NSTA 2023
You won’t want to miss the presentations, workshops, and full-day institute provided by BSCS Science Learning at this year’s NSTA National Conference in Atlanta, March 22-25, 2023! Details listed below, or click here for more information (enter in search bar: “BSCS Science Learning”).
PLI-3: Transforming Teaching through Curriculum-Based Professional Learning
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING INSTITUTE
Wednesday, March 22 • 8:15 AM – 3:30 PM
Georgia World Congress Center – B408
Registration for the conference is required. Ticket Price: $150 (Full-day)
Click here to learn more and purchase ticket (enter in search bar: “PLI-3”).
Shifting from traditional professional learning to curriculum-based professional learning is a simple concept but complex to design and execute well. At its core, it means teachers experience the same kind of three-dimensional, phenomenon-driven science learning we expect them to provide their students and are supported over time as they take on new practices in their classrooms. It means leaders apply a systems approach to professional learning. This approach is grounded in high-quality instructional materials and the instructional model, routines, and practices consistent with the design of the materials. The Carnegie Corporation of New York report, The Elements, identifies a core set of research-based actions, approaches, and enabling conditions that effective schools and systems have put in place to reinforce and amplify the power of high-quality curricula enacted by teachers prepared to use the materials. In this session, you’ll immerse yourself in the Elements and consider strategies for applying them to your plans for professional learning.
SPEAKERS:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jim Short (Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY), Susan Gomez-Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Transforming Teaching through Curriculum-Based Professional Learning: Strand 1: Learning Designs, Beliefs, and Models
PRESENTATION
Thursday, March 23 • 9:45 AM – 10:45 AM
Georgia World Congress Center – B408
Click here to learn more (enter in search bar: “Strand 1”).
Shifting from traditional professional learning to curriculum-based professional learning is a simple concept but complex to design and execute well. At its core, it means teachers experience the same kind of three dimensional, phenomenon-driven science learning we expect them to provide their students and are supported over time as they take on new practices in their classrooms. It means leaders apply a systems approach to professional learning. This approach is grounded in high-quality instructional materials and the instructional model, routines, and practices consistent with the design of the materials.
TAKEAWAYS:
concrete ideas about how you, as a leader, can plan for effective curriculum-based professional learning. excerpted chapter(s) of the new book by Jim Short and Stephanie Hirsh, Transforming Teaching through Curriculum-Based Professional Learning.
SESSION LEADERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jim Short (Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY), Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Lindsey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Designing for justice in OpenSciEd High School Biology, Chemistry, and Physics
PRESENTATION
Thursday, March 23 • 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center – International Ballroom D
Designing for justice means centering inquiry on phenomena that cross the artificial boundary between human and natural systems. The result is instruction that not only teaches students to understand the natural world, but broadens their perspectives on how humans fit into natural systems, what constitutes science, and what they can accomplish using science. In high school, some of the design problems that students are noticing in the world may feel overwhelming, but breaking them down using the ideas and practices of science can help students find hope and resilience. For example in OpenSciEd High School, students ask: Where should we focus efforts on treatment and prevention of cancer? What can we do to make driving safer for everyone? How can we slow the flow of energy on Earth to protect vulnerable communities? To answer these, students must use science ideas and practices to understand/think creatively about design problems that emerge from complex systems at the nature-human divide.
TAKEAWAYS:
NGSS-designed instruction that is oriented toward justice can not only teach students to understand the natural world, but broadens their perspectives on how humans fit into natural systems, what constitutes science, and what they can accomplish using science.
SPEAKERS:
Zoë Buck Bracey (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Samantha (DeMatteo) Pinter (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Jamie Deutch Noll (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
NextGen TIME: A Toolkit for Materials Evaluation
PRESENTATION
Thursday, March 23 • 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Georgia World Congress Center – B408
We know two things: 1) the purchase of new instructional materials represents a significant district investment and 2) effective classroom use of high-quality instructional materials improves student learning. NextGen TIME can help districts ensure investment in the best possible instructional materials and provide them to teachers prepared to use them effectively. NextGen TIME is a suite of tools and processes to support districts in evaluating, selecting, and implementing instructional materials designed for the NGSS. NextGen TIME is also designed as a professional learning experience for teachers to deepen their understanding of NGSS as they analyze instructional materials. It addresses the needs of states, districts, and schools for a deep understanding of the NGSS to make selection decisions for instructional materials, plan for implementation of those materials, and provide teacher professional learning that enables effective implementation of NGSS‐aligned teaching and learning.
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:
Susan Gomez-Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
BSCS Biology: Understanding for Life by Kendall Hunt
EXHIBITOR WORKSHOP
Thursday, March 23 • 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Georgia World Congress Center – A312
Sponsoring Company: Kendall Hunt
BSCS Biology: Understanding for Life is designed for the NGSS. The inquiry-based program leverages the new BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model as well as literacy and sensemaking strategies to support all learners. Join us to explore the program’s benefits and key features.
SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Using Societal Challenges as Phenomena in 3D Units to Develop Student Agency
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Thursday, March 23 • 2:20 PM – 3:20 PM
Georgia World Congress Center – B408
The Framework for K-12 Science Education and NGSS call for learning that is grounded in real world phenomena and problems to ensure that science learning is relevant to all students. The BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model succeeds the 5Es and utilizes complex and culturally relevant societal challenges to anchor multiple cycles of inquiry and sensemaking, culminating with student explanations/design solutions. AIL employs science education research emphasizing coherence from students’ perspective. In this session, participants will 1) consider their own ideas about teaching complex societal challenges, 2) experience 3D learning and sensemaking strategies and consider the science concepts of a societal challenge (e.g., antibiotic resistance, heart disease, food sustainability, anthropogenic changes to biodiversity), and 3) consider how using societal issues as anchoring phenomena and problems can motivate students and develop agency in addressing complex issues.
TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model succeeds the 5Es and leverages complex societal issues as anchoring phenomena/problems, culminating tasks, and performance assessments in 3D units of instruction to motivate students and develop agency in addressing these issues.
SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Anchoring student learning in locally relevant problems and solutions: An example storyline from the Climate Education Pathways project
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Thursday, March 23 • 2:20 PM – 3:20 PM
Georgia World Congress Center – B304
Phenomenon-driven learning is becoming increasingly more central in science education since the release of the Framework for K-12 Science Education and NGSS. Most high-quality curriculum currently available are designed for widespread relevance. However, teaching content areas like climate change presents a unique problem because using phenomena with widespread relevance becomes disconnected from the real problems that students are experiencing in their communities now. As part of the Climate Education Pathways project, teachers co-design units with curriculum developers so that portions of the unit are grounded in local phenomena, problems, and solutions. In this session, participants will 1) experience, in student hat, a localized anchoring phenomenon designed for students in the southeast U.S., 2) reflect on the storyline that unfolds from this anchoring experience and consider the benefits and trade-offs of localizing a unit in terms of student learning and perceived relevance.
TAKEAWAYS:
Anchoring student learning in local phenomena and problems can tap into students’ interest and perceived relevance of science learning to their life and community. A storyline based on local problems also position students to for meaningful activities for future learning and taking action now.
SPEAKERS:
Enya Granados (Ms., GA), Audrey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Lindsey Mohan (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO),
Supporting Mathematics Thinking for All Students in High School Science
PRESENTATION
Thursday, March 23 • 3:40 PM – 4:40 PM
Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center – International Ballroom D
Engagement in the practices of Analyzing Data (SEP 4) and Using Mathematical and Computational Thinking (SEP 5) requires students to employ thinking that they developed in their previous math courses. At the high school level, some science materials spend time reviewing some of these skills at the start of the year, before having students apply them to the science concepts being targeted. We illustrate a different approach, using a freely available open-source high school science program. This approach leverages these practices when needed, in service of explaining phenomena and designing solutions. This helps students engage with these practices as sensemaking tools, deepening student understanding of the science and fluency in employing math in novel ways. We explore how complex engagement with these practices is supported in the three high school courses – carrying capacity in biology, density in chemistry, and momentum in physics.
TAKEAWAYS:
Leveraging data analysis and mathematical thinking in context to explain phenomena and design solutions, rather than front-loading skills, helps students engage with these practices as sensemaking tools, deepening student understanding of the science and fluency in employing math in novel ways.
SPEAKERS:
Jamie Deutch Noll (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Nicole Vick (Northwestern University), Jim Ryan (OpenSciEd: New York, NY), Michael Novak (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL)
Anchored Inquiry Learning: Designing Meaningful Instruction to Make Sense of Authentic Phenomena
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, March 24 • 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM
Georgia World Congress Center – B408
The Framework for K-12 Science Education and NGSS call for 3D learning grounded in authentic phenomena and problems to ensure relevant learning for ALL students. Instructional materials design helps achieve these synergistic goals and create meaningful classroom sensemaking and learning. The BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model succeeds the 5Es and utilizes authentic phenomena/problems to anchor multiple cycles of inquiry and sensemaking, culminating with student explanations/design solutions. AIL employs science education research emphasizing coherence from students’ perspective. In this session, participants will 1) consider how AIL integrates elements of the 5E instructional model, NextGen storylines, and problem-based learning instructional models; 2) experience an sample lesson to deepen their understanding of the approach, and 3) consider their own education contexts and how they can apply AIL to design meaningful learning experiences for their students.
TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model succeeds the 5Es and leverages authentic phenomena/problems to anchor cycles of inquiry and sensemaking. This approach provides instructional coherence from students’ perspective, equitable access, and motivation for ALL learners.
SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Transforming Teaching through Curriculum-Based Professional Learning: Strand 2: Change Management
PRESENTATION
Friday, March 24 • 10:40 AM – 11:40 AM
Georgia World Congress Center – B408
Click here to learn more (enter in search bar: “Strand 2”).
Curriculum implementation is complicated and requires significant support and resources so that systems can make the needed shifts in practice to effectively use high-quality instructional materials. Dig into the Change Management element from the Functional Design Features to figure out how lessons about change can help leaders lead change in their systems.
TAKEAWAYS:
Gain concrete ideas about how you, as a leader, can plan for effective curriculum-based professional learning. excerpted chapter(s) of the new book by Jim Short and Stephanie Hirsh, Transforming Teaching through Curriculum-Based Professional Learning.
SESSION LEADERS:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jim Short (Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY), Susan Gomez-Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Zoë Buck Bracey (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Building Climate Understandings for Equity and Social Justice Across the High School Curriculum
PRESENTATION
Friday, March 24 • 1:20 PM – 2:20 PM
Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center – International Ballroom D
Traditionally, climate is a topic taught in a separate Earth Science course. However, to understand climate and how it intersects with issues of social justice and equity, students need to grasp multiple disciplinary science ideas across various contexts and perspectives. OpenSciEd High School approaches this challenge by integrating climate topics across units in biology, chemistry and physics. It is through this integration that students not only learn climate but also develop ideas around how humans influence, and are influenced by, the environment around them. In biology students connect wildfires to energy and matter cycling and make connections between a changing climate and species extinction. Students build these ideas to examine large-scale climate systems in chemistry connected to rising sea levels, ocean acidification, and fuel use. In physics students focus on the role of energy transfer in relation to communities’ interactions with geological, space and climate systems.
TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will see how climate understandings are built coherently across the OpenSciEd high school program while addressing social justice and equity. Various disciplinary lenses are leveraged across courses to explore how humans influence and are influenced by climate.
SPEAKERS:
Kate Henson (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), Diego Rojas-Perilla (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Ann Rivet (Teachers College, Columbia University: New York, NY), Nicole Vick (Northwestern University)
Embedding Literacy Supports in 3D Units for Equitable Sensemaking and Learning
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, March 24 • 1:20 PM – 2:20 PM
Georgia World Congress Center – B408
The Framework for K-12 Science Education and NGSS call for 3D learning grounded in real world phenomena to ensure that science learning is equitable and relevant to all students. The SEPs and CCCs require students to make sense of complex texts and data as well as communicate explanations and arguments and engage in scientific discourse. The BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model succeeds the 5Es and embeds literacy supports in the SEPs and CCCs to support ALL students in attaining this vision. In this session, participants will 1) experience literacy strategies (Science Close Reading protocol, Annotation Stems, Scientific Argument Tool, and Communicating in Scientific Ways talk stems) that support student engagement in the SEPs and CCCs, 2) consider how these strategies support all students, particularly below grade-level readers and EMLs, in sensemaking, and 3) consider how embedding these strategies in assessments allows all students to demonstrate their learning.
TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning 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.
SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Support for Engineering Practices in the OpenSciEd High School Course Sequence
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, March 24 • 2:40 PM – 3:40 PM
Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center – International Ballroom D
Recent reform documents have fostered the integration between engineering design and science education to help students prepare for current and future societal challenges. The introduction of engineering presents pedagogical challenges for teachers. However, teachers often lack access to instructional materials that include guidelines and supports to help their students use engineering design for sense making of scientific ideas coherently throughout all grade bands. Participants will experience how High School OpenSciEd Biology, Chemistry, and Physics support engineering practices and DCIs. Presenters will share how engineering thinking progresses within and across the three courses, as well as giving participants brief student hat experiences of engineering practice from particular units. The supports in the units include structured engineering design and sense-making, as well as decision-making around complex problems.
TAKEAWAYS:
Teachers will experience the different scaffolds and instructional supports for engineering thinking included in the High School OpenSciEd materials. Participants will see how they could use similar supports and materials in their own contexts and learn how high school OpenSciEd units will extend this work.
SPEAKERS:
Dan Voss (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Kate Henson (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), Diego Rojas-Perilla (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Transforming Teaching through Curriculum-Based Professional Learning: Strand 3: Core Design Features and the Essentials
PRESENTATION
Saturday, March 25 • 10:20 AM – 11:20 AM
Georgia World Congress Center – B408
Click here to learn more (enter in search bar: “Strand 3”).
Shifting from traditional professional learning to curriculum-based professional learning is a simple concept but complex to design and execute well. At its core, it means teachers experience the same kind of three dimensional, phenomenon-driven science learning we expect them to provide their students and are supported over time as they take on new practices in their classrooms. It means leaders apply a systems approach to professional learning. This approach is grounded in high-quality instructional materials and the instructional model, routines, and practices consistent with the design of the materials. The Carnegie Corporation of New York report, The Elements, identifies a core set of research-based actions, approaches, and enabling conditions that effective schools and systems have put in place to reinforce and amplify the power of high-quality curriculum enacted by teachers prepared to use the materials.
TAKEAWAYS:
Gain concrete ideas about how you, as a leader, can plan for effective curriculum-based professional learning.
SESSION LEADERS:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jim Short (Carnegie Corporation of New York: New York, NY), Susan Gomez-Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Nancy Hopkins Evans (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Zoë Buck Bracey (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
More than just a hook: Using anchoring phenomena to support student sensemaking throughout an entire unit
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Saturday, March 25 • 1:20 PM – 2:20 PM
Georgia World Congress Center – B304
Anchoring phenomena are observable events that are conceptually rich enough to motivate an entire unit of study. They are a powerful way to start a unit because they ground student sensemaking in a common experience that all students can draw on. Teachers might use a strong anchoring phenomenon, but then abandon it as the unit progresses, treating it more as a hook than an anchor. In this session, we will illustrate this key difference and show how making a phenomenon an anchor can support student sensemaking. We will use examples from OpenSciEd, a free open educational resource curriculum, including how driving question boards and progress trackers can help phenomena anchor student learning. The session will involve working with these resources in student hat, analyzing classroom artifacts from one of the presenters who used these resources in her classroom, and discussing how teachers can implement the ideas in their own context.
TAKEAWAYS:
Phenomenon-based instruction is not about grabbing interest or demonstrating concepts, but rather anchoring sensemaking throughout a unit in explaining an observable event. Tools like the driving question board and progress tracker can focus student thinking on figuring out an anchoring phenomenon.
SPEAKERS:
Jamie Deutch Noll (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Bruce Kamerer (Boston College: Chestnut Hill, MA), Ji-Sun Ham (School Support Specialist: Chestnut Hill, MA), Benjamin Lowell (Boston College: Chestnut Hill, MA)
Explaining phenomena from a Matter, Energy, and Forces perspective in OpenSciEd Physics
PRESENTATION
Saturday, March 25 • 2:40 PM – 3:40 PM
Omni Atlanta Hotel at CNN Center – Cottonwood A
Matter, forces, and energy are three powerful lenses to make sense of phenomena. We will use examples from the forthcoming free and open-source OpenSciEd High School physics course, which also incorporates earth and space science, to show how we can scaffold the development of student thinking using these lenses across the year. Participants will receive an overview of the course and the matter-energy-forces (M-E-F) conceptual framework. Participants will also explore examples of phenomena that students will explain through these different lenses. Examples will include (1) deep mantle convection, (2) vehicle collisions, (3) meteors, (4) microwaves, and ionizing radiation.
TAKEAWAYS:
A framework for reasoning about changes in the matter, energy and forces in a system helps students develop the mechanisms underlying explanations of diverse phenomena including deep mantle convection, vehicle collisions, meteors, microwaves and ionizing radiation.
SPEAKERS:
Zoë Buck Bracey (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Michael Novak (Northwestern University: Evanston, IL), Kate Henson (University of Colorado Boulder: Boulder, CO), Diego Rojas-Perilla (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
