STEM Teaching Tools at NSTA in Kansas City

Posted on October 09, 2023

Join our team and our collaborators at the NSTA National Conference in Kansas City on October 25-28, 2023! We are offering a series of 16 sessions inspired by STEM Teaching Tools. We are offering specific sessions designed to help educators: teach climate and environmental justice, select equitable anchor phenomena, connect learning to youth interests and identities, and many other topics! At all sessions, participants will receive resources and strategies they can use to support equity in their classrooms.

Read below for session details.

All sessions are in Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 D unless otherwise indicated

Thursday, Oct. 26

8-9am: Developing Storylines from a Compelling Anchor
Presenter: Bill Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder)
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Presenting a compelling phenomenon or design challenge requires framing a question and choosing material carefully. Building a storyline requires testing out a launch of a unit to anticipate student questions about it, and first identifying what students will figure out in each lesson of a unit before it occurs.

8-9am: CSSS: Conversations about systemic supports for teaching sustainability and climate change topics (LOCATION: Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 F)
Presenter(s): Deb L Morrison (University of Washington), Brian Mandell (Smithsonian Science Education Center), Molly Talbot (Louisiana Dept. of Education)
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Teaching climate change in diverse contexts can be challenging. However, working with colleagues, community members, and leaders in business, government and non-profits can ensure that such teaching persists and expands as needed. This session will share examples and name challenges and opportunities to building systemic supports for teaching climate change.

1-2pm: Exploring Local Phenomena through a Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Lens
Presenter(s): Deb L Morrison (University of Washington), John Olson (Metropolitan State University), Brian Mandell (Smithsonian Science Education Center)
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After learning about the SDGs, participants will explore the interrelationships between the SDG Framework and local phenomena for use in their own teaching. Participants will consider examples of how this framework can be used to teach students about sustainability, climate solutions, and green economy transitions that are critical to our shared future.

2:20-3:20pm: Selecting Anchoring Phenomena for Equitable 3D Teaching (Part 1 of 2)

3:40-4:40pm: Selecting Anchoring Phenomena for Equitable 3D Teaching (Part 2 of 2)
Presenter(s): Bill Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder), Tiffany Neill (University of Washington)
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Phenomena are foundational to science and intellectual pursuits in general! Come make sense of the idea of phenomena and think about how phenomena-based instruction can engage your students in meaningful learning.

3:40-4:40pm: CSSS: Teaching Climate Through a Sustainable Development Goals Lens (LOCATION: Kansas City Convention Center - 3501 F)
Presenter(s): Deb L Morrison (University of Washington), Brian Mandell (Smithsonian Science Education Center), Molly Talbot (Louisiana Dept. of Education)
Folder of session resources

Teaching climate change in diverse contexts can be challenging. However, working with colleagues, community members, and leaders in business, government and non-profits can ensure that such teaching persists and expands as needed. This session will share examples and name challenges and opportunities to building systemic supports for teaching climate change.

Friday, Oct. 27

8-9am: Organizing Classroom Talk to Hear All Students’ Ideas: Equity-focused 3D Formative Assessment Through Talk
Presenter(s): Deb L Morrison (University of Washington), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington)
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This session supports teachers to understand how best to meet the needs of all learners by starting from where students are at, then drawing on their intuitive ideas and real-world experiences to inform instruction.

10:40-11:40am: Resources for Engaging in Climate Justice Centered Teaching and Learning Strand: Teaching strategies for classroom practice
Presenter(s): Deb L. Morrison (University of Washington), Philip Bell (University of Washington), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington)
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Climate Ed Tools contain rich examples of climate justice instruction, strategies for engaging youth, and to support climate change learning and communication among educators. These open education resources (OER) include video overviews, valuable guidance educators, and tons of background resources!

1:20-2:20pm: Teaching Science to Support Caring Ecological Relationships and Practices
Presenter(s): Philip Bell (University of Washington), Nancy Price (University of Washington), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington)
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Human-nature relationships are culturally and historically rooted and are embedded in approaches to science teaching and learning. Supporting reciprocal and caring human-nature relationships leads to socio-ecologically just and thriving systems—and aligns with NGSS 3D learning.

2:40-3:40pm: Making the most of the first week of school: transforming expectations to establish new norms
Presenter(s): April Luehmann (University of Rochester), James Kostka (New Visions Charter High Schools for Advanced Math & Science II), Hannah Cooke (University of Connecticut), Katrina Robinson (Chemistry Teacher), Ellen Ellison (Naples Central School District)
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Attendees will learn tools to create a culture-setting first unit that energizes students’ engagement in deep learning through a focus on equity. Student-created identity maps, discussion circles focused on science and justice, and using student science outside of the classroom are three such tools.

4-5pm: Promoting Equity by Systematically Noticing and Responding to Learning Experiences through Practical Measures
Presenter(s): Philip Bell (University of Washington), Bill Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder), Deb L. Morrison (University of Washington) & Tiffany Neill (University of Washington)
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Students experience learning in widely variable ways due to different factors. Our guide shows how quick, goal-driven assessments can meaningfully guide how learning is experienced—in a classroom and even across an educational system.

Saturday, Oct. 28

8-9am: How to Design Justice-Focused 3D Assessments in Science
Presenter(s): Bill Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder), Philip Bell (University of Washington)
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Participants will learn about a detailed nine-step process for conceiving, developing, testing, refining, and using 3D science assessments focused on social justice phenomena and topics. Open education resources that support this assessment development process will also be shared.

10:40-11:40am: Supporting All Students Make Sense of Phenomena By Building All of Their Intellectual Resources
Presenter(s): Philip Bell (University of Washington)
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Culturally responsive education supports student sensemaking and learning in science. Inclusive science strategies help teachers learn to see students’ diverse sensemaking resources. These methods help us create and adapt curriculum that is equitable and centered on justice.

1:20-2:20pm: Adapting Open Education Resources (OER) Instructional Materials to Connect to Local Phenomena and Priorities
Presenter(s): Bill Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder), Tiffany Neill (University of Washington), Lindsey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning)
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Participants will leave with practical strategies and resources to adapt OER materials effectively, making science education more culturally relevant, engaging, and impactful for their students.

2:40-3:40pm: Engaging in climate science education through connections to everyday life, equity, and justice
Presenter(s): Deb L. Morrison (University of Washington), Philip Bell (University of Washington), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington)
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This session will explore ways to teach about climate science that provide insight into the lived experiences and current adaptations of those most impacted by climate change. Participants will gain strategies for engaging in climate change and climate justice learning that are appropriate to grade band NGSS standards, climate and energy literacy standards, and for both school and community-based learning contexts.

4-5pm: STEM Teaching Tools: Free Resources to Support Equitable 3D Science Instruction
Presenter(s): Philip Bell (University of Washington), Nancy Price (University of Washington), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington)
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STEM Teaching Tools is a freely-available collection of practice briefs that contain recommendations and strategies for implementing the vision of the Framework and NGSS. They support educator professional learning, both individually and in professional learning communities.