WSST Conference 2025: Full Schedule

8:00am CDT

Using The Physics Classroom

Thursday April 3, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

The Physics Classroom is a one stop shop. It is an interactive up to date text book, it has on line lab simulations, it has differentiated progressive on-line concept builders, it has a test generator that can grade, it ties in with Modeling Curricullum, ACT Prep sections, Lesson plans for all levels of Physics including beginning teachers, video tutorials, it is continually being improved and updated, and all this for much cheaper than any textbook on the market. This presentation will demonstrate the diverse set of learning tools that TPC has for teaching Physics and Chemistry. While TPC is always free, the low fee of using the Task Tracker system to monitor student progress will be emphasized only because it is a great tool and gives you more time to do what you love...helping students learn! TPC has a diverse set of tools and resources that litteraly cover almost every aspect of teaching Physics and is progressing to providing Chemistry rources too. The presenters will be the Owner/Software designer Trevor Fayas and a regular classroom teacher who uses it.

Speakers

Greg Franzen

Trevor Fayas

President, Physics Classroom LLC

Owner of PhysicsClassroom.com, our site has been offering time proven tools, lessons, interactives, and learning modules for teachers and students in Physics (and now Chemistry!). Come learn about our resources and how they help students learn and grow.

Thursday April 3, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Lake Poygan

Chemistry Physics Any level of Physics and basic Chemistry

1:00pm CDT

Enhancing Science Education Through Data Collection: Innovative Approaches with TI Technology

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

Lefevre

In an era where data-driven insights are critical for scientific discovery and understanding, the ability to collect, analyze, and interpret data has become a fundamental skill for students. This workshop will explore how you can empower students to
actively engage in data collection across diverse science disciplines, including physics,
chemistry, biology, and environmental science.
Participants will learn hands-on techniques for integrating data collection into their science
curricula using sensors, which provide real-time data and enhance students’
learning experiences. This session will offer insights on inquiry-based learning that develops
students’ scientific literacy and problem-solving skills.

Objectives:
1. Understand the Role of Data Collection in Science Education
2. Explore TI Technology for Real-Time Data Collection
3. Design and Implement Data-Driven Experiments
4. Integrate Data Collection into Standards-Based Instruction

By the end of this session, participants will:
• Gain confidence in using technology for data collection in science education.
• Acquire practical strategies for designing and implementing data-driven science experiments.
• Understand how to integrate data collection with standards-based instruction to enhance
student engagement and scientific literacy.

Speakers

Michelle Grooms

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

General Biology/Life Science Chemistry Earth Science Environmental Physics

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

2:00pm CDT

Physics Roundtable

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

Lake Poygan

Join us for a roundtable discussion centered around Physics, Physical Science, or teaching in general. Have ideas to share? Great! Have questions you need help with? Bring them! Looking to connect with Physics teachers and grow your network? Fantastic!

Speakers

Terry Schwaller

Teacher, Mentoring Coordinator, Shiocton High School

I'm interested in Physics and Chemistry instruction, as well as interesting ways to increase student talk and alternative assessment. I'm also a foodie and comic book nerd.

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

Physics Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

3:00pm CDT

Quantum Information Science and Engineering in High School

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

Herietta

Quantum information science and engineering (QISE) is the use of quantum mechanics across a variety of fields, including physics, computer science, math, and engineering. This includes quantum computing, quantum cryptography, and quantum-based measurement devices. Given the increasing relevance of quantum technology to our day-to-day lives, it is important to expose students to these topics before college. Quantum mechanics has a reputation of needing higher level math skills to understand it, but basic ideas of quantum mechanics can be taught with simple addition, subtraction, and multiplication. We will explore this simple approach for teaching the basic ideas of quantum mechanics in high school courses. We will also look at resources for incorporating QISE topics into the high school curriculum. While QISE is most applicable to the NGSS related to physics and with AP Physics, there are applications in chemistry, math, and computer science for QISE topics. Attendees will take away an understanding of how quantum mechanics can be taught using simple math, as well as a list of resources for curricular material to add into their courses.

Speakers

Todd Zimmerman

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

Engineering Physics

8:00am CDT

Quantum Physics activities for Chemistry

Friday April 4, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Herietta

Both of these activities were developed by a high school teacher in the Teach Quantum fellowship at UW-Madison. Using a bird navigation storyline in chemistry, learn how to incorporate electrons, configurations, and spectrum to understand the Zeeman effect and its role in migratory behaviors of birds and even grazing patterns in cattle. You will also learn how to use quantum physics in an electron escape room using flame tests to explore superposition. I will provide the full lesson plans and list of materials to run activitites. Both activities showcase making chemistry equitable for all learners with basic strategies and promote group discourse and concesus modeling throughout the units. Its a great way to expose students to quantum chemistry in a unit that is difficult to come up with examples for.

Speakers

Jamie Lauer

Friday April 4, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Herietta

Chemistry Physics Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

8:00am CDT

Workshop: Integrating Engineering, Electronics, and Coding into Your Science Labs

Friday April 4, 2025 8:00am - 9:50am CDT

BF Carter

You will build a soil moisture sensing system using the Arduino UNO. First you will design and code the project in Tinkercad using the Arduino simulator. Then you will build and code the project using an Arduino UNO and a soil moisture sensor. You will wire your projects and code in C++. You will learn the basics of the electronics behind Arduino connected sensors and the limitless possibilities for your science labs, fairs and national competitions. The workshop will demonstrate 3D learning and how to spark innovation and creativity using the Arduino platform.

Speakers

Isabel Mendiola

Director, Gearbox Labs, Inc.

Gearbox Labs provides project and problem-based curriculum, kits, and learning experiences that integrate engineering, design, computational thinking, and digital prototyping using C/C++ and physical computing in applied STEM/STEAM contexts for K-12 students.

Peter Haydock

Sponsors

Gearbox Labs

Friday April 4, 2025 8:00am - 9:50am CDT
BF Carter

Biology/Life Science Earth Science Engineering Environmental Physics Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

9:00am CDT

Science Intern

Friday April 4, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Herietta

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.

Speakers

Jamie Lauer

Friday April 4, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Herietta

High Ed General Biology/Life Science Chemistry Earth Science Environmental Physics

10:00am CDT

Workshop: Modeling Instruction in High School Science

Friday April 4, 2025 10:00am - 11:50am CDT

Lefevre

The US Department of Education has recognized the Modeling Instruction program as an exemplary K-12 science program. This pedagogical approach puts students into the role of a scientist planning experiments, gathering and analyzing data, presenting the data and results of an experiment to peers. The participants of this workshop will learn about Modeling Instruction and have an opportunity to experience a number of different aspects of this pedagogical approach. This includes a physics modeling style experiment, a white boarding session and post lab discussion. Participant learning objectives include: gaining a deeper understanding of modeling instruction, participating in a modeling style experiment, learning how modeling instructions aligns with the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices, and learning how modeling instruction can be used with other science content areas.

Speakers

Scott Hertting

Sponsors

Neenah High School

Friday April 4, 2025 10:00am - 11:50am CDT
Lefevre

Physics Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

3:00pm CDT

How to BE an Aerospace Education Member and get Free Stem kits, Lessons, and Flight

Friday April 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

Lake Poygan

We will explain how educators can sign up and become a Civil Air Patrol Aerospace Education Member. We will explain all the benefits of being a member. We will also explain all the free things you are entitled to as a member. After the first year you renew as a member for free annually. There are stem kits, Lessons for your classroom, free teacher orientation flights.

Lessons have NSSG objectives and areas listed. Our goal is to get teachers teaching aerospace education lessons to give students a taste for learning more about aviation. We have frees stem kits and lessons for their classrooms. We try to show them how they can maximize their efforts in getting stem kits. We also demonstrate the ease in which you can get free materials and a flight in a Civil Air Patrol plane.

We explain how you pay only once, and can then sign up annually free of charge every year after the first year. We also like to give Teachers Airplane rides. When you get a chance to fly it becomes an experience you want to share with your students.

Speakers

Michael A. Bero

Friday April 4, 2025 3:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
Lake Poygan

Elementary High Ed Earth Science Physics Aerospace Education