STEM Summer Institute 2026

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.

We are going back to the Moon and onward to Mars. One of the first things to do is to set up a plant-growing station. This introduction will highlight successes and challenges with growing vegetables in the classroom. Students get to eat what they have grown and take home what they have learned (in a practical way).