WSST Conference 2025: Full Schedule

8:00am CDT

Workshop: Wisconsin High School Earth Science Storylines

Thursday April 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:50am CDT

Wisconsin High School Earth Science Storylines will share with you recently developed and created activities that use collaboration of students who will analyze data sets as they work to understand the phenomenon that focuses on the landforms and geological history of Wisconsin. These activities are designed to address NGSS standards for High School Earth Science. They will focus on three separate storylines - Bedrock to Glaciers, Feedback in the Arctic, and Wisconsin Groundwater. During the workshop, participants will have the opportunity to work through a number of activities and take with them knowledge of how to use the storylines with their students. The storylines will utilize many local data sets and GIS map layers.

Speakers

Dennis Rohr

Seymour High School

Jon Baker

Sponsors

Seymour Community High School

Thursday April 3, 2025 8:00am - 9:50am CDT
John Lynch

Workshop

10:00am CDT

Workshop: Leading Through STEAM: Empowering Middle School Mentors with NGSS and the Engineering Design Process

Thursday April 3, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

John Lynch

Transform your classroom into a hub of innovation and leadership with a STEAM mentorship program! In this dynamic workshop, discover how middle school students can develop hands-on STEAM challenges for younger peers, fostering confidence, communication, and cross-curricular learning while implementing the engineering design process. Using real-world examples from St. Mary School in Richland Center, where students created agricultural-based projects like the Cranberry Bog, you’ll explore how to guide your students in crafting and presenting their own challenges to elementary students.

Learn essential tips and tricks for building students’ presentation skills, encouraging them to take ownership of their work, and differentiating activities to meet diverse learning needs. Discover how to introduce college and career readiness skills through mentoring opportunities that emphasize critical thinking, problem-solving, and collaboration.

You’ll also dive into strategies for gaining stakeholder buy-in, building community partnerships, and organizing lesson plans across multiple grade levels using Google Drive. This interactive session will provide you with practical tools, templates, and strategies to inspire your students to lead, mentor, and create—while promoting a love for STEM and agriculture. Walk away with everything you need to launch a successful cross-curricular STEAM mentorship program in your school!

Speakers

Beth Schaefer

Coordinator, Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom - Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation

I am passionate about food, farming, and people. For the past 22 years I have worked in both formal and informal roles related to agriculture literacy and education. I spent five years as an Agriculture Educator and Biology teacher in both rural and urban schools and for the past... Read More →

Mary Cooper

Sponsors

Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom

Thursday April 3, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
John Lynch

Engineering Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies Workshop

11:00am CDT

Workshop: From Farm to Form: Creating and Comparing Bioplastics from Everyday Resources

Thursday April 3, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

John Lynch

As concerns about plastic pollution grow, educators are uniquely positioned to inspire students with innovative solutions like bioplastics. This workshop delves into the science and engineering behind biodegradable materials derived from renewable resources, focusing on bioplastics made from milk and soybean oil. Participants will engage in hands-on activities to create these bioplastics, gaining insight into their properties, production processes, and applications.

Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the session will emphasize key practices such as constructing explanations, analyzing data, and exploring the crosscutting concepts of sustainability and resource management. Participants will leave equipped with classroom-ready resources, lesson plans, and access to food and agriculture education kits. They will also discover grants, training opportunities, and student engagement programs to deepen agricultural literacy.

Participants will actively make bioplastics from milk and soybean oil during the session, work collaboratively to explore the material properties, and discuss ways to adapt the lesson for various grade levels. A dedicated Q&A and resource-sharing segment will provide further opportunities for interaction and feedback.

Speakers

Kathy Biernat

Curriculum Designer, Instructional Coach, Zanilu Educational Services, LLC

#ScientistMakerI am an award-winning educator with over 18 years of teaching experience and 30 years of curriculum design expertise. I am passionate about integrating real-world problems into the curriculum, fostering authentic learning experiences, and connecting students with professionals... Read More →

Beth Schaefer

Coordinator, Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom - Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation

Sponsors

Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom

Thursday April 3, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
John Lynch

General

1:00pm CDT

Workshop: Empowering Students to Lead: A Green Team Toolkit for Energy Savings

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

John Lynch

Green teams empower schools to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives, resulting in cost savings, reduced environmental impact, and enriched educational opportunities. By engaging students and staff, these teams cultivate responsibility and foster a culture of sustainability within the school community.

FOCUS ON ENERGY® developed the Green Team Toolkit to support these efforts. This comprehensive resource empowers K-12 students as sustainability leaders, offering step-by-step guidance for forming and managing green teams, practical energy-saving strategies, and tips for competitions like Renew Our Schools. The toolkit highlights low-cost, no-cost measures with quick paybacks, enabling schools to optimize building performance while providing meaningful learning experiences for students.

Wisconsin’s K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP) complements these efforts with Green Team Mini-Grants designed to fund energy education and efficiency projects, offering schools tangible support to turn ideas into action.

In this session, Focus on Energy, KEEP, and the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District will showcase the benefits of green teams, the impact of the toolkit, and how these mini-grants can amplify these initiatives. Attendees will be equipped with actionable strategies, real-world examples, and the inspiration to transform students into sustainability champions, benefiting facilities, education, and the broader community.

Speakers

Nick Gagnon

Teacher, Chippewa Falls High School

I've been teaching Physics, Chemistry and Remote Pilot classes at Chippewa Falls High School for 20+ years. Over the past 5 years I've been advising our Green Team. These students have accomplished more than I ever could have imagined!

Heather Feigum

Heather oversees Focus on Energy's Agriculture and Schools/Government programs. With a background in energy and project management, she previously served as an Energy Advisor for schools and government facilities. Heather's educational experience includes being a Renewable Energy... Read More →

Laura Lane

Heather Phelps

Student Resource Specialist, Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education

Sponsors

Focus on Energy

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

Elementary High Ed General Energy Savings and Sustainability

2:00pm CDT

Workshop: Rural Schools Talk Science

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

John Lynch

This session brings together science educators from small rural schools to explore shared challenges and solutions, focusing on best science practices for grades 6-12, school day scheduling issues with limited content teachers, variety of electives/preps taught, and standards-based grading implementation in small schools. Participants will engage in collaborative discussions to share strategies and experiences while addressing unique aspects of rural education. Connections to the NGSS will emphasize practical implementation of standard based grading. Attendees will leave with actionable ideas, enhanced understanding of NGSS integration, and strategies for fostering collaboration within their schools. Interactive elements will include brainstorming sessions and guided resource-sharing.

Speakers

Nick Wall

Teacher, Cashton High School

ScienceHOSABaseball

Julie Lundeen

Science Teacher, Cashton High School

Science teacher for 16 years-Teach in a small, rural school-Has been implementing and "tweaking" flipped classroom for several years-Implements flipped in chem and bio classes. Has developed new curriculum for Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, Physics, Environmental Ed and... Read More →

Sponsors

Cashton High School

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

General

3:00pm CDT

Workshop: New Teacher Network

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

John Lynch

This workshop offers new teachers an opportunity to connect with peers, share challenges, and explore solutions. Participants will engage in discussions, build a supportive network, and learn about valuable resources to enhance their teaching practice. Gain insights, share experiences, and leave with tools to navigate the early years of your career with confidence.

Speakers

Stephanie Ruder

Megan Sprague

Teacher, Onalaska High School

Sponsors

New Teacher Network/ Onalaska High School

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

General

8:00am CDT

Workshop: Making the Most of Mystery Science

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

John Lynch

In this session, participants will interact with Dave Bergerson, Science Coordinator for the Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools on their implementation of Mystery Science. Dave will share strategies that were implemented in his district to provide support for elementary teachers teaching science. Topics will include but not be limited to: Evaluation and Adoption procedures for Mystery Science, professional development options for training teachers in Mystery Science, suggestions for cost effective materials procurement, minimizing teacher prep and management of refilling materials, along with templates for supplementing Mystery Science.

Speakers

Dave Bergerson

Science Coordinator, Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools

I am the Wisconsin Rapids K-12 Science Curriculum Coordinator for 50% of my job and the other 50% is teaching Physics. I am also an adjunct faculty in Physics with Mid-state Technical College in Wisconsin Rapids.

Sponsors

Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools

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

Elementary

10:00am CDT

Workshop: Hands-On Environmental Spectroscopy with NASA’s STELLA Q2

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

John Lynch

This interactive workshop introduces the NASA STELLA Q2 Spectrometer, a DIY, handheld tool designed to make scientific exploration accessible to educators, students, and citizen scientists. Participants will learn to build and use the spectrometer for environmental and materials analysis, emphasizing how this technology can support NGSS-aligned learning experiences in Earth and space science.

The session begins with an overview of the spectrometer’s design, components, and capabilities, followed by guided instruction on assembly and calibration. Attendees will then explore real-world applications, such as analyzing light spectra to assess plant growth and monitor environmental pollutants. Activities include hands-on experiments that directly address NGSS practices, like planning investigations (SEP 3) and interpreting data (SEP 4), aligned with performance expectations such as HS-ESS3-6 (Global Climate Change) and MS-PS4-1 (Wave Properties).

Learning objectives for attendees include:
Constructing and calibrating the STELLA Q2 Spectrometer.
Designing NGSS-aligned lessons integrating spectrometry.
Applying spectrometry to engage students in environmental science and critical thinking.
Through collaborative exploration and discussion, participants will leave equipped with tools and strategies to inspire curiosity and STEM engagement in their classrooms or outreach programs.

Speakers

Craig Kohn

Sponsors

Waterford Union High School

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

Biology/Life Science Environmental

2:00pm CDT

Workshop: Cross-Cutting Concepts: A Sensemaking Tool

Friday April 4, 2025 2:00pm - 3:50pm CDT

John Lynch

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.

Speakers

Elizabeth Mayenschein

Kim Lemberger

Chad Janowski

Sponsors

Einstein Project

Friday April 4, 2025 2:00pm - 3:50pm CDT
John Lynch

General Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

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

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

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