Algorithms may be powerful general tools, but they can trap students in limited, less-sophisticated reasoning. In this session, learn how students can take advantage of the power of generalizing without getting trapped and how we can develop mathematical reasoning, get better results, and reach more students. Math is Figure-out-able!
Pam Harris is shifting the way we view and teach mathematics. She is a mom, former high school math teacher, university lecturer, and the founder of Math is Figureoutable. Math teachers around the world rave about her online Building Powerful Mathematics workshops. For over 20 years... Read More →
How do we help students apply what they know to a phenomenon they’ve never seen before? One of the biggest challenges in NGSS classrooms is supporting students as they transfer learning to new contexts. In this interactive session, we’ll explore how to build those skills through four practical, low-stakes sensemaking routines.These classroom-ready strategies give students frequent opportunities to engage with novel phenomena, practice three-dimensional thinking, and build confidence without the pressure of assessment. We’ll model each activity and share tools you can use right away to help students move beyond memorization and into true science understanding.
How do we help students apply what they know to a phenomenon they’ve never seen before? One of the biggest challenges in NGSS classrooms is supporting students as they transfer learning to new contexts. In this interactive session, we’ll explore how to build those skills through... Read More →
Join us for an interactive, hands-on session to engage in modeling from all grade spans, K-12 from OpenSciEd. Discover how the Carolina Certified Version takes these high-quality instructional materials to the next level-more accessible, more user-friendly, and enhanced for classroom safety. Participants will leave with practical strategies and valuable resources to energize their classrooms.
Dr. Burns retired as a high school and middle school teacher nine years ago. She has worked for Carolina Biological for 13 years as a science consultant. She facilitates and trains teachers how to use science kits and has presented many workshops at national and state confere... Read More →
Learn to promote interest and engagement while helping students achieve specific learning objectives with games. Join us as you learn simple and valuable ways to gamify your lessons. We will be sharing a few creative game ideas for building relationships and reviewing and learning content.
Michael Washington is a former high school teacher and leader with 22 years of experience who now serves as an Account Manager for TCI. He’s passionate about helping Washington educators bring engaging social studies curriculum to their classrooms. Michael loves traveling across... Read More →
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.
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 →
Engage students with authentic mathematics that fits seamlessly into your daily instruction! Join our hands-on showcase of career-connected tasks bringing local industries directly to your classroom. Built by Idaho educators, these materials follow one strict rule: "The math project has to be something these industry folks actually do at their job." Step into the shoes of a power lineman, a Fish & Game biometrician, and a taco truck entrepreneur to actively experience these concepts. Leave equipped with ready-to-use materials to finally answer your students' favorite question: "When are we ever going to use this?" Co-Facilitators / Task Designers:Co-Facilitators / Task Designers: Nicole Anderson, Steve Palmer, Callie Rose, Russel Seay, Lesley Marks, David Repke, Rebecca Owen, Emily Wasemiller, Mandy Simpson, Austin Duerksen, Kristen Montague, Nathan Cardon, Landon Belnap, Mitchell Parsons With: Josh Watson, Kathy Prummer, Veronica Blackham, Carol Hicks, Jayce Bell, Katie Bosch-Wilson
Dr. Kacey Diemert is a Professor of Mathematics - Education entering her 12th year at Lewis-Clark State College in the Teacher Education and Mathematics Division where she also serves as the Mathematics Program Coordinator. She has been fortunate to continue her love of working with... Read More →
Suzanne has been teaching mathematics at LC State since 2012, and her approach to teaching has evolved significantly over the years. When she began working with future teachers in 2017, it changed how she thought about math education entirely. She started focusing much more on helping... Read More →
This session, led by Senior STEM Product Specialist Cassondra Kauppi, explores how technology can be paired with Building Thinking Classrooms (BTC) principles in the math classroom. Through intentional design, technology is used as a bridge for connection, communication, and collective sense-making in the mathematics classroom. Rather than positioning technology as a replacement for interaction, this session centers technology as a way to amplify student voice, connect multiple representations, and make thinking visible. Students are able to see, compare, and build on one another’s ideas, strengthening both their understanding and their sense of belonging in mathematics. Educators will leave with ready-to-use tasks that help transform technology from a potential distraction into a driver of community, reasoning, and deep mathematical learning.
Join me to teach differently than how we were taught AND differently than how we were taught to teach math. Let’s shift the focus from memorizing / mimicking to reasoning and math-ing. And get results. Math is Figureoutable!
Pam Harris is shifting the way we view and teach mathematics. She is a mom, former high school math teacher, university lecturer, and the founder of Math is Figureoutable. Math teachers around the world rave about her online Building Powerful Mathematics workshops. For over 20 years... Read More →
Join faculty from the University of Idaho where they will present and demonstrate the Classroom Catalyst kit: chemistry lessons to be used as hands-on activities in high school classrooms. Each kit includes lessons, handouts, and consumable materials to illustrate atomic-structure concepts and periodic trends. This project aims to: • Deliver in-classrooms hands-on chemistry-focused activities. • Increase STEM identity in high school students. • Increase high-school students’ awareness of career pathways that include chemistry. • Enable students to relate chemical concepts back to their everyday life. • Enhance high-school teachers’ access to University of Idaho resources which support their professional development. Let Classroom Catalyst kits help build the connections between high-school students’ daily experiences and core chemistry concepts.
Most students form ideas about their future long before high school, yet few have meaningful exposure to real careers early on. This session gives you a ready to use, classroom tested module that introduces middle school students to the healthcare careers ecosystem through a clear, engaging, and relevant lens. You will see how to break down complex systems using a real world example from St. Luke’s Health System, while helping students recognize transferable skills they already use. We will also show how to connect early exploration to future opportunities through Idaho LAUNCH and Next Steps Idaho.
Walk away with a complete lesson, facilitation guide, and student activities you can implement immediately. If you want students more engaged, more aware, and more confident about their future, this session is for you!
This presentation introduces a classroom ready career exploration module designed for middle school students, focused on opening early awareness of healthcare careers and pathways. The module helps students understand how a healthcare system functions, using St. Luke’s as a rea... Read More →
This interactive session offers a clear and practical look into Idaho’s STEM and workforce ecosystem, designed specifically for educators, school leaders, and career advisors.Participants will gain an inside perspective on key statewide initiatives including LAUNCH, I STEM, Idaho... Read More →
AI in Education: Where We Have Been and Where Are We Going? AI has evolved from behind-the-scenes technology like spell check to powerful tools like AI Agents that can write, create, and converse. Students are already using AI, and teachers are experimenting with it for lesson planning, differentiation, and feedback. However, we face challenges around academic integrity, equity, privacy, and keeping pace with rapid change. The future isn't about avoiding AI. It's about teaching with it and keeping education human-centered. AI literacy will become as essential as digital literacy. We need to shift from asking "Is this student work?" to "How did you use AI to learn?" This means updating our assessment strategies, teaching AI ethics, and helping students develop uniquely human skills like creativity, critical thinking, and empathy. Our role is clear: prepare students to thrive in an AI-integrated world while staying grounded in human values. The tools may change, but students will always need caring, expert teachers—like you. Organizations like ISTE, MIT RAISE, and Code.org are creating frameworks and free curricula to support us in this journey. As an ISTE AI Explorations cohort member, I've piloted MIT RAISE curriculum and Code.org AI courses with middle school students, explored tools like Playlab and NotebookLM in the classroom, and introduced preservice teachers to lesson planning tools like Schoolai and Eduaide. These resources are ready for your classroom. Bring a device and let's get to work.
Join Katie Bosch-Wilson from the Idaho Department of Education to learn about key AI updates. This session will cover the new AI legislation passed in early 2026, including requirements, how the Department is supporting new AI standards, a statewide framework, and discussion around available professional development opportunities. Walk away with hands on ideas of utilization of AI in your classroom. Time will also be included for questions and discussion on what these changes may look like in practice.
In a student-centered classroom, students have frequent opportunities to wonder and make connections, share strategies, notice patterns, and justify their ideas. These opportunities support the development of student voice and choice, which are critical to learning and positive identity development. In this session, we will explore discussion structures and scaffolds to support discourse and agency in your classroom. While a device is recommended to access resources during the session, it is not required for participation.
How can we change student trajectories to open doors in mathematics using very explicit instructional practices? Join us to discuss how leveraging daily mental math strategies supports problem solving capacity, productive struggle, reasoning, and reflection in the middle school math classroom. By using choice, interesting rich tasks, and supporting students, we can increase student confidence, perseverance, and agency in the classroom and throughout their math career.
This session will explore how an experimental fluency program that included elements of fluency, mental math, rich tasks, collaboration, and discourse built student perseverance and confidence, as well as math proficiency.
The Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMPs) were designed to describe how students engage with mathematics, yet in many classrooms they remain disconnected from daily instruction. This session introduces a modernized vision of the SMPs that integrates them directly with grade-level content, emphasizing coherence, student agency, and real-world application. Participants will explore practical frameworks for embedding the SMPs into lesson design, with a focus on sense-making, discourse, and purposeful use of representations—including data visualizations tied to audience and context. Through concrete examples, we will demonstrate how aligning content and practice creates richer learning experiences without adding instructional burden. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies and a visual planning tool to support immediate implementation in their classrooms or districts.
Deeply committed to ensuring that children have opportunities to experience mathematics that is meaningful and relevant to the world that they will continue to shape.
Help your students take the next step after high school with confidence. This session explores the Idaho LAUNCH grant, a powerful funding opportunity that covers up to 80 percent of tuition and fees at eligible institutions, with a maximum award of 8,000 dollars. You will learn how to guide students through the application process step by step, increasing their chances of success. We will also highlight practical career exploration resources that help students make informed, future focused decisions, along with key updates to ensure you have the most current information. This session is ideal for educators, counselors, and mentors who want to empower their students to access financial support for their education and gain confidence in their career choices. No devices are required.
This presentation introduces a classroom ready career exploration module designed for middle school students, focused on opening early awareness of healthcare careers and pathways. The module helps students understand how a healthcare system functions, using St. Luke’s as a rea... Read More →
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.
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 →
This workshop is designed to help transform classrooms from spaces defined by finding the "right answer" to environments fueled by student curiosity. Participants will evaluate and practice questioning and discussion techniques that minimize student fear, encourage deeper participation, and empower students to generate their own questions. In addition, we will practice in converting low-level recall questions into high-level discussion questions that require students to justify claims, synthesize evidence, and engage in genuine intellectual debate. These techniques cultivate a culture of inquiry, leading to increased student ownership of the learning process and gains in critical thinking across all content areas.
Bring the magic of STEM to life with simple, engaging science experiences designed for real classrooms. In this interactive session, presenters will model quick, hands-on activities aligned to Idaho Content Standards for Science grades K–5. Inspired by the idea of “favorite demonstrations,” each activity is easy to implement, uses accessible materials, and is grounded in meaningful scientific phenomena.
Participants will actively engage in 1–2 ready-to-use activities per grade level, while building confidence in facilitating science learning. Beyond the “wow” factor, we’ll focus on how these experiences support student thinking, discussion, and sensemaking.
Attendees will leave with practical strategies, classroom-ready ideas, and approachable phenomena to immediately integrate into their instruction, helping every educator feel confident bringing the magic of science to their students.
Elementary educators know that science is essential—but finding the time and resources to teach it well can feel overwhelming within an already packed schedule. This panel brings together classroom teachers and school administrators to share realistic, classroom-tested strategies for making science instruction both meaningful and manageable. Panelists will address common barriers such as time constraints, curriculum demands, and resource limitations, offering actionable solutions that can be applied immediately.
This session is designed to be interactive, with opportunities for audience questions and shared problem-solving. Participants will leave with concrete strategies, adaptable ideas, and renewed confidence in their ability to bring science to life for elementary learners.
Marisa Alan serves as the Idaho Curriculum and Success Lead at Inquisitive, where she partners with elementary schools to bring high-quality, phenomena-based science instruction into classrooms. With more than 25 years of experience in education, including roles as a classroom teacher... Read More →
How do we help elementary students truly think like scientists without adding more to an already full plate? This session focuses on practical, easy-to-implement strategies that build on what elementary teachers already do best.
We will break down the three dimensions of science standards and show how understanding them helps teachers focus on science and engineering practices and crosscutting concepts. When teachers know what to listen for and what kinds of questions to ask, they can guide students toward deeper thinking and sense-making.
Participants will leave with simple questioning strategies and classroom moves that help students explain their thinking, make connections, and engage in meaningful scientific discourse—all while leveraging the natural strengths of elementary educators.
Chris is the current president of ISTA. He taught physics and math for 16 years and has been the science coordinator in the West Ada School District for the last 10 years. When he's not geeking out trying to understand a new phenomenon, he loves to backpack, fish, and travel with... Read More →
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.
How students see themselves in math shapes not only what they learn, but how they engage, persevere, and grow. As Liesl McConchie notes, “A student’s emotional relationship with math is foundational to their cognitive relationship with math.” In this session, participants will explore practical strategies to help students author their own math stories—stories of confidence, competence, and belonging. Through hands-on examples and reflective activities, teachers will leave equipped to create classroom experiences that nurture positive mathematical identities, strengthen student agency, and make every learner feel seen, valued, and capable.
teacher, Cynthia Mann Elementary, Boise School District
Tammy McMorrow has been teaching first grade for 32 years in Kuna, Idaho. In 2022 she began building a thinking classroom inspired by the work of Peter Liljedahl and was quickly won over by its magic and messiness. Determined to start a movement, she created a Facebook page for K-2... Read More →
This session introduces Pivotal Progressions as a powerful approach to strengthening mathematics systems to keep children in the learning. Rather than focusing only on standards coverage or isolated interventions, Pivotal Progressions establish a shared language for the most critical concepts that drive future learning and make visible how those ideas develop across grades. Participants will explore how this shared language supports coherence across classrooms, sharpens instructional decision-making, and creates meaningful opportunities for vertical articulation. Using concrete K–5 examples, we will examine how educators can align around key mathematical ideas, anticipate what comes next in the progression, and connect daily instruction to long-term understanding. Attendees will leave with practical strategies to identify opportunity points, strengthen Tier 1 instruction, and build more connected systems across grades.
Deeply committed to ensuring that children have opportunities to experience mathematics that is meaningful and relevant to the world that they will continue to shape.
Join me to teach differently than how we were taught AND differently than how we were taught to teach math. Let’s shift the focus from memorizing / mimicking to reasoning and math-ing. And get results. Math is Figureoutable!
Pam Harris is shifting the way we view and teach mathematics. She is a mom, former high school math teacher, university lecturer, and the founder of Math is Figureoutable. Math teachers around the world rave about her online Building Powerful Mathematics workshops. For over 20 years... Read More →
When Belén Hoobing tried to figure out what STEM careers actually look like day to day, she couldn't find the answer in a brochure or a career fair. So she started calling professionals and asking them. Now a rising senior at Boise High School, she's built See It Then Be It, a free video library of interviews with women and other STEM professionals. In this session, she shares what she's learned about the gap between how we present STEM careers and what the work actually involves, drawing on conversations with professionals like a river-restoring environmental engineer and a Fortune 500 engineering director. She'll also walk teachers through a practical framework for making student-led career interviews part of their classrooms. Attendees leave with outreach templates, question banks by field, and a step-by-step interview guide.
Conference Exhibitor, Boise High, Women Innovators
I'm Belén Hoobing, an incoming senior at Boise High School in Boise, Idaho. I started See It Then Be It because I was trying to figure out what I wanted to study in college and realized that most career advice for high schoolers tells you job titles, not what the work actually feels... Read More →
In this session we will explore the essential conditions and organizational structures required to move beyond isolated STEM activities and toward a cohesive, school-wide culture of integrated STEM. We will examine the critical "readiness factors" that determine long-term success and sustainability, including leadership alignment, flexible scheduling, physical and digital infrastructure and strategic partnerships. By focusing on these structural pillars first, administrators and educators can ensure their STEM initiatives are sustainable, equitable, and capable of fostering the critical thinking skills students need for the future. Participants will leave with a roadmap for building an environment where STEM doesn't just happen, it thrives.
I am currently serving as an Associate Professor at the Idaho State University College of Education. My primary focus is to bring high-quality STEM learning to all students. I have a background as a middle school math and science teacher and then earned my Ph.D. in Science and... Read More →
Ready to bring science to life in your classroom, without adding to your workload or scrambling for materials? In this interactive session, you’ll experience how Inquisitive supports phenomena-based, inquiry-driven instruction that’s both deeply engaging for students and truly manageable for teachers. We’ll model a complete lesson from the Inquisitive platform, “Has Earth Changed?”, which uses vivid visuals (including a rainbow layer cake!) and hands-on activities to explore Earth’s layers, fossils, and geologic change over time. You’ll participate in a student-level simulation, then step into the teacher role to unpack the pedagogy, standards alignment, and built-in supports like the 5E model. All participants will receive a free 90-day subscription to Inquisitive, along with digital resources, planning tools, and ready-to-use science lessons designed to simplify your prep and spark student curiosity. And of course, there will be cake!
Marisa Alan serves as the Idaho Curriculum and Success Lead at Inquisitive, where she partners with elementary schools to bring high-quality, phenomena-based science instruction into classrooms. With more than 25 years of experience in education, including roles as a classroom teacher... Read More →
Dive into the fascinating world of sourdough starters—a living, bubbling microbial ecosystem. Discover how this everyday phenomenon can help you explore energy flow, cellular respiration, biodiversity, and ecosystem dynamics with your students. You’ll get hands-on with citizen science, walk away with ready-to-use classroom ideas, and maybe even develop a new hobby. Get ready to feed your curiosity—and maybe a sourdough starters while you are at it!
Current ISTA Member, Professional Learning Solutions
Idaho Science Coach Region IV (Magic Valley) since 2022ISTA Board MemberInstruction Designer and Curriculum Developer for American Heritage Online SchoolSecondary Educator at Kimberly Middle SchoolRobotics Coach
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.
Become part of an amusement park design team as we explore the laws of repulsion and attraction through magnetic experimentation! Participants will experience a simulated elementary lesson using magnetic poles to exert pushes and pulls onto an object without touching it.
None of the above; Conference Exhibitor, Imagine Learning: Twig Science
I’m Cameron Barger, and I’ve spent the last 20 years teaching STEM in K–12 classrooms in Kansas. Most of my work has focused on helping teachers create classrooms where students are actively thinking, problem‑solving, and making sense of learning together. I now work as a... Read More →
This session will explore practical strategies and resources for teaching AI literacy to students. I will share a range of open-source curriculum materials suitable for grades K–12, including those I use in my own classroom, as well as our schoolwide “Hour of AI” curriculum we designed for grades K–6.
Please note: this session does not focus on using AI tools to streamline teaching tasks. Instead, it centers on helping students understand what AI is, how it works, and how it will shape their future. Participants are encouraged to bring a computer for hands-on exploration.
Connect with educators who share your role, interests, or experiences! These interactive sessions are a chance to network, swap ideas, tackle challenges, and spark new inspiration with colleagues from across the STEM community.
Connect with educators who share your role, interests, or experiences! These interactive sessions are a chance to network, swap ideas, tackle challenges, and spark new inspiration with colleagues from across the STEM community.
Connect with educators who share your role, interests, or experiences! These interactive sessions are a chance to network, swap ideas, tackle challenges, and spark new inspiration with colleagues from across the STEM community.
Connect with educators who share your role, interests, or experiences! These interactive sessions are a chance to network, swap ideas, tackle challenges, and spark new inspiration with colleagues from across the STEM community.
Connect with educators who share your role, interests, or experiences! These interactive sessions are a chance to network, swap ideas, tackle challenges, and spark new inspiration with colleagues from across the STEM community.
Connect with educators who share your role, interests, or experiences! These interactive sessions are a chance to network, swap ideas, tackle challenges, and spark new inspiration with colleagues from across the STEM community.
Connect with others who share your role, interests, or experiences! These interactive sessions are a chance to network, swap ideas, tackle challenges, and spark new inspiration with colleagues from across the STEM community.
Innovation is sparked when students move beyond the screen and into the real world. This session explores how to bridge the gap between digital theory and physical creation through a Research, Design, and Proposal framework. Educators will step into the role of the innovator, participating in a lesson that highlights each phase of the engineering lifecycle. You’ll walk away not just with a plan, but with a dynamic, classroom-ready activity designed to fuel student curiosity and transform your classroom into a hub of future-ready breakthroughs.
This session explores how ALEKS Math aligns to the Idaho Mathematics Instructional Framework and supports high-impact teaching practices that drive student success. Participants will see how ALEKS can be used to establish clear learning goals, promote reasoning and problem solving, support productive struggle, and elicit meaningful evidence of student thinking. Through real classroom examples and data insights, we will highlight how ALEKS empowers teachers to differentiate instruction, facilitate mathematical discourse, and build procedural fluency from conceptual understanding. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for integrating ALEKS into daily instruction in a way that strengthens, not replaces, effective teaching practices. No device is required, but participants may choose to bring one for optional exploration.
Monica has spent the past 25 years in education, beginning her career in Montessori classrooms serving both general education and special education students. During her time in the classroom, she earned two master's degrees in the field and developed a passion for personalized learning... Read More →
In a world with real struggle fatigue, how do we help students grapple with mathematics? This session explores how productive struggle enables students to develop understanding, affirms students’ positive math identities, and develops student agency. Without it, we cannot fully empower our students as mathematicians. By centering student voices and creating supportive math communities, we can transform challenging moments into opportunities for deep understanding and powerful classroom discourse and collaboration. Join this interactive session where you will explore your own beliefs around productive struggle, and experience a fun math task! If you seek innovative approaches to mathematical learning, this session offers practical insights for empowering students to embrace mathematical challenges with confidence and curiosity.
Current ICTM Member; Conference Exhibitor, CPM Educational Program
Chris Haley is a retired middle school teacher from Boise, Idaho. After 36 years of teaching, Chris transitioned to working for CPM Educational Program as an Implementation Support Specialist.
New to coding, but know it's becoming a necessary skill for the future? The main goal of this session is for teachers to learn more about CodeHS, an engaging, web-based, customizable platform with tons of FREE curriculum and teacher tools. You'll learn how to run Hour of Code activities with your classes, learn about interdisciplinary applications of coding, and learn about other ways to integrate computer science into your classrooms. CodeHS offer ID specific courses and pathways that meet state standards and allow for new and experienced teachers to hit the ground running!
Participants will connect with the local community and larger scientific community using Seek and iNaturalist to identify plants, animals, bugs and fungi in the school yard or neighborhood. The apps are fun and user-friendly, with endless opportunities. Then, we'll discuss how we can use these apps--and other citizen science projects--to make science relevant to our student's real lives. Participants should bring a smartphone or tablet with data to fully participate in the workshop.
Join Katie Bosch-Wilson from the Idaho Department of Education for a deep dive into Idaho math content. This session will explore updates related to Idaho’s math transitions, introduce Project IMPACT and its professional learning opportunities for grades 3–8 educators, and highlight key priorities from the Department of Education. This session will provide updates surrounding Idaho’s Comprehensive Math Plan and Idaho’s Math Instructional Guide. Time will also be included for questions and discussion around professional development and important considerations for math from the state perspective.
“There are so many programs… where do I even start?”
“How do I connect what I teach to real careers?”
“What opportunities are worth my time and my students’ time?”
This session answers that.
You will walk away with:
A clear map of Workforce Development Council + STEM's key programs and how they connect
Practical ways to bring career relevance into your classroom immediately
Direct access to opportunities like LAUNCH, I STEM, (IDSF) Science fairs, externships, and grants
Ready to use tools and a practical guide for all WDC + STEM Programming
Insight into how Idaho is aligning education with workforce needs
And just as important, you’ll have space to share your ideas, challenges, and needs so this work continues to improve with educator voice at the center.
This interactive session offers a clear and practical look into Idaho’s STEM and workforce ecosystem, designed specifically for educators, school leaders, and career advisors.Participants will gain an inside perspective on key statewide initiatives including LAUNCH, I STEM, Idaho... Read More →
This interactive session offers a clear and practical look into Idaho’s STEM and workforce ecosystem, designed specifically for educators, school leaders, and career advisors.Participants will gain an inside perspective on key statewide initiatives including LAUNCH, I STEM, Idaho... Read More →
Many science lessons feel disconnected from students’ lives–this session shows how to change that through place-based science. We will look at one specific example– reimagining the classic egg drop to be inspired by the famous base jumpers of Twin Falls–and see how using local phenomenon made this project more engaging, challenging, and FUN for students. Then we will explore many other ideas for local phenomena (get ready to learn some cool things about Idaho). Finally, teachers will get a chance to brainstorm their own community connections and resources to bring the outside world into their lessons.
I am one of the Idaho Science Coaches who lives in Twin Falls, Idaho and works with science teacher K-12 right here in Region 4. I have a B.S. in Chemistry and a M.S.S.E. in Science Education. Before becoming a science coach, I taught secondary science for 9 years at the middle school... Read More →
Dr. Thomas "TJ" McKenna is Clinical Assistant Professor of Science Education and Director of the Center for STEM Professional Learning at Scale at Boston University's Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. With 20 years of experience as scientist, educator, and science... Read More →
To better support your students in demonstrating their knowledge and abilities on the summative assessment, this session will break down the gap that exists between curriculum adopted at a local level and the state assessment students take. The design of each of these components are intentionally done, but do not always have direct alignment. The focus will be on understanding how content standards drive the creation of these two components, and how the standards are represented in each are different. Come explore these two pieces of the learning puzzle and plan for stronger connection between what you teach and how students will demonstrate their understanding.
Current ICTM Member, Idaho Department of Education
As the ISAT assessment coordinator at the Idaho Department of Education, my role is to support implementation and interpretation of the statewide summative assessment for all grades and content areas (ELA, Math, and Science). I come from a background of working in schools, primarily... Read More →
As the Idaho STEM Action Center joins the Workforce Development Council in July 2026, the focus on a "STEM-literate workforce for all" has never been higher. However, systemic cognitive barriers, especially in online classes, often sideline neurodivergent learners. STEM rigor should not be a barrier to STEM access. Drawing on the Social Model of Disability, this session reframes learning struggles in online STEM as design misalignments. We will explore how cognitive load and split-attention tasks in digital labs disproportionately affect neurodivergent learners. Rather than waiting for a 504 or IEP adjustment, attendees will learn to implement Universal Design strategies that benefit all students, focusing on the off-screen scaffolding with physical tools that bridge the gap between the screen and the student’s working memory.
Merrie Rampy is an instructional designer at Southern Utah University’s Center for Teaching Innovation and a doctoral student in Educational Psychology and Technology. With over 30 years in STEM education, including leadership roles in curriculum and statewide initiatives, she focuses... Read More →
As generative AI tools become more accessible to students, many educators are asking big questions about ethics, academic integrity, and instruction. This spring, a new credit-approved course—EDIN50772: Beyond the Ban: Ethical & Effective AI Use in Secondary Classrooms—will focus on helping middle and high school teachers move beyond banning AI and instead teach students to use it responsibly and productively. Participants will explore current research, ethical considerations, classroom AI policies (including a 🟢🟡🔴 stoplight model), and redesign assignments using the SAMR framework so AI supports thinking, not copy/paste.
"Chatter that Matters: Developing an active math community where students thrive": Math is not a spectator sport! All students should see themselves as doers of math by engaging in productive tasks every day. Imagine Learning's Imagine IM offers an instructional design that puts students at the center of their learning. This session will model digital and hands-on activities that build thinking, collaboration, grit and confidence.
None of the above; Conference Exhibitor, Imagine Learning: Twig Science
I’m Cameron Barger, and I’ve spent the last 20 years teaching STEM in K–12 classrooms in Kansas. Most of my work has focused on helping teachers create classrooms where students are actively thinking, problem‑solving, and making sense of learning together. I now work as a... Read More →
Are you working harder than your students? If so, then use self-checking activities! These formative assessments give students an opportunity to take greater ownership of their learning, make their thinking visible, and demonstrate their agency. Students get immediate feedback on their responses. This allows them to confirm and reflect on their effort. For teachers, self-checking activities provide real-time feedback in judging levels of conceptual understanding/misunderstanding, allowing them to modify lessons to meet students’ needs. Used with small groups, self-checking activities promote meaningful discourse and support productive struggle as students persevere together to develop their problem solving, and critical thinking skills. This session will explore ways to help students develop agency in grades six through twelve.
I am a retired middle and high school math teacher, now working as a consultant/coach. Most people see me as a complex but rational individual, passionate about spreading the gospel of Math Power- engaging teachers and students to develop mathematical habits of the mind and a growth... Read More →
This 1-hour session will explore success stories emerging from Idaho Math Badging, with a focus on the impact on students and classrooms. Teachers will share experiences from their own implementations, highlighting shifts in student mindset, engagement, and ownership of learning. The session will surface common themes and promising outcomes, offering a broad look at how badging is influencing teaching and learning across contexts. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on these stories, make connections to their own settings, and consider implications for their practice. Whether you are new to math badging or already implementing, this session will provide insight into the potential of this work and space to think about next steps in your own high school math context.
What if your students could contribute to real scientific research—starting tomorrow? In this engaging professional development session, veteran science educator Jamie Brunmeier shares how teachers can bring authentic ornithology and field science into the classroom through the creation of IARC, a collaborative citizen-science approach that allows students to collect meaningful ecological data. Participants will learn simple, classroom-ready strategies for guiding students in bird observation, habitat monitoring, and data collection that contribute to larger scientific studies. The best part? These projects work with any age group—from kindergarten through adults—making it possible for entire school communities to participate in real research. Teachers will leave with practical tools, field activities, and project ideas that build student curiosity, observation skills, and environmental stewardship while connecting learning to authentic science. If you want students doing science instead of just reading about it, this session will show you how citizen science can transform your classroom into a research lab—right outside your door.
Current ISTA Member, Homedale High School Science, Idaho Digital Learning Alliance Instructor, and ISTA Board Member
I am a veteran science educator with over 25 years of experience teaching middle and high school science, including dual-credit biology and environmental science. I specialize in field-based science instruction that connects students to authentic research and environmental stewardship... Read More →
In this engaging one-hour session, participants will experience a hands-on, inquiry-based approach to science instruction intentionally integrated with literacy. Teachers will actively engage in tasks representing the different levels of inquiry, exploring what shifts in teacher and student roles are required at each level. Through structured reflection and discussion, participants will identify the characteristics and expectations of confirmation, structured, guided, and open inquiry. This experience will highlight the level of rigor embedded within the Idaho Science Standards and emphasize the importance of designing learning opportunities where students construct their own understanding through investigation, evidence, and discourse. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of how inquiry and literacy can work together to support deeper sensemaking, as well as practical ideas for implementing inquiry-based instruction in their own classrooms.
Current ISTA Member, State Department of Education
Wendy Snyder is an experienced educator and instructional leader with over twenty years in education. She began her career teaching 3rd grade in a Title I school, where she spent seven years building a strong foundation in student-centered instruction. During her time at Barbara Morgan... Read More →
How do we help students move from exciting experiments to strong scientific explanations? In this interactive session, educators will learn how to intentionally integrate Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning (CER) writing using the high-engagement phenomenon of Alka-Seltzer rockets. Participants will experience the investigation as learners, analyze student-friendly data, and practice crafting claims supported by measurable evidence and scientific reasoning. The session models scaffolds, sentence frames, and discussion strategies that support students at varying writing levels while maintaining scientific rigor. Attendees will explore how to use CER as both a formative assessment tool and a sensemaking strategy, helping students explain why results occurred—not just what happened. Leave with adaptable lesson structures and practical tools to make CER writing meaningful, accessible, and fun.
What happens when students take the lead in shaping STEM culture in their schools and communities? In this interactive session, Idaho EcosySTEM Student Ambassadors (grades 6–12) share their experiences as student advocates for STEM. Ambassadors will discuss the projects they’ve led, industry experiences that shaped their interests, and the leadership skills they’ve developed along the way. Participants will hear directly from students about what truly engages young people in STEM and will take part in a hands-on activity led by the Ambassadors highlighting the types of STEM projects students are bringing back to their schools and communities.
“Remember kids, the only difference between science and screwing around is writing it down.”—that famous MythBusters quote reminds us that the magic of science isn’t just in the doing, but in the documenting. In this session, we’ll explore how reflection practices and simple recording strategies can turn everyday STEM activities into authentic scientific thinking. You’ll walk away with classroom-ready tools to help students capture ideas, track discoveries, and connect learning over time—so their “screwing around” becomes real science.
This session explores the development of a future‑ready clean‑energy pathway built through industry collaboration and teacher co‑design. The Renewable Energy Vehicle and Infrastructure Technician (REVIT) program shows how districts can prepare students for emerging careers in renewable energy, hydrogen technologies, and sustainable infrastructure while strengthening secondary science learning.
REVIT was created in response to regional demand for a skilled hydrogen‑energy workforce and integrates project‑based learning, NGSS, CTE standards, and industry input to create a coherent, multi‑year sequence. The pathway equips students with real‑world problem‑solving skills and deepens understanding of energy systems, engineering design, and sustainability.
Beginning with a lab‑based exploratory science course, students investigate clean‑energy and sustainable‑design challenges before progressing into more advanced technical studies. Participants will leave with curriculum examples, resources, and implementation insights to adapt this model locally and connect science learning with meaningful career pathways.
Hanna Jaramillo has deep experience as a Teaching and Learning Associate Director and secondary teacher. This is the foundation of her work designing equitable, future-ready learning experiences. Her work centers on empowering educators, aligning curricula with standards and sustainability... Read More →
In today's digital landscape, both digital citizenship and cybersecurity are crucial for protecting our students. Join us for a dynamic and engaging professional development designed for K-8 educators. This session from CYBER.ORG will explore how cybersecurity concepts can be meaningfully integrated across subjects. Participants will engage with classroom-ready lessons that empower students to become safe, informed, and critical users of technology, while also developing awareness of how emerging fields like AI impact security.
Conference Exhibitor, CYBER.ORG, Academic Division of the Cyber Innovation Center
Georgette Price is the Deputy Director for CYBER.ORG, the academic division of the Cyber Innovation Center. As Deputy Director, she oversees all managerial and operational logistics as assigned by the Director. She is an accomplished project manager and enjoys supporting the CYBER.ORG... Read More →
In this hands-on, outdoor workshop, participants will investigate heat islands, map temperature data, and draw conclusions about how urban green spaces impact community health. Participants will have time to adapt the investigation to their own school setting, outdoor space, and community context. They will receive the lesson plan + a copy of Project Learning Tree’s “Forest in the City” activity to continue exploring the benefits of urban trees.
Current IdEEA Member; Conference Exhibitor, Idaho Project Learning Tree
Haven Davis-Martinez is the Education and Outreach Coordinator for the Idaho Forest Products Commission and the state coordinator for Project Learning Tree. She holds a Master of Natural Resources in Environmental Education and Science Communication and a B.S. in Elementary Education... Read More →
When we affirm multilingual learners and their multicultural identities in the math classroom, we support their success by encouraging participation and reducing the cognitive load of learning new concepts alongside English language development. This interactive session explores how predictable instructional routines and language goals provide the necessary scaffolding to help educators structure learning experiences that prioritize both content and language. We will examine how routines lower the affective filter, allowing students to focus on complex mathematical ideas while developing linguistic precision. Participants will engage first-hand with specific routines such as Notice and Wonder or What Comes Next integrated with visuals, tools, sentence frames, and strategic grouping. By experiencing these routines from a student’s perspective, educators will gain insights into fostering a sense of belonging and agency. You will leave with a practical toolkit of ready-to-use strategies that honor students’ home languages and amplify the brilliance of your PK-5 multilingual mathematicians.
The Math Learning Center is a nonprofit developer of elementary math materials that support teachers in making mathematical ideas understandable, igniting curiosity, and helping learners become critical thinkers and capable problem solvers.
This interactive session focuses on deepening students’ mathematical justification in high school math classrooms. Participants will engage in doing mathematics together, then analyze their own reasoning through the lens of a justification rubric. Using sample student work, we will explore what strong justification looks like, identify common gaps, and consider how to move student thinking forward. The session emphasizes practical tools and strategies teachers can use to elevate the level of explanation, reasoning, and evidence in their classrooms. By the end, participants will leave with a clearer vision of high-quality mathematical justification and resources to support students in constructing and communicating meaningful arguments.
We know that many of our K–12 students and teachers delight in engaging stories and meaningful games. In this session, we explore options for K–12 educators to connect mathematical concepts to literature and games in the classroom. This cross-curricular approach allows us to immerse students in rich texts—ranging from picture books in the primary grades to novels, informational texts, and visual media in the upper grades—while simultaneously deepening their understanding of mathematics. Participants will examine examples of how literature and games are being used to increase student engagement in Idaho K–12 classrooms and consider additional resources appropriate across grade bands. We will also explore how these strategies can evolve as students progress, maintaining both rigor and relevance. The session will conclude with a roundtable discussion focused on practical implementation, including how to support students in deeply engaging with grade-level content standards as well as the Standards for Mathematical Practice through the intentional use of literature and games in the math classroom.
Dr. Kacey Diemert is a Professor of Mathematics - Education entering her 12th year at Lewis-Clark State College in the Teacher Education and Mathematics Division where she also serves as the Mathematics Program Coordinator. She has been fortunate to continue her love of working with... Read More →
Current ICTM Member, Lewis-Clark State College, Regional Math Center, Region II
Becca is in her third year as a Regional Mathematics Specialist at LC State, where she helps teachers find joy in teaching mathematics. Her background is in teaching elementary students and educating adults. She enjoys going on adventures with her husband, and their little dogs, Hatch... Read More →
In this interactive session, you’ll experience the Fast & Curious EduProtocol and see how it can be used to build math vocabulary across all grade levels. Through engaging strategies like the Great American Race, Thin Slides, and more, you’ll explore simple, repeatable activities that get students actively using and understanding math language. We’ll also look at the research behind why vocabulary is critical for math success and how strengthening it can improve student outcomes. You’ll leave with practical, ready-to-use ideas to bring math vocabulary to life in your classroom right away. (These strategies can be used in any subject area, but our focus will be math.)
Dr. Thomas "TJ" McKenna is Clinical Assistant Professor of Science Education and Director of the Center for STEM Professional Learning at Scale at Boston University's Wheelock College of Education and Human Development. With 20 years of experience as scientist, educator, and science... Read More →
Join our interactive workshop where literacy meets exploration! Experience through hands-on modeling, playing a card game, and reading stories about how students can build explanations of confusing weather phenomena. Learn strategies to build your students' literacy skills. Leave with classroom resources. Smithsonian Science for the Classroom earned an All-Green rating from EdReports.
Dr. Burns retired as a high school and middle school teacher nine years ago. She has worked for Carolina Biological for 13 years as a science consultant. She facilitates and trains teachers how to use science kits and has presented many workshops at national and state confere... Read More →
Most teachers encounter ISAT sample and interim items once a year — during test prep. But the educators who see the strongest student outcomes aren't saving these tools for the final stretch. They're using them in October, in January, for a Tuesday warm-up. And it changes how they teach.
This session makes the case for integrating single assessment items throughout the year as instructional tools — not test preparation. Participants will experience a brief model lesson built around one item, then explore practical strategies for embedding items into bell ringers, collaborative activities, and formative assessment checkpoints. The goal is building students' capacity to think through complex problems, communicate their reasoning, and show what they know — all year long. Examples draw from math and science, but strategies apply across content areas. No device required, though digital resources will be shared.
Current ICTM Member, Idaho Department of Education
Amber Van Vooren works as the Interim and Formative Assessment Coordinator at the Idaho Department of Education, where she supports LEAs and schools across the state in developing and implementing coherent, balanced assessment systems. Her work spans interim and formative assessment... Read More →
This fast‑paced, hands‑on session introduces educators to the power and simplicity of the micro:bit as a tool for engaging, standards‑aligned STEM learning. Participants will explore easy‑to‑implement coding and engineering activities designed for K–12 classrooms, with a focus on creativity, problem‑solving, and real‑world application. No prior coding experience is required, educators will learn by doing as they experiment with sensors, LEDs, and block‑based programming to build quick prototypes they can immediately bring back to students. Attendees will leave with ready‑to‑use lessons, classroom management tips, and strategies for integrating micro:bit projects across content areas, from science and math to literacy and the arts. This session is ideal for anyone looking to boost student engagement, expand STEM opportunities, and build confidence with microcontrollers in a supportive, fun environment.
Current ISTA Member; Current CSTA Member, Galileo STEM Academy
I am an elementary educator continuously developing a hands-on, project-based learning environment for my students. I have experience presenting STEM, AI integration, coding, and robotics skills to educators across Idaho. I am committed to preparing future-ready learners and the educators... Read More →
Educators come together to learn hands on computer science skills and walk away with physical computing resources that you can implement in your classroom for the following year.
Join us for a field trip to experience designed for math teachers to explore how math badging principles come to life beyond the classroom, which focuses on career-connected, project-based learning. This experience will highlight the relevance of mathematics in real-world contexts and help educators see how badging can support students in connecting their math learning to future pathways after high school.
