Learn a design process for creating three-dimensional assessment tasks that support student learning. We will introduce participants to each phase of the process: unpacking dimensions, developing integrated dimension maps, articulating learning performances, identifying phenomena, and designing tasks.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn the steps of a systematic process for designing three-dimensional tasks that align with NGSS performance expectations, take into consideration students’ diverse backgrounds, and can be used in classrooms to provide information to teachers and students to improve learning.

SPEAKERS:
Joseph Krajcik (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University: East Lansing, MI), Christopher Harris (WestEd)

Implentation of spectroscopic evidence in an elective high school chemistry course to identify various unknown organic structures.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be provided with resources and assessments to identify an unknown organic compound given its % composition. The spectroscopic methods used are Infrared Spectrometry, Mass Spectrometry, and proton NMR Spectroscopy.

SPEAKERS:
Jeromy Bentley (Naperville Central High School: Naperville, IL)

This session will introduce teachers to a variety of note-booking techniques that will increase student engagement and excitement for learning. Students will take pride in their notebooks and therefore increase the level of effort they put into their work.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will provide teachers and administrators with various strategies to differentiate learning for English Language Learners, Special Education Students, and General Education Students, and accurately assess student learning through note-booking by tracking student thinking/understanding.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Ziminski (EMK Academy for Health Careers: Boston, MA)

This session looks at the research behind play-based learning and ways of and criteria for assessing science play in the P-2 group. Participant will actively assess several play scenarios.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with experience assessing some science play scenarios, assessment guidelines, and research citations supporting play-based learning to use and share in their own contexts.

SPEAKERS:
Anne Lowry (Aleph Academy: Reno, NV)

Students with exceptionalities experience barriers to mastering the breadth and depth of the NGSS. This session explains the process used to reduce the depth, breadth, and complexity of the NGSS into K-12 alternate standards for students with severe cognitive disabilities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how the developmental process of the NGSS PEs was mirrored, yet altered, to develop alternate standards that incorporated the three dimensions described in the Framework and the NGSS at a reduced depth, breadth, and complexity.

SPEAKERS:
Joyce Depenbusch (Atlas DLM), Christy Glore (ATLAS at University of Kansas: No City, No State)

Are your students’ explanations of science sometimes jaw-dropping, leaving you scratching your head as to where that “knowledge” came from? While we can’t eliminate kids’ misconceptions, we can work with those ideas to help them understand the correct science.

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)

Middle School NGSS-aligned curriculum, instruction, and assessment resources created by the SIPS Project provide a scalable and coherent approach to improve three-dimensional science learning for all students, including unpacking the science content, instruction, and assessing student progress.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators’ ability to use three-dimensional instruction and assessment resources to provide inclusive, equitable instruction, promote sensemaking, assess learning, and make instructional decisions will be enhanced. Benefits of a coherent system to improve student outcomes will be shared.

SPEAKERS:
Rhonda True (Nebraska Department of Education: Lincoln, NE), Mary Nyaema (University of Illinois Chicago: Chicago, IL), Bill Herrera (edCount, LLC: No City, No State), Charlene Turner (Senior Associate: Laramie, WY)

Explore transformative AI tools for education, including Questionwell, Curipod, and Twee. Learn to seamlessly integrate them into lessons, enhance student engagement, and elevate learning with AI-generated questions and personalized feedback.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain hands-on experience with AI tools for education, understanding their potential to enhance student engagement, streamline assessment, and promote innovative teaching strategies.

SPEAKERS:
Selene Verhofstad (Dobie High School: Houston, TX), Faryal Shaukat (Dobie High School: Houston, TX)

This session will offer practical and adaptable examples of formative classroom assessment techniques that could be incorporated into any science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will present formative assessment techniques that attendees can take back to their classrooms and use immediately.

SPEAKERS:
Tyler Buchan (Salisbury Composite High School: Sherwood Park, AB)

We often rely on Crosscutting Concepts within the Next Generation Science Standards as ways of thinking students participate all the time, in every grade, in every subject. But what happens when those skills have not been honed in the way we need them to be for our grade level and disciplinary core?

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave our session having attained concepts and skills that will help them measure attainment of Patterns, a critical Crosscutting Concept in the Next Generation Science Standards. Participants will be introduced to assessment resources and instructions for using them.

SPEAKERS:
Sonal Patel-Dame (Plattsburgh High School), Anoopa Singh (Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics: New York, NY)

Our world demands creative thinkers and problem-solvers. But what is creativity, really? If our job is to foster innovation and prepare students for the challenges and opportunities of the future, how exactly do we do that in classrooms from K to 16? What I have found out just might surprise you.

TAKEAWAYS:
Research shows that creativity can (and should) be taught. We want to assess it, but it seems so subjective! Attendees will get some background, critique some assessment tools, and collaborate to design research-based criteria to use in their own classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Elise Naramore (Pascack Hills High School: Montvale, NJ)

In this session, we will share how to use NGSS performance expectations to design classroom assessments. Sample assessments will be provided that require students to incorporate models and use evidence to support their responses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will examine sample assessments for three-dimensional questioning and be given a chance to enhance a question on a topic relevant to their teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Anna Kopacz , Nicole McRee (KCSD#96)

Learn how student interest & identity are co-equal dimensions with disciplinary core ideas, science & engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts when designing phenomenon-driven assessments. Participants will learn how to use tools to elicit information about students for use in design.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators engage with the 5D Assessment Project's tools to elicit and use information about students' interests and identities to design meaningful, phenomenon-driven assessment opportunities. Work with examples of meaningful assessment aligned to the elements of the NGSS.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Cooper (Contextus), Kevin Cherbow (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Abraham Lo (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

Explore tried-and-true strategies firsthand for supporting student-driven revision of written work. Walk away with strategies to help students self- and peer-assess their work and improve it.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn what a critique lesson can look like in which students generate success criteria for quality scientific explanations. They will walk away with strategies to implement in their own classrooms to support students with the NGSS practice "constructing explanations."

SPEAKERS:
Kristie Rachell (Haven Middle School: Evanston, IL), Claire Hiller (Chute Middle School: Evanston, IL), Kafi Chase (Chute Middle School), Alissa Berg (Evanston Skokie School District 65)

BYO Device to this hands-on workshop for the Next Generation Science Assessment (NGSA) project. Explore free, high-quality, multidimensional tasks, consider how to use them to create opportunities for your students to demonstrate their science understanding in your elementary classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will explore freely available online formative assessment resources to make students’ multidimensional science understanding visible. They will gain confidence in using the tasks with students, analyzing and interpreting student work, and making instructional decisions to support learning.

SPEAKERS:
Carla Strickland (UChicago STEM Education: No City, No State), Jeanne Di Domenico (The University of Chicago: Chicago, IL)

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

Join us as we review the parameters of three-dimensional assessments and practice screening assessments for three-dimensionality. In this session, we'll brainstorm ways to work with system leaders to strategically plan around curriculum embedded assessments and uncover supports for every child.

SPEAKERS:
Madeline Cronk (Great Minds: Washington, DC)

Investigate fostering scientific understanding and practice skills in our youngest learners. Take away topics of inquiry and tools for planning experiments and documenting student thinking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will come away with strategies to: • Plan investigations to integrate science into their early childhood curriculum. • Build scientific practice skills in all of our youngest learners. • Reveal and document student understanding through lab notebooks.

SPEAKERS:
Alyssa Barr (Science Teacher: Seattle, WA), Katie Morrison (University Child Development School: Seattle, WA)

This session will provide concrete and practical examples of how to implement lab skill performance assessments in the classroom and will offer easy-to-use and tangible information that teachers can take back to their own schools.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will present how to administer performance assessments of five basic lab skills and the benefits to the classroom that result.

SPEAKERS:
Tyler Buchan (Salisbury Composite High School: Sherwood Park, AB)

Transform your assessment tool into a powerful instrument for enhancing learning. Designed for educators from K-16, with an aim to streamline the grading process, make rubrics strengths-based, differentiable across all levels, and centered on developing transferable skills. Bring your own rubric!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with their own revised rubric that not only simplifies grading but also fosters student engagement and achievement. They will discover ways to provide constructive, actionable feedback that drives improvement and facilitates student growth.

SPEAKERS:
Elise Naramore (Pascack Hills High School: Montvale, NJ)

Multilingual students' science knowledge isn’t always visible to educators. Our innovative research uncovers that knowledge regardless of students’ English language skills. You’ll learn about our research and how to build multilingual multimodal assessments for your own instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will learn about multilingual and multimodal formative assessment strategies and how to implement them in your science instruction. You will have access to a formative assessment activity template and a rubric for reviewing multilingual and multimodal formative assessment activities.

SPEAKERS:
Keira Ballantyne (VP Programs & Development), Brittany York (Senior Research Assistant: Washington, DC, DC)

Discover how to promote equity and diversity in STEM classrooms through holistic assessment. Gain insights into fostering inclusivity, addressing bias, and ensuring fair evaluation practices. Leave with practical tools and strategies to create an inclusive learning environment for all students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Unlock the joy of learning while promoting equity & diversity in STEM! Holistic assessment fosters inclusivity, tackles bias, & ensures fair evaluation. Let's create an exciting, inclusive environment where all students thrive in STEM!

SPEAKERS:
Augustine Owusu Achiaw (Clemson University: Clemson, SC), Stephanie Tracey (Graduate Student)

Sponsoring Company: TCI

Join our session to learn how to harness the power of three-dimensional Performance Assessments! Beyond evaluating learning, these assessments offer students a meaningful context to demonstrate understanding. Explore the role of performance assessments in teaching core science concepts effectively.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Kumar (TCI: Mountain View, CA)

We share the newest results of a study on effective multiple-choice questions in STEM education. We examined Science educators’ revisions to help reduce problems such as gender/racial/ethnic bias, and difficulty that are often present in test questions, while including common misconceptions.

TAKEAWAYS:
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, or indicative of overall student performance? Do they include common misconceptions that students hold? Learn what works, and what does

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

Do you find yourself falling down the Google rabbit hole when searching for lesson ideas? We have a time-saving solution. Participants will gain access to a newly compiled list of numerous resources for middle level science teachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be given access to a list of resources compiled specifically for middle level science educators.

SPEAKERS:
Kathleen Brooks (CREC: No City, No State)

Discover fresh teaching horizons: surprise yourself, collaborate actively, plan consciously, and enhance communication. Enjoy a transformational opportunity to stifle enthusiasm for differentiation and revitalize teaching with diverse strategies that will inspire and motivate students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will obtain a range of meaningful and easy-to-apply differentiation strategies for their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Luciana Girgulsky (Northlands: No City, No State)

Interdisciplinary learning empowers students to combine frameworks and concepts across the curriculum to examine a theme or solve a problem from different perspectives. This enables them to see the interconnectedness of the content they are learning and apply it in a meaningful way.

TAKEAWAYS:
By implementing well-structured interdisciplinary units, teachers can effectively guide students in building deep skills within and across content areas. This session will provide administrators and teachers with an effective blueprint to begin a program in their own schools.

SPEAKERS:
Alicia Chipman (Akiba Schechter Jewish Day School: Chicago, IL), Michelle Rotfeld (The Alcuin School: Dallas, TX)

Phenomena based science assessments allow students to transfer knowledge to new phenomena while using all three dimensions. As students demonstrate understanding they also deepen their learning. We will examine sample tasks and hear from students and teachers on their experiences with these tasks.

TAKEAWAYS:
Transfer tasks ask students to make sense of phenomena using 3D understanding. These tasks can provide continued learning while assessing students. Identifying key features and hearing from students and teachers for how to support these tasks can help teachers implement them in their own classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Ridder (Boston College OEI: No City, No State), Thomas Clayton (K-5 STEAM Specialist: Berkeley Heights, NJ), Renee Affolter (Boston College: Chestnut Hill, MA)

Grade 5 NGSS-aligned curriculum, instruction, and assessment resources created by the SIPS Project provide a scalable and coherent approach to improve three-dimensional science learning for all students including unpacking the science content, teaching and learning, and assessing student progress.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators’ ability to use three-dimensional instruction and assessment resources to provide inclusive, equitable instruction, promote sensemaking, assess learning, and make instructional decisions, will be enhanced. Benefits of a coherent system to improve student outcomes will be shared.

SPEAKERS:
Rhonda True (Nebraska Department of Education: Lincoln, NE), Mary Nyaema (University of Illinois Chicago: Chicago, IL), Bill Herrera (edCount, LLC: No City, No State), Charlene Turner (Senior Associate: Laramie, WY)

Sponsoring Company: Penda Learning

Penda is a high-quality, gamified intervention and instructional resource that is phenomena-based and 3-D with tools for differentiation and is engaging for all students. Customizable reports and assessments assist with progress monitoring. Penda is handcrafted for NGSS, Texas TEKS and FL SASS.

SPEAKERS:
Mindy Pearson (Penda Learning: Loveland, CO), Taylor Willis (Penda Learning: Loveland, CO), Kathryn Kypreos (Penda Learning: Loveland, CO)

Sponsoring Company: BrainPOP Science

Empower students in a year-round multidimensional journey! From spectators to active discoverers, practice the practices with student-led resources. Build skills and foster achievement through questioning, investigating, data collection, analyzing patterns, and drawing evidence-based conclusions.

SPEAKERS:
Kelsie Stocz (BrainPOP: New York, NY)

STEM Policy Expert Jame Brown will paint a picture of the federal public policy landscape for STEM education generally and science education in particular, including emerging policies in Congress and the federal government and the outlook for the future.

TAKEAWAYS:
Get smart on what’s going on in Washington, DC around STEM education and how it can impact the science education ecosystem and your local community.

SPEAKERS:
James Brown (STEM Education Coalition: Washington, DC)

Participants will explore technology integrated project-based units that guide and support 3D Learning and equity through adaptations by highlighting formative assessment opportunities (LookFors, Discourse Moves, Exit Tickets, Artifacts).

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will become familiar with open source online materials that they can use to supplement or guide their science teaching and units. They will become familiar with technology, assessments, and ways to adapt lesson and units to make them more responsive to their students.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Codere (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University, Retired), Temitayo Oni (PhD Student)

We are awash in assessment data, but it can be overwhelming to make sense of it. Join us to learn tips and strategies for how to wrangle these data, ask questions from it, and derive meaning from it for effective change for our students and teaching. Gain frameworks and tools to apply to your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore 3 easy practices used in a variety of schools and classrooms to gain actionable steps to approach assessment data differently at any level in which they are working, so you can work smarter not harder.

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

Grading that supports student sensemaking doesn't have to keep you at school all night. Learn approaches to grading that prioritize 3D sensemaking and utilize technology, collaboration, and existing resources so you have can your evenings back.

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:
Sarah Delaney (OpenSciEd: San Carlos, CA)

Sponsoring Company: InnerOrbit

When transforming 3D teaching and learning within a school or district, what is the role of 3D assessment reform? How can a focus on phenomena-driven NGSS assessments lead to instructional change? Hear how Boulder Valley School District in CO leveraged InnerOrbit’s assessment platform and profession

SPEAKERS:
Erin Greenwood (Platt Middle School: Boulder, CO), Erin Cooke (Customer Success Manager), Brendan Finch (InnerOrbit: No City, No State)

Does your teaching style lead to creative projects? Then join us to explore the transformative power of tuning protocols in the context of STEM education. Engage in a real-time project tuning and see how this collaborative process leads to better ideas. Leave with tools to replicate the process!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants in this workshop will learn the steps for conducting a tuning protocol to enhance a project, as well as learn about K-12 STEM education resources from the Dayton Regional STEM Center and DoDSTEM.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Drager (Montgomery County Educational Service Center: Dayton, OH)

An examination of how drama can be incorporated into science lessons to facilitate teacher assessment and support retrieval practice. This will be followed by a series of activities where the delegates will explore various drama techniques.

TAKEAWAYS:
How can drama be used to assess children's scientific understanding.

SPEAKERS:
David Allen (Associate Professor: Hatfield, 0)

Learn how to formatively assess students in different ways using data and plan meaningful active learning experiences with interactive notebooks based on that data. You will explore various formative assessments from a student's lens.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how formative assessments can be used in their classroom and plan using the provided science planning protocol, creating a final product.

SPEAKERS:
Chrissy Brouwer (School District of Osceola County: Kissimmee, FL)

Fostering collaborative discussions is an ongoing process to reflect upon often. Join two veteran OpenSciEd teachers as they share successful strategies to help students set their own goals, gain confidence in speaking with peers, and eventually engage in a more student-led learning experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with a variety of effective, simple, and practical strategies or activities that will help students build confidence in talking with peers, reflect on and set personal goals for growth, and have a true voice in their own learning path. Strategies can be implemented immediatelyl

SPEAKERS:
Heather Galbreath (Lombard Middle School: Galesburg, IL)

Schools and districts seeking to implement 3D instructional practices that support all students need assessments that elicit evidence of students’ thinking. We will introduce practices for using science notebooks as resources to guide instruction that supports students and their growing ideas.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers and leaders will experience, see examples, and learn practices for leveraging science notebooks as informal assessments of students’ 3D thinking and for using them to drive sensemaking practices that support all students.

SPEAKERS:
Jill Grace (K-12 Alliance/WestEd: San Marcos, CA), Jill Wertheim (WestEd: San Francisco, CA)

Students bring a range of intellectual resources—based on their unique life experiences—into the classroom as they learn science. These resources can be considered different “facets” of thinking. Teachers explore a protocol for identifying and attending to facets through formative assessments.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will help participants: analyze cognitive formative assessment responses to surface the range of student thinking about science topics and concepts, guide instruction based on that diversity of student ideas, and design formative assessment tasks to support equitable 3D instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Tiffany Neill (Research Scientist: Oklahoma City, OK), Ricky Scott (Tooele County School District)

Sponsoring Company: InnerOrbit

In this session we’ll provide concrete strategies to use throughout each of your units to help students engage with phenomena and sensemaking consistently, so they can more confidently approach the phenomena-driven tests or new units of instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Giulia Mota (InnerOrbit: Thousand Oaks, CA), Brendan Finch (InnerOrbit: No City, No State)

The best teaching relies on the best evidence: how students think about core ideas in science and understanding where their ideas come from. Learn how this leads to responsive instruction that builds a bridge from where students are to where they need to be.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to effectively use formative assessment probes from the NSTA Uncovering Student Ideas series for responsive assessment and instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Page Keeley (NSTA Past President: No City, No State)

Using 3D science performance tasks to assess student learning requires tools that measure students' engagement with making sense of phenomena. This session provides a set of assessments for each of the science standards and coaches participants on how to develop analogous assessment items.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave the session with a set of assessment items for each of the NGSS standards for the 3-5 grade band and a less-complete set for other grade bands. Participants will learn how to use templates to structure the development of assessment items and experience developing a task.

SPEAKERS:
Juan-Carlos Aguilar (Georgia Dept. of Education: Brookhaven, GA), Brett Moulding (Partnership for Effective Science Teaching and Learning: Ogden, UT)

Join us to learn engaging and creative assessment strategies for your classroom. Move beyond multiple choice tests and challenge your students to apply their learning in new ways. Learn how you can use Claim-Evidence-Reasoning, EdTech Platforms, Google Forms and more to assess student progress.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn and practice with several creative assessment strategies to assess student learning. The emphasis of these strategies is to get students to apply what they have learned and communicate effectively, while giving teachers quality data on their progress towards learning goals.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Freyschlag (Estes Industries: Penrose, CO)

Phenomena based science classrooms require students to listen, discuss, collaborate, and support one another as they uncover science ideas. But how do we assess those skills in order to provide feedback for students? We will examine tools and strategies for gathering and sharing data on these skills

TAKEAWAYS:
Students need to be able to listen, engage in discussion, work collaboratively, and support one another as they uncover science ideas. Often gradebooks do not communicate information about these skills. Participants will leave with tools that can help collect and share this data with all stakeholders.

SPEAKERS:
Thomas Clayton (K-5 STEAM Specialist: Berkeley Heights, NJ)

Interactive modeling aids in addressing alternate conceptions for major science concepts and develops students’ science identity. This session will share the research results from a middle school Earth Science classroom and explore methods to incorporate modeling for increased Earth Science literacy

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with ideas to incorporate Iterative modeling in Earth Science classrooms, addressing alternate conceptions to increase Earth Science literacy and using modeling for formative and summative assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Jocelyn Miller (E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation: Durham, NC), Missie Olson (Becker High School: Becker, MN)

Explore the structure of the OpenSciEd High School assessment system across Biology, Chemistry, and Physics.

TAKEAWAYS:
In OpenSciEd HS, the assessment system is structured to support teachers in assessing all three dimensions of the NGSS through formative, summative, peer, and self-assessment opportunities.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Vick (Northwestern University), Zoe Buck Bracey (Senior Science Educator and Director of Design for Justice: Colorado Springs, CO), Kate Henson (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO)

This session highlights cultural dimensions of meaningful science learning. It showcases a powerful instructional technique for formative assessment called “self-documentation”—where students collect information related to a particular theme or topic in their everyday lives.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers learn how to promote equity by focusing on learning and teaching as an inherently cultural process. They develop a shared understanding of how cultural formative assessment can reveal the interests, experiences, and identities of students.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Tiffany Neill (Research Scientist: Oklahoma City, OK)

What’s a good assessment? Learn what to look for (or include) in an effective assessment that tracks students’ 3D learning related to middle school PEs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn about key features for summative, benchmark 3D assessments designed to be used in any NGSS-aligned middle school classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Maia Binding (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Learn to integrate science and engineering practices into proficiency scales for evaluating student performance in assessments. Explore how classroom educators calibrate student assessments and how to report scores into a gradebook that communicates to all stakeholders.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn how to integrate the SEPs into proficiency scales that can be used in a standards-based model, including instruction, assessments, and in PLCs through calibration and reporting.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Sinner (Davies High School: Fargo, ND), Alexandra Kollman (Fargo Public Schools: Fargo, ND)

Science notebooks can be a powerful tool for students to capture their thinking and chart growth in learning. But how can notebooks be assessed to help students grow in their science and engineering practices? Proficiency rubrics will be shared to allow teachers and students to assess notebooks.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave this session with 4 different proficiency scales to assess student notebooks through the science and engineering practices. While notebooks should not be assessed as “right and wrong,” they can be used to help students grow in their science and engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
Chelsie Byram (Central Rivers Area Education Agency: Cedar Falls, IA), Mandie Sanderman (Central Rivers Area Education Agency: Cedar Falls, IA)

Hexagonal thinking is a collaborative hands-on concept mapping strategy focused on making connections across vocabulary, concepts, and other subject-specific components that can be utilized in any content area, including cross-curricular settings. Come learn how to implement it in your own classroom!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience the strategy from a student POV and learn the process of implementation for a variety of settings (traditional and digital) and materials. Examples of student work will also be shown.

SPEAKERS:
Jeff Thomas (University of Southern Indiana: Evansville, IN), Simone Nance (University of Southern Indiana: Evansville, IN)

Engage in an assessment activity that deepens students’ conceptual understanding, provides opportunities to evaluate scientific information, improves analytical abilities, and strengthens communication skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about a student-driven re-assessment strategy that provides an additional opportunity for students to collaborate while analyzing scientific information.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Bowen (Johnson City Schools: Johnson City, TN)

The Learning Progression Model is a flexible, equitable assessment strategy to provide descriptive feedback, set goals, evaluate teaching, and report achievement. Attendees leave knowing how they can implement this in their classrooms, even in a traditional grades school. For K-College, all courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Understand how the Learning Progression Model keeps students engaged and accountable, how learning progressions are used to develop/assess skills and knowledge aligned with NGSS, and how to integrate this approach into the traditional grading system.

SPEAKERS:
Elise Naramore (Pascack Hills High School: Montvale, NJ)

This interactive session will provide fun ways for students to argue with evidence. CER ideas and activities will be provided as well as rubrics for assessments.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will analyze student CERs, learn methods of implementation, and write claims with evidence and reasoning.

SPEAKERS:
Leah Ward (Science Teacher: Pleasant View, UT), Allison Halling (Teacher), Becky McKinney (Weber High School: Pleasant View, UT)

Learn quick activities to engage students using collaborative structures that require little planning, but provide big results.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how quick activities increase engagement and collaboration and will plan their implementation for an upcoming lesson.

SPEAKERS:
Chrissy Brouwer (School District of Osceola County: Kissimmee, FL)

In my AP Physics 1 class I have a student who can’t rearrange simple equations alongside a student who got a 5 on AP Calc BC. I have the star of Honors English Lit and a new international student who doesn’t yet understand simple directions in English. How can I reach and challenge every student?

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to cater for every student in your classroom using my three guiding rules: facilitate self-paced learning, emphasize mastery, and playing to students’ strengths. This will ensure all students get a solid conceptual foundation and have the support that they need to reach their full potential.

SPEAKERS:
Abigail Vega (Physics & Chemistry Teacher: , CA)

Participants will become familiar with an approach to develop 3-dimensional performance tasks to assess student learning. These assessment tasks use analogous phenomena that is directly aligned to the NGSS performance expectations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave the session with a set of assessment items for each of the NGSS standards for the 6-8 grade band. Participants will learn how to use templates to structure the development of assessment items and experience in developing a task.

SPEAKERS:
Juan-Carlos Aguilar (Georgia Dept. of Education: Brookhaven, GA), Michele Snyder (Arkansas Dept. of Education: Little Rock, AR)

Sponsoring Company: Estes Rockets

Join us to learn engaging and creative assessment strategies for your classroom. Move beyond multiple-choice tests and challenge your students to apply their learning in new ways. Learn how you can use Claim-Evidence-Reasoning, EdTech Platforms, Google Forms and more to assess student progress.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Freyschlag (Estes Industries: Penrose, CO)

Sponsoring Company: InnerOrbit

How can we check how students are progressing towards sensemaking? In this session, explore recommendations for scaffolding sensemaking with 3-Dimensional and 2-Dimensional questioning. Educators will experience a small group analysis, take-home resources, and Q&A!

SPEAKERS:
Brendan Finch (InnerOrbit: No City, No State)

Understanding students' ideas is critical to responsive teaching and learning. This session will focus on how students use scientific practices and crosscutting concepts with NSTA's Uncovering Student Ideas in Science formative assessment probes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how the scientific practices help students make sense of the DCI elicited by a formative assessment probe and the crosscutting concepts used as thinking tools.

SPEAKERS:
Jason Harding (Teacher Educator), Page Keeley (NSTA Past President: No City, No State)

Learn how to use the NSTA Student Work Analysis tool and protocol to evaluate students’ three-dimensional learning. We’ll focus our discussions on what counts as evidence of students’ ownership of targeted elements of the three dimensions and how to use collected student data to inform instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to evaluate students’ three-dimensional learning using the NSTA Student Work Analysis tool and protocol.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Soriano (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Arlington, VA), Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Bremen, GA), Patrice Scinta (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Sponsoring Company: InnerOrbit

What does it mean to engage in 3-dimensional sensemaking in instruction AND assessment? Whether you’re getting started with the NGSS or seek to better understand sensemaking, join us as we dissect the nuances of one Performance Expectation’s 3 dimensions, through the lens of a lesson and assessment.

SPEAKERS:
David Jacob (Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES: Yorktown Hghts, NY), Brendan Finch (InnerOrbit: No City, No State)

Sponsoring Company: Savvas Learning Company

One of the biggest shifts involved with the continued implementation of NGSS standards is the movement to incorporate more phenomena-based and problem-based learning. To help prepare students for their next steps in school, students need to be doing science and seeing how it fits into their lives.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Padilla (retired: Sterling, CO)

Teaching and assessing science skills can be challenging for educators. Come to this workshop if you want to dive into conversations about what success looks like for asking questions, and developing and using models. Strategies for teaching and rubrics for science skills will be provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with strategies for teaching and assessing science skills.

SPEAKERS:
Leah Ward (Science Teacher: Pleasant View, UT), Allison Halling (Teacher), Becky McKinney (Weber High School: Pleasant View, UT)

In my first year teaching I worked 16 hours a day, swamped with planning and grading. Despite my best intentions, neglecting my own needs had a negative impact on my teaching. I now leverage technology to work smarter not harder, reducing my workload while improving my students’ learning experience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to reduce your workload whilst maximizing students’ benefit. Reduce grading workload using my three rules for grading: automate it, delegate it, and simplify it! Save time lesson planning using my 3 favorite tools: the 5-minute lesson plan, video examples, and Google suite.

SPEAKERS:
Abigail Vega (Physics & Chemistry Teacher: , CA)

3D performance assessments, in concert with Ambitious Teaching Principles, can engage students in working with their ideas to advance their thinking. We will share assessment artifacts and analytic and reflective routines that can be introduced into PLCs to develop asset-based assessment practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
Artifacts from the implementation of 3D performance assessments can offer rich insights into students’ ideas, and ambitious teaching principles can serve as powerful tools for leveraging students’ assets and advancing their 3D thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Jill Wertheim (WestEd: San Francisco, CA)

We share the newest results of a study on effective multiple-choice questions in STEM education. We examined science educators’ revisions to help reduce problems such as gender/racial/ethnic bias and difficulty that are often present in test questions, while including common misconceptions.

TAKEAWAYS:
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, or indicative of overall student performance? Do they include common misconceptions that students hold? Learn what works, and what doesn’t.

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

Sponsoring Company: Propello

PBAs can not only assess multiple standards at once, but help students build valuable communication and presentation skills. Learn how to easily incorporate this powerful learning tool into your classroom practice.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Thayne (Lead Program Manager, Science: Murfreesboro, TN), Julie Waid (Propello: Austin, TX)

Sponsoring Company: Stile Education

Discover the transformative power of Driving Questions Boards in assessing student understanding. This session explores innovative strategies beyond traditional scoring, offering educators dynamic tools for capturing the depth of student learning.

SPEAKERS:
Shawna Jensen (Stile Education: Portland, OR)

Sponsoring Company: InnerOrbit

In the transition to 3D common assessments, the most important factor to implementation is teacher advocacy and buy-in. Hear how K-12 science curriculum specialists at Harford County, MD leveraged InnerOrbit’s assessments and professional learning to design, refine, refine NGSS common assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Cooke (Customer Success Manager), Amy Ryan (Harford County Public Schools: Forest Hill, MD), Karen Meekins (Harford County Public Schools: Aberdeen, MD), Brendan Finch (InnerOrbit: No City, No State)

Teachers in many rural districts around the country operate as singletons and very rarely have the opportunity to collaborate with teachers of the same subject area. The presenter will discuss the steps she took that led to significant growth as indicated by state test scores.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the strategies that are necessary to support teachers in rural school districts, which in turn, supports all learners.

SPEAKERS:
LATASHA LAMPKIN (District Science Coach: , GA)

In an era where science educators are encouraged to do more hands-on learning, benefiting students that learn by doing, we still test using traditional styles. Take a look into the benefits of practical style summative tests to help this student population.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to structure summative tests for kinesthetic learners, rather than the standard "pen and paper" style tests.

SPEAKERS:
Ryan Fernandes (Wayne County Schools Career Center: No City, No State)

Want to know what the students actually know without spending all your time grading their responses? Adjust your assessment questions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to adapt "typical" assessment questions into more meaningful questions in order to better get at what students understand, without the endless hours of grading.

SPEAKERS:
Meredith Diehl (Northview High School: Sylvania, OH)

Sponsoring Company: Stile Education

Join our heroic mission to revolutionize grading! Discover how standards-based grading can empower and accurately assess students, turning challenges into triumphs of learning.

SPEAKERS:
Mel Horton (Oregon Science Education Lead: Portland, OR)

Students with exceptionalities experience barriers to mastering the breadth and depth of the NGSS. This session explains the process used to reduce the depth, breadth, and complexity of the NGSS into K-12 alternate standards for students with severe cognitive disabilities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how the developmental process of the NGSS PEs was mirrored, yet altered, to develop alternate standards that incorporated the three dimensions described in the Framework and the NGSS at a reduced depth, breadth, and complexity.

SPEAKERS:
Joyce Depenbusch (Atlas DLM), Christy Glore (ATLAS at University of Kansas: No City, No State)

This short session will chronicle the journey of developing and enhancing NGSS-aligned Performance Assessment Tasks that complement effective science instruction and engage students in high-quality phenomenon-based lessons and assessment AS learning!

TAKEAWAYS:
The key takeaways will include: 1. Tips and tricks for writing novel performance assessment tasks that fit right into regular science classes. 2. Tips and tricks for enhancing/modifying existing assessment tasks. 3. Samples of modified assessment tasks for both Biology & Physical Science.

SPEAKERS:
Marissa Murdock (Dekalb County School District: No City, No State)

Are you looking for a way to simplify your workload of grading and providing feedback on CER writing tasks? Look no further than Autocrat! This Google Sheets extension can shorten your grading and feedback process from weeks to minutes!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with templates of resources from the presentation that will enable them to carry out their own automated feedback process using Autocrat.

SPEAKERS:
Morgan Cook (Chemistry Teacher: No City, No State)

EarthX is a collaboration of stakeholders supporting the implementation of Earth Science and local phenomena into Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. EarthX is developing, testing, and refining embedded, BOY, and unit assessments that will provide near-real-time feedback to teachers and students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about our research and have the opportunity to see embedded formative assessments and use the UC Berkeley BASS system (AI).

SPEAKERS:
Alan Berkowitz (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies: Millbrook, NY), Angela Hood (Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies: Millbrook, NY), Edmund Mitzel Jr (Baltimore City Public Schools: Baltimore, MD), Kevin Garner, Ed.D. (Baltimore City Public Schools: Baltimore, MD)

High structure course design, which includes pre-class content acquisition and assessment, in-class active learning, and after-class review and assessment, has been shown to improve student outcomes, reduce achievement gaps, and increase belonging.

TAKEAWAYS:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to: 1.) Explain what high structure course design is and the benefits of applying it to STEM courses, and 2.) Begin to apply the principles of high structure course design to their own courses.

SPEAKERS:
Justin Shaffer (Colorado School of Mines: No City, No State)

Track Stars is a transformative professional development session that not only empowers teachers with data-driven strategies but also harnesses the competitive spirit of students, ultimately leading to improved academic outcomes and a culture of excellence in secondary education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Track Stars is a dynamic professional development program tailored to secondary teachers, designed to equip them with practical data-tracking strategies that can revolutionize their classrooms into highly effective and competitive data-driven environments.

SPEAKERS:
ROBBIE KEUCHLER JR (Secondary Science Specialist: Orange Park, FL)

Development and cultivation of a partnership between a high school and local university for the purposes of providing students with authentic experiences in a post-secondary laboratory. This includes student collection and analysis of Infrared Spectra, Mass Spectra, and Proton NMR Spectra.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how this partnership was developed and how the partnership has evolved over the past 18 years. Examples of student-collected data and interpretation of results will be presented to show the "final product."

SPEAKERS:
Jeromy Bentley (Naperville Central High School: Naperville, IL)

Explore the vast potential of AI in education with a comprehensive poster session. Understand foundational AI principles, its benefits, challenges, and strategies for effective classroom integration, ensuring a future-ready teaching approach.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will gain a holistic understanding of AI's role in modern education, equipped with insights and best practices to seamlessly integrate AI-driven methodologies into their teaching repertoire.

SPEAKERS:
Selene Verhofstad (Dobie High School: Houston, TX), Faryal Shaukat (Dobie High School: Houston, TX)

What does research tell us about children's ideas and why they matter? We will explore how young children's ideas can be the starting point for designing instruction that builds a bridge between the ideas young children bring to their learning and the science ideas they are learning

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to use the NSTA K-2 formative assessment probes to uncover young learners' ideas that mirror research on common misconceptions and use their ideas to design instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Jason Harding (Teacher Educator), Page Keeley (NSTA Past President: No City, No State)

We will share the latest findings from a multi-year study to identify the most promising features of undergraduate teacher preparation programs that contribute to improved training of preservice science teachers, and experiences that optimize overall STEM knowledge and students’ misconceptions.

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

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

Participants will learn about and experience how we created student-focused digital video science labs. We will share how we modified existing labs by identifying phenomena, developing mini-storylines with student materials, and creating/editing videos.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to develop storyboards along with how to video/edit their associated three-dimensional sensemaking interactive labs.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Sanches (Saratoga Middle/High School: Saratoga, WY), Lesley Urasky (Saratoga Middle/High School: Saratoga, WY)

Teacher leaders are the superheroes of education. In this session participants will investigate the Domain IV of the Teacher Leader Model Standards. In this deep dive, facilitating improvement in science instruction and student learning will be addressed.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through participant dialogue, each attendee will walk away with a list of methods or practices found to be successful in the science classroom, as well as, ways to collaborate and support colleagues.

SPEAKERS:
Jenne VandePanne (Michigan Technological University/Newaygo Public Schools: Newaygo, MI), Jessica Wagenmaker (Holton Middle School: Holton, MI)

Open Educational Resources (OERs) significantly enhance educational equity. Yet, what do the students themselves think about OERs? In this presentation, we analyze and discuss data from student feedback/surveys regarding their experiences with OERs to make improvements where necessary.

TAKEAWAYS:
In summary, the data show that students are mostly grateful for the opportunity to not have to pay for any additional classroom materials after tuition. OER quality varies, and any shortcomings do not go unnoticed by students. However, the zero-cost aspect outweighs any downsides of specific OERs.

SPEAKERS:
Cyrus Sadeghian (Prince George's Community College: Largo, MD)

Delve into common science misconceptions, from the earth's core to the cosmos. Discover innovative tools to pinpoint and address these fallacies, transforming misconceptions into teachable moments.

TAKEAWAYS:
Equip educators with effective strategies to identify, understand, and address students' misconceptions, fostering a more accurate and in-depth grasp of scientific principles.

SPEAKERS:
Nathan Lang-Raad (Author, Speaker, Educator: , ME)