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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

MothEd provides K-8 students and teachers a simple, low-cost way to study moths, an important and often overlooked part of the natural world. These fascinating insects play key roles in our ecosystems as pollinators, prey, and in some cases, pests. The relative lack of scientific research about moths provides rich opportunities for students to make novel discoveries while learning the practice of science research. Students build DIY blacklight traps, develop research questions and hypotheses, collect data from local habitats, and use technology-enhanced curricular materials to foster collaboration and conduct analyses. Participants at NSTA will see examples and learn to build their own moth traps from 2L soda bottles. They will learn how MothEd is implemented in a classroom by teachers in 1st-8th grade and how students in these classes asked their own questions and discovered their own results from their local habitats. Participants will learn how to run a MothEd unit in their class.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers learn to build moth traps from 2L bottles to engage students in authentic science experiences. They see how MothEd is implemented in a classroom by developing research questions/hypotheses, collecting/analyzing data from local habitats, and fostering collaboration and agency among students.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Keas (Research Associate)

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

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

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

Climate change is the biggest threat affecting our collective futures. We need to provide young people with the tools to be able to navigate a future that is unclear. Technology is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to climate solutions. However, teaching students how to understand the limitations and benefits of how technology can lead to climate solutions is important. This poster session will showcase student work that was completed during the Howard County Conservancy’s Youth Climate Institutes STEM Action Team. Students worked collaboratively to identify climate impacts within their own communities and developed models to potential solutions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Get ideas of how to incorporate STEM projects while teaching Climate Change and Environmental Science.

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

The interdisciplinary STEM unit is a series of six science lessons and activities for grades 9-12 about viruses, wastewater, and public health with COVID-19 as the anchoring phenomenon. The unit was implemented at a rural high school in the southeastern United States. The presenter co-taught the unit with each teacher during their regular biology classes. Along with the three biology teachers, over 160 students in grades 9-11 participated in the implementation. The students experienced hand-on, inquiry-driven lessons exploring the role of wastewater testing in public health. Additionally, the co-teaching provided an immersive perspective into students’ and teachers’ experiences throughout the unit. We will provide insight into these experiences and discuss how they helped students develop science understanding associated with wastewater testing and public health.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore the experiences students and teachers had during the implementation of the STEM unit on wastewater and public health. We will present examples of student work and share students’ and teachers' experiences from the unit.

SPEAKERS:
Jeff Chalfant (Ph.D. Candidate)

Due to the increasing environmental concerns among consumers, governments worldwide are focusing on adopting clean mobility solutions through alternative fuel. The team decided to gather leftover seeds to extract oils that will serve as our source of FAMEThe team used grape, pumpkin, watermelon, pomegranate, and cactus seed oils as a source of fatty acid methyl esters or biodiesel as an Alternative Biofuel. Results show that all plant seeds are a feasible source of biodiesel, pumpkin. on the other hand, oil from the pumpkin seeds shows remarkable results wherein it produces 100 mL of oil from 500 grams of seeds and it has also the highest height (9 inches) of flame when measured. It was also observed that it easily captured the fire during the flammability test. On the other hand, the team observed that the flame color of most of the biodiesel was orange, except for the grape seed which shows a more yellow flame.

TAKEAWAYS:
Making of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (Biodiesel) Out of Native Plant Seeds

SPEAKERS:
Roy Basa (Zuni Public School District: Zuni, NM)

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

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

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