In this session I will show you how I use the various DNA Kits in my classroom from 3D Molecular Designs. I will also show you how I tie them together. I use these kits with my students in Project Lead the Way Principles of Biomedical Science when we discuss DNA structure and function and genetics. I use them to demonstrate types of chromosomes, where genes are located and the why behind the letters we use in Punnett Squares. I use these models to show the differences between heterozygous and homozygous alleles to allow the students to see what happens at the DNA level so they understand why we have those differences and how they show up in proteins. I use this kit with the Flow of Genetic Information kit and protein folding when we talk about protein synthesis and the dynamic DNA kit when we talk about genetics and DNA.
In a world where declining water quality threatens ecosystems, food security, and public health it is imperative that we as teachers are prepared to educate the next water leaders. This session will dive into a hands-on lessons from Nourish the Future where students analyze soil, water, and land use data to construct solutions for real-world land management challenges. We will showcase how students engage in science and engineering practices, such as analyzing data and constructing explanations, to tackle a relevant phenomenon, while highlighting student examples. Through NGSS-aligned strategies, participants will observe how sensemaking guides students in proposing solutions to improve soil and water quality. Teachers will leave better equipped with strategies for using the lesson as an activity or as a 3D assessment, The lesson is great for student engagement, phenomenon/storyline based teaching, and encouraging deep learning across diverse classrooms. Teachers will walk away with an activity that can be easily modified for any classroom or science topic.
This presentation highlights the journey of the Wauwatosa School District Biology team as they transformed from a fragmented collection of experts to a strong, mission and vision-aligned force. The Wauwatosa Biology team has become a lighthouse within the district and across the state as they are deeply committed to continuous improvement and providing a rigorous, 3-dimensional, storyline experience for all students, through the use of OpenSciEd curricular resources.
In this session, we will discuss the importance of a strong vision, sound process for selecting curriculum, ongoing instructional coaching, teamwork, and strategies for building system-wide capacity in building a movement and driving change. We will share ideas and tools, including grading practices, for districts or departments interested in transforming the student experience in science to be more coherent, impactful, rigorous, and equitable.
This roundtable invites educators to share strategies, curriculum resources, and innovative teaching ideas for anatomy and physiology. Discuss challenges, exchange effective practices, and help to create a shared drive with valuable teaching materials.
Members of the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin invite 8-12th grade educators to learn about university programs that provide middle school and high school students with hands-on opportunities to study freshwater science.
Topics will include high school freshwater camps, aquaculture in the classroom, wild rice in the classroom, water-focused educator workshops, and water-monitoring programs that link educators and students to statewide water experts. Panelists will represent programs led by faculty and staff at UW-Green Bay, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee UW Oshkosh and UW-Stevens Point.
Learn how to prepare your students for STEM programs in college and create a network that connects them and you to faculty and undergraduate scientists in the Universities of Wisconsin. Intended outcomes include ideas for bringing hands-on water science activities into your classroom and building skills in students at all levels, an enhanced ability to provide knowledge about water careers to your students, and an increased connection to universities who would like to engage K-12 students and educators in freshwater science activities.
Transitioning to NGSS is a huge cultural shift. Fully aligned NGSS instruction looks and feels very different from traditional science instruction. In this session, one or more current science teachers from Cameron Middle School will share, and answer questions about their journey into NGSS via the OpenSciEd Curriculum. This session will include information on the following: 1. Why OpenSciEd (OSE)? 2. Accessing OSE and using the resources to discuss the remaining topics. 3. Aligning curriculum sequence, including discussion on following OSE sequencing vs maintaining your current curricular sequencing. 4. Strengths and challenges of OSE. a. Planning and Prep b. Classroom instruction time c. Transitioning from tradition to NGSS-aligned curriculum d. Assessment 5. How we each adapt OSE to make it ours: a. 6th grade: science and social studies time is shared; only teach science half of the year b. 7th grade: "I am a teacher of Science not a Science teacher". c. 8th grade: "I hate being tethered to the front of the room!" Question and Answer time!
Participants will learn about Wisconsin’s oak forests and why they are ecologically and economically important. Through the phenomenon of growth and development of a single oak tree from acorn to old growth, participants will analyze and interpret its life history to understand the challenges facing oak forests. Questions to be answered include how an acorn survives to become an old oak tree, what ecological and human forces improve the tree’s chances for survival, and how these same forces apply to oak ecosystems. Participants will read brief accounts and review diagrams of oak natural and life history and review maps of presettlement and current oak forests. They will hear from a forest ecologist explaining how oak forests operate and how the sun-loving oak forests face challenges from vegetative competition, invasive plants, deer browsing, and a poor market for small diameter forest products. We will discuss what steps can be taken to insure the future of oak forests. Resources will be shared so teachers can find local data for different kinds of forests. Standards that are addressed include MS ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems, MS & HS LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans and HS LS2.C Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning and Resilience.
Abstract: Unearthing Fossil Discoveries: Engaging Students with Interactive Science Notebooking and a Fossil Museum Project Dive into an interactive journey of paleontological discovery as I share how a generous donation of fossils from the Pit 11 Mazon Creek Formation transformed my classroom into a hub of hands-on scientific exploration. This session will detail how I integrated an original 1970s fossil hunter’s journal—complete with detailed sketches and field notes—into lessons that introduced students to scientific sketching, fossil identification, and museum curation. Participants will learn how students: Reflected on a non-scientist’s authentic field journal to connect with the documentation process. Created detailed scientific sketches of fossils, then engaged in peer-matching activities to hone observational skills. Identified, sorted, and selected fossils to design and curate a school library fossil museum, including 3D-printed models and student-created exhibits. Explored the process of uncovering unopened concretions using the freeze-thaw-bake method, resulting in exciting discoveries like additional Tully Monsters. Attendees will engage in hands-on activities adapted from these lessons, including scientific sketching and fossil identification, and discuss connections to the NGSS, including: MS-LS4-1: Analyze and interpret data for patterns in the fossil record. MS-ETS1-4: Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and refinement. This session emphasizes presenter-audience interaction, sharing adaptable strategies for classroom implementation, and fostering inquiry-based learning that inspires students to think like scientists.
A purrfect introduction to genetics! Track inheritance in cats using Punnett squares, then use gel electrophoresis to examine the gene that controls that trait. Connect Mendelian genetics with our modern understanding of genes! No stains or extra visualization equipment needed. At this hands-on session, you’ll complete a colorful micropipetting art activity to create micropipette art masterpieces. You’ll also learn technique of gel electrophresis using our super affordable Bandit™ STEM Electrophoresis Kit. We will also cover the accompanying high quality curriculum, allowing teachers to perform molecular biology labs on a budget that cover topics such as Mendalian genetics.
Help a fictional family obtain a molecular diagnosis for sickle cell disease. Students use gel electrophoresis in a rich activity that can be easily tailored to classrooms ranging from middle school science to AP Biology. Using a case study format, students will understand the physiology and molecular genetics of sickle cell, draw biomedical connections, and review patterns of Mendelian inheritance.
Introduce students to an essential biotech technique while solving the mystery of who is the father to Molly the Labradoodle’s puppies. Using gel electrophoresis and Punnett squares to track the inheritance of the furnishings trait, your students will decide if it was Zeus the Poodle or Otto the Labradoodle. Upon completion of this presentation, participants will: 1) Learn about gel electrophoresis and understand the science behind how this technique works 2) Learn how to teach Mendelian genetics with an adorable labradoodle puppy case study 3) Have the knowledge and resources they need to bring biotech into their classrooms
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 →
