Exploring Symbiosis: Parasitoid Wasps 

Audience: Middle Level (6-8)

Location: A9

Explore a three-part symbiotic relationship involving parasitic wasps, caterpillars, and a virus to build a better understanding of ecological relationships. Free middle school curriculum module interweaves the story of wasp parasitoids with more general information, building a deeper understanding of the real-world complexity of symbiosis.

Molly Malone, Genetic Science Learning Center, University of Utah

Ship Engineering Relay Race

Audience: General Audience

Location: A5

The concept is simple...but how fast can you get it done? Students learn about the engineering design process through videos made by Mechanical Engineering students at Oregon State University. They practice each step in a lightning-fast relay race through familiarization, concept generation, design, manufacturing, and testing with a single goal: to engineer a ship that meets requirements. 

AJ Mallozzi, Oregon State University

Making it Easier To Integrate Climate Education into your Classroom! Engage and Empower Students with The Oregon Climate Education Hub

Audience: K-12

Location: A4

Youth are calling for climate education and experts are increasingly recognizing it as a climate solution.  Designed with support from Oregon Educators for Climate Education (OECE), the Oregon Climate Education Hub is a free, open source platform that offers scientist and teacher-vetted resources and easy-to-implement lesson plans for K-12 teachers, including many written by Oregon teachers. Learn to navigate the hub and better understand its potential for inspiring climate action.

Breck Foster, SubjectToClimate Oregon State Lead and Lake Oswego High School Social Science Teacher

Interdisciplinary Innovations: Empowering STEM Integration for Dynamic Learning

Audience: Elementary (K-5)

Location: A7

Discover effective strategies and practical techniques for seamlessly integrating STEM content with diverse ideas spanning across disciplines. Explore creative methods to integrate authentic data and information into daily lessons. These skills will help foster dynamic and enriching learning experiences tailored to meet the diverse needs and interests of students. Participants are invited to bring a concept, unit, or idea they would like to develop or enhance.

Caitlin Smith, Archdiocese of Portland

Bird Watching: Using Oregon's Birds to Teach Key Science Concepts

Audience: Middle Level (6-8)

Location: E2

The first part of this workshop will demo how to teach bird watching to students and how to collect data to input into eBird. The second part will show teachers how to use this activity and data for topics like graphing, niche ecology and habitat conservation. 

Robyn Bath-Rosenfeld, Joseph Lane Middle School, Roseburg School District

Growing Problem Solving Skills Through STEM/Natural Resources Learning

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: A8

The tools to measure trees can be made simply in the classroom.  Take back skills to your classroom that will help you introduce math skills and problem-solving skills to your students in an easy way, using the trees on campus and items you probably have in your classroom.

Jannelle Wilde, Yoncalla High School/Yoncalla School District

Transforming traditional labs into Phenomenon-driven 3D learning sequences

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: E1

Discuss how to transform labs into 3D lessons. Examples from biology, chemistry, and physics will be discussed. 

Lori Andersen

K-5 Data Reasoning & Content Integration

Audience: Elementary (K-5)

Location: E3

The 2021 Oregon math standards introduced a data reasoning domain. In order to enact this domain, teachers need opportunities to understand the data reasoning progression and access curricular tasks where students reason about data through authentic contexts related to language arts, science, social studies, place-based phenomena, and/or community issues.

Krista Hocker, Lane Education Service; Tanisha Horton, Springfield Public Schools; Maggie Frassetto-Cline, Eugene School District 4J

Oregon Science Leaders Action Guide: Building an Equitable, NGSS-Aligned K-12 Science Program

Audience: K-12, General Audience

Location: A6

Join us for an interactive session designed to empower educators with practical strategies for developing equitable Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)-aligned programs in K-12 classrooms across Oregon. This action-oriented guide offers research-backed insights, actionable recommendations, and a wealth of curated resources tailored specifically to the needs of Oregon school districts.

Sarah Ruggiero Kirby, Amy Lindahl, Angie Arends, Dustin Dawson, Oregon Science Leaders

Choose Your Own Adventure and Be a DNA Detective!

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: C1

DNA electrophoresis serves as a versatile tool in a variety of fields, from solving crimes in forensic science, diagnosing genetic diseases in health science and evaluating genetics in agriculture. Select a scenario and come to a conclusion about the question in your field by using this powerful technique!

Erika Fong, MiniOne Systems

Transitioning to a Phenomenon-based Learning Space with OpenSciEd High School

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: C3

Deep learning is achieved when students are presented with phenomenon they can’t initially explain. By employing science practices students develop an explanation for phenomenon through investigations and evidence-based argumentation. This session highlights the transition of high school science courses to phenomenon-based instruction that focus on student sensemaking.

Brandi Hageman, Activate Learning

Youth Land Stewards Education Program (YLSEP)

Audience: Elementary (K-5)

Location: A2

WREN’s Youth Land Stewards Education Program (YLSEP), first launched during the 2023-2024 school year, is back! Come learn about how this program prepares 4th & 5th graders for outdoor school, teaches students about the critical habitats and species of the Willamette Valley, and introduces students to careers in environmental stewardship! 

Rachel Schneiderman, Willamette Resources & Educational Network (WREN)

Moving Water Can Do Work!

Audience: Middle Level and High School (6-12)

Location: E2

Hands-on STEM-based activities introducing students to the forms of energy, electricity, and how water can be used as an energy source, including harnessing energy from the movement of water in the world’s oceans.

Don Pruett, Jr., Facilitator, National Energy Education Development Project

Participatory Science in the classroom 

Audience: General Audience

Location: A4

Participatory Science programs (also called citizen science or community science programs) present an exciting opportunity for engaging students in science. The STEM Research from Oregon State University will introduce teachers to local and national participatory science programs and share lessons learned to incorporate these programs effectively in their classrooms. 

Heather Fischer, Oregon State University

Patterns - High School Science For All - Meet Up

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: E1

Are you a teacher of Patterns Physics, Patterns Chemistry, or Patterns Biology, or interested in learning more? Bring your questions, problems of practice, tips and tricks to share. Long-time teachers of Patterns and Workshop/Webinar facilitators will be on hand to answer questions and guide the discussions. Groups will split into content teams when appropriate.

Bradford Hill, Matt McCollum, Kristi Miller, Jomae Sica, Jason Baca

Flows are All Around Us

Audience: General Audience

Location: E4

Various types of abstract flow are described using water flow as a metaphor.  Live demonstrations with flowing water illustrate energy flow, electrical flow, heat flow, blood flow, and the physics of global warming. Bonus: This session will be repeated during lunch!

Peter Graube, Retired

OpenSciEd Information Session

Audience: General Audience

Location: A6

Have you adopted OpenSciEd?  Are you thinking about it?  This session will share a brief overview of the curriculum, and what supports will be available to districts that adopt it.  There will be time to connect with other teachers and discuss the possibility of an Oregon learning community. 

Dustin Dawson, Lane ESD; Angie Arends, STEM Consultant, Clackamas ESD

Inquiry-based Lessons for People and the Planet

Audience: Middle Level (6-8)

Location: A9

Engage in hands on learning to explore human-environmental interactions and paths to sustainability. Topics include carrying capacity in nature, global land and resource use, and global population trends. Activity formats include modeling and group simulations and a resource management game. Receive materials matched to Oregon Science Standards.

Jennifer Wyld, Lewis & Clark Montessori Charter School

Basic Coding For the Science Classroom

Audience: Elementary (K-5)

Location: A7

Coding is used in many of the sciences today. There are entry level coding environments and languages that can help students learn computational thinking while working in the science classroom. Micro:Bits and Finchbots will be on hand to explore some early coding concepts with block coding. Information on lending programs and other resources will be available during the session. Please bring a cell phone, laptop, or iPad to download software for the exploration.

Stacey Zaback, Luckiamute Valley Charter School

Roosevelt MS facility tour

Audience: General Audience

Location: Meet in the Lobby!

Rene Berndt, Mahlum Architects

Experience Science 9-12: It's Phenomenal!

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location:  A2

Brett Merley, Savvas

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Science Fair

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: A8

"Would it save you a lot of time if I just gave up and went mad now?" - Douglas Adams and others about science fair (probably). I present a 6-month-long, accessible, student-facing science fair guidebook that begins with their passions and ends with a tangible product they are proud of.

Danielle Schroeder, West Linn-Wilsonville School District

Unlocking Student Potential: Using SEL to Boost Science & Engineering Practices

Audience: Middle Level (6-8)

Location: C3

Who said scientists don’t need emotions? Learn how Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) can foster Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs)! This is for teachers looking to enhance collaboration and create a more positive and productive learning environment. You’ll leave with practical SEL strategies that support scientific discourse, teamwork, and argumentation from evidence! You might even win some nerdy science gifts…

Mel Horton, Shawna Jensen, Stile

BIOZONE's new titles and new digital platform, BIOZONE WORLD

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: C1

Discover how BIOZONE's innovative interactive worktext approach provides flexible, engaging, student-centered resources for a range of programs including NGSS and AP. Our digital platform, BIOZONE WORLD, combines our digital worktexts and rich collection of digital resources together for easy access.

Dan Taylor, BIOZONE Corporation

Teaching with Brook Thompson: A First Nations Perspective on Energy Conservation

Audience: General Audience

Location: C3

Learn how to integrate diverse perspectives into your teaching using the real-world example of hydropower. Dive into the world of hydropower with Brook Thompson, where you’ll explore a Yurok & Karuk restoration engineer’s science, environmental impact, and career journey. Join us for this chat and win some nerdy science gifts.

Designing for the teenager learners "Emotional Brain"

Audience: General Audience

Location: A5

The session will give insights into the tools a designer utilizes in order to address the specific physical, social and psycho-emotional needs of the teenage learner's "emotional brain". The session will focus especially on those design strategies which can be implemented in existing as well as new facilities. 

Rene Berndt, Mahlum Architects

Genetic Tech Investigations

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: A8

Experience a free interactive curriculum module that is a window into biochemical processes at different levels from DNA to protein, and the technologies that illuminate them. Reinforce genetics concepts by exploring the molecular processes employed by DNA sequencing, flow cytometry, mass spectrometry and live cell imaging to understand genetic disorders. 

Molly Malone, Genetic Science Learning Center, University of Utah

Interim Assessments as part of a Balance Assessment System

Audience: General Audience

Location: A4

The Oregon Statewide Assessment System (OSAS) provides a range of equity-centered resources tailored to meet the needs of both educational and community partners. This session will focus on interim tests, which are strategically crafted to enhance teaching and learning at intervals throughout the academic year. Presenters will provide valuable insights into effectively integrating interim assessments into the curriculum, highlighting successful examples from districts that have embraced this approach. Moreover, participants will actively engage in a hands-on activity, working with an interim task to stimulate discussions on its potential benefits for instructional practices.

Mariela Bao, Oregon Department of Education; Jamie Rumage, Science Standards and Instruction Specialist, Oregon Department of Education

Using Oregon Forests as a Context for Teaching and Learning

Audience: Elementary (K-5)

Location: E3

Nearly half of Oregon is forested, so forests and trees are a context most students understand.   And, there are related teaching materials and curricula for educators to use.  In this session, you will get an overview of what is available, try out some activities and leave with materials and resources.

Rikki Heath, Oregon Forest Resources Institute; Rob Read, Oregon Natural Resources Institute.

Teaching Place-Based Environmental Justice: a case study from West Eugene

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: E1

Our team of teachers & education researchers has worked in collaboration with Beyond Toxics to create lessons that reflect community-based environmental justice efforts in West Eugene. We will be sharing a high school science unit that tells the story of the JH Baxter wood treatment plant and its impacts on the surrounding neighborhoods. This unit is designed for chemistry, environmental science, and biology classes. 

Sarah  Stapleton, University of Oregon; Kelly Ferguson, science teacher, Kalapuya HS

Universal Design for Learning(UDL) in Science - How to make your Science classes work more accessible to all students

Audience: Middle Level (6-8)

Location: A6

Engage in a hands-on science experience where we will then unpack the three Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Guidelines; providing multiple means of Engagement, Representation, and Action/Expression.  We will identify and explore promising practices that will help all students be successful in your science classroom.

Dustin Dawson, Lane ESD; Sarah Ruggiero Kirby, Science Specialist Eugene 4J School District

Making a STEM program Rock!

Audience: Middle Level (6-8)

Location: E2

From Muddy Watters to BB King, the blues legends started on home made, improvised instruments. These instruments are simple enough for students to build but robust enough to teach about waves, resonance, electro magnetic induction and the engineering design process. This session will explore using student built instruments in the classroom. 

Nicholas Krissie, Lincoln Middle School

The Diack Ecology Education Program - Grants to support field-based science inquiry

Audience: General Audience

Location: A9

The Diack Ecology Education Program provides a system of grants and workshops for teachers and students in Oregon to encourage them to participate in field-based science inquiry and ecology studies. This session will provide examples of projects from grades K – 12 as well as strategies for writing a Diack grant.

Mike Weddle, Diack Ecology Education Program

Science Content and Language Acquisition in the Elementary Classroom

Audience: Elementary (K-5)

Location: A7

In NCSD, ELD services are delivered through a co-taught integrated service model in science and social studies content blocks. To promote equity and inclusion, NGSS aligned science instruction is delivered using intentional sheltered language techniques to support access and engagement for all students, especially our multilingual learners. 

Meagan Sternberg, North Clackamas SD ; Katrina Rumbold, North Clackamas SD; Cindy McGean, Linwood Elementary; Fara Blaszak, Linwood Elementary

Superbugs in Oregon! Teaching Evolution Connected to Local Phenomena

Audience: Middle Level (6-8)

Location: C1

DescConnect to a local issue in Oregon-Superbugs! In this lesson from Lab-Aids, students use a model to explore the development of antibiotic resistance in a population of bacteria. This activity provides a real Oregon phenomenon that will get your students talking from the first day of your evolution unit, whether in middle or high school. It also provides an opportunity to develop your students’ practices of modeling and analyzing and interpreting data. 

Susan Paulsen, Lab-Aids

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER): Are you CERtain Your Students Understand the Data?

Audience: K-12

Location: A2

Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) is an acclaimed and highly successful instructional strategy changing how students understand scientific concepts and write explanations for phenomena. Experience how CER supports multiple elements in our science and math platforms, interact with exemplar CER responses relating to hands-on investigations, vocabulary, multiple choice items, diagrams, data, charts and graphs, and more!

Laura Lee McLeod, Accelerate Learning Inc

Dairy, Agriculture and NGSS

Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: E3

We'll explore dynamic and relevant ways to engage students with STEM through agriculture, food systems and dairy nutrition utilizing NGSS aligned materials and resources. We'll highlight Oregon specific connections and examples.

Crista Hawkins, Oregon Dairy Council

Diving Deep into K-5 Science Education

Audience: Elementary (K-5)

Location: A4

Elementary students bring vast resources to science learning and unfolds when learning environments are intentionally created to engage in investigations and design opportunities. Explore how to leverage sensemaking for students by utilizing recommendations from the 'Brilliance of Children and the Strengths of Educators' report, combined with the K-5 practitioner's guide.

Jamie Rumage, Oregon Department of Education; Mariela Salas-Bao, Science Assessment Specialist, ODE

Engaging students with coastal hazard and engineering topics through hands-on design challenge 

Audience: Middle School (6-8), High School (9-12)

Location: E1

Bring coastal hazard topics and the engineering process to your classroom via a fun design challenge. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with the knowledge and experience necessary to replicate the same activity with their students. All instructions, handouts, and materials will be provided. 

Lindsay Carroll, Oregon Sea Grant/Oregon State University

CoastWatch in the Schools

Audience: General Audience

Location: A9

"Oregon Shores' CoastWatch offers opportunities to learn about shoreline ecology and contribute to coastal research and conservation by adopting a mile of the Oregon coast. CoastWatch in the Schools expands this opportunity to classrooms for hands-on, outdoor learning. This presentation will focus on the first two years of our 'Art & Ecology" workshops where students explore coastal ecology through creative, hands-on learning.

Katie Russell, Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition

Accountable Talk and Productive Discourse  

Audience: General Audience

Location: E2

Participants will experience and explore accountable talk structures, protocols, routines, techniques, and strategies that support productive student discourse in the secondary science classroom.

Meagan Sternberg, NORTH CLACKAMAS SD

Field-Based Research Project

Audience: Middle Level (6-8)

Location: A5

Engage students in hands-on learning! Guide them through project implementation, then pair them with experts for field trips, fostering inquiry-based data collection. Each small group delves into their chosen topics, cultivating curiosity and expertise. Enjoy personalized instruction while students explore their passions and develop valuable skills. 

McKenzie Perry, Siuslaw Middle School

Building Inclusive Computer Science Programming for Learners

Audience:  General Audience

Location: A8

Girls Who Code will introduce you to our pipeline of free programs to support students in computer science from primary education through their early careers. We’ll explore our Clubs program and show you how to develop girls-supportive and inclusive coding programs for 3rd-12th graders, no coding experience required!

Meaghan Flaherty, Girls Who Code

Panel Discussion on Teaching Climate Change, Kindergarten through High School Science and CTE

Audience: General Audience

Location: A6

In this session, we will have a panel discussion with science teachers, from K-5 specialists through advanced high school science courses and CTE programs.  We will discuss how to integrate age-appropriate climate science education intentionally and thoughtfully and will address the challenges and barriers to doing so, including how to address climate anxiety in our students. 

Bradford Hill, Teacher, Mountainside High School; Sarah Ruggiero Kirby (Eugene 4J SD); Secondary Science TOSA/Oregon Educators for Climate Education; Lucas Risinger (Teacher, Albany SD); Tana Shepard (TOSA Eugene 4J SD); Breck Foster (Teacher, Subject to Climate, LOSD), and Stefanie Halloway (GO-STEM)

Stile in Action: Real Teachers, Real Classrooms, Real Results

Audience: Middle School (6-8)

Location: C3

Are you thinking about using Stile or looking to enhance your current experience? Our teacher presenters will demonstrate how they use Stile’s powerful tools to engage students and simplify their teaching. This session has something for everyone, from tech-savvy hacks to creative offline solutions. Come support our amazing Stile teachers and win some nerdy science gifts!

Stacey Zaback, Nick Hewko, Dave Paumier, Stile Teachers

Explosive Eruptions

Audience: K-5 (Elementary), 6-8 (Middle School)

Location: C1

Join us to explore the relationship between gas, viscosity, and explosivity with a hands-on investigation through our award-winning Volcano Hunters lab demonstration. Explosive Eruptions was awarded the NGSS Design Badge by NextGenScience at WestEd. Come see it in action and learn how to use this in your classroom! At the end of the lab, we will raffle off a few Twig Science items - join the conversation to win a prize!

Eric Vasquez,  Imagine Learning: Twig Science 

Engaging in real-life conservation decisions and actions with TiME

Audience:  K-12

Location: A2

Join us in a science learning process students love! Educators in Oregon and worldwide are engaging students in real-life conservation decisions and actions through This is My Earth (TiME).  Evaluate TiME’s biodiversity hotspots, discuss and debate them, then cast a vote for your favorite!   It's science, democracy, and fun!

Darrell Erb, Jennifer Legat, This is My Earth/TIME

Chemical Reaction Video Project: A Fun End of the Year Summative Assessment
Audience: High School (9-12)

Location: E2

At the end of the school year, give your students a project that will assess their chemistry knowledge and challenge their creativity. In this session, we will share with you how this project is introduced, managed, and assessed.

Maureen "Moe" Daschel, St. Mary's Academy; Lori Lancaster, Science Education Consultant