Science is a social endeavor! Gain strategies to transform your classroom into a community of learners in which students and teachers actively try to make sense of the natural and built worlds.

TAKEAWAYS:
Leave this session with strategies for developing classroom norms in collaboration with your students.

SPEAKERS:
Kate Soriano (NSTA: Jersey City, NJ)

This session is the first of a series of four - join for one or more - focused on early childhood science and language arts integration. Engage with concrete examples of interdisciplinary connections focused on life science. Part of the NSTA Early Childhood/Lower Elementary Science Pathway.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to plan and implement instruction that integrates early childhood life science and language arts learning targets with fidelity.

SPEAKERS:
Jenn Brown-Whale (Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): Randallstown, MD)

Students must use discourse to engage with the Science and Engineering Practices, but what if students do not speak the language of instruction? Learn specific strategies and supports to create a welcoming environment for student language use and acquisition in inquiry-based science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience the instructional practices designed to support language use for newcomer students in inquiry-based science. They will leave with ready-to-use strategies to implement in their classroom or district to support students who do not speak the language of instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Kori Milroy (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL), Chantell Windham (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL), Niranjani Prabhakar (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL), Sarah Millette (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL)

Come to this engaging, hands-on session where we will use science activities to demonstrate effective professional learning practices! If you present at NSTA, facilitate professional learning, or just want to learn, this session is for you!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn specific practices they can incorporate into their NSTA presentations or professional learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Abbott (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Deanna Taylor (Interactive Learning Solutions LLC: Columbia, SC), Leah Litz (Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium: Omaha, NE), Jesse Wilcox (University of Northern Iowa: Cedar Falls, IA)

No curriculum is perfect out of the box. Explore how one district utilized a local frog expert to enhance a newly adopted curriculum. Let hands-on lessons inspire you to find your own Frog Guy, place student inquiry at the center, and go beyond a guest speaker. Extend your storyline and engagement!

TAKEAWAYS:
After a learner-lens experience with frogs, participants will gain insights in identifying areas within a unit storyline and developing customizations aligned to the NGSS and teaching practices to reach all learners. Participants will then have time to apply this process to their own organization.

SPEAKERS:
Samantha Perrelli (STEM Instructional Coach: No City, No State)

This session is the second of a series of four - join for one or more - focused on early childhood science and language arts integration. Engage with concrete examples of interdisciplinary connections focused on Earth and space science. Part of NSTA Early Childhood/Lower Elementary Science Pathway.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to plan and implement instruction that integrates early childhood Earth and space science and language arts learning targets with fidelity.

SPEAKERS:
Jenn Brown-Whale (Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): Randallstown, MD)

Take a deep dive into the practice of developing and using models! We’ll explore how creating and using models help students build science ideas and can support students’ in developing and writing explanations. Experience the power of building science ideas together as part of a learning community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Developing models individually, in groups and as a class makes all students essential members of the knowledge-building community.

SPEAKERS:
Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Freeport, IL)

Elementary-age children come to science learning with expansive resources that we must leverage for sensemaking. If you are considering adapting or creating your own instructional materials, join us as we learn to frame investigations from students lived experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Many curriculum materials minimize elevating students’ brilliance with teacher directed, pre-designed activities. COESEE envisions classrooms where students’ ideas are foregrounded andn learning is centered in students’ lived experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network: Plymouth, MI), Carla Zembal-Saul (Penn State: State College, PA), Miranda Fitzgerald (University of North Carolina Charlotte: Mint Hill, NC)

This session is the third of a series of four - join for one or more - focused on early childhood science and language arts integration. Engage with concrete examples of interdisciplinary connections focused on physical science. Part of the NSTA Early Childhood/Lower Elementary Science Pathway.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to plan and implement instruction that integrates early childhood physical science and language arts learning targets with fidelity.

SPEAKERS:
Jenn Brown-Whale (Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): Randallstown, MD)

We will explore expansive ways we can notice students’ sensemaking assets and use those ideas to engage students in deeper learning. This session supports educators who are exploring modification or creation of instructional materials to better serve all students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Explore the expanded ways of communicating and negotiating meaning children use as they engage in sensemaking at all ages. Work with us as we share ways to becoming more attuned to the multiple ways children engage in meaning making

SPEAKERS:
Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network: Plymouth, MI), Miranda Fitzgerald (University of North Carolina Charlotte: Mint Hill, NC)

This session is the fourth of a series of four - join for one or more - focused on early childhood science and language arts integration. Engage with concrete examples of interdisciplinary connections focused on engineering. Part of the NSTA Early Childhood/Lower Elementary Science Pathway

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to plan and implement instruction that integrates early childhood engineering and language arts learning targets with fidelity.

SPEAKERS:
Jenn Brown-Whale (Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): Randallstown, MD)

Learning in Places is an OER that helps educators engage with students in field-based transdisciplinary learning. It is the perfect way to start science learning from students’ places while engaging with families and communities. This session is perfect for educators developing their own materials.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learning in Places envisions science learning as a vehicle to ethical decision making. Educators will become familiar with the Learning in Places storylines and how to use them with their students.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network: Plymouth, MI)

We see tradebooks and read-alouds as a powerful support for elementary science. In this session we will share 100+ trade books that align to the NGSS and provide our evaluation tools so you can better choose your own resources. This session is great for educators developing their own materials, too.

TAKEAWAYS:
Children’s meaning making in elementary science can be enhanced by engagement with high-quality literacy. We have identified over 100 high quality read aloud books that align to the science standards and elevate both science and math and the tools for educators to select their own materials.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network: Plymouth, MI), Miranda Fitzgerald (University of North Carolina Charlotte: Mint Hill, NC)

Investigate fostering scientific understanding and practice skills in our youngest learners. Take away topics of inquiry and tools for planning experiments and documenting student thinking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will come away with strategies to: • Plan investigations to integrate science into their early childhood curriculum. • Build scientific practice skills in all of our youngest learners. • Reveal and document student understanding through lab notebooks.

SPEAKERS:
Alyssa Barr (Science Teacher: Seattle, WA), Katie Morrison (University Child Development School: Seattle, WA)

Join us for a hands-on session tailored for educators/coaches to discover what inquiry-based learning SHOULD look like in the classroom! Discover how to recognize best practices and evaluate 3D learning in action. Equip yourself with tools and insights needed to conduct exceptional investigations!

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will evaluate their own teach practices in the context of inquiry-based learning to determine what exception science instruction looks like, sounds like, and feels like for students in a 3D learning environment.

SPEAKERS:
Leah Pinto (EduSmart)

Building from a set of high-quality read-alouds we engage in discussion to explore, even more deeply, the representations authors and illustrators use to represent various relationships. Leveraging the ideas of a part of and a part from we will explore relationships.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will use and collaboratively revise a scaffolded discussion tool, created by Learning in Places educators, to help others discern relational representations in children’s texts and create learning plans to engage children in discussions about them.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network: Plymouth, MI)

Experience how classroom agreements can create productive and safe spaces for elementary students to share their ideas, let those ideas change and grow, and engage with each other as a community of learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Elementary students can co-construct classroom agreements that support an environment where they recognize that science can be done in many ways, feel safe and compelled to share their ideas and questions, listen/look/respond to others' ideas, and let their ideas change and grow.

SPEAKERS:
María González-Howard (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX), Amy Belcastro (Science Educator/Grad Student: Fort Collins, CO), Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Laveen, AZ)

Engage in a new OpenSciEd Elementary unit and see how classroom discussions can support ALL students’ in using their ideas, experiences, and evidence for collective sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about how to engage elementary students in classroom discussion to share initial ideas, build understanding and come to consensus about the phenomenon they are trying to collectively figure out.

SPEAKERS:
Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Laveen, AZ), Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Long Beach, CA)

Hexagonal thinking is a collaborative hands-on concept mapping strategy focused on making connections across vocabulary, concepts, and other subject-specific components that can be utilized in any content area including cross-curricular settings. Come learn how to implement it in your own classroom!

TAKEAWAYS:
For Upper Elem through HS. Participants will experience the strategy from a student POV and learn the process of implementation for a variety of settings (traditional and digital) and materials. Examples of student work will also be shown.

SPEAKERS:
Jeff Thomas (University of Southern Indiana: Evansville, IN), Simone Nance (University of Southern Indiana: Newburgh, IN)

Join us as a young scientist to investigate different sounds and how and why they occur. Using simple tools, engage your curiosity about the phenomena of sound as you delve into sensemaking to figure out what causes sound to occur, and how you can stop, start, and change sound.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engage in teacher play, investigate making sense of how sound is made, how to change sound, how to create your own song with rubber bands and a simple board, plus explain all of it with your own words/drawings. First 50 participants will leave with rubber bands, a simple board, and an investigation idea.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Chizek (Iowa State University: Toledo, IA)

This workshop explores various ways to integrate place-based learning in elementary science methods classes as a means for preparing preservice elementary teachers while also demonstrating theories, activities, and strategies for effective place-based science integration in the elementary classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will explore the benefit of using place-based learning as a lens for teaching science methods, as well as provide strategies and examples of how to integrate place-based learning in the elementary classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Allison Downing (The University of Southern Mississippi: Hattiesburg, MS), Rachel Gisewhite (The University of Southern Mississippi: Long Beach, MS)

Numerous elementary classrooms have already embraced stations to engage with small groups of students in ELA or math. This approach is equally applicable to science classes, including hands-on investigations. Let's explore how you can implement this method in your classroom in just 25 minutes a day.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session, learn how to deliver a comprehensive science lesson with just 25 minutes of daily class time. Stations facilitate focused tasks for small groups, enabling teachers to provide personalized support. In 10 days a full lesson can be completed, including hands-on investigations!

SPEAKERS:
Krissy Johnson (Midwest City-Del City ISD #52: Midwest City, OK)

This session highlights cultural dimensions of meaningful science learning. It showcases a powerful instructional technique for formative assessment called “self-documentation”—where students collect information related to a particular theme or topic in their everyday lives.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers learn how to promote equity by focusing on learning and teaching as an inherently cultural process. They develop a shared understanding of how cultural formative assessment can reveal the interests, experiences, and identities of students.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Tiffany Neill (OpenSciEd: New York, NY), Ximena Gallegos Gutierrez (PhD student, Learning Science and Human Development: Seattle, WA)

Led by members of NSTA Early Childhood-Elementary Committee, the session addresses the relationship between the NSTA book series and natural phenomena providing an interactive platform for educators to discover how this series of books can support & enhance SEPs in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore the integration of this series with science and engineering practices through cross-disciplinary connections and hands-on activities. Resources provided.

SPEAKERS:
Simone Nance (University of Southern Indiana: Newburgh, IN), Jenn Brown-Whale (Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): Randallstown, MD), Katie Morrison (University Child Development School: Seattle, WA), Jennifer Williams (Isidore Newman School: Belle Chasse, LA)

Want to improve student analyzing and interpreting data skills but don’t know where to start? This workshop makes data analysis fun and accessible for you and your students. Learn to interpret and understand real-world data while incorporating math and science concepts. BYOD for optimal impact.

TAKEAWAYS:
Build expertise in nurturing elementary students’ ability to confidently infer meaning from real-world data, bolstering their math and science comprehension.

SPEAKERS:
Jocelyn Foran (Tuva)

We have developed a framework of pedagogical practices that can be leveraged to support teaching with the NGSS no matter what curriculum is being used. Come hear about our research-backed framework, and experience a sense-making lesson that models high leverage pedagogical strategies!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will experience and gain a deeper understanding of high leverage pedagogical practices that directly support teaching with the NGSS, and strategies to implement some of these practices in the science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Katy Fattaleh (Griffin Museum of Science and Industry: Chicago, IL), Tara Flett (Sr. Educator IQST: Chicago, IL), Karin Klein (Museum of Science and Industry: CHICAGO, IL)

Learn to effectively integrate ideas from the science of reading and sense-making in science. This session will introduce a framework for aligning 5E lessons with a reading comprehension checklist and engage participants in strategies that support sense-making, reading comprehension, and writing.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants learn to integrate the science of reading in sense-making lessons. Participants learn how to use phenomena to frame integrated lessons, when to introduce vocabulary, and how to use sentence anagrams, graphic organizers, sorts, and paragraph frames to support comprehension and writing.

SPEAKERS:
Megan Black (Granite School District: Park City, UT)

The focus of this presentation will be on elementary level strategies to engage students in 4 elements of scientific argumentation: 1) Evidence, 2) Reasoning, 3) Student Discourse, and 4) Competing Claims.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will experience strategies to engage elementary level students in discourse, sense-making and problem solving through argumentation. Teachers will have access to multiple resources to enhance their strategy toolkit.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Wray (Wellston Public Schools: Guthrie, OK), Karla White (Earl Harris Elementary: Bethany, OK), Lisa Pitts (Oakdale School: Midwest City, OK)

Participants will engage in science and engineering practices to develop their understanding of why flooding frequently happens in some areas of New Orleans but not others. Then, they will learn strategies for leading their own students through conducting schoolyard investigations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with suggestions to support elementary students in modeling a complex environmental science phenomenon that’s relevant to their everyday lives, getting outside of the classroom to collect data, and using this data to revise their understanding of the phenomenon.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Marshall (International School of Louisiana: New Orleans, LA), Claire Anderson (Ripple Effect)

This workshop will introduce key strategies for supporting students with different learning needs (kinesthetics, visuals, hands-on activities, explicit instruction, simplified language) in order to meet NGSS standards. The workshop will include specific examples from a unit on honeybees.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience firsthand how the above-mentioned strategies for special education support learning for all students in an elementary classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Lindsey Marx (Stephen Gaynor School: New York, NY), Cristina Fabricant (Science Specialist: New York, NY)

Students are more excited to learn science when they see the ways the learning experience is motivated by their own curiosities. Come interact with and explore strategies to anchor your students’ sensemaking throughout a science unit in questions that the class community has collectively developed!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with strategies to 1) elicit, 2) make public, and 3) value all students’ questions about a unit’s anchoring phenomenon, and to 4) collaborate with students to shape their questions into investigable questions that can motivate their ongoing sensemaking throughout a unit.

SPEAKERS:
María González-Howard (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX), Carla Robinson (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX), Sage Andersen (The University of Texas at Austin: Buda, TX)

Explore through six hands-on stations just as your students would! Confidently teach energy forms and transformations to elementary students with experiments that showcase the science behind everyday objects – batteries, toy cars, glow sticks, an apple, yo-yo, and more!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will be able to take hands-on experiments and background information that allow elementary students to explore the different forms of energy and how they are transformed right back to their classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kimberly Swan (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA)

This session explores how productive uncertainty in science investigations can support meaningful engagement in science practices and conceptual understanding. Participants will engage with uncertainty, analyze examples of elementary students grappling with uncertainty, and explore tools for use.

TAKEAWAYS:
Uncertainty is core to sense-making at all ages. We can elicit and build from specific forms of uncertainty as children move between phenomenon, investigation, evidence, and explanation to support productive classroom sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Annabel Stoler (Boston University: Malden, MA), Eve Manz (Boston University: Boston, MA)

Wondering how to make science more meaningful? Learn how to easily adapt a unit to affirm student experiences in daily lessons. We'll show you how to create a student survey and use the data to make small but impactful changes to your plans. See examples and leave with a template for trying it out!

TAKEAWAYS:
We’ll show participants how to choose a focus unit and create a survey focused on the same theme. We’ll use the collected data purposefully to make upgrades to our lessons by incorporating student experiences and interests into the learning, all while expanding their scientific understanding.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Harrell (UnboundEd: West Orange, NJ), Amber Woods (UnboundEd: Glen Burnie, MD)

Join Louisiana teachers and state leaders in an immersive science experience that will unlock strategies for nurturing the brilliance and strengths of K-2 students and cultivate a strong science foundation.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session, teachers will experience an anchor phenomenon as a student and will consider practical strategies for how phenomenon-based, three-dimensional instruction can support K-2 students sensemaking in science. Participants will receive tips on how to advocate for more time on science in K-2.

SPEAKERS:
Garelyn Adam-Dinet (Teacher: Marrero, LA), Molly Talbot (Louisiana Dept. of Education: New Roads, LA)

Engage students in conversations about climate change & inspire them to take action. Children's books are a catalyst for discussions and deepening students' grasp of climate change. We will focus on equitable classroom methods, strategies to integrate reading & science standards, and lift up hope.

TAKEAWAYS:
Integration approaches for science and reading; access to read aloud guides for all children’s books suggestions; equitable classroom strategies; multiple perspectives on climate change; highlighting indigenous authors; inspire student agency and hope.

SPEAKERS:
Luke Matlack (Educational Service District 105: Yakima, WA), Carissa Haug (North Central Educational Service District: Wenatchee, WA), Lorianne Donovan (Educational Service District 123: Richland, WA)

Participants will explore hands-on stations as they use inquiry analysis tools to dive into phenomena, primary sources, and discovery boxes about the coast. Participants will share, engage, and connect with multiple strategies and PreK-2 resources to use to analyze coastal phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
Inquiry-based teaching focuses on moving students beyond general curiosity into the realms of critical thinking and understanding. We must encourage our students to ask questions and support them through the investigation process, understanding when to begin and how to structure an inquiry activity.

SPEAKERS:
Noelle Carter (Chief Curriculum Officer: Orem, UT), Betsy Glisson (Studies Weekly: Dublin, GA)

Are students struggling to master academic language in Science? Get students listening, speaking, reading, and writing using academic language. Participants will engage in a science-focused Talk Read Talk Write using vocabulary/visuals within the 5E model to support Emergent Bilingual/all students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to incorporate Nancy Motley’s Talk Read Talk Write approach within the 5E Model, how to incorporate vocabulary-focused structured conversations based on visuals, and how to differentiate for students to improve Science Literacy.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Gibson (Seidlitz Education: Plano, TX)

Explore how student self-assessment can transform STEM learning by empowering learners to reflect on and take charge of their educational journey. Gain practical strategies and tools to implement this effective approach in your classroom, enhancing engagement and understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn to implement student self-assessment techniques that boost independence, deepen understanding, and increase engagement in STEM subjects.

SPEAKERS:
Matthew Mawn (Roxbury High School: Succasunna, NJ)

Do you want to develop a stronger sense of global citizenship in your students? Join us to explore practical place-based learning resources and activities you can immediately implement. Join like-minded teachers to explore nature journaling, literacy resources, observation skills, and more!

TAKEAWAYS:
Help your students develop a sense of community and plant the seeds of global citizenship. Attend the workshop and learn new ideas from the presenters and fellow attendees. Together we can create a community of teachers that will prepare our students for the challenges of our changing environment.

SPEAKERS:
Rachel Gisewhite (The University of Southern Mississippi: Long Beach, MS), Stacey Britton (University of West Georgia: Roopville, GA), Ann Catherine Cox (Carrollton Elementary School: Carrollton, VA)

Through the use of classroom transformations and research-based strategies, this workshop will enable primary classroom teachers to establish a classroom based on inquiry and the belief that young children can develop complex science understanding.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session provides actionable steps for primary classroom teachers to develop a classroom that fosters curiosity, reasoning, and problem solving in science. The aim is to erase the idea that very young students are not ready for complex science concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Kelley Spahr (College of Charleston: North Charleston, SC)

The Power of Perception, when educators demonstrate an understanding of students' perspectives, fosters trust and rapport. Students feel valued and respected when their experiences and perceptions are acknowledged, which strengthens the student-teacher relationship and is conducive for learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
The intrinsic value of understanding how students perceive their environment is imperative for their future selves. Helping students and teachers understand their perceptions empowers them to take ownership of their learning journey, and navigate complexities with confidence.

SPEAKERS:
Autumn Nowlin (Autumn's Academy: Jacksonville, FL)

Forrest Bird is the inventor of the first convenient and reliable, low cost, mass-produced medical respirator. Join us in this workshop as we model hands on activities to get your students excited to learn more about respiratory system basics as well as invention education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Students are less likely to be what they cannot see. Everyone can be an inventor and diverse inventor stories and activities with a transdisciplinary approach can aid elementary educators in creating high-quality, equitable learning experiences even with constraints to "Science time."

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Hoppe (STEMisED, Inc: Rio Rico, AZ), Christine Lawlor-King (MIT, InventEd, Invention Convention, STEMisED: Manchester, CT)