This April, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will feature a special strand “Teaching Elementary Science with Confidence!” at our 2014 National Conference on Science Education, in Boston, April 3–6.
With limited time, resources, and opportunities to learn science, elementary teachers sometimes find teaching science within the school day to be challenging. There is a constant struggle to find the time for engaging students in active science experiences. We also know that simply doing a science activity does not produce a deep understanding of concepts. This strand provides opportunities for elementary teachers to enhance their content knowledge, locate resources, incorporate science and engineering practices from the Next Generation Science Standards, and explore classroom management strategies when teaching science.
Sessions organized around this strand include a featured presentation on Friday, April 4 10:30–11:30 AM (“Chrysalis: Transforming Your Teaching”) by Steve Rich (NSTA Director for Professional Development; Director of GYSTC, University of West Georgia: Carrollton, GA). More sessions on Teaching Elementary Science with Confidence include the following:

• Doing Problem-Based Science Challenges and Managing Your Classroom—How to Do Both Successfully!
• Helping Young Learners Explore Their Universe with PBS LearningMedia
• How Can I Change It and What Will Happen? Identifying Variables with Wind-Ups
• Compost: The “Rot” Thing for Our Earth
• Using Electric Circuit Puzzles for Design and Assessment
• Doing Science the Scientific Way: It’s Not as Hard as It Sounds
• Engineering Made Easy: NGSS Practices for Elementary Students
• All You Need Is 30 Minutes
• Differentiating Science for Elementary Students
• Butterfly Gardening Using Native Plants
• Outdoor Science Lessons: Extending Indoor Curricula in a Way That Excites Students
• How Can I Help? Empowering Students with Citizen Science
• Unhuggable Critters
• Connecting STEM and American History Through Water Wheels
• Wiggly Worms: Active Learning for the Early Grades
• “Nature”-ally Good Science Teaching in Early Childhood Education
• Teaching Ocean Science to Elementary Students Using National Marine Sanctuaries
• Stars and Crafts

Want more? Check out more sessions and other events with the Boston Session Browser/Personal Scheduler.