Short Courses

SHORT COURSES

Want to dig deeper? Excited to learn from seasoned experts in the field? Wish you could have a guaranteed seat in the room? Do you enjoy a smaller session with more presenter interaction? Then conference short courses are calling your name!

Jump to Short Course Schedule

CSTA is proud to present an amazing lineup of 20 short courses for this year's conference. These short courses are designed to help you dig deeper into NGSS, engineering design, and more. Each short course's duration is three to six hours, giving you the chance to really interact and make sense of the material.

Short courses are ticketed events, guaranteeing you a seat in the room and relevant hand-outs. You will have hands-on experiences that are designed to help you envision relevant to use in your classroom. Many short courses will also provide you with sample materials that are ready for use. Be sure to sign up for these soon—we expect these short courses will sell out fast this year!

If you are in need of support by your district, you can remind your administrator that the District's Local Control Accountability Plan (LCAP) Priority #2 supports the implementation of the state's academic standards. CSTA's Conference on Science Education will provide you with short courses that will help you with this. All short courses support the California Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), the California Common Core State Standards, or both. The short course descriptions below include the following information:

• title and brief description
• ticket price
• grade level that the course is best suited for
• the science that is the focus of the presentation
• the emphasis (up to three) of the course
• the name of the lead presenter and their affiliation

Friday, November 30 - 2:30 pm - 5:30 pm

SC01: Science-Literacy (K-2): A Win-Win for Both
This primary grade three-member "Early Implementer" team will share Earth science learning sequences designed to deepen understanding for K (weather), 1 (sun, moon, and stars) and 2 (landform changes) linked to CCSS ELA using note booking and ELA scaffolding strategies. [CANGSS EARLY IMPLEMENTER]

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: PreK-2
• Science & Emphasis: Earth/Space Science; Common Core - Literacy, Pedagogy
• Presenters: Karen Cerwin, Regional Director, K-12 Alliance/WestEd

SC02: Grappling with Stability and Change in Systems
This course focuses on the crosscutting concept of stability and change. Participants will explore several dynamic systems and what makes them have varying levels of stability. Investigate types of ecosystem disturbances and come to understand how feedback affects system stability.

• Tickets: $10
• Grade Level: Not Grade Level Specific
• Science & Emphasis: All Sciences; Beef Up on Content, Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs), Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs)
• Presenters: Patrick Moyle, Service Lead, Making Sense of SCIENCE/WestEd and Kirsten Daehler, Director, Making Sense of SCIENCE/WestEd

SC03: Class Ethos: The "4th Dimension" of the CA NGSS
The NGSS requires three-dimensional instruction. This short course examines a critical fourth dimension that creates the environment for three-dimensional classrooms to flourish: class ethos. Not just culture, its the equity based structures and tasks that allow creativity, curiosity, and risk-taking that are required in an NGSS classroom.

• Tickets: $20
• Grade Level: 6-8 Integrated Model, 6-8 Domain Specific Model, High School 3-course (ESS Embedded) Model, High School 3-course Integrated (Every Science, Every Year) Model, High School 4-course Model
• Science & Emphasis: Applicable to All Sciences; Beef Up on Content, Crosscutting Concepts (CCSs), Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs)
• Presenter: Samantha Johnson, Science Teacher, San Lorenzo Unified School District and Jim Clark, TOSA, San Lorenzo Unified School District

SC04: Academic Vocabulary Through Engaging Phenomena
We'll explore owl pellets in a series of NGSS lessons designed to engage English language learners and build academic vocabulary through discussion, writing and reading. Participants will deepen content knowledge based on hands-on activities. Handouts will be provided to support classroom use of the lessons. [CSP and CANGSS EARLY IMPLEMENTER]

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: 3-5
• Science & Emphasis: EP&Cs/Environmental Literacy, Life Science/Biology; Classroom Management/Engagement, Common Core - Literacy, English Learner/English Language Development
• Presenters: Kate Gallagher, TK-5 Teacher, NGSS Early Implementer, Oakland Unified School District and Joanna Totino, Director, Bay Area Science Project

SC05: Learning by Making for STEM Success
Learn to use the NGSS-aligned, integrated STEM curriculum developed by Sonoma State University's Learning by Making program for ninth-grade students. Learning by Making trains students to design and construct their own experiments that are personally relevant, and that are critical to the future of our economy and planet.

• Tickets: $10
• Grade Level: High School 3-course Integrated (Every Science, Every Year) Model
• Science & Emphasis: Integrated Science (bundled across domains) and Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs), STEM/STEAM/Maker, Technology Integration
• Presenters: Lynn Cominsky, Program Director/Professor, Education and Public Outreach, Sonoma State University and Laura Peticolas, Associate Director, Education and Public Outreach, Sonoma State University

SC06: Ice, Ice, Baby
This short course is being presented as part of the Climate Summit. Participants experience a 6th grade learning sequence focusing on Earth’s heat balance and the melting of ice. Receive a full unit conceptual flow and targeted learning sequence plans aligned to the NGSS and incorporating California's Environmental Principles and Concepts.

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: 6: Integrated
• Science & Emphasis: Environmental Literacy; Climate Summit
• Presenters: Ian Eisenman, Associate Professor, University California San Diego; Till Wagner, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina Wilmington; and Leah Wheeler, Teacher, Galt Joint Unified Elementary School, CA NGSS K-8 Early Implementation Initiative Core Leadership Team

SC07: Life in the Balance: Coastal Carbonate Chemistry
This short course is being presented as part of the Climate Summit. Participants experience a high school Chemistry and Earth and Space Science learning sequence focusing on ocean acidification and chemical equilibria through the lens of the plight of west coast oysters. Receive a full unit conceptual flow and targeted learning sequence plans aligned to the NGSS and incorporating California's Environmental Principles and Concepts.

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: High School 3-Course Model (ESS Embedded)
• Science & Emphasis: Environmental Literacy; Climate Summit
• Presenters: Tera Black, High School Science TOSA, Torrance Unified; Phil Bresnahan, Chemical Oceanography Researcher, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; and Rachel Meisner, Chemistry Teacher, Sweetwater Union High School District

SC08: Climate Literacy with Informal Education Centers
This short course is being presented as a part of the Climate Summit. It is designed to highlight effective practices by informal centers in partnership with classroom teachers that address climate change issues facing communities.

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: Not Grade Specific
• Science & Emphasis: Climate Summit; Environmental Literacy
• Presenters: Kurt Holland, Environmental Literacy Specialist and Lecturer, Department of Science Education, CSU, Long Beach; Lori Walsh, Education/Operations Supervisor at SEA LIFE Aquarium at LEGOLAND California Resort; and Crystal Howe, Science Coordinator, San Diego County Office of Education and CREEC Region 9 Coordinator

Saturday, December 1 - 8:30 am - 11:30 am

SC09: ChemEx²: Chemistry Experiments and Experiences for Learning
This Session is Sold Out
You will experience multi-use experiments to foster student learning, improve your students' ability to argue from evidence, and learn to re-engineer experiments for deeper understanding. These experiments, designed and vetted by Stanford University Department of Chemistry, are aligned with NGSS and CCSS.

• Tickets: $30
• Grade Level: High School 3-course (ESS Embedded) Model, High School 4-course Model
• Science & Emphasis: Chemistry; Common Core - Literacy, Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs)
• Presenters: Emily Reigh, PhD Student, Science Education, Stanford University and Sally Seebode, Chemistry Teacher, San Mateo Union High School District

SC10: Avoid NGSS Implementation Pitfalls!
Whether you are in awareness, transition, or full implementation of NGSS, engage with district leaders from the Early Implementation Initiative about the successes and challenges of implementation. Learn about tools and processes to help you in our role as teacher leader, administrator, or professional development provider. [CANGSS EARLY IMPLEMENTER]

• Tickets: $20
• Grade Level: All Grades (Not Grade Level Specific)
• Science & Emphasis: Applicable to All Sciences; Leadership (coaching, site leadership, administrator, professional development)
• Presenter: Kathy DiRanna, Director, K-12Alliance/West Ed and Dave Tupper, Project Director, Lakeside School District

SC11: Creating Storylines to Support Coherent Three Dimensional Learning
Wondering how to organize and frame science instructional units around the new California instructional segments? Join the UCLA Science Project to create a unit for classroom instruction. This workshop will guide participants by using a simplified process of phenomenon anchored storyline planning through a concept of their choice. [CSP]

• Tickets: $10
• Grade Level: 6-8 Integrated Model, 6-8 Domain Specific Model, High School 3-course (ESS Embedded) Model, High School 3-course Integrated (Every Science, Every Year) Model, High School 4-course Model
• Science & Emphasis: Applicable to All Sciences; Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Leadership (coaching, site leadership, administrator, professional development), Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs)
• Presenters: Jon Kovach, Associate Director, UCLA Science Project and Leticia Perez, Professional Learning Lead, UCLA Science Project

SC14: Don't Dry For Me California
This short course is being presented as part of the Climate Summit. Participants build understanding of how the availability of water impacts living and nonliving things in our environment across K-2 and experience sample NGSS-aligned lessons at each grade. Receive a full unit conceptual flow and targeted learning sequence plans aligned to the NGSS and incorporating California's Environmental Principles and Concepts.

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: K-2
• Science & Emphasis: Environmental Literacy; Climate Summit
• Presenters: Katherine Altmann, Teacher, San Diego Unified School District, CA NGSS K-8 Early Implementation Initiative Core Leadership Team; Keegan Gillette, Teacher, Aspire Public Schools, CA NGSS K-8 Early Implementation Initiative Core Leadership Team; Jenny Hofmeister, Environmental Scientist, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW); and Debra Jenkins, Teacher, Lakeside USD, CA NGSS K-8 Early Implementation Initiative Teacher Leader

SC15: Hot and Out of Breath
This short course is being presented as part of the Climate Summit. Participants experience a 7th grade learning sequence about oxygen minimum zones in the ocean and their effect on marine ecosystems and artisanal fisheries. Receive a full unit conceptual flow and targeted learning sequence plans aligned to the NGSS and incorporating California's Environmental Principles and Concepts.

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: 7 (integrated)
• Science & Emphasis: Environmental Literacy; Climate Summit
• Presenters: Olivia Allison, Science Teacher, San Diego Unified School District, CA NGSS K-8 Early Implementation Initiative Core Leadership Team and Yassir Eddebbar, Postdoctoral Scholar, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

SC16: Coral Reefs: Hot, Sour, and Drowning
This short course is being presented as part of the Climate Summit. Participants experience a High School Life and Earth and Space Science learning sequence about the effects of temperature, carbon dioxide, and sea level rise on coastal marine ecosystems and coral reefs. Receive a full unit conceptual flow and targeted learning sequence plans aligned to the NGSS and incorporating California's Environmental Principles and Concepts.

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: High School 3-Course Model (ESS Embedded)
• Science & Emphasis: Biology; Earth/Space Science; Climate Summit; Environmental Literacy
• Presenters: Tyler Cyronak, Postdoctoral Researcher, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; and Wendy Hagan, Biology and Environmental Science Teacher, Granada Hill Charter High School

Saturday, December 1 - 8:30 am - 6:00 pm

SC12: Are Your Lessons Designed for the NGSS?
Participants will be guided through the NGSS Lesson Screener—a tool derived from the EQuIP Rubric for Science for more quickly examining how well lessons are designed for the NGSS. Using this tool helps educators evaluate, select, and modify instructional materials and digs deep into bringing three-dimensional standards to life.

• Tickets: $10
• Grade Level: Not Grade Level Specific
• Science & Emphasis: Applicable to All Sciences, Engineering; Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs), Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs), Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs)
• Presenters: Matt Krehbiel, Director, Achieve Inc.

SC13: Making the Most of Science Notebooks
Explore how to use science notebooks to support student meaning-making. Participate in an engaging learning sequence and leave with strategies for how to set up science notebooks and use them to support three dimensional learning.

• Tickets: $10
• Grade Level: PreK-2; 3-5
• Science & Emphasis: Applicable to All Sciences; Pedagogy, Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs)
• Presenters: Sarah Soule, Senior Manager of Teacher PD, California Academy of Sciences

Saturday, December 1 - 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

SC17: Citizen Science in the Elementary Classroom
This Session Has Been Cancelled
In citizen science, students collect and contribute data that they and scientists use to generate new knowledge. Participants will learn what citizen science is, what it looks like in the elementary classroom, and our research based framework for designing projects.

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: PreK-2; 3-5
• Science & Emphasis: Applicable to All Sciences; Informal Science Education, Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs)
• Presenters: Erin Bird, PhD Student, UC Davis and Peggy Harte, M.A., Ed Elementary Science Specialist, Dixon Unified School District

SC18: NGSS Implementation for Teacher Leaders
Join the Exploratorium Teacher Institute as we engage as as learners, teachers, and leaders in carefully designed learning sequences about waves and sound. This workshop is designed for teacher leaders, TOSAs and instructional coaches, and will support your coaching and professional development practices around implementation of NGSS.

• Tickets: $10
• Grade Level: All Grades (Not Grade Level Specific)
• Science & Emphasis: Applicable to All Sciences; Leadership (coaching, site leadership, administrator, professional development), Pedagogy, Science & Engineering Practices (SEPs)
• Presenters: Tammy Cook-Endres and Zeke Kossover, Teachers and Co-Directors of Leadership Program, Teacher Institute, Exploratorium

SC19: Strategies for NGSS Teaching for Learners with Special Needs
Participants will engage in a phenomenon-driven 3-dimensional learning experience followed by a critical examination of the 5E lesson plan to understand the instructional strategies to support students with special needs. Follow up Q&A with practicing classroom educators with high population of special education students.

• Tickets: $10
• Grade Level: 6-8 Integrated Model, 6-8 Domain Specific Model
• Science & Emphasis: Earth/Space Science; Beef Up on Content, Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs), Pedagogy
• Presenters: Dawn O'Connor, Director of Science, Alameda County Office of Education and Maria Simani, Executive Director, California Science Project

SC20: Dangerous Earth
This short course is being presented as part of the Climate Summit. Participants build understanding of the effects of changes within Earth’s Systems across grades 3-5 and experience sample NGSS-aligned lessons at each grade. Receive a full unit conceptual flow and targeted learning sequence plans aligned to the NGSS and incorporating California's Environmental Principles and Concepts.

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: 3-5
• Science & Emphasis: Climate Summit; Environmental Literacy
• Presenters: Kate Gallagher, Teacher, Oakland Unified School District, CA NGSS K-8 Early Implementation Initiative Core Leadership Team; Carolyn Hernandez, Teacher, San Diego Unified School District, CA NGSS K-8 Early Implementation Initiative Teacher Leader; Darcy Taniguchi, Biology Professor at California State University San Marcos; and Alyssa Nemeckova-Fairfield, Teacher, Palm Springs Unified School District, CA NGSS K-8 Early Implementation Initiative Core Leadership Team

SC21: Considering California's Energy Future

This Session is Sold Out
This short course is being presented as part of the Climate Summit. Participants experience a high school Physics and Earth and Space Science learning sequence focusing on 100% Renewable Energy by 2045, engineering a solution, and considering the pros and cons of possible solutions to meet Governor Brown’s Climate Initiative. Receive a full unit conceptual flow and targeted learning sequence plans aligned to the NGSS and incorporating California's Environmental Principles and Concepts.

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: High School 3-Course Model (ESS Embedded)
• Science & Emphasis: Environmental Literacy; Climate Summit
• Presenters: Dan Lubin, Research Physicist, Scripps Institute of Oceanography; Melissa Marcucci, Science Teacher, Physics of Universe, Ceres Unified School District; and Dean Reese, Science Teacher, Physics and Maker Space, Tracy Unified School District

SC22: Think Globally, Act Locally
This short course is being presented as part of the Climate Summit. Participants experience an 8th grade learning sequence focusing on the increase in CO2 on Earth, how it affects seals and sea ice, and what students can do about it. Receive a full unit conceptual flow and targeted learning sequence plans aligned to the NGSS and incorporating California's Environmental Principles and Concepts.

• Tickets: $15
• Grade Level: 8 (integrated)
• Science & Emphasis: Climate Summit; Environmental Literacy
• Presenters: Alex Hangsterfer, Geological Collections Manager, Scripps and Stephanie Sanchez, Science Teacher, Vista Unified School District, CA NGSS K-8 Early Implementation Initiative Teacher Leader