In this unique curriculum, called BioScann, students become science experts, interpreting data to address a real-world challenge from their expert perspective. Students share their expertise in teams where communication and collaboration are essential to finding a final class solution to the problem. By showcasing a broad array of careers that require a range of training and education, we expose students to science careers that are in high demand; a major point being that STEM is for everyone! BioScann modules are web-based and free. The workshop will showcase a 3-day module designed for grades 7-9, but additional modules that focus on plastic pollution and antibiotic resistance are under development. And are expected to be released in 2023. Evaluations of the original BioScann module indicate that students show dramatic and sustained increases in life sciences interest and career awareness and demonstrate an increased ability to read graphs and interpret complex data.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engage in web-based curriculum that introduces students to a wide range of science careers. You will first experience the curriculum from the student perspective but will also be coached to deliver this free curriculum in your classroom. This curriculum is compatible with google classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Maggie Keeler (Senior Curriculum Specialist), Michelle Mischke (VP of Biotechnology Education Programs: CAmbridge, MA)

Soils are vital to sustaining life. What makes this natural resource so special? Join us for an active session that digs into numerous soil science concepts and vetted teaching resources connected to the geosciences, biology, chemistry, and physics.

TAKEAWAYS:
Soils are the foundation upon which life exists on Earth. The life that teems below ground supports the life above ground. Understanding the ecosystem services provided by soils requires cross-disciplinary thinking and reveals how vital soils are to our existence.

SPEAKERS:
Margaret Holzer (Retired: Chatham, LA)

Explore how to use the air sensors to demonstrate the dangers of vaping to students. Participants will see how to measure air quality around the mist expelled out of vapers in a closed system testing system, made from simple materials, in which non-nicotine vape juice is expelled.

TAKEAWAYS:
Air quality, measured in several areas such as particulate matter and AQI, can be used to show that the ingredients in vaping reduce air quality for not only the vaper, but people around them. Students will also learn how to read and analyze graphical data.

SPEAKERS:
Courtney Behrle (BioNetwork: Greenville, NC)

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)

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: Quincy, MA)

In this session, participants will work on hands-on activities and test a prototype to learn about genetics using the engineering design model and translanguaging for middle grades.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to teach about genetics for middle grade level using an engineering activity and translanguaging (English/Spanish).

SPEAKERS:
Maggie Lewis (Student: Dawsonville, GA), Lorraine Ramirez Villarin (University of North Georgia: Dahlonega, GA), Victoria Hunter (Student), Max Vazquez Dominguez (University of North Georgia: Dahlonega, GA)

This session will introduce how to implement a year-long Capstone Project within your curriculum. This will create engagement and allow students to explore and design solutions to real-world problems. Participants will walk through how to engage students before and during a Capstone project.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to engage students in experiences that will provide them with a year long Capstone experience to facilitate change on a personal or local scale using the 17 Global Goals designated by the United Nations.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Perrimon (Marietta Middle School: Marietta, GA), Rajyam Potluri (Teacher: Marietta, GA), Marshai Waiters (Marietta Middle School: Marietta, GA), Brandon Nicholson (Marietta Middle School: Marietta, GA)

Explore a free unit featuring progressive cell models supported by multimedia tools. A realistic and dynamic exploration of cells, cell systems, and disruption by pathogens.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to integrate realistic multimedia and paper-based modeling exercises to depict the dynamic inner-workings of cells and tissues.

SPEAKERS:
Jen Taylor (Lakeview Academy: Saratoga Springs, UT)

Engage multilingual learners with human ecology activities scaffolded for different levels of English proficiency. Participate in hands-on lessons (simulations and group problem solving) that promote 3D learning while building language skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn strategies to adapt science activities for the middle school classroom to be more inclusive for English language learners. Shared activities explore “Human Impacts on Earth’s Systems” and “Natural Resources” (ESS3).

SPEAKERS:
Abby Watkins (Population Connection: Washington, DC)

Oil spills, climate change and other environmental disasters significantly impact our ecosystems. How can visual data from these events be quantified to make informed, scientific conclusions? Come experience how deep-sea photos help scientists analyze ecological effects of these disasters.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how they can incorporate the STEM-integrated module Under the Sea: A Deep-Sea Ecosystem Challenge, into their science classroom to promote visual literacy within the context of ecology and the interdependence of living things. Attendees will receive access to the curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Sabrina Grossman (CEISMC, Georgia Institute of Technology: Atlanta, GA), Jayma Koval (CEISMC/ Georgia Institute of Technology: Atlanta, GA)

Engaging strategies to increase student retention in science will be shared during this session. Strategies shared are focused on excitement and relevancy to entice learner curiosity as well as focus. The session will review musical, inquiry, kinesthetic, literacy, and game-based strategies.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will include engaging and helpful strategies to reach different learning styles (visual, auditory, kinesthetic) in the classroom.

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

Explore a free middle school unit that integrates genetics concepts to help students understand natural selection. Features paper-based activities, multimedia pieces, and games!

TAKEAWAYS:
How to access and use a new, free unit that integrates core ideas in genetics, heredity, and natural selection, through multimedia materials.

SPEAKERS:
Jen Taylor (Lakeview Academy: Saratoga Springs, UT)

With the catalog of known exoplanets growing, NASA scientists are searching these worlds for signatures of life as we do (and do not) know it. In this session, participants learn through hands-on activities about NASA astrobiology missions that attempt to answer the age-old question: are we alone?

TAKEAWAYS:
To offer participants resources and strategies for developing an astrobiology [life sciences] unit that integrates hands-on NASA education activities, cutting-edge scientific research, and differing worldviews [cosmologies] that combine science, culture, art and storytelling.

SPEAKERS:
Anne Weiss (Educator Professional Development Specialist)

Learn about Conserve It or List It, an exciting series of inquiry investigations driven by student questions that you can use to teach environmental and life science. You will participate in one of the investigations, receive the project guidelines, and get strategies for classroom implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Conserve It or List It is an exciting way to engage students in environmental and life science through inquiry-based lessons driven by phenomena and student questions, with the goal of helping students invest in science and bringing the outdoors into classroom instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Allison Pagliaro (Wade Institute for Science Education: Quincy, MA), Sandra Ryack-Bell (Wade Institute for Science Education: Quincy, MA), Rachel Stronach (Lloyd Center for the Environment: Dartmouth, MA)

Although questions are an important aspect of effective science teaching, many science teachers may not be aware of the questions they ask. This session will show three questioning strategies including SHARE (Wilcox et al., 2021), using students’ responses to drive the conversation forward, and convergent/divergent questions. We will demonstrate the questioning techniques during a 5E where we use specimens preserved in acrylic to investigate the structure/function relationships (1-LS1-1, 4-LS1-1) and to consider homologous and analogous structures (MS-LS4-2).

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn three different questioning strategies they can use with their students. Additionally, participants will experience these questions in action as the presenters will use life science examples to teach the questioning strategies.

SPEAKERS:
Carson McClain (Student), Jesse Wilcox (University of Northern Iowa: Cedar Falls, IA)

Singing science parodies together will create fun and relaxed shared experiences that will strengthen teacher/student bonds and facilitate future learning. Plus they will learn science concepts without even knowing it!

TAKEAWAYS:
Song can teach as well as create a safe and enjoyable environment for students.

SPEAKERS:
Jen Taylor (Lakeview Academy: Saratoga Springs, UT)

A skyrocketing global population is making us rethink how we feed people. Traditional protein sources are unequally distributed and can have devastating effects. We will be investigating how insects could help us feed the world in a more equitable and sustainable way. Bring your appetite!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how traditional ways of farming protein (poultry and cattle) negatively affect the ecological communities and explore how insects could help rectify this problem.

SPEAKERS:
Courtney Ologbosele (Teacher), Curtis Martin (Teacher)

Forensics is a great way to engage students through hands-on, real world activities but some elementary & middle school teachers feel it is not age appropriate & struggle to affordably create relevant forensics units that meet their standards. In this hands-on session, teachers will see how forensics is fun for all ages! They will learn how to engage their community through a personalized, age-appropriate scenario that uses their community as the crime scene and suspects. Engage in blood typing, fingerprints, genetics, hair, fiber, handwriting analysis & chromatography. Students will learn how to think as scientists, to collaborate & ask relevant probing questions & collect, preserve & analyze evidence during the course of their investigation. Teachers will learn how to create a CSI escape room using Google Forms for remote & in class learners. Both hands-on & virtual activities encourage safe environments & social interactions. Leave ready to set the stage with their own crime scenes!

TAKEAWAYS:
How to use your school community to create an engaging crime for students to solve while encouraging socialization, collaboration, and critical thinking through blood typing, fingerprints, genetics, hair + fiber + handwriting analysis, chromatography, plus ways to create a virtual crime activity.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Guzzetta (Our Lady of Mercy School for Young Women: Rochester, NY)