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Idaho Annual STEM Conference: The Magic of STEM 2026
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Wednesday, July 29
 

10:45am MDT

Watershed Science with the Confluence Project
Wednesday July 29, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
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.
Speakers
avatar for Christa Howarth

Christa Howarth

Water Educator, University of Idaho
Christa Howarth works as a Water Educator for the University of Idaho Extension and Idaho Water Resource Research Institute (IWRRI) & is stoked to get students outside! They deliver non-formal education programs, with a focus on groundwater and water resources, to youth and adults... Read More →
Wednesday July 29, 2026 10:45am - 11:45am MDT
TBA

1:00pm MDT

If We Don’t Name It, Students Can’t Use It: Making STEM Skills Visible Through Competencies
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
STEM classrooms are full of problem solving, collaboration, and critical thinking, but those skills are not always named or reinforced in a consistent way. When that happens, students complete the work without always understanding what they are building or how it applies beyond school.
This session explores how the Idaho Career Readiness Competencies can serve as a shared language for making STEM skills more visible and transferable. Participants will look at how competencies already exist within STEM instruction and how small shifts in language, reflection, and feedback can help students recognize and apply those skills across contexts.
Examples from K-12, postsecondary, and workforce settings will highlight how a common language strengthens alignment and clarity. Participants will leave with one practical way to name and reinforce a competency in their own classroom. The goal is not to add more, but to make what is already happening more intentional.


Speakers
avatar for Jacque Deahl

Jacque Deahl

None of the above, Idaho Department of Education
Jacque Deahl serves as the GEAR UP Idaho Statewide Coordinator at the Idaho State Department of Education, where she works with colleagues and partners across the state to support college and career readiness efforts for students. Her work focuses on strengthening career connected... Read More →
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA

1:00pm MDT

Sentences & Sensemaking: Critical Thinking Made Visible
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
Learn how sentence-level writing can unlock deeper understanding of complex concepts for learners. This interactive session blends practice and reflection as participants move between experiencing and facilitating high-impact writing tasks connected to content learning.  Lee has requested that IDE might provide the book The Writing Revolution 2.0 for the first 20 participants who attend--we await a reply.
Speakers
avatar for Lee Slichter

Lee Slichter

Current ISTA Member, Idaho Science Coach
Andrea Baerwald commented, "Lee brings warmth, enthusiasm, and a genuine passion for education to everything she does."
Wednesday July 29, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm MDT
TBA

2:15pm MDT

Students to Scientists - Empowering Curiosity
Wednesday July 29, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm MDT
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.
Speakers
avatar for Matt Wigglesworth

Matt Wigglesworth

Current ISTA Member, Boise State University
Faculty at Boise State University in the College of Education. 
Wednesday July 29, 2026 2:15pm - 3:15pm MDT
TBA
 
Idaho Annual STEM Conference: The Magic of STEM 2026
From $82.51
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