Idaho Annual STEM Conference: The Magic of STEM 2026

The Confluence Project is a University of Idaho sponsored field-based watershed curriculum for 9th through 12th Environmental Science, Biology, and other science classrooms.  The program seeks to make science concepts tangible to students through hands-on field data collection activities. U of I covers costs for participating teachers to bring their students on stream water quality, snow science, and groundwater field trips. Students conclude the program by presenting their water research projects to water professionals at the regional Youth Water Summit. 300 to 400 students participate annually in North Idaho, and 180 students completed the successful southwest Idaho pilot year. 
This session will provide details about the Confluence Project & model two sample lessons from the program that can be used independently. The groundwater lesson explores nitrate contaminants in a gravel aquifer system, and the evapotranspiration lesson introduces students to NASA satelitte data.

Experience how sentence-level writing can transform passive observers into active sensemakers. Bring the joy of having something to say into your classroom writing experiences!  In this session, you'll experience lesson activities that use powerful strategies from The Writing Revolution 2.0 and explore practical techniques that strengthen critical thinking, academic discourse, and writing across all content areas. Whether you teach upper elementary, middle, or high school, you'll leave with ready-to-use strategies that make student thinking visible and deepen conceptual understanding.

Bonus: Thanks to the Idaho Department of Education, every participant will receive a complimentary copy of The Writing Revolution 2.0.

This session invites educators to reimagine science instruction through storytelling, hands-on exploration, and inquiry-driven learning. In this interactive session, participants will experience how their narratives can spark curiosity and provide meaningful context for science content in their classrooms. We will engage with simple, adaptable models that make abstract ideas tangible and accessible for all learners. Grounded in the 5E model (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, Evaluate), the session will demonstrate practical strategies for guiding K-8 students from initial wonder to deeper understanding and application. Educators will leave with classroom ready approaches that foster student questioning, critical thinking, and ownership of learning. Whether teaching elementary or middle school students, participants will gain tools to create science spaces where curiosity drives discovery and students begin to see themselves not just as learners of science, but as scientists.