Explore the storyline of the newly released OpenSciEd Unit 5.1 How does a nurse log help other things live and grow? and see how students leverage connections to ELA and math as they investigate and make sense of ecosystems and matter cycling.

TAKEAWAYS:
OpenSciEd Elementary units provide significant opportunities for students to explicitly connect with grade-level mathematics, reading, writing, speaking & listening, and language standards in service of their science sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Gen Zoufal (Project Managaer: Chicago, IL), Cathery Yeh (Assistant Professor: Austin, TX), Gail Housman (Northwestern University: Brookfield, IL), Amy Belcastro (Science Educator/Grad Student: Fort Collins, CO)

In this session, we will examine how to leverage time used to practice and reinforce math and reading skills to also include phenomenon-based science. By using math and ELA standards as a starting point, short units building off of a common science phenomenon are created.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience the process of creating a phenomenon-based, science-focused lesson series to help reinforce and practice the standards in math and ELA, thus leading toward equity for students and subject areas.

SPEAKERS:
Miranda Orellana (Lincoln Public Schools: Lincoln, NE)

Are you looking for ways to enhance your lessons and make them more 3-dimensional? We are taking a well known curriculum and integrating appropriate SEPs and CCCs to deepen learning. Participants will receive Framework-aligned resources to help guide their planning for future lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain ideas on how to enhance curriculum to reach all state science standards. We will show them affordable resources that can be used in any classroom. Educators will have the opportunity to review the gaps in their curriculum with framework-aligned resources during the session.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Mahl (Jane Addams Elementary School: Redford, MI), Katie Stevenson (South Redford School District: Livonia, MI)

Looking to help your elementary students connect and apply what they learn across content areas? Come learn how to use phenomena to launch interdisciplinary learning journeys. We’ll explore practical ways to integrate science, social studies, and literacy using anchoring and everyday phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will be equipped to improve how they engage students with phenomena and adjust their lessons to better support interdisciplinary learning in science, social studies, and literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Forsythe (Texas State University: San Marcos, TX)

Do you want more time for science yet worry about meeting literacy goals? We'll explore some principles of integration that ensure preK-6 students practice three dimensional science while building disciplinary language and literacy skills and engaging in deep knowledge building.

TAKEAWAYS:
When science is used as the primary context for learning, both literacy and science goals can be achieved in ways that would not be possible separately.

SPEAKERS:
Tracy Coskie (Professor: Bellingham, WA), Stephanie Strachan (Associate Professor: Bellingham, WA)

Elementary schools have neglected science locally, statewide, and nationally. With science soon to be included onto California’s 2025 dashboard, elementary schools are experiencing pressure to fit science into daily schedules somehow. Learn how to budget and integrate science into daily schedules.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to increase science instruction in your K-6 classes through integration and schedule creativity.

SPEAKERS:
Marcus Sherman (Stockton Unified School District: Stockton, CA)

Explore STEM units and their personalized major unit projects that allow students to choose projects aligned with their academic interests and personal passions. Promote interdisciplinary learning by encouraging students to explore connections between different STEM fields.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to provide students with choices for major unit projects that showcase their learning and allow collaboration and community involvement to be at the forefront. Include student feedback in grading for themselves and their peers.

SPEAKERS:
Natalie Schifsky (Academy of Exploration: Nixa, MO), Alexandra Robbins (Teacher: Springfield, MO)

This brief introduction to free OER integrated science curricular units for Grades K-5 will highlight how the features of Project-Based Learning provide the tools and routines to support sensemaking. Learn more about the research behind the resources and available supports for 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, 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)

Meeting CS & Digital Fluency Standards 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 school wide fun activities, while developing social emotional skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be provided a QR code which will provide the tools to create a dynamic team, and execute a sustainable project that includes meaningful activities that are engaging and fun. This presentation will highlight specific ways literacy is linked to the NGSS and the CS/DF standards.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Memoli (CSDNR Jefferson Elementary School), Aimee Ferguson (Jefferson Elementary School: New Rochelle, NY), Alicia Ricks (New Rochelle High School: New Rochelle, NY)