The NGSS requires students work with big datasets. Yet time constraints limit trials during the hands-on labs that excite our students. You needn’t sacrifice one for the other! Join me to generate a robust dataset from a collaborative lab and to craft prompts about it that foster data literacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the importance of having students interact with more robust datasets, how to efficiently pool student-collected data, and how to prompt students to practice skills needed by STEM professionals, such as questioning, describing variability, and identifying relationships.

SPEAKERS:
Jocelyn Foran (Tuva)

The workshop focuses on best practices in which virtual reality PD program teachers will share what they learn while acting as student participants. Teachers then used the best practices learned and discussed in the PD with their own students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to incorporate virtual reality and AI to make engaging STEM lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Nikita LaCour (Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Magnet Academy: Ventress, LA), Rochelle Darville (West St. John High School: gonzales, LA)

Physical computing allows students to design and create interactive objects that encourage inquiry investigations and emphasize computational thinking skills. Participants will engage in activities designed for middle school students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Microcontrollers are small computers that come with several integrated sensors making them useful for both investigations and engineering projects. Participants will learn about and experience hands-on various microcontrollers & their use in inquiry investigation tasks & student sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
G. Michael Bowen (Mount Saint Vincent University: Halifax, NS)

Experience a variety of engaging STEM activities that can be done in any science content class in 45 minutes or less.

TAKEAWAYS:
Expose your students to STEM skills through short, easy, and engaging STEM activities that can be completed in a single class period.

SPEAKERS:
Brad Posnanski (Comsewogue High School: Port Jefferson Station, NY), Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Ellicott City, MD)

Participants will explore the BioEd Online website’s free STEM+M (medicine) classroom learning resources created and/or curated by Baylor College of Medicine’s Center for Educational Outreach, engage in activities from a student lens, then complete a scavenger hunt to identify/organize resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore BioEd Online and leave with free STEM+M (medicine) learning resources ready to be implemented into their classroom instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Jimmie Thomas (Baylor College of Medicine: Houston, TX)

This presentation will explore the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools into secondary education curricula, aiming to provide educators and administrators with actionable strategies, demonstrate the potential benefits, and discuss the necessary frameworks for implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how to effectively integrate AI tools into secondary curricula, equipped with practical steps, proven strategies, and a network of resources to begin their own implementation processes.

SPEAKERS:
Caleb Bagby (Senior Director of Engineering, Technology, and Design: Chattanooga, TN)

Discover practical strategies for integrating AI in education in this workshop and explore innovative lesson designs to engage students interactively. Resources, tips, and bad puns will be provided to all attendees.

TAKEAWAYS:
Artificial intelligence is here to stay. By experiencing an AI-focussed lesson from the student perspective, educators will leave with a better sense of the potential for this incredible new tool in their own classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Caleb Bagby (Senior Director of Engineering, Technology, and Design: Chattanooga, TN), Jessica Dobrin (McCallie School: Chattanooga, TN)

Explore the complexities of the electric grid by building series and parallel circuits! This hands-on workshop will provide educators with tools and strategies to help students grasp circuity and energy-related concepts.

TAKEAWAYS:
This hands-on, standards-aligned workshop will show the influence of engineering, technology, and science on society and the natural world. Participants will leave the workshop with concepts and strategies to implement a similar lesson with their students.

SPEAKERS:
Bahar Pahlevani (The Energy Coalition: Irvine, CA), Tess Hooper (Project Manager: Irvine, CA)

Through live demonstrations we will teach attendees the strengths and weaknesses of virtual tutors and best practices for LLM-student learning. During the workshop attendees will construct practice exam questions using ChatGPT and other LLM tools.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through live demonstrations we will teach attendees the strengths and weaknesses of virtual tutors and best practices for LLM-student learning. During the workshop attendees will construct practice exam questions using ChatGPT and other LLM tools.

SPEAKERS:
Daniel Graham (Assistant Professor: Jackson, MS), Hannah Meyer (Student: Jackson, MS), Kristina Stensaas (Millsaps College: Brandon, MS)

We will be sharing activities for a 6-8 aligned unit on force and motion. The activities will include: a hands-on activity with technology to collect and analyze data that will aid in calculating speed and a hands-on activity using technology to graph motion in real time.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience physics fun for 6-8 Science as they apply to the new standards. We will use Hot Wheels to collect data to calculate speed and create motion graphs using hands-on technology.

SPEAKERS:
Becky Walker (Hudson Middle School: Lufkin, TX), Amy Rush (Lufkin Middle School: Lufkin, TX)

Keep your pets safe from being left in hot cars by using automatic sensors to design an alarm that could save their lives.

TAKEAWAYS:
Solve a real-world problem with coding and engineering design; no prior experience needed.

SPEAKERS:
Stacy Thibodeaux (Southside High School: Scott, LA), Jessica Kohout (Educational Consultant: Ellicott City, MD)

We will go through a set of hands-on, physical and digital experiences to learn how objects vibrate and make sound, and how that sound can be turned into music. Participants will get access to free curriculum resources and digital tools created by music neuroscientist and sound artist, Victor Minces

TAKEAWAYS:
You will learn how to use everyday objects and free digital tools to explore the science of sound and music. You will create beats and sound compositions, and tune an orchestra made with beakers and water as an anchoring phenomenon to bring to your students.

SPEAKERS:
Alec Barron (UC San Diego)

Explore our workshop on AI's classroom impact! Learn how AI boosts creativity, engagement, and streamlines tasks for more impactful teaching.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session promises practical insights into using AI to cultivate a more dynamic, responsive, and creatively enriched teaching environment, ensuring both educators and students thrive.

SPEAKERS:
Nadim Sarhan (Faculty Member: Town and Country, MO), Melanie Shedd (The Principia: St Louis, MO)

We will be sharing activities for a 6 & 8 Force, Motion, and Energy aligned unit using hands-on laboratory investigations, simulations and technology to compare the characteristics of amplitude, frequency, and wavelength in transverse and longitudinal waves, including the electromagnetic spectrum.

TAKEAWAYS:
The activities the participants will experience will include: a hands-on activity with technology to collect and analyze data by comparing the characteristics of amplitude, frequency, and wavelength in transverse and longitudinal waves, including the electromagnetic spectrum.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Rush (Lufkin Middle School: Lufkin, TX), Becky Walker (Hudson Middle School: Lufkin, TX)

Engage in hands-on exploration of a place-based drone curriculum co-developed with tribal communities for elementary students in Alaska. Access the free student and teacher lesson plans and educational videos, and identify place-based drone applications for your community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will don "student hat" to participate in a hands-on lesson about how drones fly, learn how to access a suite of free resources for teaching about drones, and also learn tips for STEM curriculum co-production by Indigenous and Western institutions.

SPEAKERS:
Mariah McNamara (Education Specialist: Fairbanks, AK), Lori Schoening (Geophysical Institute: Fairbanks, AK)

AI is rapidly transforming the landscape & will soon be a regular part of your students' everyday experiences. Join me to discover how to utilize AI tools to enrich your professional growth & instruction. We'll delve into the potential pitfalls of AI & how it might mislead you and your students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn to explain the workings of AI tools like ChatGPT, leverage AI to enhance their professional expertise & incorporating it into your planning and lessons. They will also become aware of the limitations of AI tools in aspects such as safety and questioning techniques.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Anne Royce (Shippensburg University: Newburg, PA)

In this session, attendees will practice and create a lesson using one of 5 AI tech tools that empower educators to craft personalized science classrooms. Each tool will be presented along with classroom strategies tailored to maximize their potential for scientific literacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will be able to create personalized learning experiences, enhance student engagement, and improve academic outcomes by utilizing AI tools for tailored curricula.

SPEAKERS:
Stefany Palomba (Choices High School: canton, OH)

Participants will: Research and design an Inquiry experiment using appropriate technology to gather and analyze data. Use technology to collect/analyze data and visualize what occurs on the submicroscopic level by employing particulate drawings.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will take part in a “hands on” Inquiry experiment, use technology to collect/analyze data, and visualize what occurs on the submicroscopic level in copper chemical reactions by employing particulate drawings.

SPEAKERS:
Gregory Dodd (George Washington High School: Pennsboro, WV)

Learn how to create more equitable experiences in the classroom by using the Modern Classroom approach. Coupled with Pear Deck, EdPuzzle, Flip, Screencastify and ClassroomQ, participants will walk away knowing how to create a more blended learning experience for their students and examine strategies

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to create a Pear Deck, EdPuzzle and Screencastify video. Participants will walk away with the knowledge of how to create a product for each one. Attendees will learn how to empower students to be independent life long learners.

SPEAKERS:
Cecelia Gillam (Benjamin Franklin High School: La Place, LA)

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)

Discover AI's power in education with seven hands-on strategies that boost learning. See how top teachers use AI for deep thinking and engagement. Leave equipped to make learning with AI memorable, meaningful, and fun!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain a feel for how AI can be used to promote deeper and more scientific thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Ben Talsma (Van Andel Education Institute: Grand Rapids, MI)

This workshop engages participants in using AI and data tools to monitor seabird behavior and restoration. Participants will explore datasets to find trends in population growth and use AI to identify birds and their calls.

TAKEAWAYS:
Data is the bedrock of scientific investigations, but is not yet fully incorporated into the classroom. This workshop provides tools and strategies for the seamless incorporation of data and AI into the study of seabird restoration.

SPEAKERS:
Caitlin Harrigan (Teacher/District Assessment Coordinator: Portland, ME), Jacob Sagrans (Senior Research Associate: Weston, MA)

NOAA's Science on a Sphere team will demo an AI chatbot using Large Language Models to enhance access. This chatbot recommends datasets based on teachers' needs, aligns them with goals, and suggests classroom applications. Discussion will address democratizing access vs. perpetuating disparities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Large Language Models are great tools to find correlations between large pools of content, thus its use as a virtual assistant could greatly improve access to large data and visualization content and while minimizing time and effort for this task.

SPEAKERS:
Eric Hackathorn (NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory: Boulder, CO), Juan Pablo Hurtado Padilla (NOAA Office of Education: Silver Spring, MD)

Level up your OpenSciEd materials (or any engineering design challenge) to include digital notebooks, smartphone sensors as data collectors, and computer aided design (CAD) applications to develop tech skills with students while solving engineering problems for our future!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with resources and experiences using technologies that provide an on-ramp or will strengthen their journey of integrating powerful tech tools into their classroom as well as an increased capacity to integrate engineering design challenges within their curriculum.

SPEAKERS:
Cari Williams (OpenSciEd: Yorba Linda, CA)

NSF’s NOIRLab’s Teen Astronomy Café – To Go! program brings students the excitement of scientific discovery by exploring astronomical data. Learn how students can hunt for brown dwarfs and planets in the outer solar system using the citizen science project Backyward Worlds. Laptops are encouraged.

TAKEAWAYS:
By exploring the Teen Astronomy Café – To Go! program designed to support the NGSS, participants will learn about the resources available to introduce astronomical data analysis their classrooms and help students develop critical thinking and data literacy skills.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Sparks (NSF's NOIRLab: Tucson, AZ)

Bring student learning to life with green screen and augmented reality technology. Learn easily replicated cross-curricular projects for K-8 to virtually put students IN their creations.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will explain step-by-step how the green screen and augmented reality combination can be utilized together to facilitate creative learning experiences for science standards. Participants will leave with resources and ideas to allow them to replicate projects to meet their academic needs.

SPEAKERS:
Cara Pavek (A. D. Henderson University School: Delray Beach, FL), Jennifer O'Sullivan (A. D. Henderson University School: Boca Raton, FL)

This session will engage participants in authentic conservation decision-making practices using dynamic, interactive tools on the Half-Earth Project Map and Map of Life. The activities shared empower learners to evaluate biodiversity distribution, protected areas, and human impacts.

TAKEAWAYS:
Human activity adversely impacts biodiversity through habitat destruction, pollution, invasive species, and climate change. However, data-driven tech tools help ensure conservation decisions protect areas with the highest biodiversity with equitable benefits to humans.

SPEAKERS:
Jocelyn Miller (E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation: Chapel Hill, NC)

Participants will: Undertake a “hands on” equilibrium Inquiry with a large K value. Use Inquiry to resolve equilibrium misconceptions. Use appropriate technology for data collection/analysis.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn to use Inquiry to overcome student misconceptions about chemical equilibrium.

SPEAKERS:
Gregory Dodd (George Washington High School: Pennsboro, WV)

Wanna go fast? Really fast? Maglev trains have superior acceleration, lower maintenance, and provide a smooth ride but there are also some challenges. Designing a model allows students to learn about magnetic fields, superconductors which provides a means to connect to the exciting world of quantum.

TAKEAWAYS:
Real world applications for quantum information science and engineering STEM project appropriate for the classroom Content on maglev, magnetic fields, superconductors, levitation

SPEAKERS:
Karen Matsler (University of Texas Arlington: Arlington, TX)

Experience the free Verizon Innovative Learning Lab VR app - Visceral Science - along with hands-on supportive learning activities about space science. Discover strategies to incorporate VR as a teaching tool in limited-resource classroom settings with students of diverse backgrounds.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn to use the Visceral Science app as an opportunity for novel learning of space science. Discover how to effectively use limited virtual reality resources in a large classroom setting.

SPEAKERS:
Andrew Bundas (Senior Planetarium Educator: TOLEDO, OH), Mariam Khella (STEM Educator: Jersey City, NJ), Brandon Daniels (Liberty Science Center: Jersey City, NJ)

BYOD to explore CODAP, a free web-based data exploration tool designed for engaging students in inquiry with data. Import data from anywhere, create multiple linked visualizations through an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, and move your students beyond spreadsheets into the realm of data inquiry.

TAKEAWAYS:
CODAP moves data exploration from cumbersome graph wizards to inquiry-based discovery. As students make data moves—using an intuitive drag-and-drop interface to create graphs, maps, and more—they are able to find patterns and make sense of data in unique ways not possible with other tools.

SPEAKERS:
Jacob Sagrans (Senior Research Associate: Weston, MA), Zac Opps (Data Science Education Project Manager: Concord, MA), Daniel Damelin (The Concord Consortium: Bolton, MA)

Video shorts (Reels, TikTok, etc.) are one of the best ways to reach today's youth. In this workshop we will share how we have used this technology to create mini-lessons and how your students can use it as a UDL multiple measures assessment. These methods can be used for middle school and up.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with the knowledge and confidence to create video shorts for use in instruction and assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Julia Lewis (STEM Communications Specialist: Sylva, NC), Matthew Cass (Physics and Astronomy Instructor: Sylva, NC)