WSST Conference 2025: Full Schedule

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7:30am CDT

Registration

Saturday April 5, 2025 7:30am - 10:00am CDT

Registration Desk

Saturday April 5, 2025 7:30am - 10:00am CDT
Registration Desk

General

8:00am CDT

Accommodating and Modifying Resources for Inclusion in High School Biology and Chemistry

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Lefevre

Have you ever found yourself in need of making accommodations to better support the range of learners in your room, but you didn’t know how to begin? In this presentation, you will be provided some ways to create a template for accommodating and modifying that can be used consistently throughout the year to speed up the process and provide a starting point. I have taught biology and chemistry for many years with a diverse group of learners, including students assessed on the Essential Elements with significant needs. Whether you just need some ideas for embedding more explicit vocabulary strategies or materials to reach a nonverbal student in a way that allows them to participate in a lab with their peers, there will be an opportunity to see examples and hear how they were created.

The goal of the session is to provide an overview with a few examples of my resources followed by time to brainstorm with peers in the session, ask questions, and create some resources you can use in your classroom when you return. Bring your colleagues for even more collaboration!

Speakers

Laura Ramthun

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Lefevre

Biology/Life Science Chemistry Diversity/Equity

8:00am CDT

IL Storylines - Sharing Sessions

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Herietta

Are you using the Illinois Learning (IL) Science Storylines? Would you like to share your experiences and connect with others who are also implementing them in their classrooms? Then join this session to network with fellow educators, exchange ideas, and discuss best practices for using the IL Storylines to enhance science teaching and learning. Whether you're a seasoned user or just starting out, this session offers a supportive space to collaborate and learn from one another.

Speakers

Tom Davies

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Herietta

Biology/Life Science Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

8:00am CDT

Integrating Soil and Water Science using Cation Exchange Capacity

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Thistle

Soil and water are inextricably linked. Negative soil charges, known as cation exchange capacity (CEC), are essential for soil nutrient and contaminant retention, water filtration, and surface and groundwater quality. In this session, we will discuss the basics of how soils get their charge, the impact of CEC on soil and surface water chemistry, and the practical application of CEC to food production and waste management systems. Through easy and visual experiments using ionic dyes and water quality test strips, you will evaluate the CEC of diverse soils and explore the impacts of varying soil CECs on nutrient retention and loss. At the end of the session, you will be able to describe the source of charge in soils, the impact of diverse land management practices on soil CEC, as well as the connection between soil CEC and potential surface and groundwater quality.

Speakers

Tim Miland

Area Resource Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS

I've been a soil scientist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for 32 years. I started my career mapping soils and collected soil data in northern and western Wisconsin. I now help soil survey users interpret soils and their properties. I also enjoy hydric soils... Read More →

Jamie Patton

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Thistle

Chemistry Environmental

8:00am CDT

Using Legos to Teach Chemistry

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Hutchinson

I have been using legos to help teach chemical bonding, balancing chemical equations, stoichiometry, dimensional analysis and limiting reagents to my chemistry students. We will discussion I use this in my classroom and how I got my supplies using a front and center grant. We will go through my assignments that I do with my students and see what other ideas people have to use legos to teach.

Speakers

Stephanie Ruder

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Hutchinson

Chemistry Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

8:00am CDT

Student Discourse in Elementary Science

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Dixie

Participants will consider and discuss why student-to-student discourse is essential for making sense of science. Science is the perfect setting for building students' capacity for deep discussions, and the strategies for making those discussions happen are transferable to other subject areas. Consider ways to help students grapple with evidence from multiple sources, make their thinking clear for others, and productively build upon or challenge the ideas of others.

Speakers

Ryan King

K-5 Science Teacher Leader, Madison Metropolitan School District

Elementary Science!

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Dixie

Elementary

8:00am CDT

AI in Education: What should we be talking about?

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Evelyn

AI is already having a significant impact on education and is only just starting to transform our work and lives. This session seeks to provide a discussion space for educators to consider some of the following thought prompts:
-How do I design work that will help my students learn in the age of AI?
-How do I leverage AI for my work?
-How do I use AI ethically and how do I teach students to use AI ethically?
-Who has access to AI and what biases are inherently embedded in it?
-What policies exist in my space about AI?
-What policies and practices do I want to establish using AI?
-How can I evaluate the use of AI in my work and in my students’ work?

Attendees will be able to leave with:
-A better understanding of the ways that AI is shaping and will shape their work.
-Reflections on their views and values about AI in the classroom
-Next steps for their practice in the ethical use of AI

Speakers

Kelly Steiner

Middle school Science teacher, Shorewood Intermediate School

Passionate about social justice, quality learning, and growing as an educator.

Brian Bartel

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Evelyn

Elementary High Ed General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies Diversity/Equity

8:00am CDT

Developing NGSS-Aligned Assessments and Curriculum Across Schools

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Anna M

This session will explore our district’s journey of adopting a new high school science curricular resource and developing curriculum aligned with the NGSS standards. Attendees will gain insights into how we collaboratively established learning targets, designed cohesive units, and developed shared assessments used across three high schools. The presentation will also share challenges and successes from multiple perspectives—administrators, teachers, and students—providing a comprehensive view of the process.

Interactive components will include opportunities to analyze sample rubrics and discuss strategies for applying similar processes in attendees’ districts. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with actionable ideas for fostering alignment and consistency in their own curriculum and assessments.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the steps for adopting and implementing NGSS-aligned curriculum and assessments.
2. Explore the importance of cross-school collaboration in creating consistent learning experiences.
3. Develop strategies to adapt the process for use in their own districts or schools.

Speakers

Kirsten Wiesneski

High School Science Teacher, School District of Waukesha

This is my 12th year as a high school science teacher (Chemistry and Physics). I am an inveterate user of Blackboard and Google apps to facilitate instruction both virtually and face-to-face. I enjoy testing the capabilities and limits of what a program can offer me because my... Read More →

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Anna M

General Curriculum

8:00am CDT

Freshwater Science and Connections to Higher Ed

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

John Lynch

The School of Freshwater Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is the first academic institution in the nation solely dedicated to the study and advancement of freshwater sciences.
This session provides a brief overview of current freshwater research initiatives and opportunities to engage with the School’s outreach efforts, which connect teachers and students with educational experiences. The session will also feature collaborative discussions to encourage your input. How can universities best support your work bringing freshwater science to students? What can we do to empower you to provide students with real-world applications which enhance engagement and learning outcomes.
Learning objectives for this session include:
1. Enhancing participants’ understanding of the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences.
2. Building connections between participants and the School’s outreach efforts to create ongoing opportunities for collaboration, internships, and student engagement.
3. Identifying opportunities for university support, with a focus on accessing resources, fostering collaborative partnerships, and integrating real-world applications of freshwater science into student learning experiences.
This session will serve as a platform to share ideas and suggestions for new activities and resources to strengthen community-university connections.

Speakers

Liz Sutton

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
John Lynch

General Environmental

8:00am CDT

Workshop: Let's Learn Together! Exploring Productive Teaching Tools and Practices as a Community

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 9:50am CDT

BF Carter

There is a folder on my desktop with way too many activities saved in it. I know that I will never implement them all, but occasionally I will discover a new “tool” for my “teacher toolkit.” What I really want is to hear what “tools” other folks like to use. For this reason (and many others), I am happy to have found a community of practice of other science teachers with whom I can chat about stuff I want to try in my classroom. I have learned a lot from our times together and hope teachers at any stage of their career are able to find a similar support network. In this workshop, we will act as a small community of practice for the day. First, we will get into a classroom mindset by making sense of an “everyday phenomenon”. Afterwards, we will open space for folks to share experiences and resources that they find productive for meeting similar goals or could help improve the learning experience. Come to have some fun doing a kitchen-safe lab activity and chat with others about productive experiences teaching and learning science.

Speakers

Adam Schafer

Sponsors

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 9:50am CDT
BF Carter

General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

9:00am CDT

Elementary Roundtable

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Lake Poygan

Speakers

Shelley Petzold

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Lake Poygan

9:00am CDT

Connecting Students to Their Local Waterways - The Milwaukee Waters Investigation Project A model using collaboration and real-world activities to meet state educational standards

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Dixie

Wisconsin residents have extensive, high quality water systems and a broad range of individuals and organizations working to understand, protect and enhance them. The Milwaukee Waters Investigation Project (MWI) is a multidisciplinary STEM project focusing on a semester of teacher support, four professional development meetings, and ending with a one day field investigation with over 325 students supported by partners from more than 15 organizations. There is no cost to teachers to participate. The Freshwater Tool Kit.org website, project activities, water systems review, and water quality and water habitat monitoring and the opportunity to reveal and inspire potential career pathways in the water sector connect this project to the NGSS standards.
This presentation includes an overview of the MWI Project, and the experience of a teacher involved in the project. There will also be an exercise for conference attendees to share what they are doing with their students in this space, to identify partners they do or might want to work with, and explore opportunities for collaboration within their community or with peers in other parts of the state to develop real-world projects centered on this vital resource.

Speakers

Joost Allard

Kae DonLevy

Lalitha Murali

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Dixie

Biology/Life Science Chemistry Earth Science Environmental Water Systems

9:00am CDT

Using the Water Kit in Chemistry

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Hutchinson

I will discuss how I use the 3D Molecular designs water kit to help my students understand water and solutions. We will discuss the different hands on activities I use with the water kids and my students to show the properties of water and different types of solutions. We will also discuss how you can show how water dissolves substances.

Speakers

Stephanie Ruder

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Hutchinson

Chemistry Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

9:00am CDT

Connecting the Classroom to Diverse Careers in Natural Resource Conservation

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Thistle

Many students aren’t aware of the breadth of jobs in natural resource conservation. From scientists to artists and GIS specialists to bloggers, conservation agencies and organizations are seeking passionate individuals with a wide variety of skills to help address growing soil, water, air, and wildlife challenges. In this session, we will introduce various educational resources, case study materials, and practical classroom demonstrations to integrate into your current curriculums to highlight potential natural resource career paths. At the end of the session, you will be able to identify diverse examples of natural resource conservation professionals and describe their general qualifications and job duties, as well as discuss how the knowledge and skills learned in your courses are applicable to a career in conservation.

Speakers

Jamie Patton

Ricardo Costa

Associate Director Ag Strategies, The Nature Conservancy

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Thistle

Earth Science Environmental

9:00am CDT

Creating welcoming and inclusive spaces (with or without community support)

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Evelyn

Every student deserves a welcoming and comfortable learning environment. At this polarized time, different communities are in different places in their level of encouraging welcoming spaces. In our session we’ll brainstorm the types of things that are within the control of a classroom practitioner to create welcoming spaces for all different types of identities. We’ll also share brainstorming of ways of overcoming community challenges. We will honor the wisdom and experience of the diverse perspectives of the room, by modeling strategies for helping people solve each other’s problems. Finally, we’ll look at places where in a Science classroom in particular, old types of thinking/ exclusion may cause problems for learners.

Attendees will be able to leave with:
-A reflection on the identities present in their context
-A list of possible strategies to try to make their space more welcoming to those identities
-Troubleshooting solutions to other people’s challenges in creating welcoming spaces

Speakers

Kelly Steiner

Middle school Science teacher, Shorewood Intermediate School

Passionate about social justice, quality learning, and growing as an educator.

Claire Bernatz

Sami Palmisano

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Evelyn

Elementary High Ed General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies Diversity/Equity

9:00am CDT

School Air Quality Project: Teaching Air Pollution Through Surveying Your School Building

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

John Lynch

Performing environmental surveys on your school building and campus is a way to make science content relevant to students and to discover and address environmental problems at your school. This presentation reviews a case study where students learned about air pollution through school air quality surveys. Four different surveys will be covered: an indoor carbon dioxide survey, an indoor particulate survey, an outdoor PM 2.5 survey, and an outdoor lichen survey. You will come away with knowing what supplies you need for each survey, how to evaluate the data, recommendations for scaffolding skills and content, and possible summative options, including a presentation to administration on environmental problems students discovered.

Standards:
HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

Science & Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, Analyzing and Interpreting Data, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solution

Speakers

Ted Snyder

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
John Lynch

Environmental Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

9:00am CDT

Building PLC Capacity to Adopt a 3-Dimensional, Storyline Based Curricula such as OpenSciEd -- What we are learning

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Lefevre

Attendees will hear about our work to best unpack rich teacher resources to develop a cohesive PLC perspective of what a uniform experience might look like. We will discuss strategies for how to UBD a transfer task based assessment system which focuses on Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs) and Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) rather than Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs). Teachers in a PLC need to develop a shared vision of what student success looks like on SEPs/CCCs in order to efficiently share success criteria with students and effectively plan instruction to provide students to deeply engage in productive work to build the capacity for that success.
At the end of the session, attendees will leave with a template that could be used as is or edited to organize PLC discussions for backwards planning a unit. Attendees will leave with strategies for clarifying SEP/CCC success and facilitator moves for developing those practices in the classroom.

Speakers

Aaron Burg

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Lefevre

General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

9:00am CDT

Professional Development Round Table

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Anna M

Join the WSST Professional Development Committee for a round table discussion about professional development opportunities you want to see from the committee.

Speakers

Jamie Groark

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Anna M

General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

9:00am CDT

Meet your District 2 Director (CESA 9 & 10)

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Herietta

This informal session will begin with a brief introduction of myself, my role as a director, and my journey with WSST. Following this, participants will have the opportunity to share insights and hear from other members in our district. Together, we’ll network and exchange ideas on staying connected year-round, organizing socials, and planning professional development opportunities tailored to the unique needs of educators and enthusiasts in our district.

Speakers

Tom Davies

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Herietta

General WSST

10:00am CDT

Life Beyond the Big 3: Unique electives to spark curiosity!

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

John Lynch

Think outside the box! As we continue to face decreasing levels of student engagement, can we design new course offerings to captivate students in a variety of ways?

Science electives offer high school students a unique opportunity to explore their passions and delve deeper into specific scientific fields. Beyond meeting graduation requirements, these courses provide invaluable benefits, such as gaining in-depth understanding of a specialized science area, developing practical skills through laboratory work, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, exploring potential career paths, and simply satisfying a natural curiosity about the world!

Attendees will hear about the development process for three unique electives including: Cultivating student interest, encouraging exploration and interest-based course selection, and providing opportunities for students to contribute to curriculum development.

Presenters will share reflections on the preliminary offerings, including successes, challenges, and the need for cultural shift in order to maximize the benefit of these courses.

Speakers

Sedate Kohler

Katie Kammerdiener

Katie Huber

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
John Lynch

Biology/Life Science Chemistry Earth Science Environmental Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies Diversity/Equity

10:00am CDT

Exploring STEM Horizons: Career Paths to Your Future

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Dixie

Learning Blade is an innovative platform designed to inspire students through STEM exploration by connecting academic standards with real-world careers and technologies. This interactive session highlights how Learning Blade introduces students to a diverse range of STEM-related professions, from engineers to environmental scientists, data analysts, and healthcare professionals. By showcasing these opportunities, students can envision future careers and understand pathways to achieve their goals.

Through authentic challenges and projects, Learning Blade equips students with critical skills and knowledge for success in the 21st-century workforce. It fosters accessibility, ensuring students of all backgrounds and experience levels can engage meaningfully with STEM content. By exploring career paths and technologies aligned with their interests, students gain a clearer vision of their potential in STEM fields.

Educators and administrators can discover the transformative power of Learning Blade in preparing the next generation of STEM leaders. This session offers valuable insights into how this platform supports student growth, bridges interdisciplinary standards, and connects education with real-world applications.

Whether you're an educator or simply curious about innovative educational tools, Learning Blade provides resources to inspire and prepare students for future success. Register for a fully funded account at www.LearningBlade.com/WI.

Speakers

Scott Mains

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Dixie

Diversity/Equity Career Awareness

10:00am CDT

ROUND TABLE: Earth and Space Science teachers

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Lake Poygan

Calling all EARTH SCIENCE teachers to a round table discussion session to collaborate, share resources and build future connections! We will explore different phenomena based storylines in Earth science, focusing on those that are free to teachers and learn how to join online communities for questions, modified documents and so much more! Bring your computer and any resources you would like to share, as well as gain access to many free resources and google drives for teaching hands on Earth science at any level!

Speakers

Chad Wilkinson

School District of La Crosse

Shannon Previte

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Lake Poygan

Earth Science

10:00am CDT

Creating a Food Forest

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

BF Carter

I will teach participants about how we created a self sustaining permaculture food forest that mimics nature with the movement of animals to maintain and sustain the forest. The food forest is self-watered through a series of swales and berms to retain nearly 100% of the water that falls on the property, and is projected to make the school roughly $50,000 each year. I will utilize a Powerpoint style presentation and handouts. This is connected to NGSS standard: MS-ESS3-3 Earth and Human Activity
Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
and
5-ESS3-1 Earth and Human Activity
Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.

Speakers

Joshua Gonzalez

David Zimmerman

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
BF Carter

General

10:00am CDT

Building productive practices to support student modeling in 3-Dimensional Science Classrooms

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Lefevre

Attendees will experience several related science phenomena to build incrementally more productive models that explain the science that is being observed. A focus will be placed on attendee sensemaking -- both individually and as a collective group -- to increase facilitator tool boxes in terms of supporting student sensemaking through scientific models.
The NGSS Science and Engineering Practice (SEP) of Developing and Using Models can be leveraged to bring student ideas to paper to explain weird and complex ideas. As facilitators in 3-Dimensional learning spaces, sometimes it is difficult to provide students guidance in how to create productive models without squashing student agency and authority. How can a teacher guide students toward success while leaving space for student discourse around productive modeling practices?
Attendees of this session will leave with practical tools they can use to organize their facilitation moves when they ask students to develop scientific models.

Speakers

Katilyn Schrader

Aaron Burg

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Lefevre

General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

10:00am CDT

Embracing AI: Practical Tools to Empower Teachers

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Thistle

This session is designed for educators who are new to AI or hesitant about using it. Attendees will be introduced to a variety of AI platforms to help determine which tools might best suit their needs. Real-life examples will demonstrate how AI can be used for creating and modifying content, designing unique classroom experiences, and saving time in both professional and personal tasks.

The presentation will highlight intuitive, accessible tools directly applicable to teachers’ daily routines. Participants will have time to explore these tools and see firsthand how easy it is to integrate AI into their practice in manageable steps.

By the end of the session, attendees will feel more confident about incorporating AI into their work, knowing that these tools are meant to enhance—not replace—their teaching.

Learning Objectives:

Understand how AI can streamline and simplify everyday tasks for teachers.
Discover AI tools to amplify your lessons and engage students in new ways.
Gain confidence in using AI to enhance both your professional and personal life.

Speakers

Kirsten Wiesneski

High School Science Teacher, School District of Waukesha

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Thistle

General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

10:00am CDT

Interactive Notebooks in the Digital Age

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Evelyn

Learn how a digital template can provide scaffolded guidance for student learning by providing easily accessible learning resources such as embedded content sources (video clips, articles, website links, etc) and clarifying support related to expectations for student work products (embedded rubrics, student work exemplars, etc). Additional discussion and simulated mini-lesson will cover how this approach fosters more efficient and relevant feedback of student work and how the digital template can serve as a resource hub for teaching materials (i.e. lecture slides, class data collection, rubrics, answer keys, etc.). Student notebook samples and corresponding digital notebook templates will be available for reference.

Speakers

Kathleen McClain

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Evelyn

General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

10:00am CDT

Collaborating to Make Student Learning Local: Examples and Inspiration for Local Watershed Investigations in High School Science

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Herietta

Several high school science teachers in the Chequamegon Bay area who share a common desire to make student learning experiences locally relevant have been connected through their involvement in the Rivers2Lake program. Rivers2Lake, run by the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve, offers year long professional development and mentorship in inquiry-based, place-centered, outdoor learning to regional teachers. Among other support offered through the program, teachers gain access to a library of NGSS-aligned lessons and field trip opportunities. In this session, teachers will share stories of how they are involving local rivers, estuaries, and Lake Superior in student investigations this school year, offer space for attendees to share their own stories about how they’re creating connections to local watersheds, and offer inspiration for where those ideas could lead them. Together the teachers are collaborating on using the stories they share, the Rivers2Lake curriculum library, and Rivers2Lake partner resources to build a NGSS aligned storyline unit investigating local waterways that could be used by regional teachers and start an annual symposium for their students to connect and share their investigations with one another.

Speakers

Andy Pokrzywinski

Teacher, Ashland High School

I am a secondary science teacher who has taught in Minnesota, Alaska, and Wisconsin. My special interests include the integration of STEAM, experiential, and place-based learning. For the past seven years, I have been working with Argument-Driven Inquiry as a strategy for integrating... Read More →

Emma Holtan

Beth Hoagland

Dustin Long

Kevin Zak

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Herietta

High Ed Biology/Life Science

10:00am CDT

Teaching Secondary Science for Social Justice - A Brainstorming Session

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Hutchinson

In this participatory session, we will discuss several approaches to justice-centered science education, and then collaboratively brainstorm ideas and questions about how to begin centering justice in our own teaching practice. The presenters will give an overview of recent work done in this area by Danny Morales-Doyle (author of Transformative Science Teaching), Django Paris (culturally sustaining pedagogy) and Anastasia Sanchez (the Social Focus Framework). In addition, we will briefly discuss how phenomenon-based curricula and 3D Learning can act as a springboard into justice-centered teaching. We will then brainstorm social justice science issues that matter to, or affect our students and their communities, as well as questions related to teaching and learning science for social justice. The objective of this session is to explore the path that middle and high school science teacher learning communities might take to develop an understanding of what it means to center justice in their practice.

Speakers

Lindsay Wells

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Hutchinson

Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies Diversity/Equity

10:00am CDT

WINGS 2024 Bookstudy

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

Anna M

A concluding meeting to discuss the books "Planning to Stay", "Ambitious Science Teaching" and "Answers to Your Biggest Questions About Teaching Secondary Science." We will also reflect on our journeys so far.

Speakers

Jamie Groark

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
Anna M

WINGS

11:00am CDT

Chem Round Table for Phenomena Based Curriculum

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

John Lynch

Join other Chemistry teachers from Wisconsin using phenomenon based curriculum for an informal roundtable discussion and resource-sharing session. Bring a computer and any resources you would like to share. Are you diving into chemistry phenomenon based curriculum like Storyline or OpenSciEd—need others to connect with—or are you new to the concept and want to learn more? After introductions,, we plan to break the group of educators into smaller groups to connect specifically with your interests. We are excited to make connections in teaching chemistry and provide resources to explore after the conference!

Speakers

Katilyn Schrader

Maureen Howe

Science teacher, Badger High School -Lake Geneva

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
John Lynch

Chemistry

11:00am CDT

Engineering Solutions for a Darker Sky: Exploring Light Pollution and Engineering Design

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Thistle

Discover an engaging, NGSS-aligned activity that introduces students to the science of light pollution and empowers them to develop design solutions to real-world problems. In this presentation, participants will explore light pollution. We will look at the causes and effects of lighting up our night sky. They will then be challenged to use the Engineering Design Process to provide a solution to our current light pollution problem.

Attendees will:
1. Investigate the phenomenon of light pollution and why it matters.
2. Engage in a hands-on activity, constructing and testing mini streetlights in a homemade planetarium.
3. Explore the engineering design process, focusing on optimizing light shields to reduce light pollution while maintaining safety.
4. Learn how skills are used for assessment at Racine Unified School District

Through collaboration and interactive problem-solving, participants will experience the lesson from the student perspective while gaining practical resources to bring this learning to their own classrooms. This activity connects STEAM learning with Earth Science, engineering, and astronomy.

Speakers

Abigail Forst

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Thistle

Earth Science Engineering

11:00am CDT

Soaring with Monarchs: a first grade migration

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Lefevre

Insects are the Rodney Dangerfields of conservation—they don’t get no respect. As a result, invertebrate conservation (including that of insects) tends to be significantly underfunded and ignored. It doesn’t help that a majority of people think of most insects as just “bugs”—pests that would best be exterminated. One exception to this rule is Danaus plexippus—the monarch butterfly. Despite being invertebrates, monarchs rank up there with eagles and whales, manatees and wolves as emblems of conservation and the parts of nature that we love. Most people can identify monarch caterpillars, know that they feed on milkweeds, and certainly recognize the adults—not something they can say about any other lepidopteran.

The first grade class at University Lake School—a small, private school in Hartland, Wisconsin—has, for many years, learned about and acted out the monarch life cycle and migration. We will go through the activity, providing background information about these iconic invertebrates as well as giving out materials so participants can easily have their students become graceful monarchs!

Speakers

Greg Bisbee

Jean Winkel

Ann Mochi

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Lefevre

Elementary

11:00am CDT

Teaching with Impactful Phenomena

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Evelyn

Learn what makes great phenomena and come away with free lessons.

Not all phenomena are equal. How you kick off your unit sets the tone for the entire unit itself. Learn what makes a phenomenal phenomenon that keeps your students engaged. You’ll learn how to choose and implement the best science phenomena. You’ll also receive free access to Mosa Mack Science phenomena lessons.

This interactive, hands-on workshop has three parts:

1. Why Phenomenon: We dive into the purpose and methodology of teaching with phenomena.
2. Hands-on Physical Science: You’ll experience a shocking phenomenon: security camera footage of cars that appear to be levitating! What is really going on in the footage, how can we test it, and what can we learn about the laws of force and motion from it?
3. Closing: We’ll close the workshop with a brief summary, lesson takeaways, and a final Q&A.

Speakers

Whitney Noel

Regional Sales Manager, Mosa Mack Science

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Evelyn

Elementary Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies 4-8th grade teachers elementary and high school welcome!

11:00am CDT

Engage students while learning outdoors using transects

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Anna M

I will present for 30 minutes on how I use transects to get kids outside collecting data along a stream corridor. I have found transects are engaging for students without the expectation that they are an expert on identifying plant or animal species. Transects are often the building blocks for our field observations within an outdoor freshwater ecology course I teach and useful to build skills required for the rest of the semester. I will share several different transects that I have found to be effective for mapping, analyzing and collecting field data all within a 45 minute class period (so quick turn around). I will talk about common barriers and future connections with transects as well. The last 15 minutes will be open discussion or time for any questions you may have for me.

HS LS2- 2 Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on
evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of
different scales.HS LS2-7 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Speakers

Angela Schmit

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Anna M

General Biology/Life Science Earth Science Environmental

11:00am CDT

Science Teachers of the Future Urgently Wanted!

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Dixie

Wisconsin faces a significant downturn in the number of undergraduate, graduate, and, alternatively certified science teachers. In 2023, only 165.new science teachers were licensed from traditional and alternative teacher preparation programs in Wisconsin, down from an average of 225 between 2014 and 2021. As a middle or high school science teacher, you can play a vital role in helping reverse this trend! In this interactive problem-solving session, we’ll share data on licensure numbers over the past 10 years and share some research and tips on ways you might help your students, paraprofessionals, and others in your orbit consider one of the best jobs in the world: engaging middle and high school students with wonders of our universe! We will share nationwide research on how teachers and schools are working to recruit and prepare science teachers, as well as ways to retain and continue to help develop new science teachers. Participants will get sample activities that teachers can immediately use with their students and friends to help them consider a career in science education. We will also ask for ideas from the participants on strategies to help increase the number of science teachers in Wisconsin.

Speakers

Kevin Anderson

Science Education Consultant, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction

Dr. Anderson currently works as the Science Education Consultant at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). He enjoys helping educators improve science programs and instruction to support all students in making sense of the world and solving problems. Previously, he... Read More →

Joel Donna

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Dixie

High Ed

11:00am CDT

STEM Collaborations: University of Wisconsin Oshkosh (UWO) Cooperative Academic Partnership Program (CAPP) and Gateway Biology Curriculum (Bio 105)

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Hutchinson

This presentation will showcase how UWO’s Biology Department is partnering with UWO’s Dual-Enrollment program, CAPP, to provide transformative educational experiences for students. The focus of this current collaboration is part of a larger endeavor to help STEM learners translate educational experiences into career endeavors by working with regional employers as well. As UWO pivots to a new learner-centered academic structure that emphasizes career clusters, CAPP’s role in providing early access to college courses while students are still in high school can play a larger role in smoothing students’ transition to career pathways available at UWO and increasingly at other institutions of higher education.

A brief overview of UWO’s CAP Program will provide context for how we envision our collaboration with Biology—and other fields—can work to advance student learning in Wisconsin. Drs. Jessica Lucas and Mallory Janquart from the fields of Biology and Laboratory Medical Technology will showcase the career-case studies they have worked on.

As we are seeking more teachers to participate in our collaboration, attendees will learn the role of CAPP adjuncts in developing/ testing new curriculum and how to participate. Attendees will also learn about how UWO is using career clusters and trying to connect students with STEM careers. NGSS are not addressed directly, but college-level science standards are key in the design of the new curriculum. An interactive quiz is part of the presentation of the career-case studies and the new curriculum activities.

Speakers

Margaret Hostetler

CAPP Director, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

UW Oshkosh Cooperative Academic Partnership Program

Sarah Adelson

Jessica Lucas

Associate Professor, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Mallory Janquart

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Hutchinson

High Ed Biology/Life Science

11:00am CDT

A Hands on approach to effectively teaching anatomy using clay on a skeletal model

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

BF Carter

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.

This workshop will emphasize directional terms, planes, cavities and landmarks on the skeletal model and then build several skeletal muscles. Emphasis will be placed on building the rotator cuff showing their origin and insertion, their movement and discuss exercises to strengthen these muscles.

Speakers

John-Paul Theriault

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
BF Carter

Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies Anatomy & Body Systems

1:00pm CDT

WSST Winter Board Meeting

Saturday April 5, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT

Lake Poygan

Speakers

Dennis Rohr

Seymour High School

Saturday April 5, 2025 1:00pm - 3:00pm CDT
Lake Poygan

General