The Elementary Extravaganza opened this morning at 8 am. When I stopped by a little later, the room was packed (I heard an estimate of approximately 500 attendees). Teachers were testing out a variety of activities—I saw balloons, balls, and other objects flying around several tables. I also saw Page Keeley, former NSTA president and [...]
Whether attendees use the print catalog or the online scheduler, browsing through the session descriptions at this year’s conference is tantalizing. From large keynote sessions by Bill Nye and Jeff Goldstein to more intimate ones presented by teachers, university professors, or consultants, I wish I could be in two (or more) places at once. The [...]
I talked to a couple science educators earlier today about why they came to the NSTA National Conference in Indianapolis. Indiana resident John Sellers was looking for ideas to add to his curriculum. Peter Garik, who presented a session on science and engineering, wanted to share information on his program at Boston University and gather feedback from [...]
I’ve met conference attendees from all over—including Washington, Tennessee, North Carolina, as well as many from Indiana. But not all the attendees I’ve met have been of the human variety. In the exhibit hall, a possum, a pair of penguins, a snake, and a screech owl were attracting a lot of attention.
Every NSTA conference has some things in common—particularly the crowd of people gathered outside the exhibit hall prior to the official opening. Regardless of whether we’re in Boston, New Orleans, or Indianapolis, there is always a crowd eager to get in the hall and see the latest and greatest from the vendors displaying and demonstrating [...]
Also posted in Early YearsYesterday at the NSTA national conference was my treat for myself—the CESI Engineering Is Elementary Day. My father was a metallurgist, and later a ceramist. He was good at figuring out ways to fix things and understanding the properties of materials. I looked forward to learning more about his field in a way that I can [...]
Also posted in Early YearsDon’t you just hate it when multiple conference sessions you want to attend are occurring simultaneously, or several blocks away from one another? If you are an elementary teacher, the “Elementary Extravaganza” will give you a break! In this event, coming up this Friday, March 30, 2012, 8:00–9:30 AM in the 500 Ballroom, Indiana Convention [...]
Also posted in SciLinksAre you attending the NSTA conference in Indianapolis this spring? At this point, you should be registering, making arrangements for lodging and transportation, and thinking about your lesson plans for the substitute (if you haven’t done so already). If this the first time you’ve attended the national conference, it can be overwhelming at first. Here [...]
Also posted in Early YearsI am so looking forward to the NSTA national conference in Indianapolis in March 2012! It’s not that I’m tired of my everyday life and teaching work—it’s that I’m eager to be back from the conference with fresh ideas and new connections to create in the curriculum. NSTA conferences are joyful events, populated with educators [...]
Also posted in NSTA Press BooksCan it reflect light? Is it a plant? Is it made of cells? These questions are among more than 100 formative assessment probes developed by Page Keeley and her colleagues to help teachers elicit information about what students think about key science concepts. A capacity crowd at Keeley’s Seattle conference session turned out to learn [...]