Ticketed Events

SHORT COURSES

There is s $10 fee to participate.

Friday, November 6
1:00pm – 4:00pm

SC01 Seeds to Solutions: NGSS-aligned Teaching & Learning for Environmental Action
Presented by Holly Steele
Engage in and explore California’s free NGSS-aligned Seeds to Solutions units through an extended “student hat” experience. Participants unpack storyline pedagogy, explore their own grade-level units, and plan for implementation. Please bring a digital device to access materials.

SC02 Break the Silos! Shift from Teaching Subjects to Teaching Sensemaking
Presented by Kristin Majda and Annie Ransom
Reimagine instruction by anchoring learning in cross-disciplinary practices. Explore how the science and engineering practices align with ELA, math, and social studies. Experience a phenomenon-driven performance task that incorporates routines for obtaining evidence, sensemaking, and assessment. Leave with tools for auditing and improving your lessons to enhance cross-disciplinary skill development.

SC03 Designing Equitable Assessments: Transforming Grading for Science Educators
Presented by Amber Lancaster
Explore equitable grading practices in science education through hands-on strategies and reflective activities. Participants will learn to design assessments that promote fairness, accuracy, and student motivation, aligned with NGSS standards. Please bring a computer.

Saturday, November 7
8:00am – 11:00am

SC04 Climate Action Learning Module (CALM): An action-oriented middle school curriculum
Presented by Mary Whaley and Stefanie Ikeda
Dig into California Academy of Sciences’ transdisciplinary, student-led climate curriculum focused on sea star wasting disease for middle school. Explore California’s ecological phenomenon, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, and the restoration efforts from our scientists. Bring your laptop, and leave with access to the curriculum and action-oriented project ideas! Door prizes!

SC05 Test That Hypothesis: Using Nature Journaling for Scientific Investigation
Presented by John Muir Laws
This practical, hands-on workshop will teach a simple investigative framework that will enable you to lead your students in discovering phenomena, generating and classifying questions, and testing hypotheses with nothing more than a nature journal and pencil.

SC06 Lab Partners 2.0: Sparking Scientific Curiosity Through AI
Presented by Jon Kovach
Join the UC Irvine Science Project to explore: “How can we design opportunities for students to use AI to uncover science concepts?” Attendees will discover practical strategies for AI-enhanced scientific inquiry. Please bring a Wi-Fi-enabled laptop or tablet to fully participate.

FIELD COURSE

Friday, November 6
12:30pm – 3:30pm

FC01 - From Cone to Canopy: Experience Reforestation in Action
$55 (max of 40 participants)
Discover how California's forests are rebuilt from the ground up with an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of CAL FIRE's Lewis A. Moran Reforestation Center ( LAMRC)—the state's only government-run tree seed bank and nursery.

Explore the journey from cone to canopy, meet the scientists and forestry professionals leading California's reforestation efforts, and see how ecology, genetics, and climate resilience come together to restore our forests.

Designed for science educators, this immersive experience is filled with authentic phenomena, STEM career connections, and real-world examples that bring NGSS concepts to life—and inspire the next generation of environmental stewards.

Saturday, November 7
11:00am – 2:00pm

The Intersectionality of Food, Science, and the Environment
$85 (max 25 participants)
Join us in a flavorful way to experience Sacramento—America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital—through a guided food tour that blends culinary discovery with real-world food systems. As guests sample dishes from locally loved eateries, they’ll explore how agriculture, sustainability, diversity and innovation intersect across the region. Along the way, we’ll highlight Sacramento’s thriving farm-to-fork movement, urban agriculture efforts, and community-driven food initiatives, offering a fresh, engaging perspective that connects directly to science, environment, and education.

Friday Evening Event

Friday, November 6
6:00pm - 8:30pm

There is a $25 to participate

Brain Waves & Sound Waves
Science in Action through Tuning & Trivia

Bring your problem-solving energy to an evening where science, sound, and strategy collide! Perfect for attendees with any level of scientific background, this event features integrated trivia rounds spanning different science-ish topics. Team up to design a musical engineering marvel, establish new cross-disciplinary connections, and enjoy great food while seeing "Science in Action."

Register Today