2024 Denver National Conference

March 20-23, 2024

All sessions added to My Agenda prior to this notice have been exported to the mobile app and will be visible in your account when the app launches. Any sessions added now, will also have to be added in the app.
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Rooms and times subject to change.
110 results
Save up to 50 sessions in your agenda.

Early Engineering Encounters

Thursday, March 21 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3F


STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

Participants will use the engineering design process to imagine and build challenges that link with popular rhymes. Lively learning activities will integrate NGSS, math, literacy, and SEL, supporting research that science and engineering should be included for early elementary students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engineering activities can be effectively utilized with early primary students, supporting their growth not only in science, but also in math, ELA, and SEL. Participants will experience engineering exercises that can be readily integrated into their classroom practice.

SPEAKERS:
Pam Nolan-Beasley (Science Teacher Trainer and Elementary STEAM Teacher: Walla Walla, WA)

CAST: Embedding Literacy Supports in 3D Units for Equitable Sensemaking and Learning

Thursday, March 21 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 103/105


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Experience how embedding literacy supports for reading, writing, and academic discourse in 3D teaching and learning promotes sensemaking and science understanding for ALL learners! Learn how the BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model embeds literacy supports throughout cycles of inquiry.

TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model succeeds the 5Es and embeds literacy supports for reading, writing, and academic discourse in conjunction with science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts to promote students in figuring out key science ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Steamboat Springs, CO)

NSELA-Sponsored Session: SLIC: Science Literacy Integration Collaboration, an Integration Model

Thursday, March 21 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 601


STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy

Show Details

A team of Science Consultants and Early Literacy Coaches in Michigan has utilized recommendations in the power of the Brilliance and Strengths Report, combined with data on elementary-level science education, to devise an approach to support literacy practices within science instructional time.

TAKEAWAYS:
The attendees will learn what the SLIC Model consists of, as well as how to find out more to gain supports to implement themselves. There are Facilitator Guides, Train-the-Trainer Professional Learning opportunities, and sessions built out to take with them. This is an OER resource.

SPEAKERS:
Wendi Vogel (Kent Intermediate School District: Lowell, MI)

Confidence and Competence with SEPs

Thursday, March 21 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 706



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10ZW-eqMaTzWM4ysnGuvP_Fxg-b4H6NMq?usp=drive_link

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

The goal of this session is for participants to be able to feel confident and competent with incorporating multiple SEPs into everyday sensemaking lessons in their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience a hands-on lesson that walks them through the basic steps of how to lead a sensemaking lesson that incorporates multiple SEPs.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Schumann (Katy High School: Bellville, TX), Elizabeth Morris (Katy ISD: Katy, TX)

No Time to Read?

Thursday, March 21 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 3C



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTADenver2024.pptx

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

With literacy making it's way to the forefront of all core curriculum, do you ever feel like you don't have enough time to add a reading assignment to your lesson plans? Don't stress! I will present strategies that I have incorporated into my plans that have had positive results.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will take away literacy strategies that can be incorporated immediately into your lesson plans that will encourage students to read aloud, pick out important words and phrases, and put their ideas on paper. Also allows teachers to assess reading abilities and comprehension.

SPEAKERS:
Stacey Barnett (Hammond Creek Middle School: Dalton, GA)

Science Talks, Scaffolding Action, and Argumentation: Three Frameworks for Helping Students Speak and Listen Like Scientists and Engineers

Thursday, March 21 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2A


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

To meet the spirit and vision of NGSS, teachers need pedagogies and practices for facilitating scientific discourses at various stages of STEM lessons. This session introduces three discourse frameworks to help students engage in the practices of listening and speaking like scientists and engineers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn pedagogy and practice for scientific discourses. Participants learn how to facilitate 1.) science talks — how to generate curiosity, wonder, and theorize; 2.) scaffolding action, how to engage and expand scientific investigation and engineering design; and 3.) foster scientific argumentation.

SPEAKERS:
Adam Devitt (Associate professor science education: Turlock, CA)

Traveling the Water Cycle and Human Impacts on Earth's Water

Thursday, March 21 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 304


STRAND: Connecting with Nature

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

Students model global water movement as driven by the Sun and gravity. They consider how a plant's systems interact over various time and spacial scales. Crosscutting concepts of scale, proportion, and quantity are used to discuss the study of water movement and human impact on water.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Parker (Dublin Coffman High School: Dublin, OH)

The Fusion of Science and Language through Smithsonian Science for the Classroom

Thursday, March 21 • 10:50 AM - 11:50 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 403


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Join our interactive science workshop where literacy meets exploration! Immerse yourself in a world of discovery as we blend scientific concepts with the power of language. Through engaging activities, see how students will not only unravel the wonders of science but also enhance their literacy skills. Leave with classroom resources.

SPEAKERS:
Hoover Herrera (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Cranford, NJ), Dr. Sarah Glassman (Smithsonian Science Education Center: Washington, DC)

Effective Literacy and Writing Strategies in the Science Classroom (Grades 6-12)

Thursday, March 21 • 10:50 AM - 11:50 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 303


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Come learn how to use effective literacy strategies so that students can better understand science content. Student understanding and critical-thinking skills will improve with these techniques. Join our constructivist approach that promotes literacy in the science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Heather Thompson (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

Early Childhood and Elementary Science Share-a-Thon

Thursday, March 21 • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Participate in an exploration of science and STEM learning tailored for young learners. Navigate through informative stations, engage with colleagues, and establish connections with science leaders. Depart with lessons and resources designed to elevate STEM and science in your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Elementary and early childhood educators will leave with resources, lessons, and ideas that will advance science and STEM learning in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Williams (Isidore Newman School: Belle Chasse, LA)

SAT: Introducing Free (OER) Integrated ML-PBL Science Resources for Elementary (Grades K-5)

Thursday, March 21 • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Check out and learn how to access free ML-PBL integrated science curricular units for Grades K-5. See how the features of PBL support sensemaking, check out examples of unit overviews, literacy integration and recommended trade books, and research supporting the Multiple Literacies in PBL Project.

TAKEAWAYS:
After viewing examples from multiple units within the ML-PBL K-5 unit sequence, participants will learn how to access the free K-5 curricular resources on the Sprocket site. Handouts provide access to support for accessing and implementing the resources, or for adapting current units.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Codere (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University, Retired: Lansing, MI)

Interactive Word Walls: Experience using a simple vocabulary scaffold that reduces language barriers

Thursday, March 21 • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle



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

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Science involves specific vocabulary & terminology. Students cannot develop & use models, analyze & interpret data, or construct explanations without using terminology & language structures that characterize the language of science. Experience using a simple vocabulary scaffold to reduce barriers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience using a simple vocabulary scaffold to reduce language barriers. This will support teachers' efforts to support students efforts to talk and write about science.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Jackson (Texas State University: Round Rock, TX)

SAT: Outstanding Science Trade Books

Thursday, March 21 • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
OSTB_2024 .pdf

STRAND: No Strand

Show Details

This year’s OSTB award books will be available for participants to peruse and enjoy. Additionally, we will share our methods and findings for a review of all 246 submitted books for topics in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Also, learn about our experiences serving on the committee!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants can view and discuss the latest Outstanding Science Trade Book winners.

SPEAKERS:
Ana Houseal (University of Wyoming: Laramie, WY), Katie Morrison (University Child Development School: Seattle, WA)

SAT: Fueling Student Engagement Through Leveling Up

Thursday, March 21 • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Join two instructional coaches who will lead a medical-themed session where attendees will have the opportunity to travel through the cross-curricular leveling-up (station-based) activity. Attendees will leave the session with instructional strategies to fuel student engagement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will participate in a cross-curricular leveling-up (station-based) activity. Attendees will also receive access to a website that includes meaningful instructional sequences, grade-appropriate resources, a cross-curricular map, rubrics, and student organizers fueling student engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Jamesa Broome (Instructional Lead Teacher: Richmond Hill, GA), Ann Vitello (Richmond Hill Middle School: Richmond Hill, GA)

Integration Station: Exploring SEEDS in Science and Language Arts

Thursday, March 21 • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

A variety of activities exploring seeds, including: comparing and contrasting by size, shape, color, texture; experimenting with samaras to ask scientific questions, like which way do they spin as they fall to the ground; and more. Books about seeds will be available to view.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to integrate science into language arts, using seeds.

SPEAKERS:
Frances Hamilton (The University of Alabama in Huntsville: Taft, TN)

Old Enough to Make a Difference? Yes, you are!

Thursday, March 21 • 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Old Enough to Make a Difference? Yes, you are! It is possible for students of all ages to start making a positive difference in their community. Inspirations from student projects will be shared along with resources for teachers. Great ideas for family engagement nights, science fairs, and more!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will have resources that can used in the classroom and community right away.

SPEAKERS:
Katie Stevenson (South Redford School District: Livonia, MI)

Getting Ideas Across: Integrating Literacy Skills in Science Investigations

Thursday, March 21 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 604


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: TCI

This workshop offers a unique opportunity for educators to gain practical insights into integrating literacy skills within the science curriculum. Attendees will leave with tangible strategies and tools to enrich their teaching practices, fostering a more engaging learning experience for students.

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

Research for a More Just and Sustainable World: Developing Global Competence with our Middle School Students

Thursday, March 21 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 709


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Engage in a research strategy grounded in the Global Competence Framework. Using maps and data visualization tools, including the EPA’s Environmental Justice Screening Tool, participants will consider different perspectives, investigate the world, communicate ideas, and plan to take action.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn a research strategy that helps make student research personally meaningful and globally relevant while developing their global competence. Learn how to use data visualization tools to explore environmental justice in your own community and inspire students to take action for a more just world.

SPEAKERS:
Holly Emery (GEMS-Net, University of Rhode Island: West Greenwich, RI), Catherine Knasas (University of Rhode Island: Attleboo, MA), Caroline Stabile (GEMS-Net, University of Rhode Island: Narragansett, RI)

Communicating Your Discoveries

Thursday, March 21 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3E



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
https://padlet.com/gesherclass/communicatingyourdiscoveries
Slides Communicating Your Discoveries.pdf
Slide deck from Communicating Your Discoveries

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Communicating your findings is a huge piece of any science investigation or project. Come and see some of the different forms such communication can take in P-2 classes, as well as create some of your own!

TAKEAWAYS:
Ideas and formats for communicating science findings.

SPEAKERS:
Annette Venegas (retired: Gig Harbor, WA), Anne Lowry (Aleph Academy: Reno, NV)

Developing Effective Disciplinary Literacy Practices: Grade 3-8 Science Experiences That Help Students Develop Their Abilities to Think, Act & Communicate

Thursday, March 21 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 2B


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Learn effective ways to help students formulate effective questions, design explorations to answer their questions, apply analytical and critical thinking skills, collect and interpret data, and determine effective ways to communicate their findings and the concepts they have learned. Handouts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to help students read like a scientist, how to formulate effective questions they want to answer, how to set up explorations and learning experiences, how to apply skills and communicate their findings so that students can think, act, and communicate like scientists.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Knoell (self: Shawnee Mission, KS)

Supporting Students’ Communication Using Differentiated Strategies

Thursday, March 21 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 101


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

Learn how to enhance students’ overall communication in and out of the science classroom throughout their learning. Delve deeper into topics that include listening using classroom norms, strategies that help students with short response, and how to enhance students’ use of CER!

SPEAKERS:
Brian Klaft (Activate Learning: Greenwich, CT)

EquIP HQ: Demystifying the Patent Process in K-12 Education

Thursday, March 21 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 710


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Join the US Patent & Trademark Office with activities from the free online invention education platform EquIP HQ, Patent Sensei, and Patent Quest. Gain a conceptual understanding of some of the steps needed to take during the patent process including developing skills to help perform a patent search.

TAKEAWAYS:
All students have the power to invent. The USPTO is committed to providing free resources to help K-12 students realize their potential as inventors. Unlocking young inventors' potential, EquIP HQ introduces students to the patent process, igniting creativity and innovation in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Juan Valentin (U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: Laurel, MD)

Easy and Intuitive Science Conversations with The Visual Non-Glossary

Thursday, March 21 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 706


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Blank stares and closed mouths no more! The Visual Non-Glossary makes rich, equitable small-group conversations super easy by providing structured visuals and guiding discussion questions and sentence stems for each of 1,500+ vocabulary words K-12 in Science, available in both English and Spanish.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to get kids to think deeply and talk elaborately about science content. We will interact in small groups with science content to see how all students of different backgrounds can intuitively engage with structured visuals.

SPEAKERS:
Stephen Fleenor (Seidlitz Education: San Antonio, TX)

Meaningful Integration of Science with Social Studies, Math, and ELA

Thursday, March 21 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2C



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Doing it All, March 2024
NSTA slide deck
Fifth Grade Integrated Unit Folder
Kindergarten Integrated Unit Folder
Third Grade Integrated Unit Folder

STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Presenters will share three units in which science is integrated with ELA, math, and social studies. This session will share the process of unit creation and how incorporation with other content areas strengthens science instruction. Three units will be shared: kindergarten, 3rd, and 5th grade.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to integrate multiple content standards to strengthen science instruction, as well as leave with three examples of fully integrated elementary units. In addition to the sharing of the units, presenters will share the creation process so participants can engage in this work.

SPEAKERS:
Mandie Sanderman (Central Rivers Area Education Agency: Waverly, IA), Chelsie Byram (Central Rivers Area Education Agency: Waterloo, IA)

My Students Read, Write, and Speak Like Scientists! Do Yours?

Thursday, March 21 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 1B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
My Students Read Write Talk Like Scientists_Public.pdf

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Although teachers understand the importance of literacy integration, the process of literacy integration remains elusive...until now! This session will support the development of a concrete plan for integrating literacy into your classroom. Resources included!

TAKEAWAYS:
Literacy integration does not mean teaching students to decode. Literacy integration, at its core, is the process of making text visible in the classroom so students can read, write, and speak like professional scientists. Literacy integration makes science fun!

SPEAKERS:
Mesa Davis (Clayton State University: Morrow, GA)

Putting Science in the Science of Reading

Thursday, March 21 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2H



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Sci-Lingual Resources for ELD in Science

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Prior experience and knowledge are key to reading comprehension, especially for tackling complex texts. Join us for an interactive session where we'll explore how doing science and applying effective reading strategies are what students need to be successful readers and scientists.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students need to engage fully in the science and engineering practices in order to build reading comprehension. Science cannot be learned through reading alone, and readers need to be able to draw upon their experiences in science to understand and make sense of new concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Claudio Vargas (Sci-Lingual Education: Oakland, CA), Diana Velez (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Oakland, CA)

Making CER FUN: Having Fun with the Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning Framework

Thursday, March 21 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 707



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Making CER FUN_Having Fun with Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning_Public.pdf

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Teaching students to use the Claims, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) Framework is not easy. This workshop bridges the gap between theory and practice by providing a stepwise strategy that makes the process of evidence-based critical thinking visible to students. All activities are student-approved!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to successfully implement CER in their classrooms. In addition, attendees will leave the session with three readymade activities that are easily implemented but have a high impact.

SPEAKERS:
Mesa Davis (Clayton State University: Morrow, GA)

Cultivating Literacy in Science: Strategies for Comprehension

Thursday, March 21 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 603



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Cultivating Literacy in Science Powerpoint
Cultivating Literacy in Science Resource Folder

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Learn about the differences between content and disciplinary literacy. Participants will understand the benefits of implementing literacy strategies in science. Participants will learn vocabulary and literacy strategies that they can take to help build their student's comprehension of science texts.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session, participants will learn about the differences between content and disciplinary literacy, and engage in vocabulary and comprehension strategies that they can use in the classroom to build their student comprehension.

SPEAKERS:
Megan Hodge (Mississippi Department of Education: Poplarville, MS)

Science Storybook Adventures: Examining Science Models and Explanations in Literature

Thursday, March 21 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3C


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Delve into children’s literature that merges storytelling and science explanations, inviting elementary students to unravel intriguing investigations and uncover how and why science works.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will examine children’s literature that enhances critical thinking and guides elementary students in refining science models and explanations post-investigation. This session will showcase the transformative potential of literature in elementary science.

SPEAKERS:
Colleen Saxen (: Dayton, OH), Michelle Fleming (Wright State University: Dayton, OH)

Content Integration with Science as the Anchor

Thursday, March 21 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Content Integration Handout
Content Integration Planning Tools
Slides for Content Integration Session

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Phenomena-based teaching and learning in science authentically lends itself to integration with literacy, language development, and other subject areas, yet each is often taught in silos. Explore how to shift K-5 classroom practice towards an integrated approach that supports all students’ learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers and leaders will gain insight into principles of content integration with science as the anchor and will explore tools, strategies, and system-wide approaches they can use in their own K-5 context in order to identify and plan for more equitable interdisciplinary science instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Diana Velez (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Oakland, CA), Rebecca Abbott (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

Help Save Our Wild Places: An Interactive Session with Award Winning Authors and Conservationists John and Hayley Rocco

Thursday, March 21 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 406


STRAND: Connecting with Nature

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Publisher Spotlight

The Roccos will discuss their new book, Wild Places: The Life of Naturalist David Attenborough, and the Children’s Book Creators for Conservation goal of creating free conservation-based programs for schools nationwide. They will end with an interactive “game show” about endangered animals.

SPEAKERS:
John Rocco (Penguin Young Readers), Hayley Rocco (Penguin Young Readers)

Hands-On Learning: The Moon’s Orbit

Thursday, March 21 • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 304


STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

Why aren't there eclipses during each lunar cycle? Explore this phenomenon through a modeling activity that looks at both the Earth's and the Moon's orbital planes. Come experience this hands-on interactive session and take home your own Lab-Aids Orbital Plane model.

SPEAKERS:
Ed Miller (Selden Middle School: Centereach, NY)

Meet Me in the Middle: Middle-Level Share-a-Thon

Thursday, March 21 • 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: No Strand

Show Details

Participants will engage in a variety of activities, collect information, discover new resources, and network with middle-level leaders from NSTA and NMLSTA. The new ideas and materials will be something that can be used next week.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will have networking opportunities with other middle-level science educators, both presenters and other attendees. In addition, they will discover new resources for all aspects of science teaching and they will engage in a variety of new activities to use with their students.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Lou Lipscomb (National Middle Level Science Teachers Association: Naperville, IL)

The Magnetic Attraction Between Science and Literacy

Thursday, March 21 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 1A


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Experience the “magnetic attraction” of science and literacy while figuring out a noncontact force. Participants use speaking, listening, reading and writing to engage in a phenomenon routine that includes noticing, wondering, modeling, and finding evidence to support or refute their thinking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants understand the interdependency of science and literacy, receive knowledge of where to find investigations embedded with “inquiry principles” incorporated in the science and engineering practices, a sample interactive read aloud, and a resource list for everything shared in the session.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Ryack-Bell (Wade Institute for Science Education: Dartmouth, MA), Kathy Renfrew (Wade Institute for Science Education: Milford, MA)

Flopsy, Mopsy, and ... Fungi? Beatrix Potter and Other Surprising Scientists

Thursday, March 21 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2D



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Booklist Beatrix Potter and Other Surprising Scientists.pdf
A list of the books we are highlighting!
Surprising Scientists Presentation
Here is the pdf we shared this afternoon--the links are embedded on most pictures of the "surprising scientists" and on occasion, in other spots!

STRAND: Connecting with Nature

Show Details

Beatrix Potter, mycologist? George Washington, agriculturalist? Rosalynn Carter, entomologist? Learn how biographies and other trade books about citizen scientists can lead to the exploration of the wonders of nature.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore how they can address the NGSS and integrate literacy through incorporating high-quality science trade books about citizen scientists such as Beatrix Potter.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Broemmel (The University of Rhode Island: North Kingstown, RI), Kristin Rearden (The University of Tennessee, Knoxville: Knoxville, TN)

Fail-Safe Literacy Strategies for Science

Thursday, March 21 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 4C


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Join us as we explore classroom activities that engage students in thinking, exploring, and making sense of the world using an integrated science and literacy approach. Learn how to use our 5 thinking routines to collect assessment evidence to support student learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants gain a toolkit of engaging science activities strategically paired with literacy strategies to enhance instructional effectiveness and empower students to develop essential thinking routines to tackle scientific challenges, because together this approach 'just works' in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Lionel Sandner (Edvantage Interactive: Victoria, BC), Sandra Mirabelli (Brock University: Mississauga, ON)

Climate Science for Your Elementary Classroom

Thursday, March 21 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2H



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Climate Science for Your Elementary Classroom Workshop
Climate Science for Your Elementary Classroom Workshop

STRAND: Climate Science and Environmental Justice

Show Details

Explore a suite of free, standards-aligned lessons that get elementary students engaged with climate science by connecting them to their environment, fostering empowerment, and supporting social-emotional and interdisciplinary learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how climate science can be included in elementary classrooms in ways that help students feel empowered, connected to their environment, and grow their social-emotional skills as they learn how climate works and how climate change happens.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Rummel (UCAR Center for Science Education: Boulder, CO), Leanne Rehme (UCAR Center for Science Education: Boulder, CO), Katie Wolfson (School & Public Programs Manager: Boulder, CO), Lisa Gardiner (UCAR Center for Science Education: Boulder, CO)

Supporting Multilingual Learners in the Science Classroom: A Practical Approach

Thursday, March 21 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 704



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTA 2024_ Supporting EMLs.pdf

STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

This session will provide teachers with practical and effective strategies for supporting Multilingual Learners. Through hands-on activities, we will model best practices for scaffolding the language demands of a science lesson and the language development opportunities provided by the Practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science learning and language development are mutually supportive. Language learning occurs as a product of using language. As Multilingual Learners engage in the SEPs, they use disciplinary language to make sense of phenomena and use their emerging language to communicate their new understanding.

SPEAKERS:
Diana Velez (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Oakland, CA), Claudio Vargas (Sci-Lingual Education: Oakland, CA)

Creating a Science Classroom Podcast 101 with COESEE

Thursday, March 21 • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 111/113


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Former teacher and host of the freely-available Tumble Science Podcast for Kids Marshall Escamilla will guide science educators in the nuts and bolts of creating a classroom podcast. We’ll cover the very basics of getting set up and sharing your content with the entire community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees at this session will learn the very basics of how to create a classroom podcast from a professional podcaster.

SPEAKERS:
Marshall Escamilla (Tumble Media Production: Greenfield, MA), Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network: Plymouth, MI)

Help Your Students with Investigations: Increase Their Quality of Observations and Analysis

Friday, March 22 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3H


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Learn how to build upon the NGSS SEPs so that students get more out of investigations and labs. Using hands-on explorations, students can learn to improve their collection and analysis of data – along with the communication of the results and learning. These strategies will make a difference.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session provides teacher strategies and resources to support students with investigations and labs. The quality of observations and analysis of scientific data can be enhanced, thus helping students communicate their findings to others.

SPEAKERS:
Jason Harding (CLEAPSS / Kings College London: Crstal Beach, TX)

Using STEM for Deeper Understanding of Literature

Friday, March 22 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 3B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
STEM for deeper understanding of lit.pdf

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Conducting a novel study is a wonderful opportunity to develop some STEM activities that allow for practicing those skills while also developing a deeper understanding of the book being read. This session will share examples of projects and guide participants through developing their own project.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave the session with project ideas for integrating STEM into novel studies.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Bebell (7/8 Science teahcer: Blue Hill, ME)

FREE Resources and Strategies for Interdisciplinary Data Science Education

Friday, March 22 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3C


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Come discover how free, NSF-funded resources from The Concord Consortium and EL Education can bring literacy, math, and social studies into the science classroom through engaging students with authentic real-world datasets. Bring a device to this interactive session and take away tips and resources!

TAKEAWAYS:
Resources and strategies for interdisciplinary sensemaking through interactive data-exploration simulations and activities.

SPEAKERS:
Katherine Miller (Concord Consortium: Brooklyn, NY)

Using Translanguaging to Plan Phenomenon-Driven Science Instruction for Emergent Bilinguals

Friday, March 22 • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 704



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTA 2024_ (1).pptx

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Learn about and apply tools from a federally-funded professional development program around translanguaging. These tools will allow you to plan lessons that leverage emergent bilinguals' multilingualism and lived experiences as they analyze and interpret data and scientific texts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Translanguaging recognizes, values, and leverages emergent bilinguals full communicative repertoire. Science teachers can use strategic translanguaging moves to strengthen how science practices, such as analyzing and interpreting data, better foster biliteracy development.

SPEAKERS:
Edward Lyon (Sonoma State University: Santa Rosa, CA)

Reading, Math, & Science...Integration, Not Segregation: All Content is Created Equal

Friday, March 22 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 3C



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Gradual Release Recording Sheet
Use these sheets to record anecdotal notes to create small groups in each subject.
Integration Check Up Sheet
Integration PowerPoint
Slides of the presentation
NSTA Legal Size Handout.pdf
Integration Highlights

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

In this session, teachers will experience the integration of reading, math, and science instruction, and get more bang for their buck. The session will also discuss and demonstrate differentiation to support all learners. There will be a rotation simulation for brain stimulation!

TAKEAWAYS:
The hands-on session provides: ideas on classroom management for integrated stations and centers, detailed small-group instruction, Lexile-leveled lessons, and much more!

SPEAKERS:
Yolanda Williams (Veterans Memorial Middle School: Covington, GA)

Drama for Assessment and Retrieval Practice in Science

Friday, March 22 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 2C



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTA 2024 Science and Drama Delegate Copy.pdf
Drama and science session slides NSTA 2024

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

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)

Selecting High Quality Science Picture Books that Center Justice, Equity, and Inclusion

Friday, March 22 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 704


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Come learn how to use the Justice, Equity, and Inclusion in Science Picture Books Checklist to select high-quality picture books for your classroom. In this interactive workshop, participants practice using the checklist and discuss takeaways. Several picture books will be raffled to participants.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants learn about a tool to analyze science picture books they select that center justice, equity, and inclusion. Participants practice using the tool with recently published picture books, analyze the value of the tool, and discuss how they can integrate it in their teaching environments.

SPEAKERS:
Ingrid Carter (Metropolitan State University of Denver: Denver, CO), Caitlin Fine (Metropolitan State University of Denver: Denver, CO)

From Struggle to Success: Reading Strategies in the Science Classroom

Friday, March 22 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Attack that Word: Reviewing Decoding Strategies
Reading strategy for breaking down complex words. Though this in an elementary setting, it can very well be adjusted for all grade levels. This is an awesome way to help struggling readers to "attack" very tough science terminology.
Can we Afford to Ignore the Science of Reading? | Melissa Hostetter | TEDxUofISp
Video about research on how reading is taught in schools today.
Chris Emdin - Creating Magic
Video that was unable to be shown during presentation
PDF Presentation
Here is a simplified copy of my slides from the presentation. Thank you so much for attending. Feel free to reach out for more!
Teaching & Being Rachetdemic | Christopher Emdin | TEDxBerkeley
Christopher Emdin reveals how he aims to bridge the seemingly disparate worlds of the ivory tower and the hood in his talk, "Teaching & Being Ratchetdemic." Highlighting the major inequities in urban education, Dr. Emdin argues in favor of a simple solution: that being “ratchetdemic,” or both ratchet and academic (like having rap battles about science) can empower students to embrace themselves, their background, and their education. Christopher Emdin is Professor and Program Director of Science

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Reading proficiency is tied to academic success. Teaching various reading and testing strategies while using high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and innovative technology can help students overcome their challenges with comprehension and vocabulary acquisition.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to use reading strategies coupled with technology to help all students develop ways to navigate grade-level, challenging text. How creating a classroom culture can cultivate an environment conducive for welcoming and increasing literacy in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie White-Keuchler (The School District of Philadelphia: Philadelphia, PA)

Neuroscience Lesson Showcase

Friday, March 22 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 610/612


STRAND: Lesson Showcase

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Society for Neuroscience

This workshop offers an opportunity for teachers to explore a new neuroscience curriculum designed for third through sixth grade students. The curriculum encompasses lessons aimed at improving academic performance and increasing mental health literacy among students.

SPEAKERS:
Carolann Berns (Society for Neuroscience: Washington, DC)

Effective Literacy and Writing Strategies in the Science Classroom (Grades K-5)

Friday, March 22 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 303


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: STEMscopes by Accelerate Learning

Come learn how to use effective literacy strategies so that students can better understand science content. Student understanding and critical-thinking skills will improve with these techniques. Join our constructivist approach that promotes literacy in the science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Heather Thompson (Accelerate Learning, Inc.: Houston, TX)

The Fusion of Science and Language through Smithsonian Science for the Classroom

Friday, March 22 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 403


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Join our interactive science workshop where literacy meets exploration! Immerse yourself in a world of discovery as we blend scientific concepts with the power of language. Through engaging activities, see how students will not only unravel the wonders of science but also enhance their literacy skills. Leave with classroom resources.

SPEAKERS:
Hoover Herrera (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Cranford, NJ), Dr. Sarah Glassman (Smithsonian Science Education Center: Washington, DC)

Modeling the Human Body

Friday, March 22 • 9:20 AM - 10:20 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 304


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

Students use diagrams to create a 3D clay model of some of the organs and structures in the human torso. The concepts of structure and function are introduced as students begin to think about how the organs can be grouped into body systems based on their function within the human body.

SPEAKERS:
Ed Miller (Selden Middle School: Centereach, NY)

Fostering Scientific Curiosity through the Fusion of Children's Literature and Hands-On Explorations

Friday, March 22 • 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2H


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

This session shares resources to create meaningful, integrated learning experiences for young learners. By incorporating trade books tailored for young learners, the session offers insights into how these books can function as catalysts for sparking curiosity and providing pathways for SEPs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn techniques to evaluate science content from trade books and will take away a curated collection of recommended literature and hands-on activity ideas built on science and engineering practices.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Parks (Stetson University: Deland, FL)

Incorporation of Iterative Modeling for Earth Science Literacy

Friday, March 22 • 10:40 AM - 11:40 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 711


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

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: Chapel Hill, NC), Missie Olson (Becker High School: Annandale, MN)

Science is Lit! Infusing Literacy Strategies into 3D Science Instruction: An Action Research Study

Friday, March 22 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

This action research investigates the impact of job-embedded professional learning (focused on using science and literacy strategies in the science classroom) on the performance and achievement of students, and the effectiveness of the science teacher.

TAKEAWAYS:
The key takeaways will include a suite of strategies and interventions that can be implemented district-wide or at the classroom level. These strategies focus on the intersection of science and literacy, and how they interplay in the science classroom and curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Marissa Murdock (Dekalb County School District: Conyers, GA)

Embedding Information Literacy Practices in an Upper Division Chemistry Lab Class at a University in the United States of America

Friday, March 22 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Lesson Showcase

Show Details

This poster will specifically discuss the implementation of information literacy into an upper-division inorganic chemistry lab and the strategies employed to improve students’ information literacy in the laboratory courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Strategies to develop information literacy practices in STEM classrooms need to be explicitly taught. These explicit activities need to familiarize students with concepts, as well as provide specific scaffolding to support its implementation.

SPEAKERS:
Matilynn Lam (Graduate Student: PALM BAY, FL), Katy Miller (Department Head, Student Learning and Engagement and UCF Connect Libraries: Orlando, FL)

Classroom Practices: Integrating STEM, Literacy and Computation in Elementary Education (iSLICEE)

Friday, March 22 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTA iSLICEE Poster.pdf

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Receive practical ideas to integrate computational thinking (CT) into K-5 science, mathematics, and English Language Arts curriculum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn examples about how to integrate STEM, Literacy, and Computational Thinking into everyday lessons. Different technological tools available for educators.

SPEAKERS:
Chelsie Pratt (Instructor: Johnson City, TN), Michaela Slagle (Graduate Assistant: Johnson City, TN), Dylan Singleton (Student: Johnson City, TN), Chihche Tai (East Tennessee State University: Johnson City, TN)

Learning the Language of Science

Friday, March 22 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

This poster session will provide examples of activities that build language comprehension skills for English Learners. Activities will help connect science content to background knowledge while thinking critically about scientific concepts using informational text, visuals, and hands-on exploration.

TAKEAWAYS:
They will learn about a scaffolded set of activities designed to build language comprehension skills using a science concept.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Die (Regional Curriculum Coordinator: Nederland, TX)

Ethics of Information: The Challenges Of and Strategies For Introducing Information Literacy to Elementary Students

Friday, March 22 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Information literacy (IL) is an essential skillset in the digital era, making it important to develop throughout students' academic careers. However, the ethical topics of IL may be difficult to introduce to younger students. We identify the possible challenges and provide strategies to tackle them.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators face several challenges teaching elementary students ethical information usage. To combat this, we have devised a few strategies that can make this aspect of information literacy easier to develop in younger students.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Randles (University of Central Florida: Orlando, FL), Matilynn Lam (Graduate Student: PALM BAY, FL)

Key Stakeholders’ Interpretations of Scientific Information Literacy: A Survey of Orange and Seminole County Postsecondary Educators

Friday, March 22 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Gaining meaningful access to a discipline requires students to engage with multiple literacies. Here we report on a study investigating postsecondary faculties interpretations, implementations, and assessment of information literacy in university classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Embedding information literacy (IL) practices in postsecondary chemistry classrooms will require significant curriculum and professional development to support faculty to implement IL practices in their classroom, given faculty temporal and capability restrictions.

SPEAKERS:
Matilynn Lam (Graduate Student: PALM BAY, FL)

Discourse with an Equity Lens in a Science Classroom

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 203



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Discourse for Sensemaking with an Equity Lens in Science Classrooms

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

In Discourse with an Equity Lens in a Science Classroom participants will explain what it means to disaggregate science instruction and discuss the role of linguistic bias in science classrooms, explain the process of “figuring out”, and identify teacher talk moves and productive talk.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers can use discourse to promote sensemaking and affirm students’ science identity.

SPEAKERS:
Evelyn Larose (Boston Public Schools: Roslindale, MA), Alicia Wedderburn (Science Instructional Coach: Milton, MA)

We See What You Mean: Leverage Visual Learning to Promote Visible Learning

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
We See What You Mean 2024.pptx
These slides provide an overview of the session's major concepts as well as exemplars of student and teacher work.

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Science can be challenging for multilingual learners because it is heavy with tier two and three vocabulary. Educators may be challenged by the needs of those at the entering or beginning level of proficiency. Comprehensible input makes content and concepts visible, thereby improving accessibility.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn several strategies that make content visible and therefore more accessible to multilingual learners. Comprehensible input strategies include explicit vocabulary and pictorial compacting. Comprehensible output strategies include student-generated realia and thinking maps.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Schell (Clarke Middle School: Athens, GA), Nathalie Guerin (Clarke MIddle School: Athens, GA)

Teaching With Primary Sources: It's For STEM Too!

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3A


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Join us and learn how to revitalize STEM instruction using Library of Congress primary sources which align with Next Gen Science Standard and visual thinking. Inspire future STEM leaders using practical strategies and inquiry with digitized resources from our nation's library.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session showcases how digital resources from the Library of Congress offer authentic connections to STEM concepts and NGSS. By examining primary sources, teachers and students can explore scientific ideas, technological innovations, and the societal impact of STEM advancements.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Israelsen (Digital Literacy Partner: Broomfield, CO), Michelle Pearson (Adams 12 Five Star Schools: Broomfield, CO)

It's Not All or Nothing: Uncovering Synergies between Science and Literacy

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 502


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Amplify Science

Unlock the powerful connections between science and literacy to improve learning outcomes in both disciplines. Experience how literacy-rich NGSS-designed learning sequences from UC Berkeley’s Lawrence Hall of Science are synergistic with language comprehension goals from the Science of Reading.

SPEAKERS:
Alestra Menendez (Amplify: Fairfield, CA), Rebecca Abbott (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA)

NSELA-Sponsored Session: Effective Professional Learning Experiences in Science Education

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 705


Show Details

The underpinning of meaningful professional learning lies in coherent and sustained professional development experiences teachers can apply in the classroom. This session focuses on how to apply the Science Professional Learning Standards in modeling discourse to improve instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
A clear understanding of how to apply the Science Professional Learning Standards to select and design professional learning experiences. A set of strategies and lesson plans for modeling classroom discourse and applying these strategies in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Candace Penrod (Salt Lake City School District: MURRAY, UT), Brett Moulding (Partnership for Effective Science Teaching and Learning: Ogden, UT)

Identifying Scientific Misinformation with Computational Thinking

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 4F


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Participants will engage in computational thinking practices to identify trustworthy scientific sources in the media. This session includes classroom-ready activities focused on disciplinary core ideas to enhance media literacy through science and engineering practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
Computational thinking (CT) is an iterative process useful for identifying trustworthy scientific sources in the media. Through inquiry, CT enables students to disaggregate media content, recognize patterns, focus on important information, and develop systematic processes to improve media literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Missie Olson (Becker High School: Annandale, MN), Dennis Liu (E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation: Potomac, MD), Jocelyn Miller (E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation: Chapel Hill, NC)

Examining Pokémon Cards to Elaborate About Inherited Traits

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 1A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
5E Components.pdf
NSTA Spr24 Denver Pokemon Presentation1.pptx
PokemonSampleSet.pdf

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Pokémon cards depict fictitious animalian life stages that can be leveraged to discuss life science concepts such as inherited and acquired traits. After briefly reviewing inherited versus acquired traits and 5E lessons, participants will explore the cards to develop sci-fi writing samples.

TAKEAWAYS:
While some Pokémon character cards depict physical and behavioral development over two or more stages, such character cards may be leveraged as science fiction writing seeds, to help early adolescents apply their understanding of life science concepts while learning about the Science Fiction genre.

SPEAKERS:
Omah Williams-Duncan (University of Houston-Clear Lake: Houston, TX)

Outdoor Science: Reading & Writing About the "B-List" for "A-Plus" Results

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 1C


STRAND: Connecting with Nature

Show Details

Follow butterflies, bees, birds, and childrens' books into the school yard with an NSTA Press author who shares strategies for journaling like wilderness explorers and wildlife habitat champions interwoven with stories of creating and preserving the phenomenon of Monarch migration. Free seeds!

TAKEAWAYS:
The main takeaway is most prominently the set of strategies (nature journaling, integrating childrens' literature) that help students in interdisciplinary efforts to use or create school gardens that promote pollination and provide a pathway for migrating butterflies, various birds, bees, and bats.

SPEAKERS:
Steve Rich (GA Dept of Education (Ret): Douglasville, GA)

Transform Static Word Walls Into Interactive Teaching Tools

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 1F



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

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Transform static word walls into interactive tools that involve students, include visuals, organize content, target key vocabulary, and support student discourse. Bring vocabulary to life so students can build meaningful relationships with Disciplinary Core Ideas rather than simply memorizing them.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to transform static word walls into interactive teaching tools that involve students, include visuals, organize content, target key vocabulary, and support student discourse. We will build an interactive word wall and use it to support academic discourse during the session.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Jackson (Texas State University: Round Rock, TX)

Fun Ways to Get Students to Argue with Evidence

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 704


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

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: West Haven, UT), Becky McKinney (Weber High School: Pleasant View, UT)

Making Sense of Cell Differentiation and Gene Expression

Friday, March 22 • 1:20 PM - 2:20 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 304


STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

Explore the use of sensemaking strategies to help students understand how selective gene expression works. Come experience a model lesson from the Lab-Aids' program: Science and Global Issues: Biology, developed by SEPUP. This hands-on workshop will also show a connection to genetic engineering.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Parker (Dublin Coffman High School: Dublin, OH)

Using Authentic Phenomenon to Develop Summative Assessments

Friday, March 22 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Hyatt Regency Denver - Granite


STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

A major aspect of the NGSS is the inclusion of 3D summative assessments. However, this is something with which all teachers struggle. Using the National Center for Science Education’s free, high-quality assessments as a model, learn how to use phenomena to create assessments for your own students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will walk away with the confidence to select appropriate phenomena to use as the foundation for a summative assessment and an understanding of how to build a 3D assessment using a phenomenon.

SPEAKERS:
Lin Andrews (Independent Contractor: Wichita, KS)

Help Students "Muck About" in their Data

Friday, March 22 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2H



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Session resource document
Access all resources, including the session slide deck, from the session via this link.

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Come explore different ways we can assist our students to “muck about” in their data to get comfortable and better understand it. We will discuss the importance of Exploratory Data Analysis as a compliment to more traditionally emphasized Explanatory Data Analysis.

TAKEAWAYS:
Identify ways to increase student engagement in data activities using real-world data in existing curriculum to build their data and sensemaking skills as you teach your science.

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

Design Thinking and You!

Friday, March 22 • 2:40 PM - 3:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 2C



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Design Thinking Resources NSTA
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to "[email protected]"

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Come join in the Design Thinking Process: Define, Empathize, Ideate, Prototype, Test, and Improve. This process helps students (and teachers) to brainstorm, understand others, and solve problems creatively and collaboratively in a K-5 science education!

TAKEAWAYS:
They will learn how we can put empathy in the design thinking process, so we can bridge the connection between our students and the community with STEM. We often see science at a global scale, but this will help bring back the focus at a local level.

SPEAKERS:
Tram Nguyen (5th Grade Science, Math, and Social Studies Teacher: Lawrenceville, GA)

DataWISE: A Tool for Critically Analyzing Data-based Claims

Friday, March 22 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Hyatt Regency Denver - Capitol Ballroom 3


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Looking for a new tool to help students accurately evaluate science-related media? Join NCSE to explore this technique that allows students to examine the worth of the media content, inspect data legitimacy, and make sense of graphical analysis, all while evaluating the emotions the media elicits.

TAKEAWAYS:
The goal of this session is for participants to move past functional data literacy to critical data literacy. Students will learn to evaluate data-based claims for various types of bias, intent, and misleading data representations, in addition to basic strategies for understanding data.

SPEAKERS:
Wendy Johnson (National Center for Science Education: Grand Rapids, MI), Lin Andrews (Independent Contractor: Wichita, KS)

Engaging Young Scientists Through Fairy Tales

Friday, March 22 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 3A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTA FairyTales Denver.pdf

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Make the literacy connection to science with fairy tales. Join us as we explore activities that integrate multiple content areas with an emphasis on writing across the curriculum. We will even engineer a house for a pig.

TAKEAWAYS:
This workshop has been designed to show educators: -how to become advocates of literacy for elementary science and engineering -to provide connections between science and literacy and -to learn strategies for actively engaging all learners.

SPEAKERS:
Amber Dobbs (Ruth Patrick Science Education Center: Augusta, GA), John Hutchens (Ruth Patrick Science Education Center: Aiken, SC)

Building a Comprehensive Vocabulary Program

Friday, March 22 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 1C



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

STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Words are the currency of education. Teachers and students use words to share ideas, ask questions, and demonstrate learning. Selecting vocabulary is challenging. Learn how to use a research-based Vocabulary Planning Document to ensure vocabulary selection is focused, intentional, and systematic.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will use a research-based Vocabulary Planning Document (Graves 2006, 2016) to identify critical academic vocabulary and word-learning strategies associated with specific Disciplinary Core Ideas. This process ensures that lesson vocabulary selection is intentional, focused, and systematic.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Jackson (Texas State University: Round Rock, TX)

Say No to Silos: Integrating STEM and Language Arts

Friday, March 22 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 2A


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

This session will focus on the integration of STEM and Language Arts/Reading through standards-driven, inquiry-based units. Participants will have the opportunity to experience one lesson from a unit that demonstrates integration of robotics, engineering, mathematics, and language arts.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will demonstrate integration of STEM and Literacy through the use of robotics. Participants will be provided with an example of a unit based on a young adult book. They will be able to use the unit as provided and will be able to develop their own integrated lessons following the model.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Douglass (Washburn University: Lenexa, KS)

A writing center led by science teachers? Why it works and how to implement it in your school!

Friday, March 22 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 708



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
writing center and science literacy resource folder

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Using a Peer-assisted-learning model, you can learn how to establish a writing center at your school to support science literacy and foster student leadership. Doing so can also emotionally support students and build student self-confidence while communicating in multiple ways.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be provided an approach for developing a writing center at their schools with research outlining the necessity of science literacy and for science teachers to support and teach literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Brooke Whitworth (Clemson University: Clemson, SC), Ashley Hunter (Graduate Research/Teaching Assistant: Clemson, SC), Althea Roy (Clemson University: Clemson, SC)

Laying the Groundwork: An Introduction to Scientific Inquiry Unit

Friday, March 22 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 703


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Where do you start a new school year? How about an introductory unit that will engage your students in the basic tenets of Scientific Literacy? This workshop will engage participants in hands-on activities aimed at laying the foundation for Scientific Literacy through inquiry.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will take away 5 activities that immerse students in Scientific Inquiry in ways that may not seem very "sciencey" but will build foundational skills in Scientific Literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Vanessa Ueltzen (Walther Christian Academy: Chicago, IL)

Increasing Student Discourse While Prospecting for Mineral Ore

Friday, March 22 • 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 304


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Sponsoring Company: Lab-Aids

How do we engage students to ask questions and develop evidence-based explanations? In this hands-on activity from the Lab-Aids EDC Earth Science program, discourse occurs authentically as you role-play a geologist testing various site extractions for molybdenum, a valuable mineral.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Parker (Dublin Coffman High School: Dublin, OH)

Text-to-Investigation: Expanding the Making Connections Strategy to Science

Saturday, March 23 • 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3E


STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

Literacy has used “Text to…” connections to help students make authentic connections. A rationale for expanding this strategy and examples of expanded “text to…” connections for science and math will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore how to expand a common literacy strategy of “text to...” connections when using picture books in the elementary science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Anne Royce (Shippensburg University: Newburg, PA)

Awakening the Human Spirit in the Science Classroom

Saturday, March 23 • 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 4A


STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy

Show Details

In science classrooms, we often focus on the "subject of study" without addressing the other two "subjects" in the room: the teacher and student. Awakening the spirits of the educator and students in the classroom leads to a stronger sense of belonging and respect, & greater lesson effectiveness.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn two foundational models of human awareness and behavior, then create interpersonal intentions that will provide a higher level of effectiveness and enjoyment for themselves and students in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Mick Scott (CS and Engineering Teacher / Former K-12 STEM Director / Mind Mastery Coach: Reisterstown, MD)

SCST Presents: What Happened to Writing Lab Reports? The Demise of the College Science Lab Report Assignment

Saturday, March 23 • 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3G



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Palmer et al., Life science instructors who don't assign lab reports
This is a link to my presentation
Science writing activities

STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Many students struggle to become effective science communicators through writing. Our research study reveals why some life science instructors are no longer assigning traditional lab reports. Strategies to help your students with science writing are provided.

TAKEAWAYS:
A surprisingly large number of college faculty have stopped assigning traditional lab reports in introductory life science courses. Our research study reveals several barriers, some of which are quite surprising. We provide a list of classroom-ready strategies to improve students’ science writing.

SPEAKERS:
Timothy Slater (University of Wyoming: Laramie, WY), Kristy Palmer (Ph.D. Candidate: Laramie, WY)

Understanding the Ways Physical, Audio and E-books Affect Reading Comprehension: A Qualitative Case Study

Saturday, March 23 • 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 603


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

A qualitative study to determine how students learn best through text - physical books, audio books, and e-books. We tested comprehension, conducted interviews, and created journals.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to understand how to determine which type of reading media will work best for their students. Attendees will see how they can test their students and how to draw conclusions to find the best fit for their classroom and individual needs.

SPEAKERS:
Kaylyn Hoth (Pre-Service Teacher: No City, No State), Mikayla Prusha (Wartburg College Pre-Service Teacher: No City, No State)

Science in The News

Saturday, March 23 • 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 1B


STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

Tired of hearing: Why are we learning this? When will we ever use this? This session will discuss how to use news articles to teach reading comprehension and increase science literacy in secondary students of all levels. Also, connect 3D Lessons and Science and Engineering Practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with multiple ways of implementing science in the news into their classrooms. Science will become dynamic and applicable.

SPEAKERS:
Misty Heredia (UTRGV: Brownsville, TX)

Disciplinary Literacy in Elementary Science

Saturday, March 23 • 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3G



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
NSTA Presentation Disciplinary Literacy in Science
SEP Progression Task
Word Wall Cards

STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

See how Baltimore City Schools is using student questions to drive student learning and supports Disciplinary Literacy. Participants will explore strategies such as interactive word walls, and DQBs to support student questioning, discourse, differentiation, and ML students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Be more intentional of when and what strategies to employ to support Disciplinary Literacy and Multi-Lingual students.

SPEAKERS:
Sage Caspersson (Baltimore City Public Schools: Arnold, MD), Melissa Devlin (Baltimore City Public Schools: Severna Park, MD), Kevin Garner, Ed.D. (Baltimore City Public Schools: Severna Park, MD)

Student-Led School Gardens

Saturday, March 23 • 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 204



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Student Led School Gardening.pdf

STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Using student questions and related books, you will lead your students to planting, maintaining, and harvesting your school garden. The school garden offers a place to enrich teaching efforts with powerful hands-on experiences that make learning come alive.

TAKEAWAYS:
School gardens are a fantastic way to transition from a more traditional classroom to an outdoor, experiential learning opportunity centered on student engagement and critical thinking. A school garden can be integrated into many subjects such as math, science, health, literacy, and social studies.

SPEAKERS:
Rhonda Gadino (Topeka Public Schools: Americus, KS)

NMLSTA - Science Plus: Creating a Cross-Curricular Unit

Saturday, March 23 • 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 704


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Learn about a successful cross-curricular model creating an opportunity for students to explore the science, history, and culture of their community. Add math skills, physical education, and poetry, too. This collaboration brings staff together to create a unique student learning opportunity.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about a successful all-school science-led, cross-curricular week highlighting the school's local environment, history, and culture with the opportunity to brainstorm how to create a similar activity for their own schools.

SPEAKERS:
Alison Seymour (Winchester College: Scottsdale, AZ)

Fostering Environmental Awareness and Social Justice Through Climate Fiction Text (Cli-Fi)

Saturday, March 23 • 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3C


STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy

Show Details

Through collaborative teacher education teams, lesson plans were developed to promote the integration of social justice and environmental awareness to the secondary science through Cli-fi. Curriculum examples of the YAL text Haven Jacobs Saves the Planet will be shared in this session.

TAKEAWAYS:
Recommended practices and resources for fostering environmental awareness and social justice through Cli-fi.

SPEAKERS:
Chelsea McClure (Towson University & Morgan State University)

Establishing an Apiary, Social Media, Curriculum Integration, and How to Run a Business on Campus

Saturday, March 23 • 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2A



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

STRAND: Connecting with Nature

Show Details

What could possibly make an experience working with 100,000+ stinging insects even better? Let's document it and put it on social media! In this session, you will learn how a small liberal arts college has made a commitment to pollinator education, curriculum integration, and experiential learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Innovation is change that unlocks new value; simple to say, yet very hard to do. Establishing an apiary, a new company, embracing entrepreneurship, and developing curriculum represent innovation and the future of higher education. It requires that we push creative boundaries and take risks.

SPEAKERS:
Patrick Krantz (Westminster College: New Wilmington, PA)

Integrate to Alleviate: Contextualizing Comprehension in Elementary

Saturday, March 23 • 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Integrate to Alleviate Presentation Slides
Integrate to Alleviate Presentation Slides

STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

Elevate science and literacy in your elementary classroom through practical integration strategies. Utilizing a lesson template and science trade books to design a plan to stimulate knowledge building allows you to engage, equip, and empower your students by contextualizing their comprehension.

TAKEAWAYS:
INTEGRATING science and literacy ALLEVIATES challenges (time constraints, disconnected learning, low engagement). This presentation includes evidence-based research, practical insights, and hands-on application to empower educators with knowledge and practical tools to contextualize comprehension.

SPEAKERS:
Stephanie Westhafer (West Jackson Elementary School: Braselton, GA)

An Introduction to ML-PBL — Free Project-Based Learning Resources for Elementary Science

Saturday, March 23 • 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3D


STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

Get a brief introduction to free OER-integrated science curricular units for Grades 3-5 and see how well the features of Project-Based Learning provide the tools and routines to support sensemaking. Learn more about the research behind the resources, and resources available to support implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will get a detailed description of the free resources, look at how PBL works, hear examples from the Multiple Literacies in Project-Based Learning (ML-PBL) Research and Development Project. They will learn how to access the free resources for later review, and connect with free support.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Codere (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University, Retired: Lansing, MI)

Popsicles & Balloons & Bandaids, Oh My! Using non-fiction picture books to support your early elementary science classroom.

Saturday, March 23 • 8:45 AM - 9:15 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3B


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Science and literacy go hand in hand in the early elementary classroom. In this session we will use non-fiction picture books to help our students understand scientific and STEM concepts, teach them to connect to the texts, and teach them how to apply these connections to their everyday lives.

TAKEAWAYS:
As elementary teachers, we love to implement literature into our teaching. In this session, attendees will be given several student-approved non-fiction picture book ideas and lessons they can take back with them to encourage problem-solving, creativity, and relationships in their science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Megan Hunt (First Grade Teacher: Eustis, FL)

Integrating WIDA ELD Standards in the HS Biology Classroom

Saturday, March 23 • 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 1A



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Incorporating WIDA ELD Standards in the High School Biology Classroom
Slides

STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

We integrated WIDA ELD science standards into our 9th-grade biology curriculum using an APA-style lab report framework, making it adaptable for teachers. ChatGPT accelerated alignment work with iterative prompts. Our process and products will be presented for consideration.

TAKEAWAYS:
Each section of the APA lab report (Introduction, Materials and Methods, Results, and Discussion) features unique language functions and features described in the WIDA ELD standards. By focusing on one section per quarter, we can cover all standards through a predictable and transferable structure.

SPEAKERS:
Velvet Karg (Round Lake High School: Round Lake Beach, IL), Bryan Rolfsen (Round Lake High School: Round Lake, IL)

Don’t Believe Everything You Believe

Saturday, March 23 • 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 4C


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

By 2025, it’s estimated that 463 exabytes of data will be created daily; that’s like 212,765,957 DVDs/day! How can our students know if the information they receive is credible? Generation Skeptics teaches the necessary skills with lessons and guest speakers. (www.generationskeptics.org)

TAKEAWAYS:
Generation Skeptics arms educators with free resources to instill skepticism in students. Recognizing the proliferation of misinformation, GenSkeps seeks to equip the next generation with the enduring principles of the scientific method and the importance of substantiating claims with evidence.

SPEAKERS:
Bertha Vazquez (G. W. Carver Middle School: Coral Gables, FL)

Empowering Multilingual Learners and High-Needs Students Through Science Notebooks

Saturday, March 23 • 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 108/110


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

Explore how science notebooks can empower Multilingual Learners and high-needs students, offering differentiation and creativity in science education.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will take with you the ideas behind embracing flexible science notebooks to foster creativity and promoting inclusivity in science education K-12.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Warren (Framingham Public Schools: Milford, MA)

Culturally Inclusive Teaching in the Garden

Saturday, March 23 • 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 2B



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Culturally relevant practices in the school garden.pdf

STRAND: Connecting with Nature

Show Details

To validate and celebrate the interests and experiences of our students, we will delve deep into the significance of culture as it relates to food and gardens, and also as it relates to the diverse populations with whom we work. We will explore ways to celebrate and center culture through gardening.

TAKEAWAYS:
By their nature, gardens embody diversity. Garden education is increasingly recognized as an interdisciplinary approach that integrates academic goals, health and wellness, place-based education, and community connections and relationships.

SPEAKERS:
Rhonda Gadino (Topeka Public Schools: Americus, KS)

Data-Driven Ecosystems: Student Research

Saturday, March 23 • 9:30 AM - 10:00 AM

Colorado Convention Center - 705



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Community Mapping orientation cards.pdf
Data-Driven Ecosystems_ Student Research Key Takeaways.docx
The slide deck is not uploaded, but this document lists the pathways to make this kind of authentic research project which includes many resources that were used.
Green Crab Trap Data Recording Form for Field Work
https://findings.gmri.org/journal/

STRAND: Instruction and Assessment: Implementing Standards

Show Details

Experience a grade 6-8 science project engaging students in science inquiry including field work, data analysis, and submission of research papers to a peer-reviewed student journal. See how students improve data literacy and scientific communication skills by investigating relevant questions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Student work generated during an inquiry investigation focused on understanding broader questions related to changing climate illustrates how to support students in all aspects of the scientific process including field protocols, authentic questions, data analysis, and rigorous scientific writing.

SPEAKERS:
Monica Wright (Bath Middle School: Bath, ME)

Using the Evolving Minds curriculum to teach natural selection in third grade classrooms

Saturday, March 23 • 11:40 AM - 12:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 503


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

3rd graders are fascinated by how organisms change over time. Teachers build a model of the natural selection mechanism that explains adaptation and speciation. They apply it to explore how urban anole lizards came to be different than forest anoles and how fossils provide evidence for speciation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will understand the mechanism of natural selection - how the proportion of traits in a population shift over time when the environment changes. They will learn how to adopt the free Evolving Minds curriculum, which addresses 3D learning through an inquiry-based approach.

SPEAKERS:
Gillian Puttick (TERC: Somerville, MA)

Strategies for Improving Writing in the Science Classroom

Saturday, March 23 • 11:40 AM - 12:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 203



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Strategies for Improving Writing in the Science Classroom

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

In Strategies for Improving Writing in the Science Classroom, participants will learn how to disaggregate science writing through explicit science writing instruction. They will experience strategies that support students with drawing models and writing in science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Writing in science is a specific genre of writing, therefore students need to be explicitly taught how to deconstruct and construct science writing/models.

SPEAKERS:
Evelyn Larose (Boston Public Schools: Roslindale, MA), Alicia Wedderburn (Science Instructional Coach: Milton, MA)

Write From the Start: How to Get Published in NSTA Journals

Saturday, March 23 • 11:40 AM - 12:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 106


STRAND: No Strand

Show Details

Have you read great articles in the NSTA journals that changed or added to the ways you and your students do science for the better? You could inspire other educators across the country in the same way by sharing your teaching ideas, activities, or lessons as an NSTA journal author!

TAKEAWAYS:
Instructions and tips on how to prepare and submit your manuscript for publication in NSTA's journals.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Patty McGinnis (NSTA: Brevard, NC), Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn (National Science Teaching Association: Chester, NY), Ann MacKenzie (Miami University: Maineville, OH), David Wojnowski (Georgia State University: Marietta, GA), Beth Murphy (Science from Scientists: Barnes, WI), Peter Lindeman (NSTA: Arlington, VA)

Explore, Design, and Reimagine STEM through the Department of Defense (DoD)

Saturday, March 23 • 11:40 AM - 12:40 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 702


STRAND: Student Learning and Inclusion

Show Details

DoD STEM resources offer a variety of pathways to explore, design, and reimagine STEM in grades K-12. Albert Einstein Fellows will showcase a variety of DoD platforms for educators, parents, students, and community members to build a strong foothold for student success.

TAKEAWAYS:
DoD STEM resources can be used to connect students with STEM mentors, providing students with guidance and support as they explore their interests in STEM, and develop the skills they need to succeed in STEM careers. DoD initiatives strive to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Thompson (Department of Defense: Stevensville, MD), Pamela Joslyn (Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow: Muscatine, IA)

Integrating Literacy and Science in Elementary Classrooms with Multiple Literacies in Project-Based Learning (ML-PBL)

Saturday, March 23 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

ML-PBL teachers find ways to further integrate literacy and science throughout their day. ML-PBL's free OER project-based curriculum resources support students in applying their figuring out and critical thinking processes to all subject areas. Check it out!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be exposed to free resources and ideas for selecting resources for literacy lessons that allow students to continue to fine-tune and extend the ideas they are developing in science class. Handouts, links to resources and research findings, and examples of texts will be available.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Codere (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University, Retired: Lansing, MI)

CHEMISTRY, FICTION, and CRIME

Saturday, March 23 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

To understand chemistry in crime fiction novels with examples of authors who had applied chemistry will be shown. How I use them in my fiction books will be presented.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about connection of chemistry and crime in literature. Examples of chemicals used to commit crimes will be presented.

SPEAKERS:
Bal Barot (Lake Michigan College: Saint Joseph, MI)

Computer Science and Social Emotional Learning Meet

Saturday, March 23 • 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Exhibit Hall, Poster Session Aisle


STRAND: Cultivating Partnerships

Show Details

Getting up to speed on the new standards and related NGSS is a challenge. The solution we have been implementing is to see how different professionals with different skill sets see information from a variety of lenses. This approach produced fun activities, while developing social emotional skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
This poster will give attendees the tools to create a dynamic team to execute a sustainable project. It will specify ways individuals can use data to assess the community’s needs and to plan meaningful activities that are engaging and fun. It will highlight how we can pay attention to new standards.

SPEAKERS:
Vicky Condello (teacher: New Rohelle, NY), Michelle Memoli (CSDNR Jefferson Elementary School), Aimee Ferguson (Jefferson Elementary School: New Rochelle, NY)

Using ChatGPT to Support Student Learning in a Chemistry Class

Saturday, March 23 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Mile High Ballroom 1D


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Artificial Intelligence chatbots have upended teaching and learning. Negative aspects of their use have been raised, but there are positive ones too. Research into the performance of students and ChatGPT in a chemistry class will be shared and future directions discussed for student learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Chatbots are here to stay. Teachers and students need to know how to use them to support learning.

SPEAKERS:
Ted Clark (The Ohio State University: Columbus, OH)

Integrating Literacy and STEM into YOUR Elementary Classroom

Saturday, March 23 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 301


STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

Use children's literature to teach the engineering design process and bring STEM into your K-5 classrooms!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain a better understanding of the engineering design process while integrating it with literacy into their elementary classrooms. They will gain knowledge of appropriate texts, strategies, and design challenge ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa DeBruin (K-5 STEM Teacher: No City, No State), Elizabeth Nelson (Barrington 220 School District: Arlington Heights, IL)

Student Research: How To Initiate and Carry Out a Science Research Program at Your School

Saturday, March 23 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - Bluebird Ballroom 3E



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Authentic Science Research in the Secondary School Classroom_NSTA_2024.pdf

STRAND: Connecting with Nature

Show Details

Have you ever wanted to start a science research program and get your students involved in authentic scientific research? Learn how to initiate and run a science research program at your school, including the benefits, methods, and challenges involved.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to initiate and operate a program of student scientific research at your school. Discussion of choosing research topics, timetables, challenges, and possible venues of the presentations of the students' final results will be covered.

SPEAKERS:
Olivia Kuper (North Greene High School: Blountville, TN), Thomas Rutherford (East Tennessee State University, King University: Blountville, TN)

Science as a Rich Context for Content Integration

Saturday, March 23 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 205


STRAND: Research to Practice

Show Details

Science instruction creates rich opportunities to integrate other content areas— particularly ELA or math. Explore a process for designing integration opportunities that allow both domains to support each other. Bring a science lesson plan or use a shared example to try the process together.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will try out a process built upon foundational practices identified in science education and integration research to analyze a science lesson plan for moments of student sensemaking and opportunities for content integration.

SPEAKERS:
Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Laveen, AZ), Amy Belcastro (Science Educator/Grad Student: Fort Collins, CO)

Using Reading Strategies to Create Access to Science Text

Saturday, March 23 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Colorado Convention Center - 203



(Only registered attendees may view session materials. Please login with your NSTA account to view.)
Using Reading Strategies to Create Access to Science Text

STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice

Show Details

In Using Reading Strategies to Create Access to Science Text, participants will identify the three text types (written, visual, and symbolic) in science classrooms. Discuss what makes a text complex or enabling. Experience strategies for analyzing text in science (ex: slow reveal graphs, Identify an

TAKEAWAYS:
We can utilize reading strategies to analyze science text.

SPEAKERS:
Alicia Wedderburn (Science Instructional Coach: Milton, MA), Evelyn Larose (Boston Public Schools: Roslindale, MA)

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