HaSTA Fall Conference - Sept 13, 2014 (Saturday)

Fall Conference 2014

Theme: Practicing Science and Engineering: Exploring the Next Generation Science Standards Scientific and Engineering Practices 

When:  Saturday, September 13, 2014 (times and schedule TBA)

Where: ‘Iolani School

Highlights

• Keynote speaker Dr. Linda Shore, Executive Director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
• Exhibitors and presenters for all disciplines and grade levels
• Concurrent Campbell Molecular Biology Workshop

Dr. Linda Shore was an excellent speaker.  She spoke about the framework of NGSS (Next Generation Science Standard) then describe three dimensions of NGSS:  Practice, Crosscutting concept, and content.   Within content, you will have your disciplinary core idea (dci).  She made me excited about teaching science.  

The two sessions I chose were elementary science olympiad and science notebook session.  In the first session I learned about the competition and guidelines.  I would like to help out with the Maui Elementary Science Olympiad this year.  I was not able to help out Lenna Miller last year.  Hopefully I can help out this year.    In addition I was able to work with other educators to build a penny boat using "secret" materials given in the "secret structure competition."  It was a lot of fun.  The second session I attended was science notebook session.  I have been hearing a lot about science interactive notebook and was hoping strategies of note taking were going to be discussed but a lot of data was given instead of making sure students reflection on their writing and teacher need assessing the notebook.  

After the two sessions, I was able to visit Campbell molecular biology workshop.  There were a lot of familiar faces from AP biology workshop.  I was able to pick up some resources and was able to network with scientists there giving the workshop. I will contact them for resources.  I am especially working with DNA subway (student research) and will be contacting them for assistance.  Maybe they can come out to Maui to give a workshop.  They said it might be a possibility.

On our way back, the three of us, JoAnn Oshiro, Cecelia Romero, and myself shared about our sessions.  Cea received a lot of cool resources for teaching Hawaiian evolution.  I am going to make copies.  They looked very practical.  I need to check out biologyfromhawaii.wikispaces.com made by Michael Bassford, a science teacher from Punahou School.  JoAnn shared her experience in the sand session.  She was able to bring back home sand but not without some difficulties.  We were held back for extra search because they had to check every single sample of sand for C4.  

I am glad I went to the conference.  I always learn so much.  Plan to attend another one next year.  :-)