Learn citizen science activities to increase student engagement. Join a classroom teacher, National Geographic Explorer, and an education specialist at the Jacksonville Zoo, and integrate geospatial applications to help students build science skills through connections in their local community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Youth can drive change as citizen scientists in their local community while developing science skills in field research and data collection. Educators will learn how to empower youth to address community issues as young scientists and changemakers of tomorrow.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Blum (School Program Specialist: Jacksonville, FL), Alicia Pressel (Creekside High School: St Johns, FL)

Utah’s Informal Science Education Enhancement (iSEE) has been serving students and teachers across the state for 18 years. We’ll discuss funding, reporting, and collaborating with both other informal education providers and public schools to connect teachers and students with subject matter experts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how Utah has been bringing informal science education experts into formal classrooms across the state for 18 years with financial support from the state legislature and how this successful model can be adapted to other states across the nation.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Halvorsen (Education and Outreach Director: South Jordan, UT), Laura Cotter (The Leonardo: Salt Lake City, UT)

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)

The radio spectrum is invisible, yet it enables our cell phones, contactless payment, and air travel. Learn approaches to facilitate diverse youth, families, and museum visitors using hands-on activities, mobile apps, and guides in Spanish and English from the NSF Making Waves with Radio project.

TAKEAWAYS:
Hands-on activity using everyday materials, conversation prompts, and mobile apps together can engage youth and families in playful experimentation to learn about the science and technology of radio waves and wireless radio communications. Get free educator guides and lessons in Spanish and English.

SPEAKERS:
Sherry Hsi (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

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)

By learning new skills and continuously gaining knowledge, teaching and learning can be easier than ever!! After 25+ years in the classroom, I will share a toolbox full of shortcuts & techniques to make the planning & implementation of your content more efficient and effective.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will take away an abundance of ideas that will maximize time and minimize effort in planning and implementing activities and lessons. The presented ideas will make the classroom more teacher-facilitated, focusing on student-driven learning.

SPEAKERS:
Tracy Rodgers (Northside High School: Northport, AL)

Come learn about ways that you can help advance the field of Science Education and improve your teaching through the many different leadership opportunities that exist which also allow you to stay in your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how participation in teacher advisory committees supporting museums and science centers, or other organizations such as Science Olympiad, NSTA, and NSELA can allow them to improve their teaching and be Science Education leaders while remaining in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Joshua Smith (Phenomenon Science Education: Amherst, MA), Leah Litz (Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium: No City, No State), Roy Arezzo (National Marine Sanctuary Foundation: Silver Spring, MD), Tim Lundt (Science Teacher: Woodland Park, CO), Shari Brady (Kaleideum: Winston-Salem, NC), John Loehr (Science Olympiad: Oakbrook Terrace, IL)

How can we combine soft skills with science? Learn how to incorporate 21st century career and post-secondary options into your science content lessons!

TAKEAWAYS:
Discover more ways to expose your students to the REAL WORLD relevance of science after graduation.

SPEAKERS:
Aliyah Johnson (Alpharetta High School: Alpharetta, GA)

In this session, you will learn about how Lincoln Park Zoo and Chicago Public Schools have created spaces for teachers, informal science educators, and researchers to come together to increase student understanding of the natural world in ways that support both formal and informal curricula.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn methods for more robust collaboration between school districts and informal science partners that will increase student critical thinking and science literacy to make informed decisions about their communities and the environment.

SPEAKERS:
Rosie Arnold (Lincoln Park Zoo: No City, No State), Laura Decker (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL)

This session presents a replicable model used by a university professor, school system leaders, and industry leaders to blur the lines of STEM learning into informal spaces enabling students from marginalized populations to see themselves (STEM identity) as future STEM participants.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using a replicable and intentional model of collaboration can positively impact STEM identities of educators and youth, while also creating a K-12 pipeline into the STEM industry.

SPEAKERS:
Taylor Lamon (Saban Center Education Specialist), Melisa Fowler (The University of Alabama: Tuscaloosa, AL)

Explore Science Near Me, a free STEM database connecting you to citizen science, museum, festival, afterschool, and maker programs to bring back to your classroom! Those with their own events to share can discover new resources, partners, and connect with the public for additional promotion.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through engagement in a hands-on citizen science project featured on Science Near Me, attendees will contribute to real scientific research while also discovering relevant STEM content, experts, field trips, and potential partnership opportunities to enrich their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Brenda Britsch (National Girls Collaborative: Seattle, WA), Karen Peterson (National Girls Collaborative Project: Seattle, WA)

Interested in having a whole ecosystem within the walls of your classroom? How about growing food in a one-gallon recycled pickle jar? During this session we will learn how to use Aquaponics as a teaching tool in your pk-12 classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the immense benefits of having an aquaponic system in their classrooms. Specifically, research explaining how to grow pineapples in one-gallon systems.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Heithoff (Wartburg NSTA Vice President: No City, No State)

This session will provide an overview of the National Girls Collaborative Project, a robust network of educators and other professionals, our high-quality, research-based resources and professional development focused on engaging and inspiring girls in STEM, and how to connect with our network.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the National Girls Collaborative Project, our research-based resources, and professional development opportunities focused on building educators’ capacity to engage and inspire girls in STEM, and how to connect and collaborate with our robust network.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Peterson (National Girls Collaborative Project: Seattle, WA), Brenda Britsch (National Girls Collaborative: Seattle, WA)

We present an out-of-school-time curriculum where machine learning is taught through hands-on scientific inquiry. We highlight one day of instruction where Artificial Neural Networks are introduced through digital interactives and kinesthetic activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students can see themselves as those who use and understand the value and application of Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence when those fields are embedded in a natural history curriculum focused on scientific inquiry and how science is practiced.

SPEAKERS:
Juanita Martin (Life Science Educator/ Educational Psychology Doctoral Student: , NY), Devin D'Agostino (American Museum of Natural History: New York, NY), Sofia Schembari (Life Science Educator: New York, NY), Mark Weckel (Director; Youth Programming: New York, NY)