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)

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)

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)

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

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

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

Recent and ongoing research uses an Indigenous methodology to formalize the Cultural Connections Process Model (CCPM)--an approach for authentic co-production of educational resources by Indigenous communities and education/research organizations. This session will showcase the model as well as emergent research findings, and provide hands-on opportunities to explore the resources created when the model was developed and implemented in several Alaska Native communities. These place-based resources are built to target Next Generation Science Standards as well as focus on community priorities, and Indigenous education frameworks, Alaska Native languages, cultural values and cultural content standards. All the resources created using this model are freely and publicly available on project websites, and work is underway to create a long-term repository for these and future CCPM resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
The goal of this session is to share ongoing research formalizing the Cultural Connections Process Model and explore free videos, hands-on lessons, and more, created using the model. Attendees will develop an understanding of how to implement the model and access the free classroom resources.

SPEAKERS:
Lynda McGilvary (Geophysical Institute: Fairbanks, AK), Lori Schoening (Geophysical Institute: Fairbanks, AK)