Come join us to see how OpenSciEd’s materials can help you reveal your students’ brilliance. The first full day of the professional learning institute (PLI) will simultaneously prepare you to teach the first unit in the OpenSciEd middle school program and provide the support you need to advance your practice so that learning is both driven by student questions and leads to the foundational science learning they need to be successful. To do this, this session will put teachers in the student’s seat so they can feel what it's like to be a student whose thoughts and questions are valued in the drive to figure out puzzling phenomena. We actually do science together with the facilitator acting as the "teacher" and then dig in to help you see the coherence across the program and the details in the first units you will be teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
How OpenSciEd's free and publicly available instructional materials and professional learning can make my vision for science education a reality.

SPEAKERS:
Whitney Mills (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Thomas Clayton (K-5 STEAM Specialist: Berkeley Heights, NJ)

In pre-NGSS approaches to science teaching, units were often sequenced based on how experts understand the relationship among concepts. This means that it typically requires an understanding of the concepts being taught to understand why a unit is sequenced the way it is. The result is that the sequence of activities may make sense to a teacher, but doesn’t necessarily make sense to the students. The shift to phenomena-based 3D learning brings the student to the center of the learning and uses their life experiences and approaches to sensemaking to drive the learning. This session will highlight how powerful this shift is for student ownership of learning and general engagement. Additionally, we will describe HOW to make this a reality in classrooms and provide participants with resources and supports to bring this learning to life in their classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
The shift to phenomena-based 3D learning brings the student to the center of the learning and uses their life experiences and approaches to sensemaking to drive the learning forward.

SPEAKERS:
Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: New York, NY)

In this session educators will be presented with the following equity frameworks: (1) Equity and NGSS, (2) Inclusive Ed Tech, (3) Culturally Responsive and Sustaining STEM, (4) Anti-Racist STEM, and (5) Environmental Justice. Educators will work in small groups to learn more about their equity framework of choice and summarize their learning for a larger group. Next, groups will unpack equity moves to identify how they support or hinder equity work through the lens of the framework they selected and identify next steps. By the end of the session, each group will share out actions they can take in their classroom to create a more equitable STEM classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will leave with knowledge of equity frameworks and unique next steps that can be implemented into their classroom for a more equitable, inclusive, culturally responsive, and anti-racist classroom community.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Houston (STEM Ed Innovators: Saratoga, CA)

Join us to see how OpenSciEd’s materials can help build science learning experiences anchored in compelling phenomena and in important community and global problems. OpenSciEd high school uses a storyline approach that emphasizes coherence from the student perspective. Participants will explore the curricular routines, discourse strategies, and comprehensive assessment system that support equitable participation

TAKEAWAYS:
OpenSciEd HS's storyline approach, curricular routines, student discourse strategies, and assessment systems work together to help students build equitable science learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Buck Bracey (Senior Science Educator and Director of Design for Justice: Colorado Springs, CO), Michael Novak (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Kate Henson (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Presenting a compelling phenomenon or design challenge requires framing a question and choosing material carefully. Building a storyline requires testing out a launch of a unit to anticipate student questions about it, and first identifying what students will figure out in each lesson of a unit before it occurs.

SPEAKERS:
Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO)

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

Learn how multimodal instruction and embedded language scaffolds, such as language frames, vocabulary routines, and writing supports create a learning environment that help Multilingual Learners – and all learners – successfully access science instruction.

In today’s fast-paced world, chronic stress is common, but your mind and body can pay a high price. Learn to recognize overwhelming stress—and what you can do about it. Most importantly, learn how to use the power of your senses to relieve stress on the spot and stay calm, productive, and focused—no matter what life throws at you.

TAKEAWAYS:
Tips on how to manage stress.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Phillips (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Azra Chughtai (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

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)

The Nutcracker Ballet + STEM learning event was created to expand access to high-quality STEM and art learning experiences for K-3 students. Created in partnership with Stephens Auditorium, this free program is based upon current research that includes, but is not limited to, the report Science and Engineering in Preschool Through Elementary Grades: The Brilliance of Children and the Strengths of Educators (2022). In this presentation, we will first overview the research-base and development process. Then, participants will be introduced to the free hands-on STEM + arts challenges. These engaging challenges were designed for easy implementation with low-cost materials. All challenges use the experiential learning model of Do, Reflect, and Apply. This will then be followed by photos and video from the event to add depth and provide details on the experience. To conclude, impact data and discussion around lessons learned will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about an educational model for integrating STEM and the arts, while gaining access to free educational materials to support a similar program in their area.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Nelson (Iowa State University: Ames, IA)

Elementary Science Olympiad for All (ESO for All) provides K-6 students of all ability levels with a dynamic, engaging STEM experience. Many elementary classrooms and schools today are fully inclusive, so Science Olympiad created activity plans for students with disabilities that include individualized accommodations tailored to the following needs: Academic, Communication, Health, Vision/Hearing, Motor (Small and Large), Functional, and Social/Emotional. Come learn how 10 classic Elementary Science Olympiad events we use as a base for the activity plans touch every letter in STEM, are fully aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and complement any school’s science curriculum. Bugs, rocks, catapults, planes, and towers will spark imagination and creativity; providing opportunities for teamwork, collaboration, and shared successes. You’ll learn insightful advice, like outlining shapes on Monster Cards with glue so that students with sight impairment can use their tactile senses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Join us for a fun-filled look at how classic science activities can be modified to meet all learners whether they are a core part of your instruction, an enhancement (such as a family science night or school science day), after-school club, or a community-engaging STEM competition.

SPEAKERS:
Shari Haug (Science Olympiad: Oakbrook Terrace, IL), John Loehr (Science Olympiad: Oakbrook Terrace, IL)

This session will outline work that Saint Paul Public Schools, BSCS Science Learning, and OpenSciEd have done to adapt OpenSciEd materials to support standards implementation and district equity goals. The session will explain key considerations and modifications needed to align materials with domain-specific standards, while maintaining curricular coherence from the students’ perspective. The team will share professional learning strategies to develop teachers’ professional capacity to use the goals and key instructional elements of OpenSciEd as lenses for enhancing standards alignment and enhancing the meaningfulness of students’ learning. The team will share features of responsive partnerships that attend to local context and support teachers and leaders as they shift classroom practices and partner together in the adaptation work. Participants will then apply lessons learned to consider implementing or adapting OpenSciEd curriculum in their local contexts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn what considerations are important for developing a well-crafted plan for implementing and adapting OpenSciEd for use in their local contexts. Presenters will highlight key resources that can be instrumental for supporting desired shifts.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Novak (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Whitney Mills (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Abraham Lo (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Molly Leifeld (Saint Paul Public Schools: Saint Paul, MN), Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: New York, NY)

Session Objectives: -Provide an opportunity for science education leaders to network and share ideas. -Identify critical issues facing science education and discuss potential solutions. -Inspire and motivate attendees to continue working to improve science education. The session will be held in a relaxed and informal setting. Attendees will have the chance to network and chat with other leaders in the field and identify pressing issues for groups of attendees to discuss. Presenters will facilitate small group table discussions on some of these critical issues. The session will be followed by a discussion period where attendees can share their thoughts and ideas that resonated most with their table groups.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain insights and perspectives from science education leaders from across the country. This will help them to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing science education today, and to develop strategies for improving science education in their own communities.

SPEAKERS:
Trisha Herminghaus (Alaska Science Education Consultants: Anchorage, AK), Matthew Christiansen (Oceanside High School #7: Oceanside, NY)

Three first year elementary teachers will share their stories of the science educational journey they’ve begun. They will share their ah-ha moments, key learnings, and challenges from their adventures: taking their first science methods course, attending and presenting at their first national NSTA conference last summer, completing their student teaching experience, and beginning their first year of their educational career. Their stories of teaching science in the elementary classroom can provide insight on the demands of elementary teachers, the challenges they face related to science instruction, and the solutions they’ve designed to ensure their students engage in science in their classrooms. The session will provide an authentic perspective on how they are working to be change agents for elementary science education. The session will be moderated by their elementary science methods professor, who continues to serve as a mentor on their journey.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers face a variety of challenges when it comes to science instruction in the elementary classroom. These stories will provide an authentic lens to view these challenges and how these teachers are working to change the narrative of science education in the elementary classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Ava Hauser (Rising STAR Elem Sch: Shawnee Mission, KS), Abigail Depperschmidt (Solomon USD 393: No City, No State), Beth Pesnell (Kansas State University: Manhattan, KS)

Centering learning around local phenomena can foster sustainable futures when learning is framed in larger global systems thinking and principles. The SDGs provide a framework of 17 central goals that help to foster thriving and sustainable communities. The SDGs are used across many different nations to raise awareness, engage people in action around critical needs for fostering thriving communities, and innovate solutions for our shared futures. This session will explore the SDG framework and its connections to potential local phenomena that connect to learning standards. Participants will be supported to consider examples of how this framework can be used for teaching students about sustainability, climate solutions, and green economy transitions that are critical to our shared future. We will draw on resources and experiences from partner organizations across the nation and the world.

TAKEAWAYS:
After learning about the SDGs, participants will explore the interrelationships between the SDG Framework and local phenomena for use in their own teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA), Brian Mandell (Smithsonian Science Education Center: Washington, DC), John Olson (Metropolitan State University: Saint Paul, MN)

Participants will learn research-based methods for supporting emerging multilinguals in their science classroom. These methods will be modeled by sharing sections of Biology labs that have been modified to support English learners. At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to take home sample lessons and labs specifically developed for a multilingual science classroom. Teaching methods presented are based on research and actual classroom experience, developed collaboratively by a team including a science teacher, English as a new language teacher, and a language development researcher. Labs shared with participants are designed to foster critical thinking while incorporating appropriate scaffolding. Lab handouts for participants to take back to their classrooms will include the following topics: scientific method, ecology, enzymes, biomolecules, cell transport, photosynthesis, and cellular respiration.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn and practice teaching techniques for supporting English learners in their science class while engaging with lessons that model these procedures.

SPEAKERS:
Tina Ahmadi (PhD Student: Indianapolis, IN)

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

High-quality instructional materials are essential for equitable access to science, but materials are only the start of the instructional journey! Examine the importance of YOUR role as a teacher in leveraging NGSS-designed curriculum to inspire your students to figure out phenomena.

A collaborative team of teachers and researchers share results from a research project aimed at leveraging compelling and equitable phenomena in NGSS-designed instruction with multilingual learners (MLs). Using our yearlong fifth-grade curriculum, we share our approach to selecting phenomena from both science and equity perspectives. From a science perspective, we ensured that a unit anchoring phenomenon (a) promotes deep science and engineering understanding, (b) integrates science disciplines, (c) sustains a 9-week unit, and (d) raises awareness of societal concerns. From an equity perspective, we ensured that a unit anchoring phenomenon (a) creates relevance for all students, (b) utilizes funds of knowledge, (c) provides context for language, and (d) promotes participation of all students. We focus on the impact of using compelling and equitable phenomena with MLs and present case studies of two teachers who implemented such phenomena across four units over one school year.

TAKEAWAYS:
By using phenomena and problems that meet both science and equity criteria, teachers ensure that all students, especially MLs, have agency to make connections to the world around them, see science as relevant to their lives and future careers, and see themselves as scientists and engineers.

SPEAKERS:
Iovanna Williams (Science Teacher: , NY), Adriana Romanzo (Elementary Science Teacher: New York, NY), Abigail Schwenger (Research Associate)

The negotiation and construction of scientific ideas through talk is a central part of the science learning described in the Framework for K-12 Science. Discussion is the glue that connects science and engineering practices to one another, and it connects those practices to disciplinary core ideas and cross-cutting concepts. But just because it is a key part of the vision, making it a reality in the classroom isn't always easy. In this session, we will dig into the types of discussions and approaches for ensuring they are equitable and meaningful. We will share planning tools, and teaching moves that will support science discussion. Participants will engage in discussion, analyze classroom videos and plan for how they may implement aspects in their own classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Discussion is the way that a classroom community makes sense of what it is investigating, and there are tools and approaches that teachers can use to ensure that all students have access to this sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: New York, NY)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Phenomena is foundational to science and intellectual pursuits in general! Come make sense of the idea and think about how phenomena-based instruction can engage your students in meaningful learning.

SPEAKERS:
Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO), Tiffany Neill (Research Scientist: Oklahoma City, OK)

Learn how one district moved from individual teachers' curriculum-based professional learning to adopting and implementing high-quality instructional materials in middle school classrooms district wide. Hear the story from different perspectives within our multi-tiered system.

TAKEAWAYS:
Practical guidance for moving your multi-tiered system forward with implementation of high-quality instructional materials.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Bacolor (Wayne RESA: Wayne, MI), John Tafelski (Assistant Superintendent: Allen Park, MI)

Sponsoring Company: NSTA - Shell Science Teaching Awards and Competitions

In this hands on workshop you will begin your application for one of three programs sponsored by Shell USA, Inc. You will learn key components to creating a strong application, and strengthen your chances to win for your students, school. Prizes and gift cards will be given in a drawing.

SPEAKERS:
Adrine Williams (Jackson State University: Jackson, MS), Amanda Upton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Are you ready to start inventing with your students but don’t know how to start? Do you have students with innovative ideas who need help protecting those ideas? Intellectual property can be a complex and often confusing topic, but it's essential for students to understand how to protect their own ideas and creations. Many teachers recognize the need to help their students protect their ideas and inventions when they work on science and engineering projects, but may not have a background in IP or the resources to teach it effectively. This presentation will provide an overview of how to teach IP and invention education in science classrooms, with a focus on practical and hands-on activities that engage students. Participants will leave with resources and ideas for incorporating invention education and IP into their own classrooms.This presentation is suitable for science teachers of all levels, from elementary to high school. No prior knowledge of IP is necessary.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with resources and ideas for incorporating invention and intellectual property education into their classrooms. This presentation is suitable for science teachers of all levels, from elementary to high school. No prior knowledge of IP is necessary.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Hoppe (STEMisED, Inc: No City, No State), Kathleen Lanman (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Alexandria, VA)

Interest and identity are key for supporting meaningful science learning for students (NRC, 2012), yet traditional secondary science assessments do not invite students to bring their sensemaking repertoires and interests to assessment tasks. This session shares a research-driven, “five-dimensional” (5D) process for assessment design that grounds students’ interests and identities as co-equal dimensions to the 3 NGSS dimensions. Participants will use 5D Assessment tools to create more meaningful and equitable assessments that better leverage the assets that students bring and support students as knowers and doers of science. Participants will examine features of meaningful, phenomenon-driven assessments and adapt a community survey tool they can use in classrooms to elicit information about their students’ interests and identities. We will share how they can use this information to guide the development of a “5D” assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators engage with the 5-D Assessment Project's tools to elicit and use information about students' interests and identities to design meaningful, phenomenon-driven assessment opportunities. Work with examples of meaningful assessment aligned to the elements of the NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Abraham Lo (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Sara Cooper (Contextus)

In this interactive session, we share important lessons learned through our work with states, educators, and developers to support equitable systems of science assessment. These lessons can help us develop better 3D assessment tasks, processes, and systems that lead to better outcomes for learners. With over a decade of assessment evaluation and design experience, our team is excited to share ideas for how to improve the 3D assessment design process. These lessons range from shifting assessment development to focus on 3D sensemaking to thinking holistically about unpacking and design to taking an assessment system lens throughout the development process. We will engage participants in activities that demonstrate our lessons learned and connect to how these lessons lead to equitable curriculum-anchored assessment systems. The resources and processes shared in this session are applicable to K-12 science learning. The session will be interactive.

TAKEAWAYS:
Three-dimensional assessment design is tricky -- come join us to discuss how we can take a systems approach and develop better 3-D assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Kelley Aitken (Winchester Public Schools: Winchester, VA), Sara Cooper (Contextus), Dawn Novak (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL)

This presentation will discuss the importance of home-to-school connections in fostering early science opportunities through everyday activities. We explore research on family-school partnerships and the value of incorporating families' experiential knowledge into the curriculum to promote equity and inclusivity in early childhood. The Early Science Framework, an infant, toddler, and preschool adaptation of the Framework for K-12 Science Education, provides a research-based approach to early science learning that connects science to children's everyday lives. We will discuss how teachers can use this framework to create a more dynamic curriculum. Practical resources and ideas for teacher professional development will be provided to support culturally responsive preschool science engagement. By promoting family-school partnerships and bringing research into practice, we can create a more engaging learning environment for children and stronger partnerships between families and schools.

TAKEAWAYS:
We provide resources and examples incorporating experiential knowledge from families into the classroom, connecting children’s learning to their everyday lives. These home-to-school connections provide culturally relevant and equity-informed opportunities for high-quality teaching and learning.

SPEAKERS:
Daryl Greenfield (University of Miami: Miami, FL), Chabely Figuereo (Graduate Student: Coral Gables, FL)

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)

In this session educators will be presented with several research-based STEM equity moves that can be used in their classroom. These equity moves fall under the following categories: (1) Equity and NGSS, (2) Inclusive Ed Tech, (3) Culturally Responsive and Sustaining STEM, (4) Anti-Racist STEM. Educators will select an equity move and engage in a Remix Protocol to modify the equity moves to fit their classroom and context, and may even modify an activity, lesson, and/or assessment for their own class. Educators will share their ideas and hear the amazing ideas that their peers developed. All the work will be shared in a Padlet that will be available after the workshop to keep the conversation going! The session is designed in a way that educators will engage in some of the equity moves with a learner lens as they are exploring the equity moves. We will unpack this additional layer when we reflect on the learning activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will leave this session with tangible ideas to increase STEM belonging in their classroom or district.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Houston (STEM Ed Innovators: Saratoga, CA)

During this workshop small group work with pill bugs set the stage for exploring the SEP’s through a discovery-based investigation. An anonymous poll will be taken at the beginning of the workshop to identify JEDI (justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion) hurdles teachers are facing. During the investigation, technology and non-technology based methods will be explored. After the investigation, participants will share in a facilitated discussion on modes of dismantling barriers. Review handouts of SEP’s & CCC’s identified and applied during the investigation will compliment elementary level DCI’s. Discussion will drive beyond just the facts of finding an answer to the investigation question, but to take an examination into knowledge of helping illustrate how the SEP’s and CCC’s can serve as an entry point at the elementary level to build science literacy and help move us beyond just facts but deepen our understanding and discovery of the world around us.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers struggle with access and affordability when designing discovery-based investigations. With minimal to no cost, this ready-to-use complete elementary LS investigation will demonstrate ways to increase equity in science sensemaking practices through standards-based hands-on investigations.

SPEAKERS:
Kim Burnett (American University: Washington, DC), Ollie Bogdon (Missouri Western State University: Saint Joseph, MO)

Models engage students, promote critical thinking, and help students connect abstract concepts to real-world phenomena. This session will promote using the science and engineering practice of developing and using models as a technique to explore concepts, promote sense making, and demonstrate student understanding. Presenters will include modeling techniques that have been successfully used in both rural and urban chemistry classrooms to help students better understand complex concepts within storyline units. The use of simulations, hands-on activities, physical manipulatives, drawings, and technology will be demonstrated. The benefits of models used as an equitable tool will be examined using student data and examples. Sample chemistry storylines will be used to show how student coherence builds throughout the unit with the use of models. Strategies for teachers will be provided to help students develop better models, and a discussion of formative assessment value will be stressed.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with various modeling strategies to implement into their chemistry courses. This will promote student sensemaking and more equitable evaluations of student ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Jones (Ogallala High School: Ogallala, NE), Christine Gustafson (Millard South High School: Omaha, NE)

The session aims to enhance leaders’ knowledge and skills to become effective change agents within their organizations. By leveraging systems thinking, leaders will be better positioned to create systems conditions that support every child. This approach goes beyond isolated interventions, emphasizing the importance of systemic change to ensure lasting impact. This session offers an exceptional opportunity to explore the transformative potential of systems thinking and its practical application. The session will empower science leaders to apply systems-level thinking within their own educational settings. Leaders will delve into the features of systems change mapping, a powerful tool for disrupting the deprioritization of science in K-12 systems. By understanding the entry points and dynamics of one’s system, leaders can strategically identify and address the barriers that hinder equitable access to quality science education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in applying systems-level thinking to their own contexts as a high-leverage strategy for driving equitable change, and will gain a deeper understanding of the features of systems change mapping for disrupting the deprioritization of science in K-12 systems.

SPEAKERS:
Vanessa Lujan (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Sarah Pedemonte (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Phenomena is foundational to science and intellectual pursuits in general! This session helps you understand powerful qualities of phenomena and how they can support meaningful student investigations in and out of the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO), Tiffany Neill (Research Scientist: Oklahoma City, OK)

My first years of teaching Physics at Title 1 schools in Memphis were challenging. Many of my students were very behind, especially in math. However, I developed 5 strategies to make learning physics accessible and they completely transformed my classroom. 1. “Building Block” Method The biggest breakthrough in my classroom was breaking long problems down into building blocks. I will show how to do this with a sample forces unit. 2. Pre-manipulated equations I will share an equation sheet that shows all forms of each equation. It is a game-changer for students who struggle with algebra. 3. Setting-Up for Success I will model a consistent way to help students stay organized on different types of problems. 4. Simplifying Motion I will illustrate how to solve motion problems using simpler notation and simpler equations. 5. Simplifying Circuits I will show how to use the “routes method” so students can solve most circuits in a more conceptual way.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will come away from this session with strategies that they can immediately implement in their classrooms to make physics more accessible and engaging, especially for their lower-level learners.

SPEAKERS:
Jack Replinger (FormerTeacher / Founder: , WA)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Gain strategies and resources to support your evaluation and instructional coaching cycles.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA)

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

In this workshop, participants discover ways to prepare for collaborative conversations with strategies like targeted questioning, talk moves, and instructional routines. Participants then practice applying these strategies to promote effective science discourse in a three-dimensional classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Sally Robichaux (Great Minds: Washington, DC)

Discussion boards and class discussions can tend to become routine, unproductive, and often frustrating to both teachers and students. After participating in a NGSS Twitter Chat, I began to wonder how I could replicate this experience in my course. Using the structure of Twitter and the function of the Twitter Chat, I reimagined facilitation of a class discussion that promoted increased engagement and learning for all my students. Using the stream format in Padlet and intentional questions for reflection, I replaced a typical reading response and class discussion. To my surprise, it was one of my students’ favorite strategies and continues to be each semester. Participants will engage in a Twitter chat simulation to support their understanding of the simulation and how students participate. Directions for creating the Padlet will be demonstrated and participants will have time to design their own Twitter chat simulation padlet and chat questions to use with upcoming content.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will use the structure and function of social media experiences, understand how they can be safely simulated in our classrooms using tools like Padlet, and leave with a Twitter Chat simulation they design around their upcoming content. (No Twitter account needed.) Upper Elem-PostSec.

SPEAKERS:
Beth Pesnell (Kansas State University: Manhattan, KS)

Positioning phenomena and problems in ways that elicit sensemaking from students requires that they are problematized—in other words, that phenomena are presented in a way that highlights a productive uncertainty for students to figure out. Sensemaking requires that there is something authentically uncertain to the students engaged with the task in which they need to make sense of. When a phenomenon-based scenario is problematized, it enables sensemaking by focusing thinking on an authentic, productive uncertainty central to the phenomenon that requires the targeted dimensions (i.e., assessment targets) to figure out. In this session, participants will analyze examples of highly compelling tasks that support problematizing by students as they represent their sensemaking. The resources and processes shared in this session are applicable to K-12 science learning. The session will be interactive.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage with a range of assessment scenarios to figure out what it means for a task to be problematized.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Cooper (Contextus), Dawn Novak (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL)

The NGSS set forth a call to action requiring all teachers to make the changes necessary to provide equitable and high-quality science instruction. However, for teachers to change their teaching practice it requires that they first understand the current reality of their classroom. Video recording is a powerful tool that can help teachers and partners in the classroom recognize strengths in order to determine areas for growth and change. Additionally, video can reveal to a teacher biases in their interactions with students that have gone previously unnoticed. Teachers often feel too vulnerable or are unprepared to use video. In this session we will take part in a reflective exercise to help educators become more comfortable with using video recording as a form of job-embedded professional learning. Participants will learn about a group of science educators who used a reflective protocol, how it impacted their attitude towards video recording and resulted in real change.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about a group of science educators who used a reflective protocol, how it impacted their attitude towards video recording, and resulted in real change. A checklist to prepare for recording and a tool to use for watching/reflecting on videos for goal setting will be provided.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Millette (Chicago Public Schools: No City, No State), Andrew DeVivo (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL), Carla Shortino (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL)

Too often teachers spend valuable time creating performance tasks in science to encourage sensemaking in their students and to make student thinking more visible. This session will highlight available OER resources that have been compiled across multiple sites. Using these tasks as a starting point, participants will explore ways to adapt these tasks to meet the needs of their classroom. Participants will learn strategies for increasing rigor, providing different levels of support, and providing opportunities to increase student engagement through student voice and choice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants in this session will leave with an understanding of the OER tasks available for classroom use and strategies to adapt these tasks for their classroom. Strategies will include examples of support for scaffolding, giving meaningful feedback, and increasing student voice and choice.

SPEAKERS:
Kelley Aitken (Winchester Public Schools: Winchester, VA)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
The goal of this session is to support teachers in understanding how best to meet the needs of all learners by starting from where students are at and drawing on their intuitive ideas and real world experiences to inform instruction. All strategies are framed as equitable 3-D formative assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA)

The population of Latinx students is rapidly growing in the United States, yet Latinas are underrepresented in STEM careers compared to their peers of other identities. This could be in part due to the deficit-based ideology that has historically been utilized when describing this group's success in academic disciplines. This presentation will highlight the findings of a recent qualitative study that asked Latina STEM undergraduate students to reflect on their sources of persistence in high school STEM coursework. The study participants’ responses were correlated with Yosso's (2005) “Community Cultural Wealth Model" to identify their unique sources of strength and persistence in STEM. The study findings will serve as the foundation for recommendations to be made for the implementation of equitable and asset-based shifts to promote Latinas’ persistence and success in STEM at the secondary levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using an asset-based approach, participants will engage in social justice-themed conversations to equitably encourage Latina high school students’ persistence in STEM coursework. Ready-to-use strategies will be featured to promote greater perseverance in STEM for Latinas.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Vitello Lowell (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT)

Building classroom culture is essential for students to collectively make sense of phenomena. Students need to buy into the idea that each of their ideas is crucial for pushing the class forward. In this session, we highlight strategies for co-creating community agreements. We also report on challenges we have encountered in our classrooms, which strategies we have found to be successful, and which tend to turn students off. We highlight how, as culture challenges arise throughout the year, we can return to these community agreements to reground our classroom. The facilitator will begin the session with a brief overview of OpenSciEd’s view of the teacher's role in instruction and community-building, which will then be followed with a guided panel featuring experienced teachers in using storylines, and finally open Q&A.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will understand how community agreements and other strategies are used in OpenSciEd and other high school classrooms to support collective and equitable sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Dan Voss (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Kerri Wingert (Good Question Research: Boulder, CO), Rachel Patton (Denver Public Schools), Nina Blanton (Educator: , MO), Calvin Atkins (Bellingham High School: Bellingham, WA), Sarah Evans (Olathe South High School: Olathe, KS)

This session will focus on sharing instructional modules that have been developed to facilitate relationships between herbaria and high school students to highlight the importance of plants and preserving botanical specimens. Many times plants are overlooked or considered less significant than animals. This research-backed perspective is known as Plant Awareness Disparity. These free, research-based modules allow students to investigate their own botanical history by connecting with plants that are important to them and their families, then experience the entire process of collecting, mounting, cataloging, and digitizing their specimen. There are 10 modules that are aligned with the NRC K-12 Framework and heavily rely upon student-centered and place-based learning. All participants will be given access to the modules and encouraged to interact with the module developers as they implement the activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Many times, plants are overlooked and considered less significant than animals. This is known as Plant Awareness Disparity. Participants in this session will learn about free instructional modules that will help high school students connect with plants through exploring their own botanical history.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)

Given the current political situations surrounding transgender, non-binary, and intersex individuals, we want to make sure there is a session to give current and future teachers an understanding of what students might be going through. We will be sharing experiences from current teacher's, students, and ourselves. We will also give out resources for teachers to share in their classroom with students and ways that they can get involved in helping their students. The session will begin with an introduction of myself (a gay, transgender pre-service teacher who leads a middle school trans. peer-to-peer group) and co-presenter (a straight, cisgender associate professor of science education). We'll include both an overview of vocabulary and terminology used in the LGBTQIA+ community and real-life classroom and school scenarios of LGBTQIA+ students' and teachers' experience. The session will conclude with time for attendees to ask questions they have about teaching LGBTQIA+ students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees with gain an understanding for, and information about, the LGBTQIA+ community, some of the struggles the students face everyday, and how teachers can create a classroom to make students feel welcome and safe. Focusing on the transgender and non-binary experience.

SPEAKERS:
Megan Beckam (University of Nevada, Reno: Reno, NV), Samson Stynen (Student/pre-service Teacher)

As educators shift their teaching practice to align with the Framework for K-12 Science and the NGSS, they face various challenges and barriers. One pressing challenge is how to align their new approach to teaching and learning with existing assessment and grading systems. In this session, we will provide examples of 3D assessments and associated scoring guidance. Participants will review student work for these sample assessments and identify evidence of understanding. They will collaborate with others in the session and determine how they would give grades based on set criteria. The second part of the session will highlight different approaches to grading based on local grading expectations (e.g., standards-based grading, daily grade requirements, or 100 point-based systems). Participants will leave the session with approaches to assessment and grading that support student sensemaking and honor the diverse resources students bring to the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
The process of giving feedback and assigning grades is easier when there are strong materials and assessments to build from, and technology can help make it faster without decreasing effectiveness for students.

SPEAKERS:
Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: New York, NY)

To realize the vision of the Next Generation Science Standards and NRC’s Framework for K-12 Science Education, the NEXUS Academy for Science Curriculum Leadership (a project of WestEd and BSCS Science Learning) developed three guiding equity principles for leaders to consider. These equity principles are integrated with other leadership knowledge bases to support science leadership work to ensure equitable outcomes for all learners as part of implementing high-quality science curriculum. In this session, participants will 1) experience a sample leadership learning experience to reflect on their values and approaches to equity work; 2) engage with the NEXUS Equity Principles and make connections to their own ideas and science leadership roles; 3) consider how the specific tools and resources shared could influence their science leadership work in their context.

TAKEAWAYS:
Beliefs, knowledge, context, and lived-experiences shape approaches to equity work. The NEXUS Academy for Science Curriculum Leadership has developed Equity Principles to consider and intertwine with other leadership knowledge bases as leaders work to ensure equity for all learners in the system.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

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 (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Making sense of the world as part of a classroom community requires a classroom culture where all students feel like they belong and it is safe to participate, share their ideas, disagree, and productively struggle together. Participants in this session gain strategies and resources for developing and supporting the ongoing use of classroom norms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Classroom norms create a culture of equitable science learning.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA), Wayne Wright (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

A key goal of this work is to consider how NGSS assessments can be developed and used to advance equity. This framework draws upon interdisciplinary research and best practices to describe student-centered systems of science assessment. The framework explicitly connects what the field has learned about supporting students in becoming confident, savvy, scientific thinkers with best practices in measuring, monitoring, and providing feedback toward multidimensional science expectations.Participants will receive an equity framework for assessment that has been intentionally designed to help users (1) identify features of high-quality tasks, (2) examine effective assessment implementation practices, and (3) interrogate how assessments are used to support the diversity of students who engage in science learning in finding success. This equity framework has been used with teachers to (re)design assessments to be equitable for their population of students. The resources and processes shared

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will use a newly developed equity framework to consider multiple ways to center equity in assessment tasks and systems. Participants will use this equity framework to analyze example assessments for alignment to multiple equity goals.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Cooper (Contextus)

The historic All of Us Research Program by the National Institutes of Health aims to engage one million or more people across the US as research participants and partners. These individuals are providing data to build one of the largest, most diverse, and broadly accessible datasets ever assembled. De-identified, aggregated data collected by the All of Us Research program is publicly available via the interactive Data Browser. Participants, researchers, and other members of the public may use this online tool to learn more about the All of Us participant community and explore summary data. We’d like to introduce teachers and students to the power of “big data” and support them in using the Data Browser to conduct authentic investigations related to science content standards. The poster session will include an introduction to the All of Us Research Program, the Data Browser, and paper-based and multimedia classroom resources, and use it to investigate research questions.

TAKEAWAYS:
The All of Us Research Program is building the largest, most diverse biomedical database of its kind. The program is making de-identified, aggregated data from the database available to the public through a Data Browser and providing resources to help students navigate it.

SPEAKERS:
Molly Malone (The University of Utah: Salt Lake City, UT)

This poster focuses on the study that aims to investigate the effectiveness of gamification in science classes for exceptional learners, specifically those with emotional behavioral disorders (EBD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The study seeks to determine if gamification can increase engagement in science classes for exceptional learners, identify methods for incorporating gamification, identify the specific components of lessons that can be gamified, and measure the level of engagement of exceptional learners in science classes. The study includes 11 exceptional learners from a Title 1 alternative school in Florida. The participants come from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, including some designated as homeless and living in group homes. The majority of the participants are male and African American. The study highlights the importance of engaging exceptional learners in science classes to improve their academic performance and prevent negative attitudes towards education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using gamification in science classes can increase exceptional learners' engagement and interest in science. Educators can use the study's insights to gamify specific components of science lessons and improve engagement, which can aid in closing the achievement gap for exceptional learners.

SPEAKERS:
Lacie Conner (ESE Science Teacher, EBD)

Standards-based grading shifts the focus from traditional grades to a mastery of specific learning objectives. SBG is a comprehensive approach that focuses on identifying and communicating clear learning objectives to students and assessing their progress based on these objectives. We will discuss how SBG can be used in a chemistry classroom to promote student learning outcomes throughout sample storylines. We will explore the benefits of using SBG, including increased student engagement, motivation, and ownership of learning. We will also discuss the challenges of implementing SBG and strategies to overcome them. By attending this presentation, chemistry educators will gain a better understanding of how SBG can promote student learning outcomes for ALL students in their classrooms. They will also gain practical ideas and strategies for implementing SBG in their own chemistry classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Standards-based grading doesn't have to be scary or time intensive. Teachers will learn how SBG strategies can be used in the classroom to make assessing NGSS storylines equitable and centered on learning.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Gustafson (Millard South High School: Omaha, NE)

Find out how engaging students with compelling and complex socio-scientific problems necessitates student learning in many disciplines to design solutions. Gain strategies to support students in transdisciplinary learning and apply that learning to problem-solving with shared resources and examples.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to engage students in learning that centers on addressing pressing social challenges and be able to describe transdisciplinary approaches to education.

SPEAKERS:
Rob Wallace (NSTA: Kenner, LA)

We know two things: 1) the purchase of new instructional materials represents a significant district investment and 2) effective classroom use of high-quality instructional materials improves student learning. NextGen TIME can help districts ensure investment in the best possible instructional materials and provide guidance on preparing teachers for effective use. NextGen TIME is a suite of tools and processes to support districts in evaluating, selecting, and implementing instructional materials designed for the NGSS. NextGen TIME is also designed as a professional learning experience for teachers to deepen their understanding of NGSS as they analyze instructional materials. It addresses the needs of states, districts, and schools for a deep understanding of the NGSS to make selection decisions for instructional materials, plan for implementation of those materials, and provide teacher professional learning that enables effective implementation of NGSS‐aligned teaching and learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how NextGen TIME supports the evaluation of current instructional materials to strengthen their design for NGSS and how NextGen TIME tools and processes can serve as critical components of curriculum-based professional learning. You’ll walk away with free access to NextGen TIME resources.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Tips on how to relieve pressure and regain control.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Phillips (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Azra Chughtai (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Engage in a mini design sprint to develop curriculum-aligned exit tickets. Together, we will use an equity framework and Universal Design to create exit tickets that support equitable sensemaking and 3-D science learning. We will coach you through a process to develop exit tickets that assess your students’ experiences and sensemaking. This workshop will focus on areas that support their learning such as: metacognition and reflection, applying their learning to a new phenomenon, connecting to their experiences and expertise outside of the classroom, and student experience in the learning environment. We will bring in examples of curriculum-anchored assessment using open source curricula. You will walk away with a set of exit tickets to assess student experience in 3-D learning that will give you information to inform instruction and support equitable classroom assessment practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
Gathering evidence of student experiences through short assessment opportunities can help build meaningful relationships with students and provide rich information to inform instructional moves.

SPEAKERS:
Calvin Atkins (Bellingham High School: Bellingham, WA), Colleen LaMotte (Middle School Science Teacher: Shorline, WA), Jenna Mobley (: White Salmon, WA)

A collaborative team of teachers and researchers share findings from a research project aimed at integrating science and language with fifth-grade multilingual learners (MLs). First, we describe three language instructional shifts: modalities, registers, and interactions. Then, we share how two teachers enacted these shifts over the course of a physical science unit and present classroom examples of how they (a) used nonlinguistic modalities (e.g., models) as an essential way to engage all students in the Science and Engineering Practices, (b) treated specialized language (i.e., a more formal register) as a product of learning science rather than a prerequisite, and (c) leveraged the affordances of different registers (i.e., everyday, specialized) based on the different communicative demands across different types of interactions. Finally, we provide suggestions for enacting these language instructional shifts with MLs across a range of classroom contexts.

TAKEAWAYS:
As all students, and especially multilingual learners, make sense of phenomena and problems, they use multiple modalities (both linguistic and visual) and a range of registers (from everyday to specialized) across different types of interactions to engage in communication of science ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Iovanna Williams (Science Teacher: , NY), Adriana Romanzo (Elementary Science Teacher: New York, NY), Abigail Schwenger (Research Associate)

In this workshop we will work through the "anchoring phenomenon" from the OpenSciEd Middle School space unit, which helps students see the relevance of astronomy by drawing on traditional indigenous astronomy knowledge, and students' own cultural knowledge to engage students in identifying and explaining patterns in the sky that set the rhythm for our lives. Participants will get a chance to experience the anchoring phenomenon, and share their own experience, expertise and ideas, to begin visioning how astronomy education can draw on student and community resources, connect students to traditional knowledge from around the world, and build on natural curiosity about questions that are older than Western history.

TAKEAWAYS:
Anchoring astronomy instruction in phenomena that invite connections between science and students' identities can support culturally sustaining pedagogy in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Buck Bracey (Senior Science Educator and Director of Design for Justice: Colorado Springs, CO), Thomas Clayton (K-5 STEAM Specialist: Berkeley Heights, NJ), Jamie Noll (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

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)

During this workshop, the presenters will use improv techniques and connection Jenga to build identity, culture, and story for the classroom. Goals of this presentation are to: -empower individuals to feel they can speak up and contribute by sharing their own stories -engage attendees in an innovative, creative way by building inclusive, interactive bridges through play -ensure a safe environment where people feel comfortable in understanding that everyone has bias -assemble diverse teams who will collaborate to create action plans to share resources back in their districts and states

TAKEAWAYS:
Addressing bias, creating efficacy, and clarifying accessible, diverse, equitable, and inclusive leadership are the primary goals of this workshop.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Day (Department of Energy: No City, No State), Amy Szczepanski (Einstein Fellow: New York, DC), Melissa Thompson (Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship: No City, No State), Michael Stewart (Stonewall Jackson High School: Manassas, VA), Kelsey Beeghly (Einstein Fellow: Altamonte Springs, FL), Jacquelyn Southerland (Accokeek Academy: Accokeek, MD)

This presentation is designed to help teachers deepen their understanding of the effective and practical strategies to facilitate academic discourse that promotes inclusive science and STEM classrooms. Participants will engage in a variety of instructional strategies to ensure that all students have access to scientific discourse and opportunities to collaborate with peers through intentional planning. Participants will engage in a variety of formative assessment classroom techniques (FACTS) from Page Keeley’s Uncovering Student Ideas texts, including commit and toss, sticky bars, structured think-pair-share, and more. In addition, we will be discussing the shift away from traditional talk patterns-- like I-R-E (Initiate, Response, Evaluation) and towards Productive Talk to promote an inclusive science and STEM classroom. Finally, participants will leave with a virtual toolbox of resources for additional discourse strategies they can immediately apply in their classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a deeper understanding of shifts in classroom talk patterns, like moving away from the I-R-E talk pattern and towards Productive Talk. Attendees will engage with practical and effective discourse strategies that promote inclusive and productive classroom discourse.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Garelli (Arizona Science Teachers Association)

Effective teaching and learning require language, whether written in textbooks or delivered orally in classrooms. With a notable increase in linguistically diverse population in a Higher Ed., there is a need for a comprehensive strategy to address this both at an institutional and curricular/classroom level. Linguistic diversity can be due to differences in cultural/language needs, age, or education history of the student. Many educators might find it challenging to build a community and educational lesson plans that are equitable to this diversity. This workshop will look at possible classroom scenarios and offer tools and course scaffolding strategies that can be incorporated at institutionally and at course/curriculum level. This is a presentation for faculty, program directors, curriculum developers and instructional strategy developers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Take home strategies for scaffolding effective teaching and formative assessment in a class with 'English Language Learner' diversity, educational history, or age diversity.

SPEAKERS:
Manisha Sharan (Baker College of Royal Oak)

Use our new Tending to Student Work Workbook to analyze student work and see how student work can be used to inform instruction, revise feedback and scoring guides, and inform revisions to assessment tasks. Together we will develop an understanding of what it means to tend to student work in caring ways by figuring out what we need to see in student work and how to see student work through an asset-based lens seeking all facets of student thinking. We will work together to find value in student’s non-target thinking and leverage this thinking. Teachers from Washington’s S.A.G.E. project will share their experiences of tending to student work and the impact it has had on their teaching, learning, and assessment. The session will be interactive.

TAKEAWAYS:
Recognizing the assets students bring to an assessment task is critical for understanding how to move their thinking forward. Leave with tools you can use in your classroom to tend to student work in caring ways that lead to stronger relationships.

SPEAKERS:
Calvin Atkins (Bellingham High School: Bellingham, WA), Colleen LaMotte (Middle School Science Teacher: Shorline, WA), Jenna Mobley (: White Salmon, WA)

During this workshop we will present and engage participants in literacy and math-based strategies supported by research that science, mathematics, English language arts, and special education middle school teachers can use scaffold learning to engage in informational science text and argumentation connected to life sciences (e.g., vaping) for diverse learners in their classrooms. By the end of the workshop participants will be able to: 1. Define content and instructional scaffolding and how these types of scaffolds can be used to structure learning experiences to engage diverse learners in making meaningful sense of informational text. 2. Identify literacy- and math-based strategies that connect to content and instructional scaffolds that are designed to structure meaningful learning experiences to engage diverse learners in informational text. 3. Implement strategies within their content instruction that will scaffold learning to engage their diverse learners in informational text.

TAKEAWAYS:
All learners, including diverse learners, with the right instructional scaffolds can meaningfully engage in complex informational science text.

SPEAKERS:
TARA GREEN (student: , MO), William Folk (University of Missouri: Columbia, MO), Amy Lannin (University of Missouri: Columbia, MO), Cassandra Smith (University of Missouri: Columbia, MO), Delinda Van Garderen (University of Missouri: Columbia, MO)

Cultural misunderstandings often occur in many environments because of cultural norms that are ingrained in different people from their home environment, community, and heritage. This is especially prevalent in many STEM fields. People must be taught situational appropriateness for the different settings without diminishing the value of their cultural norms. Often these misunderstandings occur when dealing with interactions. Using the "3C" Model of Care, Culture, and Consistency, will allow educators to engage with them in more positive atmospheres that promote student learning in STEM for all. Showing students that you care, recognizing their cultures, and being consistent will enable STEM teachers and students to have a better understanding of one another, and will also create a positive learning environment where students feel valued and effective enough to want to pursue careers in STEM fields.

TAKEAWAYS:
By the end of this session, attendees will learn about their own biases as it pertains to student ability and be able to use the "3C Model" of Care, Culture, & Consistency to address their misconceptions and better service students of various cultural backgrounds.

SPEAKERS:
Kristen Antoine-Morse (East Baton Rouge Parish School System: Baton Rouge, LA)

The Institute for Quality Science Teaching at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago is invested in helping teachers effectively implement the NGSS. Chicago area teachers use a variety of curricula, so we are developing a framework of high-leverage pedagogical practices that can be used with any NGSS-aligned curriculum to enhance science teaching and learning. The framework was designed with a focus on equity. All the pedagogies are backed by research demonstrating their effectiveness. Our goal is to move research into classroom practices that are accessible to all science teachers. We’ll review pedagogical focuses, particular pedagogical practices, and classroom strategies that can be most helpful in implementing the NGSS in classrooms. We’re developing a “how-to” guide for teaching with the NGSS, no matter which curriculum you’re using. We’re very excited to have a chance to share our thinking with teachers and to hear their thoughts and suggestions about our approach.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of high-leverage pedagogical practices that directly support teaching with the NGSS, and strategies to implement some of these practices in the science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Garrett Gray (Sr. Educator, School and Teacher Programs: Chicago, IL), Tara Flett (Sr. Educator IQST: Chicago, IL)

Develop your knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead your school or district toward successful NGSS assessment development. We will share one district’s journey to engage teachers in developing NGSS-aligned common assessments focused on SEPs, access, and equity.

TAKEAWAYS:
Develop your knowledge, skills, and confidence to lead your school or district toward successful NGSS assessment development with a focus on SEPs, access, and equity.

SPEAKERS:
Julia Smith (Riverside Unified School District: Riverside, CA)

In this session, I will present The Science and Engineering Community Walk, which engages students in authentic examinations of science and engineering activities in their communities. First, we will discuss the importance of exploring science and engineering practices outside the classroom, especially for students from minoritized backgrounds. Next, I will present the various parts of the activity, which is geared towards developing students’ observation and data collection skills. Third, we will break up into grade level groups to discuss how the Community Walk can be adapted for use in participants’ classrooms and identify focal Next Generation Science Standards. Finally, we will discuss how investigating the scientific and engineering resources of the community, and engaging families and communities in science learning, informs students’ and teachers’ visions for teaching and learning science.

TAKEAWAYS:
How investigating the scientific and engineering resources of the community, and engaging families and communities in science learning, inform students' and teachers' visions for teaching and learning science.

SPEAKERS:
José Rios (University of Washington Tacoma: Tacoma, WA)

We will engage with some examples of what has been used to prepare preservice and support novice teachers over the last 6 years leveraging HQIM to assist teachers with making sense of and planning to implement the NGSS. The session will cover how HQIM have been curated and modified to help teachers see examples of resources designed for the NGSS and then use those resources to plan and modify their instruction. Other resources for instruction and planning will also be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Ideas for ways use HQIM to help teachers understand and implement the vision of the Framework for Science Education, as well as resources to scaffold unpacking 3-D standards.

SPEAKERS:
Spencer Martin (Kansas City Kansas Public Schools: Kansas City, KS), Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: New York, NY)

Participants will gain experience evaluating student learning across the three dimensions using authentic student work samples. Discussion will focus on lesson-level three-dimensional performance expectations and what counts as evidence of student understanding for the three dimensions targeted by the assessment task. We will also use data collected from these student work examples to identify patterns/trends teachers can use to inform instruction to ensure all students have access to science learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants gain experience using the NSTA Student Work Analysis Protocol (open educational resource) and can share the protocol and application with colleagues in their school/district.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA), Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

In understanding how cultural bias affects underrepresented populations, teachers as change agents can design learning communities to increase peer collaboration for gender and minority populations. As students interact with each other, teachers provide the cultural tools needed for students to take on the role as a scientist or engineer. We will explore the essential components for framing innovative learning communities for underrepresented STEM populations. First, we will analyze intentionality in selecting cooperative learning structures for making learning targets through different scenarios. Second, we will conduct a reading jigaw on the importance of peer collaboration for increased diversity. Third, we will analyze lesson planning for learning communities using student work samples, videos, and instructional strategies and techniques. Lastly, educators will reflect on sensemaking through collaboration in a group summary.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers as change agents provide the cultural tools to affect learning communities. This session will provide tools and techniques to improve sensemaking through peer collaboration for gender and minority populations.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Birdon (Richwood High School: Monroe, LA)

This engineering workshop for elementary teachers is designed to provide educators with a foundation in engineering practices that can be applied in the classroom. The workshop will be divided into three segments covering the following topics: 1. Introduction to Engineering: The workshop will start with an introduction to the Engineering Design Process and its applications in our daily lives. Workshop attendees will learn how to help young students make connections to their own lives. 2. Hands-on Activities: A hands-on activity (building a watering device) will be be included in the workshop to provide teachers with a first-hand experience of the engineering design process. Teachers will work in teams to brainstorm, design, build, test, and refine their prototypes, much like they will ask their students to do. 3. Curriculum Integration: A discussion and ideas on how to integrate engineering concepts into the elementary classroom curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the importance of incorporating the Engineering Design Practices in their elementary classrooms as well as ways to teach this to young learners in a way that is engaging, exciting, and memorable.

SPEAKERS:
Shawn O’Neill (Professor)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn tools to create a culture-setting first unit that energizes students’ engagement in deep learning through a focus on equity. Student-created identity maps, discussion circles focused on science and justice, and using student science outside of the classroom are three such tools.

SPEAKERS:
April Luehmann (University of Rochester: Rochester, NY), James Kostka (New Visions Charter High Schools for Advanced Math & Science II: No City, No State), Hannah Cooke (Research Assistant: , CT), Katrina Robinson (Chemistry Teacher), Ellen Ellison (Science Teacher: Naples, NY)

STEM SAIL Ohio project team members will share how this grant-funded work is supporting science education in Ohio through focused regional partnerships. The discussion will include topics like: The Appalachian STEM Collaborative, a STEM Ecosystem that serves some of Ohio’s neediest students and has demonstrated exceptional growth in the wake of COVID-19. The DreamSTEM Educator Summer Externship Program, where teachers participate in business and industry activities and learn how those roles connect with their own content area. “STEM Stories” of teachers like Mark, a computer science teacher at an Ohio high school whose Game Design students are developing job training simulations for a local factory. Participants will see the immense value of cross-sector collaboration to advance classroom and workforce connections in STEM fields. They will be inspired to seek professional and industry connections to strengthen the classroom-workforce pipeline in their own schools and communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the STEM SAIL Ohio project from the perspective of program designers, STEM ecosystem partners, and Ohio educators. They will hear examples of activities designed to support teachers and student success, and will be encouraged to connect with their nearest STEM ecosystem.

SPEAKERS:
Sadie Norwick (TIES: No City, No State), Christa Krohn (Director of Learning Systems: , OH)

Come experience ways to appraise student work transparently that supports and encourages students wanting to continue the sensemaking process as opposed to thinking an assessment is the end of the learning process. We will begin by looking at multiple pieces of student assessment work, looking for the facets of understanding they present in their work. We will consider different methods of providing feedback and the impact on sensemaking and learning these different methods result in. We will look at different tools that have been created over the last five years to support students actively participating in the appraisal process. Participants will use the experience to begin thinking about the shifts in their appraisal system they would like to try with their students. Teachers from Washington’s S.A.G.E. project will share their experiences of reimagining the purpose of feedback and grading student work, and the impact it has had on their teaching, learning, and assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage with authentic student work and consider different methods of providing feedback that is equitable and supports students wanting to share where they are in their sensemaking. Participants will leave with some ‘tools’ they can use in their classroom to provide caring collaboration.

SPEAKERS:
Jenna Mobley (: White Salmon, WA), Colleen LaMotte (Middle School Science Teacher: Shorline, WA), Calvin Atkins (Bellingham High School: Bellingham, WA)

We believe that to transform science teaching and learning to benefit all students, we as district leaders need to foster educator interest and capacity. A Framework for K-12 Science Education states, “Alignment of teacher preparation and professional development with the vision of science education advanced in this framework is essential for eventual widespread implementation of the type of instruction that will be needed for students to achieve the standards based on it” (p256). The NSTA position paper on Elementary Science declares that to support high-quality elementary science learning, school and district leaders should create time and space to facilitate collaborative professional learning communities for teachers. In the 2023-2024 school year our Howard County Public School System (Maryland) Elementary Science Teacher Leader (ESTL) cohort will be going on its eighth consecutive year. We'd like to share this cohort as an exemplar model for supporting the aforementioned goals.

TAKEAWAYS:
Whether you're starting small with limited resources or looking to enhance an existing structure, join us in this interactive session to learn specific strategies for facilitating -- starting and maintaining -- a collaborative professional learning community for science teacher leaders.

SPEAKERS:
Kelley Hatcher (Hollifield Station Elementary School: Elkridge, MD), Jenn Brown-Whale (Howard County Public School System: Ellicott City, MD)

Climate kNOWledge engages all 6th grade students from the Howard County Public School system (MD) in learning about and understanding climate science and climate justice through a 45-day science unit. The goal of Climate kNOWledge is to bring current climate science into the classroom while helping students understand the disproportionate impacts climate change has on communities worldwide. Students participate in two field experiences; a schoolyard data collection where hands on protocols help them understand specific climate phenomena like the urban heat island effect, and an offsite field trip to learn about climate change solutions. The unit culminates in student-led action projects that are grounded in evidence-based reasoning and address a local climate change impact. This session will provide an overview of the new Climate kNOWledge unit and will discuss strategies for leading meaningful and educational conversations around climate justice topics with young audiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn strategies for leading conversations about climate justice with students. We will showcase activities, case studies, and other tools that lead to successful learning environments where students feel empowered by knowledge to seek positive changes in their own communities.

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

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Students experience learning in widely variable ways due to different factors. Our guide to practical measures—which includes many examples—shows how quick, goal-driven assessments can meaningfully guide how learning is experienced—in a classroom and even across an educational system. #NSFfunded

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO), Deb Morrison (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA), Tiffany Neill (Research Scientist: Oklahoma City, OK)

Pre-K students have brains that are developing quickly and making rapid connections. This session explores sense-making and equitability in PreK, encouraging a love of learning in the young child. At McKissick Academy of Science and Technology, we utilize our Engineering Design Process to engage students in critical thinking, planning, revision, and communication through STEM. Our tools include: Project Lead the Way, Engineering is Elementary, Picture-Perfect STEM, Creative Curriculum, and our own teachers’ Project Based Learning units to further develop their brains. Our school believes in making learning equitable by providing access to STEM education for all our students; not just the upper grades. Join us for a session where you can walk away with some confidence to start your own units that will directly apply to your littles.

TAKEAWAYS:
The way STEM, and the EDP are embedded into Pre-K environments in our school meets the needs of early intervention and provides equitable access to education for children prior to beginning kindergarten.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Spearman (McKissick Academy of Science & Technology: Easley, SC), Brittany Clark (McKissick Academy: Easley, SC), Morgan Stancil (Teacher: Easley, SC)

STEM Education in rural areas needs to meet students where they are at, not push progress and advancement by utilizing non-relatable curriculums and extensions. Rural community culture needs to be recognized and respected as well as incorporated into STEM learning in order to achieve the most beneficial outcome for the student. The GO STEM Mobile Maker Lab is using & developing curriculum influenced by students and supported by teachers to elevate rural STEM Education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Awareness and insight into exploratory STEM education methods and tools designed to enhance classroom experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Kyle Koyle (GO STEM: La Grande, OR)

Participants will gain experience evaluating student learning across the three dimensions using authentic student work samples. Discussion will focus on lesson-level three-dimensional performance expectations and what counts as evidence of student understanding for the three dimensions targeted by the assessment task. We will also use data collected from these student work examples to identify patterns/trends teachers can use to inform instruction to ensure all students have access to science learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants gain experience using the NSTA Student Work Analysis Protocol (open educational resource) and can share the protocol and application with colleagues in their school/district.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA), Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about a detailed 9-step process for conceiving, developing, testing, refining, and using 3-D science assessments focused on social justice phenomena and topics. Open education resources that support this assessment development process will also be shared. #NSFfunded

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO)

Sponsoring Company: PEER Physics

Are you passionate about engaging students in rich discourse and looking for strategies, norms, and protocols that can support this work? Join us for an interactive workshop to explore effective small-group and whole-class discourse techniques. Participants receive consensus building protocols.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Quinty (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO)

Findings from this qualitative narrative inquiry that explored the lives of six women participants in an indoor agriculture associates in applied science (AAS) program in the United States, tell the stories of their memorable science experiences. The narrative process of restorying the women’s memorable science experiences gave voice and agency to their lives and provided perspective on the lives of women who have persisted and succeeded within the newly emerging STEM field of indoor agriculture. Narrative threads that emerged from the women’s stories included family and school influence, their pivotal and transformational participation in the indoor agriculture AAS program, and a theme of identity around science identity construction. Concerning their participation in this narrative inquiry process, the women conveyed appreciation for the opportunity to reflect upon and give voice to their memorable science experiences while making sense of their lives in the process.

TAKEAWAYS:
Gain viewpoints into the lives of women who have persisted and succeeded in the newly emerging STEM field of indoor agriculture, better understanding the themes of family and school influence, pivotal and transformational experiences in indoor agriculture, and science identity construction.

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

Water quality is everyone’s concern; we all need water to live healthy lives. Between Flint, MI, and Jackson, MS, it’s important that citizens know how to assess their water quality from chemical and societal perspectives. This project introduces students to water quality, how our water is cleaned for drinking purposes, and how socio-economic influences impact water quality in the US. Students apply general chemistry I concepts to the water quality to understand how the Flint and Jackson Water Crises occurred, experimentally assess a water sample from their home, compare their results it to their local water quality report, draw conclusions based on their findings, and explore if what happened in Flint and Jackson could happen to them. Students conduct literature research as a part of this project and complete a final report on their findings and conclusions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Water quality is everyone's concern. This presentation will show educators how to equip students to apply their chemical knowledge to assess water quality and advocate for themselves and others.

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Haslag (Riverland Community College)

In this interactive workshop, through the modality of dance class, participants engage in a inquiry-based, hands-on experience allowing independent and collaborative exploration of new content. Using peer conversations to deepen understanding, and a whole group debrief, participants naturally progress towards acquiring domain-specific terminology, culminating in a design challenge demonstrating application of knowledge. Analytical reflection of the experience, instructional approach, and supports, allows connections to participants’ own educational environments. Modeled after an inclusive framework, the experience demonstrates instructional strategies that support all learners while providing equitable opportunities for access to content. Including elements of differentiation, student choice, and the power of kinesthetic learning, the research-based experience builds knowledge while embracing and reinforcing key pedagogical ideas, reflecting best practices for science instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
Experience best practices for science instruction including elements like differentiation, student choice, the power of kinesthetic learning, and more, all wrapped up in a research-based instructional model using an inclusive framework approach.

SPEAKERS:
Isaac Stauffer (Great Minds: Washington, DC)

The Framework calls for students to engage in argumentation from evidence in a way that considers relevant social, ethical, and environmental tradeoffs that cannot be resolved without considering the values of interested parties. As educators, we need to honor students’ diverse experiences and value systems while also engaging students in the process of respectful scientific argumentation. OpenSciEd High School uses the Learning in Places Framework to inform the design of an argumentation tool for students to guide them through the process of weighing science ideas, societal and environmental impacts, and ethical considerations when evaluating potentially controversial arguments and design solutions. Join us to engage with an adapted version of this argumentation process. Participants will explore the Learning in Places Framework for Socio Ecological Decision Making and discuss use of the Learning in Places Framework within the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
The NGSS calls for students to weigh complex socioscientific tradeoffs, including social, cultural, and environmental impacts. The Learning in Places Framework can be used to help structure student engagement in argumentation that requires decision-making around these tradeoffs.

SPEAKERS:
Whitney Mills (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Laura Zeller (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

The professional learning experience that will take place will be centered around creating lessons that are based on issues of social justice for science classes. These lessons will include a social justice issue (phenomena) for students to use the scientific process to provide solutions for the issue. Also, by the end of this learning experience, participants will be able to collaborate on ways to incorporate social justice projects to emphasize the utilization of the scientific process. The learning activities will be as follows: teachers will start by creating a list of social justice topics; teachers will also list units that are already established in their curriculum; once the list is generated, teachers will choose one topic that will already be taught, and brainstorm creative ways to incorporate a social justice topic into the subject matter.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to insert relevant societal topics into their current science curriculum to increase student engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Anissa Williams (Niper Middle School: Kirkwood, MO)

The Framework and NGSS vision calls for creating opportunities for ALL students to meaningfully engage in sensemaking and learning in science. A culturally responsive approach to instruction highlights the range of intellectual resources that students bring to learning situations based on their cultural histories. Intellectual resources such as student language, perspective, gestures, and prior knowledge are classroom assets. Through a series of concrete accounts of learning situations, this session will create opportunities for participants to work with others to ‘learn to see’ students’ sense-making resources—and connect these pedagogical strategies to their own classroom practice. We frame this approach through an equity and justice framework for culturally responsive instruction centered in the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education, which posits that science learning should be rooted in students’ ways of being and ways of knowing.

TAKEAWAYS:
Culturally responsive education supports student sensemaking and learning in science. Inclusive science strategies help teachers learn to see students’ diverse sensemaking resources. These methods help us create and adapt curriculum that is equitable and centered on justice.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Sponsoring Company: PEER Physics

Join us for an interactive workshop to explore how science practices can be used to build a more inclusive and engaging learning environment. Participants will explore the PEER Physics Learning Cycle and gain access to a phenomenon-driven Waves unit for high school physics and physical science.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Quinty (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO)

Our EDP process and STEM practices provide students with words (to develop thinking, promote planning, etc.). We support our students with an equitable, safe, and developmentally appropriate environment to foster a place for students to learn, experience failed ideas, and move toward success.

TAKEAWAYS:
The way STEM and the EDP are embedded into Pre-K environments in our school meets the needs of early intervention and provides equitable access to education for children prior to beginning kindergarten.

SPEAKERS:
Brittany Clark (McKissick Academy: Easley, SC)

Stoichiometry is a topic in foundational chemistry that is often difficult for students to grasp. In this lesson, students learn about stoichiometry from the perspective of making paint. The lesson plan brings together many chemistry topics that are often taught in siloed chapters: types of chemical reactions, balanced chemical equations, net ionic equations, limiting reactants, molarity, and solution stoichiometry. This lesson brings these topics together and students make sense of how the different topics are conceptually bound. The art component of painting a personal tile gives each student the opportunity for self-expression and the inclusion of each tile into a class quilt makes for a unique perspective of the collective.

TAKEAWAYS:
Student engagement in learning and understanding a difficult concept like stoichiometry is buoyed by inclusion of an art component and a descriptive narrative that allows for open expression of a student's interests or culture.

SPEAKERS:
Caroline Gochoco-Tsuyuki (Archbishop Riordan High School: San Francisco, CA)

In this presentation, I will describe how an action research study with a phenomenological qualitative design can be used to examine reasons that reluctant Black students use to not register with advanced science classes. My session will describe how to employ a community of inquiry to identify and remove barriers for underrepresented students. Qualitative data from focus group interviews with student participants will be presented, and I will show how a community of inquiry can analyze data. Attendees will learn about school changes proposed by a community of inquiry to reduce or mitigate barriers that underrepresented students encounter. I will also explain the benefits of iteratively revised proposals based on student participant feedback. Additionally, the implementation of proposed school changes will be discussed.

TAKEAWAYS:
Qualitative research provides educators with direct knowledge from reluctant participants. This session provides attendees with tools to assist in problem-solving and removing barriers for underrepresented students in advanced science classes.

SPEAKERS:
Diane Vrobel (Archbishop Hoban High School: Akron, OH)

The population of Latinx students is rapidly growing in the United States, yet Latinas are underrepresented in STEM careers compared to their peers of other identities. This could be in part due to the deficit-based ideology that has historically been utilized when describing this group's success in academic disciplines. This presentation will highlight the findings of a recent qualitative study that asked Latina STEM undergraduate students to reflect on their sources of persistence in high school STEM coursework. The study participants’ responses were correlated with Yosso's (2005) “Community Cultural Wealth Model" to identify their unique sources of strength and persistence in STEM. The study findings will serve as the foundation for recommendations to be made for the implementation of equitable and asset-based shifts to promote Latinas’ persistence and success in STEM at the secondary levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using an asset-based approach, participants will engage in social justice-themed conversations to equitably encourage Latina high school students’ persistence in STEM coursework. Ready-to-use strategies will be featured to promote greater perseverance in STEM for Latinas.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Vitello Lowell (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT)

Hands-on lab experiments are crucial for students to develop proficiency with the science and engineering practices in the Next Generation Science Standards, but traditional labs often require hazardous materials, expensive equipment, long lab times, and dedicated facilities, leaving them out of reach for many schools. Paper microfluidics provides a safe, low-cost, and easy-to-use platform to do hands-on chemistry experiments without specialized equipment or lab spaces. MICRO Project experiments use paper microfluidics to teach inquiry-based chemistry labs. Each MICRO lab is designed to engage students in science and engineering practices and includes instructor notes, customizable pre- and post-lab questions, student procedures, and background on a relevant issue of equity and justice. These labs have been used by thousands of students at universities, community colleges, and middle and high schools. Participants at the Share-a-Thon will perform a MICRO titration lab.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to integrate authentic scientific practices into safe, hands-on, low-cost lab experiments.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Roller (PhD Candidate: Mishawaka, IN)

Female student engagement in the STEM fields does not currently match the level at which male students are engaged. Whether it is in high school course enrollment, college, or careers, males outnumber females in terms of enrollment and study of advanced STEM fields, particularly physics, and engineering. Incorporating Advanced Placement Potential as a measure of demonstrated aptitude, this program will review the current research findings and intervention strategies, including action steps to reverse this trend and promote a more proportional, and equitable, enrollment of males and females in advanced STEM courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Awareness of current enrollment trends, the phenomenology inherent in gender disproportionality, and the sharing of action steps to take to reduce gender disproportionality that are designed to increase enrollment for female students with documented individual Advanced Placement Potential.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Stec (West Windsor-Plainsboro High School: Plainsboro, NJ)

Countless studies have found that teachers are struggling to support students in maintaining focus, finding self-worth and being intrinsically creative learners. Gamification provides the building blocks for engagement, community, healthy competition, and self motivation and works with any grade level and any subject. With gamification, students can use their creativity in learning choices and earn incentives based around curricular and extracurricular themes. Student examples from a sixth grade science classroom include review challenges that emphasize content and game elements. Participants in this session will gain the initial building blocks to create their own game for their classrooms that is manageable and can be enhanced over time. Activities will include defining gamification and creating their own game theme. During the session the participant will participate in a game challenge by using a choice board to explore and expand the strategies and methods of gamification.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will begin the journey, learning strategies of engagement in science class using gamification.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Simmons (Klahowya Secondary School: Silverdale, WA)

How to organize and plan a school-wide STEAM event that provides opportunities for all students to engage richly with STEAM.

TAKEAWAYS:
Identify the components to include in your own STEAM event in order to provide all students with an equitable learning experience.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Bartol (Hillside Elementary School: Montclair, NJ)

Presenting on the NSTA/HESI (Health and Environmental Sciences Insitute) partnership curriculum - Health DataWell. To understand the varied roles of citizens and health scientists in protecting and promoting the health and wellness of their communities This curriculum is designed for teachers to use with high-school level science students and can be freely accessed and implemented by teachers anywhere in the world. The program content is aligned with common educational standards of learning (SOLs) in the US but is not specific to any State. At present the curriculum will only be offered in English, but future iterations may include translation into other languages.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students will build skills and knowledge in three primary focus areas: data analysis and visualization, social and environmental determinants of health, and increasing awareness of careers and civic roles in societal health protection.

SPEAKERS:
Raechel Puglisi (Scientific Program Manager: Washington, DC)

STEM Education in rural areas needs to meet students where they are at, not push progress and advancement by utilizing non-relatable curriculums and extensions. Rural community culture needs to be recognized and respected, as well as incorporated into STEM learning in order to achieve the most beneficial outcome for the student. The GO STEM Mobile Maker Lab is using & developing curriculum influenced by students and supported by teachers to elevate rural STEM Education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Awareness and insight into exploratory STEM education methods and tools designed to enhance classroom experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Kyle Koyle (GO STEM: La Grande, OR)

Our cross-cultural environmental education unit allowed us to collaborate with classes in Venezuela and Nicaragua to deepen our understanding of migratory birds. We integrated Science, Technology, Art, and Spanish into the curriculum, and used technology to facilitate cultural exchange. Through Stop Motion Animation and paper maché models, students connected with peers and learned about the challenges birds face. By understanding their role as environmental stewards, students learned how they can help preserve habitats and protect these birds. We're hope this unit inspires others to take action in preserving our environment and the habitats of migratory birds. We connect learning across disciplines and relationships with students in Nicaragua and Venezuela to promote global education and environmental stewardship. The collaboration and partnership with a school in Ometepe Island allowed for a holistic approach to learning about the birds and their migration patterns.

TAKEAWAYS:
Our trans-disciplinary approach deepened students' learning by raising awareness of the challenges neotropical migrating birds face, such as building collisions during migration. By understanding their role as environmental stewards, students can help preserve habitats and protect these birds.

SPEAKERS:
Larissa Giacoman (Spanish Teacher: Alexandria, VA), Michelle Bruch (Primary Science Teacher)

Participants will engage in an interactive discussion regarding the need for increased diversity and new career opportunities within geoscience and related careers. They will gain additional confidence and resources to assist in sharing this information with their students, parents, administrators and guidance counselors. Session participants will gain awareness and/or increased understanding of the necessity to foster increased diversity, equity, justice and inclusion in geoscience and related disciplines in respect to the USA's continued leadership and capabilities. Participants in this session will gain increased awareness and/or understanding of successful student engagement and mentoring strategies for advancing diversity, equity, justice and inclusion within geoscience and other STEM fields. Participants will be provided with information and guidance that can be used to further advance geoscience and other STEM career and technical education programs.

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

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

Looking for ways to integrate engineering in your science curriculum? Join us to become familiar with freely-available, high-quality instructional materials that create opportunities for students to apply science ideas to solve real-world problems, gain confidence and see themselves in STEM careers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to engage students in learning that centers on addressing pressing social challenges and be able to describe transdisciplinary approaches to education.

SPEAKERS:
Rob Wallace (NSTA: Kenner, LA)

Curious about establishing sustainable relationships within rural communities? Join NASA Science Activation members who live and work in rural communities for an interactive discussion about building reciprocity, relationships, and project sustainability while enhancing NASA STEM education experiences for learners of all ages. To broaden participation and learn about the vast knowledge and practices shared among the members, NASA conducted interviews with the awarded project members working with rural communities, coded their stories, and found emerging themes. NASA Science Activation aims to share the lessons learned, solutions, challenges, and recommendations of these projects, which may assist you by providing best practices for engaging your community; providing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility tips for reaching underserved audiences, and providing opportunities to enlist NASA support and bring subject matter experts into your classroom or school district.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will receive connections to NASA subject matter experts working with rural communities as well as virtual resources and future opportunities for classroom support and collaboration.

SPEAKERS:
Rachael Arens (Curriculum Specialist: Bennington, NE), Matthew Cass (Physics and Astronomy Instructor: Sylva, NC)

As science teachers, we understand the importance of innovation in driving progress and economic growth. However, many students living in high-barrier areas across the country lack access to the resources and opportunities necessary to participate in the innovation ecosystem. This presentation proposes strategies for expanding the innovation ecosystem and engaging these underserved students in innovation activities. We will discuss the Innovation Atlas, a valuable resource for identifying innovation clusters and potential partnerships. We will also explore ways to connect students with innovation centers, industry mentors, and entrepreneurship programs. By expanding the innovation ecosystem and breaking down barriers, we can inspire the next generation of innovators and ensure that all students have the chance to contribute to our shared future.

TAKEAWAYS:
Our mission is to inspire inclusive U.S. innovation and global competitiveness. This starts in the K-12 classrooms by identifying and breaking down barriers that prevent students from learning how to be inventors and innovators.

SPEAKERS:
Jorge Valdes (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Alexandria, VA), Kathleen Lanman (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Alexandria, VA)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Leave with practical strategies and resources to adapt OER materials effectively, making science education more culturally relevant, engaging, and impactful for their students.

SPEAKERS:
Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO), Lindsey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Tiffany Neill (Research Scientist: Oklahoma City, OK)

Hands-on lab experiments are crucial for students to develop proficiency with the science and engineering practices in the Next Generation Science Standards, but traditional labs often require hazardous materials, expensive equipment, long lab times, and dedicated facilities, leaving them out of reach for many schools. Paper microfluidics provides a safe, low-cost, and easy-to-use platform to do hands-on chemistry experiments without specialized equipment or lab spaces. MICRO Project experiments use paper microfluidics to teach inquiry-based chemistry labs. Each MICRO lab is designed to engage students in science and engineering practices and includes instructor notes, customizable pre- and post-lab questions, student procedures, and background on a relevant issue of equity and justice. These labs have been used by thousands of students at universities, community colleges, and middle and high schools. Workshop attendees will perform a MICRO titration lab.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to integrate authentic scientific practices into safe, hands-on, low-cost lab experiments.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Roller (PhD Candidate: Mishawaka, IN)

The need for identification and belonging in the scientific community begins in the biology curriculum. This requires an understanding about belonging and meaningful inclusion that supports equitable classroom practices and equitable science content and pedagogy. The emergent themes from ethnographic interviews, archival data, and science explorations were used to provide exemplary biology lessons using lived experiences. These lessons are supported by the three dimensions of the Next Generation Science Standards. In this presentation the NGSS Nature of Science understandings such as “Science is a Way of Knowing,” “Science is a Human Endeavor,” and “Science Addresses Questions About the Natural and Material World,” will be emphasized. This presentation will also focus on the rationale and benefit to teachers and students for developing equity-mindedness, and an understanding of belonging, for meaningful inclusion using implementation examples provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about the connection between identification and belonging, and equitable classroom practices and science content. The research literature and biographies of scientists are used to describe how the emergent themes brings equity into the biology lesson.

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Quinlan (Howard University)

During this presentation topics such as creating language objectives, color-coding vocabulary, using graphic organizers to help further comprehension of content, and using the expert readers strategy will be covered.

TAKEAWAYS:
Various strategies for scientific literacy that are easily applicable to any science classroom such as using language objectives, graphic organizers, and color-coding key vocabulary.

SPEAKERS:
Mikayla Kagey (Central Kitsap Middle School: Silverdale, WA), Sydnie Chouery (Science Teacher: Silverdale, WA)

The Artemis Generation is the next generation of explorers who will push the boundaries of human knowledge and endeavor. To empower this generation, we need to expose them to STEM role models who represent diverse backgrounds and experiences. This exposure can help to broaden students' perspectives and show them that STEM is a field for everyone. Additionally, culturally responsive teaching strategies can help to create an inclusive learning environment for all students. This session will explore the importance of empowering students through equity and inclusion with the help of NASA resources on STEM role models, the First Woman graphic novel, and a STEM identity development activity. By the end of this session, participants will be able to: • Identify the importance of equity and inclusion in STEM education • Develop strategies for identifying and promoting diverse STEM role models • Apply culturally responsive teaching strategies in their classrooms

TAKEAWAYS:
Diverse STEM role models and culturally responsive teaching help all students succeed in STEM. By exposing students to diverse role models in STEM and using culturally responsive teaching strategies, educators create inclusive learning environments where all students can thrive.

SPEAKERS:
Monica Uribe (NASA Education Specialist), Dr. Sagirah Wheeler (NASA Education Specialist: No City, No State)

In this presentation, I will describe how an action research study with a phenomenological qualitative design can be used to examine reasons that reluctant Black students use to not register with advanced science classes. My session will describe how to employ a community of inquiry to identify and remove barriers for underrepresented students. Qualitative data from focus group interviews with student participants will be presented, and I will show how a community of inquiry can analyze data. Attendees will learn about school changes proposed by a community of inquiry to reduce or mitigate barriers that underrepresented students encounter. I will also explain the benefits of iteratively revised proposals based on student participant feedback. Additionally, the implementation of proposed school changes will be discussed.

TAKEAWAYS:
Qualitative research provides educators with direct knowledge from reluctant participants. This session provides attendees with tools to assist in problem-solving and removing barriers for underrepresented students in advanced science classes.

SPEAKERS:
Diane Vrobel (Archbishop Hoban High School: Akron, OH)

This presentation outlines a summer research program for high school students that integrated social-emotional learning with STEM research methods. Due to the impact of remote learning during the pandemic, students lost opportunities for rich science research experiences out of school, which impacted their interest in science and engineering. The 8-week summer program included an internship at a university research lab with practicing scientists and engineers, with daily opportunities for SEL activities, such as mindfulness strategies, goal setting, collaboration, communication, and feedback on specific 21st-century skills using a job readiness rubric. The program culminated in students presenting research posters to a community of faculty, students, and parents, which allowed them to communicate scientific research in a formal setting. We share the program development, implementation, and key outcomes related to self-efficacy, 21st-century skills, and science research skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to develop a program that engages students in authentic science and engineering research while explicitly incorporating SEL strategies.

SPEAKERS:
Johnna O'Neal (Instructional Specialist: No City, No State), Katrina Halasa (Akron Public Schools: Akron, OH)

Come see a successful online professional learning model that promotes collaboration around universal problems of practice. Each session allows educators to learn about new strategies implemented in classrooms, debrief in job-alike roles, share resources, and develop a plan to refine their practice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain access to tools and resources for use in classrooms from both a teacher and instructional coaching role, as well as work on how they might make use of these resources for their own learning, learning within their own PLCs, or to develop a community of their own.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Johannsen (Southeast Polk High School: Pleasant Hill, IA), Jason Martin-Hiner (Keystone Area Education Agency: Elkader, IA)

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 (Educator and Learning Scientist: Seattle, WA)

The purpose of this program is to develop an understanding of the problem of gender disproportionality as it impacts enrollment in advanced STEM courses. Quantitative and qualitative data will be reviewed along with the foundation for the development of models and intervention strategies school districts can develop to begin to reverse this trend. Advanced Placement Physics-C Potential was used as a factor to determine which female students to target for intervention, with the anticipated result being a more proportional enrollment in the targeted advanced STEM course. The research revealed that an encouraging message from school counselors, teachers, and peers, delivered along with awareness of individual AP Physics-C Potential, can promote an increased level of female student enrollment in advanced STEM courses such as AT or AP Physics and reduce the phenomenon of gender disproportionality which precipitated this study.

TAKEAWAYS:
Research-backed models of intervention to reduce gender disproportionality will be presented, along with strategies for implementation by school districts.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Stec (West Windsor-Plainsboro High School: Plainsboro, NJ)

In this presentation, we will be reviewing how our district has built a STEM Pathway program that has developed a community of STEM learners and led to the creation of programming opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom that builds knowledge of STEM careers, foster STEM skills, and ultimately begins to create a community of real-world problem solvers. In addition to discussing the programs, we will discuss how we have leveraged community resources, how the program has branched out to create other unique STEM opportunities for our students and has ultimately allowed us to close the gender gap for STEM in our schools, reach our diverse population, and promote our founding belief that STEM is for all.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with resources and tangible ways to build a STEM community and provide a variety of opportunities for all students to participate and deepen their understanding of the STEM field.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Curtiss (Coordinating Supervisor of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Business: Parsippany, NJ), Rachel Villanova (Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Schools: Parsippany, NJ)

STEAM is an endeavor in which everyone can engage. It is fun. Each and every one of us can be a scientist in some way. Reimagining the science fair is one way to bring together our community - students, teachers, parents, and professionals in a fun, relevant, and collaborative way. The underlying principle for the day is that science does not exist in isolation. Multiple stakeholders are part of the process at every step of the way. The Science Day event gives students a platform to hear about the formative experiences of science and engineering professionals, engage in team-building activities, and immerse themselves in their own maker project. All aspects of the day allow students to function like real scientists and engineers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be provided a template for organizing a successful school-wide STEAM event. Using this template, attendees will begin identifying resources and planning for their event.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Bartol (Hillside Elementary School: Montclair, NJ)

Education is one of five key elements of Social Determinants of Health that have a huge impact on quality of life. Ensuring good physical & mental health is essential to learning. While some schools have excellent health education programs, a large number have limited time and resources for providing health education. An efficiently effective method is to address health questions within the routine science curriculum. For example: In Biology: How does Gonorrhea become multidrug resistant? In Chemistry: How does the chemical structure of penicillin lead to its effectiveness? In Physics: How do seatbelts and airbags affect “Impulse” so crashes can be survivable? Answering these and many other questions provides health information to your students which can help them make more informed decisions. School leadership and science teachers are in an excellent position to promote curriculum incorporated, evidence-based health education using the practical solutions provided by Dr. Lucas

TAKEAWAYS:
Dr. Lucas will address essential topics such as sex ed., substance use, physical self care and mental health. He will offer effective strategies for incorporating these topics into your existing science curriculum to advance overall student well being.

SPEAKERS:
John Lucas (Lucas Health Consulting: Bethesda, MD)

Heat domes! Wildfires! Drought! Students across the world are experiencing the impact of climate change in their everyday lives, but often students feel hopelessness and fear when thinking and learning about these issues. In this workshop, we will discuss Photovoice, a flexible (e.g. low-floor, high-ceiling task) classroom practice that unpacks students’ ideas, experiences, and emotions through critical reflection on self-generated photos of climate impacts in their own community. Through individual and collaborative reflection, students investigate their ideas in ways that shift feelings of fear and hopelessness toward constructive hope and action. We will first explore how student-generated photos from their local community can build teacher capacity to identify and understand students’ thinking about climate change and the phenomena they find compelling about the topic. Then we will dig into how to utilize photovoiceas a launching point for relevant climate change instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will takeaway a Google slide deck with specific teaching tools that are how-to guides for facilitating students' individual and collaborative teams, meaning making around the photos they generate, and how to navigate their emotions towards collective actions around local climate change impacts.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Lawson (Teaching Assistant Professor), Imogen Herrick (Assistant Professor of STEM Education: , CA)

The need for student identification and belonging in the scientific community begins in the biology curriculum. This requires the use of scientific practices to facilitate sensemaking that supports equitable classroom practices and equitable science content and pedagogy. This presentation provides examples of engaging phenomena that highlight the lived experiences and narratives of diverse scientists and that supports meaningful inclusion in the classroom. This presentation also focuses on the rationale and benefits to teachers and students for developing equity-mindedness for meaningful inclusion. These lesson ideas and strategies are supported by the three dimensions of the Next Generational Science Standards. Attendees will learn how to help students engage in critical thinking skills, learn science, and build understandings related to the social and cultural nature of science. Connections to the three dimensions of STEM will be made. This presentation draws funded projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
Use engaging phenomena from diverse scientists alongside inquiry and argumentation to engage in scientific practices and scientific text, supported by the NGSS three dimensions of STEM. Connections to Common Core and equitable classroom practices are made.

SPEAKERS:
Catherine Quinlan (Howard University)

Stoichiometry is a topic that many teacher find difficult to teach and for many students, difficult to learn. In this project-based workshop, students will learn stoichiometry principles from the perspective of making paint. Paints are made up of three components: a pigment, a binder, and a thinner. In the water-based paint created in this module, the binder is calcium carbonate, an insoluble precipitate made from the double-displacement reaction between aqueous solutions of calcium chloride and sodium carbonate. When mixed in stoichiometric amounts, an insoluble precipitate, calcium carbonate, forms. Students use stoichiometry to quantify the correct amounts of aqueous reactants to make a desired amount of binder, then mix their own paint using pigment and water as a thinner. The project culminates in a class quilt made up of students' individually painted tiles.

TAKEAWAYS:
Stoichiometry does not have to be an anxiety-producing, tear-jerking unit. When taught in chewable chunks, students gain an appreciation for its importance in daily life. In this workshop, students learn concepts that are tied to an end-product art project.

SPEAKERS:
Caroline Gochoco-Tsuyuki (Archbishop Riordan High School: San Francisco, CA)

STEM educators around the country are working to implement the new vision in the NRC Framework for K-12 Science Education and the resulting Next Generation Science Standards, in addition to the many other initiatives that compete for their time and resources. At the same time, much of the research around improving STEM learning does not make it into the classroom. Research can often lack context and clear connections to everyday teaching practice or learning experiences, and relevant tools and strategies can be hard for educators to find or access. To bridge that gap, the team at the UW Institute for Science + Math Education is working with teachers and researchers to create a suite of accessible, bite-sized practice briefs called STEM Teaching Tools. In this session, we’ll explore the suite of tools and explore how to use them to dive into topics in science education.

TAKEAWAYS:
STEM Teaching Tools is a freely-available collection of practice briefs that contain recommendations and strategies for implementing the vision of the Framework and NGSS. They support fabulous educator professional learning, both individually and in professional learning communities.

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