The 2009 conference will be held at the
General sessions run from 12:30 to 5:30 Friday and from 8:30 to 5:00 Saturday. (see the Conference program for session times and topics)
This year's theme is “Prepare to be "Science Ready" - In & Out of the Classroom.”
For what are we preparing our students? How do we know when they are prepared? What curriculum and instructional strategies will best prepare them? How do we support teachers so they are "ready" to meets the needs of all students?
Sessions should focus on student-centered, standards-based curricula, instructional methods, and assessments that focus on the goal of those standards – science literacy that facilitates authentic and relevant application of content knowledge and skill. The theme, "Readiness," suggests that mastery of a given objective is not the end result of learning, but one step in an on-going learning process.
Saturday Keynote Speaker: Carolyn Staudt
Today’s students are much more fluent in their use of technology than we, their teachers. Yet research- and technology-based tools are too infrequently used to motivate and educate today’s students. As the Director of Universal Design Learning (UDL) at the Concord Consortium (www.concord.org), Carolyn Staudt has worked to pioneer research on innovative approaches to education that exploit technology to meet the learning needs of all students across the curricula. By sharing her expertise as a professional developer and designer of technology- and Internet-based curriculum projects, Carolyn will address the future of technology-based inquiry, modeling, student collection and sharing of real-time data, and assessment for learning in grades K-12+ that can lead to increases in science achievement while preparing students to engage in the real-world of science, mathematics, and technology.
Conference Highlights
Friday Special Session for Science Coordinators and Teacher-Leaders:
Working together to Recognize and Develop High Quality, Aligned Curricula and Resources
Friday Evening:
Making Sure the “S” in METS (STEM) Counts! An Evening with
Saturday Events:
STOM District Breakfast Meetings: Networking to Support One Another Back Home!
Special Sessions:
Teaching the Big Ideas in K-5 Science
What Counts as Inquiry Understanding and Skill on the MAP
Modeling in Science: Building, Showing, and Monitoring Student Understanding
Keynote Workshop: Integrating Technology to support the UDL Classroom
Carolyn Staudt will share her expertise as a curriculum designer and professional developer. Carolyn has worked with