Understanding complex science standards in elementary school often depends on the amount of background knowledge children have. One way that teachers can help students develop their schema before beginning a new science unit is to provide children with opportunities to build their prerequisite knowledge. This is particularly important when meeting the needs of a diverse group of learners. This session will center around upper elementary curriculum. It will include examples of short (5-10 minute) hands-on activities that can be used in the classroom to help children expand their schema before beginning to learn new science standards. Examples of pre-teaching activities: Ecosystems and Environments: Sorting seeds for a seed dispersal lab. The children notice features of the seeds. Force and Motion: Test the ramps before the activity and discuss independent variables such as ramp height and surface. Earth Systems: Use a sponge puzzle in water to model how tectonic plates move.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with several examples of short, 5-10 minute long, hands-on activities to use in their classroom to help children develop their schema. They will also see examples of student's thinking and sensemaking in science notebooks.

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Sharp-Adamson (Bell Prairie Elem School)

Student engagement and performance in science and math, especially in underserved populations, have declined as a result of the pandemic and the switch to remote learning. Traditional teaching methods have had to evolve in the face of these new challenges. This work describes how project-based learning (PBL) is woven into the scope and sequence of high school Chemistry. Assessment is a departure from a points-based to a standards-based grading system. Students are evaluated based on their mastery of four different standards: inquiry, design, analysis, and communication. Examinations that test for content are enhanced with inquiry-based problems that connect Chemistry to real life. Students are expected to take responsibility for their own performance, to seek help when needed and to advocate for themselves. The work presented will include classroom strategies, project ideas that promote equity, and samples of assessments and student work.

TAKEAWAYS:
The work presented will include classroom strategies and project-based learning ideas with samples of student work. It describes a standards-based assessment that focuses on the acquisition and mastery of skills as an alternative to a traditional points-based grading system.

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

Research has shown that student acceptance of evolutionary theories are impacted by cultural factors as well as knowledge of biology and the nature of science. The information technology age is an important change in our culture as Americans in the last 2 decades. The poster will present a comparison of influences on acceptance of evolution in 2000 and 2023. Culturally competent educators must understand and respect multiple cultural ways of knowing in their instruction and assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Research has shown that student acceptance of evolutionary theories is impacted by cultural factors, as well as knowledge of biology and the nature of science. Culturally competent educators must understand and respect multiple cultural ways of knowing in their instruction and assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Taylor Alicea (Parkview High School: Springfield, MO), Julie Mayne (Evangel University: Springfield, MO)

This study aimed to understand how a STEM course and immersive environment improved pre-service teachers’ self-efficacy and motivation to implement STEM. Self-efficacy and motivation were measured using the proposed tool before and after they attended a semester-long course centered around engineering design activities, research, and pedagogy over three years. Additionally, post-graduation data was collected as pre-service teachers entered the first three years of their teaching careers. Findings suggest that a course focusing on combined research, pedagogy, and modeling in an immersive environment improves motivation and self-efficacy, and carries over into a career. However, motivation and efficacy diminish as post-graduation time increases. Implications from this study could improve professional development design and practice. Lastly, this research can inform EPPs, practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, and policymakers about how to motivate classroom teachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
A STEM course focused on research, pedagogy, and modeling in an immersive environment improved STEM efficacy and beliefs of pre-service elementary teachers that carried over into careers. However, motivation and efficacy diminished as post-graduation time increased.

SPEAKERS:
Shannon Dadd (Troy University: Troy, AL)

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)

Implementing a practice based approach within a science methods course has the power to positively impact the science teaching self-efficacy of pre-service elementary teachers (Flores, 2015). Designing and implementing a performance based final as a culminating experience within a science methods course is an example of such a practice based approach. In addition to submitting a 5E lesson plan with all the accoutrements, pre-service elementary teachers planned, rehearsed, and facilitated a 'Science Friday" event at a local elementary school. This "Science Friday" event included six classrooms, two from each grade (Grade 3-5), where the pre-service elementary teachers facilitated a science lesson that included a 4-station hands-on, minds-on activity. All of the pre-service elementary teachers who participated in the performance final found the "Science Friday" experience to be a "value added" experience that positively impacted their perception of their science teaching self-efficacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave this poster session with knowledge of how to implement a performance-based final within a science methods course that effectively promotes the science teaching self-efficacy of pre-service elementary teachers.

SPEAKERS:
Trish Arnold (Minnesota State University, Mankato: Mankato, MN)