
All students have unique needs in regards to online learning. Deliberate planning of online lessons and selective use of virtual resources can help foster your students’ independence and alleviate barriers.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Like (Iowa Department of Education: No City, No State), Jennifer Bliss (Iowa Educational Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired: Council Bluffs, IA)

Have you wondered how to develop capacity and support teachers around the shifts in the Framework and the NGSS? This session will dive into how one teacher discovered the NGSS, moved from novice to apologist and works with teachers to continue to realize the vision of the Framework for Science Ed.

TAKEAWAYS:
This will largely focus on how to support teachers from a leadership perspective to help students engage in all three dimensions of the NGSS. How can we talk with and work with teachers to help them make shifts while developing the needed capacity and not devalue their expertise.

SPEAKERS:
Spencer Martin (Kansas City Kansas Public Schools: Kansas City, KS)

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)

Want to teach climate literacy but don’t know where to start? NOAA offers lesson plans, videos, data, webinars, and more to inform and inspire students.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to improve climate literacy and discuss climate and climate change in your classroom with free resources from NOAA.

SPEAKERS:
Frank Niepold (NOAA Climate Program Office: Silver Spring, MD)

This session will focus on using the CER Framework, Scientific Argumentation and virtual simulations to support literacy in science lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will build their capacity to increase students' literacy skills using virtual simulations to support science lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Ramon Reeves (North Atlanta High School: Atlanta, GA), Karin Mason (Atlanta Public Schools: Atlanta, GA)

Learn how to better integrate local phenomena into classroom learning through the use of long-term projects and the eCYBERMISSION STEM competition.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn strategies to use student-chosen local phenomena as the basis for long-term projects and participation in a national STEM competition, eCYBERMISSION.

SPEAKERS:
Carey Dieleman (National Science Teaching Association: No City, No State), Kathryn Lasky (NSTA/Army Educational Outreach Program)

We focus on students’ science mindset vary over time when engaged in science inquiry activities and is there a difference between male and female students? Our quantitative research shows that the use of scientific inquiry as a teaching method directly impacts a females science growth mindset.

TAKEAWAYS:
A female's science identity weakens if elements such as self-efficacy, interest, and willingness to challenge themselves are missing. As students become more familiar with scientific inquiry, there is a deeper understanding of the science content, reducing the gender science achievement gap.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Jennifer Hooper (East Central High School: San Antonio, TX)

Real-world problems often cannot be satisfactorily addressed by individual disciplines (or subjects). Enrich students’ learning by engaging them in a summative task requiring integration of concepts and skills from various subjects, through a close collaboration with one or more subject teachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will use a modified Understanding by Design (UbD) template to develop an interdisciplinary learning experience that provides opportunities for students to integrate knowledge from various subjects (or disciplines) to create new understandings.

SPEAKERS:
May Jean Cheah (STEM Educator)

This session will cover how the science department at our school worked with our director of collaborative curriculum to create transdisciplinary lesson plans for grades 5-8. Some of the topics covered in our units include light and perception, climate change, breadmaking, sustainability, and water.

TAKEAWAYS:
Our work shows how science can be the center of a transdisciplinary study. We wanted to connect science to real world issues and bring the world into the classroom. We are using science skills and understanding to take action in our community.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Melman (San Francisco Friends School: San Francisco, CA), Rich Oberman (San Francisco Friends School: No City, No State), Jeffrey Porter (San Francisco Friends School: San Francisco, CA), Jennifer Stuart (Director of Collaborative Curriculum: San Francisco, CA), Christine Tantoco (Science Teacher: San Francisco, CA)

This session helps participants use the tools and reports available from EdReports to select high-quality instructional materials for their classroom or school. Participants will learn how the tools evaluate for NGSS-aligned instruction and have the chance to practice evaluating sample materials.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with tools to help them evaluate instructional materials for NGSS-aligned instruction based on making sense of phenomena and integrating the three dimensions.

SPEAKERS:
Shannon Wachowski (EdReports.org: Fort Collins, CO), John-Carlos Marino (Science Lead)

Join this session to explore effective and practical student discourse strategies that promote inclusive and productive classroom discourse. In this session, you will have the opportunity to engage in a few strategies as a learner to better equip you with implementing these with your students!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of shifts in classroom talk patterns, like moving away from the I-R-E talk pattern and towards Productive Talk. Attendees will engage with practical and effective discourse strategies that promote inclusive and productive classroom discourse.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association)

Engineers around the world use system models as a go-to tool to solve problems, and your students can too. Create system models related to real-world problems and learn pedagogy for supporting students to develop and share system models. Leave with an engineer-approved 5E lesson to use tomorrow!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will understand the origin and use of system modeling as an engineering tool and be able to use student talk, whiteboarding, and system schema to implement system modeling in their classrooms. Teachers receive Mi-STAR’s OER lesson plan to introduce system models to their students.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Tubman (Michigan Technological University: Houghton, MI), Chris Geerer (Mi-STAR: , MI)

This session will take teachers behind the scenes of 3D Science to learn firsthand how phenomena draws every student into the scientific learning process.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will experience as students how a phenomenon serves as a bridge connecting cultural differences, science strands, and sense making strategies.

SPEAKERS:
Candice Taylor (Marietta Middle School: Marietta, GA), Keisha Kirkpatrick (Marietta High School: Marietta, GA)

Participate in an activity created by expert teachers that will help you better understand how to get your students involved in STEM competitions, including the eCYBERMISSION competition.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to juggle student participation in STEM competitions with the rest of their teaching load and integrate the eCYBERMISSION STEM competition into their classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Carey Dieleman (National Science Teaching Association: No City, No State), Kathryn Lasky (NSTA/Army Educational Outreach Program)

The session uses embodied performances to support students’ science engagement. This interdisciplinary approach creates opportunities for multimodal literacies (e.g., body movement, oral/written texts, sound/music) that students can use to construct & communicate science knowledge & identities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to use theatre practices (i.e., adaptation, embodiment, affirming ideas, & representing transformation) to support their students’ learning of science ideas, concepts, practices, & development of science identities in elementary/middle school classrooms via science theatre.

SPEAKERS:
Maria Rosario (Teacher: Chicago, IL), Stephanie Spezza (Graduate student), Jaegen Ellison (Teaching Artist/Educator), Miguel Melchor (DeWitt Clinton Elementary School: Chicago, IL), Rebecca Kotler (Postdoctoral Research Associate)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

If you're using STEMscopes (or wanna-be), this session is for you. Come see the most popular digital curriculum during this session. Discover assessment packages, streaming videos with activities, coding with app building, hands-on engineering projects, STEM teacher certification, and much more.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Spaeny (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Suzan Morris (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Susan Arnette (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Ashley Mathis (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

How do crosscutting concepts link the ideas and practices of science across different domains and over time? We will show you practical examples to see how crosscutting concepts provide a foundation for student sensemaking of phenomena and problems. Leave with classroom resources.

SPEAKERS:
Hoover Herrera (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Company

Come hear how you can easily and effectively incorporate nature of science in your lessons through numerous strategies and examples.

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

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education, Inc.

Join Discovery Education, Mystery Science, and Pivot to unlock student-centered, inquiry-based learning opportunities that transform your ordinary science lesson to a phenomenal experience for students in a fun escape activity! Spots are first come first serve; pre-register at https://bit.ly/de-at-nsta-2023

Sponsoring Company: Kognity

Come experience the best of pedagogy and technology for your high school science classroom! Our digital-first platform is designed for real-world application, elevating students’ natural curiosity about the world around them through the investigation of real-world phenomena.

Sponsoring Company: Propello

In this workshop, Propello's team of NGSS curriculum experts will provide an overview of the cross-cutting concepts, how they help students make sense of science phenomenon, and share tips and techniques for embedding cross-cutting practice into all of your science lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Justice Ejike (Educator), Lisa Thayne (Lead Program Manager, Science: Murfreesboro, TN), Julie Waid (Propello: Austin, TX)

Sponsoring Company: ExploreLearning

This interactive session will explore a digital interface that develops models to capture students' thinking when designing and testing solutions to real-world problems. We will immerse ourselves in solving a puzzling STEM Case to develop a model and use it to optimize a solution.

SPEAKERS:
Lauren Chiota (Learning Designer), Jared Jackson (Director of Production: Decatur, GA)

Sponsoring Company: Werkz Publishing Inc.

N/A

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

Join us for a sneak peek of WILD HOPE, a new series of short films from Tangled Bank Studios highlighting the intrepid changemakers who are working to restore and protect our planet. Each half-hour episode inspires audiences with stories of bold interventions, unexpected alliances, and nature’s resilience. Dinner and drinks and discussion will be provided. The screening is free but please REGISTER to attend. Link to Registration page: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hhmi-night-at-the-movies-nsta-2023-tickets-514907130087

SPEAKERS:
LaShawn Duckett (Director of Meetings: Arlington, VA)

An introduction for teachers to free standards-based lessons focused on a diverse group of scientists who have made scientific breakthroughs and the positive role of science in our lives provided by #ScienceSaves.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will become familiar with free resources to teach how science has benefited human outcomes with lessons focused on a diverse group of scientists, including teacher notes with curriculum standards, student response sheets, rubrics, and lesson plans.

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

STEM and SELI explores how to bring social emotional learning practices to your science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
One main takeaway is that science teachers can use social emotional learning practices to both foster better working relationships with their students, and show students that science (like interpersonal relationship building) is applicable everywhere, and not just in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Ariella McCown (Educator: Baltimore, MD)

Attendees will learn how to utilize interactive lab journals to model scientific reasoning with students. Lab journals allow students to become owners of their own learning and track growth throughout the year.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to create a lab journal in their classroom to fit their standards and curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Cristina Farley (Ahlf Junior High School: Searcy, AR), Kyla Glasser (Ahlf Junior High School: Searcy, AR)

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)

Practice hands-on strategies for engaging students with scientific notebooks, letters, photos, drawings and more! These free online resources elevate the stories behind scientific endeavor, highlighting scientific practices, the nature of science, and connections between science and society.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to access millions of free digitized primary sources and practice hands-on strategies for using them to promote critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of real-world scientific practices, the nature of science, and connections between science and society.

SPEAKERS:
Jacqueline Katz (Science Teacher), Michael Apfeldorf (Library of Congress: Washington, DC)

NGSS SEP 8 requires students to read like scientists. Develop questions and learn strategies to support student understanding of how to read like scientists.

TAKEAWAYS:
Part of scientific literacy is being able to access science news articles. Learn strategies to use in the classroom to support your students to read like scientists.

SPEAKERS:
Janel McPhillips (Calvert County Public Schools: Prince Frederick, MD)

Students bring amazing intellectual resources to make sense of natural phenomena. Come learn how to notice and leverage them in your teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
Culturally responsive education supports student sensemaking and learning in science. Inclusive science strategies help teachers learn to see students’ sense-making resources. These methods help us create and adapt curriculum that is equitable and justice centered.

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

Sponsoring Company: Simulation Curriculum

Experience Simulation Curriculum's newest addition - Interactive Anatomy & Physiology - for grades 9-12. See the jaw-dropping interactive anatomy simulator with its 40+ lesson plans, simulations and images along with complete teacher resources.

Sponsoring Company: BIOZONE Corporation

BIOZONE's innovative interactive worktext approach is a departure from traditional textbook learning, providing flexible, engaging, student-centred resources. Teacher Toolkit helps teachers plan, deliver and assess NGSS and AP programs. Attendees receive a FREE print copy and a 1-year eBook license

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Company

Take on the role of a consultant for NASA to design a system to model a rocket launcher. This challenge will highlight tools to support Gender Equity, Economically Disadvantaged Youth, English Learners, Students with Disabilities, and Advanced and Gifted Learners.

SPEAKERS:
Jessi Davis (Savvas Learning Co.: Paramus, NJ)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Spaeny (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Ashley Mathis (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Susan Codere (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University, Retired), Cory Miller (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University: East Lansing, MI), Joseph Krajcik (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University: East Lansing, MI), Angela Campana (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education - Pivot Interactives

As teachers, if we limit science practices to ‘lab days’ are we missing opportunities? Find new ways to effortlessly integrate the science practices, like asking questions, using models to generate data, carrying out investigations, and analyzing data, into all parts of the instructional cycle.

Jumpstart your career search at the NSTA Job Fair! NSTA is excited to host this inaugural event, featuring dozens of school districts, private academies, universities, and informal science institutions looking for qualified, dedicated educators to join their teams. Come explore options, gather information, and interact with representatives about current and future employment opportunities. Free to all who have registered for NSTA Atlanta23.

SPEAKERS:
LaShawn Duckett (Director of Meetings: Arlington, VA)

Hear from middle school educators about the resources and tools they have used to develop a community of collaborative learners. They will share ideas for hands-on manipulative learning experiences and building scientific literacy skills.

Making Salsa = Making Connections!
How can making salsa help you grow your classroom community? This session will describe an engaging activity that was educational and impactful in many different ways. Students dehydrated and rehydrated salsa recipes so astronauts on the ISS could enjoy some flavorful food.

Meaningful CER in Physical Science
Exploration on developing more in-depth Claim Evidence and Reasoning investigations in Physical Science. Now that the Milestone EOC has been removed from this course, learn more about diving deeper into content will support students' scientific literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Biernat (Zanilu Educational Services, LLC: No City, No State), Stephanie McDonald (Teacher: , GA), Aliyah Johnson (Alpharetta High School: Alpharetta, GA)

Join middle school educators as they share strategies for supporting students to develop questions, writing of lab reports, and the development of time management skills.

A better way to do middle school lab reports
One challenge that we face as science teachers is the dreaded lab report. How do we teach the scientific method with such diverse classes, without it being too overwhelming? I have a strategy that has worked well with middle school students to introduce lab reports, and I will share the template.

Time Management Techniques for the Science Classroom
Are your students disorganized with labs/activities not getting completed? Do you find that sensemaking activities are taking more time than expected? This session presents time management techniques to support students efficiently using class time.

Effectively Engage Students in the SEP Asking Questions with the Question Formulation Technique
Participants will engage in an effective instructional strategy, the Question Formulation Technique (QFT), to help students develop explanatory questions to investigate phenomena.

SPEAKERS:
Kyla Corelli (Atlanta International School: Atlanta, GA), Alison Seymour (Science Teacher: Winchester, 0), Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association)

Join these middle school educators as they share strategies to support students in modeling their ideas in the classroom.

Model Your Anchor Phenomenon Early and Often: A Strategy for Sensemaking
1. Have students make an initial model based on prior knowledge and assumptions about the natural world. *Predict. Wonder. Be wrong!* 2. Dedicate time for students to continually revise their models as they acquire more evidence and content understanding. 3. Watch the lightbulb turn on!

Read Alouds: Developing Literacy and Thinking Skills in Science
Read-alouds are a valuable strategy for introducing nonfiction text, articles, and current events to students that can also promote deeper understanding, higher-level thinking, and increased engagement. Learn how to prepare and implement read-alouds in your science class.

Flippity: A go to versatile tool to increase engagement
Flippity can "easily turn Google™ spreadsheets into flashcards and other cool stuff." This session will highlight three go to interactives to increase student engagement with one another and with content. Consider bringing a device to practice creating one or two of these cool things. Hacking the Secret Garden with 3D eLearning Experiences Elementary preservice teachers and students hack the science of school gardens and digitally present details of garden-based phenomena that meets NGSS 3D learning.

SPEAKERS:
Allison Wise (American Community School of Abu Dhabi: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates), Jeff Thomas (University of Southern Indiana: Evansville, IN)

Join us to learn strategies for student success in sharing their ideas and understanding of scientific content and sensemaking using the Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning format. Experience lessons from middle school math and science classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Walk away from the session with tips, strategies, and sentence starters to help your students be successful at communicating scientific information.

SPEAKERS:
Nancy Gifford (Monomoy Regional Middle School: Chatham, MA)

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)

Why do many students struggle with data? We will explore strategies for finding high quality datasets and discuss different approaches of building data skills by integrating real-time data into our teaching. Data as our instructional hook can result in changes for all of our students' data skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Review ways to leverage real-world data -- including personalized or daily data -- to enhance all students’ ability to access and make sense of data as parts of our instructional practices and/or adjust the curriculum you have.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hunter-Thomson (Dataspire Education & Evaluation, LLC: No City, No State)

Sponsoring Company: School Specialty - FOSS

Students need to experience and make sense of relevant science phenomena that connect to and define standards—a challenging task for teachers. Learn strategies for providing direct experience with phenomena, guiding students to constructing explanations, and developing models with the FOSS program.

SPEAKERS:
FOSS Project Staff (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Brian Campbell (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

The number 1 sensor in most science departments is the temperature probe. Probes make it easier for students to quickly and reliably collect data so they can spend more time making sense of it. Come to this session and meet, "The Lord of the Probes"!

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

Elementary students deserve science! Experience a research-based approach to teaching science that leverages the mutually supportive aspects of science and literacy, and explore how this approach can help you increase instructional time for science while also meeting ELA goals.

Sponsoring Company: PASCO Scientific

Help students develop a better understanding of mole ratios, stoichiometry, and limiting reactants through this hands-on activity using household chemicals and a Wireless Pressure Sensor.

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Company

We will explore the ways in which a curriculum built around the Covid-19 virus can help students to explore some of the most basic processes in biology. The emergence and spread of this virus will be used to demonstrate important principles in evolution, genetics, molecular and cell biology.

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

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)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Looking for ways to increase student ideas in the development of investigative phenomena? We will work in collaborative teams to develop a driving question board. Let’s discuss the types of phenomena and how they can be used effectively in the STEM classroom. Bring relevancy to students’ lives!

SPEAKERS:
Suzan Morris (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Angela Campana (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education, Inc.

Take your instruction to Mach 10 with student-centered, inquiry-based learning opportunities from Discovery Education and Mystery Science that will activate background knowledge in the first 30 seconds of your lesson. Seats first come first serve; pre-register at bit.ly/de-nsta-2023!

Students at Ransom Everglades Middle School in Coconut Grove, Florida conducted research using iButton Thermochrons. Students used the iButtons to record heat and humidity data around campus. They then analyzed the data to determine why certain areas were warmer than others.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how this project allowed students to collect data, analyze that data, and ultimately present their research as citizen scientists.

SPEAKERS:
Robin Escobedo (Ransom Everglades School: Coconut Grove, FL)

This poster presents in-progress research and literature associated with teacher questioning as it impacts science practices and ambitious science teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
Literature-based recommendations of qualities that lead to strong questions teachers may use during classroom discourse.

SPEAKERS:
Liz McMillan (The University of Texas at San Antonio: San Antonio, TX)

Students may lose confidence in science skills when inconsistencies are not addressed. Our project shows that students can feel success by understanding measurement error, identifying ways to reduce measurement error, and analyzing the impact of those modifications.

TAKEAWAYS:
This project will demonstrate educationally and statistically significant impact of a piloted, experiment-based measurement error lesson. Attendees will take home tips for addressing inconsistent data to foster student success.

SPEAKERS:
Alexandria Martin (Student: , SC), Tiannah Green (Student: Warrenville, SC), Hannah Smith (Student: Warrenville, SC), Darneisha Hughes (Student: Warrenville, SC), Destiny Ramos (Student: Warrenville, SC), Janiya Dunbar (Student: Warrenville, SC), Alexis Wren (Student: Warrenville, SC), Samantha Brosnahan (Aiken County Career Cente: Langley, SC), Vivian Swearingen (Student: Warrenville, SC), Sophia Taylor-Davis (Student: Warrenville, SC), Aubria Johnson (Student: Warrenville, SC), Jose Rodriguez (Student: Warrenville, SC), Atticus Lull (Student: Warrenville, SC), Savannah Manning (Student: Warrenville, SC), Chassity Williams (Student: Warrenville, SC), Kayleigh Thigpen (Student: Warrenville, SC), Katherine Roberts (Student: Warrenville, SC), Christie Palladino (Teacher: Warrenville, SC)

Students in K-12 science classrooms don’t think about diagrams the same way adults do, and can be easily “overloaded.” Research in cognition gives us tools to make science diagrams that more effectively support learning. Surprise: often, students learn more without features like arrows and colors!

TAKEAWAYS:
Effective diagrams direct student attention to the most important information and relationships while minimizing cognitive load. Strategies for doing so include tree structures, explicit cues for implicit information, replacing realistic photos with illustrations, and use of the proximity principle.

SPEAKERS:
Audrey Rabi Whitaker (Academy for Young Writers: Brooklyn, NY)

The Science Teacher Residency (STaR) Program was launched in 2018 in response to the need to expand access to high quality professional development for science teachers in Arizona. It is designed for third through eighth grade teachers from Title 1 designated schools, and provides instructional tools and resources to participants for free. The program is designed around its Theory of Change, which involves four facets: pedagogical approaches, content learning, access to expertise, and materials and resources. The program is externally evaluated by the Lawrence Hall of Science. Data on content knowledge level, fascination level, interest level, and intention to pursue science will be featured on the poster. Our target audience is for professional development providers.

TAKEAWAYS:
STaR expands access to high-quality teaching practice in science education for Arizona teachers. PD facilitators can obtain new ideas for research-based implementation of pedagogy, content learning, access to expertise, and materials and resources.

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

Have you wondered how to teach the Nature of Science in an engaging way? Do you know that there are free accessible websites to help. Come see how a few simple activities that allow students to access the other dimension of the NGSS standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Come away with free resources of Nature of Science activities. In addition learn the backed research principles that make this dimension of NGSS vital for scientific literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Mulligan (Bridgeport Public School: Bridgeport, NE)

NSTA provides a wide array of professional learning services for teachers, science specialists, and administrators.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to bring NSTA professional learning services to your school, district, or organization (face-to-face, virtual, and hybrid).

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Phillips (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

This presentation provides an overview of the open schooling approach and the Make It Open project. By introducing resources co-created with educators and tested with students, we aim to present practice concepts such as maker, and inquiry-based learning, to help teachers implement this in classes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be introduced to the Make It Open project based on the open schooling approach. They will get an overview of the tools and learning scenarios curricula developed by this project and reflect on how they can implement them in their classrooms based on their community.

SPEAKERS:
Tamar Fuhrmann (TC Columbia University: No City, No State)

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)

This session provides an opportunity for NSTA members to start an important conversation about the intersection of informal and formal science education. There will be a panel of informal educators leading the discussion and sharing success stories about meaningful formal-informal collaborations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with an increased awareness and understanding of potential synergies between informal and formal science education organizations as well as a better understanding of NSTA’s Informal Science Division.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Hays (Denver Zoo: Denver, CO), Julie Travaglini (Allegheny Land Trust: Sewickley, PA), Christine Moskalik (NSTA: 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)

By presenting students with science concepts and then assisting them with designing inquiry labs and models, students develop better mental models of how science theories and concepts operate.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to design student led inquiry projects that allow students to create conceptually correct mental models of how different science theories work. Computer simulations and physical models provide students with actual experience manipulating variables to see the results.

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

This session will be about the importance of Observation as the first scientific skill that we can impart to our students; without it you cannot complete the rest of the practices. Observation can help our multilingual learners and diverse learners feel like they have a place in certain sciences that seemed inaccessible before due to language barriers. Certain teacher moves will be discussed that will strengthen observations as well as activities that the teachers will be able to recreate in their classroom to do the prep work for such a strong foundational skill. Activities will include: drawing, gallery walks, whole group/small group observation discussions. While this proposal requires me to have target grade range; I believe that this session would be great for all grade levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn strategies to get their students to more easily make observations in their learning which will support the rest of the Science and Engineering Practices. Teaching moves that can be employed right away to reach all skill levels; in fact, show your diverse learners excelling!

SPEAKERS:
Margaret Morton (Lozano Elementary: Chicago, IL)

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)

The SIOP Model is an effective research-based instructional model for meeting the academic needs of English language learners. Learn how to use it to support ELLs in your science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. The eight components to the SIOP model will be explained; 2. Examples of actual and effective classroom implementation of the SIOP model; and 3. Consideration for not only teaching science content but doing so in a culturally conscious manner will also be shared.

SPEAKERS:
Nadene Klein (Daniel C. Oakes High School: Castle Rock, CO)

This session will provide a definition and overview of Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Pedagogy (CRSP), discuss why CRSP is vital for educational and personal liberation, and explore middle level science CRSP lesson plans.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will provide a definition and overview of Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Pedagogy (CRSP), discuss why CRSP is vital for educational and personal liberation, and explore middle level science CRSP lesson plans.

SPEAKERS:
Kiana Eaddy (6th Grade Science Teacher: Columbia, SC)

Creating emotionally safe classrooms for all students willing to take risks, gain confidence, and find their voice, this is the ultimate reward. Student scientists practice positive communication, build strong connections, and support each other as they learn new concepts and develop new skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn several strategies to create emotionally safe classrooms and practice applications in grade level support teams. Teachers will feel confident returning to their student scientists ready to set up learning environments where everyone has a voice and is their own self-advocate.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Couch (Captain Nathan Hale Middle School: Coventry, CT)

Join members of NSTA’s Professional Learning Committee to explore effective strategies and resources that focus on helping students make sense of data using the Crosscutting Concepts. In this session, you will have the opportunity to engage with the strategies and consider how to implement them with

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with sensemaking strategies for engaging students in the Science and Engineering Practice of Analyzing and Interpreting Data, through the lens of the Crosscutting Concept of Patterns, that can immediately be implemented with students!

SPEAKERS:
Kimberley Astle (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Olympia, WA), Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association)

How could the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows bridge have been prevented? How can we ensure electronic devices hold up to everyday use? Developing well-defined criteria and constraints is critical to successful engineering. Experience ways to help your students plan and evaluate solutions like pros!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the importance of well-defined criteria and constraints, and will experience activities to share with students to help them develop and evaluate successful solutions to engineering challenges. Everyone leaves with access to a Mi-STAR NGSS aligned OER lesson.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Tubman (Michigan Technological University: Houghton, MI), Chris Geerer (Mi-STAR: , MI)

You’ve probably heard a lot about using storylines, but actually implementing them usually leads to unexpected challenges. Based upon our classroom experience with storyline units, we share insights and practical principles whether you plan to create, adopt, or adapt storylines for your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Implementing storylines involves either creating your own units or adopting/adapting existing units. Regardless of the approach to implementation, keeping the principles of coherent instruction in mind will help to realize the potential of storyline units in practice.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Like (Iowa Department of Education: No City, No State)

Sponsoring Company: School Specialty - FOSS

The convergence of language, literacy, and science lands squarely in the science and engineering practices. Engage in a hands-on learning experience and discussion as we explore strategies and tools that support student engagement in the practices and focus on literacy and language development.

SPEAKERS:
Diana Velez (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), FOSS Project Staff (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Propello

Learn how to seamlessly embed scaffolds and supports to assist special populations (English learners, Special Education, Gifted/Talented) in NGSS phenomenon-based science lessons. Walk away with support ideas you can use in your classroom right away.

SPEAKERS:
Justice Ejike (Educator), Lisa Thayne (Lead Program Manager, Science: Murfreesboro, TN), Julie Waid (Propello: Austin, TX)

Sponsoring Company: American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture

To effectively collaborate, problem-solve and be active in their own thinking/learning, students need to develop an understanding of themselves, their environment, and their impact on the future. Join us for a hands-on learning experience connecting food, agriculture, and science.

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Have you wanted to implement a Project-Based Learning unit in your classroom? Multiple Literacies in Project-Based Learning (ML-PBL) provides interdisciplinary science units for Grades K-5. Experience hands-on lessons that are enjoyable and intellectually satisfying for the teacher and students.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Spaeny (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Susan Codere (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University, Retired), Joseph Krajcik (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University: East Lansing, MI), Cory Miller (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University: East Lansing, MI), Angela Campana (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education, Inc.

Join us as we explore how Discovery Education supports Science Georgia Standards of Excellence and educators using phenomena to drive instruction is to help students engage. Pre-registration is required and a light lunch is served first come first serve. Pre-register at bit.ly/de-at-nsta-2023

Still confused about the basics of the NGSS? Need a refresher about what it is and why it matters? Come learn from the experts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with a basic understanding of the structures of the Next Generation Science Standards and how they inform 3-dimensional standards and 3-dimensional science teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Karin Klein (Museum of Science and Industry: Chicago, IL)

Facilitating classroom discussions that are student-centered and advance students’ thinking is challenging. Initial ideas, building understanding, and consensus discussions are three types of discussions that can be used to help draw out student ideas and support their sensemaking. These three types of discussions serve different purposes and phases of a lesson or unit. While they share many features, because the purposes are different the roles of the student and facilitation strategies of the teacher vary across the three types. During this session, we will provide examples and tools from OpenSciEd storyline curricula, which is a high quality, free, online, open educational resource for teachers. We will look at classroom videos from three different types of discussions, consider their purposes and examine teacher moves. We will also share a discussion planning tool that considers both the purposes and moves to help plan discussions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Classroom discussions that support equitable participation require careful planning and implementation. Discussions can be organized into three discussion types with distinct goals, which can help teachers to plan supports and facilitation moves that equitably engage students in meaningful talk.

SPEAKERS:
Bruce Kamerer (Boston College: Chestnut Hill, MA), Katherine McNeill (Boston College: Chestnut Hill, MA), Benjamin Lowell (New York University: New York, NY), Renee Affolter (Boston College: Chestnut Hill, MA)

Water is constantly in the news. Between hurricanes, flooding, drought issues and water wars, everyone knows how important water is to our well being. With that being said, do students really understand its importance, it's behavior, the difference between cohesion, adhesion and surface tension?

TAKEAWAYS:
Activities in this session come from the Project WET Curriculum. These will feature hands on activities with copies of lessons distributed.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Henman (Brenau University: Gainesville, 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)

Discover the recent research on females in STEM and learn how to take intentionally small, but powerful steps in your classroom to ensure that our future female problem-solvers have the confidence, encouragement, and motivation to change the world, one STEM field at a time!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will discover the current reseach regarding girls in STEM and leave with six powerful ways to increase their interest,, motivation, and confidence in these fields.

SPEAKERS:
Dawn McCotter (Van Andel Education Institute: Grand Rapids, MI)

OER can be overwhelming to teachers or districts who must adapt materials to fit local pacing guidelines. Upon the adoption of 3-dimensional standards, our district began the journey of developing instructional materials that support student sensemaking. This tool was a result of our efforts to be strategic in preserving coherence in storylines while focusing on best practices in standards-aligned instruction. In our district, more than 80% of teachers that received professional development on a lesson series using a roadmap chose to repeat the unit the following year. Teachers and instructional leaders attending this session will experience how this tool attends to the four critical attributes of sensemaking described by NSTA while promoting research-based practices. Participants will learn how to begin with OER, existing lesson plans, or phenomenon ideas to develop a series of purposefully sequenced, coherent, and standards-aligned lessons around a phenomenon.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will discover the intentionality behind the components of a planning roadmap that builds coherence in a series of lessons. This roadmap simplifies the process of creating or adapting storylines found in OER to local pacing guidelines. A middle and high example will be shared.

SPEAKERS:
Trudy Rogers (Knox Co Schools: Knoxville, TN)

School leaders play a large role in the adoption of high quality instructional materials and can impact change in this space. Participants will learn about how to utilize EdReports reviews of instructional materials and how to get started with the adoption process by setting an instructional vision.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage with EdReports reviews of instructional materials and how to use the evidence from the reports to make informed decisions based on local context. They will explore how to utilize EdReports resources to set an instructional vision as part of the materials adoption process.

SPEAKERS:
John-Carlos Marino (Science Lead), Shannon Wachowski (EdReports.org: Fort Collins, CO)

Real-world public health examples help teach middle and high school students concepts and skills across multiple STEM disciplines. Using a fictional novel emerging respiratory disease (i.e., NERD for short), CDC’s NERD Academy curriculum uses real-world COVID-19 data and scenarios to teach foundational science, math, and critical thinking skills. Designed by STEM teachers and CDC public health experts, each module includes engaging videos, STEM classroom activities, and career spotlights that can enrich classroom learning. In eight modules, using educational videos, interactive activities, and a set of diverse characters representing specific jobs in public health, the curriculum helps students answer critical public health questions like, “How does disease spread?”, “Who is at risk?”, or “Why do laboratory testing?”. This session will include an overview of the eight-module curriculum and a brief tour of CDC’s publicly available online STEM lesson plans and other resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how real-world public health examples can illustrate key concepts and skills across multiple STEM disciplines and how public health professionals like epidemiologists, laboratory scientists, and health communication specialists use STEM skills in their careers.

SPEAKERS:
Juliana Azeredo (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Atlanta, GA)

A special education teacher and science consultant worked together to plan, create, deliver and assess the middle school Essential Elements Science standards for students with significant cognitive disabilities. All assessed students increased three full grade levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with an understanding of how to teach science using the Dynamic Learning Maps for middle school students with significant cognitive disabilities using best practices in special education and science teaching. Unit samples will be available.

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

How do we teach Tier 3 science vocabulary to students with limited English (or no English) and encourage success? We will share multiple strategies for teaching Tier 3 Academic Science vocabulary, as well as modalities that incorporate visual aids, manipulatives, and kinesthetic activities to engage

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Tier 3 strategies for teaching science; 2. The inclusion of visual and kinesthetic activities to engage ALL students; and 3. Forms of assessment for ALL level of English Language Learners.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Ziminski (EMK Academy for Health Careers: Boston, MA)

When you get it right, students are engaged and making sense for themselves. Your lessons are aligned to standards and include scaffolded supports. Here's how to plan those lessons!

TAKEAWAYS:
SEPs, DCIs, and CCCs are the three legs of the stool that support a cohesive lesson. By being immersed in a sensemaking experience, participants define the most important elements and how to plan. Electronic resources are provided.

SPEAKERS:
David Jacob (Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES: Yorktown Hghts, NY), Harry Rosvally (Putnam Northern Westchester BOCES: Yorktown Heights, NY)

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

A decomposing corpse is found in a field. Four possible missing persons fit the description. But who is it? Using clues near the scene will help determine identity. Forensic anthropologist Diane France helped to develop this free middle school and high school forensic science lesson.

Sponsoring Company: School Specialty - FOSS

Investigate phenomena and experience how students collect data, engage in sensemaking discussions, and construct explanations in FOSS lessons. Experience strategies that build student agency and promote scientific thinking and discussion by using science notebooks.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Campbell (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), FOSS Project Staff (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Looking for ways to get your middle schoolers excited about science? We can help. Explore ways that Vernier technology can engage students in hands-on STEM learning and help them learn about important scientific concepts, including temperature, light, friction, and grip strength.

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

Sponsoring Company: Bozemanscience.com, Inc

Paul Andersen will model best practices of science instruction including: modeling instruction, argument-driven inquiry, phenomenon-based instruction, and the SEPs contained in the NGSS. Special consideration will be given to the CCCs as a thematic and practical lens to drive scientific inquiry.

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.

Sponsoring Company: Propello

Teachers will learn practical ways to take baby steps or giant leaps towards a student-centered, inquiry-style classroom while guiding effective, engaging learning.

SPEAKERS:
Justice Ejike (Educator), Lisa Thayne (Lead Program Manager, Science: Murfreesboro, TN), Julie Waid (Propello: Austin, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Discovery Education - Pivot Interactives

Teachers know that students are engaged by active learning, but creating active learning environments and opportunities take time, expertise, equipment, and supplies. Let’s explore interesting ways to engage students with MORE active learning and “doing science” throughout the learning cycle!

Foster digital-age STEM learning ecosystems that address the 5 Cs (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, and culture) and close the digital divide for multilingual learners in the STEM classroom. Cultivate equitable, authentic, and digital learning environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
By emphasizing the six literacy domains (listening, speaking, reading, writing, viewing and representing), teachers can engage multilingual learners in STEM practices that position students and teachers as "co-inquirers' in the learning process. Explore opportunities that support sensemaking.

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

Come learn how to use what we know about brain science to weave culturally responsive teaching and learning into science classrooms! We will explore tools to help all students become independent, successful learners who are active participants in their own learning. Resources provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers can use what we know about brain science to create culturally responsive learning environments by igniting student interest, making learning relevant to students, providing students with opportunities to actively process what they have learned, and giving them multiple chances to review.

SPEAKERS:
Janet MacNeil (Cambridge Public Schools: No City, No State)

Do your students need help generating questions about phenomena? Come learn how to use the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) to help develop students ability to generate meaningful, relevant and thought provoking questions that will drive inquiry and coherence in your NGSS storyline unit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will experience using the QFT to help lead their students through the process of generating, categorizing, improving, and prioritizing questions to help drive inquiry with a focus on integrating Cross Cutting Concepts and developing student ownership of learning.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Bolduc (Ellington Middle School: Ellington, CT)

How can we effectively prepare the next generation of scientists when science instruction is so vastly different from actual science practice? In this session, you’ll learn how research scientists work in a lab environment and how you can transfer those practices directly to your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will understand 6 practices of lab researchers that differ from science instruction in most classrooms. They’ll learn how to incorporate these practices into their classroom to better prepare the next generation of scientists.

SPEAKERS:
Terra Tarango (Van Andel Education Institute: Grand Rapids, MI)

Learn how to read the 62 maps of practices, core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and performance expectations in The NSTA Atlas of the Three Dimensions and use them and other features of this powerful navigational tool to develop and implement curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
A careful review of the connections between elements of the three dimensions can provide a clearer understanding of science standards and important guidance in planning instructional sequences to support three-dimensional teaching and learning.

SPEAKERS:
Ted Willard (Discovery Education: Silver Spring, MD)