Participants in this session will be introduced to the Shared Waters curriculum, a classroom-ready, watershed-focused, 10-lesson unit. This presentation will provide attendees with a brief overview of the unit exploring overall content, learning goals, lesson resources, and the culminating student-driven action project. During the workshop, participants will engage in a hands-on activity that explores watershed boundaries and how pollution enters waterways via stormwater runoff. There will be a demonstration of pervious vs impervious surfaces and a showcase of an online learning tool titled 'runoff simulator' that connects the two activities. Finally, presenters will highlight the culminating student-centered action project and how the Shared Waters curriculum guides educators through the process with students. All participants will have free access to the Shared Waters curriculum, including all lesson plans, worksheets, and PowerPoint slides.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn more about this curriculum while participating in a hands-on watershed activity and demonstrations exploring pervious and impervious surfaces' connections to waterway health. We'll tie it all together with an easy-to-implement student-centered action project that can be completed in one day.

SPEAKERS:
Liz Fulton (Graduate Assistant: Millersville, PA)

In this session educators will be presented with the following equity frameworks: (1) Equity and NGSS, (2) Inclusive Ed Tech, (3) Culturally Responsive and Sustaining STEM, (4) Anti-Racist STEM, and (5) Environmental Justice. Educators will work in small groups to learn more about their equity framework of choice and summarize their learning for a larger group. Next, groups will unpack equity moves to identify how they support or hinder equity work through the lens of the framework they selected and identify next steps. By the end of the session, each group will share out actions they can take in their classroom to create a more equitable STEM classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will leave with knowledge of equity frameworks and unique next steps that can be implemented into their classroom for a more equitable, inclusive, culturally responsive, and anti-racist classroom community.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Houston (STEM Ed Innovators: Saratoga, CA)

Science writing is an essential part of authentic science. However, both perception and reality suggest that science texts of various genres are difficult and challenging for many students. What can a teacher do to help students meet challenges so that they can realize the beauty and significance of pivotal works in the history of science, groundbreaking contemporary research, and the deep reflections found in scientific creative non-fiction? In this workshop we will try out techniques based on cooperative groups who create graphic narratives and lay summaries. An assortment of texts will be available to explore, like the concluding paragraph to Darwin’s Origin of Species and the story of Carbon by Primo Levi. Experience in the classroom will be shared where understanding of the texts is achieved by students, including reluctant readers and English language learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Great, significant, and sometimes difficult written works in science can become accessible to students through cooperative groups, graphic narratives, and lay summaries.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Frazier (retired)

The Smoky Mountains STEM Collaborative is a STEM learning ecosystem in rural western North Carolina and has been a NASA Science Activation partner since 2016. We have over a decade of combined experience in assisting educators in utilizing NASA resources through a local lens in their classroom and out-of-school-time programs. As a rural region, we are familiar with the difficulty that comes with reaching disenfranchised learners that may struggle with broadband access. Participants will be introduced to a number of resources and hands-on activities they can utilize in low or no-bandwidth areas, as well as partners they can collaborate with in order to broaden and deepen their impact in their classroom and community. We will conduct a few example activities tailored for middle school educators, with suggestions to be scalable for learners in high school, post-secondary, and informal settings.

TAKEAWAYS:
After engaging in some hands-on activities, attendees will leave with access to a digital library of resources as well as personal connections to bring NASA Science into their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Randi Neff (STEM Program Coordinator: Sylva, NC), Matthew Cass (Physics and Astronomy Instructor: Sylva, NC)

Data is key to NGSS. Yet many students struggle to make sense of it. Leaving many of us baffled by what our students do with data and/or confused by the claims they make from graphs. What can we do? Leverage classroom-ready strategies based on what research says about how younger students learn from data! Join us to discuss the data skills our young learners need and try strategies to integrate these skills into whatever your curriculum or platforms. We will explore how such strategies foster science learning for all students and increase students' interest in working with data (from Pre-K to 8th). We will discuss how novices and experts interact with data differently and what that means for our teaching. As we explore classroom-ready resources around data, data visualizations, and instructional strategies to enhance our current K-8 science content instruction and increase our toolkits. Let’s set ourselves and our students up for success by building strong foundations!

TAKEAWAYS:
Acquire skills and resources to unpack strategies for K-8 students to use when interpreting science data and visualizations in our existing curriculum for building data skills.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Hunter-Thomson (Dataspire Education & Evaluation, LLC)

According to recent studies, teaching elementary reading, writing, and math in isolation is not the most effective way for students to learn. We will show how it is possible to develop integrated learning opportunities using all of the subjects as attendees work together to analyze data and primary sources from the 1930's regarding the Dust Bowl in Kansas. Using a jigsaw method, attendees will first be divided into specialties: Horticulturist, Biologist, Geologist, Climatologist, Government employee, Native American, and a monoculture farmer to work together, from their discipline's unique perspective, to investigate how the Dust Bowl could have been avoided. They will analyze soil samples, graphs, charts, weather patterns, etc. and come to conclusions. Each member of the group will then be assigned a new group that includes one member from each discipline to present and share their perspectives with others in order to design a solution for the droughts being experienced in the 21st century.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to integrate historical problems, primary source analysis, and STEM practices in engaging and meaningful ways to reinforce student learning as they work together to explore and debate possible solutions from multiple perspectives to prevent another Dust Bowl like the 1930's.

SPEAKERS:
Deborah Draper (Cedar Ridge Elementary School: Cedar Hills, UT), Julie Siebach (Retired Teacher: Cedar Hills, UT)

Participants in this session will learn about NASA’s Heliophysics Big Year (Oct 23-Dec 24), including an annual eclipse, a total eclipse, and the culmination of the Parker Solar Probe Project. Learn the basic mechanics of how and why eclipses occur while engaging in low-cost and hands-on activities such as Sun Paper, UV Beads and Solar Radiation, and how to make a cereal box viewer. Attendees will enjoy engaging activities while learning about the next total solar eclipse on April 8, 2024. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth and completely blocks the face of the Sun. Those in the path of totality will experience a total eclipse and the sky will become very dark as if it were dawn or dusk. If the skies are clear, people can even see the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona, with their own eyes. Learn about these solar eclipses as well as NASA’s Solar Eclipse Toolkit, including lesson plans, activities, safety guides, videos, and so much more!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about the upcoming solar eclipse, explore resources within NASA STEM’s Solar Eclipse Toolkit, learn how to view the eclipse safely with their students, and walk away with standards-aligned hands-on activities that can be shared with students in both formal and informal settings.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Sagirah Wheeler (NASA Education Specialist: No City, No State), Monica Uribe (NASA Education Specialist)

NGSS emphasize the integration of disciplinary core ideas, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices in ways that reflect real-world practices. Integration has shown to enhance students' interest in multiple content areas, improve their attitudes toward the discipline, and develop life-long learning skills. Integration can be challenging without proper support and resources. The Task Analysis Tool (TAT) is a graphic organizer tool and a practical process that supports the meaningful, intentional, and purposeful integration of content and skills within a lesson. The TAT has proven to be beneficial for designing student-centered lessons, identifying integration points, and collaborating with others. This 60-minute workshop proposal aims to provide participants with an opportunity to learn about the TAT, its significance, related research, potential applications, and to interact with the tool by applying it to their personal lesson or activity.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants in this workshop will gain knowledge of the TAT; how it can be used and applied in their personal contexts. In addition, participants will be given digital and physical resources, including their own adaptable TAT that they can take with them and use immediately in their own classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Britt Miller (George Mason University)

The Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry are important topics that should be explicitly taught to students, because research tells us that students do not implicitly pick up on the ideas of NOS through just engaging in science. They must engage in direct conversations and activities that address what Science is and how it operates. These conversations should be grounded in accessible phenomena and activities so every student has the opportunity to develop their understanding. The NOS is foundational to being able to engage effectively in science and understanding science at is most basic and conceptual level, as emphasized by the K-12 Framework and NGSS. This session will share some simple activities through rotation stations that can quickly be used throughout the course of a science class to help students discuss and engage in ideas about the Nature of Science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. It is important to explicitly teach the nature of science to students; 2. The nature of science should be presented in an accessible way to all students; and 3. Attendees will walk away with activities they can use in their class immediately to teach the NOS.

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

The EYE curriculum unit was co-created by middle school science teachers and architectural studies and science education faculty with the goal of improving students’ energy literacy and energy conservation practices. It consists of four modules that span six weeks of classroom instruction. The modules include investigations on energy and energy systems, natural and artificial lighting, building heating and cooling, and a capstone engineering project that guides students in designing a new classroom. The unit is place-based, using the local school building as a source of shared student experiences to connect to abstract energy concepts. Our workshop will overview the EYE unit structure and rationale and cover some of the key energy and architecture concepts embedded in the unit. We will provide hands-on experiences and a venue tour to model how building features can be leveraged to teach fundamental energy concepts in a real-world context for improved student engagement and learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Our workshop venue will allow us to model how the EYE unit leverages tangible building features to enhance students’ understanding of abstract energy concepts. Attendees will receive a link to EYE’s classroom-ready materials, including engineering game cards, a budget spreadsheet, and slide decks.

SPEAKERS:
Meera Sood (Smithton Middle School: Columbia, MO), Suzy Otto (University of Missouri)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Presenting a compelling phenomenon or design challenge requires framing a question and choosing material carefully. Building a storyline requires testing out a launch of a unit to anticipate student questions about it, and first identifying what students will figure out in each lesson of a unit before it occurs.

SPEAKERS:
Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO)

In this session, teachers will explore the concept of wonder and how it can be applied to teaching and learning. Through activities and discussion, teachers will gain an understanding of the importance of wonder in the classroom. Educators will also learn how to embed wonder into their lessons through creative strategies, such as using hands-on activities, engaging visuals, and technology-based activities, focusing deeply on making space for student sensemaking and exploration. Additionally, teachers will explore how to connect wonder to curricular standards and create lesson templates that promote exploration and discovery. Teachers will also reflect on what they have learned and brainstorm ways to implement a culture of wonder in their classrooms. AND HAVE A GOOD TIME DOIN' IT

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave the session understanding how sensemaking is supported through our NGSS standards. They will have time to explore and understand methods that inspire student thinking and wonder.

SPEAKERS:
Jacey Suda (John Thomas School of Discovery Partner School: Nixa, MO), Hannah Buckner (John Thomas School of Discovery Partner School: Nixa, MO)

Incorporating social studies and history into STEM education doesn’t have to be difficult. Situations and events from the past can be used to present phenomena to students. Explore how you can use real world events and situations from World War II to engage your students with observable phenomena. In this workshop session led by an educator from The National WWII Museum, educators will explore how to incorporate a story, situation, or event from WWII into a phenomenon that meets NGSS standards. All of the activities also have a reading to accompany them for an added literacy component. The stories and activities will all come from our free curriculums: Little Engineers and Real World Science. Attendees will receive a hard copy of each curriculum. During this workshop, the activities demonstrated will feature Victory Gardens (parts of plants, growing seeds) and Earn Your Wings (engineering challenge with paper airplanes) activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Incorporating social studies and history into STEM education doesn’t have to be difficult; situations and events from the past can be used to present phenomena to students.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Goodner (Assistant Director of K-12 Programs: New Orleans, LA)

Digitized versions of Thomas Jefferson’s weather journal, Robert Hooke’s first drawings of cells, photographs from the Dust Bowl, and historic newspaper accounts of electric cars all provide opportunities to understand how scientists and engineers think, practice, and apply scientific principles in the real world; how scientific ideas evolve over time; and how science and engineering are related to society. The Library of Congress has millions of free primary sources online. This workshop will focus on how analyzing such sources can help K-12 teachers meet standards and teaching goals, particularly around the nature of science, practices of scientists, and how science, technology, and society interact. Library education experts will facilitate hands-on activities using primary sources and share ways teachers nationwide have used them. Participants will also leave with strategies for using primary sources to develop critical thinking skills and highlight interdisciplinary connections.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to access millions of free digitized primary sources and practice hands-on strategies for using them to promote critical thinking skills and a deeper understanding of real-world scientific practices, the nature of science, and connections between science and society.

SPEAKERS:
Kelsey Beeghly (Einstein Fellow: Altamonte Springs, FL), Michael Apfeldorf (Library of Congress: Washington, DC)

This session consists of a student facing experience in which participants will engage in a sample lab activity followed by a collaborative debrief about the intentional decision making process behind the experience. Participants will leave with an understanding of how they can replicate experiences like this in their classroom, even in the absence of a designated space such as the STEAM Lab. Fairport Central School District has implemented STEAM Labs in each of its elementary schools. The vision is to support, challenge, and prepare all Fairport students to be Future Ready. By engaging with curricular and extracurricular projects and inquiries, students will utilize their innate creativity to actively construct knowledge. Students are at the center of the learning and are seen and valued for who they are. The Labs provide opportunities for students to tinker with ideas and collaborate with each other, to support the social-emotional and academic development of all learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how the use of criteria and constraints increase student engagement and creativity in the problem-solving process.

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

Problem based learning uses observable events and processes that occur in the world. It is important to provide students with sensemaking opportunities that require them to combine their knowledge about multiple, cross-disciplinary DCIs, science and engineering practices, and cross cutting concepts, and ELA, math, and social studies, to design solutions to a real-world problem. The purpose of this session is to model the intentional combination of multiple disciplines to design a solution to the impact farming can have on the environment. During the session, participants will engage in designing a windmill that will help them reduce the impact of farming on the environment. We will explore the transdisciplinary nature of designing windmills and work in engineering teams to create the most efficient windmill. This presentation provides access to an NGSS Design Badge 5th grade unit, and strategies for combining multiple disciplines to design solutions to real-world problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
The audience will walk away with access to an NGSS Design Badge 5th grade unit that exemplifies strategies for engaging students in real-world problem-solving using multiple disciplines.

SPEAKERS:
Christi Sanderson (mySci Instructional Specialist: University City, MO), Lauren Ashman (Washington University in St. Louis Institute for School Partnership: Saint Louis, MO)

Too frequently, teachers wait until Black History Month to incorporate diversity topics into their curriculum. For this workshop, I will be sharing how to incorporate diversity and equity topics year-round into a STEM program for both lower and middle school students. We will examine different science topics, including my second grade engineering unit, that can seamlessly be included in the science classroom. I will be showcasing some of the work my second, fourth, and sixth grade students have completed. In addition, I will be discussing the latest addition to the sixth grade weather and climate unit: Hurricane Relief and Environmental Racism. Finally, we will be examining the stories that different cultures have composed about the origin of constellations. Participants will have an opportunity to develop their own constellations and to write a story that explains the origin of their star pattern.

TAKEAWAYS:
After this workshop, participants will see how to incorporate diversity and equity topics into their STEM classroom. Teachers will experience some of the lessons my students have experienced and will discover how easily it can be to adapt lessons to celebrate the contributions of many cultures.

SPEAKERS:
Joan Gillman (The Browning School: New York, NY)

As the Clean Air Partners’ Education Program Manager, I will introduce the Clean Air Partners organization, our On the Air © curriculum, and how to navigate and implement the curriculum in science classrooms. There are five modules: 1) Our Lungs, Our Air, Our Health; 2) What’s the Forecast; 3) Air Pollution in the Community; 4) Air and the Chesapeake Bay; and 5) Air and Climate Change. I will explain how modules and lessons are formatted for faster navigation and facilitation. I will also share how to access the lessons for free on our website. Teachers will engage in very brief activities from five selected lessons, one from each module. I will highlight best science teaching practices, such as CER, anchor charts, KWL charts, and other visual thinking routines embedded in lessons. Teachers will have paper copies of the student-facing documents for each lesson and will be encouraged to work together during the session to complete lesson activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to access and teach the free On the Air © curriculum resources to explore air pollution issues and solutions.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Spike (Clean Air Partners)

What started as a silly experiment in a hotel parking lot Parking Lot Science has become a staple in K-6 exploration at John Thomas School of Discovery. Teachers who attend this session will participate in a cooperative, hands-on learning experience that will help showcase the importance of science in elementary education. The session will involve hands-on exploration and simple phenomena to implement in your everyday teaching. The session will then look at how creating a culture of science leads to a larger picture of student exploration and learning. Participants will have an open discussion about the state of science in their schools and the hurdles they face. We will brainstorm ways participants can create a “wonder” week or showcase of science at their school to highlight student learning throughout the year. The session will have singing, dancing, science, wonder, and a whole lot of laughter. Come join in on the learning experience and see what we can do with the power of wonder!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn different unique ways to expose students to wonder, receive ideas to create a culture of learning within their classroom, and participate in hands-on explorations that can be used all year long.

SPEAKERS:
Ryan Mahn (John Thomas School of Discovery Partner School: Nixa, MO), Joe Shaughnessy (John Thomas School of Discovery Partner School: Nixa, MO)

“Raising the Green Roof” is a 4-week interdisciplinary STEM unit developed by university architectural studies and science education faculty working with elementary educators. In the unit, students use place-based strategies to explore how human-built structures impact the environment and then learn that green roof designs can help restore the natural water cycle. Water cycle basics (evaporation, condensation, precipitation) are emphasized as students explore stormwater runoff, test water retention in various soils, model roof design features, and discover the role that plants play in water management. The unit culminates in an engineering design challenge with students building their own miniature doghouses, green roofs included. Our workshop introduces teachers to our unit’s structure and the science and sustainability concepts behind it. Teachers will also have an opportunity to practice several hands-on investigations and modelling activities from the unit’s lesson plans.

TAKEAWAYS:
This hands-on workshop provides an overview of Green Roof lessons and gives participants a chance to practice modelling and engineering investigations from the unit. Educators will learn architectural content knowledge and receive a link to classroom-ready curriculum and teacher support materials.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Zangori (University of Missouri: Columbia, MO), Suzy Otto (University of Missouri)

To analyze data from space and ground-based telescopes, scientists rely on computers, not only to do calculations, but also to change numbers into images. Scientists and programmers go through painstaking calibration and validation processes to ensure that computers produce technically correct images. Visual representation of X-ray data, and radio, infrared, ultraviolet, visible, and gamma, involves the use of representative color techniques where colors in the image represent intensity, energy, temperature, or another property of the radiation. This activity creates models from numerical data. Each model will be unique, depending upon how the photon intensity and energy data was processed – binned and assigned color values – and then analyzed. Artistic representations of this data will be made "by hand" and also by using web-based js9 imaging and analysis software. This is one step in allowing students to do their own astronomy research using real data sets.

TAKEAWAYS:
Scientists learn about astronomical objects from the light they produce. Colors in images are based on data from this light and are used to highlight different features.

SPEAKERS:
Pamela Perry (Lewiston High School: Lewiston, ME)

Opportunities abound for young people to learn about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in a range of settings outside of the classroom. They can engage with STEM in summer camps, after-school programs, Boys & Girls Clubs, and even trendy birthday parties. Numerous studies document the benefits of effective out-of-school STEM learning—e.g., increased interest in STEM, enriched knowledge of STEM ideas, enhanced confidence, and a sense of accomplishment. Given the benefits of out-of-school STEM learning and to increase access to high-quality STEM experiences for our middle schoolers, we developed an after-school program for them to enjoy STEM in engaging, authentic, and relevant ways. We will (1) share the framework/commitments that guided the design of our “Out-of-School and Into STEM” club, (2) model an abbreviated club session, and (3) provide resources for participants that may be helpful in designing their own out-of-school STEM experiences for students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be provided with a framework and resources to guide the design of an out-of-school STEM Club and participate in a design-based club activity.

SPEAKERS:
Raven Brzeszkiewicz (Student: , IN), Jared Simoneaux (Science Teacher: , IN), Megan Johnson (Science Teacher), Lynn Bryan (Purdue University: West Lafayette, IN)

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)

Seaworthy STEM in a Box activities were developed through collaborative efforts between STEM education specialists at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division and master teachers participating in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Albert Einstein Distinguished Education Fellowship Program. Seaworthy STEM endeavors to inspire and prepare the next generation of STEM professionals by supporting teachers’ efforts to engage students – from early childhood through high school – in more hand-on science inquiry and engineering design. Activities are organized around grade bands with Naval-relevant themes and involve simple phenomena that support student sensemaking around key science and engineering concepts. Our workshop will allow teachers to practice several hands-on activities from the Seaworth STEM suite and will provide strategies for classroom integration, including content selection, standards alignment, materials acquisition, and tips for classroom implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this hands-on workshop, teachers will explore several Seaworthy STEM in a Box activities and receive teacher background information on NGSS standards alignment, career connections, and relevant Naval and physical science concepts. Links to classroom-ready lesson materials will also be provided.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Klixbull (Penn State University: No City, No State), Tom Jenkins (Greenon Junior/Senior High School: Enon, OH), Melissa Thompson (Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship: No City, No State), Suzy Otto (University of Missouri)

Are you ready to start inventing with your students but don’t know how to start? Do you have students with innovative ideas who need help protecting those ideas? Intellectual property can be a complex and often confusing topic, but it's essential for students to understand how to protect their own ideas and creations. Many teachers recognize the need to help their students protect their ideas and inventions when they work on science and engineering projects, but may not have a background in IP or the resources to teach it effectively. This presentation will provide an overview of how to teach IP and invention education in science classrooms, with a focus on practical and hands-on activities that engage students. Participants will leave with resources and ideas for incorporating invention education and IP into their own classrooms.This presentation is suitable for science teachers of all levels, from elementary to high school. No prior knowledge of IP is necessary.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with resources and ideas for incorporating invention and intellectual property education into their classrooms. This presentation is suitable for science teachers of all levels, from elementary to high school. No prior knowledge of IP is necessary.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Hoppe (STEMisED, Inc), Kathleen Lanman (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Alexandria, VA)

Research indicates that teachers need to address STEM career awareness and connect to students’ lives. Our goal is to highlight STEM careers/role models across the globe through using children’s books to anchor STEM lessons. The books are chosen to cover various peoples/cultures from around the world. Using books to engage students in thinking about how STEM connects to various cultures across the globe can be a powerful learning tool and can lead to important classroom discourse regarding cultural awareness (Yoon, 2022). For example, Tu Youyou’s Discovery: Finding a Cure for Malaria by Songju Ma Daemicke focuses on returning to Chinese herbal medicine to discover treatment for malaria. In the same manner, One Plastic Bag by Miranda Paul, highlights Istaou Ceesay’s true story from Gambia. The main character in this book started a grassroots movement to recycle plastic bags since they were causing pollution and negatively impacting livestock. Participants will be actively engaged!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in hands-on STEM mini-lessons in small groups. Each participant will explore several picture books highlighting STEM careers and people from across the globe.

SPEAKERS:
Sumreen Asim (Indiana University Southeast: New Albany, IN)

Participants will use light curve graphs and image analysis software tools located on the web to investigate stellar objects at the centers of supernova remnants, and determine if the objects are white dwarfs or neutron stars. Two sets of data from the Chandra X-Ray public archive will be used to plot brightness versus time to determine the rate of rotation of the object. Centripetal acceleration and Newton's Universal Law of gravitation calculations will then be applied. This activity is designed for physics and/or astronomy classes and integrates STEM analysis tools with the crosscutting concepts, physical science core disciplinary content and engineering concepts embodied by NGSS. Students may also use tools learned in this activity to use js9 to do further research projects using publicly available astronomy data sets.

TAKEAWAYS:
Light curves generated from web-based js9 image analysis software can be used to determine the period of rotation and identify objects as white dwarfs or pulsars using Newton’s Universal Law of gravitation and centripetal acceleration calculations.

SPEAKERS:
Pamela Perry (Lewiston High School: Lewiston, ME)

Human activities have caused changes in global temperature and weather patterns. This generation of students will need to understand climate science in order to adapt to this changing environment. In this session, participants will explore a project in which students incorporate engineering and basic coding - no experience necessary. We will use micro:bit technology to connect basic coding commands to collect authentic data using embedded sensors. Participants will use this collected data to modify design solutions based on human vulnerabilities to severe weather. Participants will find ways to expose their students to the engineering capabilities needed to solve problems. This project allows students to compare design solutions to identify which is best for the problem at hand and to experience the interactive process of evaluating solutions. This project allows for the authentic integration of technology, mathematics, crosscutting concepts, science practices, and easy implementation

TAKEAWAYS:
Use technology to expose students to coding and engineering design solutions for severe weather.

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Youngsville, LA), Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Ellicott City, MD)

N/A

TAKEAWAYS:
Phenomena is foundational to science and intellectual pursuits in general! Come make sense of the idea and think about how phenomena-based instruction can engage your students in meaningful learning.

SPEAKERS:
Bill Penuel (: Boulder, CO), Tiffany Neill (Curriculum Project Manager: Oklahoma City, OK)

Working in teams, students take a short analog message and convert it to binary code for cell phone transmission. Students then send those zero’s and one over a carrier wave using a form of amplitude modulation to another team. At the other end the message is decoded and rewritten in analog form. which message was first? How close was it? A discussion of challenges the students’ faced in acting like a DSP (digital signal processor) lets student see some of the challenges of the original binary code and how subsequent forms of coding came about to address some of those challenges. Students discover the binary code they used was Morse code. Students then code and send a different message using the original 5-digit computer code. After racing to send their messages, students are guided through a follow-up discussion on the pros and cons of the new (Baudot) computer code used.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students will understand some of the challenges faced in digital signal processing as sending digital information evolved by completing a lab activity where they will code and decode messages into a digital format for transmission and receiving, similar to how cell phones work.

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

Finding causes, treatments, and cures for diseases is “STEM on the front-lines.” Without all four components of the STEM model firmly set in place, any serious medical research is destined to fail. Sanford Research in Sioux Falls, SD has formed an “all-star research team” that is committed to finding a cure for Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) and Breast Cancer. In this session, we will highlight the progress that is being made in solving the T1D and Breast Cancer puzzles. Using interactive virtual activities, participants will develop an understanding of the difference between a body that is functioning normally and one that has developed T1D or Breast Cancer. We will wrap up the session with a discussion of the paths that Sanford Research is taking in their quest to help cure the disease. All discussion of human anatomy and physiology will be at a gentle introductory level.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using real case studies, attendees will follow the journeys of a breast cancer survivor and a teenage Type I Diabetic, from diagnosis through treatment.

SPEAKERS:
Jeffrey Lukens (Retired Science Teacher: Sioux Falls, SD)

Participants will build their own digital slid whistle. They will experiment with a motion sensor and use that data to convert to sound frequency by creating a regression equation. This activity is a simple one to two day activity that can be completed in the classroom as an enrichment or as a stand alone activity that can be developed over several class sessions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with a simple STEM project that will engage students and can lead to incredible enrichment discussions!

SPEAKERS:
Brad Posnanski (Comsewogue High School: Port Jefferson Station, NY)

In this session educators will be presented with several research-based STEM equity moves that can be used in their classroom. These equity moves fall under the following categories: (1) Equity and NGSS, (2) Inclusive Ed Tech, (3) Culturally Responsive and Sustaining STEM, (4) Anti-Racist STEM. Educators will select an equity move and engage in a Remix Protocol to modify the equity moves to fit their classroom and context, and may even modify an activity, lesson, and/or assessment for their own class. Educators will share their ideas and hear the amazing ideas that their peers developed. All the work will be shared in a Padlet that will be available after the workshop to keep the conversation going! The session is designed in a way that educators will engage in some of the equity moves with a learner lens as they are exploring the equity moves. We will unpack this additional layer when we reflect on the learning activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will leave this session with tangible ideas to increase STEM belonging in their classroom or district.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Houston (STEM Ed Innovators: Saratoga, CA)

eCYBERMISSION is a free online STEM competition for students in grades 6-9 that promotes teamwork, self-discovery, and real-life applications of STEM. The competition’s phenomenon-based learning approach encourages students to investigate challenges in their community while developing critical thinking and problem-solving. We’ll discuss how you can utilize the standards-aligned resources, grants and student awards worth thousands of dollars to engage students. We’ll also form teams to compete in our own mini-eCYBERMISSION competition. You’ll choose a community challenge, develop a plan to explore it and apply STEM concepts throughout the process. The winning team will even walk away with a special prize! This session is aimed at STEM educators who are looking for innovative ways to engage their students. Join us as we discover how eCYBERMISSION can enhance your students' learning experience! eCYBERMISSION is part of the Army Educational Outreach Program and administered by NSTA.

TAKEAWAYS:
eCYBERMISSION is a free, virtual STEM competition for grades 6-9 that is supported by a wealth of standards-aligned resources. Attendees will discover strategies to utilize student-chosen local phenomena as the basis for long-term projects while participating in a rewarding STEM competition.

SPEAKERS:
Carey Dieleman (National Science Teaching Association: No City, No State), Brian Kutsch (National Science Teaching Association, eCYBERMISSION)

Science does not exist in a vacuum. From environmental policy, to public health issues, to the regulation of food, drugs, and dangerous materials, addressing socio-scientific challenges requires an understanding of both scientific concepts and social contexts. Analyzing historical primary sources from the Library of Congress – including photographs, political cartoons, newspapers, maps and more – can provide students with an opportunity to reflect on this interplay between science and society and offer insights into how citizens and scientists have contributed to social change. The Library has millions of primary sources free online. In this workshop, Library education experts will facilitate hands-on activities using select primary sources and share ways that teachers have used them with students. Participants will leave with concrete strategies for engaging students in primary source analysis to build critical thinking skills and deepen their understanding of socio-scientific issues.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to access millions of free digitized primary sources and practice hands-on strategies to help students gain critical thinking skills while they reflect on the connections between science, society, and social change through authentic historical examples.

SPEAKERS:
Kelsey Beeghly (Einstein Fellow: Altamonte Springs, FL), Michael Apfeldorf (Library of Congress: Washington, DC)

SPIN, a FREE web-based notebook created with funding by NSF, has 4 customizable lessons for data-focused investigations in Physics on Centripetal Force, Ohm’s Law, Pendulums, and Impact. Teachers can also input their own lessons into SPIN. One of the teachers who created the lessons in the notebook will be presenting. During the first 30 minutes, presenters will give teachers accounts in SPIN and show how students can use the notebook and the metacognitive support features such as the Communication Hub, I’m Stuck button, and SPAARC prompts. Experiences of teachers and students who have used SPIN will be discussed. In the final 30 minutes, teachers will customize a lesson in SPIN or input their own lessons with help from the presenters. By the end of the session, teachers will be able to use SPIN effectively with the ability to share the notebook with all of the teachers at their school. Use of SPIN is entirely free and is found at https://spin.cehd.gmu.edu/login.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to use SPIN to download and edit a lesson from the Global Marketplace or create their own lesson in SPIN. Teachers who have used SPIN note that it has helped their students understand data practices explicitly.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Barrett (Physics Teacher: Purcellville, VA), Erin Peters-Burton (George Mason University: Fairfax, VA)

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)

Presenters will start by highlighting place based-learning and how to create experiences through hands-on learning using NGSS standards. Then, the presentation will focus heavily on open discussions to answer questions on how we have successfully created STEAM-based projects that integrate all learning areas. Participants will then start creating their own learning experiences for their classroom by focusing on the four major questions of a Professional Learning Community: What will students do? How will they do it? How will we know they've learned it? What will we do if they don't? Last, the focus on how to bridge the gap between passion and standards will help us move forward in the creation of STEAM-based units. Participants will walk away with gained knowledge in NGSS standards, unit creation/template, and a better understanding of place-based and STEAM-based projects.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will collaborate with educators to form learning experiences they can apply in their classrooms, receive a unit template to help organize thoughts, and discuss ways to break out of the traditional mold of education.

SPEAKERS:
Joe Shaughnessy (John Thomas School of Discovery Partner School: Nixa, MO)