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: McLean, VA)

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)

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.

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)

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:
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)

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)

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)

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: McLean, VA)

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)

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)

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)

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 (Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): Baltimore, MD)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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 (: 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)

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)

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)