STEM Summer Institute 2026

Salish Kootenai College, in partnership with collaborators, has created a six-unit resource for educators to teach middle school students about the science of food related to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT). Each thematic unit includes hands-on activities to enhance students' understanding of food science and Montana's local food systems.  The units cover topics such as the molecular science of food, the importance of seasonal availability, and the origins of food, considering geography and culture. Students explore their senses and how they influence food choices, engaging in tasting native plants. A unit titled "Food as Medicine" integrates indigenous knowledge and modern practices around health and healing. Finally, students create a seasonal menu featuring native plants, reinforcing their learning and encouraging practical application. This program aims to connect students to their cultural heritage and contemporary food practices, enriching their educational experience. 

Data shapes modern life: from apps to news to decisions in health, business, and government, yet most students graduate without exposure to data science concepts. As Montana focuses on integrating data science skills into state standards, understanding what curriculum-agnostic data instruction looks like across all grade levels becomes essential. This session explores why data science is critical for all K-12 students, not just future data scientists, and demonstrates how it increases student engagement by connecting to real-world problems students care about. You'll see how data literacy develops from elementary through high school, discover what age-appropriate instruction looks like across grades and subjects, and explore ready-to-use activities that bring these concepts to life. Whether you teach math, science, social studies, or other subjects, you'll leave with grade-appropriate entry points and practical strategies for infusing data literacy into your classroom, preparing students to thrive as informed, critical thinkers in our data-driven world.

Educators will experience new quantum activities related to careers in emerging technology fields related to quantum computing, quantum communication, and quantum sensing. Participants will walk away with new resources and activities that allow students to explore career paths in Montana that support quantum technologies. 

This session presents an interdisciplinary STEM project designed for 4th and 5th-grade students that examines how fire affects soil, air, and plant life. The project began with questions about climate and land use and developed into a hands-on investigation using local Eastern Montana soil. Students compared heat-treated and untreated soil, planted seeds to observe regeneration, and monitored changes over time using transparent planting containers.
Students collected CO₂ and air moisture data using Vernier sensors, explored microbial activity through MudWatt systems, and documented plant growth as evidence of how soil conditions support life. Math, reading, and writing were embedded throughout the project as students measured and graphed data, interpreted informational texts and data displays, and wrote explanations supported by evidence. Students also used Makey Makey kits to create interactive displays that communicated their findings in accessible ways.
The session will walk through the full structure of the project, the tools used, and examples of student work, highlighting how inquiry, real data, and hands-on investigation supported meaningful STEM learning.

Explore aiEDU's proven approach to building communities of practice using AI literacy-focused curriculum and aiEDU’s AI Trailblazers Fellowship as a model. Examine aiEDU's AI Readiness Framework to identify the student competencies essential for AI literacy and readiness, and use it as a lens for evaluating curricular resources. Apply these competencies to analyze instructional practice, discuss strategies for replicating AI-focused CoPs in your own setting, and develop an actionable implementation plan.

The College of Letters & Science at Montana State University is at the heart of innovation, discovery, and service. Imagine your students uncovering the biology of diseases, delving into the realm of astrophysics, digging up fossils as they explore geologic time, or advocating for ethics in science and technology. This session will highlight education and career opportunities in Science, Technology, and Mathematics through MSU's largest academic unit, the College of Letters & Science. Hear from a panel of experts, including College of Letters & Science academic department leaders and top faculty. Learn important information to help your students plan for their future.