In pre-NGSS approaches to science teaching, units were often sequenced based on how experts understand the relationship among concepts. This means that it typically requires an understanding of the concepts being taught to understand why a unit is sequenced the way it is. The result is that the sequence of activities may make sense to a teacher, but doesn’t necessarily make sense to the students. The shift to phenomena-based 3D learning brings the student to the center of the learning and uses their life experiences and approaches to sensemaking to drive the learning. This session will highlight how powerful this shift is for student ownership of learning and general engagement. Additionally, we will describe HOW to make this a reality in classrooms and provide participants with resources and supports to bring this learning to life in their classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
The shift to phenomena-based 3D learning brings the student to the center of the learning and uses their life experiences and approaches to sensemaking to drive the learning forward.

SPEAKERS:
Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: New York, NY)

This is session 1 of 4 in the PL Committee CCCs conference course. It is designed to support K-12. This session is an opportunity for members of NSTA's PL Committee to recruit and connect with fellow NSTA members. Attendees will be introduced to topics included in the conference course highlighting how CCCs are used as tools in service of DCIs and SEPs, student sensemaking, and assessment of CCCs to guide further instruction. Using the Framework progression documents and STEM Teaching Tools, attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate with fellow participants to uncover vertical progressions of CCCs and have tools to use within the classroom to elicit student sensemaking. The PL Committee will utilize research from Jeffery Nordine and Okhee Lee's book, "Crosscutting Concepts: Strengthening Science and Engineering Learning," to ignite the call to action for realizing the power of CCCs.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session is a call to action for realizing the power of CCCs. Attendees will have an opportunity to connect with NSTA's PL Committee, collaborate with fellow science leaders, and leave with an invitation to continue the conference course to further understandings of sensemaking and CCCs.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Abbott (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Kimberley Astle (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction: Olympia, WA), Sharon Cates (Phenomenon Science Education: Amherst, MA), Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA), Leah Litz (Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium: No City, No State)

In this session, participants will learn about the characteristics of high-quality instructional materials, and how to use EdReports’ reports to identify these characteristics in a curriculum adoption process. Participants will participate in a mock materials adoption where they will learn how to use EdReports’ resources to identify priorities and compare and contrast sample programs around the identified criteria. Through this process participants will learn how to effectively read and leverage EdReports reports and how to begin to narrow materials selection through a critical lens, through guided practice and discussion. Finally, we will orient participants to EdReports' complete reviews of instructional materials, existing adoption and selection tools, as well as other resources for making materials selections for their school or classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through engaging in a sample materials selection process, participants will gain an understanding of the characteristics of high-quality instructional materials and how to use EdReports' free resources.

SPEAKERS:
Teresa Eliopoulos (EdReports.org: Alexandria, VA), Sam Shaw (EdReports.org)

The NSTA Sensemaking Tool (adapted from the research-based NGSS Lesson Screener) is designed to help educators be critical consumers of curricular materials as well as create and/or revise science lessons to reflect the instructional shifts required by new standards (sensemaking). Join us to gain experience using the tool and facilitating criteria-based consensus conversations with colleagues.

TAKEAWAYS:
Recognize the critical aspects of sensemaking in a science lesson.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Mathews (NSTA: McLean, VA), Holly Hereau (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Supporting the teacher as the “designer” of science instruction is essential to cultivating a learning environment in the science classroom that leverages sense-making. Participants will learn about “look for’s” for high quality instruction, their implications for evaluation and the value of giving teachers both confidence and inspiration to innovate.

TAKEAWAYS:
Administrators will learn practical ways to support teachers in shifting instructional practices that support the demands of the NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA), Michael Fumagalli (Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning: Glen Ellyn, IL)

This session will help administrators to answer: What should I see and not see in a 3-dimensional science classroom? How do I provide effective feedback to the teacher? How do I support instructional innovation as an instructional leader?

TAKEAWAYS:
Administrators will feel empowered to lead science instruction in their schools, even without a science background.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Fumagalli (Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning: Glen Ellyn, IL)

The negotiation and construction of scientific ideas through talk is a central part of the science learning described in the Framework for K-12 Science. Discussion is the glue that connects science and engineering practices to one another, and it connects those practices to disciplinary core ideas and cross-cutting concepts. But just because it is a key part of the vision, making it a reality in the classroom isn't always easy. In this session, we will dig into the types of discussions and approaches for ensuring they are equitable and meaningful. We will share planning tools, and teaching moves that will support science discussion. Participants will engage in discussion, analyze classroom videos and plan for how they may implement aspects in their own classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Discussion is the way that a classroom community makes sense of what it is investigating, and there are tools and approaches that teachers can use to ensure that all students have access to this sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: New York, NY)

School and district leaders will learn about the variety of professional learning opportunities that NSTA offers, delivered in-person, online, and blended, that give their teachers the power to personalize their learning as well as the ability to learn with their peers. Presenters will share how to utilize NSTA's online learning resources to support in-person professional learning experiences. A few case-studies will be presented representative of different professional learning options available, including coaching, in-person workshops, online book studies, and district/school partnerships.

TAKEAWAYS:
School and district leaders will learn about the variety of professional learning opportunities that NSTA offers, delivered in-person, online, and blended, that give their teachers the power to personalize their learning as well as the ability to learn with their peers.

SPEAKERS:
Flavio Mendez (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

The crosscutting concepts provide a consistent language for student communication. When teachers’ assessment prompts are designed with the crosscutting concepts, the focus of student thinking can be directed to key aspects of the phenomenon or, the system being investigated. Patterns may be used as evidence to support explanations or arguments for the causes of a phenomenon. Participants will explore the progression of Crosscutting Concepts throughout a student’s K-12 career. They will consider phenomenon and discuss several appropriate prompts that bring different CCCs to the forefront (patterns, scale, systems). Participants will review and evaluate sample prompts and responses which employ different crosscutting concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with resources that guide their development and use of Crosscutting Concepts to focus student sensemaking on assessments. These can be integrated with assessment prompts which are aligned to Science and Engineering Practices and Disciplinary Core Ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Abbott (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Sharon Cates (Phenomenon Science Education: Amherst, MA), Leah Litz (Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium: No City, No State)

The three presenters: a classroom teacher, a district science coordinator, and a state science supervisor, will share the different roles and perspectives we each hold in Kansas science education and how that has shaped our different paths to understanding NGSS through collaborative work with each other over the last 6+ years. We will highlight multiple resources that have helped our understanding and implementation of the NGSS in various contexts. During this session, resources will include: unpacking tools, administrative book studies, PLC guidance, and recommendations for how tools might be modified while maintaining integrity of the standards in different contexts.

TAKEAWAYS:
The session will provide resources to collaborate with various stakeholders to improve capacity and efficacy with the NGSS. We will share processes for how we have unpacked the science standards which resulted in better understanding of classroom practices, instruction, & assessment across Kansas.

SPEAKERS:
Meg Richard (Piper School District USD 203: No City, No State), Stephanie Alderman-Oler (Washington High School: Kansas City, KS), Spencer Martin (Kansas City Kansas Public Schools: Kansas City, KS)

Research shows that when students are typically engaged in science class discussions, the teacher asks a question, one student responds, the teacher gives feedback, and the cycle continues. The teacher then only knows about the understanding of science of one student. But what are the other students able to make sense of? This presentation will share with attendees research that was conducted through a dissertation, explicitly looking at talk moves developed by Sarah Michaels and Cathy O'Connor, and how they increased engagement with female students. This presentation will also provide teachers with these talk moves, and tips and tricks on how they can be used in a middle school science classroom, and how they better help students make sense of science phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will takeaway with tips and tricks that will get middle school students engaging in sensemaking discussions. Teachers will be provided with a set of talk moves that can be implemented Monday with students!

SPEAKERS:
Betsy Lawrence (Summit Trail Middle School: Olathe, KS)

In this session, participants will consider three alternatives to traditional multiple-choice pre-assessments: modeling, self-documentation, and class discussions. We will discuss the purpose of pre-assessments as a critical data point for instructional planning, especially with many schools moving towards PLC structures around data cycles. We will see examples of these three alternative strategies for pre-assessment (which can also be used as formative assessment structures). For each assessment structure, we will discuss how to collect and use data. Authentic examples will be provided from the presenter’s middle school and high school classrooms.The session will synthesize and apply ideas from the following ACESSE Stem Teaching Tools: Modeling #8 / self-documentation #31 / class discussions #6, #35 / using pre-assessments #15, #18, #25, #34, #37. These STEM teaching tools will be shared with participants to continue their learning beyond the 60-minute session.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to use different assessment formats to collect data without relying on multiple-choice questions. The assessment formats allow students to use knowledge & experiences of a phenomenon or science idea while providing meaningful information to guide instructional choices.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Alderman-Oler (Washington High School: Kansas City, KS)

In the first part, participants will gain an understanding of how anchor texts are connected to science and engineering practices -- what students do using student work samples and sample anchor texts. First, we will explore the use of concept loading in scientific complex texts through a discussion, examples, and video. We will look at how scientific texts are organized to communicate key ideas through concept loading using text/visual features and text structures such as direct definition context clues through a group discussion. In groups, teachers will dissect a given text to develop a think-aloud to explicitly teach scientific key ideas and concepts using text/visual features. Next, we will compare informational and science fiction text using a model and T-chart for text organization/structure. We will unpack an NGSS standard so participants understand which key concepts and vocabulary must be presented in the given text through a group summary for key takeaways.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers as change agents provide the cultural tools through the modeling of science and engineering practices using literacy strategies. Through modeling, teachers can engage students to interact with complex informational texts for increased sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Birdon (Richwood High School: Monroe, LA)

Using the Disciplinary Core Ideas and a research-based “citizen science” approach, science educators contributed their own test items, and also helped to revise existing test items in order to address crucial issues such as difficulty, gender, and racial/ethnic bias that were present in the item analysis characteristics. We share the analysis and results of these efforts so that educators can assess their own test items to be more inclusive of all students understandings in one of the dimensions of the 3-D approach to learning. Learn what changes contributed to improvement of the item as well as what types of changes or revisions made the item worse than before. We also share results of field testing of these items in student classrooms and discuss the importance of incorporating students’ misconceptions into the response choices to capture their true understanding of science concepts as outlined in the DCIs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn to evaluate assessment questions that you use to assess students’ sensemaking of elements outlined in the NGSS DCIs. Are the questions free of bias, not too difficult, indicative of overall student performance? Do they include common misconceptions that students hold? Access a free resource.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Crockett (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian: Cambridge, MA)

As educators shift their teaching practice to align with the Framework for K-12 Science and the NGSS, they face various challenges and barriers. One pressing challenge is how to align their new approach to teaching and learning with existing assessment and grading systems. In this session, we will provide examples of 3D assessments and associated scoring guidance. Participants will review student work for these sample assessments and identify evidence of understanding. They will collaborate with others in the session and determine how they would give grades based on set criteria. The second part of the session will highlight different approaches to grading based on local grading expectations (e.g., standards-based grading, daily grade requirements, or 100 point-based systems). Participants will leave the session with approaches to assessment and grading that support student sensemaking and honor the diverse resources students bring to the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
The process of giving feedback and assigning grades is easier when there are strong materials and assessments to build from, and technology can help make it faster without decreasing effectiveness for students.

SPEAKERS:
Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: New York, NY)

Educators have struggled with maintaining student engagement in science, especially as students transition from primary to middle school and upper grades (Vedder-Weiss & Fortus, 2012). With the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards, teachers are looking for curricula to support its implementation. Two curricula, mySci 5E and OpenSciEd storylines, were compared in terms of student academic achievement and attitudes toward science. The research questions were: (1) To what extent is there a difference between achievement in science by eighth grade students experiencing the OpenSciEd storyline science curriculum and those experiencing MySci 5E as measured by end of unit assessment scores? (2) To what extent is the difference between attitudes towards science by eighth grade students experiencing the OpenSciEd storyline science curriculum and those experiencing MySci 5E as measured by My Attitudes Toward Science (MATS) surveys (Hillman et al., 2016)?

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will hear about the results of the study and potential impacts of the perception of coherence on students’ academic achievements and attitudes toward science. Implications for future research will be discussed.

SPEAKERS:
Nina Blanton (Educator: , MO), Nicole Vick (Northwestern University)

Helping students make sense of science means planning for high-quality science experiences that engage students in all three dimensions of the NGSS. This session focuses on exploring the ASET 3-D Mapping Tool as a mechanism for planning lesson sequences and units that integrate the Science and Engineering Practices, Disciplinary Core Ideas, and Crosscutting Concepts as outlined in the Framework (NRC, 2012). The presenter will lead the participants in analyzing an existing 6-8 curriculum with respect to the related standards, phenomena, learning objectives, science practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. The session is concluded by sharing the lessons learned from researchers and practitioners who have used the 3-D map in planning and revising NGSS-aligned science learning experiences. After working in small groups and engaging in whole-group discussions, participants will walk away with an NGSS planning tool and tangible unit and lesson plan ideas linked with NGSS.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore the ASET 3-D Mapping Tool for planning lessons and units that integrate the three dimensions of the NGSS. After working in small groups and engaging in whole-group discussions, they will leave with an NGSS planning tool and tangible unit and lesson ideas linked with NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Harmon (PIMSER (KY): No City, No State)

In this workshop we will work through the "anchoring phenomenon" from the OpenSciEd Middle School space unit, which helps students see the relevance of astronomy by drawing on traditional indigenous astronomy knowledge, and students' own cultural knowledge to engage students in identifying and explaining patterns in the sky that set the rhythm for our lives. Participants will get a chance to experience the anchoring phenomenon, and share their own experience, expertise and ideas, to begin visioning how astronomy education can draw on student and community resources, connect students to traditional knowledge from around the world, and build on natural curiosity about questions that are older than Western history.

TAKEAWAYS:
Anchoring astronomy instruction in phenomena that invite connections between science and students' identities can support culturally sustaining pedagogy in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Buck Bracey (Senior Science Educator and Director of Design for Justice: Colorado Springs, CO), Thomas Clayton (K-5 STEAM Specialist: Berkeley Heights, NJ), Jamie Noll (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

The NGSS and other standards based on the Framework of K-12 Education are quite complicated and often tricky to interpret. What teachers need is an easy-to-use reference guide to the standards, and since its release in 2014, the NSTA Quick-Reference Guide has become a perennial best-seller and an essential tool for many educators across the country. This session will be hosted by Ted Willard, the editor of the Quick-Reference Guide and formerly the in-house standards expert at NSTA. Ted will review the features listed above and how educators can use the Quick-Reference Guide to unpack the standards in their work developing curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Specifically, we will spend time exploring the crosscutting concepts in the standards using the tools and other resources in the Quick-Reference Guide.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to unpack the three dimensions using the tools and resources in the Quick-Reference Guide and will gain insights into the meaning of the crosscutting concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Ted Willard (Discovery Education: Silver Spring, MD)

Roger Bybee's Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) 5E Instructional Model is based on constructivist theories and enhances student inquiry through a series of planning strategies. This model is designed to incorporate all aspects of inquiry learning environments by engaging students and allowing students to explore the concepts being introduced, discover explanations for the concepts they are learning, and elaborate on what they have learned by applying their knowledge to new situations. Through the engage, explore, and explain stages of the model, knowledge about science is gained. In the elaborate stage, a problem is introduced and engineering and mathematics are used to help solve the problem. In this session participants will be introduced to the model through a states of matter lesson that can be adapted to the intermediate, middle, and high school levels. Three-Dimensional Learning will be highlighted and participants will have access to a 5E Model planning template.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain an understanding of the 5E instructional model and how the stages incorporate Three-Dimensional Learning -- the framework of the Next Generation Science Standards.

SPEAKERS:
Christina Hilton (Central Indiana Educational Service Center: Indianapolis, IN)

In understanding how cultural bias affects underrepresented populations, teachers as change agents can design learning communities to increase peer collaboration for gender and minority populations. As students interact with each other, teachers provide the cultural tools needed for students to take on the role as a scientist or engineer. We will explore the essential components for framing innovative learning communities for underrepresented STEM populations. First, we will analyze intentionality in selecting cooperative learning structures for making learning targets through different scenarios. Second, we will conduct a reading jigaw on the importance of peer collaboration for increased diversity. Third, we will analyze lesson planning for learning communities using student work samples, videos, and instructional strategies and techniques. Lastly, educators will reflect on sensemaking through collaboration in a group summary.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers as change agents provide the cultural tools to affect learning communities. This session will provide tools and techniques to improve sensemaking through peer collaboration for gender and minority populations.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Birdon (Richwood High School: Monroe, LA)

Learn to design moments people will remember and experiences that can have immediate impacts by adopting a human-centered mindset. Human-centered design thinking lets you better understand people's needs, motivations, and concerns to create highly-effective learning experiences for teachers and students. Implementing NGSS and three-dimensional teaching and learning requires ongoing support and high-quality professional learning opportunities for all stakeholders in science education. This session will explore how strategies and methods found in human-centered design can be leveraged to create professional learning to address the complexities teachers face in shifting practices to meet the vision of A K-12 Framework and the three-dimensional pedagogy of the NGSS. These strategies will enable designers to create inclusive spaces and environments to enhance professional development. Likewise, these strategies can be used by teachers to facilitate the student sensemaking process.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience practical human-centered design processes, methods, and tools used to deeply understand the people they are looking to serve and to continuously innovate solutions. Participants will leave this session equipped with strategies to design impactful learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Abby Tolley (Learning Analyst), Brian Beierle (Relevant Classroom, a Division of Vivayic, Inc.: No City, No State)

Our students make sense of science and construct their ideas from many experiences, then use that “knowledge” as a foundation for their learning. However, it may not always be a solid foundation. We can help students develop their science knowledge through a deeper understanding of the misconceptions they hold, using phenomena, observation, sensemaking, and robust assessment. We can then assess students’ ideas and misconceptions in the sciences at various grade levels creating and using research-based assessments, understanding the importance of including their ideas in those assessments. When each item contains a choice between a scientifically correct answer and a common, widely-held, student misconception, we can more accurately evaluate our students’ true understanding of the DCI components of the NGSS.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn how to work with misconceptions that students hold in order to incorporate those into useful assessments. Use students’ sensemaking to discover ways to get at those ideas, and share your students’ misconceptions, hear others as well, and build research-based assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Crockett (Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian: Cambridge, MA)

School leaders frequently require teachers to share learning targets and success criteria to provide tangible goals for students. However, science sensemaking requires that students figure out, not learn about, science ideas by making sense of phenomena. Learning targets can undermine this sensemaking if they're written, as is often expected, in ways that give away the content. Our collaborative group of teachers developed a way to write learning targets to meet leadership expectations, support the intentions of learning targets, AND preserve the three-dimensional sensemaking at the core of A Framework for K-12 Science Education. This participatory presentation will share our tools and approach to integrating SEPs and CCCs into learning targets, as well as reflections on how this work supports deeper phenomenon sensemaking and standard alignment. Attendees will consider and discuss these tools and reflections, including application to their own classroom contexts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will explore how dimension-aligned sentence stems help to make science learning targets and success criteria more 3-D and supportive of sensemaking. They will consider how the resulting targets and criteria support administration goals while improving teacher planning and practice.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Carroll (Teacher: Green River, WY), Matt Freze (Science Teacher: Green River, WY), Shawna Mattson (Green River High School: Green River, WY), Megan Allen (Teacher: Green River, WY), Katie Camis (SPED Teacher / support science: Green River, WY), Clare Gunshenan (University of Wyoming: Laramie, WY)

Digital notebooking is a tool that can support both teaching and learning and can be utilized for a variety of purposes. The time during this 60 minute session will be split between the presenters sharing information including examples of various ways to implement digital notebooks that align with research-based best practices and participants having time to plan and prepare usage for their own setting. Teachers will leave with ready-to-use takeaways to assist them in empowering students to not only learn content more independently but also reflect on their learning path and level of understanding to gear up for future success. Teachers will also be able to explore how the notebooks provide quick access to each student's progress in learning and the ability to give feedback when and where it is needed.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave this session with a digital notebook template and the knowledge and resources to create and implement one successfully, as well as a framework that coicides with the use of a digital notebook and fits any curriculum to allow for students to have influence on their learning.

SPEAKERS:
Vera Hayslip (7th grade Science: Cincinnati, OH), Kelly Hartings (Indian Hill Middle School: CINCINNATI, OH)

Four methods to integrate (Charles W. [Andy] Anderson): Identify productive questions and goals; Provide rules for sensemaking; Guide the search for evidence; Support analogical reasoning. Using the lesson example - Marshmallows in a Vacuum: Set up a vacuum chamber and place a marshmallow inside. Start removing the air from the chamber. Ask students to make observations of what they see. Once most of the air is removed, stop and reverse the air movement to return to the chamber. Take the mass before each step. Another lesson example, Cookie Alarm: Design a cookie jar that sounds an alarm every time someone opens the jar. Participants are provided a container and micro:bit that they use to construct a solution. We will look through what information we need to gather in order to find the optimum solution to the problem. This will be accomplished without participants needing to code or have access to materials.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to harness the power of CCC's as tools to assist students in making sense of phenomena or solving engineering problems.

SPEAKERS:
Susan German (Hallsville Middle School: Hallsville, MO)

Nature, we vacation near it, we immerse ourselves in it, we need it for survival. A student’s natural curiosity about nature and the world around them can drive science learning and outcomes. Investigating natural phenomena within your state and close to your school creates authentic and relevant opportunities for students to research their local ecosystems. Experiences with nature not only promotes learning, but can help close the achievement gap (Liberman, 1998. Closing the Achievement Gap.) Citing studies, we will discuss how spending time in nature is healthy for students, faculty, and staff. Nature can lower blood pressure, calm anxiety, and improve mood. Using Missouri Department of Conservation’s Discover Nature Schools Curriculum as an example, we will discuss how taking learning outside can meet NGSS Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics and the Earth and Human Activity Strands. We will discuss ways to find and/or create nature experience near you.

TAKEAWAYS:
Nature is everywhere, accessible to everyone; from studying a crack in the sidewalk, where ants and other insects travel, to studying ponds, prairies, and forests. I can find and create nature study opportunities at my school, whether it is urban, suburban, or rural.

SPEAKERS:
Kathi Moore (Conservation Educator: HANNIBAL, MO), Sherri Russell (State Wildlife Veterinarian: Jefferson City, MO)

It can be daunting to incorporate scientific modeling in a practical and applicable way. This inquiry-centered session will address modeling in the science classroom through hands-on experiences and discussion using NGSS-linked phenomena. The goal of this session is to provide teachers with an overview of modeling routines while providing ready-to-use resources to demystify this Science and Engineering Practice. This practice is an essential springboard for student discourse and increasing their science literacy. Models give students the opportunity to reflect on their learning and see their thoughts evolve over time about a given natural phenomenon. Participants will have a hands-on experience explaining the phenomenon, “What is happening when the boiling water hits the cold air?”. Participants will construct models illustrating their scientific explanation of this phenomenon and engage in collegial discussions about how they can incorporate scientific modeling practices into their

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to model a given natural phenomenon using scaffolds and ready-to-use resources for immediate classroom implementation.

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

OPENING: Define 'green school'; Introduce pillars; Provide examples; “Green Lens” Evaluation: Attendees rate their school for each pillar. 'Challenges' reflection for incorporating green schools practices. WHOLE-SCHOOL SUSTAINABILITY (WSS) & SHOW-ME GREEN SCHOOLS: Define WSS - work within campus, curriculum, culture. Show-Me Green Schools explained with video testimonials: Green Schools Quest (student-driven, project-based contest; community mentors assist lead teacher with project development & implementation); Missouri Green Schools (annual recognition for systems approach to WSS; roadmap for achievement); U.S. Depart. of Education Green Ribbon School Award (national award for demonstrated excellence & innovation of designated pillars); Green Schools Network BENEFITS: Increased job satisfaction, student engagement & achievement, better health for school community, social-emotional well-being; ADDRESSING CHALLENGES: Team development, staff collaboration, whole school support; CLOSING: Programs in US.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn what green schools are and how they benefit students, staff, and administration. Participants will walk away with some ideas for getting started, addressing common challenges, and connecting with green school teams in their state.

SPEAKERS:
Traci Jansen (Kirkwood School District: KIRKWOOD, MO)

Come see a successful online professional learning model that promotes collaboration around universal problems of practice. Each session allows educators to learn about new strategies implemented in classrooms, debrief in job-alike roles, share resources, and develop a plan to refine their practice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain access to tools and resources for use in classrooms from both a teacher and instructional coaching role, as well as work on how they might make use of these resources for their own learning, learning within their own PLCs, or to develop a community of their own.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Johannsen (Southeast Polk High School: Pleasant Hill, IA), Jason Martin-Hiner (Keystone Area Education Agency: Elkader, IA)