STEM Teaching Tools at NSTA in Philadelphia (Philly), 2025

Posted on March 26, 2025

Our team with our collaborators presented at the NSTA National Conference in Philadelphia! We offered a series of 12 sessions inspired by STEM Teaching Tools and designed to help educators engage in climate justice instruction, leverage student sensemaking resources, take learning outside, and! At all sessions, participants received resources and strategies they can use in their classrooms. Those are all shared at the links below.

Thursday, March 27

8-9 AM: Teaching about the Intersections of Biology, Race, and Racism: Strategies, Curriculum Resources, and Research
Presenters: Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)
Folder of session resources

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

12:30-2 PM: Adapting Instructional Materials to Focus on Climate Justice: A High School OpenSciEd Physics Example
Presenters: Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)
Folder of session resources

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

2:20-3:20 PM: Engaging Students in Talking about Indigenous Sovereignty and Climate Systems
Presenters: Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC)
Folder of session resources

Youth need opportunities to learn about green colonialism and how Native Science and Indigenous sovereignty are fundamental to addressing the climate emergency. Workshop participants will engage in talk activities designed to support non-Indigenous youth in learning and processing these topics.

3:40-4:40 PM: Climate Justice Overview: Priority Areas and Educational Approaches
Presenters: Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC), Nancy Price (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)
Folder of session resources

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

Friday, March 28

8-9 AM: Supporting Equity and Justice Through Science Instruction: The Road Traveled and the One Ahead
Presenter: Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)
Folder of session resources

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

9:20-10:20 AM: Using Art Pedagogy in Science Class to Teach Climate Justice
Presenters: Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Nancy Price (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)
Folder of session resources

Learn about making art as a way of understanding and engaging climate and environmental justice issues happening in our world today. We will engage the current science related to climate change and produce art to creatively explore and communicate just responses.

1-2:30 PM: Supporting All Students in Making Sense of Phenomena By Building All of Their Intellectual Resources
Presenters: Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Nancy Price (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)
Folder of session resources

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

2:40-3:40 PM: Engaging in Climate Science Education Through Connections to Everyday Life, Equity, and Justice
Presenters: Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)
Folder of session resources

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

4-5 PM: Supporting Youths’ Climate Emotions as Authentic Dimensions of Sensemaking
Presenters: Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA); Deb Morrison (University of Washington: Salt Spring Island, BC)
Folder of session resources

Understanding how to constructively respond to the diverse emotions youth express and experience as they engage in climate learning is essential work for educators. We will explore approaches for responding to youths’ eco-emotions, and how these can help students make better sense of the world.

Saturday, March 29

8:30 - 10:00 AM: Making Science Instruction Compelling for All Students: How to Integrate the Cultural Lives of Your Students into Your Teaching
Presenters: Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)
Folder of session resources

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

10:20-11:20 AM: Core Practices that Center Justice in Ambitious Teaching
Presenters: Genna Wilson (Arcadia High School: Irondequoit, NY), Hannah Cooke , Samantha Stickley (San Marcos Middle School: Oceanside, CA), April Luehmann (University of Rochester: Rochester, NY), Molly Wilson (Warner School of Education and Human Development), Gavin Jenkins (East High School: Rochester, NY)

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

11:40 - 1:10 PM: Get Your Students Outside to Learn Science!
Presenters: Philip Bell (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Nancy Price (University of Washington: Seattle, WA), Kelsie Fowler (University of Washington: Seattle, WA)
Folder of session resources

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