i-STEM at North Idaho College

Strand Provider: Julie Anderson

Strand Description: The Artemis III Challenge is a step-by-step Project Based Learning unit that will take you and your students on a journey to the moon! Some of the activities in your mission will involve creating a mission patch unique to our area, designing and blasting off a rocket, constructing a habitat with a water system, and building and coding a LEGO rover to explore the moon. The mission will include keeping a digital journal with pictures of research, delving into issues related to each challenge and giving evidence of ideas for each of the 10 activities in the mission. Teachers can use the extensions to make the unit longer or shorter depending on time constraints. This course has been used successfully in the classroom, during afterschool programs and for summer camps.

Your kits will/may include: Your kit will include a Lego Spike Prime kit from which you will build a rover and learn how to code it through numerous challenges. Your kit will also include a launcher for a 2 liter bottle rocket that you can reuse with your class, a 3D pen to design your habitat, and Brown Dog Gadgets solar powered pack of paper rovers. These tools will help you learn about the challenges of your mission as we explore this PBL unit of design.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Heather Cunningham

Strand Description: Trailblazing with BeeBots: Idaho’s Path to Early CS Learning is four days of hands-on professional development designed to introduce K-2 educators to foundational coding and computational thinking skills through the use of BeeBots, simple programmable robots. This training connects coding activities to Idaho’s local industries, such as agriculture, logistics, and environmental monitoring, providing educators with engaging, real-world contexts for teaching STEM concepts. Participants will learn to design classroom or after-school program lessons that align with state standards, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration in young learners. By integrating industry-relevant scenarios, such as simulating crop patterns or navigating delivery routes, this training equips teachers to inspire students with meaningful, localized applications of coding.

Your kit will/may include: Each kit includes six BeeBots and a charging hive, providing ample resources to support individual student engagement at a center or facilitate collaborative group activities for up to six groups in a whole-class setting. Additionally, the kit features lesson plans and printable resources designed to support seamless implementation, empowering educators to integrate coding and problem-solving activities into their classroom with ease.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Lynette Leonard

Strand Description: This hands-on workshop helps educators integrate 3D printing into their classrooms, fostering creativity and innovation in student projects. Teachers will learn the basics of 3D printing, design prototypes, and gain experience with printing tools and software. Focusing on project-based learning (PBL), participants will align 3D printing with curriculum standards to create real-world learning opportunities. Educators will develop 3-4 PBLs they can implement right away, encouraging students to solve problems through design and technology. Participants will have lesson plans, strategies, and a 3D printer to bring back to their classrooms, incorporating design and printing with Idaho content standards and cross-cutting concepts.

Your Kit will/may include: Participants will receive a comprehensive kit designed to support 3D printing integration in the classroom, including a 3D pen for students to explore design concepts and a 3D printer with several rolls of filament for hands-on creation. The kit also includes a Pro Grade 3D Printer Tool Kit, equipped with all the necessary tools for removing, cleaning, and finishing 3D prints, ensuring seamless maintenance. Additionally, educators will receive books and project-based learning (PBL) lessons that align 3D printing with curriculum standards, helping them foster student creativity and problem-solving through meaningful projects. This kit equips educators with the tools and resources to bring innovative design and prototyping experiences into their classrooms.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Rick Stoddard

Strand Description: This hands-on training is designed to empower educators with practical tools and strategies to integrate data collection (using the plethora of built in sensors of Databot) as well as coding in their teaching practices. Over four days, participants will engage in interactive activities, explore cutting-edge technology, and collaborate on lesson plans that inspire inquiry-based learning. By the end of this training, educators will leave equipped with new skills, ready-to-use lesson plans, and the confidence to bring these exciting concepts to their classrooms.

Your Kit will/may include: Participants in the “Databots Can Do A Lot Strand” will receive a comprehensive kit designed to support seamless integration of STEM concepts into their classrooms. The kit includes a Databot, a versatile sensor-based device for data collection and programming activities, equipped with tools like temperature probes, accelerometers, and gesture sensors. Additionally, educators will receive laminated graph paper, Vis-à-Vis markers, sheet music, and other activity materials to facilitate interactive lessons. A small greenhouse kit is also included, allowing teachers to create a micro-ecosystem for data collection and exploration. This strand is tailored for late elementary, middle school, and high school educators from any discipline, ensuring they have the resources and confidence to deliver engaging, hands-on STEM experiences to their students.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Penni Aufderheide Keck

Strand Description: In the “Exploring STEM with Adobe Express” strand, students will engage in a dynamic learning experience that combines creativity with scientific inquiry. This strand emphasizes the integration of technology into the classroom, enabling students to create digital posters that illustrate complex scientific concepts related to ecosystems. Through hands-on activities, students will utilize Adobe Express to enhance their visual communication skills while exploring the interdependence of living organisms. Students will develop critical thinking and presentation skills by participating in collaborative brainstorming sessions, guided practice, and a gallery walk presentation. This innovative approach makes learning more engaging and promotes a deeper understanding of ecological relationships, ultimately preparing students for future challenges in science and technology.

Your Kit will/may include: The kit could include a color printer with printer paper, access to Brain Buffet and Adobe Express, and a couple of books to help with teaching design to students.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Tammie Schrader

Strand Description: The four-day STEM workshop immerses participants in the dynamic world of game-based learning, demonstrating how games can transform STEM education into an engaging, interactive experience. Each day focuses on a specific aspect of STEM—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—using a mix of board games, digital simulations, and hands-on game design activities tailored to enhance conceptual understanding and problem-solving skills. Participants will explore how thoughtfully selected games can foster collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity, while also addressing diverse learning needs. Guided by experienced educators and game designers, attendees will engage in breakout sessions where they’ll adapt and create games aligned with STEM curriculum goals, test their designs, and reflect on their impact. By the end of the workshop, participants will leave equipped with practical strategies and customizable game-based tools to inspire curiosity and deepen learning in their classrooms or educational programs.

Your Kit will/may include: The Game-Based Workshop Kit is a comprehensive resource designed to bring creativity and engagement to a week-long game-based learning experience. This kit includes versatile tools such as dice, customizable cards, and a variety of game pieces, enabling participants to design, play, and adapt games for educational purposes. Each component is crafted for flexibility, supporting activities that span multiple subjects and skill levels. The dice can be used for probability exercises, storytelling prompts, or randomizing gameplay events, while the cards serve as versatile tools for creating question decks, challenges, or scenarios. The game pieces provide tactile elements to foster hands-on exploration and enhance immersion in board game setups or simulation activities. Ideal for educators, students, and facilitators, this kit encourages collaboration, problem-solving, and strategic thinking, equipping participants with the resources to design meaningful, curriculum-aligned games by the workshop’s conclusion.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Courtney Greene

Strand Description: The arts, social studies, science, and physical education all have engaging mathematics within them. In this session teachers will learn how to use children’s literature and games to deepen student’s content knowledge through the promotion of mathematical discourse.

Your Kit will/may include: Participants will receive professional books, children’s literature, games, and supplies for students to create math masterpieces. These materials will help teachers provide activities for students across content areas that support math content and promote discourse.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Sonia Galaviz

Strand Description: Educators participating in the Ready, Set, Drone! iSTEM training will learn how to use drones to teach STEM in an exciting, real-world context. By engaging with the curriculum first as learners, educators gain the content knowledge necessary to teach their students, including what drones are, how drones work, piloting skills, regulations and real-world applications. We will engage in a student-centered, learn-by-doing approach. While guiding educators through the curriculum, we will model how to engage learners in the real-world practices of scientists and engineers. These practices include generating questions, engaging in scientific inquiry, recording ideas in interactive science notebooks, testing solutions using the iterative design process, working as a team to solve problems and reflecting to learn from past mistakes. Discussions highlight the pedagogy employed and are designed to help educators facilitate these experiences competently and confidently with various age groups.

Your Kit will/may include: Participants in the “Ready, Set, Drone!” iSTEM training will receive both digital and hard copies of classroom-ready materials, including lesson plans, slide decks, and drone flight challenges, all shared via a Google folder for easy customization. Educators will learn to use drones to teach STEM in a real-world context, gaining essential knowledge about drones, their functions, piloting skills, regulations, and applications.
The provided kit includes:

• 6 CoDrone Mini Drones and Controllers
• 24 CoDrone Mini Batteries and 6 Chargers
• 1 LiPo Safe Storage Bag
• 6 BrickLAB Brick Packs
• 30 Safety Glasses
• 1 print copy of the Ready, Set, Drone! 3rd Edition Instructor Guide
• A set of Ready, Set, Drone! posters
• Digital access to the Ready, Set, Drone! 3rd Edition curriculum

These resources empower educators to bring engaging, hands-on STEM learning experiences to their classrooms.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment

Strand Provider: Jennifer Rude

Strand Description: Go outside with STEM! The Nature of STEM is a fun, hands-on learning experience giving educators the knowledge and confidence to take learners outside to enhance learning in all content areas. Using “Wild Learning: A Practical Guide to Bring Teaching Outdoors” and the Project Learning Tree Teacher’s Guide, we will explore how to meet Idaho state standards with outdoor STEM activities. Educators will gain a new perspective on the benefits of outdoor learning and leave with strategies and tools to enjoy successful outdoor learning experiences with their students.

Your Kit will/may include: Participants will receive kits that include “Wild Learning: A Practical Guide to Bring Teaching Outdoors, “the Project Learning Tree Teacher’s Guide, “Awesome Outdoor Experiments For Kids”, a backpack with supplies to get started with outdoor learning, a classroom set of tree cookies, nature guides, and supplies for a variety of outdoor activities.

Setting(s): Formal Classroom, Informal Learning Environment