NSTA 2024 New Orleans
BSCS is proud to once again provide a professional learning institute, hands-on workshops, and presentations at this year’s NSTA National Conference in New Orleans, November 6-9, 2024! Details listed below, or click here for more information and the most current room locations and times (enter in search bar: BSCS Science Learning).
November 6
PLI-2: OpenSciEd for Elementary is HERE!
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING INSTITUTE
Wednesday, November 6 • 8:15 AM – 3:15 PM
Hilton New Orleans Riverside – Canal
Join us to learn about the new OpenSciEd program for elementary grades coming soon to a classroom near you. Learn how this instructional approach supports all students in figuring out complex science issues in their world through a coherent storyline. During the session, we’ll engage participants in a common, immersive curriculum-based professional learning experience, provide opportunities to explore key aspects of the instructional materials through video and consider how the OpenSciEd Elementary classroom agreements can support an inclusive classroom culture.
TAKEAWAYS:
Learn how the OpenSciEd Elementary instructional design supports three-dimensional science learning for all students and how classroom agreements can be used to support student belonging and sensemaking in science.
SPEAKERS:
Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Yanira Vazquez (Instructional Coach)
November 7
Leadership for Evaluating and Selecting Instructional Materials Using NextGen TIME
PRESENTATION
Thursday, November 7 • 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 267
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
NextGen TIME is a free suite of tools and processes that supports districts in preparing to evaluate instructional materials for quality and design for the Next Generation Science Standards (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.
SPEAKER:
Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Science and ELD: Providing designated ELD in Science Classroom
PRESENTATION
Thursday, November 7 • 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 275
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
This workshop addresses the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) by showcasing how designated English Language Development (ELD) standards are embedded in an 8th grade integrated course and a 9th grade Physics in the Universe course. Both NGSS and ELD standards are in the model provided to the participants.
TAKEAWAYS:
Long term English Language Learners are marginalized as they are denied elective courses by being placed in an ELD class. Research also shows that language is better acquired through experience, of which an NGSS class is the perfect setting for both science and language.
SPEAKERS:
Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Shay Fairchild (Norwalk La Mirada Unified School District: Norwalk, CA)
Leadership for Equity through the Implementation of High-Quality Instructional Materials
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Thursday, November 7 • 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 267
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
Far too often, equity efforts are relegated to the sidelines instead of being embedded in core curriculum leadership tasks. Join us to consider how anchoring science leadership in equity principles can remove barriers to science teaching and learning through curriculum implementation efforts.
TAKEAWAYS:
The implementation of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) can lead to more equitable systems when barriers to equity are confronted and removed. The process of confronting barriers includes collaborating for justice, taking small actions to learn, and continual reflection and revision of implementation plans based on data.
SPEAKERS:
Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
ELA and Math in OpenSciEd’s 5th Grade Nurse Logs Unit
PRESENTATION
Thursday, November 7 • 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 275
STRAND: Students and Sensemaking
Explore the storyline of the newly released OpenSciEd Unit 5.1 How does a nurse log help other things live and grow? and see how students leverage connections to English Language Arts (ELA) and math as they investigate and make sense of ecosystems and matter cycling.
TAKEAWAYS:
OpenSciEd Elementary units provide significant opportunities for students to explicitly connect with grade-level mathematics, reading, writing, speaking and listening, and language standards in service of their science sensemaking.
SPEAKERS:
Gen Zoufal (Project Manager), Cathery Yeh (Assistant Professor), Gail Housman (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Amy Belcastro (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Course: Building Capacity for Adapting High-Quality Instructional Materials for Local Standards
PRESENTATION
Thursday, November 7 • 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 272
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
Many schools need high-quality units to meet their state standards, especially if they vary significantly from the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). BSCS has extensive experience with designing and adapting Storylines units. Come to this session to apply a BSCS design tool that can be used for adaptation.
TAKEAWAYS:
Experience with a tool to unpack and compare target standards by clarifying key ideas, listing prerequisites and challenges, and considering what students should “figure out” and not just “learn about.” Consider and share how to apply tools and processes for adapting high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) in your local context.
SPEAKERS:
Elaine Klein (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jean Flanagan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Leading Learning for ALL Students Using the Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) Instructional Model
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Thursday, November 7 • 2:20 PM – 3:20 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 267
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
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 AIL 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.
SPEAKER:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
November 8
Customize a Climate Change Storyline Unit with locally relevant phenomena and solutions that connect with students’ interests and communities
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, November 8 • 9:20 AM – 10:20 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 272
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
Participants will engage with a unit on climate change designed to be localized. They will use tools to brainstorm local anchoring phenomena and ways to make the unit relevant for their students, community, and teaching context. All materials are freely available.
TAKEAWAYS:
Climate change units should help students understand the impacts they are experiencing and prepare them to participate in solutions. Localizing students’ climate learning is one way to do that. Storyline design tools and resources can support teachers in developing this kind of localized learning.
SPEAKERS:
Candice Guy-Gaytán (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Betty Stennett (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Audrey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Lindsey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Emily Harris (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Building District Capacity to Design and Use Common Assessments for 5D Science
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, November 8 • 9:20 AM – 10:20 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 39
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
Want to improve learning through common assessments? To do so, you need a way to design assessments efficiently that cover a wide range of standards and a way to score assessments that fits your capacity as a school or district. In this workshop, join us to explore practical common assessment design.
TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with a process for designing, administering, and scoring common assessments that require students to apply three dimensions of science to explain phenomena and solve problems that are meaningful to students and important to their communities.
SPEAKERS:
Abraham Lo (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Kate Henson (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), William Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO)
Creating Productive Classroom Environments for All Students: OpenSciEd Elementary
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, November 8 • 10:40 AM – 12:10 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 275
STRAND: Students and Sensemaking
Experience how classroom agreements can create productive and safe spaces for elementary students to share their ideas, let those ideas change and grow, and engage with each other as a community of learners.
TAKEAWAYS:
Elementary students can co-construct classroom agreements that support an environment where they recognize that science can be done in many ways, feel safe and compelled to share their ideas and questions, listen/look/respond to others’ ideas, and let their ideas change and grow.
SPEAKERS:
María González-Howard (The University of Texas at Austin: Austin, TX), Amy Belcastro (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
5D Assessment: Using student interest and identity to design meaningful, phenomenon-driven assessment opportunities for students
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, November 8 • 10:40 AM – 11:40 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 272
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
Learn how student interest and identity are co-equal dimensions with disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts when designing phenomenon-driven assessments. Participants will learn how to use tools to elicit information about students for use in design.
TAKEAWAYS:
Educators engage with the 5D Assessment Project’s tools to elicit and use information about students’ interests and identities to design meaningful, phenomenon-driven assessment opportunities. Work with examples of meaningful assessment aligned to the elements of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
SPEAKERS:
Elaine Klein (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), William Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), Abraham Lo (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Leading Change
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, November 8 • 10:40 AM – 11:40 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 267
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
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:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jim Short (Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY)
OpenSciEd Elementary Classroom Discussions
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, November 8 • 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 275
STRAND: Students and Sensemaking
Engage in a new OpenSciEd Elementary unit and see how classroom discussions can support ALL students’ in using their ideas, experiences, and evidence for collective sensemaking.
TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will learn about how to engage elementary students in classroom discussion to share initial ideas, build understanding and come to consensus about the phenomenon they are trying to collectively figure out.
SPEAKERS:
Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Leadership for Launch—Getting the Right People on the Bus!
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, November 8 • 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 267
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
Once you’ve adopted high-quality instructional materials, how do leaders ensure effective and sustained implementation, especially at high school? Join us to explore features of transformative professional learning that address a range of concerns teachers may have about implementation and change.
TAKEAWAYS:
Effective and sustained implementation of high-quality instructional materials requires planning for change prior to implementation, generating excitement, providing transformative professional learning, monitoring implementation progress and using data to support continuous improvement.
SPEAKERS:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jim Short (Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY), Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Choosing Phenomena for Standards-Based Assessments that Connect to Students’ Interests and Community Priorities
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, November 8 • 1:20 PM – 2:50 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 272
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
Want to create 3D assessment tasks that students enjoy completing and leave wanting to learn more? Join us for this session where we will explore three different approaches to choosing phenomena and problems for assessments that align to standards and connect to students’ interests and identities.
TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will leave with a plan for learning about your students’ interests and the priorities of their communities pertaining to a 3D standard you are teaching and assessing next semester.
SPEAKERS:
Elaine Klein (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), William Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), Abraham Lo (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Embedding Literacy Supports in 3D Units for Equitable Sensemaking and Learning
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, November 8 • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 275
STRAND: Students and Sensemaking
Experience how embedding literacy supports for reading, writing, and academic discourse in 3D teaching and learning promotes sensemaking and science understanding for ALL learners! Learn how the BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model embeds literacy supports throughout cycles of inquiry.
TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS AIL instructional model succeeds the 5Es and embeds literacy supports for reading, writing, and academic discourse in conjunction with science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts to promote students in figuring out key science ideas.
SPEAKER:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
BSCS Climate Education Pathways The Choice Between Two Cities: How did the opening of the Morganza Spillway in 2011 impact Louisiana’s ecosystem?
PRESENTATION
Friday, November 8 • 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 272
STRAND: Students and Sensemaking
The purpose of this study is to design phenomena based storyline using localized climate change learning experiences to test student’s environmental science agency. During this study, educators tested a model with a base unit that is designed for a teacher to adapt phenomena with additional support.
TAKEAWAYS:
Empower educators with a flexible storyline model supported by BSCS that encourages students to apply their learning in real-world scenarios beyond the classroom.
SPEAKER:
Neotha Williams (Science Teacher/Mentor Teacher, LA)
November 9
Leadership for Sustainability and Ongoing Improvement
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Saturday, November 9 • 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 267
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
Sustaining the use of high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) requires monitoring progress throughout implementation. Join us to consider how leaders from one district gathered and analyzed data to inform decisions and how lessons learned can help refine your plan for the sustained use of HQIM.
TAKEAWAYS:
Deepen understanding of data collection tools and how to use them to inform planning to support the sustained and effective use of high-quality instructional materials.
SPEAKER:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Choosing Phenomena for Standards-Based Assessments that Connect to Students’ Interests and Community Priorities
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Saturday, November 9 • 11:40 AM – 12:40 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 391
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
Want to create 3D assessment tasks that students enjoy completing and leave wanting to learn more? Join us for this session where we will explore three different approaches to choosing phenomena and problems for assessments that align to standards and connect to students’ interests and identities.
TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will leave with a plan for learning about your students’ interests and the priorities of their communities pertaining to a 3D standard you are teaching and assessing next semester.
SPEAKERS:
William Penuel (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), Abraham Lo (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Developing and Leading Partnerships among Students, Teachers, and Scientists
PRESENTATION
Saturday, November 9 • 11:40 AM – 12:40 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 267
STRAND: Curriculum and Assessment
Learn how one program developed and sustained classroom-based partnerships with scientists to strengthen teacher practice. PlantingScience is a free online resource for teachers. It provides volunteer scientists, resources, and activities to support innovation in teaching, learning, and mentoring.
TAKEAWAYS:
The Planting Science Student Teacher Scientist Partnership provides a unique opportunity for teachers to provide inquiry experiences for their students, by connecting volunteer scientists to student teams for student-centered research projects. Learn how to access the free PlantingScience resources.
SPEAKER:
Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Ripples to Waves: High School Environmental Science Curriculum That Asks Why New Orleans is so Vulnerable to Flooding and What we Can do About it
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Saturday, November 9 • 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center – 393
STRAND: Students and Sensemaking
This workshop will introduce attendees to a localized OpenSciEd unit designed to help 9th graders understand why New Orleans floods so frequently from everyday rainstorms. We will engage in student hat to investigate one of the causes of this issue and reflect on implications for other classrooms.
TAKEAWAYS:
Attendees will learn how to use modeling to draw conclusions about complex environmental science ideas that are relevant to students’ everyday lives. They will leave with a unit storyline and ideas for how to apply these strategies in different contexts.
SPEAKERS:
Claire Anderson (Ripple Effect), Lindsey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
