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

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

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

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

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

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

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TAKEAWAYS:
STEM isn't an add on at the EC level. It is a natural way of discovering the world around. It is also a path to equity when it is embedded in literary and real-world experience.

SPEAKERS:
Ruth Ruud (Cleveland State University: Cleveland, OH), Juliana Texley (Lesley University: Cambridge, MA)

A step-by-step explanation of how to implement FLORES (Family Learning and Outreach for Research and Education in STEM) in your elementary school. The program builds content knowledge and confidence in both parents and students, as they learn STEM together in their native language.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the positive research results form this program, how to implement FLORES and how to access the materials used to run the family sessions.

SPEAKERS:
Anny Vanegas (Columbus Elementary School: New Rochelle, NY), Amanda Gunning (Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry Campus: Dobbs Ferry, NY)

Generating STEM interest through a place-conscious framework is a pathway for students to solve issues relevant to their community. Framing instructional methods within the place-conscious design allow important issues to be at the center of the curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will explore how to design hands-on inquiry lesson developed from a place-conscious framework.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Bookheimer (Pre-service Teacher: , MT)

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

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

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

Come and learn how two different school contexts (rural and urban) are implementing science engineering practices through PBL experiences. Utilizing Engineering is Elementary resources as a model, teachers will share their instructional practices and strategies along with successes and challenges.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to explain that SEPs can and should be integrated in a manner to meet the individual needs of a school’s community and make-up.

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

Creating primary and intermediate STEM-focused classrooms can be challenging. This session will highlight strategies and examples to incorporate STEM and science activities into their classrooms. Resources that use trade books to teach Science/STEM concepts will be modeled and discussed.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in example activities that make connections between quality children’s literature that support STEM topics, STEM investigations, and reading strategies.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Anne Royce (Shippensburg University: Shippensburg, PA)

Young children naturally engage in science and engineering practices through play. Educators can support this kind of learning through purposeful play environments and subtle facilitation. In this session, educators will discover how to recognize and extend children’s play-based science learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will be introduced to an observation tool, which allows them to measure how children are engaging in science and engineering practices. Educators will gain practice using the tool with video-based cases and discuss effective strategies to support children’s play-based science learning.

SPEAKERS:
Alison Miller (Bowdoin College: Brunswick, ME), Maranda Chung (Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance)

As education professionals seek to engage with Tribal entities to support Youth, they need resources to help ensure that they are stepping respectfully and intentionally. Learn about an Un-guidebook, supported by 100kin10, to help non-Native education professionals engage with Tribal entities.

TAKEAWAYS:
After this session, STEM educators will know more about building relationship with indigenous communities, and how both formal/OST, educators can use the Un-guide to create the first steps of a relationship with Tribal entities in their community and better support Tribal learners, especially youth.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Hoppe (STEMisED, Inc: No City, No State), Melinda Higgins (U.S. Dept. of Energy - Fossil Energy & Carbon Management: Washington, DC)

In this session you will take a closer look at STEM instruction in order to reflect on whether it is inclusive of all students and how to use innovative ideas to continue moving forward as a STEM educator.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will have an opportunity to discuss and reflect on their own STEM instruction and focus on ways to include all students in STEM education regardless of abilities, language, or economic status.

SPEAKERS:
Pavel Escobedo Garcia (Principal: Ventura, CA), Adriana Guerra (E. P. Foster STEM Academy: Ventura, CA)

Can science and art be held to the same rigor in a classroom? Of course! In this session we’ll share student-centered approaches to teaching science and the arts through integration as part of larger PBLs. Examples of classroom practices are targeted to K-8 educators.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will gain ideas and strategies to put into practice in their classes. These strategies will allow them to help students construct and demonstrate their learning using art as well as use science knowledge to help solve problems through the creation of art.

SPEAKERS:
Daria Collins (Visual Arts teacher), Kaleena Jedinak (Tybee Island Maritime Academy: Tybee Island, GA)

What started out as our solution to “viewing science fair projects can be boring” evolved into a well-attended, hands-on experience for our families and community. In this session we will share our station-oriented activities and how to use them to build relationships with families and your school.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with the resources and confidence to organize large events for their school and community using science to build relationships. Session participants will be given an outline of helpful resources, tools, and ideas they can use to manage their own events.

SPEAKERS:
Megan Hunt (First Grade Teacher: Eustis, FL), Anne Fritz (Science Teacher: Eustis, FL)

Participants will explore an engineering design challenge that engages upper elementary students in the creation of tiny homes as a solution to homelessness after a local natural disaster. Explore Design Thinking principles and how empathy plays a role in authentic and inclusive STEM inquiry.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engage in NGSS-based engineering design challenge where you design a solution for homelessness caused by natural disasters and learn the role of empathy in STEM inquiries by using Design Thinking principles and place-based strategies that engage all learners in STEM.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Williams (Isidore Newman School: New Orleans, LA)

Advanced spatial thinkers do well in science, and building spatial skills can improve achievement. In this session, we will explore why science teachers should care about spatial skills, pedagogical tools to build these skills, and how they can be put into practice to build scientific knowledge.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will (1) gain an understanding of what spatial skills are and why they are important to success in science learning, courses, and careers; and (2) learn how to incorporate five spatial “tools” into their pedagogy and their students’ activities during science instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Gagnier (Senior Research Scientist: Arlington, VA)

In this session, the presenters will share specific strategies and an intentional design for preparing elementary STEM teachers to create inclusive and equitable STEM classroms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about specific strategies to create inclusive STEM classrooms. Elementary STEM educators will model ways in which they have revised curriculum and integrated specific STEM pedagogy that is inclusive, culturally sustaining, and rooted in social justice.

SPEAKERS:
Bonnie Maur (Sacred Heart University: Fairfield, CT)

Come hear how my teaching and student learning changed by using a Gather, Reasoning, and Communicate approach to my lesson planning. Insights on time management and student outcomes will be shared - the good and the not-so-good. I’ll also share why I think this approach leads to deeper 3D learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will take away explicit strategies of how to implement G,R,C lessons with your class including how to scaffold the approach with different grade levels, 2-4th grade, and how to roll out the approach in your first year.

SPEAKERS:
Katheryn Kennedy, PhD (The Peck School: No City, No State)

Culturally responsive pedagogy can help bridge the diversity gap in STEM. This session shares how our Dream City program supports all students in thinking like urban planners to design beautiful neighborhoods that are not only structurally sound but also inclusive and responsive to all who come.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will have a chance to see how IMSA Outreach provides inquiry-based, hands-on STEM learning. Attendees will see how inquiry-based teaching and learning is, by its very nature, inherently culturally responsive and can leave with practical ideas to use in their own classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Elaine Wu (Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy: Aurora, IL)

Deepen engagement for all students by showing them the power of science to impact their worlds.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with practical strategies for empowering students to apply their learning to have a positive impact on their communities.

SPEAKERS:
Ben Talsma (Van Andel Education Institute: Grand Rapids, MI)

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

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

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

This session provides a “snapshot” of how to use the 5E model of instruction, along with children’s literature while learning the process of coding different bots.

TAKEAWAYS:
Prepare to focus your lens with highlighted lessons in ELA, Math, and Science. This session puts the “T" in STEM into action.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Headrick (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), Shundra Morris (AMSTI-University of Alabama, Huntsville: Huntsville, AL)

Whether you’re looking for new ideas for an established science night or planning your first one, we are dedicated to making sure your science night showcases quality science content and practices that is fun for the whole family.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will share planning, recruiting volunteers, setting up, fundraising ideas, step-by step directions for stations and sample stations to take with you! The stations are for K-5 aged students but with a focus on training high school students to run the stations.

SPEAKERS:
Denise Webb (Coal Mountain Elementary School: Cumming, GA)

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

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

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

For teachers looking for tools to foster student achievement, participation, and growth. The key way to do this is by teaching students about a positive growth mindset and applying thinking routines to make the mindset part of the classroom's culture (free routines from Harvard's Graduate School of

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the importance of focusing on student effort and growth during the problem-solving process which results in an increase in student participation and achievement.

SPEAKERS:
Diana Lockwood (Author & Executive Director)

Provide students with the power of citizen science as they make scientific observations and analyze data to increase awareness worldwide about the impact of light pollution using NSF’s NOIRLab’s Globe at Night program. Students engage with authentic data to propose local solutions to light pollution

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the impacts of light pollution and walk away with resources and strategies to implement this citizen science campaign in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Sparks (NSF's NOIRLab), Justine Schaen (NSF's NOIRLab: Tucson, AZ)

Participants will come away with a roadmap of how to align their local instructional evaluation instrument with the characteristics of a great STEM lesson and how to provide actionable feedback to improve STEM instruction in their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to identify the key components of STEM instructional practices, have a process to align those practices to their local instructional evaluation instrument, and will be able to identify key components of actionable feedback.

SPEAKERS:
Christina Hilton (Central Indiana Educational Service Center: Indianapolis, IN)

Discover how to use Project Based Learning to foster a learning environment where students produce original ideas, objects, and structures through STEM.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to effectively implement STEM PBL’s (Project Based Learning) by integrating the components of STEM and PBL in order to grow students' capacity for creativity, fun, and back-loaded learning in a STEM context.

SPEAKERS:
Adero Carter (Clayton County Public Schools: Jonesboro, GA)

Learn about the PrimaryAI project and how it integrates artificial intelligence and computer science education into elementary life science.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this presentation, you will learn about PrimaryAI, a project that uses a rich, problem-based learning scenario in which students are tasked to gain experience with AI and apply their knowledge to help an endangered species.

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

Story Play curriculum embraces children’s storytelling, while reinforcing the writing process. This approach has roots in Montessori methods and uses STEM as a context. While the method was created to meet students’ needs after the pandemic pause, it can be used anytime to help all students learn.

TAKEAWAYS:
The importance of children's own experiences for storytelling and writing and how STEM exploration can be used as a context for both.

SPEAKERS:
Michelyn Goodin (Yonkers Early Childhood Academy: Yonkers, NY), Amanda Gunning (Mercy College, Dobbs Ferry Campus: Dobbs Ferry, NY)

This presentation centers the NGSS dimensions of science, crosscutting concepts, and engineering practices in real-life applications that yield tangible results to get students excited about STEAM by engaging with a school garden. Current teachers will share their successes and pitfalls.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session is aimed at helping teachers see that school gardening provides a plethora of STEAM-based learning experiences from current teacher perspectives.

SPEAKERS:
Tain Curtis (Teacher: , UT)

We have worked with more than 40 current and future K-8 teachers across our state as part of a PD and curriculum project. We used a place-based approach to explore marine science, climate change, and the NGSS. We will share our PD model and strategies for successful implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will present an overview of our PD model, which provides a series of workshops on climate change, marine science, and the NGSS K-8. Attendees will have access to our growing database of NGSS-aligned grade-level specific science lessons exploring marine science and climate change.

SPEAKERS:
Lauren Madden (The College of New Jersey: Ewing, NJ)

This session will demonstrate drag, gravity, thrust and lift and how those forces are integrated into a unit that uses paper airplanes to explore science and engineering practices and disciplinary literacy techniques in reading and writing with Amelia Earhart, aviator & champion of women’s rights.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will come away from this session with concrete resources on how key concepts in physical science can be embedded within an engaging unit using airplanes that also support student learning in the practices of science and engineering.

SPEAKERS:
Michele Koomen (Research Professor: No City, No State)

Computational thinking and computing education have the potential to develop students’ higher-order thinking, problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills in ways that can advance learning in interdisciplinary ways and can be done even with our youngest minds.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will focus on how we can embed computational thinking skills into student learning by using background knowledge from multiple subjects to design and implement curriculum that allows for all students to have access to higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills in real-world situations.

SPEAKERS:
Wyman Khuu (KIPP NYC: No City, No State)

Learn how we use the 3-H Learning Cycle and our school garden to teach integrated STEAM lessons in our early childhood classrooms. This approach incorporates hearts-on, hands-on, and minds-on learning to address children’s social and emotional needs. We will share STEAM lessons and tips.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about the 3-H Social and Emotional Learning Cycle, our favorite integrated STEAM garden-based lessons, and tips for effective and safe outdoor learning with young children (K-2). How to encourage students and families to get outside and make community connections in outdoor spaces.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Trundle (Utah STate University: No City, No State), Shannon Rhodes (Teacher: Logan, UT)

Ever run out of time to incorporate science into your elementary school day? The workshop model can help you conquer that problem. This tried-and-true, research-based instructional approach provides a framework for fitting an engaging, effective three-dimensional science lesson into a 30-minute bloc

TAKEAWAYS:
The workshop model isn’t just for math and literacy—elementary teachers can use this instructional approach to fit effective, engaging, hands-on science lessons into their daily instructional routine.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Bodner (Cobb County Schools & GSTA Board of Directors)

Starting and maintaining a school herbarium exposes students to the flora of their school campus while practicing data recording, observation skills, identification skills, and technology skills. Oak Grove Elementary's herbarium continues to grow with the support of the Emory University Herbarium.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn all steps involved in starting an herbarium, supplies needed, and STEM connections. While most examples were used with upper elementary students, it can easily be adapted for all grade levels.

SPEAKERS:
Kendall Xides (Oak Grove Elementary School: Atlanta, GA)

Featuring educators and digital media creators from Tinkercast, the creator of the STEM-themed, #1 kids podcast Wow in the World, sharing the HOW, WHY, and WOW of using podcasts in the classroom, including how podcasts can help address the achievement gap in listening and literacy skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Podcasts offer educators opportunities to enhance listening and literacy skills, spark creativity, encourage collaboration, and ignite a passion for learning, with specific benefits for ESL learners and students performing below grade level in ELA.

SPEAKERS:
Meredith Halpern-Ranzer (CEO: montclair, NJ), Kristen Giang (Sr Director, Digital: Oak Park, CA), Natascha Crandall (Educational and Research Consultant: Woodcliff Lake, NJ), Carole Paterson (Science Teacher: Ligonier, PA)

Career connections in elementary school are crucial in supporting the workforce. This session shows how a district implemented a sySTEMatic plan to grow understanding of career pathways for our high-needs students. Participants will be provided with a STEM Camp toolkit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a blueprint of how to implement STEM career awareness in elementary school by using the curriculum, teacher development, and community partners.

SPEAKERS:
Andrea Berry (Knox County Schools: Knoxville, TN), Mallory Sterling (Knox Co Schools: Knoxville, TN)

Exploring Monarch Butterflies in Science and Art

TAKEAWAYS:
This quick session will introduce insects to a class designed for both Science and Art.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Kurson (Collegiate School: New York, NY)

Gifted students are a unique population we rarely have time to focus on while common misconceptions often prevent them from reaching full potential. This session offers an assessment tool to help students capitalize on strengths and realize their own potential in a STEM classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
A Total Talent Portfolio can be used to identify students’ interests, preferred learning styles, and expression styles to leverage motivation, engagement, & autonomy. A Talent Portfolio also serves as an assessment tool teachers can use to document talent development throughout the year.

SPEAKERS:
Bailey Nafziger (Georgia Southern University)

The purpose of this session is to discuss research findings from a synthesis we conducted from projects funded by the NSF's DRK-12 program related to improving preK and elementary science teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
More research is needed in lower elementary grades and professional development lasting a year or longer showed promised in increasing teachers' self-efficacy and pedagogical content knowledge (PCK).

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Ferguson (Researcher: Arlington, VA)

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

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

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

With Extension Services being in every county in every state, your local county/parish Extension Office can be a great partner to enhance student learning. Come learn about strategies on how to work Extension Agents & K-12 educators can partner together in student learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
• Provide ideas on how teachers and Extension Agents can partner together to enhance student learning

SPEAKERS:
Elaine Giles (Extension Agent I - 4-H Youth Development: Green Cove Springs, FL)

The need for all students to have STEAM-related strategies and practices that work is paramount for a equitable classroom. This presentation is to provide recommendations to support students with and without disabilities in remote and in-person classroom environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to implement evidence-based strategies for STEAM instruction that work for students with and without disabilities in a a variety of instructional settings.

SPEAKERS:
Jonté Taylor (Penn State: University Park, PA)

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

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

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

Looking for more interactive grade 3-5 physical science curriculum? Students will engage with robot SaM-1’s videos and hands on activities while exploring physical science at an animal conservatory and on vacation at the beach! Free access will be given to use this curriculum in your class.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will be given access to a physical science curriculum in grades 3-5 that provides instructional content via videos, hands on lesson and labs, bulletin board ideas and coding. The curriculum is meant to transform elementary science classrooms from using workbooks to real science!

SPEAKERS:
Jim Reynolds (STEM coordinator: Tallahassee, FL), Carrie Meyers (Curriculum Coordinator: No City, No State)

We aim to bring K-12 STEAM further in the 21st century by emphasizing innovation. The proposed session will cover a STEAM rebranding process. We will host a discussion of NSTA community goals around innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as tools and resources for addressing these goals.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees should expect the session to serve as a valuable idea brainstorm, to provide a collection of strategies, and to generate a network of NSTA members interested in pursuing a rebranding of STEAM to a “Tinker-Create-Innovate” model who may serve as allies as such shifts are endeavored locally.

SPEAKERS:
Maggie Renken (STEAM Program Director)

This session will discuss what it means to engage in authentic integrated STEM, with a focus on Mathematics, Science and English Language Arts. Ideas for integrating Technology and Engineering will also be discussed. This integrated lesson encompasses the NGSS three dimensional learning approach to explore the concept of forces and motion. Through the use of a read aloud titled Equal Smeechqual by Virginia L. Kroll, students will engage in sequencing, reading comprehension, equal and unequal forces, and mathematical justifications. Results from this lesson conducted with a third grade class will be shared and discussed. In addition to the results of the lesson, tips for constructing meaningful and logical integrated instruction will be discussed.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will take away an NGSS based three dimensional lesson for a third grade integrated lesson on forces and motion that integrate math and ELA standards, as well as general tips for integrating instruction across content areas that are meaningful, purposeful and logical to benefit students.

SPEAKERS:
Christie Martin (University of South Carolina: Columbia, SC), Bridget Miller (University of South Carolina: Columbia, SC)

Join to hear how our district support team in Hawaii developed an innovative Lending Library system for STEM resource borrowing. We’ll share challenges and successes from our initial five items in 2017, to currently managing a massive system with over 130 items.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with ideas and considerations to kick-start or remodel a similar project in their current roles as educational leaders.

SPEAKERS:
Shelley Deakins (Science/STEM Resource Teacher: Kaneohe, HI), Ryan Kagami (Windward District Office: Kaneohe, HI)

Learning rarely takes place in only one space. In this session, identify strategies for developing and executing STEAM-based curriculum for young learners. Shift your mindset from “child homework” to “family learning” as we discuss ways to engage parents and families as stakeholders in learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will identify strategies for creating lessons grounded in STEAM and engaging parents and families in their child’s learning.

SPEAKERS:
Samanta Gutierrez (Professional Learning Specialist: No City, No State), Patricia Ratanapraphart (STEM Content Manager: Dallas, TX)

STEM careers are for ALL students! Learn how to bridge the gap between STEM careers and classroom spaces by exploring proven strategies for hosting STEM professionals in your elementary classroom! Walk away with a complete engagement guide written for elementary teachers, by elementary 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), Kristen Record (Bunnell High School - National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTOY): No City, No State)

In this session we will share our model for sustainable and inclusive K-5 STEM teacher leadership, drawn from experiences working with teams of teachers and administrators. This work is part of an NSF-funded capacity-building initiative in preparation for a larger project which seeks to develop a robust cadre of Master Teacher Fellows. Our model for STEM teacher leadership is unique in that (1) it is focused on STEM learning at the K-5 level; (2) it centers equity and inclusivity in STEM teaching, and (3) it takes place within the context of a state that recently adopted K-12 climate change standards. We will first share the model and how it came to be. Then, we will provide examples of ways in which STEM teacher leaders can lead innovation within and across many contexts including schools, communities, professional organizations, and through social media.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will share a model for sustainable and inclusive K-5 STEM teacher leadership and examples of ways to leverage the assets of these leaders to bring about innovation in schools, communities, and society at large.

SPEAKERS:
Matthew Taylor (Assistant Professor of Special Education), Helen Corveleyn (Hopewell Elementary School: Hopewell, NJ), Melissa Zrada (The College of New Jersey: Ewing, NJ), Lauren Madden (The College of New Jersey: Ewing, NJ)

Participants will learn how school districts were able to increase elementary science access by establishing a District Science team grounded in distributed leadership and using the principles and tools of Improvement Science. Panelists' insights and a toolkit of resources will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how several districts developed a distributed leadership team focused on increasing access to elementary science education. They will hear from panelists and explore the tools and processes these teams used as part of their science leadership teams.

SPEAKERS:
Channon Jackson (Alameda County Office of Education: Hayward, CA), Dawn O'Connor (CSU East Bay: Danville, CA)

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

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

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

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)

Are you looking for ways to attract a diverse group of students to STEM and provide authentic learning experiences? In-Flight Education Downlinks engage students with astronauts aboard the International Space Station. Join us and learn ways to write a competitive downlink proposal that stands out.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will understand the proposal requirements for an In-Flight Education Downlink, use key metrics to draft an Impact Statement, and leave with insights on planning an event that incorporates a broader audience and leaves a lasting impact on the local community.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Whitfield (Education Coordinator)