2023 Kansas City National Conference

October 25-28, 2023

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FILTERS APPLIED:Hands-On Workshop, Environmental Science

 

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

Shared Waters: A Classroom Ready Watershed Themed Curriculum for 3rd-7th Grade

Thursday, October 26 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2206


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Participants in this session will be introduced to the Shared Waters curriculum, a classroom-ready, watershed-focused, 10-lesson unit. This presentation will provide attendees with a brief overview of the unit exploring overall content, learning goals, lesson resources, and the culminating student-driven action project. During the workshop, participants will engage in a hands-on activity that explores watershed boundaries and how pollution enters waterways via stormwater runoff. There will be a demonstration of pervious vs impervious surfaces and a showcase of an online learning tool titled 'runoff simulator' that connects the two activities. Finally, presenters will highlight the culminating student-centered action project and how the Shared Waters curriculum guides educators through the process with students. All participants will have free access to the Shared Waters curriculum, including all lesson plans, worksheets, and PowerPoint slides.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn more about this curriculum while participating in a hands-on watershed activity and demonstrations exploring pervious and impervious surfaces' connections to waterway health. We'll tie it all together with an easy-to-implement student-centered action project that can be completed in one day.

SPEAKERS:
Liz Fulton (Graduate Assistant: Millersville, PA)

On the Air: Exploring Air Pollution Sources and Solutions

Thursday, October 26 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 C



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTA 2023 CAP On the Air_ Exploring Air Pollution Sources and Solutions.pdf
The slides I presented are in pdf format. For more activities, see the OTA website.
On the Air Exploring Air Pollution Sources and Solutions
Your path to teaching air quality starts here! Check out one of our 5 modules on air quality, or take an overview tour of the curriculum. Based on the time you have to teach, and the grade level of your students, you may teach the whole curriculum or you may pick and choose individual modules. The path is up to you! If you wish to access student facing slide decks for 10 (out of the 50 total activities) we're using to pilot the Lead Teacher Learning Community, then please contact me at espik

STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

As the Clean Air Partners’ Education Program Manager, I will introduce the Clean Air Partners organization, our On the Air © curriculum, and how to navigate and implement the curriculum in science classrooms. There are five modules: 1) Our Lungs, Our Air, Our Health; 2) What’s the Forecast; 3) Air Pollution in the Community; 4) Air and the Chesapeake Bay; and 5) Air and Climate Change. I will explain how modules and lessons are formatted for faster navigation and facilitation. I will also share how to access the lessons for free on our website. Teachers will engage in very brief activities from five selected lessons, one from each module. I will highlight best science teaching practices, such as CER, anchor charts, KWL charts, and other visual thinking routines embedded in lessons. Teachers will have paper copies of the student-facing documents for each lesson and will be encouraged to work together during the session to complete lesson activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to access and teach the free On the Air © curriculum resources to explore air pollution issues and solutions.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Spike (Clean Air Partners)

“Raising the Green Roof” for STEM Learning: A 4th Grade Water Cycle Unit

Thursday, October 26 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2201


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

“Raising the Green Roof” is a 4-week interdisciplinary STEM unit developed by university architectural studies and science education faculty working with elementary educators. In the unit, students use place-based strategies to explore how human-built structures impact the environment and then learn that green roof designs can help restore the natural water cycle. Water cycle basics (evaporation, condensation, precipitation) are emphasized as students explore stormwater runoff, test water retention in various soils, model roof design features, and discover the role that plants play in water management. The unit culminates in an engineering design challenge with students building their own miniature doghouses, green roofs included. Our workshop introduces teachers to our unit’s structure and the science and sustainability concepts behind it. Teachers will also have an opportunity to practice several hands-on investigations and modelling activities from the unit’s lesson plans.

TAKEAWAYS:
This hands-on workshop provides an overview of Green Roof lessons and gives participants a chance to practice modelling and engineering investigations from the unit. Educators will learn architectural content knowledge and receive a link to classroom-ready curriculum and teacher support materials.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Zangori (University of Missouri: Columbia, MO), Suzy Otto (University of Missouri)

Teaching Climate Fact through Climate Fiction

Thursday, October 26 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2105


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Participants will experience the potential of teaching climate science through the lens of writing climate fiction. We will learn about the history of the science fiction genre as well as the newer subgenre of climate fiction ("CliFi") and note key contributions to science through innovative and speculative thinking made possible through literature. Participants will experience a crash course version of a unit in which students write a climate fiction novella integrating NGSS and CCSS for Science and Technical Subjects which will spur their curiosity in what “could be” with regard to climate science solutions. Participants will dive into aspects of unit facilitation of the writing and reading processes and leave with a framework for K-12 implementation as well as publication pathways. This experience can be personalized to meet student need through Universal Design for Learning strategies.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through implementation of a climate fiction writing unit, teachers can introduce skills and habits of mind that support youth innovation in addressing climate issues.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Lark (Kognity: Stockholm, 0)

Engineering Severe Weather Solutions

Thursday, October 26 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2102 A


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Human activities have caused changes in global temperature and weather patterns. This generation of students will need to understand climate science in order to adapt to this changing environment. In this session, participants will explore a project in which students incorporate engineering and basic coding - no experience necessary. We will use micro:bit technology to connect basic coding commands to collect authentic data using embedded sensors. Participants will use this collected data to modify design solutions based on human vulnerabilities to severe weather. Participants will find ways to expose their students to the engineering capabilities needed to solve problems. This project allows students to compare design solutions to identify which is best for the problem at hand and to experience the interactive process of evaluating solutions. This project allows for the authentic integration of technology, mathematics, crosscutting concepts, science practices, and easy implementation

TAKEAWAYS:
Use technology to expose students to coding and engineering design solutions for severe weather.

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA), Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Ellicott City, MD)

Hands-On Learning for a More Just Climate

Thursday, October 26 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 A


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

In this workshop, participants will learn strategies for leading meaningful conversations around climate justice topics with young audiences. Students come to school with a variety of prior experiences and understandings about climate change and justice topics. Understanding where your students are and their willingness for and openness to having conversations around ideas of fairness, equity, and justice is key to creating a safe and nurturing environment where students will willingly participate in potentially uncomfortable conversations. In this session, we will discuss the various approaches we have taken to introduce climate justice to 6th grade students while supporting diverse backgrounds, experiences, and readiness for these conversations. Attendees will learn about strategies and participate in hands-on activities that have led to a successful teaching and learning environment where students feel empowered by knowledge to seek positive change in their own communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this workshop, participants will learn strategies for leading meaningful conversations around climate justice with youth. We will showcase various approaches to teaching climate justice to 6th graders while supporting diverse backgrounds, experiences, and readiness for these conversations.

SPEAKERS:
Bess Caplan (Howard County Conservancy: Woodstock, MD)

Anchoring a Unit with a Crosscutting Concept

Thursday, October 26 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Julie Lee


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Crosscutting Concepts, the links between different science disciplines, can be challenging to use as an anchoring storyline activity. However, it can be one of the best ways to engage students, as they can make personal connections between different domains. Teachers will begin by becoming familiar with the NGSS Appendix G Systems and System Models progression, identifying essential learning by grade. Then, they will investigate how this CCC has been built into a storyline anchor, extending this concept from the initial activity (involving video games) into a different aspect of science–climate modeling. Teachers leave prepared to utilize this storyline in the classroom. Upon completion, students will be able to identify the factors used in climate models and create a model that depicts the flow of energy/matter in a climate system. They will also be able to express the reliability and validity of climate models. Resources: https://ncse.ngo/supporting-teachers/classroom-resources

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with a better understanding of how to use the Systems and Systems Modeling Crosscutting Concept to help students analyze the precision and reliability limitations of past and present climate models, dispelling major misconceptions about climate science along the way.

SPEAKERS:
Blake Touchet (National Center for Science Education: Oakland, CA), Michael Lowry (McCallie School: Chattanooga, TN), Lin Andrews (: Oakland, CA)

Preparing Your Students for the Upcoming Solar Eclipse in 2024

Thursday, October 26 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2104 A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTA 2023 fall Solar Eclipse Presentation 2.pptx
Looking to support the research being done by NASA/GLOBE on solar eclipses? This presentation will help you get started. The presentation contains numerous websites to help you teach about solar eclipses.
NSTA 2024 Solar Eclipse Resource Links.docx
This document provides you with website links from NASA, GLOBE and other organizations to help you teach about solar eclipses in your classroom.

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

More than 10,000 observers submitted data to GLOBE collecting more than 20,000 cloud observations with 60,000 photos and 80,000 air temperature measurements using the GLOBE Observer app during the Total Solar Eclipse on August 21st, 2017. The data was used by scientists around the world. Educators will learn how to upload data to GLOBE as citizen scientists in the GLOBE Observer App. The latest updates from NASA will be shared including these current sites on the solar eclipse. The NASA data provides teachers with lesson plans written in 5-E format and activities for students to do. Educators will receive a brief introduction on the protocols used. As a citizen scientist, educators can enter data without going through the GLOBE trainings. Examples of student research projects on the 2017 Solar Eclipse will illustrate the work that can be done by students. Supports NGSS Science and Engineering Practices and following NGSS standards: MS-ESS1-1 and HS-ESS1-1.

TAKEAWAYS:
Contribute to a citizen science database used by scientists to study the effects of eclipses on the atmosphere. Learn how to access NASA resources including teacher lesson plans to use in your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Janet Struble (: Toledo, OH)

What is Hydroponics?

Friday, October 27 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2209


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

This session will engage attendees in answering the core question, "What is hydroponics?" After viewing phenomena-based video shorts and images of plants growing both in soil and hydroponically, attendees will work in small groups to model the phenomena, compare and contrast similarities and differences, and ultimately answer the questions: 1) What do plants need to grow? 2) How do plants grow through hydroponic farming? This workshop and corresponding lesson aligns with the NGS standards of MS-LS1-1, MS-LS1-3, MS-LS1-8, MS-LS2-1, & MS-LS2-3.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between growing food through hydroponic farming versus growing food in the soil. They will be able to explain how plants grow through hydroponic farming.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Kim Kolasa (Assistant Vice-President, Partnership Development)

Exploring Soil Ecosystems: An Immersive Learning Workshop

Friday, October 27 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Digging Into the Secrets of Soil Lesson Plan
Digging Into the Secrets of Soil Student Document
Digging Into the Secrets of Soil Student Vocabulary Cards
Presentation Slide Deck - copy for attendees

STRAND: Tech Tools

Show Details

This workshop offers an immersive learning experience that allows participants to explore the roles of soil in the ecosystem as well as its function as a carbon sink. Designed for grades K-2 educators, this workshop provides a glimpse of a classroom investigation that can be adapted for use in their own classrooms. Participants will gain insights into key concepts related to soil ecosystems, such as the roles of different organisms, nutrient cycles, and the impact of human activities on soil health. Participants will also explore the importance of soil as a carbon sink and its potential as a tool for mitigating climate change. The workshop is designed to be highly engaging and interactive, mimicking the student experience. By the end of the workshop, participants will gain an understanding of how to use immersive learning activities to support classroom teaching and learning, and will have access to resources to help them implement similar investigations in their own classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through hands-on experience, students gain a deeper understanding of sustainability by using observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals need to survive. The workshop highlights the value of adapting investigations within the context of sustainability to support teaching NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Elaine Makarevich (SubjectToClimate)

Resources for Engaging in Climate Justice Centered Teaching and Learning Strand: Teaching strategies for classroom practice

Friday, October 27 • 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 D



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Session 6 Materials: Resources for Engaging in Climate Justice Centered Teaching

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Designers and writers from the well known STEM Teaching Tools collection (www.stemteachingtools.org), a free repository of resources that reference other national resources funded by the NSF and created by national leaders in climate science and education, have developed a branch of resources called the ClimateEdTools which provide learning pathways for educators as well as strategies for use in youth centered learning contexts. Come and explore these resources with us as we examine the deeply intersectional socio-ecological issues facing our world and how to teach about them. In this workshop we will explore how to engage in science instruction that centers local climate justice phenomena to teach climate science standards. In addition, we will workshop how educators may apply this collection of resources to meet the needs they have in their own teaching and learning contexts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Climate Ed Tools contain rich examples of climate justice instruction, strategies for engaging youth, and to support climate change learning and communication among educators. These open education resources (OER) include video overviews, valuable guidance educators, and tons of background resources!

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Deb Morrison (University of Washington), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Using ChatGPT To Your Advantage in Your Junior High/Middle School Science Class

Friday, October 27 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2203



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1mCHvN2ZIcyGL2RZOIHb1qsQ4bR--HnLv?usp=sharing
Presentation

STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

By utilizing ChatGPT, start-ups can provide students with a starting point for research by offering them foundational knowledge on a variety of subjects. The use of superheroes to teach the periodic table, for example, could provide students with a fun and engaging way to learn about chemistry. Similarly, focusing on environmental concerns such as ocean acidification can help students understand the importance of conservation and sustainability. Additionally, warm-up activities can be an effective way to build relationships and foster collaboration between students. Whether it be through icebreakers or team-building exercises, getting to know one another can help students work together more effectively and create a more positive learning environment. Overall, utilizing ChatGPT can be an effective way for teachers to create engaging and informative content for students. By providing them with a foundation of knowledge, start-ups can empower students to take control of their own learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
One takeaway from this session is that you will understand that ChatGPT is a powerful tool for teachers. This application will allow you to answer questions or ideas you have and improve research activities that might be difficult for students.

SPEAKERS:
Ricardo Padilla (Brookhurst Jr HIgh School)

"H-Two-Poo": Contextualizing High School Science Through Wastewater Testing and Public Health

Friday, October 27 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Basie Ballroom B


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

In this session, participants will experience part of an NGSS-aligned unit on wastewater testing and COVID-19. This six-lesson unit utilizing the 5E learning approach was developed through the collaboration of educators, engineers, scientists, medical doctors, and public health experts within an NIH-funded project. Attendees will participate in the fourth lesson of the sequence, entitled “H-Two-Poo.” Participants will first test the quality of different water samples to answer the driving question “how do you know if water is safe to use?” Participants will then learn about sources of wastewater, methods of wastewater management, and the development of a wastewater testing protocol to detect the presence of COVID-19. The experiences of high school students and teachers who have participated in the implementation of this phenomenon-based unit will be shared, including data from student surveys and handouts, along with photos of field trips to the community wastewater treatment facility.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will utilize science and engineering practices to collect and analyze water quality data. They will further learn how science and engineering have been used to develop wastewater testing techniques that inform public health decisions in our communities.

SPEAKERS:
Sahar Alameh (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY), Jeff Chalfant (Missouri University of Science and Technology: Rolla, MO), Sagan Goodpaster (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY)

Teaching Science to Support Caring Ecological Relationships and Practices

Friday, October 27 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 D



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Session 7 Materials: Teaching Science to Support Caring Ecological Relationships

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Ecological systems have been damaged by humans. Science can be used to guide responses and support the thriving of species. Science education tends to reflect Western perspectives, including the view of humans as separate from and exerting control over nature. However, science learning can build from caring, relational orientations toward multispecies worlds and socio-ecologically just and thriving systems. We must engage learners in ways that highlight these webs of interdependence and support learners in responding to complex human-nature ecosystem dynamics. In this session, we will explore strategies and examples of science learning that cultivate caring ecological relationships, including firsthand experiences of learning by engaging with and investigating land and water systems. We will draw on co-designed resources from STEM Teaching Tools (www.stemteachingtools.org) and Learning in Places (learninginplaces.org) to support these experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Human-nature relationships are culturally and historically rooted and are embedded in approaches to science teaching and learning. Supporting reciprocal and caring human-nature relationships leads to socio-ecologically just and thriving systems—and aligns with NGSS 3-D learning.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Nancy Price (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Internationalizing Instruction on Climate Change: Examine the New Approach to Address Students’ Misconceptions and Develop Reasoning Skills

Friday, October 27 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2214


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

This work is based on the result of a design-based research on internationalizing climate change instruction. During the instruction, the instructor introduced the content knowledge on climate change through a lab activity. Next, the students visited six stations to understand the impact of climate change on different areas of the world. They were also asked to identify the patterns and trends associated with various global maps demonstrating global climate change's differential impacts and complete a provided worksheet based on this gallery-walk activity. After the gallery-walk activity, students were asked to respond through a scientific report to the claim, “Climate change is the great equalizer and equally affects everyone in the world.” The students constructed a scientific explanation either in support of or against the provided claim. The workshop participants will experience the activity and discuss how to adopt it in their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to internationalize climate change instruction for global competence.

SPEAKERS:
Shukufe Rahman (Graduate Student: Bloomington, IN), Conghui Liu (Ph.D. Candidate: Bloomington, MO)

STOM: Gamification of Ecology Based Topics

Friday, October 27 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 G



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Biodiverse City St. Louis Gameplay Guide
Biodiverse City St. Louis Gameplay Pieces
Native, ornamental, naturalized and invasive species
PlantLab Student Sceintists
Free downloadable curriculum
Presentation slides
Simple Garden Ecosystem

STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

While the concept of the interconnectedness of species seems fairly easy to understand the depth and complexity of these relationships is sometimes overlooked. Ecosystems are built with layers and layers of dynamic relationships and dependencies on top of one another and webbed among one another. In the following simulations, students will begin to visualize just how complex ecosystems are by simulating various scenarios using experiential learning. These simulations are fun and engaging - and also thought provoking and enlightening.  Most of all, students should come away from them with a deeper understanding of the relationships between living things both seen and unseen.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience the games as a student would and receive electronic versions of the game pieces for adaptation to your local environment and classroom.

SPEAKERS:
John Lawler (School Programs Instructor: St. Louis, MO), Matthew Magoc (Manager, School Programs and Partnership: No City, No State)

Dumpster Dive with STEM

Friday, October 27 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Andy Kirk


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Connect the human impact of trash pollution to engineering design. Get your students thinking critically and creatively as they collaborate in real-world problem-solving. The global real-world issue of human-generated trash polluting local bodies of water is the main focus of this hands-on session. Using our partnership with the Howard County Conservancy, our students learn about their local watersheds and contribute to a Watershed Report Card. Students see how trash that is often found on our local schoolyards can affect our watershed, and they design a working model for trash removal in a local tributary. Basic coding will be used to design programs that will control sensors and motors through a microcontroller, thus removing the trash from the water source. The model will utilize solar and water power to move the trash into a separate receptacle. Various sensors will also be used to monitor water levels and determine the outcome of the program.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. Connecting the human impact of single-use plastics and their effect on aquatic ecosystems; 2. Exposing students to basic coding and engineering design in an NGSS-focused content classroom; and 3. Developing a project that enhances STEM skills in students such as collaboration, curiosity, and creativity.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Ellicott City, MD)

Bite-Size STEM

Saturday, October 28 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 B


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

STEM can be intimidating content for teachers to implement within their classrooms. Many teachers feel that they don’t have the time to do “extra” activities with state testing and making sure all standards are assessed. However, STEM can be a tool to engage students in the science standards and be a vehicle to help make sense out of the concepts they are learning. In this session, participants will explore projects in which students incorporate engineering and basic coding - no experience necessary. We will use micro:bit technology to connect basic coding commands to develop solutions for real-world environmental issues. All projects can be completed in 45 minutes or less; a perfect way to introduce or extend a lesson while exposing students to fundamental STEM skills. Projects include the following concepts: urban heat islands, energy efficiency, and biodiversity of an ecosystem.

TAKEAWAYS:
Expose your students to STEM skills through short, easy, and engaging STEM activities that can be completed in a single class period.

SPEAKERS:
Brad Posnanski (Comsewogue High School: Port Jefferson Station, NY), Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Ellicott City, MD)

Food Science Literacy- A Real World Application in the Classroom

Saturday, October 28 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 1501 C


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

This is an overview of the farm-to-table process through the FDA. Labs are written so that the level of literacy is equitable to the grade span for which it is written. Grade levels 5-12 are included in the curriculum and NGSS standards included. The curriculum spans biology, chemistry, physical science, environmental science, and food and consumer science. It is written free of bias so that all students regardless of their life experiences can relate science to everyday food safety and nutrition. Food safety and nutrition will be discussed, curriculum links, methods, and activities to bring real-world knowledge into the classroom will be shared. Ideas for incorporating lessons as well as the literacy standards linking reading nonfiction topics in the science classroom will be addressed. Three classroom activities using beef, milk and salt will be demonstrated to show connections with science literacy standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students will: 1. be introduced to the fundamentals of microbiology while, at the same time, identifying important public health information through literature and hands-on learning activities; 2. learn about the label, and that nutrition not only aids in general well-being.

SPEAKERS:
Leanne Thele (Perryville High School: , MO), Tiska Rodgers (Clarkton High School: Clarkton, MO)

Ecology and Ethology in the Schoolyard: Students Conduct Original Field Studies

Saturday, October 28 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2105



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Abstract, Note to participants, references
Across front m the conference

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

A seventh grader writes: “I have learned about watching my surroundings and how every part of the school has an ecosystem that stretches far beyond most people’s understanding.” Searching, finding, observing, and describing living things in students' environment connects them with their place. Questions worth investigating arise with ease and abundance. Developing and implementing systematic protocols help students reach more deeply into ecological phenomena. Animal behavior observed “in the wild” fosters natural engagement. Students’ questions and focused inquiries can lead to original insights that strengthen a sense of place. In this workshop, we will try our hand at the initial stages of a focused field study; perhaps tracking the behavior of urban birds, surveying the diversity of urban spiders, or mapping the travel of urban ants. The goal will be for teachers to relate the workshop experience to the potential of their own schoolyards for study. Samples of student work will inspire.

TAKEAWAYS:
The local environment of the schoolyard and neighborhood offers great potential for students to practice authentic and original field science.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Frazier (retired)

Building Insights Through Observation – Integrating Science and Art to Support Data Literacy

Saturday, October 28 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 B


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Data is an increasingly prevalent resource for addressing real-world challenges, however, the transdisciplinary skills needed to interpret and think critically about data are lacking in the public. Geospatial data visualizations are tools used to transform large datasets into representations that support learning, but our understanding of how to effectively use them in instruction is under-studied. To support data literacy, a new model for teaching with data visualizations in middle school science uses arts-based instructional approaches including visual thinking skills that apply in both science and art. The model helps teachers develop greater comfort with data visualizations, understand arts-based pedagogies that support close observation and critical thinking, and integrate these approaches in their curricula, resulting in students’ data literacy skills gains. Workshop attendees will experience the program as students and reflect on how the approach supports teaching and learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience a new model for exploring geospatial data using arts-based instructional approaches for learning about earth science and learn how this transdisciplinary approach supports teachers and students in improving data literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Kathryn Semmens (Science Director: Easton, PA)

Nourish the Future: Energy and Biofuels

Saturday, October 28 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 1501 C


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Students utilize different components (enzymes, yeast, feed stocks, water] to produce ethanol and carbon dioxide through fermentation. Students develop a model and explain how ethanol is made to answer the focus question: "How can fermentation produce a renewable fuel source?" Students develop experimental models to generate data to construct explanations about relationships between components of the fermentation process and to predict how they can be manipulated to produce carbon dioxide. Students will design solutions to make the fermentation process as efficient as possible and generate the maximum amount of ethanol in a small bag environment. Participants will deconstruct a model of starch to examine enzyme and starch reactions to determine how starches change into smaller molecules. Attendees will participate in numerous hands-on activities centered around biofuel.

TAKEAWAYS:
Nourish the Future is a national education initiative developed by science teachers for science teachers to connect students to modern agriculture and provide sound science-based resources that meet teacher and student needs in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Leanne Thele (Perryville High School: , MO), Tiska Rodgers (Clarkton High School: Clarkton, MO)

Nature Meditation IRL (In Real Life)

Saturday, October 28 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2201


Show Details

There is a strong need in the post (ish) COVID world, to help overworked, under supported teachers find the mental clarity needed to be the creative, innovative, and caring teachers we need to develop the future STEM minds of the future. As a certified nature therapy guide and long time NSTA presenter, I would love to bring this practice to the NSTA community. Participants will meet in the room and listen to a short overview of nature therapy and its roots in Shinrin-yoku. We will walk outside - encouraged to notice what is moving slowly as we walk through the busy conference. Once we are outside, I will lead in a land acknowledgement and sensory meditation. Participants will be given a chance to share what they noticed in a sharing circle. We will walk to the next locations and engage in more invitations / sharing circles. The invitations will be finalized once I am on site and connect with the land for inspiration.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about the practice of nature therapy and its roots in the Japanese practice Shinrin-yoku which is widely researched for its health benefits.

SPEAKERS:
Gina Tesoriero (Student / Educator / Researcher / Healer: Saratoga, CA)

Once Upon an Earth Science Book: Real Science, Real Literacy Instruction

Saturday, October 28 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2215 C


Show Details

The session will open with having participants work through pieces of Chapter 11 from Once Upon an Earth Science Book. Participants (as students) will collect information from three models: (the Coriolis effect, major ocean currents, and how wind creates currents). Then they will read an article on the Pacific Garbage Patch and how its existence was predicted based on such models before it was discovered. We will outline a writing assignment in which they predict where a boatload of rubber duckies that capsized off the coast of Morocco might end up. Next, we will discuss the "shape" of the lesson we just worked through, called a literacy learning cycle. From there, we will look at several specific difficulties that arise for students when they are asked to read and write (expectations, background knowledge, and meaningful writing). Finally, we will talk briefly about how the Once Upon a Science Book series can serve as a resource for literacy learning cycles.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be introduced to the literacy learning cycle format, in which hands-on work precedes meaningful reading and writing activities. You will see how this system works by participating in a lesson and come away with practical strategies for your classroom.

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

Can You Grow Food in a Bottle? Abiotic & Biotic Interactions in Food Ecosystems

Saturday, October 28 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Session ID #39625 Sense Making Strand Can You Grow Food in a Bottle?
Can You Grow Food in a Bottle? Abiotic & Biotic Interactions in Food Ecosystems. Sure!! Using alternative food systems to understand the abiotic and biotic interactions.

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

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Session participants explore matter-energy ecosystem transfer phenomena by modeling alternative food production & creating design plans/systems to grow food with minimal materials. The phenomena of energy & matter transfers is abstract; yet, as part of ecosystem services, provides for many student-led investigations and design solutions to improve life, such as food production. In MS LS2-3, students develop a model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem. If we take this a step further, students would create functional models of alternative food growth while demonstrating minimal to no impact on the ecosystem. Session participants will explore the idea of alternative food production and create design plans (and possible functioning systems) to grow food with minimal materials. The intent is to provide session participants with realistic, functional modeling to increase student understanding & ability to synthesize the content.

TAKEAWAYS:
The energy-matter transfer phenomena is crucial in ecosystems. Creating functional ecosystem models leads to understanding ecosystem interactions and services such as food production. We can mimic nature to provide sustainable food supplies with less impact to natural environments.

SPEAKERS:
Sue Meggers (Interstate 35 Community School District: Truro, IA)

Engaging in climate science education through connections to everyday life, equity, and justice

Saturday, October 28 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 D


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

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Climate science education is foundational for all learners given our changing lands and waters. These changes vary across the landscape and thus we also need to learn about the differential way in which climate change is impacting people across different contexts. Often the most marginalized peoples are the first impacted. This session will explore ways to teach about climate science that provide insight into the lived experiences and current adaptations of those most impacted by climate change. Tools for engaging in conversations around such inequities, curriculum resources, and ways to engage in solutions centered action research with students will all be explored. We will draw on emerging resources being built within the STEM Teaching Tools collection (www.stemteachingtools.org), a free repository of resources that reference other national resources funded by the NSF and created by national leaders in climate science and education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Strategies for engaging in climate change and climate justice learning appropriate to grade band NGSS standards, climate and energy literacy standards, and for both school and community-based learning contexts.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Deb Morrison (University of Washington)

The Cultural Connections Process Model: Experiencing Curriculum Products Co-Produced with Indigenous Communities

Saturday, October 28 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2215 A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
CCPM Presentation.pdf

STRAND: Research to Practice

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Recent and ongoing research uses an Indigenous methodology to formalize the Cultural Connections Process Model (CCPM)--an approach for authentic co-production of educational resources by Indigenous communities and education/research organizations. This session will showcase the model as well as emergent research findings, and provide hands-on opportunities to explore the resources created when the model was developed and implemented in several Alaska Native communities. These place-based resources are built to target Next Generation Science Standards as well as focus on community priorities, and Indigenous education frameworks, Alaska Native languages, cultural values and cultural content standards. All the resources created using this model are freely and publicly available on project websites, and work is underway to create a long-term repository for these and future CCPM resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
The goal of this session is to share ongoing research formalizing the Cultural Connections Process Model and explore free videos, hands-on lessons, and more, created using the model. Attendees will develop an understanding of how to implement the model and access the free classroom resources.

SPEAKERS:
Lynda McGilvary (Geophysical Institute: Fairbanks, AK), Lori Schoening (Geophysical Institute: Fairbanks, AK)

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