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)

Science education has a key role to play in supporting a just transition to the climate crisis. Participants will learn about 20 priority areas associated with climate and environmental justice—and explore educational approaches, resources, and groups related to these areas.

TAKEAWAYS:
Working towards climate justice involves a multifaceted set of issues and priorities. Teachers will identify which priority areas relate to their goals and context and learn about related resources. A climate justice framework will help teachers learn about different dimensions of climate justice.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC), Nancy Price (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Teachers spend about 7-12 hours per week searching for & creating instructional materials. In this session we’ll hear from teachers about how using vetted, high quality materials as a starting point opened up new possibilities and helped them to be the teacher they always wanted to be.

TAKEAWAYS:
Using high-quality instructional materials in your classroom can shift your role as teacher from "creator" to "innovator" and allow more time for supporting students and improving outcomes.

SPEAKERS:
Erika Palys (OpenSciEd: Palatine, IL), Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: Derwood, MD)

This workshop addresses the NGSS by showcasing how designated ELD standards are embedded in an 8th grade integrated course and a 9th grade Physics in the Universe course. Both NGSS and ELD standards are in the model provided to the participants.

TAKEAWAYS:
Long term English Language Learners are marginalized as they are denied elective courses by being placed in an ELD class. Research also shows that language is better acquired through experience, of which an NGSS class is the perfect setting for both science and language.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Long Beach, CA), Shay Fairchild (Norwalk La Mirada Unified School District: Norwalk, CA)

Claims regarding NGSS alignment are prevalent in science materials. This session will focus on how to identify phenomena, problems, and sensemaking in K-12 lessons and materials, to support participants to make informed decisions on using and adapting materials to best meet students' needs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain an understanding of the characteristics of phenomena/problems and sensemaking opportunities and how to identify them in materials. With example lessons, they will use tools to evaluate materials for NGSS-aligned instruction in order to effectively identify aspects of quality.

SPEAKERS:
Shannon Wachowski (EdReports.org: Lander, WY)

Student discourse needs to be carefully orchestrated to provide teachers with meaningful information about all students. We will share a discourse routine as a powerful formative assessment tool that simultaneously supports students’ science sensemaking and expansion of their linguistic toolkit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience a Collect and Display discourse routine as learners and acquire strategies for integrating it into any instructional sequence to elicit and support 3D sensemaking and expand students’ linguistic repertoires.

SPEAKERS:
Jill Wertheim (WestEd: Takoma Park, MD), Lauren Stoll (Director of Professional Learning: Santa Barbara, CA)

Experience the impact of science instruction that directly engages and affirms the student scientists in your classroom. Learn how to ground daily lessons in meaningful community issues without overhauling your curriculum. Enable all students to advocate and create changes in their community.

TAKEAWAYS:
We'll share two strategies for grounding lessons in relevant contexts: (1) Anchor the lesson in a question and (2) Connect daily lessons to meaningful community issues using a three-step process. Participants practice both strategies and leave with an adapted meaningful lesson.

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

An NGSS classroom promises Science for All, but sometimes students have different needs. See how classroom teachers build a culture of choice, create differentiated literacy and assessment products, and help students meet differentiated goals for 3D learning within an inclusive classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with ideas and routines for fostering a differentiated classroom culture, samples of high-quality, scaffolded guides for scientific readings and assessments, and strategies to allow students to set their own goals for meeting or exceeding standards.

SPEAKERS:
Barbara McIntyre (Michigan Technological University: Midland, MI), Chris Geerer (Mi-STAR: Rochester, MI)

Use A-I to create a fictional planet in order for students to make connections between settling on a foreign planet and early American civilization of Jamestown. How will you choose where to settle? How will your colony be sustainable? How do you ethically interact with native species?

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees are going to learn how to utilize A-I by exploring settlement on a fictional planet mirroring Jamestown addressing sustainability, ethical interaction with natives, citizen science, robotics, and lessons for Earth's care.

SPEAKERS:
Jesse Wren (Riverfield Country Day School: Tulsa, OK), Lisa Robinson (4/5 Grade Educator: Bixby, OK)

In this interactive workshop, participants will learn about creating a culture and instructional strategies to support all students and the assets they bring into the classroom through science sensemaking discourse and notebooking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will first experience an anchor from OpenSciEd 6.4 unit to create their model to describe their thinking in a notebook and then use the discussion diamond to come to a consensus and revise. Educators will review different student samples and discuss how these support all students' ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Christy Krenek (Santa Fe Public Schools: Santa Fe, NM)

In this interactive lesson, participants become health advocates, analyzing and interpreting scientific research to propose effective solutions for barriers to prenatal care access.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this interactive session, participants will use scientific research to uncover how socioeconomic factors and policies impact healthcare while developing a deeper appreciation for the intersection of science and society and the role of scientific knowledge in addressing societal needs.

SPEAKERS:
Ashley Burkart (Estrella Mountain Community College: Avondale, AZ)

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

Energize your science classroom and foster deep scientific thinking! Through exemplar activities and teacher moves, discover actionable strategies for fostering a classroom culture that celebrates student thinking, promotes risk taking, and cultivates student growth.

SPEAKERS:
Eric Cross (Albert Einstein Academy Middle School: SPRING VALLEY, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

Classroom communities make sense of what’s being investigated through discussions; it’s key to ensuring all students’ ideas are shared and valued. This session focuses on discussion types used to help draw out student ideas, negotiate and refine them, and support communicating in scientific ways.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Klaft (Granger Middle School: Aurora, IL), Tracy Marmolejo (Activate Learning: Richardson, TX)

Wondering how to customize your curriculum to help more students share and build on others’ ideas? Using examples from OpenSciEd as a context, we’ll share tools & strategies for customizing curriculum to elevate student voice and perspective. Come ready to work! 90 minute session

TAKEAWAYS:
If curriculum enactment pairs great materials with support for teachers to make those materials even better, amazing things can happen. Customizing curriculum to encourage student voice repositions students as knowledge makers and support their science identity and motivation and values.

SPEAKERS:
Austin Moore (Boston College: Watertown, MA), Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: Derwood, MD), Erika Palys (OpenSciEd: Palatine, IL), Renee Affolter (OpenSciEd: Montpelier, VT)

Far too often, equity efforts are relegated to the sidelines instead of being embedded in core curriculum leadership tasks. Join us to consider how anchoring science leadership in equity principles can remove barriers to science teaching and learning through curriculum implementation efforts.

TAKEAWAYS:
The implementation of HQIM can lead to more equitable systems when barriers to equity are confronted and removed. The process of confronting barriers includes collaborating for justice, taking small actions to learn, and continual reflection and revision of implementation plans based on data.

SPEAKERS:
Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Long Beach, CA), Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Waldorf, MD), Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Laveen, AZ)

Racism is prevalent in our society. Participants will examine resources for engaging students in respectful and productive activity that contrast the social construct of race with scientific understandings of genetics. Examples of how science education can be a form of social justice will be shared.

TAKEAWAYS:
Anti-racism work in science education is difficult. Resources to support teachers in engaging in controversial topics will be examined and used by participants to rehearse effective pedagogical moves in engaging in classroom discussions of racism and science. Curricular resources will be shared.

SPEAKERS:
Jeanne Chowning (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center: Seattle, WA), Michal Robinson (Alabama State Department of Education: Hoover, AL), Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

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)

Trauma affects a significant portion of the student population and can manifest in various ways. This session focuses on the application of trauma-informed practices within the science classroom and its potential to enhance student engagement, facilitate learning, and promote emotional resilience.

TAKEAWAYS:
Drawing upon research and practical strategies, this session aims to equip educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to create safe, supportive, and inclusive learning environments that empower students to thrive academically and emotionally.

SPEAKERS:
Cheryl Robertson (University of Tennessee, Knoxvile: Knoxville, TN)

Creating Regionally Relevant Lessons engage students on a personal level allowing for greater insight into where they fit and their role in their community as well as how they can impact the world around them.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with plenty of ideas of how to connect what they're teaching in the classroom to their own local resources and, how bundling performance expectations can be a great way to start!

SPEAKERS:
Teresa Rockwood (Kendall Hunt Publishing Co.: Austin, TX)

Discover innovative strategies for creating inclusive, problem-driven learning environments in science education, leveraging antibias principles for student empowerment that integrates students' life experiences into the curriculum, fostering representation and ensuring all voices are valued.

TAKEAWAYS:
Effectively incorporate antibias education strategies into STEM curricula to create more inclusive, engaging, and representative learning environments that empower all students.

SPEAKERS:
Neotha Williams (STEM4Real: Addis, LA), Jennifer Munoz (STEM4Real: Carlsbad, CA)

Educating students in science and engineering requires awareness of our practices and beliefs. What tools exist to keep these reflections in mind throughout the year? Learn about protocols that focus on classroom conditions for student belonging, identity development, and scientific sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will deepen their understanding of learning conditions necessary for student identity development, safety, engagement, and scientific sense-making. Participants will experience a ready-to-use reflective protocol to guide strategic planning for cultivating these learning conditions.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Stults (Loyola University Chicago: Chicago, IL), Kayla Cherry (Loyola University Chicago: Chicago, IL)

Climate literacy and data literacy go hand-in-hand. Variability in data often throws our students off. To truly understand the causes and effects of climate change, students must be adept at cutting across the noise in complex data to look for climate signals.

TAKEAWAYS:
Enhance your students' ability to analyze and interpret variable climate data effectively by implementing strategies to get students to focus on trends instead of individual data points.

SPEAKERS:
Jocelyn Foran (Tuva)

Restorative circles as a cornerstone of classroom culture builds safe, equitable spaces for students to thrive. After a short introduction we will participate in several circles and see how easy it can be to make this a part of your pedagogy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Restorative circles as a cornerstone of classroom culture builds safe, equitable spaces for students to thrive. Atendees will particpate in circles and leave with a list of prompts to use in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Heather Mallory (Instructor of Biology: Durham, NC)

Learn how to engage your students with the rich phenomena of a runner that fails to maintain homeostasis, using an open-source NGSS-driven unit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will deepen their understanding of how to use phenomena-driven three-dimensional instruction to attend to student interest and relevance, develop a clear vision for how to use modeling to teach homeostasis, and will learn how to access, use, and a use, and adapt a free EQuIP-reviewed unit.

SPEAKERS:
Devin Foschi (New Visions for Public Schools: New York, NY), Joy Otibu (Mott Hall Bronx High School: Bronx, NY)

Educators of all levels will learn how to create equitable STEM opportunities for girls of urban backgrounds. In addition, suggestions will be given on how ensure that urban girls sustain an interest in STEM which will results in them choosing STEM related college/university majors and careers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn the importance of representation and how to reverse the narrative when it comes to teaching STEM to African American girls.

SPEAKERS:
Carla Neely (Warrensville Heights Middle School: Lyndhurst, OH)

Elementary teaching can be very busy. This session will have engaging activities and practical strategies for making time for elementary. We will provide examples of long-term investigations, how science can be a foundation for math/literacy, how teachers can utilize science station work, and more!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn practical strategies and see examples of making time for science in elementary.

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)

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)

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

Learn how to enhance students’ overall communication in and out of the science classroom throughout their learning. Delve deeper into topics that include listening using classroom norms, strategies that help students with short response, and how to enhance students’ use of CER.

SPEAKERS:
Ellen Mintz (Activate Learning: Charleston, SC)

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

Come along as we undergo a rigorous student experience to work through a complex investigation. Throughout the course of the session, participants will discover the importance of fostering an environment that encourages challenge where students can struggle in a safe space.

SPEAKERS:
Koi Beard (Great Minds: Washington, DC), Nicole Harvey (Zachary High School: Zachary, LA)

Talk is fundamental to learning. This workshop engages participants in a variety of talk strategies specifically designed for improving classroom equity while engaging in STEM learning experiences. Many supporting resources are shared that teachers can learn from and directly use with students.

TAKEAWAYS:
The goal of this session is to support teachers in understanding how best to meet the needs of all learners by starting from where students are at and drawing on their intuitive ideas and real world experiences to inform instruction. All strategies are framed as equitable 3D formative assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Explore how leaders can use the new BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model to support teachers in creating learning experiences that motivate students with significant, real world phenomena and problems! Learn how AIL cycles of inquiry and sensemaking culminate in student agency!

TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model succeeds the 5Es and forms the basis for high-quality instructional materials. Leaders can leverage this model to support teachers in creating a student centered classroom that provides effective teaching and learning for all.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Steamboat Springs, CO)

What is the connection between coherent instructional sequences from the students’ perspective and equitable access to science learning? Learn how coherent storyline units support students’ genuine engagement and perseverance as they work to explain a complex phenomenon over the course of a unit.

TAKEAWAYS:
Storyline unit Instructional routines provide a coherent path from students’ questions about a phenomenon to the explanation or model of that phenomenon.

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

You have a coherent phenomenon-based learning plan for your students, and midway through, you get sick or jury duty - now what?!? This session will highlight approaches to substitute plans that are flexible, easy to implement, and support student learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
When students are tasked with sensemaking and figuring out day in and day out, it is easier to have that happen without the teacher present. Utilizing a quality curriculum that supports student coherence and phenomenon-based learning is the best tool to make that a reality.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Delaney (OpenSciEd: San Carlos, CA), Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: Derwood, MD)

The Learning Progression Model is a flexible, equitable assessment strategy to provide descriptive feedback, set goals, evaluate teaching, and report achievement. Attendees leave knowing how they can implement this in their classrooms even in a traditional grades school.

TAKEAWAYS:
Understand how the Learning Progression Model keeps students engaged and accountable, how learning progressions are used to develop/assess skills and knowledge aligned with NGSS, and how to integrate this approach into the traditional grading system.

SPEAKERS:
Elise Naramore (Pascack Hills High School: Saddle River, NJ)

Explore STEM enrichment through a STEM Innovation Fair, delving into its goals, structure, and impact on fostering creativity and scientific inquiry among K-12 students. Participants discover how the Fair empowers students to be change-makers and ignites a passion for STEM education and careers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave equipped with the knowledge and tools to spearhead their own innovation fairs within their school districts, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and community engagement among students while cultivating a culture of innovation for future generations.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Dillon (Indianapolis Public Schools: Cicero, IN)

During this interactive hour long hybrid between a professional development and research presentation participants will learn about and ideate on how to make STEM learning spaces more equitable through simple changes to classroom organization.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with strategies and resources on how to organize and decorate their classrooms to promote equity and belonging in STEM.

SPEAKERS:
Molly Novelli (PhD student: Cedar Park, TX)

Explore a unit of instruction developed in partnership with researchers from UC San Diego. From experiencing and analyzing the unit, you will identify design principles that promote specific pedagogical routines for teachers. You will leave with specific strategies for collaborating with researche

TAKEAWAYS:
Experience science curriculum design principles based on equity design centered instructional frameworks. Learn and apply a protocol for partnering with researchers to generate curriculum resources that support both teacher and student learning.

SPEAKERS:
Alec Barron (UC San Diego)

In the United States, 9.34% of African Americans earn science degrees compared to other ethnicities. As a result, African Americans are not adding to scientific innovation or global competitiveness. Underrepresentation in science fields has been a challenge for African Americans.

TAKEAWAYS:
Parent knowledge about science is critical to increasing the number of African American scientists in the United States. According to the lived experiences of this study's participants, the parent component was the most influential factor in African Americans becoming scientists.

SPEAKERS:
Charlese Brown, Ed.D. (Teacher/Author: New Orleans, LA)

Foster inclusive STEM environments valuing students' culture, language & experiences. Learn to infuse culturally responsive learning into STEM through problem-based units that bolster identity & enhance STEM culture. Create a sense of belonging by integrating STEM into diverse learning experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn practical strategies to design problem-based STEM learning experiences that celebrate student diversity, affirm cultural identities, and create an inclusive classroom environment where all students feel valued and empowered to engage with STEM content and develop a positive STEM identity.

SPEAKERS:
Latasha Turner (Reynoldsburg City Schools: Reynoldsburg, OH), Sarah Redick (Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: Powell, OH)

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)

Sponsoring Company: Great Minds

Join us as we discover ways to prepare for collaborative conversations with strategies like targeted questioning, talk moves, and instructional routines. In this session, we will also practice applying these strategies to promote effective science discourse in a three-dimensional classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kristi Madden (Success Lead: Iowa, LA), Nicole Harvey (Zachary High School: Zachary, LA)

We show how instructional materials can be adapted for local contexts—and how to elevate issues of climate justice and ethical responses to the climate crisis. Participants will learn about how a high school physics unit from OpenSciEd was adapted to attend to Indigenous land rights and sovereignty.

TAKEAWAYS:
In relation to science and engineering projects in society (e.g., associated with the energy transition, ecological restoration, urban development), teachers will learn how to engage students in exploring moral and ethical dimensions of trade-offs in project approaches.

SPEAKERS:
Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Discover how VR can transform the way you teach & your students learn. In this session, you'll explore the benefits of incorporating VR into your classroom, including: increased student engagement, improved retention of complex concepts, and opportunities for immersive experiential learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Integrating VR into the science classroom can create immersive and engaging learning experiences that deepen students' understanding of scientific concepts and foster their creativity and curiosity. This leads to better engagement and improved performances on formal and informal assessments.

SPEAKERS:
Lakiesha Domingue (Elementary Science Teacher/ Facilitator: Addis, LA)

After a year of diving into the implementation of the OpenSciEd curriculum, learn about our experience. We will share reflections on the experience in implementing OpenSciEd through a curriculum-based professional learning model to foster collective efficacy and curriculum implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn pros and cons, and strategies for a “ripping off the Band-Aid” approach to curriculum implementation, including analysis of curriculum-based professional learning for student and teacher growth; partnership and coaching for ongoing implementation support.

SPEAKERS:
Matthew Wlodarczyk (Capitol Region Education Council: Wethersfield, CT), Julie Christianson (CREC Magnet Schools: Hartford, CT)

3-dimensional transfer task assessments require students to apply learning to related phenomena, demonstrate deep levels of understanding, and engage in new learning. Learn how to tailor existing transfer tasks and support students in completing them from 2 teachers who do this in their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will examine revised and customized transfer task assessments, effective strategies and supports, and hear student testimonials to help guide and assist their students through the often challenging transfer task assessment process.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Bolduc (Ellington Middle School: South Windsor, CT)

This session will center on cohorts of educators who participated in a series of learning cycles. It will showcase the purpose and outcomes of the learning cycles, which empower teachers to refine their pedagogical approaches to directly address the diverse needs of their students.

TAKEAWAYS:
By implementing learning cycle protocols, teachers refine their pedagogical approaches to better meet the diverse needs of their students. Data collection and reflection processes further enhance instructional strategies, leading to continuous improvement and informed decision-making.

SPEAKERS:
Taissa Lau (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL)

Through discussions and workshopping, participants consider ways to leverage the curriculum adoption process, including setting an instructional vision, developing criteria, and evaluating materials, to develop teacher understanding of rigorous science instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn strategies for using K-12 curriculum adoptions to support deep professional learning around the NGSS/Framework, particularly sensemaking with the three-dimensions and phenomenon and problem based instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Shannon Wachowski (EdReports.org: Lander, WY)

Culturally responsive teaching practices are essential in science. You will leave this workshop with NGSS based lessons to help students make sense of identity mapping and positionality in the classroom. Come and design models where identities are atoms and collective identities are molecules.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will experience a set of identity based and NGSS aligned lessons that can be implemented upon return home.

SPEAKERS:
Autumn Burton (The Pike School: Portland, ME), Kathleen Boucher-Lavigne (Pike School: Andover, MA)

Explore strategies for providing equitable STEM education for students with disabilities. Understand how to create physically safe and accessible classrooms. Learn practical tips for multi-modal instruction, hands-on learning, and project-based learning connected to student interests/experiences.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will take away practical strategies for designing inclusive, equitable STEM learning experiences that leverage Universal Design principles and students' diverse strengths to make STEM accessible for all learners.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Redick (Ohio Department of Education and Workforce: Powell, OH)

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)

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

Learn how Scientists Circles support equitable and meaningful classroom discussions. Create opportunities in your lessons in which all students’ thinking, experiences, and ideas for further exploration can be leveraged for building a culture where students are positioned as knowers and thinkers.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Klaft (Granger Middle School: Aurora, IL), Tracy Marmolejo (Activate Learning: Richardson, TX)

Sponsoring Company: 3D Molecular Designs

Empower your high school students to unlock the secrets of enzyme specificity through hands-on biotech design challenges

SPEAKERS:
Mark Arnholt (3D Molecular Designs: Milwaukee, WI)

Sponsoring Company: LEGO Education

LEGO® Education offers hands-on learning for all abilities and language backgrounds, promoting collaboration, communication, and STEM skills through play. Discover how our solutions empower every K-8 learner to succeed in science and engineering, regardless of language differences.

Climate change is here. Come explore ways to teach about this that intersect with issues of justice and provide action for the future. This workshop will support educators in all grades and contexts, including those who can’t even say “climate change”!

TAKEAWAYS:
Strategies for engaging in climate change and climate justice learning appropriate to grade band NGSS standards, climate and energy literacy standards, and for both school and community based learning contexts.

SPEAKERS:
Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC), Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

The Framework and NGSS called for phenomena-based 3D learning experiences for all students. Unpack WHY this is so important and HOW to make it a reality in your classroom. Take away phenomena and storylines to try in your classroom and strategies for making every student look forward to your class.

TAKEAWAYS:
The shift to phenomena-based 3D learning brings the student to the center of the learning and uses their life experiences and approaches to sensemaking to drive the learning.

SPEAKERS:
Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: Derwood, MD)

Looking for ways to enhance a high-quality curriculum? This session provides teacher-tested strategies that can be used to augment a curriculum without adding more to a teacher’s plate. Come experience these practical, engaging strategies that help bring a curriculum to life!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will engage in a variety of classroom-tested strategies that can expand the menu of options for student-centered learning while covering the same material required within the curriculum used to teach standards.

SPEAKERS:
Missy Wooley (Louisiana Tech University: Ruston, LA), Cathi Cox-Boniol (Louisiana Tech University: Ruston, LA)

This session will introduce teachers to a variety of note-booking techniques that will increase student engagement and excitement for learning. Students will take pride in their notebooks and therefore increase the level of effort they put into their work.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will provide teachers and administrators with various strategies to differentiate learning for English Language Learners, Special Education Students, and General Education Students, and accurately assess student learning through note-booking by tracking student thinking/understanding.

SPEAKERS:
Darren Wells (Mather Elementary School: Dorchester, MA), Karen Ziminski (EMK Academy for Health Careers: Boston, MA)

The session will cover culturally sustaining pedagogy and how to implement relevant teaching strategies within the science classroom to increase science identity in the urban classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to leverage pedagogy to help your students actualize themselves as scientists in the urban science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Tasha Jordan (Riverview Gardens School District: Saint Louis, MO)

Looking to spice up your STEM classes and help the material come alive? Check out the contributions of historical and current rebel women of STEM to infuse new connections into your units. Align their ideas to your content standards and elevate the ways women shape the world of STEM.

TAKEAWAYS:
From this session participants will learn about important historical and current women of STEM and the impact of their contributions along with engaging ways to infuse this information alongside their content standards.

SPEAKERS:
Rachelle Haroldson (University of Wisconsin-River Falls: Edina, MN)

Want to better understand your standards? In this session, we walk through the process of breaking down a standard using a learning progression protocol. This will result in teachers involved having an intensive understanding of their standards and a list of scaffolded student "skill" statements.

TAKEAWAYS:
A process and resources for walking through the process from standards/big ideas through scaffolded student skill statements.

SPEAKERS:
Delsey Olds (Tolleson Union High School District: Phoenix, AZ)

This session will provide a conceptual framework for transdisciplinary learning and share a template for designing project-based learning tasks, in which students assume a role to create a product for an authentic audience and in response to a real-life question or problem.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn how to create a transdisciplinary task that can be tailored to meet diverse students' interests and needs, utilized in practice with students, and shared with colleagues in their school building.

SPEAKERS:
Stefanie Holloway (Greater Oregon STEM Hub: La Grande, OR)

All students have the right to develop a deep understanding of how the world works in ways that support their personal goals and the interests of their community. Come explore how instruction can more equitably support science learning that is consequential to your students and their communities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will develop an understanding of an equity project framework for science education for supporting professional learning and implementation projects. They will learn how open education resources (http://stemteachingtools.org/) can help them develop equitable approaches to science teaching.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Michal Robinson (Alabama State Department of Education: Hoover, AL)

This immersive and engaging workshop is designed to empower and cultivate teacher leaders in science education. It will provide participants with the knowledge and skills necessary to become effective leaders in their schools and communities, driving positive change in science education.

TAKEAWAYS:
One key takeaway related to leadership in science is the importance of raising awareness of implicit bias in science education. Implicit bias refers to the unconscious attitudes and stereotypes that influence our perceptions and actions, often leading to inequities in educational settings.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Kay Williams (KEDE Educational Business, LLC: Woodstock, GA)

Grading that supports student sensemaking doesn't have to keep you at school all night. Learn approaches to grading that prioritize 3D sensemaking and utilize technology, collaboration, and existing resources so you have can your evenings back.

TAKEAWAYS:
The process of giving feedback and assigning grades is easier when there are strong materials and assessments to build from and technology can help make it faster without decreasing effectiveness for students.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Delaney (OpenSciEd: San Carlos, CA), Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: Derwood, MD)

Invention Education supercharges STEM for all K-12 students! Learn how the invention meets the needs of all learners and allows students to take control of their learning. Invention begins with students identifying problems in their own lives/community and solving these problems through STEAM.

TAKEAWAYS:
Experience the power of creative problem solving through hands-on activities to help educators prepare students to become inventors. Learn how invention becomes a vehicle for connecting your students with their community. The session will connect educators with a community of support and resources.

SPEAKERS:
Christine Lawlor-King (MIT, InventEd, Invention Convention, STEMisED: Manchester, CT)

Practice three structured talk routines while engaging in collaborative sensemaking around research that centers how students acquire the language of science and develop their science identity. (K-12th Grades)

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will walk away with insight into educational research and resources for planning and implementing well structured student talk as a tool to support science language acquisition and foster the development of students' science identity.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Johnston (Denver Public Schools: Denver, CO)

Do you struggle to help your English Language Learners (ELL) engage with and understand your science lessons? If so, please join us to explore specific, practical strategies that you can use immediately to assist your ELL students.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to apply various strategies for Scientific Literacy, such as using, Language Objectives, graphic organizers, and color-coding key vocabulary to any science unit.

SPEAKERS:
Sydnie Chouery (Science Teacher: Silverdale, WA), Mikayla Kagey (Central Kitsap Middle School: Silverdale, WA)

Engage with resources that cultivate nine Learning Conditions which support students’ identity development, engagement, and academic growth. Produced by the Chicago Public Schools Office of Student Voice and Engagement and informed by the University of Chicago’s Cultivate Survey and Framework.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will receive a resource guide for each Learning Condition, which provides the definition and rationale, along with specific teacher-ready, student-friendly resources that foster enhanced student sensemaking in the science classroom.

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

Learn how you can build a STEM academy in your school through targeted and authentic learning. You will learn how to embed research based international competitions WITHIN the school day, how to find STEM guest speakers, and the importance of digital student portfolios.

TAKEAWAYS:
Our low-income STEM academy has won two international NASA competitions, has multiple state and national award winners in STEM fields, and immediate undergraduate success in college. You CAN provide authentic STEM education that prepares students while working in your current school structure.

SPEAKERS:
Hannah Oldham (Sprayberry High School: Marietta, GA)

Science Club is an equity-based innovative approach to science professional learning that fosters hands-on, minds-on science engagement in preschool classrooms. Our approach embraces young children’s natural curiosity to engage in science as well as integrates children’s local context and culture.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn from project staff and teachers how to leverage young children’s interests, local context, and local culture to support engagement through intentional, flexible science experiences using our equity-based early childhood adaptation of the 3-D Framework for K-12 Science Education.

SPEAKERS:
Daryl Greenfield (University of Miami: Miami, FL), Cynthia Parker (consultant - coach: Woburn, MA)

Come learn about a research project you can implement with your middle school students. This is a way to highlight marginalized groups in STEM while teaching students about research & communication. I will provide the framework & some amazing resources, including ways to reach out to scientists.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will learn the ways to start a project like this in your classroom. You will leave with a pile of resources & ideas to help you kick off a project researching women in STEM with your students.

SPEAKERS:
Marjorie Vereen (The Town School: New York, NY)

Join us for a hands-on workshop to learn how Clean Classrooms for Carolina Kids free, standards-aligned curriculum materials support upper elementary, middle, and high school students learn about mitigating lead in water.

TAKEAWAYS:
Lead in water is a problem that disproportionally affects children and low-income communities of color. Come away with free standards-aligned, transdisciplinary curriculum materials that s help students in upper elementary, middle, and high school understand the problem and potential solutions.

SPEAKERS:
Ashley Allen (Instructional Specialist: Research Triangle Park, NC), Dr. Whitney White (RTI International: Research Triangle Park, NC)

Learn how to craft content language objectives (CLOs) that seamlessly blend the 3D of NGSS with the four elements of a language objective, providing insight into structuring targeted support.

TAKEAWAYS:
CLOs are a practical solution to the pressing challenge of addressing language proficiency as students access and engage with complex scientific concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Jean Rowe (DSST Public Schools: Denver, CO)

Immersing educators in a locally relevant context is a powerful way to foster professional learning, enhance curriculum, and boost student engagement. This session will present successful examples of immersive professional learning that have impacted hundreds of educators across the country.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the benefits of immersive and place-based learning and how it can bring the sensemaking process to life. We will explore how immersive professional learning can surface local phenomena that can be leveraged to support curricular modifications and enhance relevance.

SPEAKERS:
Rick Henningfeld (Vivayic, Inc.), Craig Rebich (Relevant Classroom: Lawrenceburg, IN), Brian Beierle (Relevant Classroom, a Division of Vivayic, Inc.: Wauwatosa, WI)

Presenters will share the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office EquiP HQ free K-12 resource, science of innovation video lessons, trading card lessons, journeys of innovation stories, and professional development opportunities. Resources are available for K-12 classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be provided with resources that can be implemented in K-12 classrooms and opportunities for professional development. Invention education integrates into the STEM curriculum seamlessly and can catalyze student engagement and creative thinking.

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

Learn about the Justice-Centered Ambitious Science Teaching framework and practices teachers have developed to be responsive to students' cultures and communities, recognize and build upon expansive forms of student meaning-making, and committed to naming and disrupting injustice in society.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about teaching practices aimed at building a welcoming, joyful, and critical community, planning that is meaningful for youth and advocates for justice, elicits local stories and uses interpretive power, and nurtures revisions of scientific thinking with diverse and local expertise.

SPEAKERS:
April Luehmann (University of Rochester: Rochester, NY), Molly Wilson (Warner School of Education and Human Development), Priya Pugh , Todd Campbell (University of Connecticut: N. Franklin, CT), James Kostka (Warner School: New York, NY), Katrina Robinson (Penfield High School: Rochester, NY), Christina Riccardo (IslandWood: SEATTLE, WA)

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)

Wondering how to customize your curriculum to be more relevant for your students? Using examples from OpenSciEd as a context, we’ll share tools and strategies for customizing curriculum to increase relevance. Come ready to work! 90 minute session

TAKEAWAYS:
If curriculum enactment pairs great materials with support for teachers to make those materials even better, amazing things can happen. Customizing the use of phenomena in quality materials to support relevance for students is a great way to increase engagement.

SPEAKERS:
Erika Palys (OpenSciEd: Palatine, IL), Austin Moore (Boston College: Watertown, MA), Renee Affolter (OpenSciEd: Montpelier, VT), Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: Derwood, MD)

The NSTA Sensemaking Tool can support teachers shifting their instruction to create opportunities for student sensemaking. Gain experience using the tool to identify “look and listen fors” in classroom observations and to facilitate productive discussions about successes and overcoming challenges.

TAKEAWAYS:
Use the NSTA Sensemaking Tool for classroom observations and providing feedback.

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

This session will explore a process for creating NGSS aligned IEP science goals using the Science & Engineering Practices. Attendees will be presented with a prototype tool for collecting data, writing goals, and monitoring progress that has been created for use across Chicago Public Schools.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will explore a process for writing science IEP goals that goes beyond simply recreating math and literacy based goals.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Brady (Dept. of STEM, CPS Bridgeport: Chicago, IL), Joseph Seabloom (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL)

Are you curious and ready to discover practical strategies that promote inclusivity and equity in your classroom? This is a session to help educators recognise their implicit biases and work towards solutions to provide equitable classroom science experiences to all.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will; understand and identify biases and stereotypes in science education; leave with a list of applicable easy to implement sharable strategies; feel confident implementing equitable teaching practices; and identify areas in curriculum where they adapt gendered language.

SPEAKERS:
Sarah Dowd (United Nations International School: New York, NY)

Grading for Understanding is a standards-aligned assessment practice that provides greater clarity to teachers, students, and parents. Using the Grading for Understanding, teachers can provide more valuable feedback to students and focus on assessing current understanding of science standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how Grading for Understanding reduces biases in grading and supports growth mindsets and hope for students to succeed in science.

SPEAKERS:
Tyler Miller (Teacher: Tulsa, OK), Jennifer Miller (Tulsa Public Schools: Tulsa, OK)

STEM4Real aims to reduce absenteeism by involving students in solving real-world environmental issues through multidisciplinary projects that elevate high school senior's passion projects with the community and align their vision to service learning and environmental issues that drive the learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Understanding that integrating service learning with environmental issues can significantly enhance student engagement and reduce absenteeism. By involving high school seniors in real-world projects that require civic engagement, educators can make learning more relevant and impactful.

SPEAKERS:
Neotha Williams (STEM4Real: Addis, LA), Jennifer Munoz (STEM4Real: Carlsbad, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Kognity

Join Kognity for an impactful session dedicated to empowering historically underserved populations in the field of science. We will explore strategies and initiatives aimed at promoting inclusivity and equity in science education.

SPEAKERS:
Grace Boersma (Kognity: Stockholm, Sweden)

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

Discover research-based strategies to effectively differentiate STEM instruction for diverse learners, and foster a positive classroom culture that celebrates neurodiversity as an asset. Engage in interactive activities and leave with tools to create inclusive learning environments for all.

SPEAKERS:
Gregory Trieste (STEM Program Specialist: Irving, TX)

By intertwining the principles of inquiry with the interdisciplinary nature of science and social studies, students will develop a holistic understanding of the world around them, its scientific underpinnings, and its societal implications.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will have the opportunity to start creating inquiry based interdisciplinary units in STE and H/SS, to maximize their time on learning in a culturally aware, critical thinking and sensemaking lens.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Orlinski (H-SS Dept Chair 6-12: Norwood, MA), Elizabeth Warren (Framingham Public Schools: Milford, MA)

Sponsoring Company: LEGO Education

LEGO® Education offers hands-on learning for all abilities and language backgrounds, promoting collaboration, communication, and STEM skills through play. Discover how our solutions empower every K-8 learner to succeed in science and engineering, regardless of language differences.

Empower your teaching with Scientist Circles! Discover research-backed strategies to foster collaborative learning, critical thinking skills and ignite curiosity in the classroom. Engage in hands-on-activities, share best practices and leave empowered to implement Scientist Circles effectively.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave equipped with proven methods and practical implementation tips to enhance student engagement and communication skills in the middle school classroom. Elevate your classroom experience and inspire lifelong learners.

SPEAKERS:
Ann Guglielmo (Taunton Public Schools: Taunton, MA), Tonya Brainsky (OSE Massachusetts Community: Rehoboth, MA)

This poster explores strategies for teachers to ensure ALL students – including SWD, ASD and other II -can actively share their science knowledge. Learn how to leverage students' unique experiences and differentiate instruction to meet their needs and support students to share their learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will take away strategies and resources that can be utilized by teachers to support students to share their background knowledge about science and communicate their learning. Student work samples, videos and QR codes will be incorporated to create an interactive experience for visitors.

SPEAKERS:
Theresa Lee (Boston Public Schools: Boston, MA)

Explore how our instructional modules address the Plant Awareness Disparity by empowering high school students to connect with their botanical heritage. Our hands-on approach fosters equitable access to STEM learning through place-based exploration of personal, cultural, and community assets.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will discover how our modules promote equity in science education by engaging students in hands-on botanical exploration, fostering deep connections with nature, and aligning with contemporary research and educational standards.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)

Students will be presented with the question if racism is a disease. What is racism? What is a disease? What did you discover?

TAKEAWAYS:
Does racism affect the human body?

SPEAKERS:
Andrea Baxter (Stem Facilitator: Goshen, AL)

Wondering how to reach your neurodivergent students? Come listen to a teacher who is neurodivergent herself provide information on the innerworkings of the ASD and ADHD mind in relation to the classroom. Learn simple ways to create a classroom environment that is equitable for all brains!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will leave with information on the mind of students with ASD and ADHD. Teachers will acquire simple, low cost ways of making their classroom environment more accessible to neurodivergent students.

SPEAKERS:
Amanda Goodwin (Olive Branch H.S.: Southaven, MS)

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)

Advancing equity and increasing accessibility for all students in assessment is a key aspect of the vision for science education. Analyze example assessments with the newly developed culturally responsive framework for alignment to multiple equity goals.

TAKEAWAYS:
Use culturally relevant design principles to evaluate and adapt three-dimensional assessment tasks to meet the needs of the students in your classroom and support them in developing cultural competence.

SPEAKERS:
Kelley Turner (Winchester Public Schools: Winchester, VA), Dawn Novak (Northwestern University: Grayslake, IL), Sara Cooper (Contextus: Lincoln, NE)

NSTA’s suite of instructional coaching tools support teachers, coaches and leaders in making the best use of instructional coaching cycles to support students’ sensemaking in the classroom. Become familiar with all of our OER coaching tools and try a few out a few in this session!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to use NSTA’s suite of instructional coaching tools to support instructional coaching cycles in your school/district.

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

Engaging students in phenomenon-based 3D science learning is challenging; when students are absent, it can feel impossible. In this session, participants will take away strategies for supporting absent students in staying engaged in learning when they miss classroom instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will take away strategies for supporting absent students in staying engaged in learning when they miss classroom instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Matt Krehbiel (OpenSciEd: Derwood, MD), Sarah Delaney (OpenSciEd: San Carlos, CA)

Bring Science alive to ALL students by aiming to transform special education with innovative strategies that integrate UDL and STEM, fostering inclusivity and transdisciplinary problem-solving with special day classes and alternative settings that focus on inclusion and belonging.

TAKEAWAYS:
Understanding and application of innovative, evidence-based teaching strategies that facilitate sensemaking among special education students. Participants will learn how to create inclusive learning environments that leverage Universal Design for Learning in the science exploration stage.

SPEAKERS:
Neotha Williams (STEM4Real: Addis, LA), Jennifer Munoz (STEM4Real: Carlsbad, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

Dive into a nuanced integration of science, literacy, and language strategies that benefit all students, notably multilingual learners. Explore how NGSS-designed learning sequences coupled with the Science of Reading enhance learning outcomes for all.

SPEAKERS:
Alestra Menendez (Amplify: Fairfield, CA)

Dive into a science classroom's Maker Space, sparking creativity and fostering a sense of belonging. Our hands-on program encourages inquiry-based learning, collaborative projects, and inclusivity, igniting curiosity and a lifelong love for science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Experience the Maker Space firsthand in our session, engaging in interactive activities that deepen understanding and inspire collaboration. Gain practical skills to apply beyond the session, igniting creativity and empowerment in every participant.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Bruch (Primary Science Teacher: Alexandria, VA)

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)

Learn how to use the NSTA Student Work Analysis tool and protocol to evaluate students’ three-dimensional learning. We’ll focus our discussions on what counts as evidence of students’ ownership of targeted elements of the three dimensions and how to use collected student data to inform instruction.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to evaluate students’ three-dimensional learning using the NSTA Student Work Analysis tool and protocol.

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

3-dimensional transfer task assessments require students to apply learning to related phenomena, demonstrate deep levels of understanding, and engage in new learning. Learn how to tailor existing transfer tasks and support students in completing them from 2 teachers who do this in their classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will examine revised and customized transfer task assessments, effective strategies and supports, and hear student testimonials to help guide and assist their students through the often challenging transfer task assessment process.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Bolduc (Ellington Middle School: South Windsor, CT), Amy Hetherington-Coy (Teacher: Ellington, CT)

Learn how students have revolutionized cultrually and linguistically sustaining teaching and learning in Denver Public Schools. Engage with student stories, research, and district leaders to understand how one district is changing the narrative of how to select high quality instructional materials.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with knowledge and resources to determine what science instructional materials are culturally and linguistically sustaining.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Johnston (Denver Public Schools: Denver, CO), Matthew Christiansen (Oceanside High School #7: Oceanside, NY)

This session will engage attendees in developing their ability to engage in data science learning across the elementary curriculum with an eye towards culturally responsive and affirming practices. Attendees will practice integrating data science skills into one of their science lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will engage attendees in developing their ability to engage in data science learning across the elementary curriculum with an eye towards community centered and culturally responsive practices. Participants will practice integrating data science within science lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Colby Tofel-Grehl (Utah State University: Salt Lake City, UT)

This session focuses on developing and using multilingual science books.. A study to identify misconceptions was implemented with elementary students. Based on these misconceptions multilingual books were developed. Participants will be given free access to these.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn contemporary approaches to integrating science and language with multilingual learners with open resource multilingual science books.

SPEAKERS:
Candice Burkett (Assistant Professor: Indianapolis, IN), Sally Blake (NIU: Dekalb, IL)

This goal of this session is to give teachers the tools they need to adjust to the addition of Fluids to the AP Physics 1 curriculum. During this session, we will reinforce content understanding, and provide classroom-ready resources such as instructional materials, labs, and more!

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will walk away with alleviated anxiety about the addition of a new unit to AP Physics 1, and perhaps even excitement! Participants will leave with a stronger understanding of fluids concepts, labs, problems, modeling activities, as well as finding a new group of collaborative friends!

SPEAKERS:
Oather Strawderman (Lawrence Free State High School: Lawrence, KS), John Pinizzotto (Director, AP Physics: Whitman, MA)

Join our discussion on equitable science education, integrating sense-making pillars into culturally and linguistically sustaining practices. Engage with phenomena, student ideas, and disciplinary core ideas for meaningful learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
We offer a glimpse of science classrooms that are engaged in authentic, culturally sustainable experiences that foster sensemaking.

SPEAKERS:
Johanna Esparza (Assistant Professor of Practice: Brownsville, TX), Miriam Ortiz (Assistant Professor of Practice: San Benito, TX), Uma Ganesan (University of Texas Rio Grande Valley: Brownsville, TX), Zulema Williams (Assistant Professor of Practice: Brownsville, TX), Patricia Ramirez (UTRGV)

In New Brunswick, NJ, district leaders and educators engaged in collaborative spaces to design placed-based learning involving multiple disciplines. We gained a "River of Insights" while engaging in equitable, inquiry-based learning, and designing innovative solutions for climate-related problems.

TAKEAWAYS:
We will explore a placed-based instructional approach to addressing local environmental challenges, and will collaboratively reflect on how we can naturally integrate multiple disciplines to design innovative solutions and promote equitable practices for addressing Climate Change.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Nunez (New Brunswick Public Schools: Passaic, NJ)

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)

In this workshop teachers will get a hands-on experience using Harvard's Project Zero Thinking Routines, which are routines designed to guide students as they explore and organize their thoughts about a new topic. Teachers will leave with routines and activities they can start implementing ASAP!

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain familiarity with and learn how to embed Harvard's Project Zero Thinking Routines into their curriculum, which help them to successfully have all students explore and organize their thoughts around a topic while participating in academic lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Dani Maloney (Mamaroneck High School: Stamford, CT)

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)

Sponsoring Company: UnboundEd

We have future leaders in our classrooms. To cultivate their genius, we need to help them make connections between science and pressing challenges in their world. We’ll show you ways to make it happen. Take home ideas, materials, and resources to equip your students to be the change!

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

How do we teach Tier 3 science vocabulary to students with limited English (or no English) and encourage success? We will share multiple strategies for teaching Tier 3 Academic Science vocabulary, as well as modalities that incorporate visual aids, manipulatives, and kinesthetic activities to engage.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave with: Tier 3 strategies for teaching science; visual and kinesthetic activities to engage ALL students; and forms of assessment for ALL levels of English Language Learners.

SPEAKERS:
Karen Ziminski (EMK Academy for Health Careers: Boston, MA)

How can science learning experiences help students develop ecological caring approaches to the living world? Come explore educational approaches to multispecies justice with us! Expanding how students connect to and care for the living world around them is vital at this time of climate crisis.

TAKEAWAYS:
People’s relationships to nature are culturally and historically rooted and are embedded in approaches to science teaching and learning. Science can be used to guide ecological caring responses and support the thriving of species.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Nancy Price (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Lead professional learning for your colleagues, school or district using NSTA's Professional Learning Units (PLUs)! These PLUs are designed to deepen educators’ understanding of three-dimensional teaching to help boost all students’ science learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Lead your professional learning community’s learning using NSTA PLUs.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Carrollton, GA), Kristin Rademaker (NSTA: Freeport, IL)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Pulling off an awesome field trip seems like a daunting task - but what better way is there to expose students to phenomena and have them think like scientists? With a few ground rules in mind, let's go places!

TAKEAWAYS:
Ideas and strategies for putting together a meaningful and tear-free trip for your students.

SPEAKERS:
Elizabeth Swiatkowski (Alverta B. Gray Schultz Middle School: Lindenhurst, NY)

In our presentation, we'll show how a standard five-section lab report is divided into chunks with clear prompts for clarity, grading, and executive functioning support. As students improve in technical writing, scaffolding is phased out, building confidence and improving communication skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Improving science writing skills enhances clear communication, and when scaffolded effectively, fosters inclusivity, bolsters student confidence, and encourages systems thinking.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Hirsch (Upper School Science Teacher: Rye, NY), Jennifer Doran (Rye Country Day School: Rye, NY)

In anticipation of the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science results, join us to learn more about our new composite variable for measuring student socioeconomic status (SES) and how it can be used to uncover connections between SES and student achievement on NAEP.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will better understand the previous variables used to measure SES and how the recommendations provide new insights into student achievement in the upcoming 2024 NAEP Science release.

SPEAKERS:
Markus Broer (Managing Researcher: Washington, DC)

WSST serves the teachers of Wisconsin. It offers myriad resources for new leaders including operational handbooks and our annual conference. We coordinate with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) adding support to our efforts. This session will share numerous resource successes.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will offer proven ideas for supporting leaders especially new teachers in leadership positions. We will share the historical evolution of these resources as well as the current state of documentation to make leadership work both easier to and more effective.

SPEAKERS:
Sue Whitsett (NSTA: Waupaca, WI), Ray Scolavino (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee: East Troy, WI), Kevin Niemi (University of Wisconsin-Madison: Cambridge, WI)

ScienceSaves (www.sciencesaves.org) promotes the fact that science makes life healthier and easier. Our FREE lessons teach graphing, data analysis, engineering practices, etc. They include teacher notes, standards, rubrics, and lesson plans. Check out our $15,000 scholarship for high school seniors.

TAKEAWAYS:
Too often, our students view science as a cold, calculated endeavor. We have lessons that show how a diverse array of scientists have given humanity amazing innovations, like open-heart surgery, CRISPR, and seatbelts. Our goal is for students to see themselves as future scientists.

SPEAKERS:
Melanie Trecek-King (Thinking Is Power: Franklin, MA)

As our classrooms grow into beautiful, diverse places, students benefit from peer bonding experiences that build a collaborative classroom. Learn an array of ready-to-use strategies from Background Speed Dating to nominating the Phenomenal Physicist to unite your student scientists.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn an array of tools and resources to build, maintain, and reinforce their classroom science community to engage students, strengthen peer feedback, and unify the classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Hannah Alperstein (Science Teacher: Lincolnshire, IL), Laura Paynter (Stevenson High School: Chicago, IL)

Engage students, families, and the community in STEAM through Family STEAM Nights in order to equitably build understanding and interest in STEAM.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to create, recruit, and implement a Family STEAM Night to engage students, families, and the community in STEAM.

SPEAKERS:
McKenna Serowka (Lake Zurich High School: Lake Zurich, IL)

Chunking texts from various sources allows teachers to decrease the amount of teacher-centric time and increase student-centric time. Students will also measurably grow in their science literacy skills as their increase their fluency with purposeful practice.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn simple strategies to add chunking to their lesson as a substitution for lecture. In addition, they will take away some understanding the role of literacy and student success in a science classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Hamilton (Southland Center CCS: Columbus, OH)

This session connects archaeology, anthropology, and history with STEM to bring TPBL activities and culturally relevant information to the classroom. The goal of these activities is to encourage diverse students to see themselves in STEM as a way to promote positive affect and a sense of belonging.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with materials, biographies, and TPBL activities that can be utilized to boost engagement among diverse students and help them see themselves in STEM majors and careers, while complying with NGSS goals and state standards.

SPEAKERS:
Lane Fargher Navarro (The PAST Foundation: Columbus, OH)

Host a STEM Fair promoting student-centered learning with equitable access to resources and a focus on the scientific method or engineering design process. Students investigate topics that interest them as part of the curriculum, culminating in an all-school celebration of student research.

TAKEAWAYS:
A school based STEM Fair allows students to engage in a four year scaffolded series of research projects ensuring that all have the same access to resources and time to experiment at school. The culminating fair offers students authentic feedback and celebrates their research.

SPEAKERS:
Nichole Lazor (Hathaway Brown School: Shaker Heights, OH), Kelly Wilson (Hathaway Brown School: Shaker Heights, OH)

The presentation will present the latest research on how to support EMLs in science. Current practices from Montgomery County, MD Public Schools elementary science curriculum will be shown as examples of how to plan for and implement during science instruction to promote student sensemaking.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this 30-minute session, participants will gain deeper understanding of the importance of student sensemaking in elementary science and how to support multilingual learners.

SPEAKERS:
Nikki Brassell Snyder (Montgomery County Public Schools: Germantown, MD), Jennifer Orodeckis (Montgomery County Public Schools: Gaithersburg, MD)

Data Science, AI, and You (DSAIY) in Health Care aims to broaden participation in STEM through an innovative and culturally responsive learning ecosystem for teaching rapidly evolving cross-disciplinary STEM fields to high school students, using data science and AI.

TAKEAWAYS:
After completing the curriculum and datathon, we interviewed teachers and students. One teacher commented, “The kids walked away getting a much better appreciation for AI, how it's impacting certain aspects of the healthcare field, how it can impact society.

SPEAKERS:
Kathryn Eller (STEM Program Director: barrington, RI)

Spark creativity in science and STEM education by discovering how teachers can create transdisciplinary STEAM activities to provide early childhood learners authentic, relevant, and sensemaking opportunities. Learn how to stage a hands-on STEAM Fair that promotes equity and inclusivity.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to: facilitate sensemaking, incorporating the four attributes described by NSTA; design inquiry-based and multi-modal activities to support science and engineering practices; and promote meaningful dialogue and student talk to encourage students to share, discuss, and amend their ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Ann Fradkin-Hayslip (Associate Professor: Oneonta, NY)

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)

Participants will put themselves into the shoes of various people around the city of Philadelphia to get a sense of how their experiences shape their access to nutritional food. Following this activity, participants will engage in a discussion about their first thoughts about the SSI topic at hand.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants in this session will take away ideas on how to incorporate active student learning about the socio-scientific issue of food insecurity and its effects on school-based achievement.

SPEAKERS:
Shawnee Harvey (teacher: Philadelphia, PA), Abigail Howard (Special Education Teacher: Philadelphia, PA)

Accurately assessing students’ scientific thinking without language ability getting in the way is a challenge. This session will share exemplar three-dimensional assessments for middle school science and provide practical tips for updating your existing assessments for all learners.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with 3D assessments and grading rubrics ready for their middle school classrooms, as well as research-based strategies for adapting their existing assessments for struggling readers and English Learners.

SPEAKERS:
Linda Malkin (University of Wisconsin-Madison: Middleton, WI), Katrina Pommerening (Outreach Specialist: Madison, WI)

In this session, attendees will discuss perhaps unseen sides of assessment and learn how to use them to boost confidence and motivate students. Join us for strategies on how to make minor changes for big effect in your classroom!

TAKEAWAYS:
Walk away with strategies that allow students to share their input, share what they know, and share in the wealth that can be assessment.

SPEAKERS:
Amber Richards (Chatsworth Elementary School: Chatsworth, GA)

I developed a cancer biology unit with the University of Chicago, enriching middle schoolers' understanding through hands-on labs. Results exceeded expectations, indicating successful intellectual growth. Presentation includes a dance activity on mitosis and scaffolded scientific writing.

TAKEAWAYS:
During the presentation, participants will engage in a dance activity, focusing on mitosis and cellular reproduction, which are core themes in cancer biology. Additionally, participants will have the opportunity to examine student work and learn specific scaffolding techniques.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Dixon (Chicago Public Schools: Chicago, IL)

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)

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)

Students often ask “why are we learning this?” and “when will I use this?” that point to issues of connecting STEM concepts to their everyday experiences. Participants will discuss and plan how to incorporate social justice STEM pedagogy in classrooms to foster students’ civic engagement.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers share best practices for fostering student debates on complex issues, considering ethics, culture, and morals. They will explore evidence-based science arguments and civic engagement, with access to classroom resources like sample units of study.

SPEAKERS:
Augusto Macalalag, Jr. (Arcadia University: Wyncote, PA), Joseph Johnson (Mercyhurst University: Erie, PA), Dylan Fedell (Palisades High School: Kintnersville, PA)

Students bring amazing intellectual resources to make sense of science phenomena based on their personal and community experiences—including language, perspectives, gestures, and knowledge, interests, and values. Come learn how to notice and leverage those intellectual gifts in your teaching!

TAKEAWAYS:
Culturally responsive education supports student sensemaking and learning in science. Inclusive science strategies help teachers learn to see and leverage students’ diverse sense-making resources. These methods help us create and adapt curriculum that is equitable and centered on justice.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Nancy Price (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)

Students often struggle with connecting STEM concepts to their everyday experiences such as deciding on healthy food options in the cafeteria. Teachers will participate in a model lesson incorporating STEM and social justice pedagogy ultimately advocating for their stance on an issue.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn to merge STEM with social justice in teaching, empowering students to critically assess the complexities of healthy eating and school nutrition through diverse perspectives including health experts, students, parents, and food vendors.

SPEAKERS:
Augusto Macalalag, Jr. (Arcadia University: Wyncote, PA), Joseph Johnson (Mercyhurst University: Erie, PA), Dylan Fedell (Palisades High School: Kintnersville, PA)

Join Girls Who Code for strategies and tools on how to a) recruit and retain girls and BIPOC students in STEM, b) design inclusive holistic programs that build life skills, c) keep your curricula relevant with emerging tech and ai, and d) access free resources for 3-12th graders of all genders.

TAKEAWAYS:
Join Girls Who Code for strategies and tools on how to a) recruit and retain girls and BIPOC students in STEM, b) design inclusive holistic programs that build life skills, c) keep your curricula relevant with emerging tech and ai, and d) access free resources for 3-12th graders of all genders.

SPEAKERS:
Kibret Yebetit (Girls Who Code: New York, NY)

This essential biology investigation requires students to compare hominid skulls, studying the morphological changes as humans evolved. Skull models cost thousands of dollars. Do this important investigation for free with our slide presentation, student instructions, 2D skulls, and online resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
This essential biology investigation requires students to compare hominid skulls, studying the morphological changes as humans evolved. Skull models cost thousands of dollars. Do this important investigation for free with our slide presentation, student instructions, 2D skulls, and online resources.

SPEAKERS:
Melanie Trecek-King (Thinking Is Power: Franklin, MA)

Join us to master the art of leading interactive and impactful workshops with facilitation checklists and planning templates.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will use a facilitation checklist and planning template to plan, deliver, and receive feedback on a mock professional learning activity for disseminating best practices for NGSS instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Kayla Cherry (Loyola University Chicago: Chicago, IL), Sarah Stults (Loyola University Chicago: Chicago, IL)

During this hands-on workshop, participants will work with a 26 year veteran science teacher to delve into the impact of using a daily predictable learning routine to help students hone executive functioning skills like goal setting, time and task management, accountability, and self-regulation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Each participant will receive an Organized Binder Student Bundle. This content-agnostic program models a predictable learning routine for students but it also integrates easily into a teacher's existing curriculum, with tools and strategies that can be implemented the very next class session.

SPEAKERS:
Eva Behr (Los Angeles Unified School District: Los Angeles, CA)

Students bring a range of intellectual resources—based on their unique life experiences—into the classroom as they learn science. These resources can be considered different “facets” of thinking. Teachers explore a protocol for identifying and attending to facets through formative assessments.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will help participants: analyze cognitive formative assessment responses to surface the range of student thinking about science topics and concepts, guide instruction based on that diversity of student ideas, and design formative assessment tasks to support equitable 3D instruction.

SPEAKERS:
Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Tiffany Neill (OpenSciEd: New York, NY)

Learn how to weave in the stories of cancer survivors, local public health data, and health care experts into the OpenSciEd HS biology cancer unit. Discuss social emotional learning strategies that support students and teachers while learning about cancer as a phenomena.

TAKEAWAYS:
The stories of cancer survivors and local public health data can help students identify health disparities in their community and empower students to think critically about the role they can play to improve the health of themselves, their family and their community.

SPEAKERS:
William Baur (Washougal High School: Battle Ground, WA)

Immerse yourself in a captivating learning experience as you critically analyze the environmental and social issues surrounding a coal ash landfill located in a small, rural town in Alabama. Join others as you explore how to help students analyze and solve community issues through Design Thinking.

TAKEAWAYS:
Science educators will learn how to create and implement Design Thinking lessons centered around local community issues.

SPEAKERS:
Malysa Chandler (Clinical Instructor/Doc Student: Marion, AL)

Starting with empathy, we can create inclusive learning environments rooted in people’s needs. Learn how human-centered design principles can be applied to create meaningful, engaging, and effective learning experiences for educators and students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave this session equipped with human-centered design strategies and tools to guide their PLCs and to design impactful learning experiences for their students.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Beierle (Relevant Classroom, a Division of Vivayic, Inc.: Wauwatosa, WI)

This session will give participants the opportunity to interactively and collaboratively engage in a sampling of simple activities to promote explicit instruction in the nature of science.

TAKEAWAYS:
1. It is important to explicitly teach the nature of science to students; 2. The nature of science should be presented in an accessible way to all students; and 3. Attendees will walk away with activities they can use in their class immediately to teach the NOS.

SPEAKERS:
Kelly Moore (Tennessee Tech: Cookeville, TN)