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)

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)

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)

This session is presented by members of the Georgia Science Teachers Association Board of Directors and shares ways to incorporate literacy in science lessons using inclusive teaching strategies. The session will be a panel presentation that addresses using a broad range of analogies, a mix of textual and visual representations, inclusion of examples that include both women and ethnic minority groups, students with disabilities, use of funds of knowledge, a variety of learning exercises and assessments and the use of rubrics. Justin Harvey (GSTA Director) is submitting this proposal on behalf of the GSTA Board, but he is not one of the presenters. The panel of presenters include: Teresa Massey, GA District 10 Director Robert Bice, GA District 1 Director Jane Reed, District 2 Director Michelle Thompson, District 8 Director Kathryn Mullen, District 12 Director Melissa Niemi, GSTA President-Elect

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will see how the need to consider diversity is important for all students learning science. Participants will gain research-based strategies for integrating diversity in science lessons that meet the needs of all learners.

SPEAKERS:
Teresa Massey (Graduate Student), Michelle Thompson (Effingham College and Career Academy: No City, No State)

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)

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)

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)

Engage in an interactive panel discussion exploring the importance of English language arts skills for STEM career success, and strategies for building English language arts skills through K-12 science and engineering practices in a sensemaking model.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave the session with ideas for using K-12 science and engineering practices to enhance student acquisition of communication and media literacy skills necessary for success in STEM careers.

SPEAKERS:
Liz Martinez (Curriculum/Professional Development: Escondido, CA), Elizabeth Allan (University of Central Oklahoma: Edmond, OK), Loris Chen (Science Education Consultant: Fair Lawn, NJ)

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)

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)

This presentation includes a research that investigated middle school science teachers' practices in engaging students in sense making tasks.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn about the practices in engaging English learners to access SEPs and develop English proficiency simultaneously.

SPEAKERS:
Edralin Pagarigan (Golden Ring Middle School: Rosedale, MD)

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)