2023 Atlanta National Conference

March 22-25, 2023

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Grade Level


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Pathway/Course

FILTERS APPLIED:PreK - 5, Presentation, Student Learning and Inclusion, Environmental Science

 

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

Water, Wind, Weather, and Wonder

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

Georgia World Congress Center - C203


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

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

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

Place-based Environmental Science for Community Awareness

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

Georgia World Congress Center - C211


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

We will present activities developed for high-need urban schools (elementary and middle school focus) that lead to weather, ecology, life cycles, and water quality classroom discussions and ask attendees to challenge us to match activities to their needs.

TAKEAWAYS:
No matter what a school’s environment, urban or rural, students can be engaged in Earth systems study to prepare them to be stewards of the Earth.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Feit (Research Scientist - Project Manager: Boston, MA), Peter Garik (Boston University: Boston, MA)

Affordable Indoor School Gardening

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

Georgia World Congress Center - C211


STRAND: No Strand

Show Details

Simple, easy, and inexpensive methods for starting an indoor school garden, even with limited space or no windows

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will give teachers pratical ideas about how to grow plants in a classroom setting

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

Tree with Golden Apples: Teach Botany with Storytelling

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

Georgia World Congress Center - C213


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Botany principals presented in unusual, indigenous myths of photosynthesis, mycorrhizal fungi, pollination, decomposers, seed diversity, forest ecology, etc. Discover elements of what makes story an effective educational tool and generate successful interdisciplinary experiences supporting science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Discover the essential elements of story and understand what makes story such an effective educational tool. Learn from indigenous myths to build the meaning of botanical/scientific concepts in the context of narrative, imagery, characterization and sensory elements.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Strauss (Author/ Storyteller: , OR)

Using streams to increase scientific “literacy”

Friday, March 24 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - C207



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Stream Literacy Presentation
Includes presentation with embedded links.

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Do you struggle with integrating your local habitat with science and literacy? Engaging K-3 students in content-integrated outdoor learning can be difficult for a variety of reasons. However, engaging students in environmental education outdoors is vital for developing scientific literacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using appropriate children’s literature, lessons were developed that emphasize the role of streams, water, and the local watershed allowing teachers to focus specifically on aspects of the stream that are relevant to the standards in their grade level. These will be shared with participants.

SPEAKERS:
Ann Catherine Cox (Carrollton Elementary School: Carrollton, GA), Brent Gilles (University of West Georgia: Carrollton, GA), Stacey Britton (University of West Georgia: Carrollton, GA)

Blending Literature and Creativity to Advocate for Environmental Issues

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

Georgia World Congress Center - A314



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Blending Literature and Creativity to Advocate for Environmental Issues
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1lagVt2aqqjPqoLUCyMfSzQ6dxEhsGNZO9ThFyp68Stg/edit?usp=sharing
Google Slide with links to activities and bibliography
NSTA 23 Teeple (1).pdf

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

This presentation will use children's literature to identify topics related to sustainability and human impact on the environment along with how to use creative, hands-on activities to apply the concepts and inspire young, planet-conscious citizen scientists.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learning about sustainability and environmental issues shouldn't be boring or negative. Explore quality children's literature that focuses on these topics in age-appropriate ways as well as engaging activities designed to help make real-world connections.

SPEAKERS:
Kerry Teeple (University of Findlay College of Education: Findlay, OH)

Learn Science for Good: Deepening Engagement through True Student Empowerment

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

Georgia World Congress Center - A303


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

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

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

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

It’s in the Bag: Developing Elementary Students’ Appreciation of the Natural World

Friday, March 24 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - A303


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

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)

Antarctic Fossils as Evidence for past climates

Friday, March 24 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - A401


Show Details

Participants will use Antarctic fossil images and descriptions to deduce how the the Antarctic environment changed over time. They will then look at Cretaceous-era fossils from Central Texas to infer how the geography differed from today. Fossil images and 5E Lesson plan will be provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to use fossils as evidence for climate change in a student-centered inquiry lesson.

SPEAKERS:
Gail Dickinson (Texas State University: San Marcos, TX)

Saving the Night with Citizen Science

Friday, March 24 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - B306


STRAND: Technology and Media

Show Details

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

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

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

Plant Investigations Using Sensemaking

Friday, March 24 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Georgia World Congress Center - A303


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Current trends highlighting plants using 3D Learning that support sensemaking in the K-6 classroom will be presented. Participants will be provided hands-on, real-world lessons that engage students with a deeper and more meaningful experience that center around the Next Generation Science Standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will develop a more meaningful understanding of sensemaking by using plant investigations to increase student engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Lynn Hess (Goldsboro Elementary Magnet School: Sanford, FL)

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)

A Teacher’s Perspective: Success and Pitfalls in Planning A School Garden

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

Georgia World Congress Center - B408


STRAND: STEAM or STEM

Show Details

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Tain Curtis (Teacher: , UT)

Facilitating Emancipatory and Justice-Centered Environmental and Climate Learning with Elementary Students

Saturday, March 25 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - A402


STRAND: Equity and Justice

Show Details

We’ll explore key stances, strategies, and resources for supporting elementary students to learn about and take collective action in response to authentic socio-ecological challenges.

TAKEAWAYS:
Young learners are capable of consequential and justice-centered learning about social, political, environmental, and climate issues. Concerns about “developmental appropriateness” can perpetuate dominant forms of science and invisibilize marginalized students’ lived experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Rae Han (EarthGen: No City, No State), Pranjali Upadhyay (Educational Service District 112: Vancouver, WA)

Cultivating Social and Emotional Learning through School Gardening

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

Georgia World Congress Center - B409


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

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

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

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

Integrating Insects and Art

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

Georgia World Congress Center - B406a/b


STRAND: STEAM or STEM

Show Details

Exploring Monarch Butterflies in Science and Art

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

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

Are You "Open" to Citizen Science?

Saturday, March 25 • 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - B403


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

In this session we will explore the way that open source tools and techniques can be used to bring citizen science to life in your classroom. This will be a whirlwind session where examples from the tools will be shared as will results of these tools from classroom implementation and how these data

TAKEAWAYS:
A set of tools that will expand the participants knowledge base for implementing citizen science in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Jabot (SUNY Fredonia: Fredonia, NY)

Building Sustainable & Inclusive K-5 STEM Teacher Leaders

Saturday, March 25 • 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Georgia World Congress Center - B316


Show Details

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Matthew Taylor (Assistant Professor of Special Education), Helen Corveleyn (Timberlane Middle School: No City, No State), Melissa Zrada (The College of New Jersey: Ewing, NJ), Lauren Madden (The College of New Jersey: Ewing, NJ)

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