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STAT is thrilled to offer Pre-Conference Workshops as a part of CAST25 programming. These immersive, hands-on experiences and extended professional learning opportunities will be held prior to CAST25 on Wednesday, November 12.
Register for a pre-conference workshop as you complete your CAST25 registration (additional registration fees apply). Please note that availability is limited for each workshop, and transportation to the workshop locations is not included. Attendees must arrange their own travel to their workshop location. Workshop length and tentative start times can be found below. Additional details will be sent to registered attendees at a later date.
Already registered for CAST25 and want to add a workshop to your registration? Log in to the Attendee Service Center to add on one of the workshops. Check the registration confirmation email you received for your login information.
Animal Adaptations With the Dallas Zoo | $60
What do a penguin, a porcupine, and a python have in common? They all have amazing adaptations! In this engaging session led by the Dallas Zoo, educators of all grade levels will explore how animals are uniquely equipped to survive in their environments. Through live animal observations and interactive discussion, you'll dive into the science of adaptations and habitat diversity. Discover cross-grade strategies to connect the real world with your curriculum and walk away with practical tools to inspire your students' curiosity about the natural world. (Registration fees includes workshop, zoo admission, and parking.)
Workshop Length: 2 Hours, 9:30 AM–11:30 AM, Wednesday, November 12
iFLY STEM Experience With iFLY Indoor Skydiving | $45
iFLY Indoor Skydiving uses an indoor vertical wind tunnel to simulate the freefall portion of a skydive. This STEM experience includes an interactive presentation, lab activities, individual flights for each participant, and a grand finale with flight and physics demonstrations. The STEM class is aligned with the TEKS and focuses on the physics of skydiving and the technology used in iFLY's wind tunnels. The concepts covered during class will come to life as you have the opportunity to fly one-on-one in the wind tunnel with one of iFLY's world-class flight instructors. The primary lab activity will have participants calculate their own personal terminal velocity and then compare that to the actual wind speed recorded during their flight. (Additional STEM/lab activities will be included based on total number of participants.) The grand finale brings the learning full circle as participants use their science process skills and knowledge gained to predict how common objects will behave in the wind tunnel based on their physical attributes.
Workshop Length: 4 Hours, 9:30 AM–1:30 PM, Wednesday, November 12
Purposeful Pollinators at the Dallas Arboretum | $55
Let your learning blossom at the Dallas Arboretum, where 66 acres of stunning seasonal flowers and plants offer discovery around every corner. In this interactive workshop, you will explore the process of pollination and how it benefits both plants and animals. Participants will investigate the structure and function of flowers and pollinators, collect and analyze pollinator data, and apply the engineering design process to address challenges related to declining pollinator diversity. Deepen content knowledge, discover strategies to help students think and act like scientists and engineers, and bring back resources and activities ready to use in your classroom.
Workshop Length: 3 Hours, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM, Wednesday, November 12
Water! Connecting the Drops: Engaging Students in Water Stewardship | $25
Discover hands-on strategies to bring watershed science and conservation practices to life in your classroom with The Tarrant Regional Water District. This engaging pre-conference workshop explores how to immerse students in real-world learning through citizen science, applied conservation, and community-based projects. Participants will explore green stormwater infrastructure in action while touring rain gardens, constructed wetlands, and bioswales. Educators will also learn how to connect science concepts with local water issues and conservation actions. Designed for educators seeking to inspire environmental stewardship through STEAM engagement. Our workshop equips you with resources and ideas to make water resource management and watershed science relevant, interactive, and impactful. (Lunch is included.)
Workshop Length: 5.5 Hours, 9:30 AM–3:00 PM, Wednesday, November 12
The Three Dimensions of the Science TEKS and the Nature of Three-Dimensional Instruction | $50
This workshop, led by Dr. Victor Sampson, Associate Professor of STEM Education at UT Austin, offers you an opportunity to learn about the three dimensions of science that are embedded into the current Science TEKS, as well as instruction that focuses on all three aspects of science at the same time. In this workshop, you will not only learn how to define each dimension of science and the essential features of three-dimensional instruction, but also have an opportunity to use these essential features to evaluate instructional materials and classroom teaching for alignment with the three dimensions of the Science TEKS.
Workshop Length: 4 Hours, 1:00 PM–5:00 PM, Wednesday, November 12
Registration fees for Pre-Conference Workshops are nonrefundable and must be paid in full prior to your participation. Your registration is a "reservation" to attend the workshop, and you are responsible for full payment whether or not you attend the workshop.
Before registering, please review STAT’s Registration Terms and Conditions.