Presentation Title: From Harmony to Humpbacks: Acoustics

Abstract: The topic of sound is often introduced in elementary, and then not treated again until advanced physics. Yet it is the ideal content to integrate with mathematics, technology and the arts. This session will include an overview of the ways in which sound can be used as a thematic organizer for integrated STEM from middle elementary to high school. You’ll explore several activities, from accessing satellite data, analyzing your favorite instruments, watching fascinating cymatics and creating spectrograms. Bonus: great trade book links too. (Bring a soda cup and your cell phone for best fun.) When you are done, you’ll be able to identify mystery sounds and perhaps even communicate with whales. Activities you can take home will be provided.

Biography: Juliana Texley is a curriculum writer and instructor in education, science and educational technology at Central Michigan and Lesley University. She has taught every grade from K through graduate school. She has written curriculum for a number of groups including JASON Education and STEM for early childhood. She is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and was president of the National Science Teachers Organization in 2015. For NSTA, she also organized a national system for reviewing and accessing the best literature for STEM integration. She is currently working on curriculum on ocean acoustics.