2023 Atlanta National Conference

March 22-25, 2023

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29 results
Save up to 50 sessions in your agenda.

A Four-Level Framework for Empowered Engineering

Thursday, March 23 • 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - B310


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Knowles Engineering teachers co-developed and piloted a scaffolded framework for integrating social justice into engineering design that we are excited to share with the NSTA community. Come ready to explore how to empower your science students through intentional engineering curriculum design!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will interact with examples of empowered engineering curriculum, as well as apply the framework to their own classroom. Teachers will leave with concrete ideas for how to incorporate more social justice work into their own engineering curriculum in manageable and expanding ways.

SPEAKERS:
Katey Shirey (edukatey: Washington, DC), Emily Berman (Global STEM Challenges Program)

Equity and Belonging in Marine Sciences and Education

Thursday, March 23 • 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - B303


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Who belongs in marine sciences? Why does it matter? Join the NMEA Equity & Belonging committee for an interactive session which aims to advance dialogue on social equity & justice in these spaces. This session is for educators who are passionate about integrating marine concepts in their practice.

TAKEAWAYS:
The personal and professional narratives shared by the presenters will highlight tools and strategies to shift the power dynamics in your science classroom. A curated collection of resources to support more just and equitable science teaching practices will be shared.

SPEAKERS:
Rae Quadara (The University of Southern Mississippi Marine Education Center: No City, No State), Janice Williams (Pinnacle Education Services /NMEA /COLC: No City, No State)

Supporting Equitable Classroom Practices Through Alternate Assessment

Thursday, March 23 • 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - A405



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Presentations and Other Resources
Here you will find copies of our presentations and links to supporting blogs and podcasts.

STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

We will share how we implemented current educational research to create a learning environment that supports learners of all abilities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will understand the educational research supporting a shift away from traditional grading and describe methods of implementation that address issues of equity, differentiation, peer interactions, and more.

SPEAKERS:
David Frangiosa (Pascack Valley Regional High School District: Montvale, NJ)

Best Practices for Equity and Inclusivity in the STEM Classroom

Thursday, March 23 • 9:45 AM - 10:45 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - A304


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: VEX Robotics

STEM education needs to be inclusive. This workshop will discuss research proven methods for why STEM can help improve student participation in the classroom. Jason McKenna, Director of Education at VEX Robotics, will include examples and techniques that teachers can use in their own classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Jason McKenna (VEX Robotics: Pittsburgh, PA), Drew Ostry (Marketing Director: Greenville, TX)

Designing for justice in OpenSciEd High School Biology, Chemistry, and Physics

Thursday, March 23 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center - International Ballroom D


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Designing for justice means centering inquiry on phenomena that cross the artificial boundary between human and natural systems. The result is instruction that not only teaches students to understand the natural world, but broadens their perspectives on how humans fit into natural systems, what constitutes science, and what they can accomplish using science. In high school, some of the design problems that students are noticing in the world may feel overwhelming, but breaking them down using the ideas and practices of science can help students find hope and resilience. For example in OpenSciEd HS, students ask: Where should we focus efforts on treatment and prevention of cancer? What can we do to make driving safer for everyone? How can we slow the flow of energy on Earth to protect vulnerable communities? To answer these, students must use science ideas and practices to understand/think creatively about design problems that emerge from complex systems at the nature-human divide.

TAKEAWAYS:
NGSS-designed instruction that is oriented toward justice can not only teach students to understand the natural world, but broadens their perspectives on how humans fit into natural systems, what constitutes science, and what they can accomplish using science.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Buck Bracey (Senior Science Educator and Director of Design for Justice: Colorado Springs, CO), Samantha Pinter (Norwalk Public Schools: Norwalk, CT), Jamie Noll (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

Strategies for Increasing Diversity, Equity, Justice and Inclusion in the Next Generation Geoscience Workforce

Thursday, March 23 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - B302


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Research suggests that a more diverse geoscience workforce that reflects our nation's demographics can better equip us to effectively meet our country’s future energy needs. Such a workforce can be cultivated by implementing key strategies for recruiting and educating future diverse STEM leaders.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will discuss successful strategies to foster increased engagement of underrepresented groups in geoscience and related careers.

SPEAKERS:
Ashanti Johnson (STEM Human Resource Development: , OK)

Did I really just flip this classroom?

Thursday, March 23 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - B313a


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

The session will consist of modeling how to flip a traditional classroom. Participants will learn how to create a Pear Deck, use Screencatisfy and EdPuzzle to flip their classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with the basic knowledge of how to flip their classroom and be able to implement the strategies immediately into their classroom so that they are able to increase equity and inclusion.

SPEAKERS:
Cecelia Gillam (Hahnville High School: La Place, LA)

Engineering to Empower Students & their Communities Through Understanding Heat Islands

Thursday, March 23 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center - Cottonwood A


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Studying the Heat Island Effect covers multiple standards and content areas, and is an excellent grounding phenomenon to discuss equity and justice in the classroom. Come to this hands-on workshop to run through this experience and learn about a framework to develop empowering engineering projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with a framework for developing engineering projects that integrate social justice, and will also walk through one of our developed projects on the Heat Island Effect.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Berman (Global STEM Challenges Program)

Working with Indigenous Learners and Communities– an Un-guidebook for Success

Thursday, March 23 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - B302


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

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

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

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

Changing Classroom Ecosystems: Level Up in Science and Math Courses

Thursday, March 23 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - A315


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Listen, reflect and be challenged by district leaders who are leading change in the composition of high school Science and Math classrooms. Walk in the footsteps of DAV, a Biology student, as she is introduced to an educational experience designed to challenge her and her teachers' self-efficacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
The session will addressing some of the Systemic Barriers to Advanced Placement STEM Courses and future careers in STEM fields and reflect on ways we are changing the teacher and student efficacies about “math and science persons”

SPEAKERS:
Alina Castillo (Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools: Chapel Hill, NC), Valerie Sellars (Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools)

WISE (Women in the STEM Economy) Women NOLA

Thursday, March 23 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - B313a


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

The WISE (Women in the STEM Economy) Women NOLA Mentorship program is a robust STEM mentorship program designed to expose, engage, and inspire young women to enter STEM careers

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to develop, engage, and implement a STEM focused mentorship for high school aged young women through an education-business partnership.

SPEAKERS:
Daphine Barnes (GNO, Inc.: New Orleans, LA)

Achieving Equity-Mindedness and Meaningful Inclusion in Biology Lessons

Thursday, March 23 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - A404



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSF Final Outcomes Report: Using Lived Experiences & Narratives Black Heritage
The clarity we need for belonging
The clarity we need for belonging
Video Clips on YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@visibilityinstem
Visibility In STEM

STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Equity-mindedness and meaningful inclusion is achieved with identification and belonging in the biology curriculum. This NSF-funded research project uses the lived experiences and narratives of Black heritage and Gullah-Geechee African Americans to facilitate the learning of biology concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about the connection between identification and belonging and equitable classroom practices and science content. The research literature is used to describe how the emergent themes from the free curriculum resources shared brings equity into the biology lesson.

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Quinlan (Howard University)

Talking Allowed! Using Science Discourse for Equity

Thursday, March 23 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - B209


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

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)

Use Elder Teaching Methods in a Modern Classroom and Watch Your Students Thrive in a Healing Environment

Thursday, March 23 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center - Dogwood B


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Elders begin with storytelling that builds foundational knowledge, which leads to a familiar phenomena. This is followed by ongoing formative assessment that evaluates the progress during inquiry process. This, along with removing barriers to learning, results in an enjoyable, healing classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Construction of a rigorous, inquiry-driven, student-centered, culture-based classroom is demonstrated. With removal of the 10 most common barriers to learning, success is possible for all students. With the addition of humor and celebration, you will have a healing classroom that can change lives.

SPEAKERS:
Joel Truesdell (Kamehameha Schools Hawaii Campus: Keaau, HI)

Exploring the Clean Energy Transition and Energy Justice in the Classroom

Thursday, March 23 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - B302


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Conduct an activity that can be used to introduce students to the concept of energy justice and receive a scorecard that can be used to evaluate stories that highlight our current and future energy system and its impacts on people and communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about energy justice and use an evaluation scorecard as one strategy to enhance education about clean energy technologies while promoting literacy, systems thinking and critical thinking skills among learners.

SPEAKERS:
Dana Haine (UNC Institute for the Environment: Chapel Hill, NC)

Inclusive Excellence in Elementary STEM: Supporting future teachers in designing rigorous STEM classrooms that center equity and engage ALL students

Friday, March 24 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - A405


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

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

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

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

Featured Presentation: Beyond the Surface of Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Friday, March 24 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - Thomas B. Murphy Ballroom


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

This uniquely inspiring and collaborative session invites participants to engage in the deep individual and collective work needed to transform educational systems and build a culture of responsiveness. This session offers an integrated approach between trauma-informed care, cultural competency, and restorative-resiliency practices. Strategies will be offered to ensure a fully restorative and healing-centered culture that is apparent in policy and action.

TAKEAWAYS:
Understand the impact of trauma on learning and advancing equitable policies for reducing adverse childhood experiences Embrace the power of social emotional learning to grow

SPEAKERS:
Marisol Quevedo Rerucha (National Parents Union: San Diego, CA)

Mapping Heat Inequities: Examining the Science of and Solutions to Extreme Heat

Friday, March 24 • 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - C209



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Mapping Inequity Slides

STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Engage students in learning about extreme heat and the heat island effect through interaction with maps highlighting environmental and demographic indicators. Data interpretation activities will prompt students to identify vulnerable populations and examine strategies for addressing extreme heat.

TAKEAWAYS:
Extreme heat is relevant to everyone and can be used as an anchoring phenomenon to engage all learners. Depending on where they live, people experience extreme heat differently. Attendees will experience how maps can be used to teach about extreme heat through an environmental justice lens.

SPEAKERS:
Emma Refvem (Durham Public Schools: Durham, NC)

I Want to See Me in My Science Learning…Using Literacy to Meet the Needs of All Science Learners

Friday, March 24 • 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - B308


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

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

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

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

Promising Practices in Overcoming Barriers to Gender Diversity in STEM: A Student-Led Approach

Friday, March 24 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Background Research
How-To Half Sheet

STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Here we share promising practices from a case study at Jackson-Reed High School, where we implement a framework focused on empowering young non-men to pursue engineering through student-led community engagement.

TAKEAWAYS:
We believe this framework is a promising strategy and can be easily implemented in a variety of classroom settings.

SPEAKERS:
Ella Davis (Student Intern), Kimberly Jacoby Morris (STEM Program Coordinator)

Queer Your Classroom: Supporting LGBTQIA+ Students

Friday, March 24 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - A404


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Queer people have been and are still marginalized in science and the world. Come learn simple tricks and strategies to affirm and represent LGBTQIA+ students in your classes. Teachers and teacher leaders of all grade ranges are welcome, but especially middle and high school educators.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to affirm and represent queer identities so students feel safe, supported, and inspired to engage in science. Attendees will learn simple yet impactful methods to create classrooms that acknowledge and celebrate the diversity of their students.

SPEAKERS:
Jamie Kubiak (The Bronx High School of Science: Bronx, NY)

Biological Equity for Special Education

Friday, March 24 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - A404


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Equip all students with the ability to succeed. Two high school teachers pair up to create lessons for special education biology students to focus on student achievement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Gain ideas and strategies to help reach all students at all levels of learning.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Minton (Houston High School: Germantown, TN)

Normalizing Cultural Responsiveness and Social Justice in the Life Science Classroom

Friday, March 24 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - B302



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Normalizing Culturally Responsive Teaching in the Life Science Classroom (1).pdf

STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Marginalized groups have been historically overlooked in the typical classroom. Normalizing the classroom includes a shift in educator mindset, language, and behavior. What does this look like in a science classroom, often led by non-marginalized teachers?

TAKEAWAYS:
Culturally responsive tools to implement in your classroom right away

SPEAKERS:
Bridget Sparks (Princeton City Schools: No City, No State), Rashanna Freeman (Princeton High School: Cincinnati, OH), Melinda Cottrell (Princeton High School: Cincinnati, OH)

Racial Inequity in High School STEM Courses Taken and College STEM Retention

Saturday, March 25 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Using a quantitative research design, we examined the relationship between students’ years of high school study in STEM courses and their retention in STEM college majors, racial differences in high school STEM courses taken, and racial differences in college STEM retention.

TAKEAWAYS:
Our findings showed that Black and Latinx STEM undergraduate students tend to leave their STEM majors at higher rates and take less high school Physics and Chemistry courses than their Asian American and White peers.

SPEAKERS:
Peter Cho (Student), Young Kim (Professor: Azusa, CA)

Why is Cancer Weird? Disseminating an Authentic Laboratory Experience throughout an Underserved District

Saturday, March 25 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

Our outreach program leveraged the 5E instructional model to deliver an authentic laboratory experience throughout underserved areas of our school district. Pilot results demonstrate significant gains in student learning and high interest in repeat opportunities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to identify successes and struggles experienced in the implementation of a district wide STEM outreach program. Participants will take away a model of STEM outreach and an example lesson that can be easily implemented through a small team, even across a large school district.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Heath (Student: Warrenville, SC), Kamani Barnes (Student: Warrenville, SC), Javaris Lightsey (Student: Warrenville, SC), I'Layna Highsmith (Student: Warrenville, SC), Ny'Aja Clemons (Student: Warrenville, SC), Alexandria Martin (Student: , SC), Christie Palladino (Teacher: Warrenville, SC)

STEP UP: Shifting the Culture of Who Does Physics

Saturday, March 25 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

STEP UP is a national community that designs physics lessons to empower teachers, create cultural change, and inspire young women to pursue physics in college. Two lessons, Careers in Physics and Women in Physics, are freely available and supported by an online community of educators.

TAKEAWAYS:
STEP UP Careers in Physics and Women in Physics lessons show students how physics helps them reach their future careers goals. This poster will walk you through the lessons that aim to increase representation of women with physics degrees and shift deep-seated cultural views about who does physics.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Murawski (Royal Oak High School (retired))

All Students Can Do STEM: STEM-ulating Projects for Clubs, Camps, and Classrooms

Saturday, March 25 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

These STEM projects can be completed in a science classroom, in a club or a camp with students in grades 6-12. This session will provide examples of how 2 teachers completed these projects both in and out of classroom instruction time. Come learn with us!

TAKEAWAYS:
STEM projects for any student to have success

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA)

Session Title: What does science have to do with race and racism? A curricular approach to anti-racist science teaching

Saturday, March 25 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center - International Ballroom E


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

What is race? During this session, we will introduce a curriculum for biology educators that explores how racism, the construct of race, the history of science, and human genetic variation intersect.

TAKEAWAYS:
Race is a socio-political construct with deep implications but race is not a good surrogate/proxy for biology. Understanding human genetic variation can disrupt the idea of the existence of genetically meaningful “races” and help emphasize the racist roots of inequities in areas such as health.

SPEAKERS:
Hanako Osuga (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center), Jeanne Chowning (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center: No City, No State)

How Can DNA Help Exonerate Those Wrongly Convicted? Flipping a traditional DNA crime lab to center issues of social justice

Saturday, March 25 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center - International Ballroom E


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

This new framing of a popular forensics lab connects science topics such as DNA technology to mass incarceration by using real cases of wrongful convictions. The lab and accompanying series were featured in NSTA’s The Science Teacher (July/August 2022).

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how DNA technology can be used not only to identify criminals but also to exonerate the innocent. This can help present science in a social context, connecting it to topics such as mass incarceration and the criminal legal system.

SPEAKERS:
Jeanne Chowning (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center: No City, No State), Hanako Osuga (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center)

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