The NSTA National Conference on Science Education in Altanta, Georgia was held from Thursday, March 15 to Sunday, March 18, 2018. We have a number of exciting sessions! Don't miss out on our Share-a-Thons and the events below!
Dr. C. Mark Eakin
American Geophysical Union Lecture:
Chasing Coral Bleaching—A Present and Growing Ecological Disaster
Coral reefs are amazingly beautiful and complex ecosystems that support at least a quarter of all marine species. However, as ocean temperatures rise, corals have been expelling the algae that give them their color and their food, causing corals to die around the world at a record rate. Reefs have shown us that climate change is impacting nature and people now—it's not just some far-off problem we can worry about later. Mass coral bleaching is only a 35-year-old problem and it has been increasing in frequency and severity; a gruesome picture painted during the recent three-year global coral bleaching event. The focus of this talk will be on describing this growing problem and its haunting future while attempting to leave you hopeful that we still can save coral reefs before they are all gone. NOAA resources will be shared to understand this essential marine ecosystem, how we study them, and how we can help save them. We'll also explore a new film, Chasing Coral (available on Netflix), that takes students—and everyone else—on a journey to document and understand coral reefs and the problems they face.
When: Friday, March 16, 2018, 2:00 - 3:00 PM
Where: Georgia World Congress Center, Sidney Marcus Auditorium
Biography of Dr. C. Mark Eakin:
A coral reef specialist, C. Mark Eakin has worked for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for over 20 years and directs Coral Reef Watch, a program that monitors coral reef ecosystems through satellite and in water observations. He also played a role in developing the International and U.S. Coral Reef Initiatives and the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN).
Mark frequently publishes on coral reef ecology, especially the impact of climate change on coral reefs, coral bleaching, ocean acidification, and coral paleoclimatology. He co-chaired the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force's Climate Change Working Group and has testified before the U.S. Congress on the impacts of climate change. In addition, he was a contributing author on the 2014 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Assessment Report and a chief scientific adviser for the film Chasing Coral, which was filmed over three years, with 500+ hours underwater, including footage from over 30 countries. He holds a PhD in biological oceanography from the University of Miami.
Thursday, March 15, 2018
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
NESTA and NSTA Aerospace Education Advisory Board Space Science Share-a-Thon Presenter(s): Paul Nordhaus (Harborside Academy: Kenosha, WI), Carla McAuliffe (TERC: Cambridge, MA) Georgia World Congress Center, B102
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
NESTA Shares: Connecting Culture and Earth Science Presenter(s): Michael Passow (Retired Teacher: Englewood, NJ) Georgia World Congress Center, B102
Friday, March 16, 2018 (All sessions in: Georgia World Congress Center, B103)
8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
NESTA and Climate.gov: Decoding Global Temperature and Carbon Dioxide Levels from a Model Ice Core Presenter(s): LuAnn Dahlman (NOAA Climate Program Office: Silver Spring, MD), Carla McAuliffe (TERC: Cambridge, MA)
9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
NESTA and AMS Share: Using Core Concepts to Build a Robust Earth System Science Foundation Presenter(s): Wendy Abshire (American Meteorological Society: Washington, DC)
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
NESTA and NOAA Share: NOAA Planet Stewards—Content, Collaboration, and Action Presenter(s): Peg Steffen (NOAA National Ocean Service: Silver Spring, MD), Bruce Moravchik (NOAA National Ocean Service: Silver Spring, MD), Molly Harrison (NOAA Fisheries: Silver Spring, MD)
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
NESTA and NOAA Ocean, Climate, and Weather Share-a-Thon Presenter(s): Belinda Jacobs (Cedar Ridge High School: Round Rock, TX), Michael Passow (Retired Teacher: Englewood, NJ)
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
NESTA and NOAA Share: Game Design and Game Jams for the Science Classroom Presenter(s): Peg Steffen (NOAA National Ocean Service: Silver Spring, MD), Bruce Moravchik (NOAA National Ocean Service: Silver Spring, MD), Molly Harrison (NOAA Fisheries: Silver Spring, MD)
3:30 PM to 4:30 PM
NESTA and PolarTREC Earth System Science Share-a-Thon Presenter(s): Deanna Wheeler (J.C. Parks Elementary School: Indian Head, MD)
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
NESTA and PRI: Activities from the Teacher-Friendly Guide to Climate Change™ Presenter(s): Don Haas (Paleontological Research Institution: Ithaca, NY), Robert Ross (Paleontological Research Institution: Ithaca, NY), Ingrid Zabel (Paleontological Research Institution: Ithaca, NY)
Saturday, March 17, 2018 (All sessions in: Georgia World Congress Center, B103)
8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
NESTA and Soil Science Society of American (SSSA): Soils and NGSS—Perfect Together Presenter(s): Margaret Holzer (Chatham High School: Chatham, NJ), Emily Fuger (Alliance of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Science Societies (ACSESS): Madison, WI), Susan Chapman (Soil Science Society of America: Fitchburg, WI)
9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
NESTA and NOAA Share: Investigate Earth Processes Using NOAA Data Resources Presenter(s): Peg Steffen (NOAA National Ocean Service: Silver Spring, MD)
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
NESTA, NREL, and CLEAN: Understanding the Grid: Using Evidence to Argue for Ways that Engineering Can Improve How We Live Presenter(s): Cheryl Manning (Evergreen High School: Evergreen, CO), Margaret Holzer (Chatham High School: Chatham, NJ)
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM
NESTA Integrating Earth Science into Other Disciplines Share-a-Thon Presenter(s): Cheryl Manning (Evergreen High School: Evergreen, CO), Belinda Jacobs (Cedar Ridge High School: Round Rock, TX)
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
NESTA and AAPT: Developing the Strategies and Content Knowledge to Integrate Earth and Space Science Concepts into High School Physics and Physical Science Courses Presenter(s): Rebecca Vieyra (American Association of Physics Teachers: College Park, MD), David Thesenga (Timberline PK-8: Longmont, CO)
3:30 PM to 4:00 PM
NESTA and NABT: Developing the Strategies and Content Knowledge to integrate Earth and Space Science Concepts into High School Biology Courses Presenter(s): Carla McAuliffe (TERC: Cambridge, MA)
4:00 PM to 4:30 PM
NESTA and AACT: Developing the Strategies and Content Knowledge to Integrate Earth and Space Science Concepts into High School Chemistry Courses Presenter(s): Cheryl Manning (Evergreen High School: Evergreen, CO)
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
National Earth Science Teachers Association (NESTA) Rock, Mineral, and Fossil Raffle Presenter(s): Parker Pennington IV (National Earth Science Teachers Association: Ann Arbor, MI), Howard Dimmick (Consultant: Fort Collins, CO), Michael Passow (Retired Teacher: Englewood, NJ)
6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Friends of Earth Science Reception International Ballroom F, Omni Atlanta at CNN Center
Other Earth Science-related presentations by NESTA Members
Thursday, March 15, 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM
Argumentation and Modeling in Earth Science Using Free Online Modules Presenter(s): Amy Pallant (The Concord Consortium: Concord, MA), Stephanie Harmon (Rockcastle County High School: Mount Vernon, KY) Georgia World Congress Center, A410
Thursday, March 15, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
AMP UP Your Earth Science Curriculum with Integrated Practices Presenter(s): Jayma Koval (CEISMC, Georgia Institute of Technology: Atlanta, GA), Barbara King (Griffin-Spalding County School System: Griffin, GA) Georgia World Congress Center, A305
Friday, March 16, 8:00 AM to 9:00 AM
NSTA Press® Session: Big Data, Small Devices Presenter(s): Donna Governor (University of North Georgia: Dahlonega, GA), Eric Brunsell (University of Wisconsin Oshkosh: Oshkosh, WI), G. Michael Bowen (Mount Saint Vincent University: Halifax, NS) Georgia World Congress Center, B405
Friday, March 16, 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM
Biology and Geology: Co-Evolving Over Time Presenter(s): Margaret Holzer (Chatham High School: Chatham, NJ), Bernice O'Brien (Bainbridge High School: Bainbridge Island, WA) Georgia World Congress Center, B308
Friday, March 16, 11:00 AM to 11:30 AM
After an Earthquake: Real-Time Earthquake Data as a Hook to Encourage Answer-Seeking about the Geologic and Societal Context of the Event Presenter(s): Michael Hubenthal (IRIS: Washington, DC), Tammy Bravo (IRIS: Washington, DC) Georgia World Congress Center, A412a
Friday, March 16, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Using NASA Data to Enhance Earth Science and Make STEM Connections Presenter(s): Tina Harte (NASA Langley Research Center: Hampton, VA), Elizabeth Joyner (NASA Langley Research Center: Hampton, VA) Georgia World Congress Center, A302
Saturday, March 17, 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM
Calling All Carbons Presenter(s): Eric Pyle (James Madison University: Harrisonburg, VA) Georgia World Congress Center, B305
Saturday, March 17, 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM
Prospecting for Mineral Ore Presenter(s): Eric Pyle (James Madison University: Harrisonburg, VA) Georgia World Congress Center, B305
Saturday, March 17, 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
Using Climate Proxies to Learn about Earth's Climate History Presenter(s): Eric Pyle (James Madison University: Harrisonburg, VA) Georgia World Congress Center, B305
Coral reefs are amazingly beautiful and complex ecosystems that support at least a quarter of all marine species. However, as ocean temperatures rise, corals have been expelling the algae that give them their color and their food, causing corals to die around the world at a record rate. Reefs have shown us that climate change is impacting nature and people now—it's not just some far-off problem we can worry about later. Mass coral bleaching is only a 35-year-old problem and it has been increasing in frequency and severity; a gruesome picture painted during the recent three-year global coral bleaching event. The focus of this talk will be on describing this growing problem and its haunting future while attempting to leave you hopeful that we still can save coral reefs before they are all gone. NOAA resources will be shared to understand this essential marine ecosystem, how we study them, and how we can help save them. We'll also explore a new film, Chasing Coral (available on Netflix), that takes students—and everyone else—on a journey to document and understand coral reefs and the problems they face.
