Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

What happens when you cook an egg? Is it possible to un-cook it? Investigate the characteristics of amino acids, the levels (and rules!) of protein folding, and how denaturing a protein alters its function, in an engaging hands-on modeling investigation using the Amino Acid Starter Kit ©.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Let’s explore several intervention strategies to help struggling students in STEM. Let's move beyond differentiation & scaffolding. Come learn proven intervention techniques to help students. Let’s modify our traditional outreach to connect with students so that they gain greater understanding.

SPEAKERS:
Margo Dye (Accelerate Learning Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

There’s a break-in at the lab. Your students become forensic scientists as they walk into a crime scene. Analyze samples for blood and then catch the criminal with DNA fingerprinting. This exciting workshop will include ways to incorporate biotechnology and gel electrophoresis into your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Snowflack, PhD (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Tom Cynkar (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Photogates are simple to use, but also have some challenging aspects. We’re here to help you unravel the complexities of these helpful tools so you can incorporate them into your curriculum. We’ll experiment with the laser gate, and we’ll discuss gate and pulse mode, different measurement setups, and more!

SPEAKERS:
Frances Poodry (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

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)

Sponsoring Company: Milestone C & STEMI

This essential Foundations of Tech will provide an introduction to areas of new-age tech that are embedded in Industry 4.0, including design, robotics, and AI. Let's work together to make students developers, instead of consumers, of tech and STEM for their future and ultimately, career choices.

SPEAKERS:
Dave Conelias (Milestone C LLC: Shelton, CT)

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Eaton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Spaeny (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Spark your students’ curiosity and prepare them for high school–and the world beyond. Learn how to introduce concepts to your students using the Go Direct Temperature Probe to measure the temperature of the palm of their hand, discover the reflectivity of various colors with the Go Direct Light and Color, measure sliding friction with the Go Direct Force & Acceleration Sensor, and determine the power of their grip with the Go Direct Gas Pressure.

SPEAKERS:
David Carter (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

The gene-editing tool CRISPR is one of the most exciting biotechnology breakthroughs of the past decade. In fact, this technique won the Nobel Prize in 2020! In this hands-on workshop, we’ll explore CRISPR biology using fast, easy experiments that model the development of a cure for Cystic Fibrosis.

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Snowflack, PhD (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Tom Cynkar (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Link physical science concepts like circuits and charged particles to the essential biotech method, gel electrophoresis. Build a reusable gel electrophoresis system with the Bandit STEM Electrophoresis Kit, and use it to separate colorful dyes. Also, add the A to STEAM with creative pipetting art!

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hennessy-McDonald, PhD (miniPCR: Cambridge, MA)

Sponsoring Company: Adventerra Games North America LLC

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Sue Mundell (Adventerra Games North America LLC: No City, No State), Bryan Mundell (Founder), Lauren Kelly (Crowley ISD: Fort Worth, TX)

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Eaton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

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

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

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

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Give your students a deeper understanding of what is happening inside those tiny tubes during PCR, endonuclease digest, and incubation wait times through hands-on modeling. This workshop will feature the use of the Biotechnology Kit © and focus on plasmid ligation.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Students get engaged with practical and inquiry-based engineering experiences by using the DIVE-in method. This program was developed with the New York Hall of Science. Transform your classroom into an authentic makerspace with the DIVE process. Learn how to use the design process through consensus.

SPEAKERS:
Margo Dye (Accelerate Learning Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Participants use the lactase enzyme to produce lactose-free milk in an easy-to-perform lab and then modify experimental conditions to design and test their own procedures to maximize production of lactose-free milk.

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

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Let us shed light on guided-inquiry lessons for your classroom. We’ll walk you through guided-inquiry simple circuit lessons, with attention to both the student experience and the teacher's view. You’ll be able to customize the lessons to feature the sensors and software you already have!

SPEAKERS:
Frances Poodry (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: DoD STEM

Department of Defense STEM scientists and engineers are the bedrock of our nation’s most advanced technology and research breakthroughs, including virtual reality, autonomous vehicles, and more! Join us as we explore multiple STEM career pathways supported by DoD STEM’s network of partners in academia, industry, not-for-profit, and local/federal government.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Marquis Mason (RTI International: Research Triangle Park, NC), Dr. Whitney White (RTI International: Research Triangle Park, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Explore the science of candy colors! We will extract food dyes from candy and separate them using agarose gel electrophoresis and paper chromatography. By separating the different colors, students learn about complicated mixtures, charges on molecules, and how science relates to everyday life.

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Snowflack, PhD (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Tom Cynkar (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

This will give information that will enable participants to replicate a STEM outreach event with various theme ideas. The activities are all low-cost and adaptable across student ages and generations of family members. The activities are meant to provide opportunities for students and families to experience success in a fun and enriching way while engaging with STEM concepts from the NRC K-12 Framework. We will also discuss how we used this event as a way for our preservice teachers to experience and practice implementing informal education strategies. This event was hosted at our local STEM Center, but we will also discuss ways that it can be implemented at school STEM nights, at community events, or even as neighborhood "pop-up" events to reach diverse learners in equitable ways.

TAKEAWAYS:
STEM Outreach events can be a way to engage students and families in equitable STEM learning to encourage and support all learners. This will provide information on how to replicate a STEM outreach event we hosted at our local STEM Center along with ideas about implementing it in different formats.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)

In Oklahoma, The University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University are working to prepare future STEM teacher/leaders by integrating Science Olympiad volunteering into each institution's pre-service teacher (PST) education programs. With partial funding through a grant from the Science Olympiad USA Foundation, the teacher education programs are partnering with the Oklahoma Science Olympiad (OKSciOly) to provide PSTs who serve as peer-mentors to OkSciOly member schools and Event Supervisors for OKSciOly tournaments as a part of their science education program expectations. The program goals are supported by prior studies that indicate that such a program could be associated with improving PSTs’ confidence, increasing opportunities for practicing skills in planning and assessment, and supporting intrinsic motivation associated with coaching Science Olympiad. We will describe the development and activities, and what we learned from PSTs and member schools about the experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how Universities and Science Olympiad can increase STEM education support to local schools and develop capacity within their pre-service teacher candidates to use Science Olympiad’s high quality, NGSS aligned science, math, and engineering experiences with their future students.

SPEAKERS:
Bob Melton (University of Central Oklahoma: Edmond, OK)

As teachers, it is important for us to understand how the brain works when students are learning. Brain science research has not been easy to transfer to the classroom setting. We are beginning to bridge the gap with real-world, classroom research. By joining this session, you will uncover some of the newest neuroscience/learning research and ways to use the information in your classroom. Retrieval practice, interleaving, spaced practice, and elaborate encoding are a few of the topics we will learn about. In addition, you will leave with plenty of short 5-minute tools you can use right away in your classroom, as well as a deeper understanding of the pros and cons of neuroscience research and classroom settings.

TAKEAWAYS:
Not all research is equal, especially when it comes to classroom teaching. This session will help you understand the research, it's strengths and limitations, and provide you with usable tools to start using right away.

SPEAKERS:
Kirsten Landry (Kent Denver School: Englewood, CO)

Learn how one district moved from individual teachers' curriculum-based professional learning to adopting and implementing high-quality instructional materials in middle school classrooms district wide. Hear the story from different perspectives within our multi-tiered system.

TAKEAWAYS:
Practical guidance for moving your multi-tiered system forward with implementation of high-quality instructional materials.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Bacolor (Wayne RESA: Wayne, MI), John Tafelski (Assistant Superintendent: Allen Park, MI)

Sponsoring Company: NSTA - Shell Science Teaching Awards and Competitions

In this hands on workshop you will begin your application for one of three programs sponsored by Shell USA, Inc. You will learn key components to creating a strong application, and strengthen your chances to win for your students, school. Prizes and gift cards will be given in a drawing.

SPEAKERS:
Adrine Williams (Jackson State University: Jackson, MS), Amanda Upton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Looking for ways to increase student ideas in the development of investigative phenomena? We will work in collaborative teams to develop a driving question board. Let’s discuss the types of phenomena and how they can be used effectively in the STEM classroom. Bring relevancy to students’ lives!

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Thompson (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Apply creative problem-solving skills and engineering practices to chemistry and physical science challenges. Experience how Carolina makes it easy to incorporate STEM into your classroom. Launch a chemical reaction rocket and race a car powered by a balloon.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia Kopkau

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Do your students struggle with the meaning of the slope of a graph? We'll demonstrate how to use all the sensors in a Go Direct® Sensor Cart to explore kinematics, force, and mass. These engaging, hands-on experiments will give your students multiple ways to practice working with these principles.

SPEAKERS:
David Carter (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Creating colorful bacteria with transformation is a memorable way to teach the central dogma of molecular biology. Take it a step further and have your students create art with the colorful cells! In this workshop, we’ll share tips for transformation success and create bio-art with microbial paint!

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Snowflack, PhD (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Tom Cynkar (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Examine how modeling deepens student engagement. Explore carefully designed models to discover basic features of DNA structure and function using an atomically accurate model. Model nucleotides, DNA and RNA polymers, genetic sequences, genetic engineering,...and epigenetics.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: Milestone C & STEMI

Bring AI tech to your classroom in an engaging way!  Visit this workshop to learn about how this technology is influencing and controlling our lives and how educators can teach your students so they are prepared and connected to the jobs of the future that are waiting for them.

SPEAKERS:
Dave Conelias (Milestone C LLC: Shelton, CT)

Content will be delivered through Google Slides: participants discuss what bias is and the different types of biases that can show up. Participants will be asked to share biases they may hold (inside or outside of the classroom). We will watch a short video clip, then participants will engage in an activity called "How diverse is your universe?" Several prompts will be read and participants will indicate which racial group the prompt identifies with. An example prompt: "the people I grew up with in my household were...," and participants will indicate which racial group the prompt identifies with. Next, as a group, we will come up with our own definition of bias, and come up with examples of the different types of biases and what they look like in the classroom. We will then look at strategies on how to keep these biases in check. Next, we will discuss how to apply anti-bias work in STEM classrooms. We will develop and share content-specific lessons that we can implement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Anti-bias work in the classroom can be implemented in all curricular areas, especially in STEM/STEAM.

SPEAKERS:
Anissa Williams (Niper Middle School: Kirkwood, MO)

The Science Education Dept. at Harvard University conducted a nationwide study over the course of three semesters, of the strengths and weaknesses of STEM and teaching knowledge of preservice educators who will soon enter the STEM teaching workforce. By examining pre-service teachers’ experiences before and during their preparation program, we’ll share our findings about experiences that optimize teacher knowledge for effective science teaching. The study also characterizes two essential types of teacher knowledge: 1) subject matter knowledge; and 2) pedagogical content knowledge concerning the common preconceptions and misconceptions held by learners, reflecting stages in student learning progressions. This research helps identify promising features of undergraduate PST programs for future implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn what factors impact preservice teachers’ interest in teaching, the status of teacher education programs, and what are the strong and weak content knowledge areas of preservice science teachers, including the prevalence of learning about students’ misconceptions.

SPEAKERS:
Gerhard Sonnert (Harvard College Observatory: Cambridge, MA), Philip Sadler (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian: Cambridge, MA), Cynthia Crockett (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian: Cambridge, MA)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Gain strategies and resources to support your evaluation and instructional coaching cycles.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

If you're using STEMscopes (or wanna-be), this session is for you. Come see the most popular digital curriculum during this session. Discover assessment packages, streaming videos with activities, coding with app building, hands-on engineering projects, STEM teacher certification, and much more.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Campana (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

TI graphing calculators now work with Vernier’s Go Direct sensors, wirelessly, with the TI-Bluetooth Adapter! Students can code their own data collection programs using Python to ensure their experiments are customized to their specific needs. Or they can use pre-existing programs from the TI web site to quickly start collecting data. Once the data is on the calculator, students can use one of many applications to better visualize, analyze, and understand the data they’ve collected.

SPEAKERS:
Gregory Dodd (Retired Chemistry Teacher: Pennsboro, WV)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Discover the awesome potential of the ELISA! This highly-sensitive assay allows for detection of low levels of antigens in biological samples, making it perfect to identify pathogens, allergens, and more. We'll also practice pipetting to improve accuracy and precision, ensuring experimental success.

SPEAKERS:
Danielle Snowflack, PhD (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC), Tom Cynkar (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Participants will model the aspects of water and ion transport across cell membranes using the Phospholipid and Membrane Transport Kit © and our MIGHTY Model © Channel collection. 3-D models of Na+ and K+ channel proteins and aquaporin will help your students understand cellular transport.

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Spaeny (STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Keep your students engaged by giving them opportunities to move and interact in class. Explore limb position and grip strength, balance, and EKG and EMG experiments designed to encourage students to think about the physiology of various human organ systems. Come ready to participate!

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

The population of Latinx students is rapidly growing in the United States, yet Latinas are underrepresented in STEM careers compared to their peers of other identities. This could be in part due to the deficit-based ideology that has historically been utilized when describing this group's success in academic disciplines. This presentation will highlight the findings of a recent qualitative study that asked Latina STEM undergraduate students to reflect on their sources of persistence in high school STEM coursework. The study participants’ responses were correlated with Yosso's (2005) “Community Cultural Wealth Model" to identify their unique sources of strength and persistence in STEM. The study findings will serve as the foundation for recommendations to be made for the implementation of equitable and asset-based shifts to promote Latinas’ persistence and success in STEM at the secondary levels.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using an asset-based approach, participants will engage in social justice-themed conversations to equitably encourage Latina high school students’ persistence in STEM coursework. Ready-to-use strategies will be featured to promote greater perseverance in STEM for Latinas.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Vitello Lowell (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT)

Have you ever wondered where to find Federal STEM education resources that can provide authentic learning experiences for your students? Come join many federal agencies including but not limited to: Dept of Education, NOAA, EPA, and NIH , to learn more!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn what K-12 STEM learning resources are offered by federal agencies. In addition, teachers will engage in two-way conversations with federal representatives about the STEM resources, programs, and opportunities that are available. Educators will leave with a one-page resource guide.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Crowley (NIGMS, National Institutes of Health: No City, No State), Jorge Valdes (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Alexandria, VA), Kayla Smith (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Silver Spring, MD), Patti Curtis (U.S. Department of Education: No City, No State), Melissa Anley-Mills (U.S. EPA: Washington, DC)

This session provides insight for administrators, professional developers, curriculum coordinators, instructional coaches, higher education faculty, and teachers related to models of STEM instruction focused on SEPs at the K-8 level. Collaborative efforts between school leadership and university faculty have led to the development of STEM programming in two school districts in Southeast Missouri. Using and integrating the expertise of local STEM education professionals (university faculty specializing in STEM education), these school districts (one urban, one rural) designed and implemented very different STEM integration models. Attendees will learn about each model from those integral to the development process. Presenters will share elements of their strategic plans, including curricular structures, human capital/roles, resource/budget considerations, instructional components, and other sustainability aspects, such as environmental and political support and community partnerships.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about STEM program development and STEM professional development models. STEM Education frameworks and a toolkit used as a foundation for strategic planning and sustainability will be shared and available for attendees.

SPEAKERS:
Andi Maddox (Director of Curriculum and Instruction: Kennett, MO), Tyler Lappe (Instructional Coach: Cape Girardeau, MO), Trudy Giasi (Valle Catholic Schools: Ste. Genevieve, MO)

Join us for a speed-sharing session on the innovative STEM ideas of students. This session is a great opportunity to learn from your peers and get inspired by the creativity of students.

You mean to tell me... Social media can improve [science] literacy?
Students already spend so much of their time on social media, so why not use it to our advantage? Learn strategies to increase literacy and engagement in science through the social media accounts of science organizations such as the ocean-drilling research vessel JOIDES Resolution.

Nature Journaling: 1 book, 5 ideas, 10 minutes
Be introduced to a free nature journaling curriculum and several activities to get started using nature journaling to enhance science notebook routines in your classroom. Tips will include ways to integrate the SEPs and CCCs , as well as math and ELA, with nature journaling.

TAKEAWAYS:
Hear from informal science educators about how they have incorporated these ideas into their programs and how you can do the same.

SPEAKERS:
Maya Pincus (Columbia University / U.S. Science Support Program: Palisades, NY), Dana Atwood-Blaine (University of Northern Iowa: Cedar Falls, IA)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

CER gets students to explain phenomena in a scientific way. Let’s use investigations to demonstrate how to use data collection to drive data-based conclusions. Guide students in how to think deeper, write scientifically, & incorporate vocabulary that strengthens their understanding of a phenomenon.

SPEAKERS:
Margo Dye (Accelerate Learning Inc.: Houston, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Explore easy, engaging, and safe chemistry activities that guarantee a reaction in your students. Whether you’re new to chemistry or feeling out of your element, create excitement with hands-on labs and demonstrations.

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

Sponsoring Company: ExploreLearning

This interactive session will explore a digital interface that develops models to capture students' thinking when designing and testing solutions to real-world problems. We will immerse ourselves in solving a puzzling STEM Case to develop a model and use it to optimize a solution.

SPEAKERS:
Patricia Low (ExploreLearning: Charlottesville, VA)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Inspire your students’ curiosity about the world around them through hands-on activities using the Go Direct® Temperature Probe, Go Direct® Magnetic Field Sensor, and Go Direct® Motion Detector. See how age-appropriate, sensor-based experiments teach students about data collection and analysis—practices that promote scientific inquiry, build STEM literacy, and boost test scores.

SPEAKERS:
David Carter (Vernier Science Education: Beaverton, OR)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Experience our new collection of protein models enhanced by molecular stories, digital resources, and augmented reality technology. Bigger, better… and more robust.

SPEAKERS:
Tim Herman (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

N/A

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Eaton (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Since the early 2000s when the NSF coined the acronym “STEM” to increase attention and national investment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the “S” in STEM provided the foundation for the accompanying “TEM” disciplines. The pandemic exposed the need for increased public literacy around biomedicine, paving the way for an additional “M” (medicine) in STEM. Building a successful STEMM ecosystem includes increasing access to biomedicine across disciplines to advance equitable access for all students. Campuses and/or districts must reach consensus on the action plan for transdisciplinary STEMM curricular development. At BCM, we developed a 3-day STEMM Planning Institute for K-12 campus teams (administrators, support staff, and key educators) aimed at creating, building, or restructuring STEMM programs. This poster will highlight the planning tools, preliminary findings regarding the planning process, and thematic barriers/successes of STEMM implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
This poster will highlight the planning tools, preliminary findings regarding the planning process, and thematic barriers/successes of STEMM implementation for K-12 school campuses and districts.

SPEAKERS:
Matthew Blank (Assistant Professor: Houston, TX)

We will share the collaboration between Westminster College and local elementary schools to enhance the learning of science. At Westminster, we conducted a STEAM Night for the local elementary schools. Education and Science majors teamed up to create stations that covered science topics such as structure & function, force & motion, the engineering design process, the structure of DNA, botany, art & geometry, and robotics. Elementary students and their families participated in hands-on experiences to reinforce science concepts taught in the classroom. Our poster shares the benefits of collaboration that provide learning experiences which students may not have in the classroom. Not only do these activities have benefits for elementary students and their teachers, but it also gives college students experience in how to work with children and conduct impactful science lessons. This experience creates opportunities to build bridges between schools and colleges to learn STEAM together.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science education can be transformed through partnerships between colleges and schools. Elementary teachers sometimes lack time to focus on the subject of science. Colleges can collaborate with schools to give students science learning experiences they may not get otherwise.

SPEAKERS:
Tami Ensor (Westminster College: Fulton, MO), Annette Ramirez (Preservice Teacher/Student: No City, No State), Courtney Street (Student: No City, No State)

Although there is extensive dissemination of the research and results obtained from deep-sea cores within the scientific ocean drilling community, less focus has been placed on the lives and experiences of those carrying out the research, including scientists, technicians, ship’s crew, and shore-based staff. This project documents the stories of those that have sailed on and supported scientific ocean drilling expeditions through a collection of audio narratives that showcase what goes beyond the “science” part of science at sea. By highlighting the human aspect of ocean expeditions and emphasizing the experiences of those involved, we make the field accessible to those who may have previously felt uninterested, disconnected, or alienated. We are also seeking feedback from educators in terms of what additional supporting materials (eg: images and maps, scaffolds, formative and summative assessments) should be added to the project to maximize the benefit to all students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Free multimedia classroom resources, including audio narratives from the people involved in scientific ocean drilling and associated activities and worksheets, allow students to interact with the people who participate in complex science and engage in sensemaking about geoscience concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Maya Pincus (Columbia University / U.S. Science Support Program: Palisades, NY)

In Oklahoma, The University of Central Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University are working to prepare future STEM teacher/leaders by integrating Science Olympiad volunteering into each institution's pre-service teacher (PST) education programs. With partial funding through a grant from the Science Olympiad USA Foundation, the teacher education programs are partnering with the Oklahoma Science Olympiad (OKSciOly) to provide PSTs who serve as peer-mentors to OkSciOly member schools and Event Supervisors for OKSciOly tournaments as a part of their science education program expectations. The program goals are supported by prior studies that indicate that such a program could be associated with improving PSTs’ confidence, increasing opportunities for practicing skills in planning and assessment, and supporting intrinsic motivation associated with coaching Science Olympiad. We will describe the development and activities, and what we learned from PSTs and member schools about the experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how Universities and Science Olympiad can increase STEM education support to local schools and develop capacity within their pre-service teacher candidates to use Science Olympiad’s high quality, NGSS-aligned science, math, and engineering experiences with their future students.

SPEAKERS:
Bob Melton (University of Central Oklahoma: Edmond, 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)

This poster presentation will use the Krebs Cycle of Creativity as created by Dr. Neri Oxman as a framework for a new approach to interdisciplinary sciences. I will explore the intersectionality of art, science, engineering, and design. This will include how the synergy between these disciplines creates opportunities to study how art and design affect our behavior, how design and engineering impact utility, how engineering and science creates knowledge, and how science and art portrays information. I will use examples from my own classes to highlight how the Krebs Cycle of Creativity can provide a new lens to view interdisciplinary teaching in the science discipline. This will include examples of projects, teaching materials, and student samples. Visitors will leave with a tangible understanding of how their school can move away from the siloed STEAM approach and move towards a more holistic approach that connects the many different disciplines of science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Visitors will leave with a new lens to view interdisciplinary science teaching including examples of projects, teaching materials, student samples, and a tangible understanding of how their school can move away from the siloed STEAM approach and towards a more holistic take on teaching science.

SPEAKERS:
Adam Vorel (6th Grade Science Teacher: Webster Groves, MO)

In 2014 Girls Building STEAM was concieved after attending an ISTE presentation. The goal was to do short, fun activities that girls could continue at home, like melted crayon art, air pressure games with cheeseballs, and MAKER activities. Once a month 30 minute meetings grew into weekly 1 hour meetings and stand-alone ideas grew into year-long projects. Along the way, a group of girls took charge and began leading, assisting in grant writing, planning, and teaching. We created a successful year-long fashion program that taught fashion design, jewelry-making, art, and more to bring attention to environmental issues in South Florida. In this session we will share our day plans, month plans, and year plans. You will hear from students and student leaders about why this program is important, and how it has enhanced their learning in school and guided their choices for the future.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain insight on how to start, maintain, and succeed with a student-led club that helps build young ladies into leaders. You will hear from current students and mentors who discovered their love of STEAM, and are now motivated to get others hooked on the fun and learning.

SPEAKERS:
Nancy Penchev (Scheck Hillel Community School: Miami, FL)

A really fun component of my virology course is virus structure. The first time I taught the class ('21), I gave the students a guided tutorial on how to build a viral capsid using very fancy online software. Students really enjoyed this activity, however, they found difficulty understanding the different axes of symmetry that viruses use to create a capsid shell. Therefore, during the second iteration of the course ('22), I created a paper-based icosahedron (a typical shape that viruses use) folding activity so students could orient themselves with a model before doing the more complex online computational building component. This was such a hit that I am currently working on a case study for publication with a student on this activity in particular. For the third iteration of the course ('23), students printed 3-D models of their viruses that truly enhanced learning for this work. I would present overviews of the activities as well as detail the progression of the course.

TAKEAWAYS:
In an effort to facilitate a complete understanding of viral 3-D structure for the development of antivirals and vaccines, students conduct origami paper-folding activities as well as 3-D printing to complement the more rigorous computational methods used in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Lawrence Tartaglia (Teaching Assistant Professor: Bethlehem, PA)

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

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

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

Coaching Science Olympiad 30+ years and my science teaching cousin still a rookie, we offer tips and tricks on team startup or management. Join us to hear how I took a tiny Nebraska school to win B and C Divisions at Regionals my first year at Arcadia. Having been a veteran coach at four public schools, this amazing educational science event molded careers for my students, cousin, and four children. My cousin started a team in western Nebraska which added travel challenges across our state. We will share ideas on how to manage 2 teams of 30+ students to compete in 24+ events that coaches rarely get to see. Nebraska coaches often make tests for 2 events in 4 time slots to judge. Balancing team preparation and meeting NGSS/state science standards is a challenge while teaching a full day with 3-7 preps. The NE Director asked me to mentor more S.O. coaches so here we are. Teachers will be enlightened with a poster, slide show, paper examples and 3-D visuals to help coaches find success.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain ideas to start their own Science Olympiad Team/s. How to select students for various events to earn team points in each, make user-friendly maps with schedules, reminders and information students can follow, and build unity by wearing team designed school shirts .

SPEAKERS:
Marie Wadas (Arcadia Public School: Arcadia, NE)

In this session, participants will consider the ramifications of climate fatigue on generations who are and will continue to be responsible for climate-affecting decisions as scientists and citizens as well as the means to apply social-emotional learning (SEL) to equip educators and students with hope. Participants will explore the benefits (for educators and students) of integrating SEL concepts and benchmarks with the NGSS throughout educator and student learning experiences. We will identify connections between and opportunities for educator- and student-led discussions, advocacy opportunities, and giving educators and students ownership and agency in their learning through utilizing their backgrounds, interests, abilities, and voice. Participants will have access to strategies and tools that support the integration of SEL within climate science instruction and overviews of instructional units that lend themselves to building climate optimism.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a set of strategies and tools to implement with regard to their own relationships with climate science, as well as those they can use with other educators and their students to shift toward hope and advocacy.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Lark (Kognity: Stockholm, 0)

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Models such as diagrams, drawings, physical replicas, mathematical representations, analogies, and computer simulations are helpful tools for representing ideas and developing explanations related to phenomena. This training will introduce educators to the ways in which models can be used to deepen student understanding of scientific concepts. Participants will also identify connections to the use of models in their instruction while examining their state standards and/or frameworks.

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Thompson (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)