Valerie Otero, Professor of STEM Education at the University of Colorado Boulder and a specialist in Physics Education Research, will guide you through real classroom moments that reveal what happens when students truly take ownership of their learning. Explore how STEM can become a powerful vehicle for student voice—where learners build the confidence to advocate for themselves because of their experiences, not in spite of them. Through short video clips and reflections from both teachers and students, you will gain a renewed sense of possibility, enthusiasm, and optimism.
This session explores mathematics as the foundational language that powers all STEM disciplines, with a strong emphasis on numeracy, mental math, and independent problem-solving. Participants will examine how gaps in basic arithmetic can limit student success in science, technology, and engineering, even when advanced tools are available. Drawing from the AI Math Club at Hardin High School, the session highlights practical strategies for strengthening foundational skills without reliance on apps or calculators. The presentation also showcases how high school students can be developed as peer educators who both deepen their own understanding and provide meaningful academic support to younger learners. By treating mathematics as something students must understand, communicate, and teach, the program fosters confidence, leadership, and service. Key takeaways include strategies for building numeracy, promoting independent thinking, and creating a sustainable culture where mathematics truly serves as the language of STEM.
Place-based environmental education projects for upper elementary students showing examples of how to weave together Next Generation Science Standards with the rich cultural heritage of Montana’s tribes through Indian Education for All initiatives. Beginning with an exploration of Yellowstone’s extremophiles, where students analyze energy flow and chemosynthesis while honoring the traditional stewardship and sacred connections of the Crow and Shoshone people to this unique landscape. Building on traditional native knowledge from a variety of environments, students learn how resources of the land were used for survival. The theme of environmental mastery travels through the biomes; tundra, prairie, desert, and deciduous forest, highlighting Indigenous engineering, investigations into pH natural chemistry, long-term observation to translate temperature data into a physical tapestry of environmental change and finally, the "Prairie’s Renewal" project demonstrating the intentional use of cultural burning by Plains tribes as a sophisticated tool for ecosystem management and nutrient cycling. Collectively, each project emphasizes that science is deeply embedded in the history of the land, encouraging students to develop a profound sense of stewardship by combining modern scientific inquiry with the enduring wisdom of Indigenous perspectives.
Connie Michael is a 5th grade teacher at Crow Agency Public School in Crow Agency Montana. She has taught for 36 years. Having moved to Montana ten years ago, Connie spent the first part of her career teaching in k-2 bilingual classrooms in Central Washington. She is National Board... Read More →
Dive into the engineering design process in this fun, hands-on activity about earthquakes! Identify building features that help withstand damage due to earthquakes and use them in your own model. This versatile learning experience can be quickly and easily implemented in lessons about geography, physics, engineering, economics, and more!
Looking for ways to integrate data science skills into your classroom but not sure where to start - or need new resources to add to your existing toolkit? In this hands-on session, educators will discover a curated selection of practical, classroom-ready resources designed to bring engaging data science experiences to K-12 students. We’ll introduce three distinct sets of tools and materials, each focused on fostering high-level data science skills such as critical thinking, data analysis, and ethical reasoning. These resources are intentionally designed to be adaptable across multiple subject areas, empowering teachers to seamlessly integrate data science into their existing curricula. Whether you teach math, science, social studies, or language arts, you’ll leave the session with actionable strategies and ready-to-use materials that you can implement in your classroom the very next day.
Join the Montana STEM Ecosystem for a conversation with policymakers on how policy can expand STEM opportunities for Montana youth and educators. This session will explore the state of STEM in Montana, connections to career pathways and workforce readiness, and an opportunity for educators to share perspectives that help shape statewide policies impacting youth, schools, and communities.
Grab your lunch and join (panel discussion starts at 11:45am)!
Come to this lunch and learn to discover what the Museum of the Rockies offers. From field trips where you can explore the galleries in person, have guided tours, or learn in workshops, to virtual options where we zoom into your classroom, to in-person outreach where we come to you, there are many different ways to use the museum. We believe in teaching all people of all ages. Our Early Learning program helps support learners 0-5 and offers professional development for teachers. We also have materials (curiosity crates) we can ship to you. We want to know what MOR can do to best serve teachers. Please come with questions and any feedback you have!
Join us for an interactive, hands-on model lesson from OpenSciEd to 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.
Great STEM learning begins with strong questions, not just an "answer machine". This session explores how we can move past the AI hype to use these tools as grounded design partners for inquiry-based learning. Instead of letting AI offload the thinking, we’ll look at how it can help teachers curate richer investigations, refine driving questions, and anticipate student misconceptions before they hit the lab bench. We'll include frameworks to help get you started, and also explore ways to use existing resources (like college-level open source textbooks) to help drive design and help ground your work with AI in academic literature.
Dr. Jason Neiffer believes that educational technology should be driven by learning, not flash. As the Executive Director of the Montana Digital Academy, co-convener of the Frontier Learning Lab, and a former classroom teacher, Jason has spent 29 years cutting through tech hype to... Read More →
In this hands-on session, educators will explore a simple beadwork tool using pony beads and wooden dowels to investigate patterns, counting, and mathematical structure through culturally grounded design. Participants will experience the activity as learners, reflect on connections to student choice and social-emotional learning, and consider ways to adapt the tool to grade-level standards and classroom contexts. This session models how tactile, culturally meaningful materials can humanize mathematics and deepen student engagement across grade bands.
This session introduces Quantum Adventure, a teacher‑friendly approach to bringing quantum science into K–12 classrooms using carefully curated, ready‑to‑use materials. With quantum information now widely discussed but often overwhelming for both teachers and students, this session provides a structured pathway for meaningful exploration. Participants will receive vetted resources, simplified explanations, and activity‑ready tools that reduce prep time and eliminate the uncertainty of searching the internet for accurate quantum content. The goal is to empower educators to confidently facilitate quantum learning experiences that spark curiosity, deepen understanding, and make advanced concepts approachable for all learners.
STEM Teacher / Physics Representative, Hardin High School / Montana Science Teachers Association
I’m Vryann James L. Sison, a STEM educator at a rural, American Indian‑serving high school in Hardin, Montana. I hold a Bachelor of Secondary Education in Biological Science from Dr. Yanga’s Colleges Inc. in the Philippines and a Master of Education in STEM Education from t... Read More →
In this session, educators will explore how the science of learning aligns with curricular approaches to teaching the MT Science standards. We will discuss assessment techniques informed by the science of learning and how technology can support assessment. Teachers will have time to collaborate and analyze different approaches.
Associate Director, MSU Science Math Resource Center
Jeannie Chipps facilitates professional development at the Science Math Resource Center. As a former high school science teacher and after school science team coach/makerspace director, she enjoys working with teachers to create learning environments that support diverse learners... Read More →
This session explores how NotebookLM can serve as a reliable, teacher‑curated knowledge hub in STEM classrooms where students often struggle with attention during lectures and face increasing risks of misinformation from open‑ended AI tools. By consolidating vetted articles, datasets, and reference materials into a single notebook, teachers can limit unreliable sources while giving students a safe space to verify concepts and support their lab investigations. The approach reduces the need for heavy lecture and note‑taking, allowing more time for hands‑on, inquiry‑driven activities while ensuring students build understanding from accurate, intentional resources.
STEM Teacher / Physics Representative, Hardin High School / Montana Science Teachers Association
I’m Vryann James L. Sison, a STEM educator at a rural, American Indian‑serving high school in Hardin, Montana. I hold a Bachelor of Secondary Education in Biological Science from Dr. Yanga’s Colleges Inc. in the Philippines and a Master of Education in STEM Education from t... Read More →
In this session, I will discuss the ways that I brought Ethnobotany into the middle school classroom. Through an immersion course, which is very simple to implement in any middle school science classroom, I intertwined culturally significant plants with bacterial research. In this session, we will discuss how we took traditionally sacred plants (sagebrush & yarrow) and tested them against bacterial growth. Students were able to participate in data collection to support traditional medicinal plant uses. In this session, I will discuss how this course can be implemented in any classroom setting. The plants used for this course had cultural significance to the Northern Cheyenne and Crow tribes, but can be adapted to any tribe in Montana. Main takeaways- allows students to connect culturally to their ancestors, easy implementation of ethnobotany, and meets IEFA standards.
Effective STEM-based lessons can start with natural math/science integration to discover more about the world around us. In this hands-on, inquiry-based workshop, participants will engage in innovative activities that illustrate the science and math behind real-world ecology concepts such as carrying capacity in nature, natural resource use, and how humans are forever changing Earth’s landscape, habitats and biodiversity. Presented strategies include creating representational mathematical models with manipulatives, cooperative group problem-solving challenges, graphing and analysis, and role-playing simulations. The presented activities build students' understanding and skills in algebraic patterns and functions, decimals, fractions and ratios, linear measurement, number operations, collaborative problem solving, and scientific inquiry. The activities incorporate data on trends in the environment, global demographics and natural resource use, and seek to enhance their data literacy and critical thinking skills related to data. Manipulatives are used to illustrate concepts for visual learners. Participants will receive lesson plans and background materials all matched to Montana K-12 Content Standards for several disciplines.
In this session, we will engage in a learner-centered approach to developing scientific principles through data. Participants will work together to build a model of a phenomenon that they observe through videos and experimental apparatus. We will conclude by looking at student data from their engagement in a similar activity. We will discuss how “pedagogical tools” can be used to facilitate knowledge construction in the classroom using science and engineering practices.
How can hands-on STEM experiences translate into sustained career pathways? This session highlights findings from MSUB's pilot Drone STEM Camps, immersive week-long programs serving middle and high school students. Participants built and soldered drones, learned flight operations and FAA safety fundamentals. In our second year, students will apply aerial imagery to authentic regional challenges, connecting engineering design and geospatial analysis to workforce-relevant problem solving. Evaluation data from the pilot indicate increases in student STEM interest, confidence with technical skills, and awareness of aerospace and advanced manufacturing careers. The session will share instructional strategies for integrating drone manufacturing, electrical soldering, flight, and spatial analysis into classroom or informal STEM settings. It will also outline how these camps are being intentionally aligned with Career and Technical Education (CTE) frameworks, community and tribal college pathways, and industry partnerships. Participants will leave with practical models for developing workforce-aligned STEM programming that strengthens career identity, builds technical skills, and connects students to emerging aerospace and geospatial opportunities in Montana and beyond.
