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 this poster session, we highlight how two 5th-grade teachers of linguistically diverse students strategically used the Science and Engineering Practice of Developing and Using Models over the course of a physical science unit to increase opportunities for sensemaking with all students. First, we show sample models from multilingual learners across three time points in the unit: initial, revised, and final model. At each time point, we highlight what the teachers did to elicit and interpret student thinking. In particular, we share how “final models” can serve as a more authentic end-of-unit task when an iterative modeling process has been enacted. We describe how the teachers’ own perceptions of modeling changed over the course of the unit. As a result of heightened student sensemaking with the more iterative modeling process, the teachers shifted away from positioning models as products and toward positioning models as evidence of current and evolving sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
By strategically allowing all students, particularly multilingual learners, to develop and use increasingly sophisticated models over time, teachers shifted away from “models as products” and toward “models as evidence of sensemaking.”

SPEAKERS:
Iovanna Williams (Science Teacher: , NY), Adriana Romanzo (Elementary Science Teacher: New York, NY), Abigail Schwenger (Research Associate)

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 complex science standards in elementary school often depends on the amount of background knowledge children have. One way that teachers can help students develop their schema before beginning a new science unit is to provide children with opportunities to build their prerequisite knowledge. This is particularly important when meeting the needs of a diverse group of learners. This session will center around upper elementary curriculum. It will include examples of short (5-10 minute) hands-on activities that can be used in the classroom to help children expand their schema before beginning to learn new science standards. Examples of pre-teaching activities: Ecosystems and Environments: Sorting seeds for a seed dispersal lab. The children notice features of the seeds. Force and Motion: Test the ramps before the activity and discuss independent variables such as ramp height and surface. Earth Systems: Use a sponge puzzle in water to model how tectonic plates move.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with several examples of short, 5-10 minute long, hands-on activities to use in their classroom to help children develop their schema. They will also see examples of student's thinking and sensemaking in science notebooks.

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Sharp-Adamson (Bell Prairie Elem School)

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)

Primary grades (K-2) are a challenge for science education. With the focus on basic literacy and math, there is little time for stand-alone science lessons. Here is one solution. Printable booklets are widely used to teach sight words (the top commonly used 100 words) or how to decode simple letter-sound relationships. With a careful selection of vocabulary words, they can also be used to introduce science ideas. The 5-part lesson 1) previews student ideas (models) and introduces vocabulary; 2) uses the booklet to get students to notice, wonder, and ask questions; 3) investigates a question from 2; 4) makes sense of results from 3 to build a shared model; and 5) assesses abilities to interpret new material using the model. The approach is illustrated with two booklets and lessons. One is on different kinds of leaves (~NGSS K-LS1-1) and one is on the effect of sunlight (NGSS K-PS3-1) which can tie into building a structure to reduce the warming effect of sunlight (NGSS K-PS3-2).

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to create or recognize science literature that clicks with a teacher focused on reading, writing, speaking, and listening. Use that literature to craft a lesson that explicitly connects teaching ELA to student ideas, science ideas, science practices, and sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Jan Weaver (Retired)

Participants will learn about the Authentic Literacy and Language (ALL) for Science curriculum framework and discover how the combination of guided science investigations, mini-lessons on Science-based disciplinary literacy, and science inquiry circles can increase learner performance. Teachers who used lessons using this curriculum framework reported that children demonstrated increased engagement with lessons and improved their language skills as they began to read, write, and think like scientists. They also found that children performed better overall on assessments of science concepts, attributing the use of collaborative learning teams that build a community of science practice as a factor. Participants will receive a sample lesson from the curriculum and access to the ALL for Science website where they can download FREE resources aligned with NGSS standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how the ALL for Science curriculum framework unifies guided science investigations and science-specific disciplinary literacy to engage learners in the practices of science. Educators will receive a sample lesson from the curriculum and access to free online resources.

SPEAKERS:
Jimmie Thomas (Baylor College of Medicine)

In Wisconsin, 5th-grade students develop models to explain how Earth's systems interact. 10 Milwaukee Public Schools are engaged in Project {FUTURE}; a DOA research and outreach grant as partners with Marquette and Sacred Heart Universities to bring Computer Science into elementary classrooms. A group of these Project {FUTURE} teachers are members of a collaborative cohort developing integrated computer science units. These units embed and bridge Computer Science content, such as algorithms and programming, into other content areas. The highlighted "novel" integrated unit connects the science topic of Earth's systems to the beginning computer programming language of Blockly to create interactive models using CODE.org's Sprite Lab. The culminating project requires students to incorporate research and data gathered on two or more of Earth's systems, and create an interactive app using sprites, variables, and simulations within CODE.org Computer Science Fundamental Course F.

TAKEAWAYS:
The poster session will outline the collaborative process experienced by a cohort of teachers in designing integrated computer science units. The featured Earth's System unit embeds computer science components of programming and algorithms with the WI and NGSS grade 5 standards for physical science.

SPEAKERS:
Renee Scianni (Milwaukee Public Schools: Milwaukee, WI)

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)