NSTA 2026 Anaheim
The BSCS Science Learning team is thrilled to be part of the NSTA National Conference on Science Education in Anaheim, California, April 15–18, 2026, one of the premier professional learning events in the country for science educators of all grades and roles. NSTA ANA26 brings together thousands of teachers, curriculum leaders, instructional coaches, and district administrators for four days of energizing professional growth, collaboration, and practical learning grounded in research and classroom practice.
BSCS sessions at NSTA cover a broad range of topics centered on three-dimensional, phenomenon-driven science instruction, high-quality instructional materials (HQIM), and equity-focused teaching and learning. Whether you’re exploring ways to deepen students’ engagement with real-world phenomena, designing inclusive instruction that supports multilingual learners, strengthening leadership practice around NGSS implementation, or discovering new strategies for assessment and curriculum customization, BSCS offers workshops, institutes, and talks tailored to meet educators where they are while pushing practice forward.
Details listed below by clicking each session title, or visit NSTA’s website for updated information, such as location, date, and time.
Wednesday April 15
LI-1: Real Stories, Real Promise: HQIM Implementation Challenges and Wins +
LEADERS INSTITUTE
Wednesday, April 15 • 8:15 a.m.–3:15 p.m.
- Registration and Breakfast: 7:30–8:15 a.m.
- Lunch will be provided
Join fellow administrators for a day of empowering strategies, connection, and inspiration through focused leader-centric professional learning.
At NSTA’s Leaders Institute, education leaders will explore practical, research-based approaches that transform teaching and learning in the classroom, participate in formative conversations with subject-matter experts, boost their leadership skills, and expand their network of supportive colleagues and peers. Don’t miss this immersive, full-day learning experience—you will come away with actionable insights into your own leadership, a renewed sense of purpose for your work, and clarity about future goals for your ongoing growth as a leader.
National Conference registration is NOT required to attend the Leaders Institute. However, participants who register for the Leaders Institute are eligible to purchase conference registration at a discounted rate. Details will be emailed after you register.
ABOUT THE SESSION:
How do we get high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) into the hands of teachers prepared to use them? Join the discussion with other district leaders and share experiences and practical insights when supporting the implementation of HQIM as a means of ensuring meaningful learning experiences for each student. The session will focus on challenges faced, lessons learned, and tested approaches to consider when planning for effective and sustained use of HQIM. Learn how BSCS’s Curriculum Implementation Model can support you in taking critical leadership actions through the process.
PRESENTERS:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
PLI-1: Flippers, Phenomena, and a Fully Released Curriculum: Making a Splash in Elementary Science +
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING INSTITUTE
Wednesday, April 15 • 8:15 a.m.–3:15 p.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – TBD
Set sail on a journey through the newly released full elementary OpenSciEd curriculum—where manatees glide, dolphins echolocate, and young learners tackle real-world phenomena with brilliance and curiosity. In this session, we’ll dive into an instructional approach that supports all students in figuring out complex science ideas through coherent, phenomenon-driven storylines.
Participants will experience a taste of a third grade unit to figure out why living things live where they do —connecting you to the why and the how of 3-dimensional science teaching. Along the way, we’ll explore key features of the curriculum through classroom video and surface how classroom agreements can foster inclusive and collaborative environments. We’ll also unpack how purposeful classroom discussion helps students make sense of science, not just memorize it.
Come ready to explore, reflect, and imagine what’s possible when high-quality materials meet the brilliance of elementary learners.
PRESENTERS:
Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Guy Ollison (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Amy Belcastro (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
PLI-4: Supporting Multilingual Learners in Science: Ensuring All Are Part of the Sensemaking Community +
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING INSTITUTE
Wednesday, April 15 • 8:15 a.m.–3:15 p.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – TBD
Every student deserves access to high-quality, meaningful science instruction designed to leverage and support students’ linguistic resources. Join professional learning leaders from BSCS Science Learning and NSTA for a full-day deep dive into classroom instruction that supports multilingual learners through rich, engaging, and inclusive learning experiences.
In this immersive session, we’ll explore the specific approaches using lesson examples and video footage to see how intentional strategies and routines promote language and science understanding. You’ll learn how high-quality science curricula foster opportunities for multilingual learners to interact with the classroom community to share their ideas, deepen their ability to engage in science, and make sense of the natural world.
TAKEAWAYS:
-How intentional instructional design supports multilingual learners
-Strategies that promote language-rich, collaborative science classrooms
-Real-world video examples and specific strategies from classrooms
PRESENTERS:
Janna Mahfoud (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Susan Gomez Zwiep (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Zoe Evans (NSTA: Richmond, VA)
Thursday April 16
Using Societal Challenges as Phenomena in 3D Units to Develop Student Agency +
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Thursday, April 16 • 8–9 a.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 262 A, North Building
STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice
Experience how leveraging complex culturally relevant societal challenges as phenomena in 3D teaching and learning supports student motivation and engagement and develops student agency within and beyond the classroom! The Framework for K-12 Science Education and NGSS call for learning grounded in real world phenomena and problems to ensure that science learning is relevant to all students. The 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 3) consider the science concepts of a societal challenge (antibiotic resistance, heart disease, food sustainability, anthropogenic changes to biodiversity).
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.
SPEAKER:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Supporting Leaders: Furthering NGSS implementation using High Quality Instructional Materials Across Multiple Contexts +
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Thursday, April 16 • 8–9 a.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 209 A
STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy
Join us as we share and discuss how leadership can support NGSS implementation through professional learning experiences that center the needs of teachers and students through the use of high quality instructional materials. We will discuss specific strategies, resources and tools leveraging high quality instructional materials to strengthen the shared vision of the instructional shifts called for by the NGSS and engage educators in three dimensional phenomena driven teaching, learning and leadership. Hear how a state level partnership with multiple districts deepened teacher’s knowledge of the NGSS and three dimensional instructional practices.
TAKEAWAYS:
Using high quality instructional materials as a lever to further NGSS implementation across multiple district/school contexts can support teachers and leaders as they enhance and expand their practice to improve outcomes for their students and learning communities.
SPEAKERS:
Guy Ollison (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Nancy Hopkins-Evans (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Lay the Foundation for K-12 HQIM: Be a Champion for Equity +
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Thursday, April 16 • 12:30–2 p.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 209 A
STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy
Regardless of where you are in your journey, leaders advocate for the power of HQIM to promote equitable learning opportunities for students and teachers. Join BSCS to consider the important step of building a team that works together to achieve broad and effective implementation over time.
TAKEAWAYS:
Leaders will consider the phases of curriculum implementation and the role a leadership team can play throughout the process from selection through sustaining broad and effective use.
SPEAKER:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Customization of HQIM: How can we strengthen instructional materials for our local context? +
PRESENTATION
Thursday, April 16 • 2:20–3:20 p.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 209 A
STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy
No set of materials are perfect. Teachers require a systematic approach to customize HQIM for use in their local context. This session will outline work that Saint Paul Public Schools and BSCS Science Learning have done to customize the OpenSciEd middle school science materials to support standards implementation and district goals. The session will describe key considerations and modifications needed to align materials with domain-specific standards, while maintaining curricular coherence from the students’ perspective, and students’ interests. The team will explain their approach to customizing select units and the professional learning approach used to support teachers in customizing summative assessments to better engage their students’ interests and science-linked identities. Leaders will analyze example customized units and teacher-designed assessments and identify important components to include in their own HQIM customization plans.
TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will identify what considerations are important for developing a well-crafted plan for implementing and customizing high quality instructional materials for use in local contexts.
SPEAKERS:
Molly Leifeld (Saint Paul Public Schools: Saint Paul, MN), Abraham Lo (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
OpenSciEd Assessments: Supporting Students, Teachers, and Classroom Community +
PRESENTATION
Thursday, April 16 • 2:20–3:20 p.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 201 D
STRAND: Using Three-Dimensional Assessment to Evaluate Student Sensemaking
How can assessments support three dimensional sensemaking? Explore how the OpenSciEd Elementary assessment system illuminates the brilliance and strengths of students, teachers, and classroom communities as they figure out science ideas.
TAKEAWAYS:
OpenSciEd Elementary curriculum units have three-dimensional assessment opportunities woven throughout the unit. Five different assessment types work together as a system to support teachers, students, and the classroom community in responding to ideas, reflecting, and checking progress.
SPEAKERS:
Amy Belcastro (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Gen Zoufal (Northwestern University: Brookfield, IL), Gail Housman (Northwestern University: Brookfield, IL)
Friday April 17
Choosing Phenomena to Customize Standards-Based Assessments that Connect to Students’ Interests and Community Priorities +
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, April 17 • 8–9 a.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 209 A
STRAND: Using Three-Dimensional Assessment to Evaluate Student Sensemaking
In this session, teachers will learn about a research-driven approach to assessment customization that supports teachers in using information about their students and 3D standards to brainstorm alternative phenomena contexts to elicit students’ use of disciplinary core ideas, practices, and crosscutting concepts to make sense of phenomena and problems that matter to them. This approach was designed and tested by the 5D Assessment Project, a collaboration between BSCS Science Learning and Inquiry Hub. Teachers will work in content area groups to analyze an existing high-quality assessment and consider ways to customize it to better engage their students’ interests and identities as knowers, doers, and users of science. Lessons learned from this work can be applied to elementary, middle, and high school teachers.
TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will leave with strategies for identifying alternative phenomena contexts to frame phenomena-driven assessment opportunities that engage their students interests and science-linked identities.
SPEAKER:
Abraham Lo (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Shared Vision: What does equitable teaching and learning look like in a student-centered classroom? +
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, April 17 • 9:20–10:20 a.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 209 A
STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy
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. Leaders can use instructional materials design to help teachers achieve these synergistic goals. 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 Science storylines, and problem-based learning instructional models; 2) consider the role of an instructional model in high quality instructional materials, and 3) consider their own education contexts and how they can apply AIL to design meaningful learning experiences to support their teachers.
TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model succeeds the successful BSCS 5E instructional model. Leaders leverage this model to support teachers in 1) developing a shared vision of effective science teaching and learning and 2) creating a student-centered classroom for all.
SPEAKERS:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Select and Plan for Use of K-12 HQIM: Equity by Design +
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WORKSHOP
Friday, April 17 • 10:40 a.m.–12:10 p.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 209 A
STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy
Effective implementation of HQIM requires visioning and planning. Join BSCS to learn how one district developed a plan to ensure equity for all learners in the system through broad and effective implementation of HQIM.
TAKEAWAYS:
Consider how high-quality instructional materials can be used to design more equitable systems.
SPEAKER:
Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
NSELA-Sponsored Session: Leading Curriculum Based Professional Learning with BSCS’s Anchored Inquiry Learning +
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, April 17 • 10:40–11:40 a.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 208 B
STRAND: No Strand
Explore how leaders can use the new BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model in Curriculum-Based Professional Learning (CBPL) to support sustained implementation of high quality instructional materials. Learn how AIL cycles of inquiry and sensemaking culminate in student agency!
TAKEAWAYS:
The research-based BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning instructional model forms the basis for high-quality instructional materials (HQIM). Leaders can leverage this model to support teachers with robust curriculum-based professional learning opportunities that sustains effective implementation of HQIM.
SPEAKER:
Matthew Christiansen (Oceanside Schools: Oceanside, NY)
Using Student Interest & Identity to Design Meaningful, Phenomenon-driven Assessment Practices +
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, April 17 • 10:40–11:40 a.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 255 C, North Building
STRAND: Using Three-Dimensional Assessment to Evaluate Student Sensemaking
Interest and identity are key for supporting meaningful science learning for students (NRC, 2012), yet traditional secondary science assessments do not invite students to bring their sensemaking repertoires and interests to assessment tasks. Participants will examine features of meaningful, phenomenon-driven assessments. Participants will adapt a community survey tool designed by the 5D Assessment Project, a collaboration between BSCS Science Learning and Inquiry Hub, to elicit information about their students’ interests and identities. Participants will learn about an approach to customizing (or designing from scratch) assessments to better engage their students’ interests and science-linked identities as knowers, doers, and users of science. Participants will explore adaptations developed by teachers to meet their students’ needs and their impact on students’ learning. This session is open to all, but may be most appropriate for secondary teachers.
TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will adapt tools to elicit and use information about their students to customize high quality instructional materials to better engage their students’ interests and science linked identities.
SPEAKERS:
Molly Leifeld (Saint Paul Public Schools: Saint Paul, MN), Abraham Lo (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Use and Scale Up of HQIM across the K-12 System: Ensuring Equity +
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, April 17 • 1–2:30 p.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 209 A
STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy
Join BSCS to dig into one district’s efforts to enact and monitor a curriculum implementation plan. Consider how their plan incorporates system drivers and the elements of curriculum-based professional learning (CBPL) to support teachers in ensuring equitable student learning outcomes.
TAKEAWAYS:
Leaders will walk away with practical approaches to considering system drivers and the elements of CBPL to support teachers in reconsidering their practice and making the shifts needed to ensure equitable outcomes for each student.
SPEAKER:
Jody Bintz (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Classroom Discussions: Supporting Students to Share and Discuss Ideas +
HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
Friday, April 17 • 1:20–2:20 p.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 201 D
STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice
Engage in an 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:
Amy Belcastro (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Guy Ollison (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Leadership Matters; Strategic Partnering to Support Implementation of High Quality Instructional Materials +
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WORKSHOP
Friday, April 17 • 2:40–4:40 p.m.
Anaheim Marriott – Platinum Ballroom 9
STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy
The decision to adopt and implement high quality instructional materials that support three-dimensional phenomena-based and problem driven learning across middle and high schools is a massive undertaking for any school district that requires some strategic partnering. The leadership work needed to ensure successful implementation begins with a clear vision for effective science teaching and learning and a group of leaders who understand and know how to plan, ask questions, collaborate and execute. Join us as we enter into the district’s leadership process for year 1 implementation with some common professional learning experiences, scenarios and resources that were leveraged to develop a strong, collaborative and diverse team of educators committed to successful learning outcomes for teachers and students.
TAKEAWAYS:
Building and growing partnerships that enhance learning outcomes for a diverse community of students, teachers and leaders requires planning, execution and a commitment to growth.
SPEAKERS:
Zoë Buck Bracey (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Douglas Watkins (Denver Public Schools: Denver, CO), Elizabeth Johnston (Denver Public Schools: Denver, CO), Nancy Hopkins-Evans (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Math as a Tool for Science Sensemaking +
PRESENTATION
Friday, April 17 • 2:40–3:40 p.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 201 D
STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice
Discover how mathematics becomes a powerful tool for science sensemaking in elementary classrooms through the lens of OpenSciEd Elementary units. In this session, participants will experience how elementary age learners engage with mathematics and computational thinking and data—measurements, observations, sketches, photos, and recordings—to make sense of real-world phenomena featured in OpenSciEd investigations. We’ll explore how children notice and describe variability, create visual displays to organize their ideas, and analyze and interpret patterns to answer questions and spark new inquiries. Through an immersive experience grounded in OpenSciEd materials, participants will experience how integrating mathematics and computational thinking and data science practices into elementary science instruction deepens reasoning, supports a range of learners, and empowers children to think critically about the data they encounter every day.
TAKEAWAYS:
OpenSciEd K-5 units create rich opportunities to use math as a tool for sensemaking by exploring variability, creating data displays, and analyzing and interpreting patterns—strengthening their mathematics and computational thinking and data literacy while supporting grade-level standards.
SPEAKERS:
Guy Ollison (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO), Amy Belcastro (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Sustained and Effective Use of HQIM across the K-12 System: Making it Stick +
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WORKSHOP
Friday, April 17 • 2:40–3:40 p.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 209 A
STRAND: Leadership and Advocacy
Collecting and analyzing data to inform decision-making is an important step in sustaining broad and effective implementation of HQIM and the practices likely to improve each student’s learning. Join BSCS to dig into one district’s efforts to enact and monitor a curriculum implementation plan.
TAKEAWAYS:
One important step in sustainability of teacher and leader practices that are likely to improve the learning of each student is to collect and analyze implementation data to inform decision-making.
SPEAKER:
Jenine Cotton-Proby (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
Saturday April 18
Evaluating Health Risks: Opportunities for Student Learning and Action +
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING WORKSHOP
Saturday, April 18 • 8–10 a.m.
Anaheim Convention Center – 210 D
STRAND: Teaching Strategies and Classroom Practice
Experience how leveraging genetic and environmental risk for complex disease as authentic phenomena supports student understanding through 3D teaching, learning, and assessment. Learn how the BSCS Anchored Inquiry Learning (AIL) instructional model develops student agency that leads to individual and community action. The NGSS calls for learning grounded in real world phenomena to ensure science learning is relevant to all students. The BSCS AIL instructional model succeeds the 5Es and utilizes culturally relevant societal challenges to anchor cycles of inquiry and sensemaking, culminating with student explanations. In this session, participants will 1) consider their ideas about teaching complex societal challenges, 2) experience 3D learning, sensemaking strategies, and science concepts required to evaluate genetic and environmental risks for complex disease, and 3) consider how societal issues as assessment tasks 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.
SPEAKER:
Cynthia Gay (BSCS Science Learning: Colorado Springs, CO)
