2023 Kansas City National Conference

October 25-28, 2023

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

Radio Astronomy in the STEM Classroom - A daytime activity!

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

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Jay McShann B


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

This lesson focuses on radio astronomy data collected with a $50 student-built telescope. The telescope is not needed to do the lesson. Students collect information on the locations of neutral hydrogen. Easy to do and a primary focus of radio astronomy. The data collected can be used in the classroom to teach lessons on the Doppler Effect, Wave behavior, galactic velocity curves, and effects of gravity as well as other science topics. Many physics concepts can be taught in a highly engaging way by studying the concepts found in astronomy. Doppler effect, rotational motion, wave behavior, the EM spectrum are examples. The challenges to doing such lessons is the high cost of the telescopes and the challenges of collecting astronomy data during daylight hours. Plans for building and operating the radio telescope will be provided. Lesson plans for teaching the Doppler Effect via Red Shift/Blue Shift and for teaching how to work with galactic velocity curves will be included.

TAKEAWAYS:
Radio astronomy is done during class time as radio wave detection is not affected by daylight. Students will learn about the unique nature of galactic rotational behavior as compared to circular motion and planetary motion under Kepler’s Laws.

SPEAKERS:
John Clark (Volusia Online Learning: Port Orange, FL)

Rockets and Chickens!

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2209


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

“Rockets Away '' curriculum revealed that the predominantly female staff was uneasy and hesitant to use launching equipment. A “Science Squad” assisted the teachers with the physics knowledge, building, and launching of the rockets. Then the creation of videos to show the proper techniques for rocketry and voice overlay ppt to ensure the accuracy of the physics concepts. Teachers became certified in Rocketry. Many 3rd-grade teachers provided inquiry science in the form of dioramas for their life science unit. The introduction of “Chickquest” was essential to providing inquiry-based learning. Early on, a “Science Squad” dressed in white coats, funny chick glasses, and hats assisted the teachers in the classroom with setting-up incubators, candling eggs, and troubleshooting student questions to WebCams for students to witness the live hatching 24/7. These STEM activities evolved into humanity lessons such as students reading to the chicks and sharing their hatches with each other.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to leverage technology & personnel for elementary teachers to engage students in authentic science and engineering concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Johnna O'Neal (Instructional Specialist: No City, No State), Katrina Halasa (Akron Public Schools: Akron, OH)

Intentional Art Integration

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2208


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

The presenters will share the development of an elementary science lesson that incorporates art into science as a meaningful tool, not a fun supplemental activity. Participants will then complete the example activity that involves developing a solution to a real-world problem using a combination of science and art knowledge and skills. At the conclusion of the example activity, the presenters will provide information on the development of the activity and participants will have the opportunity to begin developing their own science and art-infused lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
Art does not have to only be a supplemental activity that is added after a science lesson, it can be an integral part of a STEAM lesson.

SPEAKERS:
Amber Mintert (Associate Professor of Art: Joplin, MO), Laura Schisler (Missouri Southern State University: Joplin, MO)

Expanding STEM and Health Science Opportunities: California Northstate University's Outreach Programs Empowering Middle and High School Students and Teachers

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2201


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

California Northstate University College of Health Sciences offers several outreach programs supporting middle and high school students and teachers. Our outreach goals are to expand opportunities, interest, and awareness for students interested in pursuing careers in the STEM and health science professions and to increase and diversify the pipeline of students with access to these career opportunities. Currently, we have 3 active outreach programs engaging the regional communities: Biology Education to Careers, Institute for Chemistry and Physics for Middle School Science Teachers, and Student Powered Activities for Reach Knowledge. Over 400 students have participated in our various outreach programs, and we have added over 50 educators to our training network. Our regional community school affiliations have grown to over 30. By sharing our outreach experiences, we hope to inspire educators in engaging their regional communities about careers in STEM and health science professions.

TAKEAWAYS:
California Northstate University is dedicated to sharing insights gained from developing and implementing our outreach programs and to offer guidance for educators and institutions that seek to engage their local communities about careers in STEM and health sciences.

SPEAKERS:
Allan Ancheta (California Northstate University: Rancho Cordova, CA)

Expanding Your Teaching Horizons: National and International STEM Educator Study Tours

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2207


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

STEM educators often teach in traditional settings without exposure to innovative teaching methods. Traveling nationally or internationally can offer valuable insights into how other STEM educators use local experiences to teach. This session covers topics such as applying for national and international STEM professional development programs, benefits for educators and students, and strategies to broaden global perspectives through PBL. Participants will also learn how to apply for grants to fund classroom activities and potentially send students on the same experiences. The session provides practical examples and insights to empower participants to take action and apply their newfound knowledge in their communities. By attending, educators can enhance their teaching skills and create long-lasting lesson plans.

TAKEAWAYS:
Enhance teaching skills and knowledge in STEM subjects for better student learning outcomes with effective strategies and resources. Attend this session to discover the benefits of national and international educator study tours for professional development.

SPEAKERS:
Oktay Ince (Horizon Science Academy Columbus High School: Columbus, OH)

Putting the 'E' in STEM

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2102 A


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Even if educators understand the role of an engineer, they often do not know how to teach it at an elementary level. In this session, I will explain the components of the engineering design process, including ask, imagine, plan, create, test, and improve. A comparison will be made between the scientific and engineering design processes. A description of STEM will be presented that centers on the engineering design process. Participants will explore the alignment of the engineering design process and the next-generation science standards. A simple STEM project will be analyzed through the engineering design lens in order to identify potential adjustments to foster the inclusion of critical thinking of an engineer.

TAKEAWAYS:
What is engineering, and how can it be used to enhance my STEM teaching?

SPEAKERS:
Erika Neuman (University of Texas at San Antonio: No City, No State)

STOM: We Built a Zoo!

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 G


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

To get kids excited to come to school, we built a School Zoo with 113 small animals that is run by an Animal Science elective class and student zookeepers. The students learn and run everything, including tours to over 3,000 elementary students. We will discuss the zoo and how to replicate it.

TAKEAWAYS:
Create a classroom or school zoo where your students become advocates and leaders while they learn by solving practical STEM related daily issues that come up.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Szydlowski (Jefferson Middle School: Columbia, MO), Mike Szydlowski (Science Teachers of Missouri: Columbia, MO)

Ready, Set, Launch Students into Engineering Design!

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2102 A


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Participants learn hands-on how to engage students in a STEM design challenge. They discover the importance of research through experimentation while investigating 4 variables that affect a straw rocket’s flight. They’ll create a series of straw rockets, testing each variable through launching. Participants will learn strategies to teach students measurement and data collection skills with any experimental design process for any level; whether that is beginning measurement in Pre-K and K to the importance of significant figures in measurement with high school. Teachers will experience strategies for classroom data analysis and use this in their ultimate challenge: designing and engineering the ideal straw rocket to test in a distance competition. Teachers will learn strategies to differentiate this concept in any K-12 classroom and see testimonials on this from the Air Camp Programming and Teacher Air Camp alumni.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn hands-on strategies to help students develop measurement, data collection, and analysis skills they can apply in engineering design lessons. You will learn methods to differentiate this in any K-12 setting and leave with free resources for your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Stormer (3-6 STEM Teacher/ Elementary and Teacher Curriculum Specialist, Air Camp USA: Union, OH), Christina Davis (Air Camp USA, Inc.: Dayton, OH)

Dark matter and the fourth form of circular motion

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

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Bennie Moten


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

A lab done in science classes leads students to discover that the force of a hanging mass can be offset by the force of a spinning mass, finding equilibrium between centrifugal force and gravity. Discover how that same physics principle used in astronomy applies to the rotation of the Milky Way and led to the discovery of Dark Matter. Students will compare their calculations for circular and planetary motion with those for the rotation of the galaxy as collected by radio astronomer’s plotting the movement of neutral hydrogen. How will your students react when they discover these calculations don’t match? Learn how to lead your students through a discussion of the world of radio astronomers who grappled with the same problem when their data did not align with the laws of physics. The explanation became a new field in cosmology – the study of dark matter and dark energy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students will learn that galactic rotational motion follows different rules than either circular motion or Kepler’s planetary motion laws. This led to the discovery of dark matter.

SPEAKERS:
John Clark (Volusia Online Learning: Port Orange, FL)

Bridging Science To Engineering: Biomimicry

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2204


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Going from pure to applied science is an emphasis today. STEM makes science applicative. A competitive workforce and making science relevant are reasons for making applicative connections. Do these “connective pushes” (e.g., STEM) make studying science for science’s sake worthwhile? We think so. We’ve created a biology-based assignment where students are involved in SEP through biomimicry after first studying seeds. We chose seeds to show how pure science can blend into the applicative sciences for two reasons. The diversity in physical characteristics and the means of transportation open possibilities for creative uses beyond what seeds themselves provide humankind. Using biomimicry as the driving force to incorporate the concept of SEP in lessons works well in the middle grades. Studying science, using argument from evidence, getting an inventive idea, building a prototype, and finishing with an engineered product is possible through biomimicry. The lessons cover about 3 class days.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the processes behind how learning pure science concepts can become STEM, by way of using both biomimicry and SEP in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
William Sumrall (The University of Mississippi: University, MS)

The Community Science and Engineering Walk: Seeing Science and Engineering All Around Us

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2209


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

In this session, I will present The Science and Engineering Community Walk, which engages students in authentic examinations of science and engineering activities in their communities. First, we will discuss the importance of exploring science and engineering practices outside the classroom, especially for students from minoritized backgrounds. Next, I will present the various parts of the activity, which is geared towards developing students’ observation and data collection skills. Third, we will break up into grade level groups to discuss how the Community Walk can be adapted for use in participants’ classrooms and identify focal Next Generation Science Standards. Finally, we will discuss how investigating the scientific and engineering resources of the community, and engaging families and communities in science learning, informs students’ and teachers’ visions for teaching and learning science.

TAKEAWAYS:
How investigating the scientific and engineering resources of the community, and engaging families and communities in science learning, inform students' and teachers' visions for teaching and learning science.

SPEAKERS:
José Rios (University of Washington Tacoma: Tacoma, WA)

STEM SAIL Ohio: Program Successes for Science Learning Connections

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

Kansas City Marriott Downtown - Truman A


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

STEM SAIL Ohio project team members will share how this grant-funded work is supporting science education in Ohio through focused regional partnerships. The discussion will include topics like: The Appalachian STEM Collaborative, a STEM Ecosystem that serves some of Ohio’s neediest students and has demonstrated exceptional growth in the wake of COVID-19. The DreamSTEM Educator Summer Externship Program, where teachers participate in business and industry activities and learn how those roles connect with their own content area. “STEM Stories” of teachers like Mark, a computer science teacher at an Ohio high school whose Game Design students are developing job training simulations for a local factory. Participants will see the immense value of cross-sector collaboration to advance classroom and workforce connections in STEM fields. They will be inspired to seek professional and industry connections to strengthen the classroom-workforce pipeline in their own schools and communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the STEM SAIL Ohio project from the perspective of program designers, STEM ecosystem partners, and Ohio educators. They will hear examples of activities designed to support teachers and student success, and will be encouraged to connect with their nearest STEM ecosystem.

SPEAKERS:
Sadie Norwick (TIES: No City, No State), Christa Krohn (Director of Learning Systems: , OH)

STEAM-ing Every Lesson, NGSS Style

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2208


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

If NGSS lessons address all aspects of STEAM in every lesson, students will actively engage & be excited every day. Post lockdown, classroom challenges include apathy and pushback, but if students have an expectation of coming to a classroom where they will be advancing, engaged, and busy, and let’s say it-- having fun (!), students achieve at high levels. In this presentation, five mini-unit lesson plans are presented with all 5 STEAM facets incorporated into each. The five lessons cover different MS DCI’s, with their SEP & CCC’s. Example: MS-PS1-3 & MS-ESS3-3. Lesson starts with mini-Math (M) review/game on density mathematics, Jeopardy style. Followed by a short experiment/exploration/play time with floating objects in water (S), (they separate by density, floating or sinking). Then small group online explorations (T), of kinds of plastics & objects contained in Great Ocean Garbage Patch (GOGP), how they got there, etc. Then do posters or presentations using art, (A) on findings.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will take home 5 examples of lessons which utilize a basic STEAM lesson plan template, which will make NGSS Science lessons fun and fast-moving, while incorporating every aspect of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics (STEAM). These are all Monday-doable!

SPEAKERS:
Julie A. Smith (Lennox Middle School: Lennox, CA)

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)

STEM for Special Populations

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2102 A


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Many educators do not utilize integrative STEM to its full potential. Integrative STEM benefits all students but can be especially impactful for gifted learners for whom academics come easy and struggling learners who constantly overcome failures. When STEM is done in homogeneous groups, students often contend with collaboration challenges and are forced to compromise. When working in heterogeneous groups, it is often the struggling students who are able to persevere in the face of failure and adversity that serve as leaders. In this session, attendees will be presented with the benefits of integrative STEM for their diverse learners. Examples of the positive impact it has on struggling learners and high achievers will be shared. Finally, attendees will leave with ideas about how to implement integrative STEM in their own classrooms based on their individual needs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how integrative STEM benefits all students when done collaboratively.

SPEAKERS:
Erika Neuman (University of Texas at San Antonio: No City, No State)

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)

STEM Education for Rural Communities – the Mobile Maker Lab

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2207


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

STEM Education in rural areas needs to meet students where they are at, not push progress and advancement by utilizing non-relatable curriculums and extensions. Rural community culture needs to be recognized and respected as well as incorporated into STEM learning in order to achieve the most beneficial outcome for the student. The GO STEM Mobile Maker Lab is using & developing curriculum influenced by students and supported by teachers to elevate rural STEM Education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Awareness and insight into exploratory STEM education methods and tools designed to enhance classroom experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Kyle Koyle (GO STEM: La Grande, OR)

K-5 STEAM Labs: From Grassroots Beginnings to Systemic Implementation

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2202


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

The vision of the Fairport STEAM Lab is to support, challenge, and prepare all Fairport students to be Future Ready. We believe that by engaging with curricular and extracurricular projects and inquiries, students will utilize their innate creativity to actively construct knowledge. Students engage with materials and technologies that help them share their learning and tell their stories. The Labs are a place for young people to develop skills that they can transfer to other parts of their lives as they prepare themselves for the future. The presenters will share our experience with building a Lab with attendees that are interested in creating them in their districts and how we have expanded our work to other area districts. We will explore how our curriculum is scaffolded to increase levels of sophistication regarding engineering design, computer science, and digital literacy concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with recommendations for creating STEAM Labs in their districts based on the blueprint that Fairport used to launch Labs that incorporate the NGSS Engineering Design standards, Computer Science and Digital Fluency Learning Standards, and a focus on social-emotional learning.

SPEAKERS:
Travis Wood (Fairport Central School District: No City, No State), Kristin Larsen (Honeoye Falls- Lima CSD: Honeoye Falls, NY)

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)

Adding an Innovations Class To Your Elementary School

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2105


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

This presentation will give an overview of how to incorporate an Innovations Technology STEM class into the elementary building schedule. This STEM and engineering course has been offered for grades K-5 at Orchard Farm School District in St. Charles Missouri for years. Often science is overlooked in the elementary school schedule and is often pushed to the side for more time for ELA and mathematics, especially after the Covid-19 pandemic. This course has enabled our students to stay ahead of the curve as engineering scientists, and this presentation will enable participants to ask questions, explore curriculum, as well as give benefits they could bring back to their buildings to incorporate a class like this at their schools. Participants will explore how NGSS standards, makerspace opportunities, and CS curriculum are all used to build a creative curriculum to engage the littlest scientists on a consistent basis!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn the characteristics of Orchard Farm School District's Innovation Technology class at the elementary level, including curriculum ideas, ways to build the course into an existing schedule, and STEM and NGSS implications!

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Tackett (Innovations Technology Teacher: , MO)

STEM Strategies for Developing Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, and Resilience

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 C



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

STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

This presentation explores transdisciplinary STEM strategies that foster critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration, and resilience in students. The session will focus on providing learning opportunities that prioritize contexts of societal relevance and student/community interests, while highlighting the importance of having the skills and knowledge necessary to solve real-world problems. Participants will learn about phenomenon-based learning, unit planning with NGSS, inquiry-based lesson planning, and other strategies that promote student-centered learning. The presentation will also showcase strategies for integrating science, technology, engineering, and mathematics into the learning experience, emphasizing the importance of inclusive practices that recognize and value diverse perspectives. Through this session, participants will gain insights into how to create more inclusive and equitable learning environments in STEM education.

TAKEAWAYS:
This workshop focuses on equipping students with skills to solve real-world problems in STEM fields through relevant learning opportunities, effective tools and strategies, and the integration of 21st century skills.

SPEAKERS:
Kara Ball (Academic Officer: , MD)

Using Fish in a Tree (Lynda Mullaly Hunt) to Incorporate STEM into Literacy

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

Kansas City Convention Center - 2208


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

Using a story, such as Fish in a Tree, that is already being used in the classroom as the structure and inspiration for STEM-related activities is one way to incorporate additional time into the week for STEM. Some of our school districts have 45 minutes every other week dedicated to Science, so the idea is to incorporate scientific thinking and activities into the Literacy and Math blocks. Fish in a Tree is a perfect example of ways to incorporate science habits of mind from a non-science specific book. In this presentation, attendees will explore connections between the three dimensions of NGSS through the lens of literature, including the tools to create questioning strategies and prompts to incorporate into any book they and their students are reading. This session will provide attendees with the skills to take any reading and layer science and engineering into the context of the literature.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will take a deep dive into ways to incorporate aspects of three-dimensional science instruction through questioning strategies and activities using Fish in a Tree as the example literature. These strategies can be applied to any book you use with your students.

SPEAKERS:
Heather Summers (Project ECHO for Education)

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)

Science in Our Community: An Interdisciplinary STEM Unit on Viruses, Wastewater, and Public Health

Saturday, October 28 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2502 A


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

The presentation begins with an introduction to our NIH interdisciplinary initiative followed by an overview of the unit. This phenomenon-based unit is composed of 6 3D lessons aligned with the NGSS. Participants will engage in various science and Nature of Science activities focusing on how to support students in developing informed views about science. Presenters will share examples of actual student work, teacher feedback and other relevant artifacts. Activities include interactive Jamboard on living and nonliving things exploring viruses, sharing what students from our study know about coronaviruses, tackling the misconception of "COVID-19 is just the flu", and modeling viral spread using a simplified mathematical model for high school. Finally, examples of actual student’s public health reports connecting wastewater surveillance to community decision making will be showcased. The presentation will end with a discussion on adoption considerations for others and future improvements.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engage in a series of interdisciplinary 3-D lessons on science, technology, and public health using relevant phenomena like COVID-19, water quality, & wastewater treatment. All supporting documents and activities will be shared with the participants. Examples of student artifacts will be showcased.

SPEAKERS:
Sagan Goodpaster (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY), Jeff Chalfant (Ph.D. Candidate), Sahar Alameh (University of Kentucky: Lexington, KY)

Drilling for Stardust in the Ice Core Record, A.K.A. The Mystery of the Missing Supernova

Saturday, October 28 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
https://chandra.si.edu/edu/
Ice Core Investigation Jamboard Version
Ice Core Records Kansas City.pdf
Ice Core Student Handout.pdf

STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

The GISP2 H-Core was collected in 1992 adjacent to the Greenland Ice Sheet Project Two (GISP2) drill site. The GISP2-H 125.6-meter firm and ice core is a record of 430 years of liquid electrical conductivity and nitrate concentrations. The liquid electrical conductivity sequence contains signals from a number of known volcanic eruptions that provide absolute dates. The terrestrial and solar background nitrate records show seasonal and annual variations and unique events. Several major nitrate anomalies within the record do not correspond to any known terrestrial or solar events, and there is compelling evidence that some nitrate anomalies within the GISP2 H-Core could be a record of supernova events. This investigation provides participants with a better understanding of the scientific process of analyzing data, developing models, constructing knowledge, and defending the results. Sometimes there is no answer key. This investigation is closely aligned with NGSS cross-cutting concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
In constructing knowledge, there is no definitive answer, only plausible conclusions based on constructing, analyzing, and comparing data and research from multiple disciplines. This investigation provides a better understanding of the scientific process of developing models and defending results.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Young (NASA/NSO/UoL Program Manager: Laughlin, NV)

Creating STEM Pathways for All

Saturday, October 28 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2205


STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

In this presentation, we will be reviewing how our district has built a STEM Pathway program that has developed a community of STEM learners and led to the creation of programming opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom that builds knowledge of STEM careers, foster STEM skills, and ultimately begins to create a community of real-world problem solvers. In addition to discussing the programs, we will discuss how we have leveraged community resources, how the program has branched out to create other unique STEM opportunities for our students and has ultimately allowed us to close the gender gap for STEM in our schools, reach our diverse population, and promote our founding belief that STEM is for all.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with resources and tangible ways to build a STEM community and provide a variety of opportunities for all students to participate and deepen their understanding of the STEM field.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Curtiss (Coordinating Supervisor of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Business: Parsippany, NJ), Rachel Villanova (Parsippany-Troy Hills Township Schools: Parsippany, NJ)

Elementary Instruction: Now STREAMing

Saturday, October 28 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 2103 C



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
STREAM Unit Planning - Exploring Ecosystems.pdf
STREAM Unit Planning - Exploring Shapes in Nature.pdf
STREAM Unit Planning - Solar Car.pdf

STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

During this session, we will look at various units of study appropriate for 3-5 grade curriculum and how all the contents interconnect. Lessons will focus on Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Arts, and Math integration. Samples of Lessons will be shared and participants will be asked to share how they are currently implementing STEM, STEAM, or STREAM lessons in their classrooms. Strategies that help students make connections between content areas and with the real-world help to drive a deeper understanding and allows students to build on their interests and wonderings. Now STREAMing lessons drive creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will see examples of how to break lessons down into the STREAM elements while making connections with interdisciplinary standards.

SPEAKERS:
Tara Burnham (Assistant Professor of Education)

High Altitude Ballooning to Engage All Students

Saturday, October 28 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 1501 A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
205702main_Bag_Ballons.pdf
Activity to demonstrated bouyancy
balloon_program_fact_sheet_4 (1).pdf
balloon_science_science scope.pdf
Article on Balloon Science from Science Scope
buildasatellite_worksheet.pdf
Activity to aid in planning
Copy of tst1501_29 (1).pdf
Near Space Science - TST Article from Jan 15
HAB at HHS sample files.pdf
sample documents
HAB Training Videos (1).docx
Training Videos
jcst1402_26.pdf
Journal of College Science Teaching article on ballooning.]
NASA BEST Engineering Framework (1).pptx
A help for teaching engineering design
NASA_20230208_Workshop_scientific_balloons (1).pptx
An introductory Powerpoint on HAB
tst0801_37.pdf
Student's at the Edge of Space from TST

STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

The presentation will cover the basics of high-altitude ballooning as done at Fort Hays State University. Attendees will be introduced to the FHSU website that we use with school groups who contact us to help with their launch. These cover physics and chemistry involved in launching a balloon, the FAA rules, where to find materials, tracking and recovery systems, designing an experiment, and processing data. We will also introduce the teachers to the technology that can be flown to collect data which includes cameras, data loggers, and how to make and code data collection devices with Arduinos. The presentation will include information about NASA resources on high altitude ballooning. We will also share the high school curriculum developed by Shepherd-Adams that she uses in her classroom for an aeronautics CTE course. Examples of student projects and presentations will be presented. The project aligns with NGSS standards related to engineering, earth and space science, as well as physi

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to prepare and launch a high-altitude balloon that integrates science and engineering.

SPEAKERS:
Cheryl Shepherd-Adams (Teacher: Hays, KS), Paul Adams (Fort Hays State University: Hays, KS)

Leveraging the Humanities to Increase Global Stewardship and Agency in the Earth Science Classroom

Saturday, October 28 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Featured Works and Bibliography - Humanities and Climate Change

STRAND: STEM Haven

Show Details

The session will suggest ways in which to reach out of the science classroom and into the heart to connect climate science to the human factor of the climate crisis. Specific pieces of writing (fiction and essay), art, photography, poetry, music, and multimedia will be shared with audience members. These will be provided as examples of the science-humanities connection and how to leverage the emotions present in the work to underscore the severity of the climate crisis. The presentation will suggest entry points in the NGSS Standards to integrate the interdisciplinary approach. The session will also highlight artwork from diverse cultures, some of which will feel the impact of Climate Change earlier than industrialized nations (i.e. Marshallese or other Pacific Islanders). Resources and lists of potential works linked to Climate Change will be provided so attendees may select the works that would best connect to their unique student populations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers can use writing, art, photography, poetry, and other forms of expressions from our global culture to supplement a student's scientific understanding of the potential and current effects of Climate Change. If you humanize the problem, advocacy follows.

SPEAKERS:
Peter Knutson (Department of Defense Education Activit;y: No City, No State)

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