The first step toward a cleaner tomorrow is to raise awareness about the plastic waste crisis, and small-scale recycling is a possible solution. Learn how IN MOCEAN and its Recycling Fleet are collaborating with others on a local level to set up micro recycling workspaces around the world.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about IN MOCEANs global project and of the possibilities and potential of small scale recycling. With information about the process of plastic recycling and how anyone can get involved, one might be interested in setting up a recycling workspace in a school or community.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Zaidlicz Everett (Teacher: Barrington, NH)

Participants will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the benefits and practical applications of using Native Plant Gardens and Vegetable Gardens in educational settings.

TAKEAWAYS:
Identify advantages of incorporating different gardens in teaching for middle or high school. Explain how using different gardens can enhance student student engagement and learning outcomes. How gardens align with standards. Ways to include various departments through out the school.

SPEAKERS:
Jackie Scott (Mann Magnet Middle School: Little Rock, AR)

In this session, participants will explore ecology, conservation, and the cultural significance of the diamondback terrapin in the Chesapeake Region through an integrated Indigenous and Western scientific curricular framework that was designed for, and tested in, science education methods courses.

TAKEAWAYS:
Integrating Indigenous Knowledges into science teacher education reframes science and science education to highlight scientific practices that prioritize ecocentrism, ethics, and interconnectedness and fosters culturally responsive and inclusive environmental literacies among science teachers.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Green (University of Maryland, College Park: Arnold, MD)

Dr. Michael Wysession, NGSS co-author and geophysics professor, will explore ideas for using recent NASA and NOAA data for recent extreme-weather-related phenomena, such as heat domes and severe flooding, to anchor storylines that make climate science relevant and engaging for students.

TAKEAWAYS:
The 2023-2024 severe weather events, analyzed with NASA and NOAA data, can drive climate-related storylines that can engage students and prepare them for assessments for the HS-ESS2-4 and HS-ESS3-1&5 performance expectations, covering climate systems, natural disasters, and environmental justice.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Wysession (Washington University in St. Louis: Saint Louis, MO)

Humans’ arms race with pathogens shaped history and influences life today. Understanding the evolutionary ecology of diseases, including H1N1 flu, COVID and HIV, that infect two or more species is vital to understanding current and future threats to individual and public health.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn to use our fascinating relationships with infectious disease in demonstrating the importance of evolutionary and ecological concepts in medical practice, public health, and students’ lives.

SPEAKERS:
Joseph Levine (Science Writer and Producer: Concord, MA)

Learn how one educator used cross-curricular PBL units to help students understand the effects of climate change while staying solution focused. In one unit students wrote and proposed climate driven migration legislation. The other explored ocean acidification through science fiction writing.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with two ready to use units developing climate literacy as well as real life examples of how to use PBL in the science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Plowman (Santa Monica High School: Santa Monica, CA)

Switch Classroom is a great resource to use in agriculture courses whether the topic is biofuels, land use, or transportation. Incorporating videos, print resources, and activities on Switch Classroom, agriscience teachers can access the latest accurate unbiased energy information.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the wide variety of topics and curricular materials available on Switch Classroom to supplement their agriscience courses. Interactive lessons, videos, and activities that bring unbiased and accurate information on energy use and demand in ag will be demonstrated.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Daniels (Mississinewa High School: Marion, IN)

Learn about Educating for Environmental Change, a free Indiana University program that helps educators teach the science and policy of climate change and participate in exemplar activities.

TAKEAWAYS:
This workshop will introduce Indiana University's Educating for Environmental Change (EfEC) project and provide information on how teachers can get involved. The presenter will also facilitate hands-on, exemplar scientific argumentation activities from the EfEC project.

SPEAKERS:
Adam Scribner (Indiana University Bloomington: Bloomington, IN)

Want to create an environment where students see themselves as scientists and create independent capable scientific researchers, while exploring real-world scientific problems AND maintain your commitment to rigor? The bioplastics investigation and other projects shared here might be your answer.

TAKEAWAYS:
It is possible to increase student engagement with project-based chemistry explorations while still maintaining content and rigor. Tackling real-world chemistry problems can create a model environment for students and faculty to learn alongside one another while fostering key 21st-century skills.

SPEAKERS:
Hannah Sullivan (Mounds Park Academy: St. Paul, MN)

Dr. Michael Wysession, NGSS co-author and geophysics professor, will explore fascinating Earth and space science (ESS) storylines of how geologic events such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and climate swings have shaped the rise and fall of civilizations and altered human history.

TAKEAWAYS:
The unusual and sometimes bizarre history of human impacts from geological events provides engaging phenomena and storylines that help students understand not only the impacts of natural disasters (NGSS HS-ESS3-1) but the potential impacts of human changes to Earth’s surface (HS-ESS3-4/5/6).

SPEAKERS:
Michael Wysession (Washington University in St. Louis: Saint Louis, MO)

Empower students from Maine to Texas with hands-on climate studies through Fear to Hope program, fostering understanding of sea level rise's impact on Cedar Forests. Accessible even after the program ends.

TAKEAWAYS:
Community Science and Partnership opportunities are there if you look for them, at low to no cost your students can be and are a vital part of the scientific community.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Sharpe (Cedar Creek High School: Egg Harbor Cy, NJ)

The Environmental Institute of Houston monitors sites along the Galveston and Matagorda Bays in Texas to evaluate change in the bay’s ecosystems over time. Participants will utilize Team-based Learning (TBL) strategies to consider and apply data-informed evidence to real-world scenarios.

TAKEAWAYS:
Team-Based Learning (TBL) is a structured method of authentic inquiry grounded in relevant and significant real-world scenarios. Participants will take away from this session strategies and resources for TBL that they may use immediately in their own course.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Metoyer (Environmental Institute of Houston at University of Houston Clear Lake: Galveston, TX)

One goal of science HQIM is to engage students in the science and engineering practices in relevant ways. Participants will explore ways to increase student engagement and meet the needs of diverse learners by creating meaningful outdoor learning experiences and integrating them into HQIM.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to implement standard aligned lessons that engage students with HQIMs and outdoor learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Jimenez (LA Dept of Education/Evergreen Jr High: Gray, LA), Kylie Martin (Bayou Blue Middle School: Raceland, LA), Lindsay Duet (K-12 Assessment Coach: Baton Rouge, LA), Jenni Frick (LDOE: Baton Rouge, LA)

Serious game and simulations provide an engaging strategy for digital students to make decisions about planning for the future in spite of the uncertainties of climate change and extreme weather. Learn ways to use environmental game design as an instructional strategy in any classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn about where to find accurate science-based games and simulations online through national science agencies like NOAA. They will also learn about strategies and resources to help them develop new games with their students.

SPEAKERS:
Peggy Steffen (Ready, Set, STEM: West Liberty, IA)

Utilize Switch Classroom to develop engaging energy-related PBL experiences for your students. Using the free classroom resources from Switch Energy Alliance teachers will learn how to incorporate balanced, non-partisan information on energy resources, power generation, and energy usage.

TAKEAWAYS:
Switch Classroom can be used for primary source research, or to scaffold bigger driving questions or lessons involving energy resources, production, generation, use, and effects. Teachers will leave with ideas and examples to facilitate the development of their own PBL lessons involving energy.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Daniels (Mississinewa High School: Marion, IN)

This session will provide strategies on Teaching with Primary Sources in the science curriculum to promote student inquiry and discourse, critical thinking and analysis and the understanding of scientific history.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in teaching strategies that exemplify how analyzing primary sources can support critical thinking and the scientific method of observation, hypothesizing, and analysis.

SPEAKERS:
Dat Le (Arlington Public Schools: Arlington, VA)

The session will walk participants through the Teaching and Learning Cycle, the WIDA pedagogical framework that supports the development of students’ content knowledge and literacy skills through multiple modalities.

TAKEAWAYS:
The participants will observe and receive lessons on the Teaching and Learning Cycle (Writing with Multilingual Learners) in 6th-grade and high school science classes.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Jones (Manassas City Public Schools: Culpeper, VA)

Discover how Columbus City Schools has strategically developed and utilized Spruce Run to bridge the gap between urban landscapes and natural environments. Participants will gain insights into the district's commitment to providing all students with equitable access to outdoor learning experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Highlight the impact of outdoor education field trips and monthly open houses on students from the city, educators, and the community using partnerships and volunteers.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Hamilton (Southland Center CCS: Columbus, OH), Heather Allen (Columbus City Schools: Columbus, OH)

Calling all educators passionate about interdisciplinary learning! Dive deep into the rich waters of Rhode Island's quahogging and fishing industries as we explore the intricate web of stakeholders and its impact on coastal communities and the fragile marine ecosystem.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to facilitate cross-curricular connections by learning how to design interdisciplinary units that integrate content from various subjects to foster deeper understanding and engagement and how to create student investment by focusing on local environmental issues.

SPEAKERS:
Yulie Lee (Moses Brown School: Providence, RI), Caitlin Smith (7th Grade Science Teacher: Tiverton, RI)

Explore a college course on wasted food and societal impacts, highlighting student-centered learning and sensemaking through transformative journeys toward sustainable practices. Build your Insights into teaching and course evaluation methods to understand the effectiveness of course design.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave the session with an understanding of how a course design focused on sensemaking can enrich student learning and, additionally, how this approach allows students to become central to their own educational experiences, fostering deeper comprehension and active engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Pete Locher (Graduate Research Student: Charleston, SC)

Gulf Shores City Schools teachers will share how we teach science to students through a district program called Science by the Shore. This program is an innovative approach to science instruction that inspires students to develop a love for our natural resources through outdoor place based learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how we use our school and surrounding community as a science lab and integrate social, emotional, and cognitive well being into teaching outdoors. We will share strategies and ideas for using their own school grounds as outdoor classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Sampley (Academies and CTE Director: Gulf Shores, AL), Anthony Schaff (Life Science Teacher: Gulf Shores, AL), Krista Fleming (Gulf Shores City Schools: Gulf Shores, AL)

Discover ways to engage students in STEM fields and topics using real-world environmental issues in their region. Attendees will be shown tools they can use in their classroom that will help students become more aware of their household practices and their personal impact on the environment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn strategies that empower students to become involved in their local community through environmental stewardship. A resource kit, including a lesson plan focused on carbon footprints and offsets, will be shared.

SPEAKERS:
Charmaine Morgan (WorldStrides: Fort Mill, SC)

This presentation explores strategies for integrating Indigenous knowledge of thermal energy with NGSS standards of Engineering Design, Conservation of Energy, and Energy Transfer. Focusing on culturally relevant pedagogy and authentic opportunities that value Indigenous contributions to STEM.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will receive lessons and extensions that demonstrate indigenous ingenuity connected to NGSS leading to improved student outcomes.

SPEAKERS:
Kim Busch (Ben Steele Middle School: Billings, MT), Jacie Jeffers (Indigenous Education Instructional Coach: Billings, MT), Jessica Felchle (Ben Steele Middle School: Laurel, MT)

Learn how one school implemented a science-based, service learning program that takes elementary students into our local wetlands and brings the Science and Engineering Practices to life. Discover how to encourage students to problem-solve local issues and take action in their communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
1.) Learn how to establish mutually beneficial local partnerships that support science instruction; 2.) Discover how to encourage students to problem-solve local issues and take action in their communities; and 3.) Walk away with ideas and strategies for taking learning beyond the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Elaine Sevin (Isidore Newman School: New Orleans, LA), Lucy Krause (Isidore Newman School: New Orleans, LA), Jennifer Williams (Isidore Newman School: Belle Chasse, LA)

Energy Stewardship projects will empower your students to become energy and environment advocates. With a thorough understanding of energy resources, students become experts about both the energy transition and every-day environmental protections and share this knowledge with the school/community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore the fundamentals of energy stewardship projects that you can implement with your grades 4-12 students, putting the science and engineering practices into practical work. These projects will increase engagement as your students learn knowledge and skills, allowing them to “do” science.

SPEAKERS:
Lynn Kistler (Switch Classroom: Pittsburgh, PA)

Students are given questions to answer about a scientific phenomenon. They must dig through research and investigations to find their evidence for a group seminar. Students come to the circle prepared to discuss their CER and their own questions. Peers agree or disagree, with evidence of their own.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will participate in a Seminar that teaches the process of how to facilitate. They will also get to participate in one first hand as a demonstration. Attendees will have access to editable google slide presentations, self and peer assessments, and a rubric.

SPEAKERS:
Jodie Landry (STEM Lab K-5: Lafayette, LA)

Join our student-led citizen science group dedicated to environmental research and hands-on projects. Together, we innovate solutions for pest control, apiary management, and biodiversity conservation, partnering with researchers to tackle pressing environmental challenges.

TAKEAWAYS:
Build a new toolbox on how to develop the transformative potential of collaboration between passionate students and experienced scientists in addressing pressing environmental challenges and fostering sustainability, highlighting the pivotal role of young minds as drivers of positive change.

SPEAKERS:
Stuart Fleischer (Walworth Barbour American International School in Israel: Even Yehuda, 0)

Get ready to be inspired as we showcase a culture that empowers students in advancing science education. We equipped teachers to integrate immersive field experiences with state standards to foster meaningful connections and promote community stewardship among marginalized populations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Walk away from the session with hands-on activities and engaging professional learning strategies that promote student engagement, creating connections with students, and examples of student centered environmental stewardship projects.

SPEAKERS:
Venicia Ferrell (Research Assistant Professor: Norfolk, VA), Alexis Tharpe (ODU Research Foundation TCEP: Norfolk, VA 23508, VA), Kelley Turner (Winchester Public Schools: Winchester, VA)

Louisiana leads the nation in coastal wetland loss. They also lead in approaches to address this crisis through development of updated five-year Coastal Master Plans. In this activity, participants take on the role of a regional coastal planner and put forth projects that seek to protect the coast.

TAKEAWAYS:
This is a hands-on, interactive activity that allows students to understand and address a complex environmental challenge while analyzing project costs and benefits. All tools represent real projects in the Louisiana Coastal Master Plan and show future workforce opportunities.

SPEAKERS:
Dani DiIullo (Louisiana Sea Grant: Baton Rouge, LA)

The purpose of this study is to design phenomena based storyline using localized climate change learning experiences to test student’s environmental science agency.  During this study, educators tested a model with a base unit that is designed for a teacher to adapt phenomena with additional support.

TAKEAWAYS:
Empower educators with a flexible storyline model supported by BSCS that encourages students to apply their learning in real-world scenarios beyond the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Neotha Williams (STEM4Real: Addis, LA)

Work through NSTA's Beyond Representation and BSCS Science Learning's Humane Genetics Program, has given me the tools to transform more traditional curriculum to include Social Justice Standards as a way of teaching and learning in science classes. Transformed units and lessons will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Social Justice Standards can and should be a way of teaching and learning science along side NGSS. Attendees will see examples of how this can be done in the Biology and Environmental Science classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Lizabeth Peterson (Highland Park High Schoo Dist 113: Highland Park, IL)

From seeds to sprouts to leafy greens we've got you covered to help you "grow" a middle school program. Using hydroponics to boost student engagement and belonging in middle school.

TAKEAWAYS:
Takeaways include: Hydroponics 101; an example of a hydroponics model as well as ideas on how to adapt it for your school program; alignment to NGSS; and ideas of how to go beyond the classroom and help your community (e.g. foodbank, cafeteria, restaurants, zoo).

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

Educators will engage with lessons that can be used with an interactive website where students can learn about how geoscience-related careers can address the world’s greatest challenges, as defined by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will understand the importance of discussing careers in ways that address current student concerns and priorities, especially with respect to environmental challenges. Educators will explore resources to bring these discussions into Earth Science and other related courses.

SPEAKERS:
Sequoyah McGee (American Geosciences Institute: Herico, VA), Lindsay Mossa (American Geosciences Institute: ANNAPOLIS, MD)

A Microsoft Excel program will be explored to learn features of Excel, variable manipulation, and methods for guiding student research within a host-parasite system. Facts about the parasitic varroa mite, sample student work, and methods for teaching population dynamics will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with lessons to teach student-driven research projects to investigate population dynamics, parasitism, biotic and abiotic interactions using a Microsoft Excel Computer Model. Suggestions for establishing honeybee colonies on a high school campus will also be shared.

SPEAKERS:
Frank Kriegler (Asheville School: Asheville, NC)

Explore a model for co-production of science education resources by tribal community-based Indigenous culture bearers and university-based science outreach teams. Gain access to free hands-on lessons, educational videos, and Indigenous science terminology guides.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to implement the Cultural Connections Process Model to co-produce Indigenous community-driven, culturally relevant, place-based and standards-based science curriculum. Explore a variety of free resources developed using the model.

SPEAKERS:
Doreen Hayward (Geophysical Institute: Fairbanks, AK), Lori Schoening (Geophysical Institute: Fairbanks, AK)

Looking for engaging, practical, and FREE strategies and resources for teaching ecological succession? Participants will explore diverse instructional methods to engage students and deepen their understanding of ecosystem dynamics. NGSS MS-LS2, HS-LS2; TEKS 8.12B, Env Sys 9C

TAKEAWAYS:
Dynamic, engaging, publicly available resources to teach ecological session!

SPEAKERS:
Cheryl Trepagnier (Retired: Castroville, TX)

This session demonstrates how to have students recognize the importance of science as critical when advocating for environmental justice through air quality data.

TAKEAWAYS:
To foster student-centered community-based environmental science research by identifying relationships among environmental degradation, socio-economic level, and community health issues through air quality data.

SPEAKERS:
Stephen Farenga (Queens College, CUNY: Williston Park, NY), Salvatore Garofalo (Queens College, City University of New York: Mineola, NY)

In this session, participants will explore strategies for fostering emotional engagement among undergraduates on climate change. Through social-emotional learning, we learn how mindfulness activities, videos, and readings deepen emotional connection and enhance understanding of climate science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will grasp using mindfulness, videos, and readings to engage undergraduates on climate change emotionally and cognitively. They will gain strategies for integrating SEL into teaching, empowering students to deepen environmental connections and climate literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Gayle Buck (Indiana University Bloomington: Bloomington, IN), Tajinder Saroya (Graduate Student: Bloomington, IN)

Are you looking for an opportunity to bring free hands-on engineering experiences to your students? The labs available work for biology, environmental science, and physical science classes, with cross curricular application in math. Leave with a goody bag of sample labs!

TAKEAWAYS:
In this workshop, teachers will explore the free resources developed by Engineering Tomorrow (“ET”). The ET curriculum of hands-on and virtual labs work for biology, environmental science and physical science classes with cross curricular application in math. Leave with a goody bag of sample labs!

SPEAKERS:
Marissa Maggio (Stuyvesant High School: New York, NY)

Learn how one graduate student transformed a Humane Education course project into engaging field experiences for students, fostering environmental stewardship, animal protection, and social justice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Discover practical strategies for implementing humane education through field experiences, integrating experiential learning theory and data analysis techniques into your curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Hulings (Stephen F. Austin State University: Nacogdoches, TX), Shelly Pugh (Graduate Student: Hallsville, TX)

Teacher obtained mini grants used in order to teach lessons utilizing STEM pedagogy specific to science, math, and technology. Using the real-world problem of invasive species in nearby lakes, students investigate nutrient cycles and create restoration strategies to assist the local community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn strategies and resources concerning the incorporation of local and environmental issues into inquiry-based STEM learning that allows students to impact their local community.

SPEAKERS:
Jenna D'Angelo (Student: Bridgeport, CT), Karen Hansen (Student: Bridgeport, CT), Bonnie Maur (Sacred Heart University: Monroe, CT), Andrew Lazowski (Sacred Heart University: Fairfield, CT), Adriana Piccolino (Student: Mount Kisco, NY)

Living With Water is the Louisiana Children’s Museum’s place-based environmental education program for 3rd graders in New Orleans. Through classroom visits, outdoor experiences, bespoke museum field trips, and interactive design challenges, we illustrate the student’s role in our unique ecosystem.

TAKEAWAYS:
This presentation will detail Living With Water, an environmental education initiative undertaken by the Louisiana Children’s Museum. This program teaches 3rd graders in New Orleans about the importance of wetlands and how both humans and animals have adapted to survive in coastal landscapes.

SPEAKERS:
Alahna Moore (Education Outreach Coordinator: New Orleans, LA)

This presentation shows the benefits and methods for bringing local marine animals into the classroom for long term growth in mindset about local ecosystems through hands-on husbandry experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Bringing local animals into the classroom allows students to see a local ecosystem inside the classroom instead of just from a textbook and allows them to feel a "sense of place" for the ecosystem, getting them interested in protecting the ecosystem.

SPEAKERS:
Savanna Finley (Science Teacher: Sarasota, FL)

Immerse yourself in sustainable entrepreneurship with our student-run apiary venture! Majors from across campus collaborate to produce honey and bee-inspired products, while also providing pollinator education. From pure honey to eco-friendly beeswax goods, experience interdisciplinary teamwork.

TAKEAWAYS:
The student-forward approaches that are often the focus of the Scholarship of Teaching attempt to shift the well-entrenched paradigm of college teaching. Unfortunately, faculty have yet to break free from the maxim of “we teach the way we were taught” to “we teach the way that we learn”. Learn how.

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

WaterMarks360 virtual field trips and curriculum/activity guides are free, open-source materials that support middle school NGSS standards and STEM education by highlighting Louisiana's coastal crisis and wetland restoration efforts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave this session with tools to virtually explore Louisiana's coastal landscape and to investigate the general geologic and regionally specific anthropogenic factors that have influenced positive and negative land change through history, including restoration strategies.

SPEAKERS:
Lauren Leonpacher (Coastal Wetlands Planning Protection and Restoration: Sunset, LA)

Educators agree that interdisciplinary projects benefit students, but enthusiasm wanes when confronted with inadequate meeting time and differing assessment strategies. We will show you how to increase the efficiency and efficacy of interdisciplinary learning through distinct models of collaboration

TAKEAWAYS:
Applying knowledge across disciplines encourages authentic learning, but teachers must facilitate these opportunities through strategic collaboration and curricular design.

SPEAKERS:
Lauren De Beer (8th Grade English Teacher: Lexington, KY), Jason Hurst (The Lexington School: Lexington, KY)

Developed from current research on extreme heat and equity, elementary students are excited to investigate the "Urban Heat Island Effect" phenomenon through the use of thermal imaging cameras and different roof surfaces. Join us as we share this NGSS-aligned, classroom-tested activity!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to implement a lesson on heat energy where students experience a phenomena, relate it to their prior experiences, collect and analyze data, and then notice patterns in data to make a claim. We provide options for modifying the activity for context and student needs.

SPEAKERS:
Nanette Marcum-Dietrich (Millersville University: Kennett Square, PA), Bill McConnell (Virginia Wesleyan University: Norfolk, VA)

Outcomes from a grant funded 4-day camp with 40 adolescent participants. Student research participation focused on critical marine science topics and careers. Session focuses on assessment of student sensemaking associated with a maritime biodiversity field study and coastal resiliency case studies

TAKEAWAYS:
Adolescents have strong knowledge base of research based field methods in determining biodiversity and unique perspectives and insight in tackling climate related challenges evident in engineering and policy scenarios focused on coastal resiliency.

SPEAKERS:
Timothy Goodale (Elizabeth City State University: Poquoson, VA)

Engaging students in your classroom with citizen science experiments can be difficult. Come learn about how an entire grade level of science teachers developed, implemented, and evaluated a series of citizen science place-based (aina-based) lessons involving the watersheds and ocean of the area.

TAKEAWAYS:
Many teachers believe citizen science experiments can only be done outside of classrooms. This project supports the idea that citizen science and place-based learning experiences CAN be done in the classroom, and that these experiences are exceptionally motivating and engaging for students.

SPEAKERS:
Pascale Pinner (Hilo Intermediate School: Hilo, HI)

Precipitating Change with Alaskan Schools is a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project with Alaskan Native communities, multiple universities, and the Concord Consortium. Together, we are exploring approaches to designing, testing, and refining multi-perspective for middle school students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers and students investigate coasts and coastal change involving both Indigenous and Western science approaches, as well as diving into related areas, including history, culture, and community decision-making.

SPEAKERS:
Texas Raymond (Concord Consortium: Chugiak, AK), Carolyn Staudt (The Concord Consortium: Concord, MA)

Explore empowering environmental education for Indigenous students of a Native American science teacher whose hands-on science activities help confront colonial injustices, nurture healing from intergenerational trauma, and integrate sense-making into equitable, culturally sustaining practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
The session will unveil culturally sustainable science teaching practices of a Native American educator, enhancing sensemaking for students. Empowering all learners, these strategies transform science into an accessible journey, unlocking education's transformative power for Indigenous communities.

SPEAKERS:
Uma Ganesan (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley: Brownsville, TX)

Cultivating Sustainability: Integrating locally-based environmental education curriculum through the Everglades Literacy Foundation Presented by: Martha Bjorklund and Emily Griffith Integrating Locally Based Environmental Education Curriculum into your school science program

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to work with local organizations in your community to design a science curriculum for your students that protects local ecosystems.

SPEAKERS:
Emily Griffith (Lower School Science and Innovation Teacher: West Palm Beach, FL), Martha Bjorklund (Palm Beach Day Academy: Palm Beach, FL)

Build environmental literacy skills by engaging students in real-world projects based in citizen science, place-based learning, hands-on research, and case studies addressing conservation initiatives conducted by indigenous people in the Peruvian Amazon

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will use citizen science tools and research projects to engage students in understanding their role as environmental stewards in local and global ecosystems, using sustainable practices implemented by indigenous groups in the Peruvian Amazon as a case study.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Rivenbark (Teacher: Dunnsville, VA)

This session is a cross-curricular project between forensic science and AP biology. These teachers have worked together to solve the age old question – when do we need that in real life? Here the session merges multi-level learners and teaches them to work together to solve a mysterious death case.

TAKEAWAYS:
Cross-curricular projects help strengthen student engagement and increases learning, and developing ideas with other content areas keeps the original content “fresh.”

SPEAKERS:
Tessah Zepeda (Los Fresnos CISD: Los Fresnos, TX)

Join a discussion about successes, challenges and lessons learned while implementing place-based watershed outdoor learning in New Orleans public charter schools. We will share ideas for best practices for outdoor science inquiry, while meeting science standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain insight from lessons learned during the past several years implementing NOAA Gulf BWET and NAS Gulf Research Program K-8 Place-Based Education grant projects aimed at supporting teachers in outdoor watershed STEM education and incorporating into Louisiana science curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Marshall (International School of Louisiana: New Orleans, LA), Diane Maygarden (University of New Orleans: Jefferson, LA)

Discover how nature positively impacts student well-being while fostering curiosity, critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Learn to integrate environmental education into your curriculum with research, cross-curricular lessons, and strategies for both urban and rural settings.

TAKEAWAYS:
The key takeaway from this session is a comprehensive understanding of the positive impact of nature on students' well-being and practical strategies for integrating environmental education into your curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Kim Harding (Van Andel Institute)

Students must build understanding of pressing environmental issues yet remain hopeful about their future. Place-based education empowers students to engage as active and knowledgeable members of their communities who have agency in identifying local environmental issues and developing solutions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will build an understanding of how placed-based education creates student agency to drive learning.

SPEAKERS:
Holly Hereau (NSTA: Lake Angelus, MI)

Explore useful tools to incorporate into intentional planning for science instruction and curriculum implementation. Examine how to support teachers in intentional planning of science instructional routines. Provide examples of how the science instructional routines can show up in teaching and learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
With the use of intentional planning, participants will learn how to use instructional routines in the classroom to support student science sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Kellie Boquet (Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy: Broussard, LA)

In Project VOICE, students identify real world problems impacting the community and propose possible solutions/actions that can address these problems. We will share lesson resources and planning templates for creating community-driven, justice-centered science learning experiences for students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Classroom learning experiences that center local issues impacting students and their communities are more engaging and meaningful for students, and require transdisciplinary learning approaches to develop innovative solutions.

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Meyer (Educational Service District 112: Vancouver, WA)

Utilize Switch Classroom and Project Look Sharp websites to engage students in constructivist media literacy. Using these free classroom resources teachers will learn how to help students ask the right questions, think critically, and decode media messages of all types.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will participate in a media decoding activity using materials focused on energy resources. Examples of lessons available will be shared as well as information on helping students ask the right questions and identify biases.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Daniels (Mississinewa High School: Marion, IN)