Join educators from around the nation and beyond in Indianapolis for several immersive opportunities in Agricultural Science at the National Science Teaching Conference.
Cultivating the Future: Food and Agriculture as the Foundation for Science Learning and STEM Careers
Wednesday • 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM; Indiana Convention Center
FREE - FREE (registration required, but it’s still free) and lunch is provided courtesy of Midwest Dairy Association
What if everyday food and agriculture could become the foundation for meaningful science learning? In this interactive featured session, discover how the Illinois AgBio Storylines use familiar phenomena to engage learners in biology, chemistry, environmental science, engineering, and sustainability through three-dimensional science learning. Experience multiple storylines while exploring instructional routines, curriculum resources, and implementation strategies that support meaningful science learning across K–12 settings. Whether you're teaching students, coaching educators, or leading curriculum implementation, you'll leave with adaptable resources and practical ideas for using food and agriculture to make science more relevant, accessible, and connected to students' lives and future STEM careers.
Takeaways: Educators will leave with classroom-ready instructional resources, implementation strategies, and practical ideas for integrating food and agriculture into science instruction that inspires curiosity and prepares students for future STEM careers.
Lets continue the learning on THURSDAY! (fee required)
Register and visit us in Room 108 for all of these sessions!
Milk Matters: Growth, Genetics, and Meaningful Science Learning
Thursday • 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Why do mammals drink milk? Why can some people digest milk throughout their lives while others cannot? In this interactive session, participants experience the Illinois AgBio Milk Storyline, where everyday food becomes the entry point for rich, three-dimensional science learning. Experience how students investigate real-world phenomena through modeling, data analysis, and evidence-based explanations while building understanding of digestion, genetics, natural selection, and human biology. Along the way, discover how food science naturally sparks curiosity, empowers students to ask meaningful questions, and connects classroom learning to authentic careers in agriculture, nutrition, genetics, healthcare, and food science. Leave with practical strategies and a classroom-ready approach that uses familiar, relevant phenomena to make science engaging, accessible, and meaningful for all learners.
Corn Everywhere: Teaching Biology, Engineering and Climate Through an Everyday Crop
Thursday • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
How did corn become one of the world's most important crops? How will it meet the challenges of a changing climate? Through the Illinois AgBio Corn Storyline, participants investigate how genetics, environmental pressures, engineering design, and technology work together to improve crop production and address challenges such as climate change. Educators experience instructional strategies that engage students in using evidence to explain agricultural phenomena while exploring innovations in precision agriculture, biotechnology, data-driven farming, and genetic modification. Participants will leave with a classroom-ready storyline that connects to NGSS performance expectations and Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources (AFNR) Career Cluster pathways and helps students see the science behind one of the world's most versatile crops.
The Science of Apples: Genetics, Innovation, and Engineering
Thursday • 2:20 PM - 3:20 PM
Why doesn't an apple seed grow into the same kind of apple? Explore this surprising question through the Illinois AgBio Apple Storyline, where an everyday fruit becomes the foundation for investigating genetics, heredity, plant reproduction, and engineering design. Experience how students use models, evidence, and problem-solving to discover why grafting preserves desirable traits, how new apple varieties are developed, and how engineers and scientists address challenges in modern orchards. Along the way, explore how food production connects biology, engineering, and innovation while highlighting careers in horticulture, biotechnology, agricultural engineering, and plant science. Leave with a classroom-ready storyline that brings genetics to life through an authentic agricultural phenomenon.
Making STEM Careers Part of Science Learning
Thursday • 3:40 PM - 4:40 PM
How can we help students see themselves in STEM careers they may have never considered? In this interactive session, participants will engage in hands-on activities, learn strategies for facilitating meaningful classroom conversations about STEM careers, and explore free resources that help students connect science learning to authentic opportunities beyond the classroom. Discover how career exploration can become a natural extension of science instruction while helping students understand the people, technologies, and innovations that shape the world around them. Leave with ready-to-use tools and resources that make career conversations engaging, relevant, and accessible for all learners.
For more information, contact NSTA or Chris Embry Mohr, Agriculture and Science Teacher at Olympia High School in rural Stanford, Illinois - chrisembry.mohr@olympia.org.
