WSST Conference 2025

Kevin will share NGSS-aligned resources for teaching climate change, vaccines, and evolution. We'll discuss strategies to teach them to students in ways that will be approachable for all. We'll also discuss how to support general media literacy for students - weeding out the fuzzy from the evidence-based. Finally, we'll discuss the psychological barriers that make people want to believe certain things and keep them believing it despite the evidence. It's important to note that private school teachers also teach these topics!

We have a 0.5 credit Science Intern Course at Hartford Union High School which allows students the opportunity to learn alongside a science teacher. They are responsible for laboraory set up, preparation and clean-up for our department in addition to being a teaching assistant during labs or activities in our introductory level courses. We have an application and interview process along with a reflection document that is filled out during their internship. Several former students have secured lab interns jobs as freshman at their respective universities. Learn how to propose and execute this course to help develop students as leaders in science.

Literacy is often the focus of instruction in elementary classrooms, but it doesn’t have to be at the exclusion of science! Join educator and presenter, Cassondra Kauppi, to explore the mutually supportive aspects of phenomena-based science instruction and literacy skill development. This session will provide you with innovative ideas, tools, research insights, and strategies for teaching students to read, write, and think like scientists. Ultimately, these skills will empower students to enhance their literacy capabilities across all areas of life.

With the rise of misinformation, a program that teaches students to ask questions and question their own beliefs and opinions is important. It’s ok to be wrong! Intellectual humility and science inquiry are key. Generation Skeptics has dozens of free lessons. In our “Power of Words” lesson, students learn the importance of multiple trials and double-blind protocols when designing experiments. In “How To Sell Pseudoscience,” students learn to identify the gimmicks used to sell pseudoscientific products. It is our hope students will learn to spot nonsense when they see it on TV or social media. We also have lessons teaching students to discern between credible and non-credible sources, and many more. We also have guest speakers who can Zoom into classrooms and discuss and discuss these topics for free. We offer $500 stipends to teacher leaders who are interested are starting GenSkeps clubs at their schools. All our lessons are free. Check out our website at www.generationskeptics.org.

Makerspaces can be found in almost every school, and you can have your own Makerspace in your classroom! Join us to see how easy it is to connect Makerspace activities to your science curriculum by utilizing the materials in your very own classroom makerspace. We will provide lesson ideas that use your trash/treasures to integrate NGSS, while also supporting the Wisconsin Standards for Math, and the Wisconsin Standards for English Language Arts. We will be using the Design Thinking Process to develop creativity through a hands-on approach involving tinkering.

We will share examples of and have time to work on storyline-based pedagogy. We'll pull form Illinois Storylines, OpenSciEd, and anything else new coming out (hoping on BSCS). It will be interactive, not just listening to us go blah, blah, blah. While it will be the culminating session of the Storylines Book Study this year, people who were not a part of that can still attend and will find it just as valuable. We'll also be drawing from the book, Ambitious Science Teaching.

Quality literacy and science instruction make a powerful pair. Students have much to gain from classroom instruction that intentionally integrates science and literacy in a way that builds towards rigorous outcomes in both content areas. In this session we will share resources and ideas from a new science leadership tool, hosted by DPI, for implementing quality literacy and science instruction together. Discuss the roles of multiple stakeholders, learn from evidence-based accounts of best practices, and consider the common barriers and pitfalls of integrated instruction.

After receiving a WSST "Back to School" grant, a small science library consisting of both nonfiction and fiction books. These books were checked out by students throughout the year, used as semester exams, and used for curriculum ties in the classroom. Participants can expect discussion about the use of trade books, a list of those books used in this library, and links to resources to help integrate reading in the classroom to aid with science literacy.

Thoughtful systems are essential for elementary science programs. Science leaders from across the state worked to develop a series of Science Leadership Tools to help districts consider ways to implement quality science instruction. Join us to learn about and discuss these five new tools; Developing a Vision, Elementary Materials Selection, Assessment and Reporting, Scheduling, and Connecting Science and Literacy.

Imagine a land where volcanoes rumble beneath glaciers, where steaming hot springs peak through icy landscapes. This is Iceland, a destination of an extraordinary adventure for two Wisconsin teachers. Join them as they recount their unique opportunity to present to graduate students at the University of Iceland, sharing the explorations, discoveries, and valuable connections they established with educators and students from around the world. Prepare to be inspired by the geological wonder of Iceland and the power of scientific exchange!

Step into the future of science education! This collaborative workshop will provide a treasure trove of effective technologies designed to transform your high school science classroom. From simulations to simple data analysis tools, discover how to ignite your students' passion for science like never before. Join us for an interactive session where you'll gain hands-on experience with some educational technology, share current technologies you use, learn from peers, and walk away with practical strategies to implement immediately. Whether you're a tech novice or a digital guru, this workshop will equip you with the tools to make your science lessons more engaging and effective. So, bring your charged device and your list of go-to tech. Let's collaborate and share the technologies that revolutionize our teaching to inspire the next generation of scientists!

Participants will explore Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program’s BRAND NEW, inquiry -based Building Energy Detectives Lessons. Lessons follow a 5E structure, include a career connection, and provide opportunities for climate change conversations. Participants will work hands-on with tools from KEEP’s Energy Audit Kit exploring the anchor phenomenon: What energy actions can I take at school, at home, and in my community to create a more sustainable future? The presentation will guide participants through the following essential questions: How much energy is used by appliances in the classroom when turned on and off? How can I reduce energy consumption of appliances at school? What can I do to help my school’s HVAC system operate well and conserve energy? How can we achieve recommended light levels throughout the school while decreasing the amount of electricity used for lighting? What does an energy bill look like and how can actions we take to conserve energy at school impact it? How can actions we take to conserve energy at school affect our carbon dioxide emissions? All lessons are designed to align with NGSS standards, WI Standards for Science, and WI Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability.

WI Standards for Science/NGSS
CC2: Cause and Effect
CC4: Systems and System Models
SEP1.A: Asking Questions
SEP1.B: Defining Problems
SEP3: Planning and Conducting Investigations
SEP4: Analyzing and Interpreting Data
SEP5: Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
SEP6.A: Constructing an Explanation
SEP6.B: Designing Solutions
SEP7: Arguing from Evidence
SEP8: Obtaining, Evaluating and Communicating Information
SCI.ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
SCI.ESS3.D: Global Climate Change
SCI.ETS2.B Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World

WI Standards for Environmental Literacy and Sustainability
Strand 1: Connect, Standard 1: Students develop and connect with their sense of place and well-being through observation, exploration and questioning.

In this workshop, attendees will build replicas of human anatomy using clay and a specially designed skeletal model in a classroom setting. Educators will learn how to implement a unique curriculum system which helps students create a kinesthetic map of the human anatomy. They will acquire the knowledge to engage science students with immediate, hands-on learning using a proven method that is nationally recognized to increase student retention and test scores.

Cross-Cutting Concepts are like the roots of a tree—essential for growth but often hidden from view. Explore how CCCs enhance sensemaking in science classrooms by aligning with the brain’s natural methods for organizing and retaining information. This interactive workshop offers hands-on activities, collaborative discussions, and practical classroom applications.
Participants will learn how CCCs connect big ideas across disciplines, fostering critical thinking and deeper understanding. The session will highlight how CCCs leverage the brain’s tendency to form interconnected knowledge networks, making learning more accessible and transferable.
Attendees will gain strategies to help students organize and retrieve complex concepts effectively, strengthening their ability to understand and explain scientific phenomena. This workshop is ideal for educators looking to enhance their teaching practices and empower students to build connections and think critically in science.

Join us for a hands-on workshop and experience firsthand Engineering Tomorrow's innovative labs.

During this session, you'll:
--Dive into a real-world engineering challenge through participation in a hands-on engineering activity led by experienced mentors.
--Connect with industry professionals
--Learn effective teaching strategies to integrate engineering design into your classroom curriculum.

This workshop will introduce educators to the Engineering Tomorrow program, a free resource designed to inspire the next generation of engineers. Through this experience, educators will gain practical knowledge and skills in STEM education and be introduced to the NGSS aligned labs of ET.

ET STEM labs are developed by engineers and modeled on the cutting-edge work of experts in the field. During each lab, ET brings professional engineers and students from the nation’s top colleges and universities to mentor middle and high school students as they solve real-world problems at no cost to students, schools, or teachers. Over 8,900 middle and high school students in Wisconsin and over 15,000 students in the Midwest have participated in ET labs!

During the workshop, participants will learn about ET, interact with Zoom lab hosts, participate in a lab, and get advice from a veteran teacher who uses these labs in the classroom.