WSST Conference 2025: Full Schedule

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10:00am CDT

Workshop: Using the IL Biology Storylines for Coherent Instruction - Melanin Updates

Thursday April 3, 2025 10:00am - 11:50am CDT

The IL Biology Storylines provide a free, complete curricular replacement for any introductory biology course. 3-D learning incorporates the disciplinary core ideas, the science practices and the crosscutting concepts and is the driving force of the Next Generation Science Standards. In order to better integrate the different topics typically taught in the high school biology classroom, storyline units that are coherent and phenomenon-driven have been created so that students can make sense of how science works in real world situations. This workshop serves to introduce attendees to how the IL Biology Storylines have proven to be incredible models for sensemaking opportunities, equitable instruction, and how to lead to students becoming self-directed learners and critical thinkers in an ever-changing world.

Speakers

Kathy Van Hoeck

Teacher Institute for Evolutionary Science

Kristin Rademaker

Consultant, All Species Education Consulting

Shane Cullian

Teacher, Badger High School

Sponsors

All Species Education Consulting

Thursday April 3, 2025 10:00am - 11:50am CDT
Lefevre

High Ed General Biology/Life Science Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

1:00pm CDT

Workshop: Empowering Students to Lead: A Green Team Toolkit for Energy Savings

Thursday April 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT

John Lynch

Green teams empower schools to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives, resulting in cost savings, reduced environmental impact, and enriched educational opportunities. By engaging students and staff, these teams cultivate responsibility and foster a culture of sustainability within the school community.

FOCUS ON ENERGY® developed the Green Team Toolkit to support these efforts. This comprehensive resource empowers K-12 students as sustainability leaders, offering step-by-step guidance for forming and managing green teams, practical energy-saving strategies, and tips for competitions like Renew Our Schools. The toolkit highlights low-cost, no-cost measures with quick paybacks, enabling schools to optimize building performance while providing meaningful learning experiences for students.

Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) complements these efforts with Green Team Mini-Grants designed to fund energy education and efficiency projects, offering schools tangible support to turn ideas into action.

In this session, Focus on Energy, KEEP, and the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District will showcase the benefits of green teams, the impact of the toolkit, and how these mini-grants can amplify these initiatives. Attendees will be equipped with actionable strategies, real-world examples, and the inspiration to transform students into sustainability champions, benefiting facilities, education, and the broader community.

Speakers

Nick Gagnon

Teacher, Chippewa Falls High School

I've been teaching Physics, Chemistry and Remote Pilot classes at Chippewa Falls High School for 20+ years. Over the past 5 years I've been advising our Green Team. These students have accomplished more than I ever could have imagined!

Heather Feigum

Heather oversees Focus on Energy's Agriculture and Schools/Government programs. With a background in energy and project management, she previously served as an Energy Advisor for schools and government facilities. Heather's educational experience includes being a Renewable Energy... Read More →

Laura Lane

Heather Phelps

Student Resource Specialist, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education

Sponsors

Focus on Energy

Thursday April 3, 2025 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT
John Lynch

Elementary High Ed General Energy Savings and Sustainability

2:00pm CDT

Workshop: Exploring OpenSciEd HS from Carolina Biological (9-12)

Thursday April 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT

Evelyn

Come experience a hands-on model lesson from OpenSciEd for High School and discover how the new Carolina Certified Edition enhanced these high-quality instructional materials, making them more accessible, user-friendly, and safer for classroom use. Participate in the featured Serengeti board game from the Biology 1 unit and walk away with valuable resources that you can take back to your classroom.

Speakers

Bob Friedel

SciEd Consultant, Carolina Biological/Smithsonian

Bob is a Wisconsin lifetime science educator and has taught at the elementary, middle and high schools levels. He presently is consulting for The Smithsonian and Carolina Biological.

Rick Brost

Sponsors

Carolina Biological

Thursday April 3, 2025 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT
Evelyn

High Ed Chemistry Engineering Physics

3:00pm CDT

Workshop: Bring Wisconsin Wildlife Into Your Classroom

Thursday April 3, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

BF Carter

Snapshot Wisconsin is a statewide community science project that utilizes a network of trail cameras to produce wildlife management data. This workshop will discuss ways to bring Wisconsin wildlife to a wide range of grade levels, from grades K-5 to higher education. Snapshot staff will walk you through the various lesson plans and activities available to educators.

Please bring a computer/tablet, if possible. We will also have some print outs, for those unable to bring a computer/tablet.

All Snapshot Wisconsin lesson plans and activities are free. Lesson plans are available for grades K-12 and outline curriculum connections in each educator handout, including NGSS (April 2013), Common Core (2010), AP Biology (2012-2013), IB Biology (2016), Environmental Science (2013), Environmental Systems & Societies, and Wisconsin’s Standards for Science.

Learning Objectives:
- Learn about Snapshot Wisconsin and how to get involved as a community scientist
- Learn about how Snapshot Wisconsin data is used to support management decisions at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
- Learn about how to access Snapshot Wisconsin’s free lesson plans and activities and incorporate them into your classroom or educational programming
- Learn about how to access and explore the Snapshot Wisconsin Data Dashboard as well as how it can be used to teach about science and math concepts, data literacy, and science communication.

Speakers

Mackenzie McBride

Liv Gripko

Sponsors

Snapshot Wisconsin-Wisconsin DNR

Thursday April 3, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
BF Carter

Elementary High Ed Biology/Life Science Environmental

3:00pm CDT

Using Case Studies to Teach Human Body Systems

Thursday April 3, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

Lefevre

Case studies are a great tool to engage and spark students' interest in learning about the human body systems and to learn about different diseases and conditions that affect those body systems. I will present the advantages and reasons for using case studies in a biology or anatomy class. Several case studies from different body systems will be shared and one case study will be conducted in the session. Teachers will also be given directions on a project for students to create their own case study and solve another student’s case.

Learning objectives include
Attendees will learn why case studies are a good way to teach human body systems and diseases associated with those body systems.
Attendees will learn how to incorporate case studies as a way to introduce a body system or as a way to review a specific body system.
Attendees will solve a case study.
Attendees will learn how to have students create their own case study for classmates to solve.

Speakers

Joy Mayer

Thursday April 3, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Lefevre

High Ed Biology/Life Science

3:00pm CDT

Using Graphs to Read Real Weather Data

Thursday April 3, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

Lake Poygan

Are you looking at making your lessons impactful? Are you struggling to find good graphs to help your students practice? You can generate real world graphs that will paint pictures for students. Using these tools, students can make their own weather predictions, discover real time weather information, and verify weather data after weather events. You will learn how to make your own weather collection tools and have students gather real time weather data to compile over time. Help prepare students for the ACT by having them analyze data from one of the most difficult graphs to read, the SKEW-t. By reading this graph, students can analyze the weather at your school and determine the cloud heights, whether it will precipitate, what kind of precipitation, and whether severe weather is on its way. Students will also be able to explore various climates around the country and around the world by analyzing these graphs and comparing them to other regions. The weather in Wisconsin is drastically different from Saudi Arabia. Come explore how students can read graphs for real.

Speakers

Erik Duhn

Nathan Falkinham

Thursday April 3, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Lake Poygan

High Ed General Earth Science Environmental