WSST Conference 2025: Full Schedule

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8:00am CDT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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