Welcome to the 2024 NCSTA Professional Development Institute. The Benton food service bar will be available in the Main Lobby during the lunch break on Thursday and Friday. Grab a quick bite and visit the Exhibit Hall. StemScopes/Accelerated Learning offers a free lunch and learn session on Thursday. Get tickets at Booth 204. Savvas offers a free lunch and learn session on Friday. Get tickets at Booth 101. NCSTA will reimburse up to $15 for parking (total, not per day). Information and form from our website. CEU forms will be emailed to you after the conference. You may earn .6 CEU per day.
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Discover fun ways to help your students understand how structures and systems of the human body perform functions necessary for life. Explore major systems of the human body, examine anatomical models, experiment with genetic traits, and discover how you are uniquely YOU!
This session will present the journey of a Title 1 school in extending students’ exposure to science despite limited budget and resources. Connecting students with scientists from local industries, science organizations, and state agencies ignites curiosity and inspires the next generation of young scientists through engaging presentations and hands-on activities. Aligning presenter topics closely with the NC SCOS for science integrates content knowledge with real-world applications of scientific concepts and practices.
Do you have a STEM teacher or a technology teacher in your building and you’re looking for ways to collaborate and build deeper learning for your students? Let us show you how the new SEP (Science and Engineering Practices) really FIT with the ITSE standards and our state digital learning competencies.
Media Specialist Tech Facilitator, Knotts Island Elementary School
Media and Technology Teacher Ma.Ed; Ma. Ed. Technology I am a Currituck native and live on Knotts Island. I received a BA from ECU in Literature and Philosophy. I received my American Montessori teaching credentials and worked in Montessori schools for three years. I then received... Read More →
Thursday November 7, 2024 8:30am - 9:20am EST
Salem 1B
Embark on a journey with STEM Success for Beginning Teachers, a professional development session designed to empower novice educators with the essential tools and strategies needed to support students in the 4 C's: critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity. This interactive and engaging session will provide you with the foundational knowledge and practical skills necessary to inspire and cultivate a passion for STEM in your students from the very start of your teaching career.
So you are already doing great science/ STEM teaching in your elementary school class, now what? How can we shift to incorporating more Science and Engineering Practices? Join us for a guided self-reflection time where we work on shifting lessons toward SEP implementation. Participants will experience a traditional lesson and then work through a guided reflection process that demonstrates how to identify areas that can be enhanced to become more student-centered and minds-on.
Assistant Director - Mountain Satellite Office, The Science House of NCSU
Jason Carter, Assistant Director of the Mountain Office for the Science House at NC State University, has over 20 years as an educator in science and math. Along with this experience, Jason is a Fulbright Teacher for Global Classrooms honoree and a Science Ambassador for the National... Read More →
Thursday November 7, 2024 8:30am - 9:20am EST
Winston 1C
Discover how to make science education more engaging and effective with "Play to Learn: Integrating Board/Card Games in Science Education." This session explores innovative ways to incorporate board games into your science curriculum, enhancing student participation and comprehension. Learn practical strategies and game-based activities that foster critical thinking, teamwork, and a deeper understanding of scientific concepts, transforming your classroom into a dynamic learning environment. Are you game?
Participants will access a suite of resources from “Teacher Learning for Effective School-Based Citizen Science” (TL4CS; https://horizon-research.com/tl4cs/) and engage in select lessons from this yearlong progression of support materials for a citizen science project. These materials align with 5th grade NC science standards, and have already been implemented by more than 50 teachers statewide. Participants will explore how collecting, analyzing, and interpreting authentic data can lead to deepened student content knowledge.
I'm a former elementary science teacher and recent PhD graduate in Elementary Science Education. I am currently an adjunct lecturer of science methods courses at NCSU.
Head, Citizen Science, NC Museum of Natural Sciences
I am an entomologist who works as the head of citizen science for a large natural history museum. I love environmental education, nature journaling, and teaching people how to become a part of science without any formal training.
Thursday November 7, 2024 9:30am - 10:20am EST
Salem 3C
Socioscientific lessons explore real-world issues bridging social and scientific topics. Through socioscientific storylines, students engage in hands-on learning about culturally relevant topics in their community. We will focus on integrating science and social studies in a real-world context for students incorporating the new North Carolina science standards. This session focuses on asking questions and defining problems to encourage interaction with science and engineering practices and to foster student participation in productive argumentation from evidence.
Susan Nazario, Ben Schosek and Ruthann McComb, Lisa McCurdy,Patricia Bricker, Suzanne Raxter, Jennifer Crawford, Adam Haas, Jessica Metz, Alyson VanAlphen, Jane Carlisle, Pepper Hill, Joey Lord, Carla Butts,Alisa Wickliff, Angela Adams
Join us for Seamless STEM: Vertical Supports for Success in K-5, an informative professional development session designed to equip elementary educators with the tools and strategies needed to create a cohesive and comprehensive STEM education experience from kindergarten through fifth grade. This session focuses on building a strong, vertically aligned STEM curriculum that supports continuous student growth and achievement.
Want to ensure all students engage with science concepts in your diverse classroom? This session explores how the M2-Si grant centers multilingual learners with multimodal and multilingual formative assessment strategies aligned to the new 2023 K-12 Science Standards. Hear how NC educators utilized visuals, hands-on activities, technology, and translanguaging to make science accessible and engaging. Provide your students with multiple ways to show their knowledge and discover how to empower a class of successful scientists!
ivanna.anderson@dpi.nc.gov@imannthrowerESL/Title III Consultant (EL Program Quality - West Region)Ivanna Mann Thrower Anderson has served as an ESL/Title III Consultant with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction since 2009. She has worked with English language learners... Read More →
Captivate your children with the solar system and the constellations as well! Bring the solar system into your very own classroom and give a hands-on approach to teaching! Tired of boring worksheets? Come and take back hands-on activities that your children are sure to love and remember. while learning about the solar system and constellations!
Hello! My name is Amy Sparks and I am the mother of three beautiful kids. (They are now adults) and two beautiful grandsons, Landon who is 4 and Jax who will be 3 in December and another beautiful grand baby in June of 2025. I am the wife of Rob Sparks and have had the honor of... Read More →
Ready for active, engaging experiences for students in your science classroom? Join us for this hands-on presentation integrating strategies for engaging learners in the new K-5 science standards. You will walk away with ideas and STEM experiments you can use in your classroom tomorrow!
The new NC science standards leverage science and engineering practices (SEPs). Modeling is the central practice of the SEPs and the process of incorporating them into courses can feel rather daunting. Where to start? What are the expectations for students? Join us to learn how to take one of your lessons and make it even more engaging using our shared strategies. Participants will leave with ready-to-go lessons they can implement into their classrooms.
In today's rapidly changing world, it's essential for young learners to not only grasp core content but also understand the significance of agriculture in our lives. Integrating agricultural literacy into classrooms not only fosters a deeper understanding of where our food comes from but also cultivates valuable skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and environmental awareness. This presentation will highlight SEP instructional strategies for utilizing the Farm Bureau's Ag In The Classroom resources as well as integrating them with curriculum content so that it may strengthen connections and relevance to the real world.
STEM Coordinator, Eastern Elementary, Pitt County Schools
As an elementary STEM coordinator, Lindsey Stalls engages students through interactive, hands-on experiences. With a background in education and a passion for integrating content, she assists teachers in creating engaging lessons to spark curiosity in students. Lindsey is a lifelong... Read More →
K-5 Building Engineers, using the new science standards, will show how to incorporate not only the engineering design process but also link those standards with literacy and other content areas. We will share activities for Kindergarten through 5th Grade. You will also participate in a fun engineering design challenge. \
Instructional Technology Facilitator and 3-5 STEM Teacher, Harnett County Schools
My name is Carla Butts, and I bring 22 years of teaching experience across a range of grade levels and subjects. I have taught 8th-grade science, high school Honors Earth Science, and Astronomy, and I currently lead STEM education for 3rd-5th graders. I hold a Bachelor’s in Geology... Read More →
Come learn with us as we share strategies and curriculum ideas for implementing SEPs and inquiry skills in elementary classes. We will also share ways that writing, reading, and math blend seamlessly with science. Leave with lesson resources and strategies for engaging all students! This is a hands-on session, of course!
Resource Development Director, The Center for Inquiry-Based Learning
CIBL's mission is to support K-8 teachers with training and the most engaging, integrated, hands-on STEM curriculum materials that promote creativity, collaboration, and communication. I specialize in writing hands-on K-12 science curricula based on NGSS and individual state standards... Read More →
The science and engineering practices (SEP’s) are now part of your standards, and a vital piece to your science instruction. In this session we will look at how we are already incorporating many of these practices into our instruction, as well as focus on how to incorporate the SEP’s in a way that will give your students authentic science experiences that allow them to make sense of the world.
Hawks Nest STEAM Academy, Hawks Nest STEAM Academy
I am the STEAM Teacher K-5 at Hawks Nest STEAM Academy. I currently teach the technology, engineering, math, science and robotics to all grade levels. People can talk to me about anything new and exciting in the STEM field.
If you want to improve your leadership skills, this is the session for you! Learn how the NCSLA Science Leadership Fellows Program builds individuals' leadership skills in its two-year program. This session is appropriate for all STEM educators regardless of position, including informal educators. Graduates of this program are better leaders in their workplaces and in professional associations. The program is generously funded by the NC SMT Center and the BWF.
Senior STEM Specialist, North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching
Jennifer currently serves as the STEM Specialist for NCCAT. Her previous roles include STEM Coordinator for Guilford County Schools and high school science teacher.
Crush critical thinking and creativity with personalized chatbots that you create for your students. In this hands-on session, you will explore and learn how to create custom bots aligned with the new science standards using SchoolAI and MagicSchool. Drawing from science-based playful approaches, this session connects the newest genAI tools to the new science standards and combines it with sound, age-appropriate pedagogy to empower your students with the skills they need to be successful humans.
Western Region DTL Consultant, NCDPI Digital Teaching and Learning
Stacy Lovdahl has 24 years of experience as a state and district-level education technologist. She is an AI literacy trainer, the Western DTL Consultant for NCDPI, an Instructional Technology Facilitator and a middle school science teacher. Stacy has dedicated significant efforts... Read More →
Friday November 8, 2024 1:40pm - 2:30pm EST
Winston 3C
The purpose of this interactive session is to provide an overview of the new support documents for the 2023 Science Standards. Participants will engage in conversations highlighting how the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCI), Science & Engineering Practices (SEP), and Crosscutting Concepts (CCC) connect to unpacking the standards. We will also discuss how the proficiency statements and academic language are used to support student learning. This session will focus on K-5 Science.
Secondary Science Consultant, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
Gavin Fradel is a science consultant in the K-12 Standards, Curriculum and Instruction section in the Office of Academic Standards at the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Gavin obtained his Undergraduate teaching degree in Middle Grades Education with a concentration... Read More →
K-5 Science Consultant, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
Debra works as an Elementary Science Consultant in the Division of Academic Standards at NCDPI. She has a Ph.D in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis on STEM Education. Prior to joining NCDPI, Debra worked as a classroom teacher and science specialist. During this time she... Read More →
Secondary Science Consultant, North Carolina Department of Public Instruction
Benita Tipton works as a Secondary Science Consultant with the NC Department of Public Instruction. Prior to coming to the Department in 2003, she taught high school science and college-entry biology at a community college. She earned a master’s degree in Education with a concentration... Read More →
Secondary Science Consultant, NC Department of Public Instruction
Alexis Wood joined the NCDPI Office of Academic Standards after teaching high school for 20 years in Lenoir and Wake Counties. Her primary job as a member of the Office of Academic Standards Science Team is to provide support to PSUs at the secondary science level that ensures the... Read More →
Suggestions and feedback from district leaders and teachers after implementing a year-long, district-wide professional development on teaching through the Science and Engineering Practices. Includes strategies for district leaders and teacher leaders to build a district-wide culture of community and collaboration among science teachers at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. Includes a tailored menu of instructional strategies and resources for understanding and teaching each SEP.
Conquering the new science standards might seem like moving mountains but it doesn't have to be. Discover how to use free AI tools to design inquiry-based lessons that engage learners and align with the new North Carolina standards, in less time than you ever thought possible. Join us to transform your teaching with cutting-edge AI tools like MagicSchool, AIs like ChatGPT and more.
Western Region DTL Consultant, NCDPI Digital Teaching and Learning
Stacy Lovdahl has 24 years of experience as a state and district-level education technologist. She is an AI literacy trainer, the Western DTL Consultant for NCDPI, an Instructional Technology Facilitator and a middle school science teacher. Stacy has dedicated significant efforts... Read More →
Friday November 8, 2024 2:40pm - 3:30pm EST
Winston 3A
In this session, participants will have a solid understanding of how to effectively merge physical science standards with makerspace and technology tools, equipping them with practical ideas and resources to bring back to their classrooms. We will specifically focus on the physical science standards for 2nd grade and Makey Makey.
PreK-5 STEM teacher, Turner Creek Elementary School
I have been teaching kindergarten and first grade for 15 years in both Durham and Wake counties. I'm now a STEM specialist at Turner Creek Elementary, a Year Round School in Wake County. You can follow me on Twitter and Instagram @AubreyDiOio.
Friday November 8, 2024 2:40pm - 3:30pm EST
Salem 1A
