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UtSTA 2024: Out-Of-This-World Science Teaching
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Friday, October 11
 

8:00am MDT

Welcome to the Conference
Friday October 11, 2024 8:00am - 8:30am MDT
Eclipse Expo
Friday October 11, 2024 8:00am - 8:30am MDT
Eclipse Expo
  Welcome

8:30am MDT

Keynote: Bundling-up Organic Prebiotic Chem, Origins of Life, and Sample-Return Missions
Friday October 11, 2024 8:30am - 9:15am MDT
Eclipse Expo
Carbonaceous chondrites (carbon-rich meteorites) represent some of the oldest and most primitive pieces of material formed in the Solar System; indeed, they could even be older than the Sun itself. These carbon-rich meteorites may have delivered an important concentration of organic compounds and water to the primitive Earth. Multiple organic classes, including those required for life (e.g. amino acids, carboxylic acids, nucleobases, and polyols) have been identified from carbonaceous chondrites, providing valuable insights into the chemical inventory of the early Solar System, the primordial synthesis of organic matter, and the question of how life appeared on Earth.
Amino acids are the basic building blocks of all protein-based life on Earth, making them some of the most fascinating organic compounds found in meteorites. In earthly biology, proteins are mostly made up of the L-form of amino acids, a feature crucial to life as we understand it. Some meteoritic amino acids also show a preference for the L-form, which raises intriguing questions about a possible connection between meteorites and this biological preference. Additionally, the stable isotopes (D, 13C, 15N) found in meteoritic organic compounds can tell us about how they formed and their history. By comparing the distribution, chirality, and isotopic composition of these compounds in different types of carbonaceous chondrites, we can learn more about the composition and conditions of the early solar system, the bodies where meteorites originated, and possibly how these compounds were made and survived the solar system's formation.
I will present results from our extensive investigation on the abundance and molecular distribution of amino acids, and other biologically relevant molecules extracted from meteorites. We will discuss their potential prebiotic origins and relevance to the emergence of life on Earth. We will also review the importance of sample return missions and our future findings after the analysis of asteroid samples brought to the Earth by JAXA’s Hayabusa2 and NASA’s OSIRIS REx.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. José Aponte

Dr. José Aponte

NASA
Dr. José Aponte is an astrochemist in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. He obtained his Ph.D. in Natural Products and Organic Chemistry from University of Louisville, and his B.S. in Chemistry from Universidad Peruana Cayetano... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 8:30am - 9:15am MDT
Eclipse Expo
  Keynote

9:30am MDT

Bring out the “See” in the SEEd Standards: Arts Integration in Early Childhood Science
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian A
In this session, we will look at ways to support students in observing, connecting with and communicating science concepts. For learners whose expressive language is in formative stages, drawing provides another, rich method of solidifying and communicating what they are seeing and noticing. It taps into visual, kinesthetic and linguistic processes. Observational drawing teaches students to focus on details and make comparisons with similar concepts.
As instructors, it provides a window into student thinking affording us opportunities for informal assessment. In addition to scientific drawing, arts integration will include examples of drama, song and movement.

Attendees will develop a greater understanding of the role of scientific/observational drawing in learning and memory.They will explore ways to support classroom observation and communication. Hands-on exposure to phenomenon and direct observation are powerful motivators for students.

Practical ways to engage with relevant phenomena using the K-2 SEEd Standards will be presented.
Speakers
avatar for Diane Edwards

Diane Edwards

Teacher, Jordan
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian A
  Elementary, Early Elementary

9:30am MDT

Kindergarten and 1st grade explore the world of light and sound.
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Twilight 4
Looking at 1st grade SEEd standard 1.3 Light and Sound, we will show how to get your kindergarteners and 1st graders involved through hands on rotations. Even though this is focused on a 1st grade SEEd standard we will show you how you can implement this in your kindergarten class. We will explore the cause and effect relationship between sound and vibrations, the effect of light on objects, effect of materials in the path of a beam of light, and more. We hope to leave everyone with ideas that they can do implement in their own classes.  
Speakers
KF

Kayla Ford

1st Grade Teacher, Davis School District
avatar for Julie Young

Julie Young

South Weber Elementary, Davis School District
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Twilight 4
  Elementary, Early Elementary

9:30am MDT

Science Bootcamp: Empowering Educators in Three-Dimensional Science Teaching
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Twilight 3
This class is a look at all things science teaching where we talk about the basics of inquiry and student discourse, core ideas and student proficiency, and the integration of subject areas. We will engage with scientific phenomena that bring science concepts to life. Participants will go through a blend of inquiry-based activities that will help them and their students not only understand scientific principals but also develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. We will look at how vertical collaboration, has helped our students master and reinforce Science and Engineering concepts. Participants will look at how fifth and sixth grade vertically align in strands 5.3 and 6.4. Teachers will walk away with ideas that can be utilized immediately. While we are looking at where 5th and 6th grade overlap this deep dive into the Science and Engineering Practices, and Cross Cutting Concepts can be used K-12.  ​Drive Folder with Resources​​​
Speakers
avatar for Emily Perkins

Emily Perkins

5th Grade Teacher, Cedar Valley Elementary
Emily Perkins is the 5th grade teacher at Cedar Valley Elementary in Cedar Fort, Utah. She has been the 5th grade teacher for the last 12 years. Emily enjoys creating high-quality, engaging cross-curricular learning experiences for her students. Emily is on the district science, math... Read More →
avatar for Michelle Kantaris

Michelle Kantaris

6th Grade Teacher, Cedar Valley Elementary
Michelle Kantaris is a 6th grade teacher at Cedar Valley Elementary in Cedar Fort, Utah.. She presently teaches 6th grade with prior experience in grades K-8. Michelle has a passion for reaching students through engaging cross-curricular activities. Michelle is on the district science... Read More →
avatar for Robyn LaBare

Robyn LaBare

Classroom Educator - Eaglecrest, Alpine District - Science Leadership
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Twilight 3
  Elementary, Upper Elementary

9:30am MDT

The Wonder of Plants for Survival
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Twilight 1
Have you ever wondered about the miracle of plants? Scientists have studied plants for years and have discovered the unique characteristics various diversities of plants offer our world, including why humans need them for survival. In this presentation, teachers will discover similar patterns plants and humans need to live. Then, using the information they gathered, they will investigate why and how plants affect human existence. Teachers will learn how to use their knowledge from this session to teach this phenomenon to their students.
The presentation uses Strand K.2: Living things and their surroundings, Strand 1.2: The needs of living things and their offspring, and Strand 2.2: Living things and their habitats. We will focus on patterns, structure, function, communication, and investigation.
Speakers
avatar for Annette Ward

Annette Ward

Teacher, Weber School District
Annette Ward is a teacher at North Park Elementary School in the Weber School District.  She has been teaching children for 15 years but has also taught and served teachers in various roles. She earned her master’s degree from Southern Utah University where she studied the effects... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Twilight 1
  Elementary, Early Elementary

9:30am MDT

Unlocking STEM Potential: Integrating Rich, Authentic and Engaging Math, ELA, and Computer Science in the Elementary Science/STEM Classroom
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian C
This session will focus on innovative strategies for integrating Mathematics, English Language Arts (ELA), and Computer Science into the elementary STEM classroom, ensuring full alignment with the Utah SEEd standards.

Educators will gain practical insights and discover engaging, research-based activities that enhance student learning and foster a deeper understanding of core STEM concepts. Participants will explore effective ways to embed Math, ELA, and Technology/Computer Science into their existing science curriculum, resulting in a more dynamic and immersive learning environment.

The session will emphasize the value of hands-on, experiential learning and the application of real-world contexts to promote student engagement and relevance. By the conclusion of this workshop, attendees will have access to a comprehensive toolkit of resources and strategies, equipping them to seamlessly incorporate authentic, interdisciplinary integrations of Math, ELA, and Technology/Computer Science into their STEM instruction.
Speakers
avatar for Cynthia Lloyd

Cynthia Lloyd

Elementary Science/Math/STEM Specialist, Canyons School District
Cynthia is the Elementary Science/Math/STEM Specialist in the Canyons School District. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching, as well as endorsements in English Language Learners (ELL), STEM, and Educational Technology. Prior to her current position, she taught 6th grade, mathematics... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian C
  Elementary, General Elementary

9:30am MDT

Using Strategies from LETRS to Integrate Science and ELA
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
The Zephyr
Finding the time for effective and equitable science instruction in elementary classrooms is a challenge.  To address this challenge, teachers are told to integrate.  What does effective integration look like and how do teachers plan for it?  This session shares ideas for integrating the science of reading and sense-making in science.  Participants will be introduced to a framework for aligning 5E lessons with the LETRS reading comprehension checklist. Participants will learn how to use phenomena to frame integrated lessons, when to introduce vocabulary, and how to use sentence anagrams, graphic organizers, sorts, and paragraph frames to support comprehension and writing.
Speakers
avatar for Megan Black

Megan Black

Elementary Science Specialist, Granite School District
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
The Zephyr
  Elementary, General Elementary

9:30am MDT

Weaving the SEEd Standards with our Public Lands: A How-to Guide in Using Zion National Park and U.S. Forest Service Educational Resources
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian G
A tour of educational resources developed by Zion National Park and the U.S. Forest educational teams. We will acquaint attendees with the numerous resources at their fingertips, like lesson plans that align with Seed Standards, multimedia tools, virtual visits, classroom visits, online resources and networking links, Nature Watch, Every Kid Outdoors, and how to plan your own educational visit to your public lands. The principles discussed in this session will also generally apply to other Utah National Parks and public land agencies helping you get your students outside and connected to the unparalleled natural resources of Utah.
Speakers
avatar for John Taylor
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian G
  Elementary, Upper Elementary

9:30am MDT

Accessing and Activating Background Knowledge in 3D Science
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian B
It can be disorienting to approach a science or engineering topic with which we expect students to be familiar, only to be met with confusion, misconceptions, or blank stares. Luckily, a “funds of knowledge” approach to Three-Dimensional instruction can help us engage our students and activate their everyday STEM expertise so they can authentically connect to the SEEd Standards. Strategies discussed in this presentation will include self-documentation, community asset mapping, culturally relevant communication, place-based learning, and more.
Speakers
MM

Maggie Millar

Science Coach, Salt Lake City School District
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian B
  General

9:30am MDT

Meet the Scientist - Asteroids and the origins of life
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Stratus 5
Asteroids, often seen as remnants of the early solar system, could be crucial to understanding the origins of life on Earth. These ancient space rocks, dating back over 4.5 billion years, are rich in organic molecules and water—the fundamental ingredients for life. Many scientists believe that asteroid impacts with early Earth delivered these essential materials, setting off the chemical processes that led to life. By studying asteroids, we gain insights not just into the solar system's history, but also into how life might have begun here and possibly elsewhere.
Speakers
avatar for Dr. José Aponte

Dr. José Aponte

NASA
Dr. José Aponte is an astrochemist in the Astrobiology Analytical Laboratory at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. He obtained his Ph.D. in Natural Products and Organic Chemistry from University of Louisville, and his B.S. in Chemistry from Universidad Peruana Cayetano... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Stratus 5
  General, Meet the Scientist

9:30am MDT

Electron Jiggles to Sound Wiggles: A SEEd Storyline of the Homemade Electric Speaker
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian F
This presentation delves into a SEEd storyline lesson sequence where students take charge of their learning through model-based and student-designed investigations around a homemade electric speaker. Participants will make their own electric speaker to investigate and take home. Participants will also learn how to guide students across a storyline that bridges the electromagnetism and waves strands in a natural way. This will be accomplished through students developing cause-and-effect models based on the speaker phenomenon, designing and carrying out experiments, using evidence to refine models, and collaborating to build a class consensus model. All attendees will receive a detailed instructional guide to know how various ambitious science teaching strategies and science practices are sequenced for this unit.
Speakers
avatar for Doug Ball

Doug Ball

Physics Teacher, Davis School District
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian F
  High School, Physics

9:30am MDT

Genetic Tech Investigations
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian D
DNA sequencing, flow cytometry, mass spectrometry and live cell imaging are vital technologies for diagnosing diseases. Learning about the biochemical processes they employ affords a deeper understanding of molecular genetics and the central dogma. This workshop explores: An interactive online activity featuring short videos that outline these technologies and task students with matching the technology appropriate for illuminating the molecules, processes and structures responsible for building and maintaining organisms. An online interface that provides a molecular and cellular view of the consequences of information transfer gone wrong from DNA to protein Function. A paper-based cooperative learning exercise where students analyze data from genetic technologies to identify a genetic disorder, engaging them in critical thinking and problem solving. We'll demonstrate the features of the online interactives, engage in the cooperative learning exercise, and discuss classroom use.
Speakers
JT

Jen Taylor

Genetic Science Learning Center
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian D
  High School, Biology

9:30am MDT

Reaching High School Engineering Standards with Engineering Tomorrow!
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian H
These Engineering Tomorrow lessons align tightly with the high school engineering standards. Students are presented with a problem space, given some background knowledge, and learn key math concepts as part of each investigation. Students build the solution, test the solution, collect data on their solution, and then complete a second and third iteration based on data they collected. The 20 available labs provide engineering lessons that will reach standards in each high school content area. Each lesson involves designing a solution, planning and carrying out an investigation, analyzing data and communicating solutions.

Engineering Tomorrow is a program started by large engineering firms, with the sole purpose of engaging and encourage students to pursue engineering careers. Teachers interested in using this program will receive all the free lessons, physical materials, and online support to run these investigations in their classrooms. This presentation is one you won’t want to miss!
Speakers
avatar for Lynn Gutzwiller

Lynn Gutzwiller

Jordan School District Science Specialist, Jordan School District
Rachel is a 25 year veteran of education and has successfully parented two of her four children to adulthood. She hails from Oklahoma, and now calls Riverton, Utah home. Her teaching superpower of creativity makes her a master of curriculum development. Secretly, Rachel wishes she... Read More →
avatar for Lynn Gutzwiller

Lynn Gutzwiller

Jordan School District Science Specialist, Jordan School District, West Jordan Utah
Having been deemed the Gandalf of Teachers after her extensive career in the classroom, Lynn now works with adults as a district science specialist during the day and as a science teacher for adult education in the evening—despite earning a C in science in third grade. She’s an... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian H
  High School, General High School

9:30am MDT

Spandex vs Cotton: A Hands-On Lesson for Functions of Molecular Structures
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Stratus 8
Attendees will experience a lesson where students gather evidence to make and support a claim about whether cotton or spandex is best to wear while river rafting. The lesson aligns to Chem.2.3 and focuses on how the structure of macromolecules affects the functions of those materials. Students will see macro-scale properties of cotton and spandex fibers including water absorbency and a flame test. Students will also experience the structures of the molecules using models and visual aids. This lesson was created through the 3D-RST project as BYU. Lesson materials can be found at 3drst.byu.edu.
Speakers
LM
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Stratus 8
  High School, Chemistry

9:30am MDT

Using Operation Outbreak Simulations for Teaching Science Using Real World Modeling
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian E
Come learn about a hands-on opportunity for your students to participate in a real-world disease outbreak simulation! The Utah Valley University Operation Outbreak Embassy is excited to invite all high school science teachers to engage their students in data collection and collaboration with local college students. We would love to involve your students in research. Operation Outbreak is appropriate for students of all ages but is especially applicable to AP and CE students.

We will begin by introducing Operation Outbreak. Operation Outbreak simulations are simulated outbreaks of pandemics for the purpose of teaching students about disease along with data collection on disease spread and human behavior. Students engage in real world modeling and provide data for epidemiologists on how people behave during outbreaks and how diseases spread through populations. We will discuss how the simulations work as well as the benefits for students. We will also talk about research opportunities for high school students and how to reinforce their science identity and bring the university into their classrooms.

These are the SEED standards that Operation Outbreak simulations and associated lessons address:
Bio 1.1, Bio 1.2, Bio 1.4, Bio 4.2, Bio 4.4, Ess 2.6, Ess 4.2, Ess 4.4.

In addition to discussing the benefits of running Operation Outbreak simulations we will discuss the resources available for teaching Outbreak science in the classroom as well as how to use the data. Operation Outbreak is a collaborative and cross-curricular activity that covers multiple content areas including social science, history, math, health, and journalism in addition to Biology. We will discuss the collaborative nature of the simulation and how to involve the entire school in a full simulation.
Speakers
avatar for Heather Wilson-Ashworth

Heather Wilson-Ashworth

Utah Valley University
avatar for Micah Ross

Micah Ross

Assistant Professor, Utah Valley University
KL

Kimberly Lamb

CE Biology teacher, UCAS
BS Conservation Biology, BYUMS - Restoration Ecology, BYUKimberly Lamb grew up in Provo, Utah. She attended Brigham Young University where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Conservation Biology with an emphasis in Wildlife Ecology and a Master’s Degree in Restoration Ecology... Read More →

Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Meridian E
  High School, Biology

9:30am MDT

3D Assessments for 8th grade.
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Stratus 6
I will make sure to share examples for each of the 4 standards for 8th grade, while including some online, written, & hands on based. I will prioritize the first 2. Many teachers feel more comfortable with shifting a lab to an assessment, but doing a written or online that is 3D is harder to think of and put together effectively. I can present on something different, but this kind of thing would be the most helpful to me so that's what I would share.
Speakers
avatar for Joleen Reddish

Joleen Reddish

Instructional Coach, Jordan School District
JB

Jeanne Bostwick

Jordan - South Hills Middle
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Stratus 6
  Middle School, 8th Grade

9:30am MDT

Learning Science Through Student-Created Digital Media Projects
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Stratus 7
To help students use their creativity to engage with space science, Clark Planetarium is hosting a Space Science Communication Competition for sixth-grade students that is aligned with Strand 6.1 of the Utah SEEd standards. Students will create their own media projects in eight categories: digital images or illustrations; desktop published documents such as newsletters. Infographics, or brochures; audio podcasts or songs; presentations or slide shows; videos including PSAs, documentaries, and narrative films; 2D animations or stop-motion; 3D models or animations; and interactive websites or games. In this session, you will practice using three-dimensional choice (choice of topic, choice of medium or software, and choice of approach) to design your own potential projects and learn how to implement student-created digital media into your classes at all grade levels. We will also discuss the results of our pilot program last year and how it enhanced student engagement, creativity, and test scores.
Speakers
avatar for David Black

David Black

Education Program Specialist, Clark Planetarium
David Black is an Education Program Specialist at Clark Planetarium and travels throughout Utah to visit 6th grade classes and provide district professional development workshops. He is a doctoral student in the Innovation and Education Reform EdD program at the University of Northern... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Stratus 7
  Middle School, General Middle School

9:30am MDT

BIOZONE's powerful worktexts, Teacher Toolkit, and digital platform offer refreshing alternatives to traditional textbook learning.
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Twilight 2
Discover how BIOZONE's extensive product range supports teachers to deliver engaging programs across a range of subjects including: IB, AP, Earth and Space, Physical Sciences, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Science, and Anatomy and Physiology. Explore our new and upcoming titles, and learn how our new content delivery platform BIOZONE WORLD integrates resources with our engaging, highly graphical content.

BIOZONE’s interactive worktexts are designed to support teachers by providing tools and content to:
• Deliver accessible content within a differentiated classroom.
• Engage students through inquiry or phenomenon-based learning.
• Undertake effective and meaningful assessment using curricula specific assessment tools.
• Enhance content delivery using the BIOZONE Teacher Toolkit.
• Enable flexible delivery in remote, in class, or blended delivery environments.

Attendees receive a FREE print copy and a 90-day digital access to a title of their choice.

Speakers
avatar for Maureen Rich

Maureen Rich

BIOZONE Corporation
Inspiring better outcomes for our planet through science education.BIOZONE has more than 30 years experience in the development of engaging and effective resources for science teaching and learning. Our resources are unlike any you’ve seen before, and a departure from the traditional... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Twilight 2
  Secondary, General Secondary

9:30am MDT

Teachers and Students using SEEd Standards to become Mountain Naturalists
Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Stratus 9
Join us as we explore the climate, geology, plant, and animal life of the majestic Wasatch Mountains. Together, we'll unravel the intricate ecology of the region as we apply the Three Dimensions of Science. Teachers and students will learn to communicate our findings as Mountain Naturalists.
Speakers
avatar for Jill Ayala

Jill Ayala

MS Science Teacher, HS Biology, Earth Science, Enviro Science, Spectrum Academy, Utah
I earned a BS in Conservation Biology and an MS in Integrative Biology from BYU. I also taught General Biology at UVU. I currently teach 7th and 8th Grade Science, along with Earth Science, Biology, and Environmental Science at Spectrum Academy. I recently completed NHMU's Mountain... Read More →

Friday October 11, 2024 9:30am - 10:30am MDT
Stratus 9
  Secondary, General Secondary

10:50am MDT

3rd Grade SEEd: Forces of Flight Presentation
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Stratus 6
These activities have students observe the phenomenon of flight and examine how the interactions between lift, drag, thrust, and weight affects how an airframe flies. Students will design and build paper airplanes and use the information gained from this lesson to predict patterns of motions in their designs. This activity supports SEEd standard 3.3.1, concerning the effects of balanced and unbalanced forces, and SEEd standard 3.3.3, concerning the gravitational effects of Earth. This presentation is offered thanks to funding provided by the Northrop Grumman Foundation, and in partnership with the Clark Planetarium.
Speakers
avatar for Jake Murray

Jake Murray

Education Specialist, Hill Aerospace Museum
Jake Murray graduated from Weber State University in 2022 with a Bachelor's Degree in History. He has been involved in public education since 2020 and now works as an Education Specialist at the Hill Aerospace Museum.
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Stratus 6
  Elementary, 3rd Grade

10:50am MDT

OED Core Drilling for Oil 5.1.1
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Stratus 7
This lesson is alligned to standard 5.1.1 in the 5th grade standards. The participates will experience making sense of a phenonmenon as they learn how to recognize layers in core samples and understand the necessity of core samples. They will learn how to identify the location of an oil deposit based on the patterns they are seeing. Free equipment provided!
Speakers
avatar for Camie Simpson

Camie Simpson

Science Specialist, Nebo School District
This is my 26th year in education.  I am currently the K-5 Science Specialist in Nebo school district.  I love helping teachers and students alike make sense of the world around them!!All of the materials I will be using for my presentation can be found at the following link:ht... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Stratus 7
  Elementary, 5th Grade

10:50am MDT

Science in Motion
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Twilight 4
This in-depth program will look at standard K.3 and how it provides a strong foundation for the 7th-grade force and motion strand. Teachers will walk away with activities they can implement in their classrooms.
Speakers
avatar for Emilee King

Emilee King

Education Manager, The Leonardo
Emilee King-Ward is the Education Manager at The Leonardo where she oversees a statewide science outreach program, summer camps, and other educational programs at the museum. She has spent over 10 years in informal education including time at Wasatch Community Gardens, Boy Scouts... Read More →
avatar for Laura Cotter

Laura Cotter

Historian, Utah Science Teaching Association
Laura Cotter is the Director of Administration and Education at The Leonardo. She also has served on the Board of the Utah Science Teaching Association since 2019 as Region 3 Representative, Informal Science Education Representative, and currently as the historian. She was the Division... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Twilight 4
  Elementary, Kindergarten

10:50am MDT

Seed Sleuths
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian A
Learn how your 2nd grade students can go from sleuth to scientist while using Red Butte Garden's Botany Boxes. The Seed Sleuths Botany Box directly supports SEEd standard 2.2.3 with hands on observations and experiments using 6 different seeds and fruits. Come observe, draw, wonder, and do experiments with fruits and seeds involving wind, water, gravity and animals. Then design your own seed and model how it would be dispersed.
Speakers
HP

Heather Paulsen

Teacher Resource Coordinator, Red Butte Garden
Heather has over 20 years of experience in both formal and informal education K-12. Most of that has been spent in informal science education working with statewide programs that include outreach, teacher resources, professional development and writing curriculum to support state... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian A
  Elementary, 2nd Grade

10:50am MDT

Teaching young students how to Obtain, Evaluate, and Communicate with differentiation and exploration
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian F
As a first grade teacher I know it can be overwhelming to teach young children complicated Science and Engineering practices. However, with a few simple changes and techniques what once felt overwhelming can suddenly be simple and engaging for students when we connect these practices to students own schema and experiences. Using the SEPs is essential to the SEEd standards across multiple disciplinary core ideas. I am choosing to focus on how to engage students in Obtain, Evaluate, and Communicate, as this is a building block towards more advance scientific practices. I really want to help share the importance of helping students build the understanding of these processes by integrating them into many different areas. This is a concept we use in math, literature, art, etc, Its a basic principal that facilitates students scientific thinking. I will show fun props and picture cards to remind students of the steps involved in this process, and then allow participants to explore in several engaging center based activities to determine which methods, materials, or information best supports their individual learning targets in a way that is natural through play and exploration.

Center 1: student use photos feed and models of animals to obtain needed information and to evaluate which animal left marks along a trail, and then communicate that in a journal or with a partner....?

Center 2: Students use qr codes to view videos and photos of the sun, moon, and sky patterns to obtain information, evaluate the information to determine why they moon changes shape in the sky over a period of time, and be able to communicate that with a picture, model, or a written or verbal description.

Center 3: Students determine which type of material would be best to block out the light of the sun on a hot day by experimenting with different types of materials to obtain, evaluate, and communicate why some materials are better at blocking out light.....
Speakers
MJ
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian F
  Elementary, 1st Grade

10:50am MDT

Effective Professional Learning Experiences in Science Education
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian B
Principled leadership in professional development requires a set of standards describing the attributes of effective professional learning experience. The Science Professional Learning Standards (SPLS) describe a set of attributes of professional learning consistent with the NASEM Framework for Science Education. This session focuses on Attribute 6 - “Model classroom instruction and instructional materials consistent with the desired instructional shifts.” The role of effective classroom discourse will be featured and how to support teachers in changing the focus of discourse toward students centered science learning experience while implementing Utah’s SEEd Standards. The session will present a phenomenon-driven lesson aligned to a SEEd Standards, model classroom discourse, and provide educational leaders with resources to establish more effective learning cultures.
Speakers
avatar for Brett Moulding
avatar for Candace Penrod

Candace Penrod

District Science Supervisor/President 2026, Salt Lake City School District/NSELA (National Science Education Leadership Association)
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian B
  General

10:50am MDT

Meet the Scientist - Life Saving Lab Science
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Stratus 5
I’ll be speaking about the career of a laboratory scientist, the paths you can take to become a laboratory scientist, and my unique experience working as a laboratory scientist in a warzone.
Speakers
avatar for Evan Mackay

Evan Mackay

Medical Technologist, Prime Labs
My name is Evan Mackay. I am married with two children. I take care of a zoo at home with 3 dogs, 3 cats, and many chickens. I am a medically retired veteran of the United States Army where I worked as a medical laboratory technologist. Currently, I am employed by Prime Labs as a... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Stratus 5
  General, Meet the Scientist

10:50am MDT

Rural Schools have Mission.io free for two years, come take a mission to space.
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian H
Use Mission.io to give you amazing feed back and formative information on your student's Science and Math achievement.
Speakers
avatar for Jason Snow

Jason Snow

Technology Trainer, NUES - Northeastern Utah Educational Services
Jason is the Regional Technology Trainer for the NUES region.
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian H
  General, General Elementary, General Middle School

10:50am MDT

So Much Crap Information: Information and Media Literacy Through Science Classes
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Twilight 1
One of the biggest challenges facing our students today is the amount of misinformation and disinformation that they are faced with each day. Science is the perfect subject to teach students information and media literacy so that they can use critical thinking and skepticism to be better prepared. We will be going over different research proven methods and lesson ideas to teach students about information and media literacy in your classes using the Utah SEEd Standards and 3D Science.
Speakers
avatar for David Joy

David Joy

Teacher, Weber School District
I have been a public school teacher in various roles and locations in order to better understand the way education works at different levels and in different places. This has helped me to become a much better teacher and become more adept at handling a variety of situations and adapting... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Twilight 1
  General

10:50am MDT

Adapting High Quality NGSS Instructional Materials to Support Teaching SEEd Standards
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Stratus 8
During my conference presentation, I'll be share insights gained and lesson plans developed as part of a collaborative cohort in Nebo School District adopting high quality instructional materials. The main source of curriculum is open source, OpenSciEd. Attendees will have the opportunity to actively participate in a segment of an OpenSciEd lesson, and they'll also walk away with digital copies of student workbooks and presentation slides to support their teaching.
Speakers
avatar for Nate Bartholomew

Nate Bartholomew

Science Specialist, Nebo School District

Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Stratus 8
  High School, Earth and Space Science

10:50am MDT

Discourse in the physics classroom, is it a lost art?
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Twilight 3
We are told that we are to have students engage in argument from evidence. What does this look like and where do they get the evidence? Could the ability to engage students in wanting to be in class, having students look forward to attending class, students excited to be in class everyday, be found in the ability to have classroom discourse on ideas that are being taught, models that are being thought through, methods that we use to reach the students?
Speakers
AB
avatar for Duane Merrell

Duane Merrell

Physics Teacher Prep, Brigham Young University
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Twilight 3
  High School, General Secondary, Physics

10:50am MDT

Out-of-this-Classroom: Ideas for Exploring Chemistry at Home
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Twilight 2
The goal of this presentation will be to highlight phenomena that students can observe and explore at home that align with the SEED standards for chemistry.  I will share some ideas about how to get students thinking about chemistry at home, and we will brainstorm more ways to incorporate learning that goes beyond our classroom walls.
Speakers
GH

Gillian Hanson

Presenter, Modern Classrooms
I have been implementing PCBL strategies in my Chemistry courses this year.  I also teach IB chemistry and Theory of Knowledge.
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Twilight 2
  High School, Chemistry

10:50am MDT

Smart Cart Rally - Engaging Physics Students in Hands-On Data Collection
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Stratus 9
What we've learned so far from trying to move from online, simulation-created data collection to more physical, hands-on data collection by utilizing smart carts in some of our labs involving motion, forces, momentum, energy etc. Our physics team has been implementing these smart-cart labs for all of our physics classes. We'll talk about what we've learned so far - the good, the bad, and the never-do-this-agains. We have Pasco carts, so we've been learning the Pasco interface (SPARKvue) now a free web-based app. We'll bring some carts, you bring a bluetooth-capable device, and we'll try some stuff. Pasco.com claims that SPARKvue now works on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, and Chrome as a web app on laptops, phones, and tablets. We haven't tried everything yet, but we can in the session.
SEEd Strands PHYS 1, PHYS 2
Speakers
avatar for Tom Erekson

Tom Erekson

Teacher - Lone Peak HS, Alpine School District
I have been teaching high school science for 30 years now. I work with a great team of physics teachers to update our curriculum, instruction, and assessment resources each year.
avatar for Brad Talbert

Brad Talbert

Physics Teacher, Lone Peak HS
I've been teaching for 30 years. Physics the whole time with some Chemistry, Algebra, AP Physics, and  AP Statistics to boot. I have an engineering degree, but teaching is my passion. I have several grandkids and I'm always willing to show pictures and videos of them being cute... Read More →

Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Stratus 9
  High School, Physics

10:50am MDT

Drilling it Down- How determining the essential skills leads to science storytelling success
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian C
Determining the most essential standards is the most important part of science storytelling. If you are to teach your students about science you first need to know what you are teaching, and what proficiency looks like on that skill. From there you can design lessons and activities that are inquiry-based and reflective allowing students to implement the CCCs and SEP during instruction and assessment. Once clarity is reached students understand what they need to know, and all the teacher has to do then is facilitate the understanding. The story line does the rest of the work. This approach also makes grading and lesson planning simplified and less vague.  In this multi-grade-level workshop I will focus the storytelling on 7th grade science units in 7.2 and 7.1, but the information involved is applicable for any upper-elementary and/or middle school classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Jessica Jones

Jessica Jones

7th Grade Science, Washington Fields Intermediate
I am a quirky and enthusiastic 7th grade science teacher.  I have been teaching for over 20 years, and I am still very passionate about my job.  I especially love connecting with other science teachers, helping them out, and learning new and exciting things form them.  My interests... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian C
  Middle School, General Middle School

10:50am MDT

Jumping Frogs
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian D
Middle School Students, acting as scientists, will analyze and interpret potential and kinetic energy data as they “Explore the Potential Energy behind the Origami Frog”. Students will make an origami frog and then perform several jumping tests depressing the back of the frogs with differing amounts of force while recording the data observed from the tests.
After analyzing the data, students will be able to interpret the results by creating a graph comparing the results from various other frogs. With this information, students will interpret the data to include their understanding of the relationship between energy and forces
Speakers
avatar for Luis Hernandez

Luis Hernandez

Middle Level Science Teacher, Washington School District
I’ve been teaching 8th Grade Science for 4 years in St. George, Utah. I’m an advocate in using technology to promote student learning in science. With the talk about AI there’s a ton of apprehension about its misuses in the classroom by students. However if we teach them how... Read More →
avatar for Valorie Draper

Valorie Draper

Manila Jr/Sr High School Teacher/Coach
avatar for Karen Pineda

Karen Pineda

8th Grade Teacher, Washington County School District
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian D
  Middle School, 8th Grade

10:50am MDT

Teaching Gravity and Inertia Using Kinesthetic and Computer Models
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian E
During the 2023-24 school year, Clark Planetarium developed, tested, and implemented a kinesthetic and computer modeling approach to teaching Utah SEEd Standard 6.1.2 in classrooms across the state of Utah. In the kinesthetic portion, four participants will represent the inner planets of our solar system. Starting in a line, they will revolve around our Sun in periods of two weeks showing how Mercury travels fastest in its orbit. Using this evidence, we will demonstrate how to lead participants to construct explanations for the role of gravity and inertia in orbit. We will support these explanations using computer models of our solar system and by asking participants to make predictions given the absence of gravity, inertia, or an imbalance between them. Through an established partnership, Clark Planetarium is pleased to be able to offer the software we will be using to teachers at no cost for use in their classroom.
Speakers
avatar for David Black

David Black

Education Program Specialist, Clark Planetarium
David Black is an Education Program Specialist at Clark Planetarium and travels throughout Utah to visit 6th grade classes and provide district professional development workshops. He is a doctoral student in the Innovation and Education Reform EdD program at the University of Northern... Read More →
avatar for Jason Trump

Jason Trump

Education Programs Supervisor, Clark Planetarium
Jason Trump brings substantial expertise in both formal (classroom) and informal (outside the classroom) science education. In addition to his duties as the Education Program Supervisor at Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City, he manages a multi-institutional outreach effort for NASA’s... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian E
  Middle School, 6th Grade

10:50am MDT

Using SEEd to Design Highly Effective 3D Lessons
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian G
As rural science teachers participating in the 3-Dimensional Rural Science Teacher Grant during this last year, we have designed an intentional lesson applying the Science and Engineering Practices, Cross Cutting Concepts, and Disciplinary Core Ideas. Our example lesson will show students how to: Utilize knowledge of reliable and unreliable sources to obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about structures and behaviors animals and plants use to successfully survive and reproduce (7.4.2)
Speakers
avatar for Denver Smith

Denver Smith

Teacher, Albert R Lyman Middle School
Denver has been teaching middle school science for 7 years and recently earned his Masters degree in Secondary Science Education. He loves teaching middle school and is constantly looking for ways to improve teaching. When he's not teaching or preparing to teach, he loves to play... Read More →
BR
avatar for Jan Hermansen

Jan Hermansen

7th Grade Science, So. Summit Middle
Hi; I like to quilt, read, and lots of other things including cooking for family and friends. I have taught middle school science for 7 years. Before that chemistry, physics, and math were my forte. Now I enjoy using NGSS 3D science to inspire my students to learn.
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
Meridian G
  Middle School, 7th Grade

10:50am MDT

Modeling Membrane Explorations: Real-World Connections with Wet Labs
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
The Zephyr
In this hands-on, minds-on session, participants will construct models to show the movement of ions and nutrients across membranes with emphasis placed on the large and small particles that pass through the membrane to maintain homeostasis. They will connect theory with results from popular homeostasis labs. They will make and defend a claim based on evidence that homeostasis results from a variety of factors. This presentation will help educators guide their students in asking questions and defining problems, planning and carrying out investigations, interpreting data, and developing and using models. This presentation supports Standard Bio.2.4.
Speakers
avatar for Ruth Hutson

Ruth Hutson

Science Educator, 3D Molecular Designs
Before becoming a 3D Molecular Designs Science Educator, I taught Blue Valley High School students all aspects of life and physical science by building partnerships so my students could experience science at work and conduct research to improve their communities. I love helping teachers... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 10:50am - 11:50am MDT
The Zephyr
  Secondary, General Secondary

12:15pm MDT

Share-a-Thon: Using AI To Enhance Science Learning
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:30pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
How science teachers can use AI like Magic School AI or School AI to enhance student learning and to showcase the free tools available to all teachers. Like having your students chat with a bot that is acting like one of the scientists who developed an atomic theory. Also tutoring and test review.
Speakers
avatar for Luis Hernandez

Luis Hernandez

Middle Level Science Teacher, Washington School District
I’ve been teaching 8th Grade Science for 4 years in St. George, Utah. I’m an advocate in using technology to promote student learning in science. With the talk about AI there’s a ton of apprehension about its misuses in the classroom by students. However if we teach them how... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:30pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General

12:15pm MDT

Alpine Distirct Meet and Greet
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
Alpine teachers, come meet your district science specialist.
Speakers
avatar for Michelle Ormond

Michelle Ormond

President, Alpine School District
Michelle Ormond has been a science educator for 27 years and currently works for Alpine School District as the 7-12 Science specialist for Alpine School District. While her first love is Biology, Michelle has also taught Physical Science, Chemistry, AP Environmental Science and Advanced... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General

12:15pm MDT

Region 10 - CHOPS (Charter, Home, Online, Private Schools) Meet and Greet
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
Come meet your CHOPS Representative, Amy Pace.
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General

12:15pm MDT

Region 2 Meet and Greet (Ogden, Weber, Davis)
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
Come meet your Region 2 Representative, Lindy Sanford.
Speakers
LS

Lindy Sanford

Region 2 Representative, UtSTA
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General

12:15pm MDT

Region 6 Meet and Greet
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
Come meet your Region 6 Representative, Mechelle Dodge.
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General

12:15pm MDT

Share-a-Thon: AI-Powered PLCs: Leveraging Prompts to Enhance Science Instruction
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
Discover how artificial intelligence can transform your Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and elevate science instruction. This session will present a collection of AI-generated prompts designed to guide your Science PLC through the 4 essential questions:

What do we want our students to know?
How will we know if the students have learned it?
What do we do if they haven't learned it?
What will we do if they have learned it?
Speakers
avatar for Laurelee Ward

Laurelee Ward

Innovative Learning Coach, Alpine School District
I am an elementary innovative learning coach for Alpine School District. I love exploring ways that technology can deepen learning, enhance engagement, and help create personalized learning experiences for students.
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General

12:15pm MDT

Share-a-Thon: Collaborate & Plan Together
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
The biggest reason the science team at Spring Creek Middle School is such a great team is by using our Google Sheet curriculum map that we use to plan and collaborate the entire year together. This also could be used to collaborate with teams at other schools!
Speakers
avatar for Randi Phillips

Randi Phillips

7th Grade Science Teacher, Spring Creek Middle School

Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General

12:15pm MDT

Share-a-Thon: Educating About Utah's Air Quality
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
The Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR) is launching a high school education program focused on air quality awareness and student engagement. We aim to connect with science teachers in all grade levels to explore how our program can best complement existing curriculum and incentivize student participation in and outside the classroom. We value your insights on the needs of your students and how air quality topics are currently covered or prioritized. Your feedback will help shape an impactful program that supports both educators and students in driving cleaner air initiatives across Utah.
Speakers
avatar for Mallory DiazVela

Mallory DiazVela

Program Manager, Utah Clean Air Partnership (UCAIR)
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General, Earth and Space Science

12:15pm MDT

Share-a-Thon: Outdoor Education Focus Group
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
Outdoor education offers students an incredible environment to learn and grow, but connecting students to these programs isn't always simple. Canyonlands Field Institute is researching what barriers might exist between students and quality environmental education, starting with the teachers who know them best. There is a 3-minute survey for folks to fill out and CFI representatives to chat with teachers about their experiences. 
Speakers
SR
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General, General Secondary

12:15pm MDT

Share-a-Thon: Project Atmosphere
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
The American Meteorological Society sponsors a free graduate course in Atmospheric Sciences that includes a week in Kansas City at the National Weather Service Training Center. Resources include lesson plans and activities for Earth and Space Science. Poster includes links to these resources and information about applying for the course, as well as other courses sponsored by AMS that include a week residency in Oregon for Project Ice, and fall and winter graduate courses in oceanography, atmosphere, and climate sciences. I attended this summer and had a great experience.

Project Atmosphere: https://www.ametsoc.org/index.cfm/ams/education-careers/education-program/k-12-teachers/project-atmosphere/
Project Ice: https://www.ametsoc.org/index.cfm/ams/education-careers/education-program/k-12-teachers/project-ice/
DataStreme: https://www.ametsoc.org/index.cfm/ams/education-careers/education-program/k-12-teachers/datastreme-program/
Speakers
avatar for Sonia Bartholomew

Sonia Bartholomew

Earth Science Teacher, Mapleton Junior High
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General

12:15pm MDT

Share-a-Thon: Resources for Teaching Heat, Weather, and Climate
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
Clark Planetarium’s Heat, Weather, and Climate kits are aligned to the SEEd standards and are available for educators to borrow through their district or directly from the planetarium. Each kit includes infrared laser thermometers to allow students to examine the temperatures of various materials, participate in controlled experiments with heat lamps, and connect their learning to phenomena like weather and climate.
Speakers
TQ
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General, Earth and Space Science

12:15pm MDT

Share-A-Thon: You're a good teacher- So why don't your kids learn?
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
You're a good teacher, so why aren't they learning? For a lot of kids, it's because they learned in elementary school that 'learning' means to memorize. Spelling words, times tables, paragraphs about lake Bonneville- they don't know what any of it means, but knew they had to memorize to get good grades. Now their secondary teachers say "Go home and Study" meaning "Make this make sense and understand it." but what the kids hear is "Go home and memorize this." because that's all 'studying' has ever meant to them.

This leads to test anxiety in the good memorizers ("Will the test be written like I memorized it?!), demoralization among those who don't memorize well ("I get bad grades no matter how hard I try so I must be dumb."), and apathy about most of school in secondary ("This is so dumb. When am ever going to use this information that I'm just going to forget after the test anyway?")

For many students, all that is needed is directing them away from memorization and teaching them how to understand- which involves making connections and understanding subjects rather than trying to retain a bunch of unrelated facts. This mini session will include some sample concept maps and a sample lesson on density that helps kids confront the misconception that "Heat rises". Understanding molecular motion changes their perspective to "Gravity pulls harder on more dense things". After making this jump, they can then be guided to explain how hot air balloons rise, why breezes on the beach are predictable and reverse every day, how the continents move, why ice keeps your whole drink cold, and several more phenomena. The way you know if you're succeeding is when the kids say "Ohhh! That makes sense!" This lab can help you walk through that with your own kids.
Speakers
avatar for Bryce Shelley

Bryce Shelley

7th/8th grade Science Teacher, Lehi Jr. High School
Bryce has been teaching for over 18 years at Lehi Jr. He created a qusai-honors 8th grade "Math-Science" class where students are admitted based on math ability. With it he has successfully taught hundreds of 8th grade students things like dimensional analysis, moles, basic kinematics... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  General, General Secondary

12:15pm MDT

Share-a-Thon: Visualizing Magnetic Fields
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
Simple lab to help students see how magnetic fields affect objects around them and allow them to see the actual shape and relative strengths of magnetic fields.
Speakers
avatar for Peter Edmondson

Peter Edmondson

Teacher- Physics (with tech), Geology, Earth and Space Science, Alpine District, Lehi High
Peter Edmondson has taught science at Lehi High for over 30 years. He taught Physics with Technology (Physics: Principles of Technology) 1995 - 2020.  The hands-on equipment oriented approach with reference to his own work experiences made it an especially enjoyable class to teach... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 12:15pm - 12:45pm MDT
Eclipse Expo
  Secondary, Physics

1:00pm MDT

Fourth Grade Kinesthetic Astronomy
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian E
Clark Planetarium provides professional development training for fourth-grade teachers on how to implement a kinesthetic activity aligned with Strand 4.4 from the Utah SEEd Standards. By using their bodies to model the Earth, participants will demonstrate how rotation and revolution cause the cycles of day and night and changing constellations throughout the year. Participants will also become individual stars by holding an LED light as they investigate how distance relates to perceived brightness and will work together to form the constellation of Orion. This session will emphasize developing and using models to provide students with evidence for observable patterns that can be used to construct explanations for astronomical phenomena. Clark Planetarium is happy to offer a free kit of take-away materials so that teachers can replicate the activities in their classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Jason Trump

Jason Trump

Education Programs Supervisor, Clark Planetarium
Jason Trump brings substantial expertise in both formal (classroom) and informal (outside the classroom) science education. In addition to his duties as the Education Program Supervisor at Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City, he manages a multi-institutional outreach effort for NASA’s... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian E
  Elementary, 4th Grade

1:00pm MDT

Motivating Students to Read, Write, and Engage in Discourse
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Twilight 1
The teacher’s role in the classroom is to motivate students to learn. Curiosity is an important and useful tool for teaching science. Teachers can develop effective strategies with the SEEd Standards to leverage curiosity that motivates students to read, engage in discourse, and write .

Good science instruction can motivate students to develop literacy skills. Building literacy skills in our students is an important tool for learning science. Scientific investigation effectively motivates students to develop better reading comprehension, build skills for engaging in evidence-based discourse, and improve writing skills (NRC, 2019).

Students enter the classroom with diverse abilities, needs, and backgrounds. Selecting and using local and culturally relevant phenomena is an important way to engage all science investigations. Making connections to place-based aspects of science phenomena adds to the relevance of science for each student and motivates students to engage in discourse, reading, and writing.
Speakers
avatar for Brett Moulding
avatar for Candace Penrod

Candace Penrod

District Science Supervisor/President 2026, Salt Lake City School District/NSELA (National Science Education Leadership Association)
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Twilight 1
  Elementary, General Elementary

1:00pm MDT

Place-based Teaching as an Interdisciplinary Practice
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian D
Zion National Park rangers will demonstrate place-based, interdisciplinary teaching practices designed for use in any outdoor location – from National Parks to your own schoolyard. Join us for an interactive curriculum development session linking Utah Core Standards in Science to English Language Arts, Social Studies, and Fine Arts through exploration of the immediate landscape. The techniques discussed in this session are appropriate for K-12 educators, with an emphasis on connecting concepts and skills across multiple subject areas on your own school campus. Teaching practices may be used to develop new classroom content, enrich existing lesson plans, or support teachers in self-guided off-site field trips.
Speakers
LB
AD
JB
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian D
  Elementary, 3rd Grade, 5th Grade

1:00pm MDT

Power House Strategies to Deepen Phenomenon Based Learning
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Stratus 8
Want to up the engagement level in your Science instruction while simultaneously increasing student ownership of their own learning and foster their critical thinking skills? If so, I invite you to join me as I share some powerful strategies that can be tailored to fit any lesson. Incorporating these strategies will also help you to ensure that your lesson design, learning goals, and lesson instruction implementation all directly align with the SEEd standards.

Presentation
Speakers
avatar for Dari Thacker

Dari Thacker

4th & 5th Grade Elementary Teacher, Silver Summit Elementary
I am an elementary teacher in a hybrid differentiated elementary school. I've taught all K-5 grades over the past decade. I currently teach 4th & 5th grade. I am passionate about giving students the skills they need to think for themselves, develop executive functioning skills, and... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Stratus 8
  Elementary, Upper Elementary

1:00pm MDT

Tree Detectives
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian A
Come learn how your 1st grade students can go from detective to dendrochronologist (scientist who studies tree rings) while using Red Butte Garden's Botany Boxes. The Tree Detectives Botany Box directly supports SEEd standard 1.2.1 with hands on observations and wonders using your very own tree cookies. Learn how trees grow and to determine how much sunlight and water a tree received during its life. Then analyze data and make a plan to save a grove of dying trees.
Speakers
HP

Heather Paulsen

Teacher Resource Coordinator, Red Butte Garden
Heather has over 20 years of experience in both formal and informal education K-12. Most of that has been spent in informal science education working with statewide programs that include outreach, teacher resources, professional development and writing curriculum to support state... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian A
  Elementary, 1st Grade

1:00pm MDT

Harnessing the Power of AI While Unlocking STEM Opportunities in Your School
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian B
STEM programs not only equip students with essential skills for the future but also fosters a deep-seated love for learning. Utah's SEEd standards align closely with student STEM competitions by emphasizing inquiry-based learning, integration of science and engineering practices, exploration of crosscutting concepts, interdisciplinary thinking, and the development of critical thinking and problem-solving skills. AI is a tool that can revolutionize STEM experiences, and data collecting with students. Discover an abundance of different AI tools to help aid your STEM endeavors.
Speakers
avatar for Amy Pace

Amy Pace

Strategic Growth and Innovation Specialist, Utah State Charter School Board
I have spent the last 24 years teaching science to the students and teachers of Utah for both traditional and charter schools.  I recently transitioned out of the classroom and into a new position as the Strategic Growth and Innovation Specialist for the Utah State Charter School... Read More →
avatar for Lora Gibbons

Lora Gibbons

Senior Technical Trainer, Utah Education Network
Lora is a UEN senior technical trainer and a huge STEM enthusiast. She loves to engage students in deep learning through real world problem solving. She currently serves on the Utah Science Teaching Association board and, from 2023-2024, as a DoD STEM Ambassador. She received the... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian B
  General

1:00pm MDT

Meet the Scientist - Dr. Tara Bishop; "Actionable science for Earth's changing drylands"
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Stratus 5
Earth's drylands are some of the most important ecosystems that are also some of the most understudied. They are experiencing drastic changes as a result from climate change and changes in wildfire regimes. My research program asks questions about how climate change, wildfire, and community structure interacts and determines plant community structure and function. In this session, I share results from various research projects centered in Utah's drylands, what we are learning about the state and potential transitions of these dryland plant communities, and how my team and I are using that information to create well-informed decision making tools for land managers.
Speakers
avatar for Tara Bishop

Tara Bishop

Assistant Professor, UVU
I am a research ecologist and assistant professor with a passion for deserts. I ask questions about how dryland plant communities respond to climate change, wildfire, and other disturbance factors through a variety of field experiments and GIS and remote sensing studies. I teach classes... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Stratus 5
  General, Meet the Scientist

1:00pm MDT

Teaching & Assessment Strategies for Asking Questions and Modeling
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
The Zephyr
We want students to ask high quality questions that show deeper learning.  We want students to make and use scientific models to predict and explain phenomena.  But making this happen in the classroom can be very challenging.  And how does a teacher assess these skills? This hands-on, minds-on workshop will dive into how educators can incorporate these skills into instruction and what success looks like for asking questions and developing and using models. We will provide various strategies for teaching modeling and asking questions and rubrics for science skills.

HERE is the slidedeck.
Speakers
avatar for Allison Halling

Allison Halling

Chemistry/Biology Teacher, West Field High School
Allison Halling is a Chemistry and Biology teacher at West Field High School. She has presented locally/nationally about how to incorporate SEPs into daily classroom instruction. 
BM

Becky McKinney

Science Teacher, Instructional Coach
Becky McKinney is a teacher and instructional coach at Weber High School. Becky has taught Biology, AP Biology, Physics, AP Physics, Environmental Science, Astronomy, Forensics, Earth Science, A&P and Mammalian Physiology.  Becky has provided professional development locally and... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
The Zephyr
  General

1:00pm MDT

Derive Newton's 2nd Law
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Stratus 6
Phenomenon-based science instruction is used to teach learners the Disciplinary Core Idea Newton's 2nd Law related to Utah SEEd Physics Standard 1.1. The Science and Engineering practice of Analyze and Interpret Data and the Cross Cutting Concept of Cause and Effect will be used to derive the equation.
Participants will also learn how Technology Mediated Lesson Study was used to develop the lesson plan.
Speakers
DM

Doug Morris

Teacher, Carbon High School
Doug Morris is a teacher at Carbon High School in Price, Utah. He began his career in 2007 teaching 7th and 8th grade Integrated Science at Mont Harmon Junior High. After six years, Doug moved to Carbon High School to teach Biology and currently teaches Chemistry, concurrent enrollment... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Stratus 6
  High School, Physics

1:00pm MDT

Interstellar Scavenger Hunt: Quest for a New Home
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Twilight 4
This project represents a culminating synthesis of the year's learning journey, designed to weave together the knowledge acquired across various strands. It delves into Strand 1 by exploring the life of stars, tracing their birth to demise, and examining the orchestration of solar systems. From Strand 2, we investigate the topography of distant worlds and the transformative power of natural disasters. From Strand 3, we observe the cosmic forces that render Earth—and potentially other planets—capable of hosting life. Finally, from Strand 4 we encourage a forward-looking perspective, challenging us to consider the stewardship of our planet's resources and devising innovative strategies for sustainable living. This comprehensive project is not just a reflection of what has been learned; it's a bold step toward shaping the stewards of tomorrow's Earth.
Speakers
avatar for Ally Reed

Ally Reed

Teacher, Fort Herriman Middle School
avatar for Julie Williams

Julie Williams

Teacher, Fort Herriman Middle School
Julie (and Ally) teach Earth Science at Fort Herriman Middle School and also pick up a Math class here and there. Working as a collaborative team for three years now, we both strive to make learning relevant and fun.Julie recently completed her masters with a focus on game-based learning... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Twilight 4
  High School, Earth and Space Science

1:00pm MDT

Revitalize Your Rubrics
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Stratus 7
This presentation explores some of the pitfalls and challenges associated with rubrics and how to overcome them. It walks through how to turn a mediocre rubric into an excellent rubric that can be reused in multiple contexts. Rubrics allow the grader to focus on the underlying SEP's and track student mastery over time. We will also look at how AI can be leveraged to get students immediate formative feedback and decrease teacher work load.
Speakers
avatar for Darci Stone

Darci Stone

Oak Canyon Jr. High School
I have taught Physics, Chemistry, and Earth Science. I am also an award winning science fiction author.
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Stratus 7
  High School, General High School

1:00pm MDT

The Environmental Footprint of Food & Agriculture
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian G
The environmental footprint of food and agriculture takes into account various factors that measure the environmental impact of producing, processing, transporting, and consuming food. Some of the key factors considered in food's ecological footprint include land use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, waste generation, inputs, and transportation. These factors all contribute to understanding the overall impact of food production and consumption. During this workshop, participants will evaluate the benefits and contributions of the agricultural industry, weigh the environmental impacts of food production, and explore solutions that reduce and mitigate the environmental impact caused by humans and agriculture. (SEEd Standards BIO.1.2, 1.3, and 1.5)
Speakers
avatar for Bekka Israelsen

Bekka Israelsen

Director, Utah Agriculture in the Classroom (USU)
Bekka Israelsen is the Director for Utah Agriculture in the Classroom and Extension Assistant Professor at Utah State University. She graduated from Utah State University with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Education and a master’s degree in Career and Technical Education... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian G
  High School, Biology

1:00pm MDT

Exploring Symbiosis: Parasitoid Wasps
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian H
Symbiosis and Other Relationships is a multimedia curriculum module that uses a three-part symbiosis between a wasp, its caterpillar host, and a virus to highlight the varied and sometimes complex ecological relationships. It includes an opportunity for students to analyze data through a simulated experiment involving the wasp parasitoid and its host, interweaving this example with more general information in a way that builds a deeper understanding of ecological relationships. Students learn about competition, predation, parasitism, commensalism, and mutualism through examples of 2-way relationships, and tease out the types of relationships at play in examples of 3-way relationships. The module supports SEEd standard 6.4.2, Stability and Change in Ecosystems and is freely available on the Teach.Genetics website. The module’s materials can be used independently to supplement existing curriculum materials, or used alone in a suggested sequence over 1-2 weeks of class time.
Speakers
JT

Jen Taylor

Genetic Science Learning Center
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian H
  Middle School, 6th Grade

1:00pm MDT

OED: Using Natural Gas to Teach about Phase Change and Engineering
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Twilight 3
This is an interactive session with materials that you can take with you! Come participate in an engineering design challenge centered around one of Utah's invaluable natural resources: Natural Gas. Discover how your students can seamlessly blend principles of physics and earth science to delve into the intricacies of this vital resource. Explore optimal conditions for phase changes, utilizing water as a tangible model to grasp the complexities of natural gas transformations! (PS1.B, PS3.A, ETS1.A, ETS1.B,ETS1.C) Free equipment provided!
Speakers
avatar for Karre Nevarez

Karre Nevarez

7-8 Integrated Science and Engineering, Alpine - Mountain Ridge Junior High
With former experience in Gifted and Talented, I currently teach Integrated Science and Engineering in Grades 7-8. This year I am teaching a new Science Inquiry and Innovation elective to 7-8. I am passionate about 3D Science and teaching 21st Century skills in a fun, accepting learning... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Twilight 3
  Middle School, 8th Grade

1:00pm MDT

Using dragons and Game based learning to teach all of Strand 7.4 and 7.5.1
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian C
This unit is so popular with the students that the 9th biology teacher said the students who did this in 7th grade know punnet squares so well she didn't have to teach it this year! This unit was specifically designed to align and teach all of the standards in 7.4 as well as 7.5.1. It slowly works the students into it so that they get the hang of learning genetics as well as talking about sexual and asexual reproduction, mutations and how they could be beneficial or negative or neutral. The students get to create punnett squares for each mutation that occurs and use dice to determine which dragon is born as well as using dice to determine if they survive the natural hazards the students get to design.
Speakers
avatar for Gayle Dowdle

Gayle Dowdle

Instructional Coach, Jordan School District
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Meridian C
  Middle School, 7th Grade

1:00pm MDT

Redesigning Utah's Yards - A Conservation-based Approach
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Stratus 9
Have you ever wanted to create a scenario-based project where students are tasked with contributing solutions to Utah's water supply? In this project-based assignment, students will construct a yard (front or back) that is designed to not only increase the street value of the home, but reduce water usage with a water budget, stay within a financial budget, and learn how to perform research to identify correct plants that can be used in place of traditional "green lawn only" landscaping. Teachers attending this event will not only receive digital and printed materials for this project, but a walk through and opportunity to start their own project as well.

ESS.4.2-4.4 will be addressed in terms of Water Conservation and appropriate resource management (Computational Thinking & Designing Solutions)
Bio 1.5 is addressed as this lesson takes the approach of ecological succession to bringing back native species to an area. (Design a solution)

Check out my Website for additional resources, links, files, and more!
Speakers
avatar for Andrew Holmes

Andrew Holmes

Science Instructor & After School Coordinator, Jordan School District
As a public school teacher and afterschool program coordinator at West Jordan Middle School, I am part of the students entire day at our school. From Science classes to Soccer and Esports, I can help give you ideas on different engaging ways to address your standards either during... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Stratus 9
  Secondary, General Secondary

1:00pm MDT

“Creating Curiosity with Projects for Organization and Development of Organisms – Cells and Body Systems”
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Twilight 2

Ignite student passion for science with captivating, hands-on projects: newspaper bones, a pasta skeleton, an articulated hand model, and *wearable models of cell structure and organ systems showcasing student comprehension. Learn the Songs “Single Cells” and “Mitosis”, along with event descriptions for the Human Body Olympics, and how to showcase student models publicly, fostering community science literacy.  *Cell and Organ aprons available for $7 to create during session.

Speakers
avatar for Jody Hodges

Jody Hodges

Owner/Consultant, ScienceWear
Jody is an award-winning teacher and the founder of ScienceWear.net. As a teacher for over 29 years, she is honored to have received multiple national and state level awards in recognition of her passion and innovative teaching strategies. Jody has proven she knows how to turn kids... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Twilight 2
  Secondary, General Secondary

2:20pm MDT

Conservation In Your Classroom
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Twilight 3
Come engage with Ogden Nature Center as we show you how to bring STEM learning, community science, and conservation to your students. We will go over methods and materials for 3 different conservation projects. Level 1: simple seed bombs-perfect for a short lesson. Level 2: Composting in the classroom-a low cost year long project that helps reduce waste. Level 3: Creating a pollinator garden for your school-a longer term project that requires planning and investment. Whatever your classroom age or level of time and commitment, we have something for you. So come learn how to engage your students in conservation and come ready to get your hands a little dirty!
STRANDS: K.2, 1.2, 2.2, 3.2, 4.1, 5.3 , 6.4
Speakers
avatar for Kylie Friedman

Kylie Friedman

Assistant Education Director, Ogden Nature Center
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Twilight 3
  Elementary, General Elementary

2:20pm MDT

How does modeling support students’ scientific sensemaking? 
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Aurora Board Room
This presentation is an introduction to student sensemaking through modeling aligned to SEEd Strand 2.1 Changes in Earth’s Surface. Participants will experience what scientific modeling looks like in practice through the lens of the 2nd grade Earth’s systems unit, “Moncton” from Ambitious Science Teaching. In this unit students are constructing explanations about a puzzling phenomenon, what caused the mountain town of Moncton to flood? Participants will observe what student modeling looked like in a classroom, define what modeling is, and learn strategies to support student scientific modeling and sensemaking.

This presentation is adapted from the Module: Introduction to Sensemaking through Modeling from Advancing Coherent and Equitable Systems of Science Education.
Speakers
LJ
avatar for Summer Pelton
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Aurora Board Room
  Elementary, 2nd Grade

2:20pm MDT

Ooblek Odyssey: Uniting Matter, engineering practices, inquiry, and crosscutting concepts through a cross-curricular lens.
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Stratus 6
Join us for "Ooblek Odyssey,” where we embark on an interdisciplinary journey through the captivating world of Ooblek. This interactive session invites educators to explore the unique properties of Ooblek—a non-Newtonian fluid—while seamlessly integrating engineering practices, inquiry-based learning, and cross-cutting concepts across various disciplines. Look at where SEEd standards 5.2 and 6.2 meet and get ideas about how you can work together to build mastery in your students.

Through engaging demonstrations and hands-on activities, participants will discover how Ooblek serves as a powerful educational tool to foster critical thinking and scientific inquiry. By examining Ooblek through a cross-curricular lens, we will unveil its potential to enhance learning experiences in science, language arts and beyond.

Whether you're a seasoned educator seeking innovative teaching strategies or a curious learner eager to delve into the wonders of matter, this presentation promises to inspire, educate, and ignite a passion for interdisciplinary exploration.

https://bit.ly/3U6tVZ4

Speakers
avatar for Emily Perkins

Emily Perkins

5th Grade Teacher, Cedar Valley Elementary
Emily Perkins is the 5th grade teacher at Cedar Valley Elementary in Cedar Fort, Utah. She has been the 5th grade teacher for the last 12 years. Emily enjoys creating high-quality, engaging cross-curricular learning experiences for her students. Emily is on the district science, math... Read More →
avatar for Michelle Kantaris

Michelle Kantaris

6th Grade Teacher, Cedar Valley Elementary
Michelle Kantaris is a 6th grade teacher at Cedar Valley Elementary in Cedar Fort, Utah.. She presently teaches 6th grade with prior experience in grades K-8. Michelle has a passion for reaching students through engaging cross-curricular activities. Michelle is on the district science... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Stratus 6
  Elementary, Upper Elementary

2:20pm MDT

Synergies in Action: Bridging Science, English Language Arts and Technology
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian A
During this session participants will engage in hands-on and collaborative activities that center around the free online digital tools that inspire creativity and foster interdisciplinary connections. Natural History Museum of Utah’s Research Quest provides a brilliant resource that aligns to Utah science standards, builds students proficiency in the science and engineering practices while supplies students with the research needed to easily complete an informative essay that supports your ELA standards. Whether you're a science enthusiast, language arts aficionado, or tech-savvy educator, this session offers valuable insights and practical ideas to enrich your teaching practice and empower your students for success in a rapidly evolving world.
Speakers
avatar for Lynn Gutzwiller

Lynn Gutzwiller

Jordan School District Science Specialist, Jordan School District, West Jordan Utah
Having been deemed the Gandalf of Teachers after her extensive career in the classroom, Lynn now works with adults as a district science specialist during the day and as a science teacher for adult education in the evening—despite earning a C in science in third grade. She’s an... Read More →
avatar for Lynn Gutzwiller

Lynn Gutzwiller

Jordan School District Science Specialist, Jordan School District
Rachel is a 25 year veteran of education and has successfully parented two of her four children to adulthood. She hails from Oklahoma, and now calls Riverton, Utah home. Her teaching superpower of creativity makes her a master of curriculum development. Secretly, Rachel wishes she... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian A
  Elementary, 4th Grade

2:20pm MDT

We are the Explorers! Bringing together NASA’s STEM graphic novels, robotics, and moon exploration.
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Stratus 7
Discover ways to blend language arts, programming, and exploration. The NASA First Woman graphic novel series follows the fictional adventures of Callie Rodriquez and her colleagues as they search for solutions to the challenges of Moon exploration. Engage in a hands-on robotics and programming learning experience from the First Woman Camp Guide. From camps to classrooms, we will learn how to adjust the lesson to your students’ needs.
Speakers
WL
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Stratus 7
  Elementary, 5th Grade, 6th Grade

2:20pm MDT

Wild About Learning: Using Utah's Hogle Zoo’s Field Trip Program To Enhance Science Learning
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Twilight 4
Utah's Hogle Zoo is working on updating their field trip program to provide more educational opportunities for students. Learn how  these updates will help reach SEEd standards through engaging new activities provided by staff and resources that tie in what is learned at the zoo to what you can do in your classroom.
Speakers
avatar for Angelina Kump

Angelina Kump

Academic Program Supervisor, Utah's Hogle zoo
I have a masters degree in curriculum and instruction and educational leadership. I have been working in the informal education world for 12 years and love helping other educators find ways to connect the natural world in everything they teach.
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Twilight 4
  Elementary, Early Elementary

2:20pm MDT

Bridging the Gap Between Literacy and STEM: Practical, Hands-On Strategies for K-12 Educators
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Twilight 2
In this session for K-12 educators, we will discuss the latest research and evidence-based best practices in cross-curricular literacy and explore hands-on strategies for integrating reading, writing, and speaking skills into STEM subjects. This hands-on session will demonstrate how infusing cross-curricular literacy into STEM supports the development of Science and Engineering Practices (such as constructing explanations, engaging in argument from evidence, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information) while simultaneously enhancing student engagement and comprehension. Participants will learn practical tips for integrating literacy skills into science/STEM education. Through interactive demonstrations, participants will see these techniques in action, gaining the knowledge and skills to enrich their teaching toolkit and transform their classroom into a vibrant, literacy-rich environment. Designed for educators looking to make an interdisciplinary impact, this session will equip STEM educators with effective tools to integrate literacy and STEM, preparing students for the 21st century and beyond.
Speakers
CW
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Twilight 2
  General

2:20pm MDT

How Science Can Save Us From AI: Strategies for Hyper-Engaging, Transdisciplinary Science Lessons That Future-Proof Your Students
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
The Zephyr
AI isn’t just about technology; it’s an opportunity to redefine how we teach and prepare our students for a tech dominated future (hopefully without full-fledged AI Overlords). In this interactive session, we’ll explore the human skills that will matter most—like critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration—and discuss how to integrate them effectively into your science classroom using strategies grounded in Transdisciplinary Learning (Convergence Education) and proper gamification techniques. We’ll dive into how most gamification tools miss the mark and how you can implement approaches that truly engage students and connect to real-world challenges. You’ll leave with practical, hands-on activities and a toolkit you can use to transform your lessons and inspire your students to think and act beyond the textbook. Walk away equipped to design science lessons that not only meet SEEd standards but also future-proof your students with skills they need to excel in an AI-driven world.
Speakers
avatar for Skyler Carr

Skyler Carr

CEO & Co-Founder, Mission.io
I was an elementary STEM teacher that started a side project. Now that side project has taken me all over the world and impacted hundreds of thousands of students. Just here to share what I've learned along the way. 
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
The Zephyr
  General

2:20pm MDT

Meet the Scientist 3
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Stratus 5
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Stratus 5
  General, Meet the Scientist

2:20pm MDT

Teaching Science to Multilingual Learners
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian G
This session will seek to provide teachers with scaffolds for which to effectively teach 3D science to ALL students, with a particular focus on supporting ML students. This aligns with the SEEd standards as ALL students need equitable access to all three dimensions of the core in order to further their sense-making.
Speakers
avatar for Leslie Allen

Leslie Allen

Specialist, Canyons School District
avatar for Andrew Jones

Andrew Jones

ISD Specialist, Canyons School District
Andrew is the High School Science Specialist for the Instructional Supports Department. He is passionate about the implementation of 3D science in classrooms.
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian G
  General

2:20pm MDT

Exploring Enzyme Kinetics: Integrating Data Analysis Skills with Biological Concepts to Meet Utah's SEEd Standards
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian C
We will have supplies for 20 lab station groups. This is for high school science teachers, but could be modified for junior high students as well (even possibly elementary). This data collecting and analyzing process, as well as it's emphasis on energy make this lab applicable to all subjects.

In this very hands-on workshop, teachers will:

Discover the World of Enzymes: Kick off with an introduction to enzymes, their roles in biological processes, and the specifics of catalase activity.

Prepare for Experimentation: Learn how to set up the experiments using easily accessible materials and equipment, ensuring that the activity can be replicated in your own classrooms.

Conduct Experiments: Engage in a series of experiments that demonstrate the effects of various factors on catalase activity, such as pH, temperature, and substrate concentration.

Data Collection & Analysis: Quickly collect real-time data as the experiments unfold. Teachers will practice using simple yet effective methods for recording and analyzing experimental outcomes.

Curriculum Integration: Discuss and plan how to integrate these experiments into your current curriculum, aligning with the Utah Science SEEd standards.
Speakers
JH

Josh Heward

Timpanogos HS
avatar for David van Dijk

David van Dijk

Pleasant Grove High School
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian C
  High School, Chemistry

2:20pm MDT

Mapping the Urban Heat Island Effect
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Twilight 1
Resources:

i-Tree
Not Even Past: Social Vulnerability and the Legacy of Redlining
Urban Heat Island Story Map
National Phenology Network


Practices: My presentation will describe the 2023 Heat Mapping Campaign in Salt Lake City funded by NOAA. Scientists designed routes and modeling methods, and volunteers attached mobile sensors to their cars and drove the routes. In class, students use Infrared thermometers to map the heat island effect around their campus.

Crosscutting Concepts: Our results revealed that historically redlined neighborhoods on the Westside experience a greater heat burden than other neighborhoods. Our results will improve our ability to build effective heat mitigating infrastructure like trees and cool roofs.

Core Ideas: In studying the urban heat island effect, students learn that the Earth’s surface absorbs or reflects solar radiation. When the surface absorbs solar energy, heat is transferred by conduction, convection, evaporation, and emission. Human bodies respond to heat with perspiration and vasodilation. Heat waves are becoming more common and more severe, and the burden of risk is not equally shared.
Speakers
avatar for Robert Wilson

Robert Wilson

Science Teacher/ Coordinator of Climate Studies, Rowland Hall
Robert joined the Rowland Hall faculty in 2005. He has a BA in biology from Lewis & Clark College and an MS in biology/ecology from Utah State University. Prior to coming to Rowland Hall, Robert studied migratory birds and taught biology at Utah State University and Westminster College... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Twilight 1
  High School, Earth and Space Science

2:20pm MDT

Quantum Journey in a Box: Tangible activities and Support Materials for Secondary Students
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian F
This presentation will build quantum ideas- starting with what is a photon and how can we control what state it is in and moving on to using photons in cryptography for quantum key distribution, quantum cloning and finishing up with quantum teleportation.

Teachers will leave with a digital copy of the support materials and activities used in the training (and hopefully then used in their classes). Quantum Information is highly relevant to our future and connects as an extension on the 8th grade standard 8.2.5 - as this is essentially just a model of light waves. The content of this presentation also connects with SEEd standards phys.4.4 and phys.4.5

The presentation will include content created as part of a NSF sponsored summer research opportunity with the BYU physics department and the Quantum for All summer camp with the University of Texas at Arlington. These materials were also used at a workshop for AAPT national conference in Boston, summer 2024 and at the Utah-Idaho chapter meeting of AAPT in April 2024.
Speakers
CW
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian F
  High School, Physics

2:20pm MDT

Students Doing Science Research Projects: Fanning the Flames of Curiosity
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian E
Motivated science students – including those who may have been categorized as gifted and talented – can achieve remarkable learning preparatory to their future STEM careers by doing actual hands-on research; but facilitating such experiences for these students can be daunting for their teachers who are focusing on the large number of other students who need their attention. Secondary school science educators can enable their high-capability students’ research experiences by connecting them to extramural resources such as college/university faculty members and facilities. Specific cases of this kind of successful arrangement will be given as concrete examples of how this might be accomplished.
Speakers
avatar for Craig Thulin

Craig Thulin

Professor, Utah Valley University
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian E
  High School, General High School

2:20pm MDT

Who is Baby Whale’s Father? DNA Fingerprinting Solves the Mystery!
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian B
Come learn and get hands-on experience on how to teach gel electrophoresis and DNA fingerprinting in a single classroom session. You will pour, load, and run a gel, capture gel image, analyze the results, and deduce a probable conclusion for a whale of a forensic mystery. This hands-on lab can be used to support Strand Bio 3 - Genetic Patterns.
Speakers
avatar for MiniOne Systems

MiniOne Systems

Sales and Marketing, MiniOne Systems
MiniOne Systems
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian B
  High School, Biology

2:20pm MDT

A Phenomenal Launch to Investigating Energy
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Stratus 8
Students make long-lasting connections to content when they engage with a phenomenon before direct instruction. In this workshop, participants will dive into a lesson that introduces the concepts of kinetic and potential energy before those terms are formally defined for students. This activity also provides an excellent opportunity to develop your student's skills with the practice of planning and carrying out investigations. It has multiple options for scaffolding to meet diverse student needs. Use this lesson at the beginning of your energy unit for an engaging and memorable launch point that students will connect back to in future lessons.
Speakers
BG
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Stratus 8
  Middle School, 8th Grade

2:20pm MDT

Placing your Learning on the Mat - Using Google Slides for creating Graphic Organizers
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Stratus 9
This session would be more about using a strategy for Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating information than it is about a specific SEEd Standard. This strategy can be applied across a variety of concepts and core ideas
Speakers
avatar for Mitchell Jorgensen

Mitchell Jorgensen

Science Teacher, Willowcreek Middle School/Alpine School District
I learn, I teach.
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Stratus 9
  Middle School, General Middle School

2:20pm MDT

Harnessing the Power of Simulations in Science Education
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian H
The integration of online simulations aligns with Science and Engineering Practices by promoting student engagement, active learning, and the development of scientific citizenship. By harnessing the power of simulations and combining them with instructional best practices, teachers can create dynamic learning experiences that empower students to ask questions, analyze data, and construct explanations. Through this interactive session, educators can explore effective strategies for leveraging simulations and fostering student engagement, ultimately nurturing the next generation of scientifically literate and engaged citizens.
Speakers
DK

Desire Kirchofer

ExploreLearning
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian H
  Secondary, General Secondary

2:20pm MDT

Making Sense of Models
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian D
Developing and using models can be one of the most challenging science practices for students and teachers alike. On the other hand, utilizing models naturally lends itself to all the other science practices and is a perfect tool for digging deep into a phenomenon. In this session, we’ll use a simplified version of a model developed by HawkWatch International scientist Dave Oleyar to calculate the density of nesting cavities by habitat type for the five smallest species of forest owls in North America. From there, we’ll use our models to predict the impact of various landscape changes on cavity-nesting raptors and come up with recommendations for land managers that want to preserve these important members of their ecosystems.
Speakers
avatar for Melissa Halvorsen

Melissa Halvorsen

Education and Outreach Director, HawkWatch International
Melissa Halvorsen began her life-long adventures in environmental education while following her biologist father around in the field. Melissa learned science by actually practicing it in the real world with her dad-an experience which made transitioning to the 3D model of science... Read More →
Friday October 11, 2024 2:20pm - 3:20pm MDT
Meridian D
  Secondary, General Secondary
 
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Friday, October 11
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