In this engaging session, we embark on a transformative journey, equipping educators with the tools and knowledge to instill a growth mindset in themselves and their students, enriching the educational experience, and nurturing future generations of resilient, adaptable, and lifelong learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will self-assess and evaluate students' mindsets, while discussing resources to foster resilience, embracing challenges, and nurturing a lifelong love for learning in any classroom.

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

Life is diverse, the way we teach biology can honor and highlight diversity in gender, sex, and sexuality. In this session, we will share classroom-ready lessons and resources for teaching about diverse bodies, identities, and families.

TAKEAWAYS:
LGBTQ+ students, and all students, can benefit from teaching about gender diversity in evidence-based, ongoing, and positive ways.

SPEAKERS:
Sam Long (Denver Public Schools: No City, No State)

Engaging in culturally responsive teaching requires that teachers shift their perspective by building relationships within the communities they serve. We present cases of science teachers who partner with communities to design curricula that affirm the assets of students while aligning with the NGSS.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about ways to meaningfully connect with communities outside of school to critique systems of oppression in science education and shift deficit perspectives. Participants will be empowered to advocate for their communities and engage in transformational teaching practices.

SPEAKERS:
Jeff Spencer (Illinois Regional Office of Education: Chicago, IL)

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

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

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

Essential Element standards for grades 9 and 10 were used for an integrated science unit regarding traits in life science. It was designed to facilitate learning with students who qualify for alternative assessment and for students with physical needs who may use communication devices.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will discuss the process of unit design, intentional use of inquiry teaching practices, essential element standards, assistive technology, and preparing the teacher. One high school level unit and middle school sequence will be shared to use in their own teaching spaces.

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

What might seem like student apathy and lack of engagement may be a student simply needing connection, community, and care. Join high school teachers as they share instructional practices and strategies used to create a positive and equitable classroom that can improve student outcomes.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be led through a variety of engaging activities and instructional practices put together over the past 3 school years. The activities are aimed at building engagement within the classroom with special attention to student trauma and equitable practices.

SPEAKERS:
Sydney Recknagel (Reeths Puffer: No City, No State), Kari Parnin (Science Consultant)

The story of the double helix is standard fare, but it is usually told in a cursory and superficial way. The actual story, however, can be brought into the classroom in a way that excites students and shows the scientific process, warts and all, in a manner that promotes equity and inclusion.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will ask students to do the difficult work of placing themselves into the narrative in a way that enables them to address some of the scientific and ethical choices made by the various parties to the discovery of the double helix.

SPEAKERS:
Kenneth Miller (Brown University: Providence, RI)

In today's tech-driven world, with abundant information and limited planning time, achieving both content-rich and inclusive lessons can lead to "analysis paralysis." Break free from overwhelm with our practical tool for evaluating resources. Join us!

TAKEAWAYS:
By the end of this lesson, educators will be able to apply effective strategies to critically evaluate a range of resources, thus enhancing the overall sense of inclusivity and belonging within their classroom communities.

SPEAKERS:
Jailyn Jenkins (Manager of Resident Development, Innovation, Coaching: , CO)

Join me as we engage with many high-leverage SEL strategies I regularly incorporate into my high school classroom. I use these strategies to foster a sense of belonging and support strong development of the NGSS SEPs. We’ll discuss successes and strategize your adaptations of my ready-to-use tools.

TAKEAWAYS:
One core SEL strategy I’ll share is a “temperature check” in which students take 5 minutes of class weekly to fill out a digital (or paper) survey to let me know how they’re doing. I’ll share my rationale behind the questions I use and how they have increased my ability to support students.

SPEAKERS:
Andrea Ames (Meridian High School: Bellingham, WA)

To deepen our connections with our students, community, and place, educators must be committed to social justice and culturally sustaining pedagogies. In this session, educators will have an opportunity to cultivate new perspectives and skills to provide a meaningful science education.

TAKEAWAYS:
One main takeaway is that educators will understand that Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and that teaching science can be aligned to indigenous knowledge systems, different languages, community assets, and indigenous/cultural values.

SPEAKERS:
Phillippe Fernandez-Brennan (Halau Ku Mana Public Charter School (Hawai'i Department of Education): Honolulu, HI)

Explore the use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) a freshwater fish at the forefront of biomedical research and easily maintained in a classroom aquarium, to spark ALL students’ curiosity and scientific engagement with real-life science experiences through multiple-learning modalities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learning how zebrafish and low-budget pet store supplies can be used to engage diverse learners, including English learners, in multimodal (visual, kinesthetic) real-life science learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Pam Kirkland (The University of Texas at Dallas: Richardson, TX), Vinita Hajeri (The University of Texas at Dallas: Richardson, TX)

Discover a 360-degree VR intervention implemented in inclusive biology classrooms, showcasing significant score differences between students with and without disabilities. Gain insights into data analysis, limitations, practice implications, and future research plans.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with the six free resources used in the study and expectations to support their use in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Shalece Kohnke (Auburn University)

What is climate resilience? Using open source data demographics, specifically FEMA and EPA mapping tools (RAPT, NRI, and EJ Screen), attendees will learn to connect climate change issues to local communities, exploring the differential impact of climate change on communities to encourage advocacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
By employing EPA and FEMA's open-source GIS mapping tools (RAPT, NRI, EJ Screen), attendees can identify climate change impacts on local vulnerable populations. Educators will also gain strategies for fostering classroom discussions on solutions and advocacy.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Luna (North Babylon High School: No City, No State), Tamanna Shahid (Eleanor Roosevelt High School: New York, NY)

STEP UP is a national community that designs lessons to inspire women to pursue physics in college. Learn about our Careers in Physics lesson, including tools you can use to match students’ interests with physics-related careers and increase enrollment in the physics classes your school offers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about and practice using STEP UP’s Careers in Physics online career matching tool and options for using it in their classroom. Participants will also learn ways to increase interest and enrollment in high school physics programs.

SPEAKERS:
Kori Bowns-Kamphuis (Lindblom Math and Science Academy: Chicago, IL)

Outreach specialists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Boulder, CO, will discuss what NOAA does and what resources are available for teachers. We will walk through our in-person opportunities, online information, videos, and student activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a Federal agency anchored by Science, Service, and Stewardship. Our Outreach specialists are passionate about bringing NOAA science to classrooms across the United States.

SPEAKERS:
Carolyn Szoke (Science Communicator: Boulder, CO)

When learning about climate change, students may experience significant anxiety regarding potential impacts in their community. This session will highlight emotion-management techniques and evidence-based strategies that can help reduce anxiety while learning about climate change and it’s impacts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Effective emotion-management techniques that can help facilitate students’ learning about climate change, including evidence-based strategies for reducing anxiety, and emphasizing the importance of learning action-based strategies for students to impact their community.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Donna Pincus (Director, Child and Adolescent Fear and Anxiety Treatment Program at the Center for Anxiety and Rela: No City, No State), John Guiney (NOAA/NWS Eastern Region: No City, No State)

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)

To engage and retain more students in STEM courses and to improve diversity in STEM among underrepresented groups, The Governor’s School for Science and Technology has developed a mentorship program available to all students. The program was implemented by establishing community partnerships.

TAKEAWAYS:
The presenters will share how The Governor’s School establishes community partnerships, develops the research course curriculum, provides faculty advisors, and showcases the students’ research.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Vobrak (Research Instructor/Mentorship Coordinator: No City, No State)

A Social Problem and STEM Research Project guides students through the scientific process while encouraging students to see themselves as agents of change. Students take an interdisciplinary approach to understanding their topic, which helps build an intellectual community in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will receive examples and instructions for the Social Problems and STEM Research Project, and resources on how to guide students in finding a problem and STEM applications. They will have time to brainstorm how they can incorporate social problem topics into their teachings.

SPEAKERS:
Selene Willis (The Ingenuity Project: Baltimore, MD), Nicole Rosen (The Ingenuity Project: Baltimore, MD)

The Everyday Actions Guide includes a self-reflection for teachers and suggestions for actions in and out of the classroom to foster a strong physics class community. Come learn about strategies to help all students, especially those historically left out of physics, see themselves as “physics people.”

TAKEAWAYS:
The STEP UP Curriculum includes two NGSS-aligned lessons proven to encourage women and other marginalized groups to consider pursuing physics. The Everyday Actions Guide is filled with suggestions for encouraging all students to pursue physics and improve their physics identity throughout the year.

SPEAKERS:
Bree Barnett Dreyfuss (Physics teacher, Science Department Chair; STEP UP Ambassador Program Coordinator: Pleasanton, CA)

Differentiation is a buzz word in education, but how can teachers effectively differentiate while keeping all students engaged? Blended, mastery-based instruction allows the classroom to become student-led and flexibly paced within each unit of instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to effectively differentiate instruction and provide individualized attention to struggling learners while keeping students engaged and managing classroom behavior.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Richardson (Educator: North Charleston, SC), Kathryn Allen (Florence Unified School District: Florence, AZ), Laura Martin-Lauzer (Ashley Ridge High School)

Teaching about environmental problems can be demotivating if students are not given the opportunity to contribute to solutions. Come to this session to learn about a project-based unit that fosters critical hope and empowers students to become advocates for sustainability in their community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to implement a unit that positions students as changemakers and advocates for sustainability at their school. They will walk away with a unit outline, scaffolds, and examples of student work.

SPEAKERS:
Brianna Balke (Blackstone Academy Charter School: Pawtucket, RI)

Are you teaching a high school Anatomy and Physiology course? Do you want to prepare your students for their college A&P course? This session is for you! Learn about the standards and common assessment practices collegiate instructors use. This session will focus on lab instruction and more.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will learn how to prepare your students for their collegiate A&P experience.

SPEAKERS:
Sophia Garcia (Texas Christian University: Fort Worth, TX)

Do you want your students to see themselves as scientists? Learn about an innovative approach to promoting equity in your classroom by having students research scientists and researchers in your field to discover unsung heroes in science!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how one science teacher modified a national project and competition to reach students in her marine science classes and help build a set of women and people of color who have contributed to our understanding of the world around us.

SPEAKERS:
Tami Lunsford (Newark Charter School: Newark, DE)

Learn about the collaboration of university and industry-based researchers with K-12 educators in creating science learning opportunities through community centered STEM lessons and activities that highlight local STEM research.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how the SciREN project supports a collaborative relationship between K-12 Teachers and STEM researchers by providing a platform for researchers to translate their local research into K-12 lesson plans under the guidance of K-12 teachers.

SPEAKERS:
Joni Lakin (University of Alabama at Birmingham), Komanci Love (Northside High School: Northport, AL)

Competency-based education at Mount Vernon revolutionized science learning through personalized, mastery-driven paths. Hear how CBE engaged and empowered students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave inspired to reimagine science instruction through competency-based models that empower student-driven mastery.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Lariscy (The Mount Vernon School: Atlanta, GA)

Experience an interdisciplinary lesson challenging students to achieve an understanding of climate change by improving their comprehension about the polar areas at the North and South Poles. Data sets and a hands-on experiment will be shared as well as strategies for inclusive, anti-bias teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with a lesson that will help their students understand the polar regions and glaciers. The lesson is from an AMS workshop that was hosted for teachers during the summer. Teachers will learn about the workshop and COLDEX. Data sets and a hands-on experiment will be shared.

SPEAKERS:
Diane Ripollone (Cardinal Gibbons High School: No City, No State)

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: Miami, FL)

This session will provide K-12 Colorado science teachers support with aligning classroom instruction to the Colorado Academic Standards for Science by unpacking the components of the standards and providing free, evidence-based instructional resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
By the end of this session, participants will recognize the three dimensions of the Evidence Outcome Statements outlined in the Colorado Academic Standards for Science and leave with evidence-based instructional resources to support them in aligning their science instruction with the standards.

SPEAKERS:
Samantha Agoos (Colorado Department of Education: Denver, CO)

Physics educators utilize culturally-based teaching methods. We spotlight professional communities of physics instructors emphasizing (1) strong teacher identity, (2) effective curriculum design, and (3) student comprehension assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Physics educators emphasize culturally-based teaching, focusing on teacher identity, curriculum design, and student understanding. They lean towards culturally relevant pedagogy, facing challenges in fostering critical thinking and student autonomy.

SPEAKERS:
Clausell Mathis (Assistant Professor: , MI)

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

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

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

Participants will gain tools for reducing marginalization in the physics classroom. This session begins with STEP UP’s Women in Physics curriculum and ends with resources and strategies for having difficult but necessary conversations about equity and inclusion.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain resources and strategies for having DEI–related conversations in the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Praisy Poluan (STEM Teacher & Education Researcher: , CA)

Coding may not be a necessary skill for every science, but learning to code can benefit students in all areas. With modern coding languages and environments, it is easy to demonstrate the benefit of computational thinking in basic sciences without much coding background for teachers or students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Easy-to-learn coding tools are now available that allow novice teachers or students to quickly model or demonstrate a wide variety of science-based concepts. This deepens student understanding and appreciation of the scientific idea.

SPEAKERS:
Eric Wong (Mercy Academy: Louisville, KY)

Join the classroom culture conversation in this session as we discuss strategies for promoting inclusivity in the science classroom through adaptability, community building circles, responsiveness, and collaboration.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore welcoming routines, as well as content and non-content prompts used in community building circles that foster a positive and safe environment. Sample newsletters will be available to share ideas for collaboration among the learning community that support inclusive science education.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Yajaira Fuentes-Tauber (Rocky Mountain High School: Fort Collins, CO)

Teams of youth living next to Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, home of mountain gorillas, are becoming solutionaries with their STEAM conservation projects that help the forest, the gorillas and other wildlife, and people. This program is with Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, NatGeo Explorer.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will understand that these solutions-based STEAM conservation projects are designed by youth to create systemic and beneficial change for people, the environment, and non-human animals. The projects are empowering many marginalized youth with knowledge, life skills, and confidence.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Arndt (Global GreenSTEM: Franktown, CO)

My first years of teaching Physics at Title 1 schools in Memphis were challenging. Many of my students were very behind, especially in math. However, I developed 3 strategies to make learning physics engaging and accessible.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will come away from this session with a list of labs and strategies that they can immediately implement in their classrooms to make physics more accessible and engaging, especially for their lower-level learners.

SPEAKERS:
Jack Replinger (FormerTeacher / Founder: , WA)

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 (Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship: No City, No State), Pamela Joslyn (Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow: No City, No State)

DEI session focuses on ACES (Adverse Childhood Experiences) & how they affect children’s education. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of how ACES affect behavior & learning, how educators can promote a safe classroom environment, & rehearse coping strategies for use in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
ACEs contribute to toxic stress that changes the brains of the affected. This interrupts quality health, behavior, and of most importance, learning. In order to maximize student achievement, educators must learn to recognize the effects of ACEs and how to foster resilience.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Eades (Midland Trail High School: Charleston, WV)

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)

Most people have many misconceptions about ethnicity, race, genetics. This session focuses on the genetic similarities of humans, genotypic variation within Africa, the founder effect, and the subsequent reduction in genotypic variation outside of Africa; including lesson ideas for the HS Classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Abuse of public trust in science and the application of pseudoscientific methods by trusted figures has created the modern illusion that race has a scientific definition. HS biology students can apply understanding of genetics along with the nature of science to engage in argument based on evidence.

SPEAKERS:
Maria Powell (Henry M. Gunn High School: Palo Alto, CA)