The 2025 NSELA Annual Conference, themed "Inspired by History, Driven by Innovation," is a one-day, immersive experience for district and state leaders, instructional coaches, and advocates to engage in a collaborative, high-impact setting.

Join us to experience how students make decisions and engage in class discussion as part of their sensemaking. Learn how the OpenSciEd Elementary’s instructional approach supports all students in figuring out complex science issues in their world through a coherent storyline.

TAKEAWAYS:
OpenSciEd Elementary units are designed to support students in collaborative sensemaking through use of Science and Engineering Practices and engagement in equitable discussions.

SPEAKERS:
Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Laveen, AZ), Yanira Vazquez (OpenSciEd: Los Alamos, NM), Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Long Beach, CA)

Join NSTA and middle school educators from across the country to delve into using OpenSciEd instructional materials to hand over to your students the joyful responsibility of thinking, talking and acting like scientists to deeply learn science. You’ll experience science learning in an OpenSciEd unit from both student and teacher perspectives with emphasis on specific teacher moves and strategies that will support your continuing shift toward student-driven science learning.

In addition, the NSTA professional learning team will help you tailor a professional learning path forward for additional support in implementing OpenSciEd curriculum and helping all of your students build confidence as the knowers in your classroom. 

This session is for those newer to OpenSciEd and investigating the middle school curriculum for classroom, school, or district implementation.

Experience student-driven, rigorous science learning fueled by students’ curiosity and concern for coastal communities through immersions in the OSE high school chemistry Unit C.1 Thermodynamics in Earth’s Systems (How can we slow the flow of energy on Earth to protect vulnerable coastal communities?). See how students’ sensemaking develops across this unit through careful analyses of classroom videos, real student work, and student and teacher interviews.

Whether you teach high school chemistry, biology, physics, or Earth and space sciences, you will walk away from this experience with an understanding of the instructional routines that comprise storyline units across the OSE high school curriculums and the supports you need to confidently implement an OSE high school unit in your classroom. In addition, you’ll become adept with navigating the resources embedded in the OSE unit materials so you can maximize your impact on student engagement and learning.

All conference attendees are invited to continue their professional learning virtually in the OSE High School Chemistry Unit C.1 Curriculum Launch Workshop (24 total hours) and Facilitator Training (32 total hours).

• 6 hours onsite at the Philadelphia Conference PLI
• 18 hours virtual to complete 4-day curriculum launch*
• 8 additional hours virtual to complete facilitator training* (optional)

Virtual workshop sessions will be held over the month of April 2025.

*Registration for virtual sessions incurs additional cost

Don’t miss this exciting event showcasing STEM and science-based programs, organizations, mobile labs, and local Philly attractions! Explore a variety of displays, connect with showcase presenters, enjoy tasty bites from the food cart, and take advantage of ample networking opportunities.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about STEM and science-based programs, organizations, mobile labs, and local Philly attractions

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Eaton (NSTA: Berry, KY)

Navigate your first National NSTA Conference with ease! Join our session for an orientation to the conference, tips on selecting sessions, and an opportunity to meet other first-time attendees. We will share a few insider tips from experienced conference attendees and give an overview of the conference app. This session is structured so you can learn why you belong at NSTA.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to get the most out of your conference experience in addition to becoming an engaged learner.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Luft (University of Georgia: Athens, GA)

Join us at the Pennsylvania Convention Center for an opening reception to mark the start of NSTA Philly25! We’ll keep it casual—enjoy beverages and small bites while networking with old and new friends. The event is complimentary and open to all registered conference attendees. Don't forget to bring your free drink ticket included with your badge.

TAKEAWAYS:
NA

This keynote offers an inspiring roadmap for improving student outcomes and leaving a lasting impact on their lives. Through relatable analogies, and research-based advice, Daryl Williams Jr. shares his personal journey—from being an ineffective teacher to earning two Teacher of the Year awards. He will guide you on a transformative path of self-discovery, helping you uncover your own “1% Amazing” and unlock your full potential.

SPEAKERS:
Daryl Williams

Calling all yoga enthusiasts! Regardless of whether you’re a newbie or veteran, join yoga teacher, Azra Chughtai, RYT, for a warm-up with breathwork; hatha yoga (gentle stretching exercises to wake up the body); and, of course, meditation for relaxation and de-stressing. Beginner friendly!

TAKEAWAYS:
Recharge: Energizing and Stress Relief

SPEAKERS:
Azra Chughtai (NSTA: McLean, VA)

Navigate your first National NSTA Conference with ease! Join our session for an orientation to the conference, tips on selecting sessions, and an opportunity to meet other first-time attendees. We will share a few insider tips from experienced conference attendees and give an overview of the conference app. This session is structured so you can learn why you belong at NSTA.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how to get the most out of your conference experience in addition to becoming an engaged learner.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Luft (University of Georgia: Athens, GA)

Help students build empathy and connect science to their lives using a STEM picture book (Dr. Rosie Helps the Animals). Engage in science phenomena embedded in the story and learn how open-sourced interdisciplinary lessons can address literacy, science content, and inquiry skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will engage in student activities that show how NGSS content and inquiry skills can be addressed by investigating real-world phenomena introduced through a STEM picture book. Teachers will leave with the resources and background knowledge to facilitate these activities with students.

SPEAKERS:
Judith Newcomb (Amherst Elementary School: Amherst, MA), Jennifer Welborn (UMass Amherst: Amherst, MA)

Help students see the forest for the trees -- and all its biodiversity -- in this interdisciplinary, hands-on session. Engage in a game inspired by The Lorax, a simulation of biodiversity in temperate and tropical rainforests and a resource management game of strategy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn ways to introduce elementary students to concepts about natural resource use and management and the importance of preserving biodiverse ecosystems through games and 3D simulations that are interdisciplinary and inquiry-based.

SPEAKERS:
Bennett Steidinger (Population Education: Washington, DC), Pam Wasserman (Population Connection: Washington, DC)

Participants will experience Modeling Instruction in Chemistry by planning and conducting data collection and analyzing data to develop models. They will also develop representations (graphs, diagrams, and equations) for their model and present them in white boarding discourse.

TAKEAWAYS:
In student mode participants will experience how the Science and Engineering Practices can be a regular part of student experience in the chemistry classroom as they develop and deploy models. In teacher mode they will reflect on what is required to create this learning environment.

SPEAKERS:
Jesse Braxton (Central High School in Philadelphia: Philadelphia, PA), Raymond Howanski (American Modeling Teachers Association: Gilbert, AZ)

Explore how AI tools like ChatGPT can streamline the creation of NGSS-aligned science lessons. Through live demonstrations and guided practice, participants will generate personalized lesson plans, learn to ask effective AI prompts and understand how human expertise makes AI an effective tool.

TAKEAWAYS:
Write effective AI prompts for NGSS-aligned lesson plans Create classroom-ready plans using AI tools Understand how AI can augment lesson planning and evaluate your own AI-generated lesson plans for accuracy and NGSS compliance. Learn to integrate AI with their expertise for more efficient planning.

SPEAKERS:
Ariela Ikezawa (Various: Bellevue, WA)

Students often see science as a static body of knowledge instead of a dynamic human endeavor. Join the author of Notable Notebooks, Exemplary Evidence, and the newly published Wild Wonderings to learn how these books (and the stories of the scientists in them) can illuminate the nature of science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about the lives and work of historical and contemporary scientists, why telling these stories is an important strategy for helping students understand the nature of science, and how they might use these books in their classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Jessica Fries-Gaither (Columbus School for Girls: Hilliard, OH)

5th through 12th grade students are ready to learn about the problem with microplastics! Join a group of educators who sailed Lake Erie with scientists to study plastic pollution. Help your students become citizen scientists, collecting, organizing, and reporting data within their own community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn the impacts of and solutions to tackling microplastics as well as strategies for involving their students in hands-on microplastics research along local bodies of water from educators who experienced this scientific research first-hand.

SPEAKERS:
Lara Roketenetz (The University of Akron: Akron, OH), Sabrina Deschamps (Huron-Clinton Metroparks: New Boston, MI), Kate Krischke (Waukegan High School, Washington Campus: Libertyville, IL), Brienne May (Franklin Regional Intermediate School: PITTSBURGH, PA)

Discover engaging activities that help students explain the significance of Gregor Mendel’s pea plant experiments. Attendees will use glitter to represent the dominant and recessive traits of two parent plants and their offspring and complete a pompom Punnett square.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be able to explain that Gregor Mendel’s experiments on pea plants laid the foundation for the study of heredity, Punnett squares are a tool used to predict the traits of an offspring, and Mendelian genetics enables animal and plant breeders to produce new varieties with more accuracy.

SPEAKERS:
Lynn Wallin (National Center for Agricultural Literacy: Providence, UT)

Led by members of NSTA Early Childhood-Elementary Committee, this session addresses the relationship between science education & children’s literature by providing an interactive platform for educators to discover how literature can support & enhance science and engineering practices in classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore the integration of science and engineering practices and children’s literature through cross disciplinary connections and hands-on activities. Resources provided.

SPEAKERS:
Simone Nance (University of Southern Indiana: Newburgh, IN), Jennifer Williams (Isidore Newman School: Belle Chasse, LA), Melissa Parks (Stetson University: Deland, FL)

Join us for an engaging session exploring several sense-making lessons, aligned with the NGSS. Discover amazing assessment tools used to inform your teaching and focus on increased student learning/excitement. Come investigate assessment strategies while engaging in sense-making lessons.

TAKEAWAYS:
The participants will take away a deeper understanding of innovative assessments (prior, formative and summative) that will inform them using sense-making lessons. We will specifically focus on what the results of the assessments mean and how that will change their teaching and student learning.

SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Dey (Belmont Abbey College: Charlotte, NC), Judith McDonald (University of Hawaii at Hilo: Hilo, HI)

This workshop will describe methods used to engage a range of learners, including neurodivergent and English Language Learners, in grades 3-5, in place-based investigations of plants and weather. Lesson descriptions and student work will be used to initiate discussion with attendees.

TAKEAWAYS:
This workshop will describe methods used to engage a range of learners, including neurodivergent and English Language Learners, in grades 3-5, in place-based investigations of plants and weather. Lesson descriptions and student work will be used to initiate discussion with attendees.

SPEAKERS:
Sara Feit (Boston University: Boston, MA), Andreia Ferreira (Providence School Department: Providence, RI), Soraya Santana (F. D. Spaziano Elementary: Providence, RI), Peter Garik (Boston University: Boston, MA)

Join us for boppin’ lessons that address NGSS K-2 (force & motion, biomimicry, pollination). We integrate computational thinking, literacy, robots, science, and sense-making! We show how we adapted for students’ cultural, and linguistic (Apache, Navajo, Spanish) backgrounds.

TAKEAWAYS:
The attendees will learn to analyze and implement interdisciplinary K-2 STEM teaching and learning using 3D NGSS standards, sense-making, aligned assessment and also integrates the language, culture, and place of a community in ways that position young students as leaders for their communities.

SPEAKERS:
Sophie Forbes (Alcalde elementary: Abiquiu, NM), Deena Gould (University of New Mexico: Albuquerque, NM), Megan Smith (Mescalero Apache School: Ketchum, ID)

In this interactive workshop, educators will dive deep into the world of STEM grant writing, equipping themselves with proven strategies to secure funding for their classrooms. Participants will engage in hands-on activities and learn from real-world examples to develop their grant-writing skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will develop a toolkit of practical strategies to transform their Science & STEM project ideas into fundable grant proposals. This workshop will provide valuable insights to help you unlock new funding opportunities for your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Kevin Welch (Stewarts Creek Middle School: Smyrna, TN)

Build, test, and change ramps and consider ways to help early elementary students answer some BIG questions: How do different objects move? How can we change the way an object moves?

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will leave this workshop with the hands-on experience and curricular materials needed to support young elementary students as they explore and make sense of forces and interactions.

SPEAKERS:
Adrien Kaye (North Shore Schools: Locust Valley, NY)

NextGen TIME is a free suite of tools and processes that supports districts in preparing to evaluate instructional materials for quality and design for NGSS. This collaborative process helps you plan for next steps including customization to improve student outcomes and effective implementation.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how NextGen TIME supports the evaluation of current instructional materials to strengthen their design for NGSS and how NextGen TIME tools and processes can serve as critical components of curriculum-based professional learning. You’ll walk away with free access to NextGen TIME resources.

SPEAKERS:
Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Waldorf, MD)

Come learn how we integrate science and language arts mini units, using food chains to guide participants through the process. Also, learn how we instruct our teacher candidates in higher education to do the same and then implement the lessons in local schools with immediate feedback from us.

TAKEAWAYS:
How to integrate science with language arts in classrooms, as teachers or instructors of higher education.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Lampley (The University of Alabama in Huntsville: Huntsville, AL), Frances Hamilton (The University of Alabama in Huntsville: Taft, TN)

This session will explore how a Texas school district implements dual-language instruction in science for PK-8 students. With a focus on fostering biliteracy and bilingualism, we'll be sharing practical strategies to integrate language bridging into science lessons in both English and Spanish.

TAKEAWAYS:
This presentation offers educators a framework for integrating dual-language instruction into science, based on research and practical strategies from a proven dual-language model. Attendees will gain actionable insights and tools to foster bilingualism and content mastery in their own classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Merium Valdez (Mark Twain Dual Language Academy (SAISD): San Antonio, TX), Magda Esparza (Teacher: San Antonio, TX), Gisella Calejo (Mark Twain Dual Language Academy (SAISD): San Antonio, TX)

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

TAKEAWAYS:
Working collaboratively, educators will investigate ways to understand and elevate students' brilliance by centering science in their everyday experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Molly Ewing (The Charles A. Dana Center: Austin, TX), Mary Starr (Michigan Mathematics and Science Leadership Network: Plymouth, MI), Carla Zembal-Saul (Penn State: State College, PA)

Build a deep understanding of what STEM means by creating opportunities to fully engage students in science learning. Participants will engage in hands-on STEM and learn how to incorporate it in the everyday science classroom. Learn how STEM integration increases students’ desire to learn science!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will gain practical strategies for engaging all students in science learning using STEM integration. Walk away with a deeper understanding of what “doing STEM” means and how STEM integration offers an engaging, effective way for students to learn science.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Drager (Montgomery County Educational Service Center: Dayton, OH), Courtney Heikkila (Mallard Creek STEM Academy: Kannapolis, NC), Amy Monahan (Volusia County Schools: DeLand, FL)

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

The DQB is an essential tool used throughout OSE units to generate, keep track of, and revisit student questions around the anchoring and related phenomenon. Join the collaborative fun finding ideas for developing, maintaining, and revisiting this exciting representation of students’ learning.

SPEAKERS:
Michelle Tindall (Activate Learning: Troy, MI), Jen Gutierrez (Activate Learning: Chandler, AZ)

Sponsoring Company: BIOZONE Corporation

BIOZONE's innovative worktexts deliver student-centred resources: AP, NGSS & electives. Identical print and digital titles integrate to provide a rich teaching program. Use our teacher resources to plan, deliver, & assess. Attendees receive a FREE print title & 30 day preview of our digital platform

SPEAKERS:
Mark Temons (BIOZONE International Ltd.: Hamilton, New Zealand)

Sponsoring Company: LEGO® Education

Together, we can change this by making science more engaging, relevant and meaningful. We’ll explore how hands-on experiences with LEGO® Education spark those 'ah-ha' moments, helping students build knowledge, skills, and excitement for learning.

SPEAKERS:
Andrew Sliwinski (LEGO® Education: Boston, MA)

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Link physical science concepts like circuits and charged particles to the essential biotech method gel electrophoresis. Build a reusable gel electrophoresis system with the Bandit STEM Electrophoresis Kit, and use it to separate colorful dyes. Also, add the A to STEAM with creative pipetting art!

SPEAKERS:
Rose Chaffee-Cohen (miniPCR: Cambridge, MA)

Sponsoring Company: NOAA

Why are sea levels rising? Why is it so dangerous - no matter where in the US you live? How can we address it? Using hands-on role-playing activities from NOAA, engage your students on one of the most dangerous climate impacts of our time.

SPEAKERS:
Alexandria Gillen (NOAA National Ocean Service: Fredericksburg, VA), Peggy Steffen (Ready, Set, STEM: West Liberty, IA)

Sponsoring Company: BrainPOP

Unlock student potential in writing and reasoning skills! This session dives deep into Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER), focusing on the crucial link between evidence and reasoning. Explore feedback strategies to empower students to apply their knowledge and construct strong scientific arguments.

SPEAKERS:
Kelsie Stocz (BrainPOP: Garner, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Flinn Scientific

If you can only attend one session, make it this one. Transform your classroom with exciting, easy-to-perform (& crowd-pleasing) chemistry & physical science demos! Perfect for teachers, admins, and new educators, this session showcases unique demonstrations and classroom classics to engage students.

SPEAKERS:
Mike Marvel, Ph.D. (Flinn Scientific, Inc.: Batavia, IL), Jonnathan Medina Ramos, Ph.D. (Flinn Scientific, Inc.: Batavia, IL)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Come experience a hands-on model lesson from OpenSciEd for High School and discover how the new Carolina Certified Version enhanced these high-quality instructional materials, making them more accessible, user-friendly, and safer for classroom use.

SPEAKERS:
Cory Ort (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Take a tour through the mammalian heart and trace the path of a blood cell on its journey to oxygenation. Participants take blood pressure readings. Then dissect a preserved sheep heart to model blood flow and connect BP to heart anatomy. Don’t skip a beat - it’s going to be hands-on fun!

SPEAKERS:
Patti Kopkau (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Hale, MI)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Inspire curiosity by examining pond water! Observe freshwater organisms feeding patterns and reproduction firsthand while exploring microbial diversity. These activities will build an understanding of ecosystems and provide phenomena that connects with biology and nature.

SPEAKERS:
Julie Stubbs (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Explore the world of forensic science with these fun and exciting escape room activities! Try forensic blood detection and agarose gel electrophoresis experiments, decipher clues, and solve puzzles. Learn to design your own escape room to have students unravel the evidence and free the innocent.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Imagine the excitement of middle schoolers as they learn how to use micropipettes and run their own gel electrophoresis! Come learn how to bring these exciting and fun techniques to your middle school classrooms using the teacher- and student-friendly MiniOne equipment.

SPEAKERS:
Whitney Hagins (MiniOne Systems: San Diego, CA)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

How do forensic scientists find evidence in invisible ink? Students must think like both detectives AND scientists to find out! By capturing spectra of ink samples, students investigate electromagnetic radiation, explore light-matter interactions, and use mathematical models to calculate energy.

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Engage students in hands-on, student-led learning with the Go Direct Motion Detector! We’ll share 3 hands-on experiments to help students explore position, velocity & acceleration. From kinematics in fall to dynamics & conservation laws in spring, this versatile sensor supports 3D learning all year.

Sponsoring Company: PASCO Scientific

Engage students in a real-world engineering challenge! Learn how students can design and test crash barriers with live collision data to explore the link between momentum and impact forces. Analyze the resulting data to improve upon further design iterations.

Sponsoring Company: Teachers' Curriculum Institute (TCI)

Learn to promote interest and engagement while helping students achieve specific learning objectives with games. Join us as you learn simple and valuable ways to gamify your lessons. We will be sharing a few creative game ideas for building relationships and reviewing and learning content.

Discover ways to strengthen NGSS practices through interdisciplinary practices with children's literature, beginning with Ada Twist and Rosie Revere.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Hesson (York College of Pennsylvania: York, PA)

This session will share the experiences of former educator turned NASA astronaut, Ricky Arnold in a fun, informational, and inspiring way. The conversation will explore several aspects of Ricky’s life, especially his years as an astronaut. Ricky will share what it was like to live and work on the International Space Station including the experience of spacewalks, conducting scientific experiments, and what astronauts do in their free time. As a classroom teacher in many countries prior to his astronaut selection, Ricky will share what the transition was like to his role as astronaut and what skills he brought to the table as a classroom teacher. Lastly, Ricky will provide words of encouragement to the NSTA audience and share how critical they are to the future of science and our endeavors in space exploration.

SPEAKERS:
Richard Arnold (NASA Johnson Space Center: Houston, TX)

Calling all Science Supervisors, department heads, principals, school coordinators and science leaders. Please join us for the third annual roundtable discussion on curriculum, resources and supervision of science departments. Participants will learn how NSTA can support their needs for professional development and will walk away with access to a Padlet of resources.

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:
Michelle Tindall (Activate Learning: Troy, MI)

Sponsoring Company: HHMI BioInteractive

New to BioInteractive? Come investigate HHMI BioInteractive’s many free resources to support life science educators. We'll review how to navigate a website with hundreds of high-quality resources as well as how to connect with your fellow life science educators through our online community.

SPEAKERS:
Christina Moran-Johnson (Teacher: Philadelphia, PA), Karen Lucci (Retired Educator: Yardley, PA)

Sponsoring Company: Simulation Curriculum

Dive into Earth's wonders! Our Earth Science workshop offers hands-on activities, expert insights and teaching strategies to inspire curiosity and deepen understanding. Join us in exploring the dynamic systems of our planet! Geology, Meteorology, Climate & Physical Geography! Grades 5-8, 9-12.

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

This authentic case study analyzes microbial DNA from the International Space Station. Available as a hands-on gel electrophoresis experiment or a free virtual lab. This session will also feature Genes in Space, a free experimental design competition that sends student experiments to space!

SPEAKERS:
Katy Martin (miniPCR: Cambridge, MA)

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Agriculture, biology, and business knowledge are essential on the modern farm. In this hands-on workshop, use gel electrophoresis to visualize genotypes for a gene necessary for high quality cheese, and help a dairy farmer select which breeding pairs give her the best chance to have a Ca$h Cow!

SPEAKERS:
Glenda Goh Denison (MiniOne Systems: San Diego, CA)

Sponsoring Company: BrainPOP

Harness the power of effective questioning to elevate student engagement and understanding. Led by a former middle school science teacher and current science learning designer, this session focuses on crafting questions to foster elaboration, critical thinking, and meaningful connections in science.

SPEAKERS:
Hannah Bonville (BrainPOP: New York, NY)

Sponsoring Company: Flinn Scientific

Are you looking for new ways to excite your classes? This session will showcase labs, demos, and inquiry-based activities to keep your classroom buzzing with excitement. Walk away with tools to engage students and ensure concept understanding. Handouts and door prizes provided!

SPEAKERS:
Jillian Saddler (Flinn Scientific, Inc.: Batavia, IL), Mike Marvel, Ph.D. (Flinn Scientific, Inc.: Batavia, IL)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Join our interactive science workshop where literacy meets exploration! Immerse yourself in a world of discovery as we blend scientific concepts with the power of language. Through engaging activities see how to unravel the wonders of science but also enhance literacy skills.

SPEAKERS:
Dr. Sarah Glassman (Smithsonian Science Education Center: Washington, DC), Hoover Herrera (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Cranford, NJ)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Explore easy, engaging, and safe chemistry activities that guarantee a reaction in your students. These lab activities support 3-dimensional learning and work every time, not just periodically.

SPEAKERS:
Laurie Nixon (Watauga High School: Blowing Rock, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Participants will make and use alginate beads containing algae and alginate beads containing yeast. They will learn how the beads can be used to model the processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

SPEAKERS:
Crystal Risko (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Burlington, NC)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Explore CRISPR-Cas gene editing in our hands-on electrophoresis workshop! The Nobel-winning biotechnology breakthrough is making dramatic changes to human health TODAY. Dive into CRISPR biology with quick experiments modeling cures for genetic diseases like Sickle Cell Anemia and Cystic Fibrosis.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

3D teaching and learning is a powerful way to engage all students in science, but making the shift in a classroom or district involves fundamental cultural and practical changes at all levels. Engage in examples and take away your own Change Management Playbook for navigating this important work.

SPEAKERS:
Isaac Stauffer (Amplify Science: Chicago, IL), Naz Yaqubie (Amplify Science: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Why are some coral and fish species disappearing? In this 3D lesson, biology and environmental science students use real-time data to explore how excess CO2 in water affects the pH. Using their findings, students can model how these changes impact interdependent relationships in ocean ecosystems.

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

From friction to collisions, engage students in real-world motion phenomena! Investigate questions like “How do brakes stop a bicycle?” or “Why are seat belts crucial to car safety?” We’ll explore sensor carts in action, analyze velocity and acceleration data, and share hands-on investigations.

Sponsoring Company: LEGO® Education

Successfully engaging students in scientific reasoning, discourse, and investigation requires confident educators and reliable tools. Join us to explore hands-on lessons you can use to spark student curiosity, address Pennsylvania’s STEELS standards, and improve outcomes with LEGO® Education classroom solutions.

SPEAKERS:
Tom Taylor (LEGO® Education: Boston, MA), Evangelia Papacostas (LEGO® Education: Boston, MA)

Sponsoring Company: UL Research Institutes

This workshop focuses on sense-making about lithium-ion batteries and the phenomenon of thermal runaway. Participants will develop models to understand the phenomenon, applying cross-cutting concept of matter and energy. Participants will then ideate solutions for safer battery enclosures.

SPEAKERS:
Amy Gilbert , Jessica Sparacino (UL Research Institutes: Chicago, IL)

Sponsoring Company: PASCO Scientific

Experience the best way to teach basic circuits! Learn how to build circuits with modular components that look identical to schematic drawings. We'll show you how to skip the tangled wires that confuse students so you can focus on the physics.

Sponsoring Company: Teachers' Curriculum Institute (TCI)

Join us for an interactive session where engineering meets speed dating! Experience hands-on challenges inspired by TCI's K-5 science programs. Attendees will participate in engineering-focused "speed dates," uncovering valuable insights.

Sponsoring Company: PhET Interactive Simulations

Be empowered with PhET Studio, PhET’s first customization tool for teachers! Learn how to create unique sim experiences that fit your lessons and inspire students like never before. Join us to see Studio in action and gain free Open House access. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity!

SPEAKERS:
Linda Stegemann (Partnerships Manager: Fayetteville, NC)

Please join us for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the exhibit hall, featuring companies with services, support, and resources for science educators.

Discover the latest and greatest science and STEM teaching and learning resources, tools, and products available during this break in concurrent sessions.

Simple, easy, and inexpensive methods for starting a school garden by using upcycled and free materials

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will show teachers how to begin planting using upcycled and free materials, how to reuse containers as planters, how to make biodegradable seedling planters in seconds, and how to transform desolate ground into a blooming wildflower garden with seeds and a container of air-dry clay.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Kurson (Collegiate School: New York, NY)

This session will explore using Success Criteria as steps toward mastery in math and science assessments to enhance student understanding and engagement. Participants will learn to create quality open educational resources (OER) that align with standards for effective assessment practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will leave with practical strategies for integrating Success Criteria into assessments, promoting student ownership of learning and improving instructional practices in math and science.

SPEAKERS:
Laura - Ashley Hayes (Marshall Elementary School: Byron Center, MI)

This poster will present an activity that dives into the phenomenon of bee vision, building personal relevance and connection through engagement in STEAM practices.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore the intersections between science sensemaking and STEAM, taking home a lesson that engages students in discovering how bees see the world.

SPEAKERS:
Laura Carsten Conner (University of Alaska Fairbanks: Fairbanks, AK)

Access to supplies is often a barrier to learning yet amazing projects can be made with just paper, tape and scissors. Paper is great for introducing students to engineering fundamentals. Together we will explore how to use just  paper, tape and scissors to make amazing engineering projects

TAKEAWAYS:
Science and engineering can be done with inexpensive materials

SPEAKERS:
Godwyn Morris (Dazzling Discoveries / Skill Mill NYC: New York, NY)

Join us at this Share-A-Thon to discover a treasure trove of educational materials and resources provided by the United States Patent and Trademark Office of Public Engagement. Our poster session aims to showcase innovative teaching tools that empower educators to foster inventing and creativity.

TAKEAWAYS:
Engage with live demonstrations of free educational tools and trading card lesson plans designed to enhance student learning across STEM at various grade levels. Learn about professional development opportunities for enhancing invention and intellectual property education.

SPEAKERS:
Kathy Hoppe (STEMisED, Inc: Rio Rico, AZ)

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

TAKEAWAYS:
For Upper Elem through HS. Participants will experience the strategy from a student POV, learn the process of implementation, and receive links to templates. Examples of student work will also be shown.

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

This lesson teaches young children how to use some of the tools they will need when doing science with some simple (but fun!) activities. Tools introduced include: magnifying glasses, tweezers, stopwatches, eyedroppers, and measuring cups and spoons.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be look at a few simple (but fun!) activities they can use to introduce basic science tools to their PreK-2 students. How-to posters, basic assessment sheet, and materials lists are included for these tools/activities.

SPEAKERS:
Marie Elaina Zuccaro (Bronx Community Charter School: New York, NY)

This lesson focused on Earth’s movement in space using a hands-on, inquiry based approach. In this lesson, students designed experiments to support a hypothesis that the helio-centric model is the most accurate in terms of explaining the phenomena: day & night and seasonality.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn to utilize inexpensive materials you may have lying around the classroom and/or at home to engage students in activities that will support them in their understanding of Earth’s movement in space. Teachers will receive an adaptable lesson plan with student examples that is customizable.

SPEAKERS:
Jaime Camero (Walter Douglas Elementary School: Tucson, AZ)

This session will showcase STEM choices educators can consider to gauge students' interests with academic standards. Student artifacts will highlight the NSS of Human and Structure, i.e. the skeletal system on Minecraft Education, skeletal system illustration of cartoon characters.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will explore offering students choices to foster collaboration and creativity in their learning of science standards.

SPEAKERS:
Veena Black (DeKalb County School District: Atlanta, GA)

Educators can integrate Minecraft Education with academic standards. They can create challenges for students to gauge students' interests and provide creativity using Minecraft. Educators will also discover that there are built in lesson plans on Minecraft Education to assist with standards.

TAKEAWAYS:
After this session, participants will be able to create lesson plans, integrate standards from multiple academic content with Minecraft Education. Educators will be able to instill enthusiasm and positive learning outcomes using Minecraft Education to teach students their core academic content.

SPEAKERS:
Veena Black (DeKalb County School District: Atlanta, GA)

Developed by experts in environmental health and K-12 STEM education, this unit for grades 3-5 teaches students how to understand and improve indoor air quality. Students read stories and engage in hands-on activities to explore indoor environments and take action to create healthier spaces.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to engage grades 3-5 students in investigating indoor air quality through storytelling and challenge-based activities. This modular unit empowers students to become active problem-solvers and builds their action competence in creating healthier indoor spaces.

SPEAKERS:
Chris Link, PhD (Link Consulting Services, LLC: Maplewood, NJ)

This poster demonstrates a series of activities using acoustic data from marine soundscapes to assess a coral reef habitat's ecological dynamics, functions, and resilience. The NGSS-aligned activities foster an interactive learning environment in all three dimensions.

TAKEAWAYS:
Ecological data, such as sound, can assess human impacts on Earth's systems and support decision-making to promote the responsible management of natural resources.

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

Potato aquaponics is a method of growing potatoes in a symbiotic system that combines aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil). Aquaponics reduces the need for various chemical fertilizers and helps to conserve water, making it a promising for urban farming.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn what is needed to be able to successfully grow potatoes in an aquaponics system. They will also, learn about the sustainability and resource efficiency that comes with this type of farming. The information provided will help with optimal growth for the plant.

SPEAKERS:
Emery Breitbarth (Wartburg College: Waverly, IA)

Discover how PBS LearningMedia, a free and trusted resource for PreK-12 classrooms, utilizes media-rich resources from PBS shows like NOVA, NATURE, Weathered, and PBS Eons to spark students' curiosity, facilitate student sense-making, and support 3D learning frameworks.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn strategies for seamlessly incorporating multimedia content from PBS LearningMedia into curriculum and learn new methods to encourage critical thinking and problem-solving as students learn about and discuss challenges posed by environmental issues and the potential solutions.

SPEAKERS:
Merek Chang (Hacienda La Puenta Unified School District: City of Industry, CA), Lori Brittain (VP, PBS LearningMedia: Arlington, VA)

Engage learners in science through exciting hands-on activities, media, and discussions that make complex topics accessible. This lesson showcase offers free, adaptable resources, tools, and strategies to inspire STEM interest in classrooms and spark critical thinking in learners of all ages.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will gain strategies to engage diverse learners with hands-on STEM lessons that foster inclusion, critical thinking, and community connections, while empowering them to address real-world challenges through science literacy and active participation.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Roberts (Science Friday: Blairstown, NJ)

Learn how you can use robots to integrate with core academic content to teach skills to your students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will learn about different types of robots that are available and how they can incorporate technology with academic content.

SPEAKERS:
Veena Black (DeKalb County School District: Atlanta, GA)

I will have a tri-fold of the carbon cycle. I will also have print outs of vocabulary to use, a coloring sheet with carbon cycle, and an exit ticket or a way to test knowledge. I will also have some other helpful links and resources that explain the carbon cycle.

TAKEAWAYS:
The attendees will be learning how to incorperate sceince into their school day. There will be resources and print outs of how to explain the carbon cycle to elementary level students.

SPEAKERS:
Lydia Chapman (Wartburg College: Waverly, IA)

Discover how 3D printing and modeling can transform STEM education. Come ready learn practical strategies, see student-driven projects, and gain resources to bring hands-on, problem based creative learning into your classroom. Learn how to integrate this into all subject areas to bring STEM to life

TAKEAWAYS:
Whether you're new to 3D printing or want to expand its use, this session will provide ideas, resources, and confidence to integrate 3D technology into your classroom. Learn how to use free software to bring science and engineering concepts to life, engaging students in real world projects

SPEAKERS:
Scott Woodard (Governor's Village STEM Academy Upper Campus: Charlotte, NC), Alicia Yewcic (Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools: Huntersville, NC)

Learn to compare ground-based weather observations with satellite data using visible and infrared imagery. This session will provide hands-on activities with My NASA Data to help students analyze weather patterns and understand how different observations complement each other.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to integrate ground-based observations with satellite data, using hands-on activities with My NASA Data to help students analyze and understand weather patterns from both local and global perspectives.

SPEAKERS:
Erin Smoak (American Meteorological Society: Savannah, GA), Diane Ripollone (Cardinal Gibbons High School: Garner, NC)

Guiding your students through sensemaking is a combination of more than you’d expect: the questions you ask, the activities you choose, and even how your classroom set up. In this session, you will learn the components of a formative classroom and walk away with ideas to enhance students' learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn the components of a formative classroom, and specific techniques they can use in order to give students a more formative experience; examples include collaborative work, room setup, cycles for questioning, appropriate feedback, and more. This can be done with any age group.

SPEAKERS:
Rama Sreekantham (Paragon Prep School: Austin, TX)

This poster showcases how you can transform your Canvas courses into inclusive, dynamic, and enriching learning experiences for all students. Swing by to tap into essential strategies, tools, and best practices to foster inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility through your school's Canvas site!

TAKEAWAYS:
This poster showcases strategies such as Canvas Groups for collaborative learning, media opportunities with Canvas Studio, and using Canvas to showcase student understanding in vibrant, visual ways. Plus, discover proven webinar engagement strategies to captivate and inspire your online learners!

SPEAKERS:
Tanya MacMartin, Ed.D. (Twin Peaks Middle School: Poway, CA)

Explore teacher leadership in this session on a pioneering elementary science conference created by teachers for teachers.Discover how two educators built a collaborative space to meet the need for quality science PD while leading from the middle.Including testimonials from participants.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will explore the journey of how teachers successfully led a science conference from initial concept to execution, as well as the challenges faced in exercising teacher leadership. Takeaways include insights into the structure and impact of a teacher-led conference on professional growth.

SPEAKERS:
Abbey Gilligan (Washington Irving Intermediate School: Briarcliff Manor, NY), Dr. Leana Peltier (Sleepy Hollow High School: Congers, NY)

Did you know sugar is grown and refined in 17 US states? Sugar cane thrives in the south, while sugar beets flourish in the north. Discover the difference!

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about the sugar-making process from field to final product and see a variety of activities you can use with students to discover the difference between sugar cane and sugar beets.

SPEAKERS:
Rebecca Sponholtz (Florida Agriculture in the Classroom, Inc.: Gainesville, FL), Michelle Blodgett (Michigan Farm Bureau: Lansing, MI)

How can we introduce even first-grade students to atoms and molecules? Visitors can hold actual teaching materials and models that students will build, view photos and classroom evaluation data, and learn how molecular models can deepen even young students’ scientific understanding of our world.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn a basic plan for younger students who are new to atoms and molecules and for more advanced students who are fed up with reaction formulas. It includes concrete, practical examples to introduce them to the physical images of atoms and molecules in a fun way.

SPEAKERS:
Koji Tsukamoto (Chiba Institute of Science: Chiba, AL), Haruhiko Funahashi (Kyoto University: Kyoto, Japan), Tomoko HASEGWA (Azuma-tachibana municipal junior high school: Tokyo, No State), Taro YAMAMOTO (ASHEC: Kibitani Kaizuka, No State), Mariko Kobayashi (Association for Studies in Hypothesis–Experiment Class: Niiza, NY)

What are the latest and greatest technologies and websites for science instruction? Come learn about them and how they can be used.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will come away with an understanding of a variety of resources for incorporating technology into their science instruction

SPEAKERS:
Patti Duncan (Breakout EDU: Lakeville, PA)

The implementation of high-quality instructional materials requires support as teachers make the shifts needed for effective use. Dig into Change Management from The Elements of curriculum based professional learning to figure out how key lessons can help you lead change.

TAKEAWAYS:
Join other leaders to consider key lessons from change and dig into Change Management from The Elements: Transforming Teaching through Curriculum-based Professional Learning.

SPEAKERS:
Jim Short (BSCS Science Learning: Ridgefield, NY), Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)

Discover ASCEND K-5, an initiative that empowers educators, researchers, and leaders to take tangible actions, prioritizing equitable access and transforming K-5 science education in their systems. Join us to explore how it connects to your work in driving change in elementary science education.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will offer feedback on the ASCEND K–5 project, focused on transforming elementary science education by addressing key challenges. Through collaboration, networking, and shared insights, participants will help shape the strategic direction and contribute to the project's success.

SPEAKERS:
Suzanna Loper (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Berkeley, CA), Daniel Alcazar-Roman (University of California, Berkeley: Belmont, CA)

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), Carla Robinson (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX), Leticia Garza (University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX), Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Laveen, AZ)

Join us for a session on how 3-dimensional, phenomenon-based learning is designed for students with diverse learning needs and how we can ensure their success as we teach using the NGSS. We will explore practical examples of how to ensure your instruction is universally designed and accessible.

TAKEAWAYS:
Incorporating UDL with the NGSS helps all learners be successful. Attendees will gain practical strategies and tools for accessibility and inclusive practices for students in science classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Sciacca (Capital Area Intermediate Unit: New Cumberland, PA)

Teacher mentors can support the implementation of high-quality science curriculum. Come learn about a model that provides teachers with ongoing professional learning to develop leadership and informal mentoring skills that support science instruction when called upon by their colleagues.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn about a program that prepares teachers to serve as informal mentors who can support the implementation of high-quality science curriculum within their school community. The model provides teacher mentors with on-going professional learning to continually improve their leadership skills.

SPEAKERS:
Caroline Stabile (GEMS-Net, University of Rhode Island: Narragansett, RI), Kelly Houle (The University of Rhode Island: Wakefield, RI), Zachary Orefice (GEMS-Net, University of Rhode Island: High Point, NC)

Performance Learning Instruction shifts from traditional content based teaching to a hands-on approach, where students, like "aspiring MacGyvers," construct knowledge by solving problems and sense-making, rather than simply verifying and recalling information.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this workshop, you will engage in instructional design by viewing performance learning and phenomena from the perspective of students and then teachers. Learning by doing, participants will collaborate to learn how to design instructional units grounded in phenomena and promoting sense-making.

SPEAKERS:
Beth Penney (Amherst School District: Lyndeborough, NH), Heather Wheeler (Portsmouth High School; New Hampshire Learning Initiative: Exeter, NH), Sue Downer (NH Learning Initiative: Bedford, NH)

Transform early learning with "Teaching STEM Through Literacy". Blend STEM, books, and tech to nurture 21st-century skills in young minds. Join us for hands-on activities that create immersive learning spaces, igniting curiosity and problem-solving in our littlest innovators.

TAKEAWAYS:
Empower early childhood educators to seamlessly integrate STEM, literacy, and technology, creating engaging, multi-disciplinary learning experiences that foster critical thinking, problem-solving, and a lifelong love of learning in young children.

SPEAKERS:
Clint Coleman (Louisiana Board of Regents: New Orleans, LA)

This workshop is designed to equip elementary teachers with strategies for fostering science inquiry through dialogue and discussion. By emphasizing collaborative learning and critical thinking, the workshop aims to enhance student engagement, understanding, and scientific literacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
The workshop aims to provide teachers with strategies for creating a supportive and inclusive classroom environment for discussion.

SPEAKERS:
Mary Sanvictores (Hudson Montessori School: Jersey City, NJ), Michelle Velho (Hudson Montessori School: Jersey City, NJ)

This presentation would cover 2025 trends developing in state-level education policy and their potential to impact science education and science teachers.

TAKEAWAYS:
Be an informed science educator on the big policy issues that could impact your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Alex Molinich (Hands On Science Partnership: Pittsford, NY), James Brown (STEM Education Coalition: Washington, DC)

Climate change affects us all, but not equally; the worst impacts are felt by marginalized communities. This is everyone’s problem to solve! We’ll explore real examples of kids coming together to make a meaningful change, and the role you as a teacher can take to support students in taking action.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will explore issues affecting their local communities and discuss ideas for curriculum around said issues. They will also develop skills for facilitating discussions with students and supporting children’s ideas for creating change.

SPEAKERS:
Rina Zampieron (Drumlin Farm)

Building a strong foundation in working with data is key to students’ long term science interest and success. However, it can be hard to find ways to best help students make sense of data. We will share a research-backed developmental sequence and grade-leveled rubrics for student data literacy.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a developmental sequence for developing data literacy for students across grades K-12, with particular focus on how to use it for instructional and assessment development for late elementary school.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Jabot (SUNY Fredonia: Fredonia, NY), Kristin Hunter-Thomson (Dataspire Education & Evaluation, LLC: Santa Cruz, CA)

No time for science? Tap into children’s curiosity and wonder to bring joyful, student-led STEM experiences into your classroom. Engage in teacher-play as you design and engineer kinetic balance sculptures and imagine how you can make STEM learning happen daily in your classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
PreK-2 educators will be provided a framework for integrative STEM learning that fits into their scheduled day, and learn how it easily integrates with existing curriculum. By designing and engineering a kinetic balance sculpture, participants will view STEM from the perspective of PreK-2 children .

SPEAKERS:
Beth Dykstra VanMeeteren (University of Northern Iowa: Cedar Falls, IA)

Reading comprehension is central to sense-making in science. Hands-on investigation provides context and curiosity to motivate students in active reading. The session provides science education leaders and teachers with tools and strategies for using exact readings in scientific investigations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants receive a set of strategies for using effective readings within scientific investigations and a set of over 400 lessons aligned to the NGSS and STEELS standards. The lessons have hands-on investigations with exact readings to support learning core ideas and crosscutting concepts.

SPEAKERS:
Brett Moulding (Partnership for Effective Science Teaching and Learning: Ogden, UT), Sarah Sleasman (Arizona Dept. of Education: Phoenix, AZ)

Sponsoring Company: Activate Learning

Come and participate with the author of the book, Arthur Eisenkraft, for a close-up look at a new Physical Science book. Experience a fun, take-home lab and learn more about this super curriculum from Activate Learning.

SPEAKERS:
Gary Curts (Activate Learning: Greenwich, CT), Arthur Eisenkraft (University of Massachusetts Boston: Quincy, MA)

Sponsoring Company: HHMI BioInteractive

Delve into the power of science as storytelling using storylines! Explore how the BioInteractive Sickle Cell Storyline sparks student questions to help them create connections between biological concepts and build deeper understandings.

SPEAKERS:
Lee Ferguson (The Episcopal School of Dallas: Plano, TX), Chris Monsour (Tiffin Columbian High School: Tiffin, OH)

Sponsoring Company: Simulation Curriculum

Unlock the cosmos for your classroom with our tailored workshop! Discover engaging teacher resources and delve into the latest astronomical discoveries. Gain confidence and tools to ignite students' curiosity about the wonders of the universe, fostering a passion for science. Grades K4, 5-8 and 9-12

Sponsoring Company: miniPCR bio

Bring molecular techniques to Ecology and Evolution units with an activity based on the work of the Duke Lemur Center. Has an extinct lemur species been found again in the wild? Test DNA with gel electrophoresis, build phylogenetic trees, and analyze authentic field data.

SPEAKERS:
Rose Chaffee-Cohen (miniPCR: Cambridge, MA)

Sponsoring Company: NOAA

Dive into a sea of classroom-ready resources! With standards-aligned teaching materials, tutorials, hands-on activities, PD, and funding opportunities, NOS Education supports ocean, coastal, and climate learning at ALL levels and engages students and communities in hands-on stewardship.

SPEAKERS:
Alexandria Gillen (NOAA National Ocean Service: Fredericksburg, VA)

Sponsoring Company: MiniOne Systems

Teach macromolecules without the crazy prep! In this micro-scaled lab activity, students test for starch, glucose, protein, lipids and DNA, without the need for large volumes of reagents, cleaning test tubes, or boiling reagents. Then students apply their knowledge and test various unknown samples.

SPEAKERS:
Priya Mangano (BridgeWater Raynham Regional High School: Bridgewater, MA), Lindsay Hamilton (Bridgewater Raritan High School: Bridgewater, PA)

Sponsoring Company: BrainPOP

Spark engagement and deepen understanding with BrainPOP Science! This workshop explores phenomena-based learning, investigations, and STEELS-aligned strategies for grades 6-8. Discover how to differentiate instruction and empower students to become confident scientific thinkers and writers.

SPEAKERS:
Hannah Bonville (BrainPOP: New York, NY)

Sponsoring Company: Flinn Scientific

This session covers essential safety practices, including hazard analysis, proper PPE, GHS labels, risk management, and communication with administrators. Ideal for all science teachers, science supervisors, administrators and lab supervisors. Leave with actionable tips to prioritize safety! Visit https://www.flinnsci.com/safety/ for more information.

SPEAKERS:
Mike Marvel, Ph.D. (Flinn Scientific, Inc.: Batavia, IL)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Rockets zoom and race cars zip through hands-on activities that engage your middle and high school students. Apply creative problem-solving skills and engineering practices to chemistry and physical science challenges. Experience how Carolina makes it easy to incorporate STEM into your classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Patti Kopkau (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Hale, MI)

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Explore hands-on training in biotechnology! Teachers in this workshop will conduct two activities with BioBuilder’s proven classroom and laboratory curriculum designed for students gain industry microcredentials and to be college and career ready. Search "BioTechBuilder" online to learn more!

SPEAKERS:
Natalie Kuldell (Biobuilder Educational Foundation: Newton Center, MA)

Sponsoring Company: Edvotek

Wildlife conservators often return captive-bred animals to their native habitats to rewild the area. In this interactive workshop, we’ll explore the use of RFLP analysis and phylogenetics in conservation biology to analyze the DNA samples of two lions. Can we return them to their ancestral home?

SPEAKERS:
Brian Ell (Edvotek Inc.: Washington, DC)

Sponsoring Company: Amplify

Learn from a panel of educators who have successfully made the shift to 3-D teaching and learning – what steps they took to begin, strengthen, and sustain their implementation journey and how it has impacted classroom culture and student growth.

SPEAKERS:
Leslie Stenger (The Lawrence Hall of Science: Santa Rosa, CA), Hilda Aganga-Williams (University of California Berkeley-Lawrence Hall of Science: WASHINGTON, DC)

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

From coffee to cola, many of your students’ favorite beverages contain acid! Help them investigate the acid concentrations in different drinks using pH sensors and a simple acid/base titration. Walk away with a go-to experiment and tips to connect key chemistry concepts to real-world food science.

Sponsoring Company: Vernier Science Education

Is there a reason to wear sneakers in gym class or a white shirt on a sunny day? The data say yes! Help middle school students explore real-world science with Vernier sensors that measure temperature, light, color, force & acceleration. Walk away with 3D, sensor-based experiments for your toolkit.

Sponsoring Company: Carolina Biological Supply Co.

Come experience a hands-on model lesson from OpenSciEd for Elementary School and discover how the Carolina Certified Version enhanced these high-quality instructional materials, making them more accessible, user-friendly, and safer for classroom use.

SPEAKERS:
Hoover Herrera (Carolina Biological Supply Co.: Cranford, NJ)

Sponsoring Company: LEGO® Education

Join LEGO Education for a special presentation/Q&A with Dr. Lisa Carnell from NASA’s Biological and Physical Science Division. Learn how they use space-based research to study phenomena in ways that cannot be done on Earth. Get inspired, be curious, and empower the next generation through science. 

Sponsoring Company: The Wonder of Science

Explore 3-dimensional science instruction through modeling, argument-driven inquiry, and phenomenon-based teaching. Learn to apply the NGSS SEPs and CCCs using best practices and resources from The Wonder of Science. Led by Paul Andersen, this hands-on workshop is inquiry-driven.

SPEAKERS:
Paul Andersen (Bozemanscience.com, Inc.: Bozeman, MT)

Sponsoring Company: LaMotte + Stroud Water Research Center

Observe aquatic macroinvertebrate specimens, conduct experiments, learn classification skills, and calculate a biotic index in this hands-on introduction to stream ecology. Come learn from a Stroud Water Research Scientist. Take-aways and door prize!

Sponsoring Company: PASCO Scientific

In this workshop, you’ll learn how to facilitate deeper student understanding of mole ratios, stoichiometry, and limiting reactants. This hands-on activity uses common household chemicals to simplify setup and a Wireless Pressure Sensor to support live data collection and immediate data analysis.

Sponsoring Company: Teachers' Curriculum Institute (TCI)

Join us for an interactive session where engineering meets speed dating! Experience hands-on challenges inspired by TCI's middle school science programs. Attendees will participate in engineering-focused "speed dates," uncovering valuable insights.

In three-dimensional science instruction, teachers play a critical role as designers of learning experiences that promote sensemaking. This session will explore how educators can implement high-quality instructional materials to create engaging, three-dimensional earning environments. Participants will examine key indicators of effective science instruction, their implications for classroom observations and evaluation, and strategies for fostering teacher confidence and innovation. Attendees will gain insights into supporting teachers as they design and implement meaningful, student-centered science learning experiences.

SPEAKERS:
Zoe Evans (Bremen City Schools: Carrollton, GA), Elizabeth Pawlowski (Taunton Public Schools: Taunton, MA)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Betsy Glisson (Studies Weekly: Dublin, GA)

You will learn how to use MFLOW, a web-based programming platform that makes it extremely easy to play with sounds and create sound compositions while learning the basics of programming. You will gain access to an NGSS-aligned curriculum to support students with coding and sound engineering.

TAKEAWAYS:
You will learn how to use MFLOW to sound engineer and code your own sound or music composition. Also, you will learn how to engage your students with coding through engineering design challenges.

SPEAKERS:
Alec Barron (UC San Diego)

Sponsoring Company: ECA Science Kit Services

In this session we will select 3-4 popular science programs to evaluate using the 15-Questions developed by ECA Science Kit Services. The objective is to have participants walk away with an easy guide to use as they evaluate different programs to adopt. The takeaway will be an understanding of how to set teachers up for success for implementation. This process will share information about alignment, usability and budget, as well as exposing “blindspot” costs. It will cover short-term and long-term goals for implementation. There will also be an activity related to the “usability” portion of the presentation. Participants will have a fun experience and leave with a navigational guide to support their adoption and implementation process.

SPEAKERS:
Heidi Harlan (ECA Science Kit Services: Commerce Charter Township, MI)

Animalearn will showcase hands-on and tech-focused dissection alternatives, including a newly developed and low cost dissectible frog model and AR/VR experiences that will wow middle school students.

TAKEAWAYS:
Middle level science teachers will learn about a wide variety of non-animal anatomy resources that can be utilized in the classroom to replace dissection specimens.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Green (Animalearn: Jenkintown, PA)

The American Meteorological Society’s Education Team offers four professional development courses for teachers throughout the year. Learn about these free opportunities to deepen your understanding of Earth Science topics and how to teach them.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will walk away with information about the DataStreme Weather and Ocean, Project Ice, and Project Atmosphere, including the focus and components of each course, types of activities, and how to apply.

SPEAKERS:
Diane Ripollone (Cardinal Gibbons High School: Garner, NC), Erin Smoak (American Meteorological Society: Savannah, GA)

The Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) immerses students and educators at all levels for free in STEM programming. Through competitions, summer camps, and comprehensive professional development, AEOP stands at the forefront of educational innovation, preparing participants to excel in life.

TAKEAWAYS:
You’ll discover how AEOP spans a variety of educational stages, offering tailored programs that empower both students and teachers to thrive in STEM. We’ll cover how these initiatives equip participants with crucial skills and experiences, setting the stage for personal and professional success.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Kutsch (National Science Teaching Association, eCYBERMISSION: Maumelle, AR)

NOAA Ocean Service Education offers classroom ready, standards aligned Earth science resources for teachers to immediately plug into existing curriculum, as well as opportunities to receive up to $5000 in funding to develop and carry out stewardship projects in their school or community.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will receive classroom ready, standards-aligned resources so they and their students can learn about Earth science in the air, on the ground, in the ocean, how it relates to their everyday lives, and how they can receive funding to address environmental impacts to their community

SPEAKERS:
Bruce Moravchik (NOAA National Ocean Service: Rockville, MD)

I will present an electrical circuit game that uses closed circuits and a switch. This game can be adapted for higher or lower classes and can be used for limitless topics.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will learn how to help students research, design, and build a closed circuit gameboard that uses simple materials.

Enhance your Earth and Space Science teaching and student learning with free instructional resources from Windows to the Universe! Bundle high-quality materials for effective lessons related to any Earth and space science topic.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will access the Windows to the Universe web resource filled with high quality instructional resources that can be used to enhance Earth and Space Science lessons.

SPEAKERS:
Margaret Holzer (none: Somerset, NJ)

Air Camp is a hands-on educational adventure in aviation and aeronautics for students in grades 4-12 and K-12 STEM educators. Aiming to connect, inspire, and provide STEM learning opportunities while offering teachers professional development, valuable resources, classroom materials, and much more.

TAKEAWAYS:
Access to teacher resources and professional development opportunities designed to integrate aviation-focused STEM lessons and real-world applications into the middle school classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Jennifer Stormer (3-6 STEM Teacher/ Elementary and Teacher Curriculum Specialist, Air Camp USA: Union, OH), Christina Davis (Air Camp USA, Inc.: Dayton, OH)

Our classrooms are filled with diverse learners who value choice. We must proactively design differentiated activities that empower students, fostering independence, creativity, and ownership. Join this share-a-thorn session to explore strategies for designing and implementing Choice & Voice!

TAKEAWAYS:
Takeaway from the share-a-thorn session include: designing Choice & Voice assessments and empowering students to be independent learners, knowledge constructors, and creative communicators. The presenter will share tested, standards-based Choice & Voice assessments and student work exemplars.

SPEAKERS:
Gaganjot Singh (Fulton Virtual: Roswell, GA)

All students should have access to high-quality STEM learning opportunities, especially PK-12 learning environments. Experience and learn how one small rural school has sparked excitement for STEM on the primary campus and continued to foster this environment on the secondary campus.

TAKEAWAYS:
After this session, participants will be able to learn how one small rural school has sparked excitement for STEM on the primary campus and continued to foster this environment on the secondary campus.

SPEAKERS:
Judy Butcher (Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship: Arlington, VA)

Explore the NASA Earth System Satellite Images for six variables over the course of a year and six lesson plans incorporating the My NASA Data Literacy Cubes to make sense of the mapped data.

TAKEAWAYS:
This resource uses differentiated resources to make sense of curated NASA Earth data.

SPEAKERS:
Angela Rizzi (NASA Langley Research Center/ADNET: Newport News, VA)

This middle school oyster curriculum project uses the Eastern Oyster in Chesapeake Bay as the organizing theme through 7 lessons that incorporate the three dimensions of learning and builds issue investigation skills.

TAKEAWAYS:
The interdisciplinary lesson sequence asks students to investigate how the Eastern oyster populations and the Chesapeake Bay watershed have changed since the time of Captain John Smith, the effect of land use on water quality, and how we can rebuild oyster populations and the reef ecosystems.

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

Shape of Life will debut their new animated film of the Tree of Life created by Ray Troll which depicts the beginning of life on earth.

TAKEAWAYS:
Through two featured Lesson Plans, teachers will learn how the film was constructed with a fun intereactive Tree of Life puzzle along with how to build animation.

SPEAKERS:
Denise Ryan (Shape of Life: Capitola, CA)

Learn to use the Sphero Mini robot to teach middle school students kinetics concepts like velocity, acceleration, and force. This session offers hands-on activities aligned with NGSS, fostering critical thinking, collaboration, and inquiry-based learning to make science engaging and interactive.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to integrate the Sphero Mini robot into science lessons to teach kinetics concepts such as velocity, acceleration, and force, using NGSS-aligned, hands-on activities that foster student engagement, critical thinking, and collaborative inquiry-based learning.

SPEAKERS:
Brian Marrero (Departamento de Educación de Puerto Rico: Bajadero, PR)

These materials have been compiled by the NSTA Middle Level Teaching Committee working in conjunction with our affiliate the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association (NMLSTA). They include a comprehensive document that displays resources linked to NGSS PEs.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away with a set of online resources that they can use immediately!

SPEAKERS:
Anne Schoeffler (Seton Catholic School: Macedonia, OH)

Students cross alleles to create a dragon genotype. They will then interpret the genotype into a phenotype and assemble a paper dragon.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to decode genotypes and turn them into phenotypes.

SPEAKERS:
Sharon Miller (St Anthony of Padua School: Falls Church, VA)

NGSS inquiry based lessons about food and energy, as well as energy transfer will be shared. All lessons are OER.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with an understanding and blueprint of how to incorporate these lessons into their classroom, as well as make necessary modifications.

SPEAKERS:
Liz Martinez (Indepedent: Escondido, CA)

Visiting teachers will explore strategies and resources to start or strengthen a Green Team at their school. Two experienced advisors—one specializing in 4-5th grade teams and another in 6-8th grade teams—will provide insights and actionable tips for launching or enhancing an effective Green Team.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about options for meeting schedules, team goals, and varying levels of involvement, so they can decide what will work best for their students. Beginners and those advisors with established teams will leave inspired with actionable ideas to implement and improve their Green Team.

SPEAKERS:
Sandra Metzger (Charles Boehm: Langhorne, PA), Kristin Slota (Afton Elementary: Holland, PA)

You will learn how the Dimensions of Success for Middle Grades Learning Engineering and Science (DoS-MiddLES) classroom observation system can help teachers reflect and discuss with peers about their strengths & areas for growth as they integrate resilience with science and engineering learning.

TAKEAWAYS:
Do you want to identify strategies to support your students' building resilience and thriving skills, such as perseverance, voice, reflection, or positive relationships, through engaging in authentic science and engineering experiences in grade 6 to 8 classrooms?

SPEAKERS:
Virginia Andrews (Institute for the Study of Resilience in Youth)

Come try engaging, exciting and hands-on biotechnology activities for middle school students. Using colored dyes, students learn the basics of pipetting and running an electrophoresis gel.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn about age appropriate biotechnology activities for middle school.

SPEAKERS:
Whitney Hagins (MiniOne Systems: San Diego, CA)

Using free or low-cost resources in the middle school classroom, you can get your students excited about earthquake science. IRIS and EarthScope resources will be shared, explained, and demonstrated.

TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will be able to have their classrooms and students monitor local, regional, and global seismic events even before they make national news stations. Authentic seismic data in the classroom will make your science classes more relevant and interesting for all students.

SPEAKERS:
David Curry (Newtown Middle School: Pipersville, PA)

Shape of Life provides FREE online resources that depicts the evolution of the animal kingdom on planet earth. Drived from a PBS eight hour series, Shape of Life offers short videos, animation film, lesson plans, feature articles and readings that have been engaging students all over the world.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how students may create their own cartoons and animations that depict the evolution of the animal kingdom as seen in the newly produced film by Ray Troll.

SPEAKERS:
Denise Ryan (Shape of Life: Capitola, CA)

This hands-on session is designed to engage elementary science teachers in a model lesson on building and testing ziplines using an engineering design process as advocated by the Next Generation Science Standards. We will also explore the physics, and energy and forces involved in a zipline.

TAKEAWAYS:
The experience within the session will help teachers develop a shared understanding of NGSS in action, 5E model, and engineering design process. Participants will work collaboratively to experience designing and testing ziplines for them to engage their future students in engineering design.

SPEAKERS:
Derek Cox (University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Lincoln, NE)

Girls Who Code (a global free non-profit) is on a mission to close the gender gap in tech and change the image of what a programmer looks like. Join us to learn about free CS resources and participate in an immersive deep dive on getting started with AI that you can adapt for your own classrooms.

TAKEAWAYS:
Join Girls Who Code and immerse yourself in an AI lesson for your elementary aged students that you can replicate in your classrooms tomorrow! We’ll reflect and make interdisciplinary connections between AI and your CS, Science, and Mathematics standards.

SPEAKERS:
Joe Ochterski (Girls Who Code: Middlefield, CT), Christine Thompson (Girls Who Code: Washington, DC)

Engage in plant-focused classroom demos and investigations using budget-friendly materials, and learn about community resources such as Master Gardeners who can ignite students' curiosity about plants in their local environment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will be provided with resources for implementing low-cost, standards-based life science demonstrations and investigations and learn about the classroom resources that their local Master Gardeners can provide free of cost.

SPEAKERS:
Lisa Cummings (Penn State: Jefferson Township, PA), Kristin Rearden (The University of Tennessee, Knoxville: Knoxville, TN)

What approach can science educators use to create assessment tasks that support instructional practice and students’ three-dimensional learning? Participants will experience designing 3-dimensional tasks for classroom use that will help their students build toward the NGSS performance expectations.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn how to construct 3-dimensional assessment tasks that they can use in their classroom to promote student learning of the NGSS performance expectations.

SPEAKERS:
Christopher Harris (WestEd: Menlo Park, CA), Joseph Krajcik (CREATE for STEM Institute, Michigan State University: East Lansing, MI)

It is powerful to connect science instruction to local phenomena and community priorities—but it is challenging work! Join us to explore benefits and cautions of adapting OpenSciEd instructional materials to local contexts and to learn multiple strategies for localization of resources.

TAKEAWAYS:
Leave with practical strategies and resources to adapt OpenSciEd effectively, making science education more culturally relevant, engaging, and impactful for their students.

SPEAKERS:
William Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), Melissa Campanella (University of Colorado Boulder: Baltimore, MD)

Engage in an 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:
Guy Ollison (BSCS Science Learning: Rancho Cordova, CA), Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Long Beach, CA)

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)

This session focuses on the context, vision, and projected impact of a career-connected learning framework that is being implemented across organization in the Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC). We will share a model for connecting STEM learning, in both in- and out-of school environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
A model for designing STEM learning experiences in articulated pathways to emphasize transitions and hand-offs that are critical for students to pursue STEM.

SPEAKERS:
John Lee (TGR Foundation: Irvine, CA), Eric Moore (TGR Foundation: Irvine, CA)

Sensemaking is essential to science learning. Reading, writing, and student discourse can foster sensemaking as students figure out phenomena in order to articulate their ideas when they write and talk. This doesn’t happen by accident and teachers need to plan opportunities for sensemaking to occur.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session, participants will see classroom examples of elementary students engaging in sensemaking through paired reading, focused writing tasks and prompted student discourse as well as develop their own prompts for sensemaking through reading, writing and student talk.

SPEAKERS:
Edwin Emmer (Richland School District Two: Columbia, SC)

Explore Shared Waters, a NGSS-aligned, hands-on curriculum for grades 3-6. This 10-lesson unit empowers students to investigate local watersheds and develop action projects to protect them. Perfect for educators looking for classroom-ready resources to engage students in environmental science.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will walk away equipped with a ready-to-use, NGSS-aligned curriculum that brings environmental science to life. They'll learn how to inspire students to explore, investigate, and protect their local watersheds through hands-on activities and impactful action projects.

SPEAKERS:
Nanette Marcum-Dietrich (Millersville University: Kennett Square, PA)

This session will use the attributes of sensemaking (phenomena and science ideas) through tactile, auditory and visual simulation to examine how organisms adapt to their environments. Participants will walk away with a free whale vision simulator which they can replicate to create a classroom set.

TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will participate in a “student hat” to explore the power of sensemaking via simulation to learn how whales have adapted to their environment. A “make and take” and lesson plan will allow teachers to apply the lesson easily in their own classroom.

SPEAKERS:
Robert Snyder (Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania: GROVE CITY, PA)

Join us as we simulate a mini unit on sound which integrates 1st grade reading, math, and science standards through an engineering task assessment.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will experience a project based learning task which integrates standards from multiple content areas.

SPEAKERS:
Nicole Bay (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT), Margaret Strehle (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT), Alyssa Larkham (Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy: North Windham, CT)

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

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

SPEAKERS:
Simone Nance (University of Southern Indiana: Newburgh, IN), Jenn Brown-Whale (Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE): Randallstown, MD), Anne Lowry (Aleph Academy: Reno, NV), Mary Lynn Hess (Goldsboro Elementary Magnet School: Sanford, FL), Jennifer Williams (Isidore Newman School: Belle Chasse, LA)

Explore how NSTA's formative assessment probes from the popular Uncovering Student Ideas series are used in an instructional sequence to understand the ideas your K-5 students bring to their learning, inform next steps for responsive instruction, and build a powerful thinking classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
A key takeaway is how to use formative assessment probes to uncover and understand the prior knowledge that K-5 students bring to their learning in order to tailor next steps where student thinking is valued, misconceptions are addressed, and deeper conceptual understanding is cultivated.

SPEAKERS:
Page Keeley (NSTA Past President: Fort Myers, FL)

This session will provide an overview of the major national policy trends relative to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education going into 2025. We will discuss what we can expect from the recent 2024 Election results and their implications for the science classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Learning what is brewing at the national level in STEM education and that trends you can expect in federal education policy in 2025.

SPEAKERS:
James Brown (STEM Education Coalition: Washington, DC)