Conference Program
Detroit Conference Preview
Click here for a printed conference preview.
Session Browser/Personal Scheduler
Plan ahead! Descriptions and scheduling information for conference sessions and events are provided using our Session Browser/Personal Scheduler. Prepare an agenda, share it with your supervisor, and bring it with you to the conference.
Use the browser’s drop-down menus to search by type of event, subject, audience level, strand, or sponsor. You can also search events by entering keywords. Clicking on the links below will take you to a list of events in the session browser.
This program is tentative, and sessions may be rescheduled if necessary. Scheduling changes will be posted as they occur.
Sessions and Events
Presentations and Workshops. More than 300 presentations and workshops have been scheduled at the Detroit conference. Sessions are classified by subject matter (Biology/Life Science, Chemistry/Physical Science, Earth/Space Science, Environmental Science, Integrated/General, or Physics/Physical Science). Sessions are further identified by audience level (Preschool, Elementary, Middle Level, High School, College, Supervision/Administration, Informal Education, or some combination of levels). Generally one hour in length, all are open to registrants at no additional cost. Popular sessions fill quickly, however, and it is recommended that you arrive early to ensure a seat.
Featured Speakers. A General Session and three featured presentations have been scheduled at the Detroit conference. These renowned speakers are experts in their fields who will speak on selected topics related to the conference strands.
NSTA Symposia. These ticketed events are offered by leading STEM content and pedagogical professionals, including education specialists from NASA, NOAA, FDA, and other scientific groups. Two NSTA symposia are offered at the Detroit conference—Sally Ride Science/NSTA Symposium: From Astrobiology to Zoology—Igniting Students’ Interest in Science Careers and NASA/NSTA Symposium: Igniting the Flame of Knowledge—Human Space Flight. Each symposium is followed by several online experiences—a listserv and two NSTA Web seminars—to extend interactivity between symposium participants and presenters.
ESP Symposia. NSTA’s Exemplary Science Program (ESP) was initiated to produce monographs consisting of descriptions of programs and evidence of their effectiveness in producing superior student learning. Under the guidance of Robert E. Yager, 1982–1983 NSTA President, four monographs have been produced to meet the visions of exemplary professional development programs and science in grades K–4, 5–8, and 9–12.
A national advisory board consisting of NSES and NSTA leaders selected 15 exemplars for each monograph from nearly 3,000 nominations. Authors of ESP monographs will showcase these exemplary programs and teachers at upcoming NSTA conferences. Two ESP Symposia are offered at the Detroit conference—Symposium I: ESP Focusing on Grades PreK–12 and Symposium II: ESP Focusing on Grades 5–8.
Short Courses. Fill in your content knowledge gaps and examine in depth the very latest research and strategies with one of our ticketed short courses. Six short courses have been scheduled at the Detroit conference on topics ranging from unit design to amusement park physics.
Exhibitor Workshops. Exhibitor-sponsored workshops for science teachers are offered throughout the conference. These workshops give you an opportunity to use a variety of commercial instructional materials. The number of participants for each is limited by the size of the room, but tickets are not required. Attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Field Trips. The Conference Committee has scheduled nine field trips to area attractions (tickets required), including Wayne Regional Educational Services Agency (RESA), focusing on some of the most stimulating instructional technology and media resources available to educators; an e scape to the wildest place in town—the Detroit Zoo; a behind-the scenes tour of the Ford Rouge Factory; and an opportunity to engage in chemical testing and watershed education exercises with Friends of the Rouge.
Social Functions. Make some new friends and get reacquainted with old friends at one of our ticketed social functions: Preservice and New Teacher Luncheon (Friday, 12 Noon–1:30 PM) and Welcome to Detroit Dessert Reception (Friday, 7:30–9:30 PM).
Conference Strands
To help you make the most of the professional development opportunities available at the Detroit conference, the Conference Committee has planned the conference around three strands of current significance, enabling you to focus on a specific area of interest or need.
Successful integration of technology in science classrooms allows teachers to format instruction to match students' natural engagement with current media. Research indicates that technology-rich instruction improves student learning. Many teachers are interested but are uncertain where to start. Sessions in the technology strand will introduce teachers to current technologies that successfully enhance science learning nationwide.
Language is essential for effective science learning. In addition to materials-based science experiences, students construct meaning by discussing, writing, and reading about science. Research indicates that students improve their literacy skills when they practice those skills in engaging contexts. Inquiry-based science provides one of the most exciting contexts for becoming literate in science and language. This strand will focus on strategies and applications for effective teaching of science and literacy.
The National Science Education Standards call for students to develop the abilities to identify and state a problem and to design, implement, and evaluate the solution. Engineering offers today’s student ways to implement this unique type of thinking and to take advantage of global career opportunities, empowering students by the possibilities and opportunities it has to offer. Detroit has long been a hub of engineering. Multiple corporations, organizations, and educational institutions specializing in engineering have agreed to work with NSTA to showcase educational opportunities for teachers and students. Additionally, dynamic sessions designed to connect engineering to science curricula at all grade levels will be featured.
For a list of sessions for each strand, click on the links above.
Physics Day at NSTA
Thursday, October 18, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
O2-33, COBO Center
The American Association of Physics Teachers offers a full day of physics content at one NSTA area conference each year, this year in Detroit. Scheduled on Thursday, October 18, Physics Day consists of presentations on physics topics of current interest, physics demonstrations for the pre-college classroom, and a make ’n’ take session where participants can construct a piece of physics apparatus for use as a demonstration or laboratory experiment. Physics Day in Detroit is being organized by the Michigan Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers and the Detroit Metropolitan Association of Physics Teachers.
Chemistry Day at NSTA
Friday, October 19, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
O2-33, COBO Center
Education research indicates a positive correlation between teacher content knowledge and student learning. The goals of Chemistry Day are to enhance and enrich the thermodynamics content knowledge of secondary chemistry teachers and to engage teachers in activities, discussion, and analyses that demonstrate how lessons on thermodynamics can be presented in a way that stimulates student thinking and prompts exploration of the complexity of the concepts in advanced and honors level courses. The content and structure of the strand draws on several decades of experience the American Chemical Society has in activity-based curricula development.
Scheduled on Friday, October 19, Chemistry Day consists of a daylong series of lessons on energy and entropy and their relationship to equilibrium—topics central to understanding the behavior of matter and chemical change. A complementary theme of the strand is incorporating activities as part of the assessment of student learning.
Physical Science and Earth Science Day at NSTA
Matter, Energy, and Interactions: A Day of Physical and Earth Science for Elementary and Middle School Teachers
Friday, October 19, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
W2-63, COBO Center
Based on the National Science Education Standards for Inquiry, Physical Science, and Earth and Space Science, this all-day workshop features six sessions focusing on inquiry-based activities to teach basic topics in chemistry, physics, and earth science. The Education Divisions of the American Chemical Society (ACS), American Geological Institute (AGI), and American Physical Society (APS) will facilitate sessions in which elementary and middle school teachers will participate in activities to improve their own content knowledge, discuss and share ideas about how to conduct the activities with students, and receive free resources for physical and earth science teaching. These sessions are open to all conference attendees.
Michigan Earth Science Teachers Association (MESTA) Events
Thursday, October 18, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM
Friday, October 19, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM
Saturday, October 20, 8:00 AM–12 Noon
W1-54, COBO Center
The Michigan Earth Science Teachers Association (MESTA), an all-volunteer nonprofit organization, has a long history of promoting earth science education throughout our state and around the country. In addition to offering earth science teaching grants and summer field scholarships, MESTA also makes available to educators materials they need to bring their classroom and lab activities to life for students. MESTA is pleased to offer two sessions—Rock Shop and Free & Inexpensive—that will be given throughout the Detroit conference in Room W1-54 of the COBO Center.
These events are open to all conference attendees.
For more information on MESTA, please visit www.mestarocks.org or contact Shawn McNamara, MESTA President, at shawn.mcnamara@gpschools.org.