Masks are required for all visitors 2+. Vaccines recommended. Plan your visit
5th NGSS STEM Conference Sessions
Plenary Session: Scientists at Work: The Science Practices in Their Natural Habitat
The NGSS science practices are meant to reflect the ways that science is carried out by a community of researchers. Hear from practicing research scientists about what the science practices look like in their daily work (messes, disagreements, and unexpected results, and all).
Guest Scientists:
Lauren Esposito, California Academy of Sciences
Anna McGaraghan, University of California, Santa Cruz
Alexis Shusterman, University of California, Berkeley
Trends and Correlation in Environmental Data
Presented by Lori Lambertson
What does atmospheric carbon dioxide data look like when graphed with global temperature anomalies? Using data from NOAA and NASA, we will graph different environmental data sets on the same axes, using mathematics and computational thinking to look for trends and correlations. Come graph with us!
Workshop Handout for Trends and Correlations in Environmental Data
Fabulous Fan Carts: Exploring Forces and Motion
Presented by Tammy Cook-Endres
Looking for ways to incorporate the NGSS practice of modeling into your studies of forces and motion? Wondering about new ways to bring Newton’s Laws to life for your students? In this workshop, we will use cheap and easy-to-construct fan carts and marble mazes to explore and build conceptual models about balanced and unbalanced forces, momentum, and acceleration. You’ll leave with an understanding of how we can think about motion from third grade through physics and a wealth of activities to help students construct knowledge about how and why things move.
The A-Maze-ing Marble Roll (PDF)
Getting Stuck on Magnets
Presented by Zeke Kossover
Help your students make mental models of one of the most mysterious and seemingly magical parts of physics: magnets. Learn to build a 3D model of how currents make magnetic fields, then use that knowledge to figure out what makes one magnet stronger than another.
Science Practice Circus
Presented by Lynn Rankin and Fred Stein
Engage in doing science practices as part of a series of hands-on activities. A video and discussion about how the science practices can be applied and facilitated in the classroom follows.
Professional Development Curriculum from the Institute for Inquiry: Process Skills
Seeing Is Believing—Or Is It?
Presented by Eric Muller
Can you really text and drive? Think you see things clearly? Let’s see about seeing as we collect data while investigating your peripheral vision. See where the evidence leads as we engage in simple yet deep hands-on, eyes-on Snack activities. Join us as you change your view of the the science practices.
Termites and Bic Pens
Presented by Daisy Yeung
What do you notice? Have you ever seen a termite? What if I told you I could train a termite? Teachers take years to design and refine the questions they pose in class, but students are rarely asked to do the same. Develop strategies for students to form their own questions after observing a phenomenon involving termites and ballpoint pens, then use those questions to plan and carry out an investigation.
Electrifying Investigations
Presented by Julie Yu
Wondering how to have students plan and carry out investigations with limited resources? Worried about the safety of open-ended explorations in chemistry and physics? We’ll use the familiar system of batteries and lights to model how to combine the collective experiments of a scientific community to build understanding of a phenomenon.
Modeling Matter Through an Exploration of Gases
Presented by Sally Seebode
How can we provide experiences to help students understand the nature and properties of matter? Come explore how to make models of matter based on phenomena that highlight student-centered experiences. We'll experiment with gases and vacuums to build and model your students' understanding of matter.
Workshop Handout for Modeling Matter Through an Exploration of Gases
