i-STEM at Idaho State University

Strand Provider: Tim Leishman

Keywords: Electronics, Amplifier Design and Development, Soldering

Strand Description: Welcome to the Rockin’ World of Transistor Amplifiers Design! Get ready to turn up the educational volume in this electrifying strand where learning meets excitement! Unleash your inner engineer as we dive into the groove of transistor amplifiers, exploring everything from power supplies, transistor biasing, amplifier gain, and rocking measurements with an oscilloscope. Forget the snooze-fest lectures – our approach is hands-on and full of energy. Get your math mojo on for amplifier design, jam out on the breadboard prototyping, and fine-tune your soldering skills in our happening educational sessions. This isn’t your typical classroom experience; it’s a full-on amplifier party! By the end, you won’t just be an amplifier expert you’ll be a master of fun and engaging teaching strategies, ready to inspire the next generation of electronic rockstars. Join us, and let’s crank up the volume and learning!

Your kits will/may include: Participating educators in the ‘Rockin’ World of Transistor Amplifiers and Design’ strand will receive an exclusive kit valued at $300, meticulously curated to elevate their learning and teaching experience. This comprehensive kit includes all the necessary equipment and components to construct a sophisticated amplifier with Bluetooth connectivity for seamless integration with smartphones. Beyond the physical components, our online learning portal offers a suite of resources, providing step-by-step instructions, detailed parts lists, and project CAD files. This professional-grade kit, coupled with robust online content, ensures educators have the tools and knowledge to seamlessly integrate amplifier design principles into their curriculum with confidence and precision, offering unparalleled value for their professional development.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Courtney Lamb

Keywords: Idaho Mathematics Content Standards, Conceptual understandings, Math Teaching Practices, task-based learning, Problem-based learning

Strand Description: Calling all math teachers! Elevate your impact with the Idaho Standards Academy: A grade level focused professional learning opportunity designed to enhance your understanding of math content and teaching moves! Backed by transformative research-aligned strategies, this academy is your gateway to enhancing your mathematical knowledge for teaching. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and grow with your Regional Math Center specialists.

Your kits will/may include: Teachers will receive a kit with materials that can be used to teach their fractions unit including fraction manipulatives, content standards supplementary materials, math games, books, and more.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Sarah May Clarkson

Keywords: STEM / STEAM; nature; outdoors; environment, hands-on / experiential

Strand Description: This strand has two foundations: 1) it is open to educators (and by extension, parents, grandparents, community members and volunteers) from preschool to high school, and 2) it seeks to expand and enhance STEM / STEAM learning by using the classroom and lab of nature, science, and environment that is right outside our schools. The Nature of STEM / STEAM seeks to encourage in students and educators the critical learning skills of observation, appreciation, research, curiosity, collaborative learning and thinking, creativity, and thoughtful / careful resource use (from sophisticated technology to pencil and paper journals). The strand will also demonstrate the great promise of hands-on and experiential practices, which makes any classroom more inclusive and affirming for all kinds of learners. Nature as a resource is always available, often doesn’t require a bus and a big budget line, and it absolutely can offer students job and career opportunities they might not have considered. The outdoor classroom allows students to be explorers and questioners. Students and educators develop important skills such as asking meaningful questions, making careful observations, finding ways to test their ideas, solve problems, and share their thoughts and observations with others.

Your kits will/may include: Lots of Legos Journal for notes and ideas Books chosen based on who enrolls, but everyone will receive, The Sense of Wonder Cyanotype kit Map, mapping materials Magnifying glasses, Mapmaking with Children, Sense of Place Education for the Elementary Years, by David Sobel Some resources to help with Biomimicry: Mimic Makers BIOMIMICRY INVENTORS INSPIRED BY NATURE? By Kristen Nordstrom Scientific investigation tools: tweezers, forceps, etc.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Ashley Shaffner

Keywords: Coding, Computer Science, Computational Thinking, Digital Literacy

Strand Description: This strand equips educators with the knowledge and tools they need to integrate coding and computer science concepts into the early elementary classroom. Educators will gain the confidence and skills to facilitate year-long coding and computer science lessons with their students, guided by educators who have implemented the same content in their own classrooms to build critical thinking. An important component of this course will be empowering Cracking the Code: Computer Science for K-2 teachers to lead unplugged activities (no computer needed!) to naturally solicit computational thinking from their students. While this course is geared toward teachers working with students in grades PreK-2, it will also be a great resource for teachers of all grades looking to introduce their students to basic coding and computer science concepts. The course is founded on the Idaho Content Standards for Computer Science to prepare educators as they introduce students to concepts including, but not limited to parts of a computer, hardware and software, troubleshooting, typing skills, problem solving, teamwork, and of course coding! Teachers will also explore how introducing their students to these concepts at an early age will better prepare them for the future. Educators will leave with resources and knowledge to integrate and implement their own coding and computer science programs and lessons in their classrooms and schools.

Your kits will/may include: Teachers will gain access to Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT), a laminator and supplies, Code and Go Robot Mice, and a collection of Coding and Computer Science books. Together these items support teachers as they develop a cross-curricular, offline coding and computer science curriculum in their classroom.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Jan Smith

Keywords: K-8, NGSS, science, STEM, astronomy

Strand Description: Discover “Earth’s Place in the Universe” through the Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve. Participants in this strand will explore a plethora of resources including NASA-sourced lesson materials that are aligned to Idaho Science Content Standards and NGSS along with data sets that allow for interpretation of light pollution, or the lack of it. Our Idaho dark skies will provide a “phenomenal” context for K-8 students’ learning of astronomy content. Pedagogy is focused on a series of hands-on 5E inquiry activities that include field experiences in local and/or portable planetariums as well as instruction on how to use telescopes that you can use with your students to explore the night sky. Participants will receive a kit of materials that can be used in multiple ways in varying classroom settings along with access to web-based lesson plan resources developed specifically for Idaho STEM teachers.

Your kits will/may include: The kits will provide materials for participants to engage in the unit activities with their students. Our participants receive their kits and use them throughout the week to engage in inquiry-based NASA lessons (that are provided) and available on our project website for Idaho teachers. Each participant will receive training on how to use a Unisteller EVScope, which will be available for use through their regional iSTEM library. Additionally, we have provided additional kits materials to our participants as a part of our project and visited schools to do outreach programs.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: April Taylor

Keywords: Idaho Mathematics Content Standards, Conceptual understandings, Math Teaching Practices, task-based learning, Problem-based learning

Strand Description: Calling all math teachers! Elevate your impact with the Idaho Standards Academy: A grade level focused professional learning opportunity designed to enhance your understanding of math content and teaching moves! Backed by transformative research-aligned strategies, this academy is your gateway to enhancing your mathematical knowledge for teaching. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and grow with your Regional Math Center specialists.

Your kits will/may include: Teachers will receive a kit with materials that can be used to teach their Proportional Relationships unit including manipulatives, content standards supplementary materials, math games, books, and more.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Tyler Colling

Keywords: Diesel Technology, Diesel Generators, Can Bus

Strand Description: In this strand we will cover precision measuring devices used in the Diesel Technology field (micrometers, calipers). Proper fastener identification will be discussed in depth. Digital volt ohm meters will be issued, proper use of meters will be covered as well as hands on stations where students will put their meter skills to use to practice what they learn. Electrical schematics will be covered and diesel-powered machines will be setup for students to put into practice what they learn from our electrical schematic and DVOM class. Can Bus be discussed as well as how to troubleshoot using a DVOM and example wave forms will be displayed on a Pico Scope. Diesel powered generators will also be covered on the final day.

Your kits will/may include: The participants will receive a Fluke 117 Digital volt ohm meter. If I can work out the discount with Fluke we will also supply a Fundamentals of Electrical Troubleshooting book. Costs outlined in budget. This kit will allow the participants to return to their classroom with the knowledge and a capable meter to demonstrate electrical know how to their students.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Marci Reddish

Keywords: Idaho Mathematics Content Standards, Conceptual understandings, Math Teaching Practices, task-based learning, Problem-based learning

Strand Description: Calling all math teachers! Elevate your impact with the Idaho Standards Academy: A grade level focused professional learning opportunity designed to enhance your understanding of math content and teaching moves! Backed by transformative research-aligned strategies, this academy is your gateway to enhancing your mathematical knowledge for teaching. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and grow with your Regional Math Center specialists.

Your kits will/may include: Teachers will receive a kit with materials that can be used to teach their Proportional Relationships unit including manipulatives, content standards supplementary materials, math games, books, and more.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Carol Hicks

Keywords: Idaho Mathematics Content Standards, Conceptual understandings, Math Teaching Practices, task-based learning, Problem-based learning

Strand Description: Calling all math teachers! Elevate your impact with the Idaho Standards Academy: A grade level focused professional learning opportunity designed to enhance your understanding of math content and teaching moves! Backed by transformative research-aligned strategies, this academy is your gateway to enhancing your mathematical knowledge for teaching. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn and grow with your Regional Math Center specialists.

Your kits will/may include: Teachers will receive a kit with materials that can be used to teach their ratios and proportional relationships unit including manipulatives, content standards supplementary materials, math games, books, and more.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment