2023 Kansas City National Conference

October 25-28, 2023

All sessions added to My Agenda prior to this notice have been exported to the mobile app and will be visible in your account when the app launches. Any sessions added now, will also have to be added in the app.
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FILTERS APPLIED:Leadership and Advocacy, Environmental Science

 

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

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

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2206


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

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

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

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

Hands on photosynthesis experiments

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2502 A


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: PASCO

Learn how collecting carbon exchange data from plant leaves can help you correct students’ most common misconceptions about respiration and photosynthesis.

Classroom Data Literacy Practice with NOAA’s SOS Explorer and Visual Thinking Strategies

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 1501 A


STRAND: Tech Tools

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: NOAA

Learn to leverage freely available global data visualizations using NOAA’s SOS Explorer mobile application (available on Apple and Android devices and Chromebooks), and an observational technique used in art museums to increase critical thinking and time spent on visual and group thought analysis.

SPEAKERS:
Beth Russell (NOAA Office of Education: Silver Spring, MD), Hilary Peddicord (NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory: Lyons, CO)

How board games can engage your students and develop environmental literacy

Thursday, October 26 • 10:50 AM - 11:50 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 1501 B


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Adventerra Games North America LLC

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Sue Mundell (Adventerra Games North America: Boston, MA), Bryan Mundell (Founder: , Switzerland), Lauren Kelly (Crowley ISD: Fort Worth, TX)

On the Air: Exploring Air Pollution Sources and Solutions

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 C



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

STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Spike (Clean Air Partners)

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

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2201


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

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

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

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

Teaching Climate Fact through Climate Fiction

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2105


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Erin Lark (Kognity: Stockholm, 0)

Exploring Local Phenomena through a Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Lens

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 D


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

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 (University of Washington), Brian Mandell (Smithsonian Science Education Center: Washington, DC), John Olson (Metropolitan State University: Saint Paul, MN)

Exploring a Learning Sequence About Patterns in Species Diversity

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2501 D


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

Learning Sequences to drive phenomena through a unit is one way to help students understand the content. In this model activity from a new Lab-Aids program; Science and Global Issues: Biology, developed by SEPUP, you will use data to investigate how abiotic factors and species diversity are related.

How to Use NOAA Data: A Guide for Educators

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

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Julie Lee



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

Show Details

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) collects hundreds of terabytes of data daily from satellites, buoys, weather stations, animal tags, and more. Though that may sound intimidating, much of this data is readily available to teachers and can be used in the classroom to teach about our natural world. Using scientific data in the classroom can be a great way for teachers to motivate students and for students to learn inquiry-based methods using real-world data. This presentation will highlight many of NOAA’s standards-supported resources, how to access them, and strategies for using them in the classroom. NOAA data spans Earth, life, and physical sciences, and comes in a variety of formats ranging from raw unprocessed real-time measurements and satellite images to processed visualizations, graphs, charts, and animations. Many resources are ready-to-go so you can bring data into your classroom tomorrow!

TAKEAWAYS:
What types of data are available from NOAA and how to find and use NOAA data in your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kayla Smith (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Silver Spring, MD)

Engineering Severe Weather Solutions

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2102 A


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

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

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

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

Hands-On Learning for a More Just Climate

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 A


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

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

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

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

Anchoring a Unit with a Crosscutting Concept

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

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Julie Lee


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

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

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

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

Preparing Your Students for the Upcoming Solar Eclipse in 2024

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2104 A



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

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Janet Struble (: Toledo, OH)

Modeling a River Delta

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2501 D


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

Students use a river model to investigate how flowing water erodes and deposits sediments to create common landforms. They then design erosion control structures and use the river model to test them. Based on the results of their initial testing, students redesign and retest their structures.

Featured Creatures

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2505 B


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Add excitement to your class with live organisms! We will explore how organisms find food and interact with other organisms in their environment. For younger students: How creatures find food, and for older students: Social behavior and interspecies interactions will be discussed.

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Nixon (Watauga High School: Boone, NC)

uHandy Mobile Microscope

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 1501 B


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Aidmics Biotechnology

This workshop supports teachers to implement inquiry-based science learning and helps students to develop meaningful scientifically literate views of the world by using the uHandy Microscope that acts as your second pair of eyes, which ignites your curiosity and your genuine passion for science!

SPEAKERS:
Jolanda Hsu (Aidmics Biotechnology: Taipei City, Taipei City)

Using Midwest-Centered Phenomena to Anchor Storylines About Climate Science

Friday, October 27 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2210



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Wysession_NSTA_Midwest_Climate_post.pdf
Slides on ideas for teaching about climate science using Midwest-centered storylines.

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Creative ideas will be explored for developing and using climate science storylines based on Midwestern climate phenomena, past and present. For example, the timing of the settling of Midwestern states was a direct result of global and regional climate changes that included the Little Ice Age (creating a demand for animal furs for coats and hats) and the giant 1815 eruption of the Indonesian volcano Tambora (which caused the famines of the “year without a summer” and drove large numbers of easterners westward into the Midwest. Examining regional Midwest geology (such as glacial deposits and bedrock limestone layers) can also foster student sensemaking of the cycles of climate change that can occur on longer time scales. Analyzing the evidence of past climate changes and its impacts on humans and other life will help students carry out the processes of sensemaking to better understand the current trends in climate change (obtained from NASA satellites) and their implications for humans.

TAKEAWAYS:
Climate-related storylines anchored by Midwest regional phenomena provide powerful frameworks for students to develop sensemaking of performance expectations concerning weather and climate. Instructors will leave with multiple ideas for incorporating the latest climate science into their classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Wysession (Washington University in St. Louis: Saint Louis, MO)

Using Photovoice to Promote Undergraduate Students' Socioscientific Reasoning Skills

Friday, October 27 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2214


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Socioscientific issues are complex, open-ended social issues with embedded scientific content and processes. This presentation aims to foster undergraduate students' reasoning skills necessary to navigate these issues. Specifically, a photovoice activity was added to a water quality unit in a scientific inquiry course. First, during the data collection, students were asked to take photos that could best represent the status of the ecological system of the stream. Second, they worked as groups in the classroom to analyze the different pieces of evidence and create a visual representation where they can organize all the evidence in the photos. Lastly, each group presented their photovoice product to the whole class and explained each piece of their evidence and how they indicate the different aspects of water quality and the overall water quality. The activity will be presented and supporting instructional materials and tools will be provided in this presentation.

TAKEAWAYS:
This presentation will show how to promote students' reasoning skills necessary to negotiate with socioscientific issues through a photovoice activity, and provide supporting instructional materials and tools.

SPEAKERS:
Conghui Liu (Ph.D. Candidate: Bloomington, MO)

Using Maggots, Flies, and Flesh to Solve a Mystery!

Friday, October 27 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2503 B


STRAND: Tech Tools

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Texas Instruments

A decomposing corpse is found in a field. Four possible missing persons fit the description. But who is it? Using clues near the scene will help determine identity. Forensic anthropologist Diane France helped to develop this free middle school and high school forensic science lesson.

What is Hydroponics?

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2209


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

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

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

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

Exploring Soil Ecosystems: An Immersive Learning Workshop

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 B



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

STRAND: Tech Tools

Show Details

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Elaine Makarevich (SubjectToClimate)

Using Research-Based Practices to Overcome Plant Awareness Disparity By Uncovering Students' Botanical Histories

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2104 A


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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)

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

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 D



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

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

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

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

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

Teaching About Climate Tipping Points: The Latest Climate Science from the IPCC

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 E



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Wysession_NSTA_ClimateTipping_post.pdf
Slides on the latest scientific results from the IPCC and ideas on teaching about climate science in high school.

STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy

Show Details

An important and exciting focus of climate science addresses tipping points, which are non-linear reinforcing feedbacks within the climate system. Current climate research has identified at least a dozen different important climate tipping points that could possibly be triggered in the near future, with significant implications for human society; these include changes to glaciers, permafrost, ocean circulation, surface albedo, ocean acidity, and the biomass storage of carbon. This presentation will address what these tipping points are, why they are potentially dangerous, and how best to teach about them. The topic of climate tipping points aligns with several of the NGSS Earth and space science performance expectations and also strongly aligns with the NGSS CCC on the Stability and Change of systems. Ideas will be presented for phenomena and storylines addressing climate tipping points, which can be used in a chemistry, Earth science, environmental science, or physical science course.

TAKEAWAYS:
The subject of climate system tipping points is societally timely and important, and is an engaging topic for addressing NGSS several performance expectations in Earth and space science, and helping students understand the NGSS crosscutting concept of Stability and Change.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Wysession (Washington University in St. Louis: Saint Louis, MO)

Strategies for successful water quality projects using PASCO probeware

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2502 A


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: PASCO

From analysis of individual ions to calculating an overall index for general water quality. Explore tips for best results and how to leverage your work for students beyond those who go to the field to collect the data. Importance of Temp, DO, conductivity, pH, hardness, nutrients, and bacterial load

Sustaining the Commons

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2501 D


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

In this interactive workshop from our new Biology program from SEPUP, students will engage with a model of how human choices affect the sustainability of a particular resource—the fish population of a fictitious lake—and the potential effects of various actions.

Discovering Lemur Diversity: Teaching Conservation Genetics Through an Authentic Case Study

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2504 B


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Bring molecular techniques to Ecology and Evolution units. Join an expedition to Madagascar to decide if an extinct lemur species has been rediscovered! Test DNA with gel electrophoresis, build phylogenetic trees, and analyze authentic field data from the Duke Lemur Center.

SPEAKERS:
Allison Nishitani, PhD (miniPCR: Cambridge, MA)

Exploring the Arthropods in Your Area Through the Lens of Classification and Taxonomy

Friday, October 27 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

In this poster session, educators will have the opportunity to learn about ways to get students outside and learning about the native arthropods in their area. This 2-4 day project allows students to research, collect, and identify different arthropods in their environment. Students will practice and show their understanding of these arthropods by designing and presenting their own phylogenic tree while connecting it back to their native environment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Come learn about how to engage your students in the environment around them through the lens of classification and taxonomy.

SPEAKERS:
Jacqueline Svetich (Science Teacher: Naperville, IL)

Inquiry-Based Elementary Lessons About Climate Change by SubjectToClimate

Friday, October 27 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Climate Change Lessons for Teachers K-2
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ePS4jGp7n5gyJCrYDkY5hesCWVjyc8lW/view?usp=drive_link

STRAND: Tech Tools

Show Details

SubjectToClimate's free online resources provide inquiry-based, interdisciplinary elementary lessons about climate change. These lessons follow an inquiry-based framework that enables students to practice NGSS K-2 learning outcomes, such as observing patterns in the natural world to explain natural phenomena, and using evidence to construct explanations. Through the use of engaging activities and real-world examples, these lessons help students to develop a deeper understanding of climate change and its impact on the environment. The interdisciplinary approach encourages the integration of science, math, and literacy, making these resources a valuable tool for educators looking to incorporate climate change education into their curriculum. The poster session will highlight the key features of the resources and provide examples of how they have been implemented in classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how they can incorporate climate change into elementary-level science curriculum using NGSS, while learning about SubjectToClimate’s free platform that offers teaching resources, lessons by teachers, and much more.

SPEAKERS:
Elaine Makarevich (SubjectToClimate)

Fire: Friend or Foe? 5E Lesson

Friday, October 27 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Using the authenticity framework, students are guided through a 5E lesson, to answer the essential question “How does fire impact prairie ecosystems?” Embedded are real-world connections, the construction of knowledge, student inquiry, and student-centered learning. Lesson snapshot: Students will: Engage with various prairie ecosystem photos and images of prairie fires, and write descriptive words that come to mind. Explore a map of North American prairies, and complete an I Notice, I Wonder; we will explore articles to begin a CER to answer the essential question. Explain by participating in an activity to sort goods and services based on their knowledge of prairies. Extend by viewing an Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP) video to learn about the importance of using fire to improve plants and ecosystems, and how indigenous tribes used fire for agriculture. Evaluate the completion of their CER using their notes from the lesson and a list of prescribed vocabulary terms.

TAKEAWAYS:
HS teachers will have a ready-to-use, standards-based 5E lesson that they can use in their classrooms immediately. And it’s FREE!

SPEAKERS:
Teresa Randall (The University of Oklahoma: Norman, OK)

Culturally Inclusive Teaching in the Garden

Friday, October 27 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Culturally relevant practices in the school garden.pdf

STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Discussion of culture is often missing in garden-based education. To share and validate the interests of our culturally diverse students, we will delve deep into the significance of culture as it relates to food and gardens and also as it relates to the diverse populations with whom we work. Through student voices and examples we will share the principles of culturally responsive garden education that honors diversity and inclusion. Join us as we explore ways to celebrate and center culture through garden-based learning. School gardens have many benefits for students which include helping students make nutritious choices, encouraging students to be environmentally conscious, and providing experiential learning. Research shows that students who participate in garden-based science curriculum score significantly higher on science achievement tests than students in a traditional classroom-based control group. This garden-enhanced achievement benefits both boys and girls equally.

TAKEAWAYS:
By their nature, gardens embody diversity. Garden education is increasingly recognized as an interdisciplinary approach that integrates academic goals, health and wellness, place-based education, and community connections and relationships.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsey Noonan (Topeka Public Schools USD 501: Topeka, KS), Rhonda Gadino (Topeka Public Schools: No City, No State)

Student-Led School Gardens

Friday, October 27 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Student Led School Gardening.pdf

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

School gardens are a fantastic way to transition from a more traditional classroom to an outdoor, experiential learning opportunity centered on student engagement and critical thinking. Students are able to physically connect with nutrition education, understand the process of growing healthy foods, and recognize environmental stewardship. A school garden can also be integrated into many subjects such as math, science, health, literacy and social studies. The school garden offers a place to enrich teaching efforts with powerful hands-on experiences that make learning come alive. Each school or youth garden is as unique as the school or community that plants it. Gardens may come in many configurations, ranging from a collection of container gardens or a grouping of raised beds to a half-acre of plowed land. Successful garden programs do have certain features in common, however, they are designed to meet local program needs, to be sustainable, and to use the physical site and resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
School gardens are a fantastic way to transition from a more traditional classroom to an outdoor, experiential learning opportunity centered on student engagement and critical thinking. A school garden can be integrated into many subjects such as math, science, health, literacy and social studies.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsey Noonan (Topeka Public Schools USD 501: Topeka, KS), Rhonda Gadino (Topeka Public Schools: No City, No State)

Peer-to-Peer Learning From Coast-to-Coast

Friday, October 27 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Poster File
Copy of poster presentation file

STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Understanding environmental issues requires students to understand science and social factors. To improve student understanding of how different regions are impacted by, and seek solutions to, environmental issues, educators at three institutions connected students in General Education life science courses. Faculty from the participating institutions -- Eastern Iowa Community Colleges (EICC), Louisiana State University (LSU), and San José State University (SJSU) -- have created a semester-long project in which students met virtually in small groups to discuss specific environmental issues. Students research local environmental issues to share and compare with their peers in other locations and create communication tools (e.g., websites, podcasts, etc.). Data collected through student surveys indicates that students connected with peers in different locations have enhanced knowledge and understanding of how similar environmental issues impact people in different parts of the world.

TAKEAWAYS:
This poster will showcase how the project is organized from both the faculty and student perspectives. This includes the faculty having to coordinate instructions and due dates, policies to protect students' rights when communicating, and the use of common rubrics for assessing student work.

SPEAKERS:
Tracy Hmielowski (Assistant Profesor: Riverdale, IA)

Radon Research Summer Teacher Workshop at Georgia State University

Friday, October 27 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Prolonged exposure to radon, a colorless, radioactive, noble gas, is the second-leading cause of lung cancer. Researchers at Georgia State University (GSU) and GSU Perimeter College are conducting research to measure levels of radon gas in metropolitan Atlanta with support from the U. S. Department of Agriculture and National Science Foundation. GSU researchers are testing soil samples and remotely monitoring radon levels. To disseminate this research to the broader community, the researchers hosted a week-long radon research workshop for 6-12 grade teachers in DeKalb County Public Schools, Georgia, in June 2022. Four teachers attended the summer radon workshop at the GSU Perimeter College-Decatur Campus. They participated in experiments on soil and water quality testing, soil porosity measurements, gene editing for cancer treatment, and virtual reality lung exploration. The project was highly successful and received positive feedback. This poster will detail the workshop experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how universities can successfully partner with local districts to provide research experiences for teachers to expand their content knowledge and lab experience. This project demonstrates the broader impact of the project’s initial goal of measuring radon levels in Atlanta.

SPEAKERS:
Samantha Andrews (GSU Perimeter College)

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

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2203



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

STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Ricardo Padilla (Brookhurst Jr HIgh School)

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

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

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Basie Ballroom B


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

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

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

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

Community Science Data Talks

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2215 A


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Community Science Data Talks are short 10-15 minute classroom conversations prompted by local data and data visualizations, similar to a number talk or a notice and wonder activity. In such, students will begin with data visualizations and add lenses to examine their place, such as historical (e.g. policy of "redlining"), ecological (e.g. amount of tree canopy cover), socioeconomic (e.g. rental burden), personal (e.g. photographs they take). Throughout a Community Science Data Talk, students are positioned as the most knowledgeable agents about their communities and, by experiencing multiple data talks over time, the accumulation of multiple lenses on the same place should support students in making sense of how these places come to be over time and promote discussions about how science and math can help them understand, advocate for, and appreciate the places they live. We will share lessons learned from piloting these data talks with teachers in multiple countries and contexts.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will takeaway specific teaching tools including a description of the thinking behind a Community Science Data Talk, a how-to planning and implementation guide, and ideas for how to navigate student emotions towards collective actions around local environmental impacts.

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

Identifying Schoolyard Opportunities for Authentic Science Investigations

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2207



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Schoolyard Resources Folder

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

In this interactive presentation, the presenter will share a schoolyard science template and guide attendees through how to customize the template for their local community. The presenter will share examples and resources to support each component of the schoolyard science template including (a) the use of satellite imagery and schoolyard assessments to identify existing schoolyard resources, (b) connecting 3-D learning standards to place-based schoolyard science opportunities, and (c) opportunities for stewardship and civic engagement. The presenter will share several strategies to engage students with the SEPs in the schoolyard as they observe, measure, monitor, and experiment with their local environment. The schoolyard science template was developed as part of Advancing Science’s NOAA-funded grant to develop an environmental literacy plan in collaboration with Adams County, PA, school districts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain access to a schoolyard science planning template and the knowledge to customize the template for their local community. Attendees will learn to connect schoolyard resources with DCIs and SEPs to help students make sense of their local environment while learning science content.

SPEAKERS:
Valerie Stone (Gettysburg College: Gettysburg, PA)

Teaching Science to Support Caring Ecological Relationships and Practices

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 D



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

STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

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

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

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

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

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2214


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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

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

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

Developing Models Using Hands-On Science and Real Data

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2505 B


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Participants will examine how real data can be used to create conceptual models to drive understanding of complex concepts. Tree ring data will be used as an example of a line of evidence to support climate models and phenotype data are collected to create a conceptual model of inheritance patterns.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia Kopkau

Sea to Sky: Get to know NOAA’s online educational resources

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 1501 A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Sea to Sky Exhibitor Workshop

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: NOAA

Join us for a demo of our database of 1,200+ educational resources from NOAA. We host ocean, coast, Great Lakes, weather, and climate resources. Tour our lesson plans and activities and ask us your questions. Learn more at noaa.gov/education/resources. This session is appropriate for K-16 educators.

SPEAKERS:
Kayla Smith (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Silver Spring, MD)

STOM: Gamification of Ecology Based Topics

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 G



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

STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

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

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

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

Dumpster Dive with STEM

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

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Andy Kirk


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

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

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

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

Driving Questions Boards (DQB) With Lab-Aids and SEPUP

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2501 D


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

Use a DQB to make phenomena meaningfully connected to science content. Pro-tips and exemplary DQB walkthrough – an experienced trainer will guide development of a sample DQB using a model lesson from our middle school program that looks at the effects of an introduced species on an ecosystem.

Lessons in Climate Change: Understanding Ocean Acidification

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2503 A


Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Engage your students in learning about the effects of climate change with this hands-on experiment. Using the latest Vernier data-collection technology, we'll define ocean acidification, determine how we can measure it, and discuss why it is bad for our marine ecosystems. Get ready to dive in!

SPEAKERS:
Colleen McDaniel (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Power-Up Your Teaching: Exploring the energy grid supply and demand

Friday, October 27 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2210


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Through an interactive presentation, participants will engage with the learning concepts presented a "Sagging Circuits" lesson. Participants will build an electric grid using materials provided by The Energy Coalition’s program: Energy is Everything. The lesson will connect to real-world scenarios by portraying a town’s electric grid and monitoring the supply and demand. The lesson incorporates a story describing the various energy-use activities occurring to monitor the town’s energy consumption and manage the city’s electricity supply. Participants will be instructed to build a series of circuits to depict the energy load on the electrical grid and record their data on a handout and graph their daily load profiles on graph paper. Additionally, the lesson will inspire a discussion of the impact of renewable energy resources on the power grid.

TAKEAWAYS:
This hands-on, standards-aligned workshop will show the influence of engineering, technology, and science on society and the natural world. Participants will leave the workshop with concepts and strategies to implement a similar lesson with their students.

SPEAKERS:
Hanna Buechi (Sr. Project Coordinator: Irvine, CA), Jasmine Pineda (Project Manager: Irvine, CA)

Climate kNOWledge: Bringing Climate Science and Climate Justice Conversations to the Classroom

Friday, October 27 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2215 A


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

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)

Constructing Hope: Using Flexible Practices to Deepen STEM Engagment

Friday, October 27 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2205


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Explore the intersection of emotion, place, and issues of justice to support students' motivation, engagement, and deeper learning in the STEM classroom. We present 2 flexible practices (e.g., low-floor and high-ceiling tasks) that have been researched across classrooms in the United States and South America. The first practice is called photovoice, which can be used to uncover student thinking and engage deep reflective sensemaking using the medium of photography as a launching point for student-driven inquiry. The second practice is called Community Science Data Talks, which layer different lenses of data (e.g., percentage of tree canopy coverage across a city, intra-urban heat, air quality, etc,) onto students' local communities and prompt discussions as students make sense of local issues of environmental justice. We will share lessons learned are how these two strategies support students in making sense of complex socio-scientific issues and constructing hope for their futures.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will takeaway teacher tools to support planning and implementing each flexible practice, along with understanding how these practices have played out with teachers and students. These takeaways will be supported by student and teacher examples of work with, and reflections on, these practices.

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

The Students and the Standards Have Changed, Have You?

Friday, October 27 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Basie Ballroom B


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

This presentation will involve a Google Slide show detailing why some of our beloved labs do not meet the NGSS standards and how we can adjust these labs through phenomena, critical thinking questions, CER, and rubrics to meet those standards. Furthermore, this presentation's primary purpose is to highlight why we struggle with "students today." It is a fact that students have changed; we expect students to change. It's the fact that we as educators have not adapted to the students that are in front of us today. They have changed but have we, as educators? Have our lessons and lab experiences changed with them? This presentation will show how to adapt and adjust old lab experiences (biology, chemistry, environmental science, and physics) to meet the NGSS standards and why newer phenomena-based lessons differ from old recipe labs. If time permits, teachers will work on a lab they want to update.

TAKEAWAYS:
The main takeaway from this presentation will be how we incorporate rubrics, critical thinking questions, and phenomena into our lab experiences to meet the students & standards of today—cultivating an engaging and collaborative experience for the students.

SPEAKERS:
Dennis Dagounis (Berkeley Heights Public Schools: Berkeley Heights, NJ)

Understanding Natural Hazards Using Free Online Simulations

Friday, October 27 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Julie Lee


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

As science educators, we often ask our students to make sense of phenomena that have a direct impact on human life such as hurricanes, floods, or wildfires. During this session, participants will explore free online modules which contain uncertainty-infused argumentation sets and interactive models that allow students to explore these events. Students’ work samples will be examined to see how their capacity for developing scientific arguments grows as they learn more about natural hazards. These samples include making claims from evidence, writing explanations that support their claims, and discussing the uncertainty of their explanations. The uncertainty discussions also include students’ evaluations of the models and data presented. This session is designed to introduce you to the modules and demonstrate how using them can strengthen your teaching and deepen student understanding of natural hazards through modeling and argumentation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore a series of simulations designed to deepen students’ understanding of natural hazards. They will create a free account to access these simulations and associated curricula. An emphasis on the practices of modeling and argumentation will be used as part of the sensemaking process.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Harmon (PIMSER (KY): No City, No State)

The Amazing Power of Nature!

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
The Amazing Power of Nature! Slides

STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy

Show Details

Nature, we vacation near it, we immerse ourselves in it, we need it for survival. A student’s natural curiosity about nature and the world around them can drive science learning and outcomes. Investigating natural phenomena within your state and close to your school creates authentic and relevant opportunities for students to research their local ecosystems. Experiences with nature not only promotes learning, but can help close the achievement gap (Liberman, 1998. Closing the Achievement Gap.) Citing studies, we will discuss how spending time in nature is healthy for students, faculty, and staff. Nature can lower blood pressure, calm anxiety, and improve mood. Using Missouri Department of Conservation’s Discover Nature Schools Curriculum as an example, we will discuss how taking learning outside can meet NGSS Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics and the Earth and Human Activity Strands. We will discuss ways to find and/or create nature experience near you.

TAKEAWAYS:
Nature is everywhere, accessible to everyone; from studying a crack in the sidewalk, where ants and other insects travel, to studying ponds, prairies, and forests. I can find and create nature study opportunities at my school, whether it is urban, suburban, or rural.

SPEAKERS:
Kathi Moore (Conservation Educator: HANNIBAL, MO), Sherri Russell (State Wildlife Veterinarian: Jefferson City, MO)

Bite-Size STEM

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 B


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

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

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

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

Driving Down Electric Avenue: Integrating Electric Vehicles into Sustainable City Planning (Grades 6-8)

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 C


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

In this exciting and topical workshop, participants will act as their students to roleplay as a team of EV drivers, city planners, and community members to plan EV infrastructure. Participants will need to balance the needs and desires of different stakeholders to place EV chargers in their community. They will test their plan by simulating a day trip by calculating distance, battery capacity, and charging time. The challenge will be to make it a whole day without running out of battery power. This activity is inspired by electrification lessons from The Energy Coalition’s Energy is Everything curriculum program. Participants will leave this workshop with the tools to facilitate a roleplaying activity that explores city planning, identifying and addressing tradeoffs, and electrification within their communities. All materials will be provided by The Energy Coalition’s program, Energy is Everything.

TAKEAWAYS:
This hands-on, standards-aligned workshop will show the influence of engineering, technology, and science on society. Participants will learn to facilitate a roleplaying activity that explores city planning, stakeholder tradeoffs, and electrification within their own communities.

SPEAKERS:
Hanna Buechi (Sr. Project Coordinator: Irvine, CA), Jasmine Pineda (Project Manager: Irvine, CA)

Talking and Doing STEM

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2209


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Imagine Learning | Twig Education

In this session, participants will discuss strategies to support STEM classroom experiences that position all students as thinkers and problem-solvers. Participants will also reflect on peer experiences as they consider their own implementation of ideas that ensure the inclusion of all learners in authentic STEM focused tasks. Finally, attendees will identify success criteria for appropriate task engagement.

Food Totally Transfers! - using Transfer Tasks to help students apply knowledge through food and agriculture!

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2502 A


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture

Learn how transfer tasks can be used as summative assessments to help students apply knowledge through authentic learning experiences through the context of food and agriculture. Open to all teachers K-12!

Utilizing Water Quality as an Over-Arching Research Project in General Chemistry I

Saturday, October 28 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2205



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Link to presentation slides and resources

STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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)

Filtration Station: Designing a water purification system

Saturday, October 28 • 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 A


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

This workshop will demonstrate how to teach the engineering design process through building water filters and discussing water quality and water purification topics. Participants will work in groups to design and construct a water purification model using various materials, such as sand, gravel, and charcoal. The models will be tested by pouring dirty water through the system and analyzing the resulting water quality using test strips. The goal is to design a model that is both economically and environmentally beneficial to society. At the end of the workshop, participants will have a better understanding of the importance of water in society, as well as how engineering, technology, and science can be used to maximize the potential of this limited resource. Additionally, participants will learn how to adapt the lesson for different grade levels. All materials will be provided by The Energy Coalition’s program, Energy is Everything.

TAKEAWAYS:
This workshop will show the influence of STEM on society and the natural world. Participants will build a water purification model by developing a solutions-oriented approach to an environmental problem.

SPEAKERS:
Hanna Buechi (Sr. Project Coordinator: Irvine, CA), Jasmine Pineda (Project Manager: Irvine, CA)

Power To Go: H2O Harnessing the Force of the Ocean

Saturday, October 28 • 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2209


STRAND: Students and Sensemaking

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Sponsoring Company: Imagine Learning | Twig Education

Join world class designers and engineers as we dive in to explore hydroelectricity and the growing need to harness force and motion found in the ocean. Participants will experience a simulated lesson, make a 3D model of a water turbine, and use it to investigate the relationship between force and motion.

SPEAKERS:
Charmaine Cowell (Imagine Learning | Twig Education: Scottsdale, AZ)

The ASSET Program (Advancing Secondary Science Education through Tetrahymena)

Saturday, October 28 • 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Share-a-thon Area


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Children are naturally inquisitive about the world around them. ASSET activities nurture that innate curiosity by engaging students in an interactive, hands-on exploration of the world of biology using safe, easily manipulated live Tetrahymena. Each module introduces students to a core biological concept using an interactive approach that involves scientific observation, manipulation of experimental materials, and evaluation of results. Each module is a stand-alone unit that comes with information relating the content to core concepts and, and is supported by an equipment lending library that can provide teachers at under-resourced schools with the materials needed to carry out the modules. Comprehensive teacher guides and detailed student handouts are provided for each module to facilitate classroom implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be introduced to ASSET and will conduct modified lab activities to see how ASSET can be used in the classroom to address topics like microscope use, cell parts and processes (phagocytosis & osmolarity), and the effects of smoking, vaping, and alcohol on living cells.

SPEAKERS:
Courtney Hausner (Oakville Senior High: St. Louis, MO), Anne Deken (John Burroughs School: St. Louis, MO), Alexandra Forgerson (Instructional Specialist: University City, MO)

Free Resources to Resolve Scientific Misconceptions in Evolution and Climate Change

Saturday, October 28 • 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Share-a-thon Area


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For the purposes of the STEM Share-a-Thon, NCSE will have two mini-stations set up to provide quick, meaningful previews of our evolution and climate change lessons. We will have a variety of student and teacher handouts ready to take home for immediate use in the classroom, and a variety of SWAG to help spread the word about scientific literacy and our evidence-based approach to NGSS storylining. The National Center for Science Education's mission is to ensure all students have access to a sound science education, regardless of societally contentious regional topics like evolution and climate change. Our lessons were developed for teachers by teachers and have been extensively field-tested over the past three years. As we are a non-profit organization, all our resources are free. For more information, and to check out the variety of lessons we will have available at the Share-a-Thon, go here: https://ncse.ngo/supporting-teachers/classroom-resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
Scientific literacy and critical analysis of verified evidence are more important than ever in the secondary classroom. NCSE has developed lessons to resolve common misconceptions encountered online and through social media. All resources are free, NGSS-aligned, and readily available online.

SPEAKERS:
Blake Touchet (National Center for Science Education: Oakland, CA), Lin Andrews (: Oakland, CA)

Peer-To-Peer Learning From Coast-To-Coast

Saturday, October 28 • 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Share-a-thon Area