Why the Difference? Session Descriptions



If you would like to read the background papers of the plenary sessions, download these documents:




Session Descriptions:

Barret, Tim and Elizabeth Karre: "Acting Up" in Science Class
Science, K-6, Activity-Based Learning
Creative dramatics and storytelling techniques will be demonstrated through various activities that highlight the connections between science and the arts. The Bakken Museum’s Senior Educator and dramatist Tim Barret will show teachers how to use games and storytelling performance in the classroom to enhance their science lessons. Emphasis will be placed on engaging all types of students and having these students realize that they have the innate abilities needed to perform well in science by having them demonstrate the same skills through the performing arts activities. The presentation will be framed in the context of research into best practices in science education for underserved audiences by Dr. Elizabeth Murphy, Special Projects Director at the Bakken who holds a doctorate in physics.




Broni, Chris: The "Perfect" Experiment-- Making any Science Activity an Inquiry-based Experiment
Science, K-5, Inquiry
Is inquiry too scary to try, because chaos reigns? Come discover the steps to take your students from teacher-directed labs to student-developed experiments. The session will include a hands-on opportunity to create and try your own experiment. Participants will have access to teacher developed experiment blanks and grading rubrics for use in any classroom with any science curriculum. . Taught by an elementary science specialist, this presentation includes suggestions for material handling and classroom management strategies, including creating effective lab teams.




Brunette, Peter: Facts without Memorization – Using Number Sense to Teach Addition, Subtraction and Multiplication Facts
Math, K-6, Activity-Based Learning
Take the drudgery out of teaching facts, and increase understanding and retention at the same time! Math feels like drudgery to kids because they spend so much time memorizing without understanding. When students learn their basic facts through memorization they forget them easily and revert to counting. By teaching students how to figure out basic facts using number sense techniques instead of memorization students build thinking and problem solving skills while learning facts, and develop long-term retention.


Campbell, Patricia: Does It Work? Making Evaluation Useful and Even Fun!
STEM, K-12, Research and Evaluation
In this session, participants are expected to come in with an instructional or pedagogical question that they want to answer. Using these questions, in this interactive session, participants will receive an overview of classroom and project evaluation while they design ways
to collect and analyze information from their own classrooms to answer their questions. Along with looking at ways to combine qualitative and quantitative information, participants will learn how to work with students as evaluators.




Campbell, Patricia: Why Don't They Hear Me? Moving Beyond Stereotypes in the Classroom
STEM, Grades 6-12, Gender Issues
Have you ever felt that you're shouting and no one hears; that your efforts to encourage all students in math and science are being ignored? Sex and race/ethnic stereotypes can have an unintentional impact on how we teach and how we are heard. In this session, participants will go over what the research says makes a difference and focus on the development and adaptation of strategies to use in their own math and science classrooms.




Carriger, Yosefa: The R.A.F.T: Incorporating the Power of Literacy Strategies in the Science Classroom
Science, technology, and engineering, Grades 4-12, Science and Literacy
Are you looking for a way to find out how well your students are constructing their new knowledge? Do you want to discover what latent talents your students may have while incorporating literacy in your science classroom? Are you looking for a new way to assess your students’ knowledge? Do you need something fresh to review/reinforce the material learned before a test? Utilize the power of literacy to target all learning styles/intelligences in your science classroom! See how to make science relevant to your students!




Chu, Rose: Engaging Urban Learners in Mathematics: A Social Justice Perspective
Math, Grades 4 - 12, Inquiry/Collaboration/Real World Contexts
Civil rights leader Robert Moses says, "...the absence of math literacy in urban and rural communities throughout this country is an issue as urgent as the lack of Black voters in Mississippi was in 1961." Come experience mathematics from a social justice perspective as a viable and arguably necessary approach to engage urban learners.


Comfort, Lisa and Cheryl Tucker: The Area Model: From Combining Like Terms to Factoring and Beyond
Math, Grades 7-12, Activity-based Learning
Come and see how algebra tiles can make some abstract concepts more tangible and understandable for your learners. Participants will experience how the area model can scaffold learning for students from pre-algebra concepts through algebra 2 material, making mathematics more accessible and understandable to students.


Cotter, Joan: Incorporating Visualization and Language in Early Math
Math, Grades K-3, Activity-based Learning
Research shows visualizing quantities, not counting, help children develop number sense. Even infants visualize small quantities. Children in Japan are discouraged from counting for adding or subtracting; they learn to visualize by using a sub-base of 5. Also to be discussed are the advantages of the “math way” for number naming. Learn how visual strategies help children master the facts.




Cotter, Joan: Using a Visual Model to Teach Fractions
Math, Grades 4-6, Activity-based Learning
Fractions are a gateway to many middle school topics, including division, decimals, ratio, proportion, measurement, probability, and formulas. A linear model makes fractions visualizable. It also enables fractions to be greater than one, a very important attribute that circles do not allow. This session will discuss the linear model and demonstrate some new techniques, including simplifying fractions on the multiplication chart and multiplying fractions visually. The problems of methods used in older textbooks will be discussed.




Cotter, Joan: Learning Geometry with a Drawing Board and Tools
Math, Grades 4-8, Activity-based Learning
Students love to use drawing boards, T-squares, and triangles to construct geometrical figures; including equilateral triangles, hexagons, stars, squares, and tangrams; and to discover their relationships. This work naturally blends with fractions, measurement, area, symmetry, and art. These methods and tools form the basis of the CAD (computer aided design) software programs that designers and engineers use to construct their drawings.




Cutter, Milo: Using Action Research to Assess for/and Improve All Student Learning
All topics; Grades K-12, Research and Evaluation
For the past seven years, City Academy has used Action Research as a tool for improving student learning, school-wide improvement, and staff development. The session will present the rationale for implementing Action Research and the results experienced at City Academy.


Dolid, Roz: A Coloring Activity to Teach Basic Mechanical Concepts
Engineering, Grades 4-6, Activity-based Learning
Coloring is an activity that certain people are drawn to. This particular activity involves coloring in parts of a bicycle, learning the part names, and discussing their basic functionality. The presentation leader is a role model for the students who teaches fundamental mechanical concepts and describes various engineering careers that relate to bicycles. This activity combines auditory, visual and tactile learning styles into one package.




Ganaganur, Rekha, Phil Gerlach and Krista Benjamin: Biotechnology--Curriculum and Skill Sets
Science, Grades 9-12; Inquiry, Real world contexts
Wednesday, 11:00; Mendel 216
The bioscience industry is growing in Minnesota and in the nation. There is a need for training programs in bioscience at all levels of education that will provide skilled employees in this field. This session will provide insight into skill sets and competencies required for entry-level positions and the resources made available through national centers such as Biotechnology Institute and Bio-Link, for incorporating biotechnology into the curriculum.


Gbolo, Simone, facilitator: Explore Careers in Science
Science, Grades 9-12, Real World Contexts
A research scientist, regulatory affairs specialists from biomedical device firms, a professor of biochemistry, and a CEO of a biomedical device company will describe their research and projects in order to help teachers convey to students how science is studied or applied in business and academia.




Gbolo, Simone, facilitator: Peer into Engineering Careers
Engineering, Grades 9-12, Real World Contexts
A civil engineer, mechanical engineer, sensory engineer, environmental analyst, and a project manager from academia and industry will describe their research and projects in order to help teachers convey to students how engineering projects take place in business and academia.



Gbolo, Simone, facilitator: Insight into Applied Math and Technology Careers
Math and Technology, Grades 9-12, Real World Contexts
An actuary, biostatistician, biotechnologist, will present on applied math and technology careers in order to help teachers convey to students how math is applied in technology positions.


Ginorio, Angela, Robert Johnson and Oladele Gazal: Science in the Community: Long-term Research Projects (Double Session)
Science, Grades 9-12, Inquiry
In this two-part interactive session we will become familiar with the components of a long-term research project (LTRP) initiated by students and facilitated by their high school teachers. The LTRP five components are: connection to students' interests and communities, focus on the scientific process, expert resources, non-competitive collaboration, and support from adults in the students' lives (teachers, families, and community members).


Holden, Bill and Todd Olson: Environmental Science @ Carleton -- A Successful Model Summer Program Targeted at Traditionally Under-represented High School Students and Science Teachers
Environmental Science@Carleton brings together 18-24 mainly urban high school students of color and six to eight high school teachers to work on collaborative research projects with Carleton faculty and community partners. In small groups, led by the teachers, students research a specific topic, hypothesize about the possible outcomes, collect and analyze data, and then synthesize their findings into a public poster/oral presentation session. Alumni statistics show excellent college admission outcomes and, from alumni reports, easier transition between high school and college.


Holt, Clayton: Using Technology in a Science Classroom to Investigate Real World Problems
Science, technology, Grades 6-12, Real World Contexts
Teachers will see how technology can be used in the classroom to investigate global warming. Global warming is an ideal topic for teaching science. The consequences of global warming are still uncertain, the topic contains many important science concepts and the impacts of global warming may have both a large social and economic impact worldwide. Predictions gathered by scientists on global warming can be found in the media on a daily basis. Using a global climate model (GCM) to learn about global warming supplies students with the same type of technology that a scientist might use in problem solving. Furthermore, the computer allows studies of science concepts that cannot easily be performed in the lab.




Jordan, Diann: Putting History into Science: Making Science "Real" to Our Students
Science/History, Grades K-12, Gender Issues, Real World Contexts
Having a hard time getting your students interested in science or caring about who Gregor Mendel, Charles Darwin, or Rosalind Franklin was? Would Ruth Ella Moore, Georgia Dunston, Ernest Just, or Alexa Canady names be recognized by your students? Let’s make science and the scientist more “real” to our students. This session will focus on using biographies and interviews to give students a more “real” picture of the scientist behind the science. The session will be interactive. I begin the session with a fun history quiz on scientists with emphasis on scientists of color. Sample assignments using biographies and interviews will be presented in the session. The African American woman scientist’s history will be used as a model to stimulate the discussion. If time permits, mock interviews will be done among the participants to help modify and formulate questions that will be useful for students on a particular grade level. The session will be geared toward high school grades by any teacher might find it useful.


Kapler, Denise: Science, Engineering and Technology in the Math Classroom
STEM; grades 6-8; Inquiry, Activity-based
Tuesday, 9:30; Mendel 213
Overview of various topics to bring into a middle school math class to provide a connection to the sciences, engineering, and technology. Class participants will be actively involved in this learning. Proportional reasoning will provide the theme as we explore such areas as structures, rockets, automotive design, and motion.




Kapler, Denise: Moving through the Cartesian Coordinate System
STEM; grades 6-8; Inquiry, Activity-based
Tuesday, 1:45; Mendel 213
Through aerobics, dance, and other up and out of your desk activities we will move and groove to the beat of the coordinates. Focus the energy of your students to learning algebraic reasoning through the use of the patterns, the number line and graphing. We will explore such things as Hooke’s Law, solutions, Zeno’s Paradox, and Fibonacci Numbers.




Kreuser, Sherri: Probing Science with Computers
Science, technology; grades 6-12; Inquiry, Activity-based
Wednesday, 1:45; Mendel 213
Get involved with using Vernier probes, LoggerPro software and laptop computers as you carry out science experiments. These experiments will include endothermic and ectothermic reactions and blood pressure and heart rate monitoring. We will collect the data and analyze the data using the graphs developed with LoggerPro.


Meyer, Nate: Best Practices for Field Days: Guidelines and Tools for Creating Engaging STEM Programs
Science, technology, Grades 4-6, Inquiry
The University of Minnesota Extension Service Best Practices for Field Days: A Program Planning Guidebook for Organizers, Presenters, Teachers and Volunteers applies research and experience to provide tips and tools for planning conservation field days, environmental fairs and similar programs. In this session, participants will explore the guidelines with focus on using the Experiential Learning Model, place-based education and other methods to design engaging programs for multicultural students, girls & students of color.




Murphy, Anthony and Susan Goetz: Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment Program
Science; grades 4-12; Inquiry, activity-based learning
Wednesday, 1:45; Mendel 214
Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) is a worldwide hands-on, primary and secondary school-based education and science program. Participants will hear about GLOBE programs in schools and will engage in hands-on atmosphere protocols involving GPS, clouds, air and temperature, and precipitation on the St. Kate’s site.


Nelson, Susan: Physics Day: Health Care Educators Partnering with High Schools
Science, Grades 9-12, Real World Contexts
This session will explore the development of a partnership between an urban high school and allied health care educators. One highlight of the partnership is an annual “Physics Day” in which a diverse group of high school students are welcomed to the college and exposed to various physics concepts as they apply to different medical practices. These concepts are presented using interactive problem solving methods. Health care programs involved are encouraged to invite their own students to assist in the activities.


Norman, Fawnda: Putting the U into Groups
Math, Grades 6-12; Collaborative learning
Tuesday, 1:45; Mendel 216
This session will focus on working with collaborative groups in a classroom setting. Topics include how to assign groups, how to set up the groups, how to manage the group work and how to keep the groups motivated while working. These techniques have been use in the high school and middle school level with regular, advanced and at-risk students.


Ng, Yvonne: Why Engineering? What Engineering Can Do For Your Curriculum
Engineering; Grades 4 – 8; Real world connections
Wednesday, 1:45; Mendel 216

What is engineering and how can you relate it to what you are teaching now? How can you teach it to 5-8th graders when most introductory engineering courses are taught in the 2nd or 3rd year of college? This session will present findings from the College of St. Catherine’s INDI 111: Engineering in Your World, have you experience some activities, and show how to use engineering projects to connect multiple aspects of your students’ curriculum.


Paulson, Patricia: Female Friendly Science
Science; Grades 4-12, Gender issues
Tuesday, 11:00; Coeur de Catherine 361
The traditional reality of predominately white, western male scientists has discouraged many women and minorities from pursuing a career in science. While many have blamed this phenomenon on the lack of female and minority role models, research now demonstrates more subtle factors affecting the continued disparities within the field. The focus will be primarily on female-friendly science, but in most instances can be applied to all classrooms.




Paulson, Patricia: Using Better Questions to Promote Inquiry
Science; Grades 4-6, Inquiry
Wednesday, 9:30; Coeur de Catherine 370
The heart of inquiry is asking good questions to engage learners, but research demonstrates that most questions teachers ask are of a lower, knowledge-only level. This session will involve participants in rethinking questioning strategies to encourage learners to think more deeply about science investigations as well as to design their own investigations. The importance of pre-thinking good questions prior to instruction will be emphasized. Sample inquiry lessons will be used to practice question development.




Scantlebury, Kathryn: Coteaching as Professional Development in Science
Science; Grades 9 – 12; Other
Tuesday, 1:45; Mendel 109
For several years, cooperating teachers have cotaught science with their student teachers and inclusion teachers. This session will introduce how teachers and student teachers use coteaching in the high school classes to critically analyze teaching and learning and improve practice to enhance student learning. In coteaching, learning to teach occurs as praxis and the co-teachers are aware of some of what they learn, while much of what is learned happens without awareness.




Scantlebury, Kathryn: Using Cogenerative Dialogues to Bring Girls into Science
Science; Grades 9 – 12; Gender Issues
Wednesday, 11:00; Mendel 109
For several years, teachers in urban schools have used cogenerative dialogues as an approach to engage their students in conversations about the teaching and learning of science. This session will introduce how teachers and students use cogenerative dialogues in the high school classes to provide female students’ voice, to establish collective responsibility and agency for the teaching and learning, to restructure power relations, and to challenge ideologies about science by engaging under-represented students.




Smith, Karl: Design and Implementation of Pedagogies of Engagement
STEM, Grades K-12, Collaboration
How can we structure our courses to ensure that they lead to enhanced learning? How can the “Understanding by Design" approach developed by Wiggins and McTighe assist us in our planning? Participants in this interactive workshop will explore the teacher's role in designing and structuring "Pedagogies of Engagement" to create high-quality learning environments for students. Research insights from "How People Learn" and cooperative learning will be highlighted.




Tucker, Cheryl and Lisa Comfort: Proof! Finally a Logical Approach!
Math; Grades 9 – 12; Inquiry and activity-based learning
Tuesday, 9:30; Mendel 215
The development of proof begins with deductive reasoning by way of games. Using reasoning skills, students begin by justifying their thinking both written and orally to support their solutions to logic games such as the 3 and 4 color squares. The goal is to use communication, reasoning and logic as a lead in to developing formal proofs in geometry. Students also use both inductive and deductive reasoning to write conjectures using hands-on investigations and activities.


Vos, Kenneth: Jump-starting Improvement with Collaborative Action Research
STEM, Grades K-12, Research and Evaluation
Collaborative action research is a process by which educators examine their own practice, systematically and carefully, using the techniques of research. This session will review the basic tenets of action research within a classroom setting. After a brief overview of action research, participants will have an opportunity to explore with each other potential collaborative action research investigations. This process will include the Reflective Interview, Analytic Discourse and Graphical Representation components.




Wyberg, Terry: Developing Algebraic Thinking
Math, Grades 7 - 12
This session will demonstrate several activities that encourage algebraic thinking by helping students make connections between various representations. Participants will learn how questioning can be used to successfully focus student learning on algebraic ideas.



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