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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

We are developing a framework of pedagogical methods and professional learning, with an emphasis on equity, that can be leveraged to support teaching with the NGSS no matter what curriculum is being used. Come tell us what you think!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will gain a deeper understanding of high leverage pedagogical practices that directly support teaching with the NGSS, and strategies to implement some of these practices in the science classroom.

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

Are you and your students tired of following procedures for classroom laboratories? Us too! Come join us in learning about the challenge-based learning framework and helping us redesign traditional laboratories into differentiated challenge-based learning experiences!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will conceptualize the challenge-based learning framework (i.e., engage, investigate, and act) and reimagine traditional classroom experiments into challenge-based learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Gustavo Perez (Texas A&M University: College Station, TX), Andrew Kipp (Texas A&M)

Take a closer look at how to structure science learning units through student-driven inquiry. We will examine the components involved in designing a coherent, NGSS-aligned storyline. Teacher teams will collaborate to analyze, critique, and optimize existing storylines and corresponding phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
Examine the Five Routines that work together to create a 3D learning experience through the inquiry cycle. Learn where to find existing storylines for Middle and High school sciences. Leave with templates to guide you in your storyline planning.

SPEAKERS:
Lori Fine (Instructional Coach: Managua, TX)

In this session teachers will come away with strategies to intentionally incorporate reading, dialogue and graphing into the classroom to assist students in becoming scientifically literate.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will include engaging examples of activities that integrate speaking, listening, and reading into the science classroom; helpful tips to reach different learning styles (visual, auditory) in the classroom; tips to promote retention of vocabulary through scaffolding

SPEAKERS:
Courtney Lewis (Katy ISD: Katy, TX), Molly Niedens (Tays Junior High School: Katy, TX)

STEM careers are for ALL students! Learn how to bridge the gap between STEM careers & classroom spaces by exploring proven strategies for hosting STEM professionals in your middle school classroom! Walk away with an engagement guide written for middle school teachers, by middle school teachers!

TAKEAWAYS:
Through the lens of equity and inclusion, participants will explore tips for sustained classroom-based STEM career exposure success (both in-person & virtual), including: selecting and preparing speakers, planning an engaging classroom visit, and maintaining relationships with STEM professionals.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Pearson (Adams 12 Five Star Schools), Cameron McKinley (Technology Integration Coach), Tehmina Khan (Science Department Chair: Stratford, CT), Kristen Record (Bunnell High School - National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY): No City, No State)

Justice-centered science instruction is a critical process for building transformative, empowering classrooms. The Climate Justice Toolkit for K-12 Educators provides resources and planning templates for creating community-driven, justice-centered science learning experiences for students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Classroom learning experiences that center local issues impacting students and their communities are more engaging and meaningful for students, especially for students traditionally underrepresented and underserved by science education.

SPEAKERS:
Pranjali Upadhyay (Educational Service District 112: Vancouver, WA), Rae Han (EarthGen: No City, No State), Stacy Meyer (Educational Service District 112: Vancouver, WA)

How do we build confident “do-ers” of science? Inspire curiosity, engagement, and science identity through the use of relevant and meaningful phenomena. Phenomena can come from real events and from student imaginations. Let student questions guide learning and exploration.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with ideas for incorporating meaningful phenomena in their instruction and learn how phenomena can be a bridge to relevance and engagement for students. 3-Dimensional instruction provides a framework for students to figure-out science.

SPEAKERS:
Ashley Armstrong (Sanford Underground Research Facility: Lead, SD)

Want to strengthen learning experiences outside of the classroom? All teachers are welcome to participate in this workshop where we will practice field trip collaboration skills with experts from local informal science education centers. Opportunity for free treats from Atlanta area centers!

TAKEAWAYS:
In this workshop teachers will partner with informal educators to co-develop a plan connecting classroom learning goals with the educational opportunities offered at an informal center. Teachers will be equipped to leverage their educational expertise to better collaborate for their next field trip.

SPEAKERS:
James Ammons (Gwinnett County Public Schools: Suwanee, GA)

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)

Science teacher leadership roles and responsibilities vary according to context. This session will present an activity designed to support science teacher leaders to identify their leadership roles and professional learning needs as it relates to their organizational context.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science teacher leader participants will have an opportunity to identify their roles and professional learning needs. Science teacher educators will leave with an activity that they can use in their context to develop professional learning supports for the science teacher leaders they work with.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Stallings (Graduate Student: No City, No State)

The NSTA provides in-person, online, and blended personalized professional learning experiences for K–12 educators cohorts. Programs engage educators with digital resources, virtual experiences, the larger online community, and expert staff. Membership is included with district/school partnerships.

TAKEAWAYS:
School and district leaders will learn about the variety of professional learning opportunities that NSTA offers, delivered in-person, online, and blended that give their teachers the power to personalize their learning as well as the ability to learn with their peers.

SPEAKERS:
Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Flavio Mendez (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Primary sources are a powerful tool for addressing the historical and social aspects of science. In this session we discuss using primary sources in the science classroom, including where to find relevant sources and examples from K-12 science classrooms of lessons using primary sources.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave this session with an understanding of how primary source materials can help students develop their knowledge and science literacy, as well as knowing where to find science-relevant primary sources and examples of how they can be incorporated in the science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Julie James (Asst. Director for Professional Learning), Shelby Watson (The University of Mississippi: University, MS)

When teachers take risks, students are motivated to follow. Learn about research opportunities in the U.S. and abroad to lead as a citizen scientist teacher.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Opportunities will be shared to see how educators in other parts of the world teach STEAM topics; 2. Participants will learn about opportunities to partner with scientists in field work; and 3. Participants will be encouraged to apply for national and international citizen science projects.

SPEAKERS:
Candice Autry (Sheridan School: Washington, DC)

The All-Atlantic Blue Schools Network is a network of schools in 15 countries lining the Atlantic Ocean Basin. The goal is to connect schools internationally around ocean literacy and conservation. Learn more about current and future activities, and how your school can be involved.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will be introduced to the All-Atlantic Blue Schools Network, examine examples of successful work, and learn how to become involved.

SPEAKERS:
Meghan Marrero (Mercy University, Dobbs Ferry Campus: No City, No State)

This session will focus on how middle school teachers can strengthen the use of teacher-led and student-led questioning through the use of phenomena. Teachers can utilize scientific phenomena as a springboard to strengthen student's thinking and problem skills through the formulation of questions re

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to utilize scientific phenomena as a tool for developing students’ questioning skills throughout the teaching of any standard.

SPEAKERS:
Cheryl Robertson (University of Tennessee, Knoxvile)

Learn how we engage students in STEAM learning through a garden club, school garden, and pollinator conservation project. We will share helpful tips on university-school partnerships like the one we established to create an outdoor learning space and school garden.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to get students outside in an engaging effective learning environment and what to do with them when you are out there. Student experiences like “I like garden club because everybody is kind and open to help and teach you things like which plant is what and how to pick certain foods.”

SPEAKERS:
Rita Hagevik (The University of North Carolina at Pembroke: LAURINBURG, NC), Michelle Parslow (Student)

Ownership of learning increases student engagement. Driving question boards allow students to choose the direction of their learning and encourage teacher flexibility when providing diverse paths for student exploration and sense making of an anchoring phenomenon.

TAKEAWAYS:
View examples of student generated questions used to explore and explain anchoring phenomena in an 8th grade curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Rossier Carlin (F.A. Day Middle School: Newtonville, MA)

Are you looking to integrate science fiction (sci-fi) media into your science classroom? Travel with us as we share current research regarding individuals’ interest in learning science while attending “science tracks” at sci-fi conventions and how we can integrate sci-fi into the science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants attending this session will explore current research regarding the informal learning space of science fiction conventions and how these spaces and science fiction media can be used in formal science classrooms to support the learning of science.

SPEAKERS:
Gina Childers (Texas Tech University: Lubbock, TX), Rebecca Hite (Texas Tech University: Lubbock, TX), Kania Greer (Georgia Southern University: Statesboro, GA)

Presenters will share the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office science of innovation video lessons, trading card lessons, journeys of innovation stories, and professional development opportunities. Resources are available for K-12 classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be provided with resources that can be implemented in K-12 classrooms and opportunities for professional development. Invention education integrates into the STEM curriculum seamlessly and can catalyze student engagement and creative thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Reginald Duncan (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Alexandria, VA), Jorge Valdes (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Alexandria, VA), Kathy Hoppe (STEMisED, Inc: No City, No State)

Come learn about professional development opportunities that will reinvigorate your teaching, allowing you to see science happening around the world.

TAKEAWAYS:
Professional development can not only teach you new things; but can inspire you to see science happening in the world. Come learn about some of the opportunities.

SPEAKERS:
Victoria Obenchain (The Saklan School: Moraga, CA)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Patrice Scinta (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Nothing is better than learning new strategies that you can take back to your classroom/school that enhance literacy and engage English language learners in science. This session will introduce you to four or more new strategies that promote speaking, reading, listening, and writing. Educators will

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will acquire four or more essential teaching strategies for ELL's that they can use in their classroom to enhance literacy and engage learners.

SPEAKERS:
Kristen Rowland (ESOL Department Chair/ ESOL Teacher)

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)

The session will review how to assist students in reading and comprehending articles about scientific topics, explaining or forecasting various types of natural phenomena and determining the accuracy of scientific information by evaluating both the sources and the methodology used to acquire it.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn techniques to maximize class time to allow students to use data to discuss and debate relevant content. We know when students are able to identify and understand problems in the world around them, it leads to not only scientific literacy, but to transformation and innovation.

SPEAKERS:
Diane Ripollone (Cardinal Gibbons High School: Raleigh, NC), Kathy Biernat (Zanilu Educational Services, LLC: No City, No State)

Cross-curricular thematic instruction leads to higher engagement, deeper learning, and broadened knowledge to help students transfer their learning to real-world applications, preparing them for future endeavors. Learn about ways to incorporate this practice in the secondary science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about ways to incorporate collaboration in the secondary setting, helping to create impactful experiences for their students while also strengthening their practice.

SPEAKERS:
Lily Walker (Teacher: No City, No State)

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

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

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

This session will explore the application of online interactive laboratory simulations in secondary science courses. The presentation will overview different approaches and best practices to introduce virtual labs in blended learning environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to implement virtual labs into their daily classroom lessons and apply different instructional practices.

SPEAKERS:
Giancarlo Perez-Flores (Teacher)

Teachers will learn about the iWonder process and online tools that help connect students to the community (locally and globally) through place-based, scientific, research projects they create!

TAKEAWAYS:
Students' imagination will be sparked, and science connections with the world outside the classroom will be ignited with iWonder!

SPEAKERS:
Ian Collins (Maine Math and Science Alliance), Rebecca Clark Uchenna (Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance: Augusta, ME), Megan McCall (Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies: No City, No State)

Often authenticity and authentic audience is a barrier to planning project based learning. Authenticity can extend beyond an authentic audience. By providing students with authentic tools and lessons, project based learning can be inspirational and engaging.

TAKEAWAYS:
You don't need an authentic audience for authentic project based learning.

SPEAKERS:
Brandt Boidy (MS Math and Science Teacher: Charlotte, NC)

With the Artemis rockets to the moon, we hope to be walking on the lunar surface by 2024. So let's teach more about the moon than just the phases. Here are 5 scalable hands-on activities that explore the lunar features and surface including craters, earth-moon dynamic, moon dust, gravity, and more

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience Hands-on Moon activities from the craters to the mountains, from ⅙ the gravity to the single side we see and to what to look for with binoculars alone.

SPEAKERS:
Martin Horejsi (University of Montana: Missoula, MT)

Learn how to leverage food and cooking to encourage tinkering and sensemaking to make your secondary science curriculum engaging, meaningful, visual, and “sticky” (literally and metaphorically). Free resources (& lesson plans) included.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will walk away with a practical toolkit of ways to use food and cooking in the classroom to facilitate a supportive and purposeful environment for tinkering. Participants will discuss and reflect on how to add and remove layers of scaffolding and support to differentiate activities.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Strangfeld (Harvard University: Cambridge, MA)

Want a more inclusive science classroom? Differentiate instruction and scaffold sensemaking through Interactive Science Notebooks. Take home free Google Slide templates, scaffolding examples, and a collection of summarizer activities for middle school that can be adapted to elementary/high schools.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore what an inclusive science classroom looks like for students with autism spectrum disorder. Learn best practices for implementing interactive notebooks to help students organize ideas, engage in science and engineering practices, and make explicit connections to NGSS crosscutting concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Carrie Adler (Westland Middle School: Bethesda, MD)

Starting with a 3D learning target will ensure you build a lesson that includes a strong connection between Disciplinary Core Ideas, Science and Engineering Practices, and Cross-Cutting Concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will create 3D learning targets and outline lessons that guide students through sense making instruction as they explore scientific content.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Suarez (Northwest ISD: Fort Worth, TX), Courtney Toht (Northwest ISD: Fort Worth, TX)

Teachers will learn the techniques and management practices for using collaborative conversations to increase science literacy, help reluctant learners engaged in the content, provide opportunity for formative assessment, and support the social and emotional needs of middle school learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will return to their classroom able to implement a collaborative conversation script workshopped during the session for use the week after NSTA.

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

A Scientist Just Like Me is designed to raise awareness of diversity in science -related jobs and to provide illustrated examples of a wide range of science-based careers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will have a free resource that they can share with any age group, to improve pupil confidence and awareness of their own skills and abilities. Pupils will be able to see themselves in these resources, and feel they can achieve, know about inspirational adults just like them.

SPEAKERS:
Kulvinder Johal (Primary Science Teaching Trust: Bristol, England)

Looking for ideas to make science more accessible for your students? Universal Design for Learning (UDL) is a powerful framework to increase access. Come experience a phenomenon-based lesson focused on student sensemaking, analyze it for UDL principles, and apply this to our own practice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Designing with UDL can minimize barriers around accessibility so all learners can engage in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities. Participants will identify strategies embedded in phenomenon based instruction, gain concrete strategies to support access, and apply to their own instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Dawn Novak (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Renee Affolter (Boston College: Chestnut Hill, MA)

Come and learn more about key instructional teaching strategies 6-12 for implementation of the SEP and CCC. You will receive grade-band cards for 6-8 and 9-12.

TAKEAWAYS:
The SEP and CCC cards were developed for K-12 teachers to have a deeper understanding of the Science and Engineering Practices and the Crosscutting Concepts as well as suggestions for implementing them in classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Minna Turrell (St. Clair County Regional Educational Service Agency: St Clair, MI)

This is session #5 in the PL Committee CCCs Pathway and is designed to support K-12. This is the culminating session in the PL Committee CCC Pathway and is designed to support K-12. This session is an opportunity for members of the PL committee, and science educators from around the country, to connect and collaborate. Attendees will share ideas, lessons, successful strategies, and lessons learned as they have sought to support student sensemaking through the integration and use of the CCCs. Participants will leave with an extended network of colleagues along with strategies and resources they can use to expand their personal “teacher tool kit”.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will have the opportunity to collaborate with an extended group of colleagues united by the shared goal of supporting student sensemaking through three-dimensional science teaching and learning. Attendees will leave with resources and ideas that can be implemented immediately.

SPEAKERS:
Holly Baldwin (Instructional Support Specialist: No City, No State), Christopher Soldat (Grant Wood Area Education Agency: Cedar Rapids, IA), Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA)

Participants will learn practical strategies to build a more equitable and inclusive class culture in this LSSS aligned session. Participants will engage in an original environmental science-based anchoring phenomenon to explore proven routines that support student articulation of ideas for investigation and development of models. In particular, the session will examine the importance of leveraging student experiences and resources to drive modeling discussions which help students understand key aspects of the phenomenon. Participants will also learn strategies for moderating focused student-led discussions. These strategies include development of student norms for dialog, methods for planning student discussions and sharing of teacher and student "Talk Moves". Session materials will include references, background readings and "ready to go" classroom materials.

TAKEAWAYS:
Three dimensional and phenomena-based teaching routines build classroom equity and inclusion, developing clear norms together are key to helping students find their voice and productive student talk requires planning, but student and teacher tools are available.

SPEAKERS:
Steven Babcock (Louisiana State University Laboratory School: Baton Rouge, LA)

Reading proficiency is tied to academic success. Teaching various reading and testing strategies and using high quality instructional materials (HQIM) can help students overcome their challenges with comprehension and vocabulary acquisition.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to use reading strategies to help all students develop ways to navigate grade level challenging text. How creating a classroom culture can cultivate an environment conducive for welcoming and increasing literacy in the classroom. How to use testing strategies in science to help students navigate

SPEAKERS:
Leslie White (Duval County Public Schools: Jacksonville, FL)

Have you wondered how to implement that appendix H of the NGSS into classroom practice? Wait..What..there's an appendix H? Come see how to implement the Nature of Science principles into your classroom practice with a few simple activities that you can use tomorrow in your classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn what the Nature of Science principles are and how they can be implemented in the classroom. Also, this will help further attendees knowledge of pedagogy practices of using all domains of the NGSS to further help students gain science literacy skills.

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

Discover a way to support students with prior knowledge gaps, those ready for grade level instruction, and students in need of extension at the same time. We will use your existing resources in a new way rather trying to make one resource fit all of the needs in your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will shift how they use existing resources to plan for the diverse needs of students in their science classes.

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

Houston we have a problem... We need more inclusive science classrooms and curricula! Explore the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and learn how to use the UDL Guidelines to identify and overcome barriers to student learning and make science accessible for ALL students.

TAKEAWAYS:
By the end of this session, participants will understand how the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework can be used to plan more inclusive learning experiences and classroom environments so that every student can be a successful learner in the science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Dodie Resendez (Region 4 Education Service Center: Houston, TX)

Participants experience three different digital design challenges using branching scenarios that provide student choice and data sets involving wind energy, electromagnetism, and the greenhouse effect. Each challenge is done in a different Google platform - Sites, Forms, and Slides.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in three digital design challenges to test the efficiency of wind turbine blades, the strength of electromagnets, and the greenhouse effect on different land surfaces (polar region, water, and desert) using Google sites, forms, and slides.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Tonkinson (eesmarts: Hartford, CT), Sharyon Holness (eesmarts: No City, No State), Kathleen Brooks (CREC: No City, No State)

Productive student discourse is an important tool that leads to deep sense-making in the science classroom. This practice allows students to extend thinking through reasoning or clarification. Constructive Conversation tools and Talk Science resources from STEM Teaching Tools will be introduced.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore tools to help you equitably incorporate more science talk in your classroom-as students engage in discourse to make sense of scientific phenomena and engage with science and engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
Shundra Morris (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Charles Holloway (The University of Alabama in Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Cayce Perry (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Mary Headrick (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL)

Learn how teachers empower students in leading year-long science investigations to address community environmental challenges using computational thinking (CT). We’ll give an iWonder overview, dive deep into the iWonder questioning process, and highlight CT integration and student action projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session, participants will learn how our teachers have used computational thinking to empower students in developing and refining observation based questions into a year-long science investigation that addresses environmental challenges in their community.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Clark Uchenna (Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance: Augusta, ME), Megan McCall (Barton Academy for Advanced World Studies: No City, No State), Ian Collins (Maine Math and Science Alliance)

Discover multiple strategies to help make students become owners of their learning. We'll share inquiry-based labs, literacy strategies, cooperative learning, and so much more!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with specific activities and strategies to use in the classroom, plus additional ideas on how to modify and edit for other standards.

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

Give students a hands-on exploration of heat transfer and insulation with this engineering & design project. Kids build an insulator around a soda can to keep hot water hot, while immersed in an ice water bath. While competing, they develop constructing skills, and analyze their process and data.

TAKEAWAYS:
Get all the files and resources to launch an engaging project applying the concepts of heat transfer (conduction, radiation and convection - things on every middle school science curriculum). You will be inspired!

SPEAKERS:
Jon Coole (Louisville Collegiate School: Louisville, KY)

In 2018, TNTP published its landmark report “The Opportunity Myth" which showed that to be on track to reach their post-secondary goals, students needed consistent access to four key resources: (1) rigorous instruction, (2) grade-appropriate assignments, (3) deep engagement, and (4) high expectations. In this session, participants will learn about the findings of “The Opportunity Myth” and explore TNTP’s tools for strong instruction and grade-appropriate assignments in Science. During this session, teachers will review the tools and have an opportunity to practice using them with assignments and classroom videos. Participants will also hear the story of how teachers in east Tennessee rapidly improved their practice through the implementation of a single unit from OpenSciEd. Teachers will reflect on the roadblocks they faced, including partial state standards alignment, and will share the benefits they are realizing in their classrooms because of this change in pedagogy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Implementation of even a single unit from a high-quality science curriculum leads to stronger instruction and increased access to grade-appropriate assignments in science classrooms. Despite facing the barrier of partial alignment, teachers still improved learning for students using this method.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Proffitt (Director, Academics: Richmond, VA), Breshay Helton (Implementation Coordinator: Greeneville, TN), Elizabeth Naegele (TNTP: No City, No State)

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

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

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

Preservice and novice teachers will learn tips and participate in systems for running an efficient and safe science classroom from experienced educators. Safety, management, and organization tips are the highlights of this session. Time-saving strategies for lesson planning will also be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Pre-planning safety, lesson content, and lesson organization/implementation saves instructional time, freeing up brain space to tackle the inevitable classroom challenge.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Governor (University of North Georgia: Dahlonega, GA), Tasha Thomas (University of Houston Clear Lake), Takisha Gastile (University of Houston-Clear Lake: Houston, TX), Omah Williams-Duncan (University of Houston-Clear Lake: Houston, TX)

Notebooking for All Ages is about helping instructors organize and create a meaningful interactive notebook that will help students record, reflect, retain, and recall information.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to create and set up Interactive notebooks using NGSS Science standards and practices to help the student maintain the highest learning experience.

SPEAKERS:
Sheryl Tabutol (WIS: Dinuba, CA)

Each year new teachers join districts ready to work with students. Navigating district initiatives, curriculum, parents and student learning can be overwhelming. To support new teachers, Northwest ISD developed New Teacher Academy, a unique, on-going PD to help retain teachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the components of New Teacher Academy and how to implement strategies focused on brand new and new to district teachers in order to support teachers and increase retention.

SPEAKERS:
Courtney Toht (Northwest ISD: Fort Worth, TX), Kelly Suarez (Northwest ISD: Fort Worth, TX)

In today's world students have to be equipped with STEM skills in order to be successful, but how do you jump into STEM and keep students engaged. One path is to use project-based learning to implement cross-curricular lessons that are STEM based and go beyond learning content to apply to a project.

TAKEAWAYS:
Today's students need more than "sit and get lessons" and teachers can create experiences with project-based learning and STEM lessons in their classrooms that keep students engaged and ready to learn.

SPEAKERS:
Heidi Goodin (Chattahoochee-Flint RESA: Ellaville, GA), Kylie Garrard (Middle School Science and STEM)

Creating connected learning pathways for youth starts with connecting and supporting their educators. Learn about essential elements of building learning ecosystems and stories of the collaborative work that is coming out of Learning Ecosystems Northeast's Connected Learning Ecosystems.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about essential elements of building supportive learning ecosystems. Local educator leaders will share stories of some of the collaborative and complementary work that is coming out of Learning Ecosystems Northeast's Connected Learning Ecosystems.

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Spooner (Van Buren District Secondary School), Diana Allen (Sanford Junior High School: Sanford, ME), Molly Auclair (Gulf of Maine Research Institute: Portland, ME)

So you are already doing great STEM work, now what? How can we make it even better? Join us for a guided self-reflection time where we work shifting existing lessons toward gold-standard PBL.

TAKEAWAYS:
Creating engaging problem-solving opportunities for students does not mean starting over with curriculum planning. Teachers can transform existing classroom lessons and activities into PBLs rich in relevant, authentic learning that builds the skills and knowledge students can use for a lifetime.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Benigno (The Science House at North Carolina State University: Mills River, NC), Jason Carter (The Science House at NC State University: No City, No State)

Do you want to teach the most sought after skills needed to be a successful scientist? Join us as we share practical strategies to create a learning environment where students are asking the questions, participating in productive collaboration, and constructing knowledge through discovery.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will discover practical ways to create a classroom environment rich in curiosity, collaboration, and critical thinking.

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

Learn how to identify, document, and address student RTI and COVID learning loss issues in the science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn concrete ways to identify students who need RTI and COVID learning loss intervention and how to address those needs.

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

Bring science lessons to life with the integration of augmented reality (AR) & virtual reality (VR). This session explores the use of AR & VR tools such as zSpace, Merge Edu & Oculus Quest to transform science assignments and classroom projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with ideas and strategies that they can immediately implement in science classroom lessons. Attendees will leave with practical examples of AR & VR tools and resources they can begin using with their students in integrated, earth & space, physical, and life science classes.

SPEAKERS:
Tommy Clay (Atlanta Public Schools: Atlanta, GA)

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

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

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

This session presents an activity using the popular “escape room” format in which students solve clues using science knowledge to complete the challenge.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience and explore ideas to enhance in-person learning through competitive activities and gamification using and adapting a digital escape room format with an energy focus or their existing curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Tonkinson (eesmarts: Hartford, CT), Sharyon Holness (eesmarts: No City, No State)