Are you looking for connections between science and literacy? Join this session to discuss the design of a science and literacy task to leverage reading and writing in context. Then take an in-depth look into examples that can be put into action in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about designing lessons or tasks that assist students in utilizing reading and writing skills while engaging in 3-dimesional science. This session will, also, provide some sample lessons that can be used in K-5 classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Canepa-Redondo (Science/ESOL Program Specialist: Johns Creek, GA), Renee Shirley-Stevens (Science Program Specialist: Hiram, GA)

What will be describe in this session is are community science events that can be organized with themes that use natural phenomena or NGSS standards, practices, and outcomes that a school would like to promote.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to update these events to go beyond the traditional Family Science Events that are superficial. One main takeaway are example indepth activities and resources that can be used for use with families and students

SPEAKERS:
Annabelle Fortine (Central Michigan University: Eagle, MI), Lavender Bertsch (Central Michigan University: Mount Pleasant, MI), Hannah Smock (Central Michigan University: Grayling, MI), Morgan Glann (Central Michigan University: Sanford, MI), Nicole Merner (Central Michigan University: Mount Pleasant, MI), Makayla Spencer (Central Michigan University: Munger, MI), Emma Harma (Central Michigan University: Mount Pleasant, MI), Jim McDonald (Central Michigan University: Mount Pleasant, MI)

Come learn three discussion routines that can transform your science lessons: “I Notice, I Wonder, I Predict”, “Data Discussions”, and “Let’s Make Sense of It All”. Together we’ll explore key features of each talk, participate in enactments, and brainstorm ways to have more talk time in our lessons

TAKEAWAYS:
For young students, talking is learning as students learn as they talk through their own ideas and listen to the ideas of others. This session highlights three whole class science discussion routines that can transform elementary science lessons.

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

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: Carrollton, GA), Kimberley Astle (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Vancouver, WA), Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association: Gilbert, AZ), Holly Baldwin (Instructional Support Specialist: Syracuse, NY), Christopher Soldat (Grant Wood Area Education Agency: Iowa City, IA), Leah Litz (Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium: Omaha, NE)

Looking for more in your partnerships with edtech providers? Join InnerOrbit and Wicomico Science Leaders as we unpack our partnership providing sensemaking supports for science educators. We aim to provide the inspiration and structures to shape the landscape of edtech and district partnerships.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave this session with a replicable structure of partnership between a Technology Provider and District to move the needle on Sensemaking in High School. Additionally, lessons learned will be shared to give attendees a strong foundation to build upon in their future partnerships.

SPEAKERS:
Hemalatha Bhaskaran (Wicomico County Public Schools: Salisbury, MD)

Students do best with applied hands-on experiential learning. The ‘After Dark’ theme of this workshop is intended to provide tangible resources for educators to take abstract concepts from their curriculum and make them accessible to students with glow in the dark, phosphorescent activities to take.

TAKEAWAYS:
Data collection and interpretation is an essential skill that hits-home the concepts students find in their textbooks. ‘After-Dark’ makes a miniature lab-course out of many of the bio/chem/phys/eng principles in ways which are memorable/relatable taking advantage of STEM tools for data collection.

SPEAKERS:
Will Collins (BioInnovation Dir: Halifax, NS, NB)

In this session we will look at how engaging students in the practice of Developing and Using Models over the course of a unit can be used for different purposes. Participants will experience building a consensus model and reflect on how building a class consensus model is an important step in ensuring that all members of the learning community can contribute to the knowledge building and that ALL students have access to the ideas the class agrees moves the understanding forward. We will also highlight how models are a powerful way to uncover new questions students may have, requiring students to dig for a deeper understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
Developing and using scientific models allows all students to be integral members of the knowledge-building community.

SPEAKERS:
Holly Hereau (NSTA: Lake Angelus, MI)

This capacity building session will explore how to make meaningful phenomena for students; review a set of phenomena descriptions generated by others and say which ones might be compelling to students and why; and explore a framework with examples for different classes of phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn, through an existing OER professional learning module, how to identify meaningful and relevant phenomena that attend to students interest and community priorities.

SPEAKERS:
William Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO)

The Framework and NGSS called for phenomena-based 3D learning experiences for all students. Unpack WHY this is important and HOW to make it a reality in your classroom. Take away phenomena and storylines to try in your classroom and strategies for making every student look forward to your class

TAKEAWAYS:
The shift to phenomena-based 3D learning brings the student to the center of the learning and uses their life experiences and approaches to sensemaking to drive the learning.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Delaney (OpenSciEd: San Carlos, CA)

The Stackable, Instructionally-embedded, Portable Science (SIPS) Assessments project is applying current research, theory, and best practice to establish replicable and scalable processes and resources to drive shifts to science instructional practice and assessment as envisioned by the Framework.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators’ ability to design and implement high quality 3-dimensional science instruction, evaluate student learning, and make appropriate instructional decisions will be modeled. Beneficial tools and resources will be shared to ensure a coherent system of curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Charlene Turner (edCount, LLC: Laramie, WY), Mary Nyaema (University of Illinois Chicago: Chicago, IL), Rhonda True (Nebraska Department of Education: Lincoln, NE), Bill Herrera (edCount, LLC: Laramie, WY)

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 (Stanford University: Chelsea, MA), Nicole Ruttan (Boston College: Worcester, MA), Ji-Sun Ham (School Support Specialist: Chestnut Hill, MA)

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: Derwood, MD)

Engage in the science practices of investigating, modeling, and arguing from evidence to make sense of why a toy train moves forward and backward without physical contact. Participants will explore gravity, static electricity, and magnetism to determine which most likely causes it to move.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants explore forces at a distance and make sense of how they might cause the phenomenon to occur by developing a model via a three-step sequence. Teachers examine sample student work to uncover ideas and determine that some ideas may make sense despite being inaccurate for the situation.

SPEAKERS:
Christi Pace (Augusta University: Augusta, GA), Jaclyn Murray (Mercer University: Cumming, GA)

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

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

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

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Journey through protein folding and its implications for human disease in this hands-on engaging investigation of the Amino Acid Starter Kit. Empower your students to make connections between amino acid sequences, final protein shapes and the effect a "simple" mutation can have on a human life.

SPEAKERS:
Dan Williams (Teacher: Shelter Island, NY)

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

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

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

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

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

Teachers will be introduced to the four elements of the anchoring phenomenon routine from OpenSciEd for Middle School. Teachers will experience how an anchoring phenomenon can motivate students to explore & explain real-world phenomena, & develop strategies for creating a driving question board.

SPEAKERS:
Cory Ort (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC), Hoover Herrera (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Cranford, NJ)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

Ready for a dissection that is cutting edge? With this “real” classroom autopsy, revitalize your mammalian structure and function lesson to 3-dimensional instruction while addressing important standards. Participants dissect a Carolina’s Perfect Solution® pig by modeling the protocols of a professio

SPEAKERS:
Patti Kopkau (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Hale, MI)

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

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

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

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

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

Sponsoring Company: Bozemanscience.com, Inc

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

Sponsoring Company: PEER Physics

Are you passionate about engaging students in rich discourse and looking for strategies, norms, and protocols that can support this work? Join us for an interactive workshop to explore effective small-group and whole-class discourse techniques. Participants receive consensus building protocols.

SPEAKERS:
Valerie Otero (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO)

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

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

SPEAKERS:
Jen Gutierrez (Activate Learning: Chandler, AZ)

Grading that supports student sensemaking doesn't have to keep you at school all night. Learn approaches to grading that prioritize 3D sensemaking and utilize technology, collaboration, and existing resources so you have can your evenings back.

TAKEAWAYS:
The process of giving feedback and assigning grades is easier when there are strong materials and assessments to build from and technology can help make it faster without decreasing effectiveness for students.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Delaney (OpenSciEd: San Carlos, CA)

Experience two novel instructional routines supporting the integration of NGSS Crosscutting Concepts; learn how these routines can be used to foster belonging in science classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will come away with a deeper understanding of how to use the CCCs to foster belonging in science classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Joy Otibu (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY), Andrea Sau (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY)

Washington County Public Schools, MD had adopted the definition of Acceleration as intentionally providing access to grade/course-level learning so students who have unfinished learning succeed in today’s learning experience. Underpinning this definition we have leaned on the work of John Hattie to identify 4 high-impact areas(relationships, scaffolds, clarity, feedback) of teaching and learning to frame our focus away from traditional remediation. This session will look at the practice of scaffolding instruction in the science classroom. Attendees will participate in collaborative discussions and experience the use of authentic classroom examples. These experiences will promote their own thinking of how our practical strategies can be transferred into their classrooms. Due to the organizational leadership role of the presenters, audience members will be able to have questions ranging from classroom implementation to curriculum integration discussed.

TAKEAWAYS:
The practical use of instructional scaffolds and the supporting strategies to increase access to student learning in science.

SPEAKERS:
Tara Ellis (Washington County Public Schools: Hagerstown, MD)

In this interactive session, we share important lessons learned through our work with states, educators, and developers to support equitable systems of science assessment. These lessons can help us develop better 3D assessment tasks, processes, and systems that lead to better outcomes for learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Three dimensional assessment design is tricky - come join us to discuss how we can take a systems approach and develop better 3D assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Katie Van Horne (Concolor Research: Orlando, FL)

How can we provide access to learning to ensure students can succeed in today’s learning experience? We will look at the practice of scaffolding instruction in science and use classroom examples that can be transferred into your classroom. Q&A to follow.

TAKEAWAYS:
The practical use of instructional scaffolds and the supporting strategies to increase access to student learning in science.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Longenberger (Washington County Public Schools: Abingdon, VA)

Starting with eliciting students' initial ideas, experience a responsive teaching sense-making structure to take students through a process of developing conceptual understanding of core disciplinary ideas in science using NSTA's highly Uncovering Student Ideas in Science Formative Assessment Probes

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to transition from diagnostic probes to formative assessment and responsive teaching by taking students through a sense-making structure to change or further develop their initial ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Page Keeley (NSTA Past President: Fort Myers, FL)

Engage in active exploration of primary source materials that support sensemaking in middle level science and STEM. Leave with a plan for incorporating primary sources into your own lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
Primary sources can be used to: (1) present phenomena, (2) engage students in science and engineering practices, (3) identify crosscutting concepts, (4) reinforce disciplinary core ideas, and (4) address equity through leveled resources and shared experience.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Biernat (Zanilu Educational Services, LLC: Oak Creek, WI), Donna Governor (University of North Georgia: Pensacola, FL), Loris Chen (none: Fair Lawn, NJ)

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: Newburg, PA)

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: Scottsville, NY), Chris Geerer (Mi-STAR: Rochester, MI)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association: Gilbert, AZ), Leah Litz (Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium: Omaha, NE), Kimberley Astle (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Vancouver, WA)

Addressing the needs of all the different learners in science can be challenging. Join us as we take a deep dive into research-based strategies and practices so that all students can succeed in science class no matter their learning need.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will take away a better understanding of addressing learner variability as it applies to science and Identify at least two strategies to promote student engagement, representation, or communication for planning future science lessons or adapting current lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Renee Shirley-Stevens (Science Program Specialist: Hiram, GA), Judith Beccaro (Georgia Department of Education: Newnan, GA)

Discover interdisciplinary games and simulations that help younger students explore connections between themselves and the environment, including natural resource use, pollution and climate. Presented activities build skills in scientific inquiry, data analysis and critical thinking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will increase their understanding of basic human ecological concepts and best practices for introducing these concepts in their interdisciplinary elementary classrooms using 3D science instruction for a variety of learning styles.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Travaglini (Allegheny Land Trust: Canonsburg, PA)

Did you know that you can launch units in your science class by engaging students in the analysis of historical primary sources? Join us for this hands-on workshop, where we’ll investigate free, digitized resources to see how they can reveal phenomena linked to the content you teach.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to engage students at the start of a unit by exploring phenomena embedded in historical primary source documents. The strategies discussed will develop the critical thinking and sensemaking strategies of students.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Apfeldorf (Library of Congress: Purcellville, VA), Jacqueline Katz (Princeton Public Schools: Princeton, NJ)

Worms excite everyone! They are cheap, easy to get, and can be the phenomenon to drive learning on a host of topics. Come play with worms and see how they can stimulate learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience a series of activities that will help them use earthworms as phenomena in elementary science. For each activity, we will discuss how to move from the specifics of worms into sensemaking around more general concepts that the activities illustrate.

SPEAKERS:
Jodi Wheeler-Toppen (Author/ Staff Development: Atlanta, GA)

Let’s look at air quality at your location with data gathered by Purple Air sensors. Contribute to the study of aerosols in the US. Bring computer/electronic device.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to access air quality data from citizen scientist sensors and satellite data and analyze air quality in your local area.

SPEAKERS:
Kevin Czajkowski (The University of Toledo: Toledo, OH), Jessica Taylor (NASA Langley Research Center: Hampton, VA), Sara Mierzwiak (The University of Toledo: Toledo, OH), Janet Struble (: Fenton, MO)

Students are going to talk anyway. Learn to make talk productive with student-led talk circles. Use this powerful strategy tomorrow to build students’ scientific literacy!

TAKEAWAYS:
Talk Circles enable educators to uncover student ideas and misconceptions as well as reveal students’ understanding to pave the way for further investigation.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia McMahon (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT), Sheri Geitner (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT), Nicole Bay (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT)

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

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

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

This session will introduce teachers to physical models of DNA base-pairs that highlight the epigenetic modification of DNA and its impact on gene expression.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

Students can drive their learning through hands-on activities integrated with digital and print resources. Learn how using Smithsonian Science for the Classroom engages students with science and engineering practices and promotes scientific literacy for all students. Take home materials available.

SPEAKERS:
Hoover Herrera (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Cranford, NJ), Melissa Rogers (Smithsonian Science Education Center: Davis, WV)

Sponsoring Company: The National WWII Museum

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

Sponsoring Company: Stile Education

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

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

Sponsoring Company: Phenomenon Science Education

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

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

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

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

Sponsoring Company: TCI

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

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

Join us to learn how to introduce the practices of modeling and scientific argumentation at the beginning of the school year by using phenomenon-based instruction. We will share how our Biology PLC helped students to define a model for life that could be used to determine if a virus is living .

TAKEAWAYS:
Phenomena can serve as a way to introduce and build skills in the science practices. Students will develop a model based on one organism and use that model to construct an argument about whether a virus is living.

SPEAKERS:
Crystal McDowell (Greenbrier High School: Evans, GA)

Stories from Chemical Insights Research Institute’s “research to impact” process will be shared from their work on a variety of emerging technologies and topics such as 3D printing emissions, an economical approach to improving indoor air quality during wildfire smoke events, and more.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will discuss how “research to impact” is or might be used in their schools and collaborate to create their own research to impact story they can share to engage students in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Cristi Bell-Huff (Research Manager: Marietta, GA), Holley Henderson (Chemical Insights Research Institute: Marietta, GA)

Participants will engage in several activities that explore how a teacher explicitly prepares for collaborative conversations within a lesson. Participants will delve into strategies such as targeted questioning, talk moves, and instructional routines that promote science discourse within the class

TAKEAWAYS:
Develop understanding of the role a teacher takes in preparing for collaborative conversations that produce effective science discourse.

SPEAKERS:
Armetta Wright (Great Minds: Baton Rouge, LA), Vicki Saxton (Implementation Support Specialist: Geneva, IL)

It is a challenge to help students not only figure out science ideas, but how to work together and support each other. This panel of classroom teachers will explore how co-constructed community agreements, returned to throughout the year, can help students participate in a scientific community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will understand how community agreements are used in OpenSciEd and other high school classrooms to support collective and equitable sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Patton (Denver Public Schools: Denver, CO), Joe Kremer (Denver Public Schools: Denver, CO), Samantha Pinter (Norwalk Public Schools: Milford, CT)

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 (Eagle Grove Community School District: Fort Dodge, IA), Christopher Soldat (Grant Wood Area Education Agency: Iowa City, IA), Beverly Berns (Keystone Area Education Agency: Decorah, IA)

Learn how to engage your students with the rich phenomena around the mismatch between our human body physiology and our modern environment, using a free, EQuIP-reviewed unit designed for HS NGSS.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will develop a vision for how to use engineering practices to teach genetics and epigenetics while creating a more engaging and inclusive classroom environment for all learners

SPEAKERS:
Joy Otibu (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY), Andrea Sau (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY)

Presenters will share two units in which science is integrated with ELA, math, and social studies. This session will share the process of unit creation and how incorporation with other content areas strengthens science instruction. Two units will be shared-one for kindergarten and one for 3rd grade.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to integrate multiple content standards to strength science instruction as well as leave with two examples of fully integrated elementary units. In addition to the sharing of the units, presenters will share the creation process so participants can engage in this work.

SPEAKERS:
Chelsie Byram (Central Rivers Area Education Agency: Waterloo, IA), Mandie Sanderman (Central Rivers Area Education Agency: Waverly, IA)

Sensemaking with the three dimensions is the focal construct we want to measure in science assessments - not the phenomenon or problem or the three-dimensions. Join us for a deep dive into centering sensemaking in 3D assessment design.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with examples of 3D sensemaking in assessment tasks and activities for building better assessments that elicit sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Cooper (Contextus: Lincoln, NE), Katie Van Horne (Concolor Research: Orlando, FL)

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)

Come experience how leveraging complex culturally relevant societal challenges as phenomena in 3D teaching and learning supports student motivation and engagement. Learn how the BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model develops student agency within and beyond the classroom!

TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model succeeds the 5Es and leverages complex societal issues as anchoring phenomena/problems, culminating tasks, and performance assessments in 3D units of instruction to motivate students and develop agency in addressing these issues.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Steamboat Springs, CO)

What is the big deal with a phenomenon—and how is it structured for science learning? A phenomenon drives three-dimensional science instruction. Join this session to discuss the importance of phenomena as well as what it is and what it isn’t. Resources will be shared!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the importance phenomena plays in 3D Science instruction , instructional strategies to use when sensemaking. and how to assess student learning using phenomenon-based assessment tasks.

SPEAKERS:
Judith Beccaro (Georgia Department of Education: Newnan, GA)

This session will describe the Science Curriculum Adaptation Project for Special Educators, in which science specialists and special educators adapted an NGSS badge unit for students with moderate to severe disabilities. We outline the program structure and share examples of adaptations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about the structure of a program designed to support special education teachers in using the high quality “Garbage” unit with their students, discuss the UDL framework as a part of this work, and see examples of adaptations that can be used with students with moderate to severe disabilities.

SPEAKERS:
Casandra Gonzalez (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Everett, MA)

The NSTA Sensemaking Tool (adapted from the research-based NGSS Lesson Screener) is designed to help educators be critical consumers of curricular materials as well as create and/or revise science lessons to reflect the instructional shifts required by new standards (sensemaking). Join us to gain experience using the tool and facilitating criteria-based consensus conversations with colleagues.

TAKEAWAYS:
Recognize the critical aspects of sensemaking in a science lesson.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Mathews (NSTA: Skokie, IL), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Jersey City, NJ)

Teachers will begin the session by sharing their current understanding/practice of incorporating play in the classroom by using a “fishbowl” sharing strategy. Then they will learn the three types of play: free play, guided play, and games. They will run through a few scenarios and determine which type of play is occurring during that scenario. Teachers will then review questioning-types that could be used to help guide free play to move it toward guided play. Teachers will work in teams scripting a teacher's questions to match a given play scenario. After teachers have shared, they will have a chance to put their work in action by engaging in four guided play stations. The four stations will focus on measurement, parts of a bug, buoyancy, and engineering. Teachers will brainstorm guided questions as they play. They will have a chance to share out major takeaways using a modified four corners strategy. We will have a reflection whole group.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore strategies that enhance children's STEM learning during play in order to extend and support current play and science activities in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Judith Lozoya (Professional Development Facilitator: Phoenix, AZ), Jennifer Petersen (Professional Development Facilitator: Phoenix, AZ), Brenna Chambers (Arizona Science Center: Phoenix, AZ)

Explore how to engage students in computational thinking using a newly developed, freely available simulation designed to address high school performance expectations in life science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to promote the science and engineering practice of computational thinking in the high school biology classroom. Participants will be introduced to a freely accessible computer simulation based on a real-world phenomenon designed to address PEs in biology.

SPEAKERS:
Maia Binding (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Ben Koo (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Menlo Park, CA), Wendy Jackson (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Skokie, IL)

Participants will investigate relationships between variables such as barometric pressure and precipitation, using data from a wide range of geographical stations in the United States. Selected stations represent sites with contrasting latitudes, altitudes, proximity to water bodies, and other elements, in order to best study the effect of these variables on weather and climate. The session will analyze data to look for patterns of change over time and to investigate regional patterns and region-specific effects of climate change. Data from Los Angeles & San Diego weather stations will also be included. The graphing tool is a freely accessible webpage that works on laptops, desktops, smartphones, and tablets. An internet connection at the session would additionally allow for participants to see a live demonstration as well as explore their own investigation questions. http://uanyc.science/pwc

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session attendees will learn to analyze and interpret weather and climate data using a custom designed graphing tool that simplifies visualizing and analyzing data on time scales of hours, days and weeks (weather) to decades and centuries (climate).

SPEAKERS:
Rachelle Travis (IS 281: Joseph B. Cavallaro (NYC Department of Education): Brooklyn, NY)

Play a new free online science game - Wake: Tales from the Aqualab. Take on ocean-based ecosystem missions, and engage in experimentation, modeling, and argumentation around middle school life sciences content. Use a submarine to explore a kelp forest! Travel to the arctic to find a missing whale!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn ways to implement Wake in your classroom - including associated curriculum and supplemental materials. The full game can cover 10+ classes, with over 35 jobs of increasing complexity, and a fun story. Learn about our research on game-based supports for student learning of science practices.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Scianna (University of Wisconsin Madison: Fitchburg, WI)

COESEE - Join us to explore the selection and implementation of phenomenon for elementary students as you review materials or build phenomenon into your own materials.

TAKEAWAYS:
Phenomenon can be used in multiple ways to support interesting and just learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Shelly LeDoux (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX), Molly Ewing (The Charles A. Dana Center: Austin, TX), Carla Zembal-Saul (Penn State: State College, PA), Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network: Plymouth, MI)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

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

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

Sponsoring Company: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Students' lived experience of brain disorders can strengthen lessons for Middle and High School science standards on structure/function. Validation of students as personal or cultural lived experience experts sets a foundation for their future learning, that is critical to achieve classroom equity.

SPEAKERS:
Rebekah Corlew (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD), Carlo Quintanilla (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD), Diana Andriola (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD)

Sponsoring Company: Nourish the Future

Become a leader in exploring solutions with students on issues affecting sustainability, climate, environment, and food production. Test solutions to real-world problems facing food production today with 4 inquiry-based lessons in biotechnology, water/soil quality, renewable fuels and biodiversity.

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

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

SPEAKERS:
Jen Gutierrez (Activate Learning: Chandler, AZ)

Join the GaDOE science team to get updates on resources, professional learning, virtual communities, and other information related to the science teaching community. See what has just been released and how you can use it in your classroom tomorrow!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will receive updates from the Georgia Department of Education science team. Many new resources and professional learning opportunities are now available. Check out the phenomenon-based resources, including instructional deliverables, assessment tasks, literacy plans, and more.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Canepa-Redondo (Science/ESOL Program Specialist: Johns Creek, GA), Judith Beccaro (Georgia Department of Education: Newnan, GA), Renee Shirley-Stevens (Science Program Specialist: Hiram, GA), Keith Crandall (Science Program Manager: Atlanta, GA)

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 (Montgomery Township School District: Plainsboro, NJ)

Many states are adopting policy that promotes the use of high-quality standards-aligned curriculum for all grade levels. However, educators may question the accessibility of these units for all students. In the Science Curriculum Adaptation Project for Special Educators (SCAPE) program, science specialists from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education worked with special educators to adapt the NYU SAIL “Garbage” unit for students with moderate to severe disabilities. Science specialists provided learning activities around the structures and routines in the unit and guided teachers through key lessons. Teachers then identified barriers and used Universal Design for Learning (UDL) to adapt the unit for their students to access ideas and SEPs in the unit. Each teacher participant left with an adapted unit to pilot with students. In this presentation we will outline the program and share examples of adaptations made for students with disabilities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Session attendees will learn about a MA program designed to support special education teachers in using the high quality “Garbage” unit with their students. Attendees will also see examples of UDL-based adaptations that can be used with science students with moderate to severe disabilities.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Palo (Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Brighton, MA), Casandra Gonzalez (Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education: Everett, MA)

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: Lander, WY), John-Carlos Marino (Science Lead: Philadelphia, PA)

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: Savannah, GA), Kaleena Jedinak (Tybee Island Maritime Academy: Tybee Island, GA)

What does engagement look like in a physics classroom? Movement, noise, and fun! Learn about how you can include all students in your physics classroom. Take home a sample lesson plan on 1-D kinematics and learn more about project-based learning, cross-curricular lessons, and real-world designing.

TAKEAWAYS:
Make physics accessible to all learners by encouraging curiosity, creativity, and promoting equity, inclusion, and engagement through an exploratory instructional strategy.

SPEAKERS:
Tita Anderson Lovell (Paul Duke STEM High School: Duluth, GA)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association: Gilbert, AZ)

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: Scottsville, NY), Chris Geerer (Mi-STAR: Rochester, MI)

Educators are tasked with preparing students to engage in a world with an increasingly changing climate. Join us to see how climate science is connected to multiple K-12 content areas and view OER planning guides that support content teachers to anchor learning around climate literacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will take away planning tools and resources for connecting climate science to non-science K-12 content areas and receive guidance for working with non-science peers to anchor instruction around the idea that humans can take actions to reduce climate change and its impacts.

SPEAKERS:
Lori Henrickson (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Olympia, WA)

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: Belle Chasse, LA)

Engage with My NASA Data lessons as a model student to make sense of weather and climate phenomena while discovering the strengths and limitations of a conceptual model used to describe the complex energy transfer in our Earth system.

TAKEAWAYS:
Develop a better understanding of Earth’s energy budget by connecting weather and climate phenomena to a conceptual model developed by NASA from satellite-based observations. This is an example of how students may evaluate a model to engage in data literacy and employ systems thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Rizzi (NASA Langley Research Center/ADNET: Newport News, VA), Natalie Macke (Pascack Hills High School: Franklin Lakes, NJ)

A major evolution misconception is that organisms on a phylogenetic tree are progressing towards the ultimate goal of being bigger, better, and faster. Using convergent evolution as an anchoring phenomenon, learn how to inoculate your students against this misunderstanding with a 5E storyline.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to help students using a misconception-based approach. By looking at a variety of species, teachers will leave with evidence-based examples of evolution in action. Major areas of focus are artificial selection, domestication, natural selection, and convergent evolution.

SPEAKERS:
Cari Herndon (National Center for Science Education: Marietta, GA), Lin Andrews (Independent Contractor: Wichita, KS)

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

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

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

Looking to increase engagement and leverage student curiosity? Sensemaking frames the inquiry process from the student’s point of view and puts them in charge of their own learning. Find out how this process can increase your teaching effectiveness and fundamentally change how your students learn.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with an understanding of sensemaking as a practice, its place in the 3 dimensions of Next Gen Science Standards, and insights gained from experiencing hands-on, minds-on sensemaking of phenomena from the student point of view.

SPEAKERS:
Mariel Kolker (Morristown High School: Chatham, NJ)

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

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

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

Experience an inquiry-based dance class showcasing key pedagogical ideas that support all learners, creating equitable opportunities for engagement and access. Designed using a research-based model, and an inclusive framework, build instructional knowledge that transfers to the science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Experience best practices for science instruction including elements like differentiation, student choice, the power of kinesthetic learning, and more, all wrapped up in a research-based instructional model using an inclusive framework approach.

SPEAKERS:
Isaac Stauffer (Amplify Science: Chicago, IL)

Participants will explore critical components of “designed for NGSS” elementary units: phenomenon, embedded ELA resources, equity, professional learning, and assessment. Participants receive one exemplar unit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Place-based learning experiences that extend across a school year can have multiple benefits for elementary students. Designed-for NGSS units that elevate the brilliance of children must include new visions of phenomenon, embedded ELA resources, equity, professional learning, and assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network: Plymouth, MI)

How do students' learning experiences change when we expand what constitutes science and engineering and begin to see science as part of social justice teaching? The Brilliance and Strength report pushes us to include these two ideas in the form of science activities, teacher planning and implementation, and materials development. Join us as we explore these ideas as they are applied to elementary science. We will provide some examples of what we think these goals mean for teaching and learning, discuss them, and then co-design others as a way to dive more deeply into justice-centered learning. Brilliance and Strengths Report: Equity foci 3 and 4 and Recommendations 6 and 8

TAKEAWAYS:
Science learning is part of social justice teaching and learning.

SPEAKERS:
Carla Zembal-Saul (Penn State: State College, PA), Heidi Carlone (Vanderbilt University Peabody College: Nashville, TN)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

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

SPEAKERS:
Hoover Herrera (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Cranford, NJ)

Sponsoring Company: Propello

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

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

Sponsoring Company: Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers

Capture high school chemistry students’ interest by inviting them into a phenomenon-based curriculum! Perform a periodic table card sort and learn how to build an understanding of whether it is possible to turn a copper penny into gold. Presented by Living by Chemistry author, Dr. Angelica Stacy.

SPEAKERS:
Angelica Stacy (University of California, Berkeley: Berkeley, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

Experience a novel approach to Earth science. This pedagogy uses a “systems” approach for plate tectonics, astronomy, natural resources, geology, and paleoclimatology. There will be several take-home activities and ideas to implement or augment your existing Earth science curricula.

SPEAKERS:
Gary Curts (Activate Learning: Greenwich, CT)

Find out how to use explore-before-explain learning to flip the traditional teaching script and promote long-lasting understanding in physical science.

TAKEAWAYS:
How you do it—ready-to-teach lessons that use an explore-before-explain sequence to provide an experience that meet the Next Generation Science Standards and make interdisciplinary connections to the Common Core State Standards.

SPEAKERS:
Patrick Brown (Fort Zumwalt School District R-II: Saint Charles, MO)

Looking to help your students reflect both as an individual and as a learning community as they make sense of the world around them? In this session, participants will explore tools and techniques that provide opportunities for students to develop their social and emotional skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore all of the tools and techniques that are provided in OpenSciEd units that allow students to improve their social-emotional learning skills as they reflect on community agreements, class discussions, and working as a team.

SPEAKERS:
Thomas Clayton (K-5 STEAM Specialist: Long Valley, NJ)

This session will provide resources for real life research and curriculum building opportunities in STEM. Come experience the passion of a veteran science educator who is continually finding new ways to enhance her own learning and wants to share her success with you!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with resources and ideas on how to synergize their own professional practices by participating in hands on research and learning opportunities that will provide them the tools to successfully introduce real- life STEM concepts into their own teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Camie Walker (Weber School District, Ogden, Utah: Farr West, UT)

This session is designed to support instructional leaders and teachers in considering what the key shifts called for in the NGSS and Framework look like in classrooms. Our team developed an observation tool through our work observing and coaching 76 schools adopting OpenSciEd. The observation tool identifies what to look for in classrooms around rigor, teacher’s responses to student ideas, students’ responses to each other’s ideas, vocabulary, key instructional moves, and student sensemaking. Attendees will unpack the tool and then use it with classroom videos to understand the focal areas. Next, we will examine examples of how schools have used the tool, including classroom observations, to guide PLC discussions, and to facilitate individual teacher reflections. Finally, participants will have an opportunity to plan how they might adapt and use the tool in their own contexts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will take away an observation tool that is designed to focus observers on the actions of teachers and students that indicate rigorous student sensemaking. Attendees will practice using the tool and consider how to use the tool in their context.

SPEAKERS:
Renee Affolter (OpenSciEd: Montpelier, VT), Benjamin Lowell (New York University: New York, NY), Hillary Paul Metcalf (Stanford University: Chelsea, MA)

Problematizing phenomena requires that tasks pose productive uncertainties related to a phenomenon or problem explicitly to students. During this interactive session, participants will analyze various assessments and artifacts for how problematizing is an integral part of the assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage with well problematized assessment scenarios and will have access to these assessments for future use.

SPEAKERS:
Dawn Novak (Northwestern University: Grayslake, IL), Sara Cooper (Contextus: Lincoln, NE)

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: CRANFORD, NJ)

Experience how the new BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model creates learning experiences that motivate students with significant, real world phenomena and problems! Learn how AIL anchors cycles of inquiry and sensemaking, culminating in student explanations/design solutions!

TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model succeeds the 5Es and leverages authentic phenomena/problems to anchor cycles of inquiry and sensemaking. This approach provides instructional coherence from students’ perspective, equitable access, and motivation for ALL learners.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Steamboat Springs, CO)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Jacqueline Katz (Princeton Public Schools: Princeton, NJ), Michael Apfeldorf (Library of Congress: Purcellville, VA)

If we treat content areas as silos, we’ll never find time for Science. In this session, discover how to create authentic learning experiences that increase engagement, develop thinking skills, and connect across content areas. Come willing to try something new; leave with practical project ideas!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will formulate an understanding of the characteristics of authentic learning experiences. They’ll discover a PBL framework that can help them meet rigorous content standards while engaging students in making the world a better place.

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

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

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

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

A hands on simulation based on probabilities from scientific literature is used to investigate the effect of community structure on the prevalence of infected ticks. This anchoring phenomenon is extended to explore population ecology, trophic cascades, biodiversity, and the dilution effect.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will come away with a set of lessons that teach many core concepts in ecology using a modeling approach. The hands on simulation will be supplemented by computer models that allow students to explore population growth curves and more complex community relationships.

SPEAKERS:
Daniel Carroll (retired - Yorktown High School: Arlington, VA), Michael Zito (Yorktown High School: Alexandria, VA)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC), Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Do you or the educators you work with have questions about what science teaching and learning look like in classrooms implementing your state standards? Join us for a session where you will receive support to lead this module using classroom video of contemporary research-based teaching in action.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will build an understanding of sensemaking and receive a toolkit to lead this session with other educators.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Allan (University of Central Oklahoma: Edmond, OK), Tricia Shelton (NSTA: Clarksville, TN)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Company

Nurture students’ curiosity! Investigate methods used by scientists to estimate population sizes. Learn how students can use a terrestrial model to observe how pill bugs respond to habitat degradation. Use inquiry to develop experiments to observe the habitat preference of Bess beetles and milliped

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

How do we engage students to ask questions and develop evidence-based explanations? In this hands-on activity from the Lab-Aids EDC Earth Science program, discourse occurs authentically as you role-play a geologist testing various site extractions for molybdenum, a valuable mineral.

(Providing all 3 presenters) Making sense of the world as part of a classroom community requires a classroom culture where all students feel like they belong and it is safe to participate, share their ideas, disagree, and productively struggle together. Participants in this session gain strategies and resources for developing and supporting the ongoing use of classroom norms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Classroom norms create a culture of equitable science learning.

SPEAKERS:
Edel Maeder (Rochester City School District: Hilton, NY), Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Carrollton, GA), Kristen Moorhead (PLI, LLC: Mesa, AZ)

Students take ownership while working in the cycle of Obtain, Evaluate, and Communicate Information. Teachers are a facilitator, a helpful guide to support students in their sensemaking journey. While students are working independently or in groups, they may get to points where they need the support of their teacher. However, how can students get the teacher’s attention without causing a disturbance? By using everyday items like popsicle sticks, construction paper or plastic cups, this strategy called Red Light, Green Light is a way students can non-verbally communicate with their teacher about where they are at in their sensemaking journey and if they need help. A variation to this strategy is adding a yellow light. This low-risk strategy can be used by all students including students who are multilingual learners and/or students with disabilities. Teachers benefit by providing a method to informally assess their students; thus, providing immediate feedback and support.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about an informal formative assessment strategy to quickly gauge their students’ confidence level during the sensemaking process.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Canepa-Redondo (Science/ESOL Program Specialist: Johns Creek, GA)

Are you excited to learn strategies for science learning in the elementary classroom? Join three educators sharing three different strategies for elementary science learners, including project-based learning, place-based learning, and online assessment materials.

Free Project-Based Learning Resources for Elementary Science
Get a brief introduction to free OER integrated science curricular units for Grades 3-5 and see how well the features of Project-Based Learning provide the tools and routines to support sensemaking.

A Home for Fossils: Bringing place-based education to a museum-based program
Join education staff from Tellus Science Museum to see fossils that call Georgia home and discuss how to incorporate place-based geoscience education with elementary science standards.

Multidimensional Assessment Tasks and a Virtual Learning Community for Elementary Science Teachers
Learn about two free, complementary online resources: NGSS-aligned assessment tasks for Grades 3-5 and a website to support teachers in using the assessment tasks and participating in an online community of practice.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Codere (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University, Retired: Lansing, MI), Hannah Eisla (Tellus Science Museum: Cartersville, GA), Jeanne Di Domenico (The University of Chicago: St. Louis, MO), Carla Strickland (UChicago STEM Education: Chicago, IL)

Are you a secondary teacher looking for resources for your classroom? Join this team of educators in sharing their experiences of tools and routines designed to support students' sensemaking.

Students Teaching Students
Students can learn so much by teaching each other. Give them a challenging conceptual question that they can debate after choosing initial answers (with cards or free software). Ask the question again when debate is done, and students will likely have all arrived at the correct answer!

Integrating Anchor Phenomena as Engagement and Assessment
Phenomena are an essential element to science teaching. But, we often do not refer back to them in our unit! Come see how a biology and chemistry teacher not only use them as anchors, but also incorporate them as part of an end of unit assessment!

SPEAKERS:
Karen Cianciulli (Physics Teacher: Asheville, NC), Erin Springthorpe (Gwinnett Online Campus: Jefferson, GA), Jennifer Barnes (Gwinnett Online Campus: Acworth, GA)

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

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

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Kyla Corelli (Atlanta International School: Atlanta, GA), Alison Seymour (Winchester College: Scottsdale, AZ), Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association: Gilbert, AZ)

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

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

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

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

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

This session will feature a combination of presentation and interactive activities to provide classroom teachers with immediate feasible and practical implementation strategies to support all learners in their general education science classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave this session with research-based and practical pedagogies of how they can support all learners, including students with disabilities in their general education science classrooms in their very next lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Lauren Madden (The College of New Jersey: Ewing, NJ), Dina Secchiaroli (Professional Learning Specialist: No City, No State), Sami Kahn (Princeton University: Princeton, NJ), Jonté Taylor (Penn State: University Park, PA), Lacey Huffling (Georgia Southern University: Statesboro, GA), Michele Koomen (Gustavus Adolphus College: Port Townsend, WA)

Many districts de-prioritized elementary science during the pandemic and now are struggling to reignite consistent science instruction. Building, tapping, and deploying teacher leaders is a key strategy for quickly reintroducing science into the culture of your district. Teacher leaders can model best practices, demonstrate how science fits into their schedule and instructional priorities, and can guide colleagues to do the same by facilitating institutes, workshops, video reflections, PLCs, and coaching sessions. Improving Practice Together, an NSF-funded partnership between Lawrence Hall of Science, Stanford University, and Santa Clara USD, developed a suite of tools for developing and studying development of science teacher leaders, including: professional learning tools for summer institutes to support teachers’ classroom practice; tools to support development of teacher leaders; lesson artifacts, classroom videos, & teacher interviews; and research & evaluation tools.

TAKEAWAYS:
The Improving Practice Together website contains resources to support: facilitating and evaluating classroom science argumentation; leading and evaluating professional learning on argumentation; and the development and deployment of teacher leaders to support science learning in a school or district

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Pedemonte (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Diana Velez (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Oakland, CA), Krista Woodward (Santa Clara Unified School District: San Jose, CA), Emily Weiss (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Learn how to use the Uncovering Student Ideas probes in an explore-before-explain instructional sequence to support a classroom where all students' ideas matter!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about a resource for formative assessment and explore-before-explain teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Page Keeley (NSTA Past President: Fort Myers, FL), Patrick Brown (Fort Zumwalt School District R-II: Saint Charles, MO)

Interested in authentically weaving culturally relevant hands-on Science and rigorous literacy into your kindergarten classroom? Come learn how to use close reading to support NGSS-aligned science explorations and create rich, deep learning experiences for your students. Free resources provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to integrate deep authentic science explorations with standards-based literacy instruction for kindergarten students. They will explore how the use of close reading (to collaboratively inquire about and make meaning of texts) can mirror how students make meaning in science.

SPEAKERS:
Janet MacNeil (Cambridge Public Schools: Milton, MA)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hunter-Thomson (Dataspire Education & Evaluation, LLC: Santa Cruz, CA)

Looking for an innovative way to bring to life the science vocabulary your students need to know? This session will cover a strategy to enhance the ol' word wall of the past into an engaging learning experience that is low prep for the teacher with maximum benefit for the student.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with the ability to create an engaging visual representation wall, knowledge of current brain science behind building vocabulary memory, and factors to consider when prioritizing key vocabulary words.

SPEAKERS:
CHRISTINA SPEARS (Director of Teaching Academy: Comfort, TX)

STEAM focused lesson plans integrating garden-based learning and the arts. In this hands-on workshop, learn how printmaking, nature journaling, bookmaking techniques, and Visual Thinking Strategies (VTS) can reinforce sensemaking of science cross-cutting concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in teacher-tested STEAM lessons connected to garden-based learning that can be implemented into the K-6 classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Aurora Hughes Villa (Utah State University: providence, UT), Lisa Saunderson (Edith Bowen Lab School / Utah State University: Providence, UT)

Protecting Whales is one of two new freely available units in the Smithsonian Science for Computational Thinking series. Learn about integrating computational thinking into your elementary STEM classroom using both hands-on and high-tech resources by using this specific third grade unit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to integrate computational thinking into the upper elementary STEM classroom using a problem-driven approach. Learn how to access everything needed to implement the 3rd grade Protecting Whales unit.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Rogers (Smithsonian Science Education Center: Davis, WV), Dr. Sarah Glassman (Smithsonian Science Education Center: Washington, DC)

Educators will experience how 3D learning in any curriculum can be made into 5D learning if they have the pedagogical framing that identifies both phenomena types and supports phenomena adaptation. Specifically, place, student interests, and identities provide motivation to engage in sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn to identify phenomena types, select related phenomena and use students' place, interests, and identities to promote equitable learning experiences. These pedagogical tools and framing will help educators turn 3D, NGSS-aligned phenomena-based units into 5D learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Leonard Kenyon (Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance: BRUNSWICK, ME)

Explore how to use food and cooking to invite students to connect science to their everyday lives and be curious. This session includes hands-on activities and discussions to emphasize how participants can incorporate resources into their own teaching to support their current curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with ready-to-use strategies and resources to incorporate food and cooking into the science classroom. These strategies and resources are differentiated so they can be used for different types of classrooms and availability to resources as well as teaching styles.

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

Sponsoring Company: School Specialty - FOSS

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

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

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

Explore the use of sensemaking strategies to help students understand how selective gene expression works. Come experience a model lesson from a new Lab-Aids' program: Science and Global Issues: Biology, developed by SEPUP. This hands-on workshop will also show a connection to genetic engineering.

Sponsoring Company: NOAA

How do hydrothermal vent communities survive without sunlight? Dive into the deep with us and investigate how these ecosystems thrive in the absence of light using a student sensemaking approach and activity. We’ll also share resources that make it easier than ever to connect to ocean exploration.

SPEAKERS:
Suraida Nanez-James (Education Specialist: Corpus Christi, TX), Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Freeport, IL), Bekkah Lampe (NOAA Office of Education: College Park, MD)

Sponsoring Company: National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Students' lived experience of brain disorders can strengthen lessons for Middle and High School science standards on structure/function. Validation of students as personal or cultural lived experience experts sets a foundation for their future learning, that is critical to achieve classroom equity.

SPEAKERS:
Rebekah Corlew (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD), Carlo Quintanilla (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD), Diana Andriola (NINDS - National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Bethesda, MD)

This visually descriptive overview illustrates the practical application of the Garden Project and the impact of arts-based learning in an elementary school setting by offering “how to” visuals, documentation of project set-up, engagement, and examples of student artwork. Arts integration experiences are inclusive of the three domains of learning: cognitive, affective, and psychomotor. Ask us how music, movement, and visual art have enriched the Garden Project. Music and movement activities, bookmaking, printmaking, and nature journaling samples will be displayed.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about teacher-tested lessons connected to garden-based learning and the arts (visual art, music, and movement) for the K-6 classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Aurora Hughes Villa (Utah State University: providence, UT), Lisa Saunderson (Edith Bowen Lab School / Utah State University: Providence, UT)

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

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

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

Explore a new online, teacher-developed STEM curriculum focused on sustainability. Through the storyline of a virtual study tour of Germany, students explore sustainability from multiple perspectives with the goal of empowering students to apply STEM to sustainability in their own communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Germany is a leader in innovative STEM solutions to critical global sustainability issues related to food production, waste management, renewable energy, climate change, and ecosystem management. Lessons from Germany can inspire student-led local action.

SPEAKERS:
Loris Chen (none: Fair Lawn, NJ)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Mulligan (Bridgeport Public School: West Redding, CT)

Discussion is how a classroom community makes sense of what it is investigating. But for that to happen, students need to actually be talking. Learn strategies for planning discussions, ensuring equitable access, and teacher moves to guide the conversation. It's time to get your students talking!

TAKEAWAYS:
Discussion is the way that a classroom community makes sense of what it is investigating, and there are tools and approaches that teachers can use to ensure that all students have access to this sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Delaney (OpenSciEd: San Carlos, CA)

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: Buffalo Grove, IL), Tina Harris (Bedford North Lawrence High School: Bedford, IN)

A key aspect of the vision in A Framework for K-12 Science Education and Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards is how to develop assessments to advance equity. In this session, participants will use an equity framework developed to analyze three-dimensional assessment task

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will use an equity framework that has been developed to support (re)designing assessment tasks to ensure accessibility by all students. Participants will use this equity framework to analyze example assessments for alignment.

SPEAKERS:
Dawn Novak (Northwestern University: Grayslake, IL)

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)

Learn how you can give students an opportunity to use science concepts and skills to figure out how or why a natural phenomenon happens. This instructional approach also gives students an opportunity to use disciplinary literacy practices (reading, writing, speaking, and listening) during science.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to give students an opportunity to use science concepts and skills to make sense of natural phenomena, an opportunity to talk, read, and write in the service of sense-making, and ways to support students as they engage in real-world science while using literacy-based materials.

SPEAKERS:
Victor Sampson (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX)

This session highlights the importance of argumentation surrounding explaining meaningful phenomena and their centrality to a 3-D learning approach. The session will equip teachers to implement such learning experiences in their classes.

TAKEAWAYS:
The importance of argumentation around meaningful phenomena and how to implement learning experiences that engage students in argumentation around phenomena in the service of sense-making and learning DCIs, SEPs, and CCs.

SPEAKERS:
Todd Hutner (Del Valle ISD: Del Valle, TX)

Elementary teachers—This session has it bagged up. Let's read some awesome books and pair those books with opportunities to connect with students’ families and share an appreciation of our natural world. The session shares a collection of environmentally-themed children’s books and activities and in

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn the value of using the Outstanding Science Trade Books to review, explore and create engaging, standards-based, hands-on activities to develop an appreciation of the natural world.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Parks (Stetson University: Deland, FL)

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

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

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

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: Bettendorf, IA)

During this session school leaders will explore a NGSS Implementation Toolkit that leverages classroom observations to support strategic alignment of resources for elementary science education. Participants will hear from teacher leaders that utilize this tool to advocate for structures and supports

TAKEAWAYS:
This toolkit allows educational leaders across the system to gain a deeper understanding of student sensemaking and discourse in an NGSS aligned elementary classroom. Teacher Leaders who open up their classrooms can leverage this process to advocate for structures and support for elementary science.

SPEAKERS:
Dawn O'Connor (CSU East Bay: Danville, CA), Nancy Wright (Hayward Unified School District: Hayward, CA)

The study of trace fossils is an exciting way to explore the past. Join the Wade Institute for Science Education and Amherst College’s Beneski Museum in an inquiry-based session to guide your students through the application of the SEPs in creating and interpreting their own dinosaur stories.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session participants will gain experience with using the phenomenon of dinosaur tracks and trace fossils as a powerful tool for student engagement, and leave the session with guidelines for creating track stories, and using those track stories to expand their student’s use of the SEPs.

SPEAKERS:
Allison Pagliaro (Wade Institute for Science Education: Quincy, MA), Alfred Venne (Museum Educator: Amherst, MA), Kathryn Atkins (Wade Institute for Science Education: Shelburne Falls, MA)

Experience how embedding literacy supports for reading, writing, and academic discourse in 3D teaching and learning promotes sensemaking and science understanding for ALL learners! Learn how the BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model embeds literacy supports throughout cycles of inquiry.

TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model succeeds the 5Es and embeds literacy supports for reading, writing, and academic discourse in conjunction with science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts to promote students in figuring out key science ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Steamboat Springs, CO)

Participants will explore data literacy through guided activities create, analyze and interpret data and explore creative and innovative ways to represent data.

TAKEAWAYS:
Data literacy in more in important than ever in our world. Showing teahcers how to help students understand data in a creative way allows all students access to knowledge gained from intepreting data.

SPEAKERS:
Anna Suggs (Teacher: La Mesa, NM)

Immerse yourself in classroom-ready lessons that create the need to engage in Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking to build science ideas needed to explain phenomena (and maybe solve a problem or two).

TAKEAWAYS:
Engaging students in the practice of Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking can create and foster wider interests in STEM fields

SPEAKERS:
Kate Soriano (NSTA: Jersey City, NJ)

Although the S in STEM is science, this doesn’t mean science equals STEM. What makes a lesson STEM? Using two captivating hands-on activities, we compare STEM and science through the discussion of the value of student failure, why student choice is important, and how to integrate STEM into your scie

TAKEAWAYS:
A STEM lesson includes the possibility of failure, the opportunity for student choice, while also incorporating science standards. STEM uses processes within all the subjects included in the acronym to deepen student understanding of the content while creating skills for lifelong learning.

SPEAKERS:
Chauntèe Pitts (Professional Learning Specialist: Lafayette, IN), Lauren Kelly (Crowley ISD: Burleson, TX)

COESEE - High-quality read alouds are amazing learning opportunities. Join us as we share our work and thinking around the use of fiction and non-fiction books in elementary science!

TAKEAWAYS:
Read alouds can provide high-quality, standards-aligned learning experiences within the context of a science unit.

SPEAKERS:
Miranda Fitzgerald (University of North Carolina Charlotte: Mint Hill, NC), Katherine Pfeiffer (Discovery Middle School: Orlando, FL), Amy Quinn (Gretchko: Sterling Heights, MI), Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network: Plymouth, MI)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Engage in an exploration of the unique chemical and physical properties of water and the phospholipid bilayer that separates cells from their surrounding environment.

SPEAKERS:
Ruth Hutson (3D Molecular Designs: Westmoreland, KS)

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

Learning Sequences to drive phenomena through a unit is one way to help students understand the content. In this model activity from a new Lab-Aids program: Science and Global Issues: Biology, developed by SEPUP, you will use data to investigate how abiotic factors and species diversity are related.

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)

Learn how to select phenomena that matter to students and leverage students' questions to create a student-driven storyline. Participants will learn the design principles for adapting existing curriculum that honor students’ identities, voices, and ideas.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn two key aspects of designing equitable learning experiences for NGSS instruction: 1) making phenomena matter by considering community issues and student identities; 2) leveraging students’ diverse ideas and questions to drive instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Nelly Tsai (University of California, Irvine: Aliso Viejo, CA)

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 (School Support Specialist: Wollaston, MA), Katherine McNeill (Boston College: Newtonville, MA), Benjamin Lowell (New York University: New York, NY), Renee Affolter (OpenSciEd: Montpelier, VT)

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: Omaha, NE), Christopher Soldat (Grant Wood Area Education Agency: Iowa City, IA)