2023 Atlanta National Conference

March 22-25, 2023

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Rooms and times subject to change.
22 results
Save up to 50 sessions in your agenda.

Why FLORES is Engaging for Bilingual Elementary Families

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

Georgia World Congress Center - C208


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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

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

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

Making Real and Accessible the Wonder of Science for All Students: It’s Why We Teach!

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

Georgia World Congress Center - C213



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Making Real and Accessible the Wonder of Science for All Students
SIPS Assessments Project_2023 NSTA Presentation.pdf
SIPS Assessments Project_2023 NSTA Presentation.pdf

STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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 (Senior Associate: Laramie, WY), Mary Nyaema (University of Illinois Chicago: Chicago, IL), Rhonda True (Nebraska Department of Education: Lincoln, NE), Bill Herrera (edCount, LLC: No City, No State)

Using Science Investigation to Motivate Students to Read, Write, and Engage in Discourse

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

Georgia World Congress Center - B406a/b


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Engaging in scientific investigations can motivate students to read, write and participate in productive discourse. This session provides educators with lessons and resources to support teaching three-dimensional hands-on scientific investigation that motivates student learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants leave the session with insights into how to use engaging hands-on investigations to motivate students to read, write, and engage in discourse. They will receive a complete set of lesson plans for their NGSS state grade-level standards.

SPEAKERS:
Candace Penrod (Salt Lake City School District: Salt Lake City, UT), Brett Moulding (Partnership for Effective Science Teaching and Learning: Ogden, UT)

Improving science achievement: A science and literacy instruction intervention with implications for research, policy, and practice.

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

Georgia World Congress Center - C212



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
A promising science and literacy instructional model with Hispanic fifth grade students.pdf
This study evaluated the Science and Literacy Instructional Model aimed at helping primarily Hispanic bilingual/English Learners (ELs) and economically disadvantaged fifth grade students with science achievement as measured by high-stakes standardized science achievement scores. The model combined purposeful planning, innovative academic vocabulary instruction, and a Lesson Design Lab. Difference-in proportions tests were used to determine if students at two school campuses showed positive achi
Interactive word wall expectations science 2023.pdf
Vocabulary planning template 2023 S&E Practices.pdf

STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

This intervention combined purposeful planning and innovative academic vocabulary instruction. Easily replicable classroom strategies and examples will facilitate implementation and demonstrate how to make science accessible to all students, including minorities, economically disadvantaged, English

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will strategically target academic vocabulary, visually display connections between inquiry activities and vocabulary, and explore opportunities for students to experience vocabulary in context, actively process word meanings, and practice using vocabulary to speak and write sentences.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Jackson (Texas State University: San Marcos, TX)

Partnering with Families to Promote Young Multilingual Learners' Integrated Science and Language Learning

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

Georgia World Congress Center - C207



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
FINAL Partnering with families.pptx

STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

We will share a model of science home/school partnership, focused on families of young multilingual learners (MLs) that fuels their science and language learning across contexts, sparks their interest and self-efficacy in science, and can be leveraged to support their school science learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with concrete strategies, tools, and resources for building science partnerships with families of MLs that support language-enriched science experiences at home and mutually reinforce children's NGSS-aligned science and language experiences at school.

SPEAKERS:
Mandell Academy (Connecticut Science Center: Hartford, CT), Rachel Shurick (Connecticut Science Center: Hartford, CT), Becky Fahey (Connecticut Science Center: Hartford, CT), Cindy Hoisington (Education Development Center, Inc.: Holbrook, MA)

Science Ninjas – supporting elementary teacher professional learning.

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

Georgia World Congress Center - C212


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Jason will explain what Science Ninjas is, why King’s College, London undertook this research and what it’s taught them about supporting teachers to plan effective active learning lessons and developing professional learning programs that lead to sustained improvement.

TAKEAWAYS:
The kinds of support that elementary teachers needed in order to make inquiry and hands-on learning effective in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Jason Harding (Teacher Educator)

The Building Blocks of Scientific Thinking: Helping Students Succeed in Science through Spatial Thinking

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

Georgia World Congress Center - C212


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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

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

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

Improving science achievement: A science and literacy instruction intervention with implications for practice.

Friday, March 24 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

This session presents a science and literacy instruction intervention aimed at helping improve student achievement on high-stakes standardized tests. This study found statistically significant results with medium to large effect sizes at multiple campuses. Findings contribute to research and practice by demonstrating how to make science education accessible to all students, including minorities, economically disadvantaged, English learners, and At-Risk students. It also advances knowledge about effective science and literacy instruction interventions. Participants in this session will learn how to strategically target academic vocabulary, visually display connections between inquiry activities and vocabulary, explore opportunities for students to experience vocabulary in context, actively process word meanings, and practice using vocabulary to speak and write sentences. Easily replicable classroom strategies and examples that may be used to facilitate implementation will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will strategically target academic vocabulary, visually display connections between inquiry activities and vocabulary, and explore opportunities for students to experience vocabulary in context, actively process word meanings, and practice using vocabulary to speak and write sentences.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Jackson (Texas State University: San Marcos, TX)

Cognitively-Based Design Principles for more Effective Science Diagrams

Friday, March 24 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Students in K-12 science classrooms don’t think about diagrams the same way adults do, and can be easily “overloaded.” Research in cognition gives us tools to make science diagrams that more effectively support learning. Surprise: often, students learn more without features like arrows and colors!

TAKEAWAYS:
Effective diagrams direct student attention to the most important information and relationships while minimizing cognitive load. Strategies for doing so include tree structures, explicit cues for implicit information, replacing realistic photos with illustrations, and use of the proximity principle.

SPEAKERS:
Audrey Rabi Whitaker (Academy for Young Writers: Brooklyn, NY)

STaR- Science Teacher Residency Professional Development Outcomes

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.)
ArizonaScienceCenter_NSTA-STaRProgram.pdf

STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

The Science Teacher Residency (STaR) Program was launched in 2018 in response to the need to expand access to high quality professional development for science teachers in Arizona. It is designed for third through eighth grade teachers from Title 1 designated schools, and provides instructional tools and resources to participants for free. The program is designed around its Theory of Change, which involves four facets: pedagogical approaches, content learning, access to expertise, and materials and resources. The program is externally evaluated by the Lawrence Hall of Science. Data on content knowledge level, fascination level, interest level, and intention to pursue science will be featured on the poster. Our target audience is for professional development providers.

TAKEAWAYS:
STaR expands access to high-quality teaching practice in science education for Arizona teachers. PD facilitators can obtain new ideas for research-based implementation of pedagogy, content learning, access to expertise, and materials and resources.

SPEAKERS:
Brenna Chambers (Manager of Professional Learning), Judith Lozoya (Professional Development Facilitator: Phoenix, AZ), Jennifer Petersen (Professional Development Facilitator: Phoenix, AZ)

Using Nature of Science in the Classroom

Friday, March 24 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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: Bridgeport, NE)

Exploring a Learning Sequence about Patterns in Species Diversity

Friday, March 24 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - B207


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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.

Exploring the Unseen - SEPs in Action

Friday, March 24 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - A411


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

How do scientists study dark matter in a world where we only see matter? How do they study neutrinos, a subatomic particle with almost no mass, no charge, that travels near the speed of light and is constantly shifting? At the Sanford Underground Research Facility, scientists are doing just that!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with ideas for classroom strategies that support introducing difficult and abstract topics. Leveraging the SEPs, teachers can help students use what they can see to figure out things they cannot.

SPEAKERS:
Ashley Armstrong (Sanford Underground Research Facility: Lead, SD)

Supporting Productive Adaptations in Instructional Materials through Professional Learning

Friday, March 24 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - B406a/b


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Professional learning is critical for identifying and using high-quality instructional materials and can be provided in multiple ways. Join us as we examine criteria for choosing high-quality professional learning experiences in K-5 science. Participants will explore useful tools and just-in-time supports for personal professional learning that meet teachers where they are. We will collaborate to refine expectations for professional learning that supports K-5 learning. Participants will have a different lens for knowing the types of support that are critical when evaluating and implementing high-quality instructional materials Brilliance and Strengths Report: Recommendation 10, 12, 14

TAKEAWAYS:
Professional learning should be connected to curriculum materials and be flexible enough to meet teachers needs.

SPEAKERS:
Shelly LeDoux (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX), Carla Zembal-Saul (Penn State: University Park, PA), Heidi Carlone (Vanderbilt University Peabody College: Nashville, TN), Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network)

Can kids learn environmental conservation while playing board games in the classroom? Learn how a Johns Hopkins University research project is seeking answers.

Friday, March 24 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - A312


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Adventerra Games

Adventerra's unique board games nurture environmental literacy. While racing to win, students see how their actions affect the planet. Come play, and discuss how to use games to empower students and achieve curricular goals! Learn about a Johns Hopkins study on the effect of games on eco behavior.

SPEAKERS:
Ruth Mundell (Marketing and sales: Laurel, MD), Bryan Mundell (Founder), Sue Mundell (Adventerra Games North America LLC: No City, No State)

Project SEA: Science Education & Action

Saturday, March 25 • 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - B310


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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

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

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

Teaching Students to Draw Like a Scientist

Saturday, March 25 • 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - B310



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Connect with Me!
Materials from this presentation will be uploaded via a Google folder within 24 hours of the presentation finishing.
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Here are all the materials from my sessions! Feel free to make copies of any item for your own use.

STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Making observations about the world around us and being able to record that in written and drawn form is a skill critical for scientists. In the elementary classroom, students comprehension greatly increases when observation skills are expanded. Learn how to increase this within your own classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to engage your students as scientists in a new way, drawing! Understand the basics of drawing and how it connects to scientific observations. These simple and easy steps will transform the scientific drawings your students are creating during class to increase their overall comprehension.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Oberdorf (Big Spring School District: Newville, PA)

Engaging Students with Better Science Practices in Science Fair Projects

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

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

A former national science fair judge provides insights on how good titles can improve the odds of winning at science fairs. The poster will describe what the parts of a "good" title are and how teachers can help your students create one.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn the components of how to create a good project title (from a research project on science fairs) and how to help their students develop a good title for their own project that is structurally similar to those used by scientists to describe their own research at conferences.

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

Integrating Literacy and Science in Elementary Classrooms with Multiple Literacies in Project-Based Learning (ML-PBL)

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

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

ML-PBL teachers find ways to further integrate literacy and science throughout their day. ML-PBL's free OER project-based curriculum resources support students in applying their figuring out and critical thinking processes to all subject areas. Check it out!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be exposed to free resources and ideas for selecting resources for literacy lessons that allow students to continue to fine tune and extend the ideas they are developing in science class. Handouts with links to additional resources will be available.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Codere (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University, Retired)

Can You Make It Move?

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

Georgia World Congress Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Our poster session will answer the following questions: What makes a good STEM Challenge? What types of supplies do I need? What happens if students are not engaged in the challenge? How do I assess the challenge? Our interactive poster board will answer these questions and more. Attendees can view videos of activities we have done to help students generate solutions to problems using the engineering design process. When they own it they will do it!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with a STEM Supply list to use to create an unlimited amount of STEM challenges to encourage creative design and problem-solving. Many of the items on the list are free or very low-cost.

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

Increasing Access to Science in Elementary through Distributed Leadership and the Principles of Improvement Science

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

Georgia World Congress Center - A315



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Participants Folder
This folder has a PDF of the presentation, toolkit , and additional resources

STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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

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

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

Increase STEM Instructional Capacity Across School and District Levels

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

Georgia World Congress Center - B214


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Learn from innovative schools and districts on how they strengthen STEM instructional capacity through systematic approaches to professional learning. Hear from colleagues on how they integrated STEM certification programs into initiatives to positively impact STEM instruction and student success.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Arnette (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX), Angela Campana (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

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