Come check out dynamic block-based coding tools such as Finch, Meowbits, Drones, etc. Students witness their code leap from the computer into a physical form , from robots to interactive games. It's education brought to life in an electrifying way!
Science Program Consultant, Iowa Department of Education
I taught high school science for fifteen years in Bettendorf before becoming the district's STEM Coordinator for eight years. I have been at the Iowa Department of Education since August 2022. In terms of specialties, I would include science education and research, computer science... Read More →
Join high schoolers from Team Neutrino, a FIRST Robotics Competition team! Experience our innovative STEM activities and curriculum, captivating and empowering diverse audiences. Hear our perspective as students teaching students and our mission to inspire STEM! Watch our robot in action and compete for a (gently used) Snap Circuits kit!
Join the 2021 Kentucky Teacher of the Year Donnie Piercey to discover how AI and coding can enhance your classroom. Perfect for beginners—no coding experience needed! Learn simple, innovative ways to engage your students and enrich your teaching with AI tools.
Donnie Piercey is the 2021 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, and he specializes in using technology to promote student inquiry and engagement. Over the past sixteen years of teaching, these interests have given him the chance to represent his class all around the world, including a National... Read More →
Monday October 21, 2024 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
302/303
Experience a day in the life of a Thinking Classroom student from entry to exit. Where do I sit? What do I use? What do I do? What do I write? What did I learn and how do I show it? For all grade levels and all content areas! BTC Presentation Link
This session will be your one-stop shop for launching a successful STEM Lab/Maker Space! We'll delve into simple STEM concepts and explore engaging Maker ideas to get your space up and running. Join us on a journey, following the transformation of a blank canvas into a vibrant hub of creativity and innovation. Discover how you can embark on this journey yourself and empower your students to become the next generation of problem-solvers and inventors.
Classroom Teacher, Southeast Polk Community School District
Dr. Kim McCoy-Parker is in her tenth year of teaching fifth grade at Four Mile Elementary in the Southeast Polk CSD. She also serves as the STEAM lab coordinator and model teacher. In 2022, Kim was awarded the PLTW Outstanding Teacher Award. She completed her doctorate degree... Read More →
We will talk about how we have grown our Special Olympics and Peer STEM class to encompass robotics, movement, engineering challenges, and computer science all while teaching about empathy, friendship and inclusion.
EMDC Presentation and Resources A low-cost STEM program that tasks groups of 3-12 students to build a complex machine using everyday objects. Students utilize their science and engineering, public speaking, critical thinking, teamwork, time management, artistic skills, and so much more to present for judges from industry, all while having fun and building memories.
My name is Amy Price and this is my 10th year of teaching. My first two years were spent at Northwood-Kensett and ever since then I have been at Sumner-Fredericksburg High School, Sumner, IA. I currently teach Physical Science, Physics, Principles of Engineering, and Digital Electronics... Read More →
Struggling to find an unplugged activity that teaches problem-solving and meets standards? Join this session to explore Turing Tumble! One of the 2024/25 STEM Scale-Up programs for Iowa, Turing Tumble challenges students to learn coding principles hands-on, screen-free, by building marble-powered computers.
Ready to take your STEAM initiative to the next level? Feeling overwhelmed by the transition to STEAM education? This session is designed to ignite your creativity! This session delves into the power of multi-grade level collaboration! We'll equip you with resources and strategies to design engaging, cross-curricular projects that bridge age groups. Discover how to leverage different grade levels' unique strengths and perspectives, fostering a dynamic learning environment where students can support and learn from one another. Join us as we explore the magic of multi-grade collaboration and unlock more profound learning experiences for all your students!
Classroom Teacher, Southeast Polk Community School District
Dr. Kim McCoy-Parker is in her tenth year of teaching fifth grade at Four Mile Elementary in the Southeast Polk CSD. She also serves as the STEAM lab coordinator and model teacher. In 2022, Kim was awarded the PLTW Outstanding Teacher Award. She completed her doctorate degree... Read More →
Unlock the potential of LEGO Education Spike Essential kits to revolutionize STEM and computer science education for all ages! Join us for a hands-on session exploring an innovative way to integrate LEGO builds into your Social-Emotional curriculum. Learn how to inspire collaboration, creativity, and encourage problem-solving. Leave with Legos in hand and dreams for your classroom.
Explore creative ways to enhance elementary library programming by weaving storytelling with hands-on STEM challenges. Revitalize library centers with mini STEM challenges inspired by stories, sparking curiosity and fostering a love for learning in young minds.
This engaging and interactive session will explore the powerful intersection of storytelling and computer science to enhance literacy skills among K-5 students. As educators and administrators, you will discover innovative ways to integrate coding and robotics into your literacy curriculum, providing students with unique opportunities to develop their technical and language skills.
Jamie Guidry has 8 years of experience in the classroom. She is passionate about innovative and engaging teaching methods. Her expertise in project-based learning and focus on incorporating the latest teaching methods have made her a valuable asset in the education world. Jamie brings... Read More →
Shannon McClintock Miller is an international speaker, consultant and author who has a passion for education, librarianship, advocacy, technology, social media and making a difference in the world and lives of others, especially children.Shannon serves as the preschool-12th grade... Read More →
Embed literacy resources into your STEM/STEAM instruction using seamless integration with TeachingBooks. Listen to authors who motivate students and inspire exploration through problem-solving. Discover resources that support STEM/STEAM standards, challenge all learners, and engage critical thinking. Access to TeachingBooks provided to accredited public and non-public PreK-12 schools via AEA.
Implementation & Training Specialist, TeachingBooks, OverDrive
Mary Ellen Graf is an Implementation and Training Specialist for TeachingBooks and a licensed educator with a master's in teaching. She taught in a variety of settings before beginning her role with TeachingBooks in 2016. She has presented at the conferences such as Wisconsin Library... Read More →
Dive into the exciting world of 3D printing with this Tinkercad introductory session designed for beginners! This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of 3D printing technology, covering its history, fundamental concepts, and various applications.
Brittany Zimpfer is a passionate STEAM educator from Iowa Falls, IA. She graduated from Buena Vista University in 2018 with a degree in education. In 2023 she earned a Masters of Education with an emphasis in Computer Science from Northwestern College. With six years of teaching... Read More →
Samantha Dahlby is a recovering software engineer with passions for public transportation, kids, and technology. She currently works at the New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative (NewBoCo), a nonprofit in Cedar Rapids, as the Director of K–12 Education. Samantha promotes and supports K–12 computer science education in Iowa, oversees NewBoCo’s K–12 programs for students and educators, and tries to find as much time as possible to play with technology and kids... Read More →
I love technology and finding ways to connect my students technology interests to our community. My students get active in Work Based Learning in the Cedar Valley and I find amazing value in it. Our local employers are great to communicate and work with. Ask me what we do to... Read More →
Come and explore how Challenge Based Learning and the agile framework can empower educators to cultivate digitally fluent learners. Engage in hands-on experiences with podcasting, app development, and virtual reality, and discover how to transition all learners from tech consumers to creators and contributors. Then together we will collaborate on how Challenge Based Learning can impact communities as students create real products for authentic audiences, fostering meaningful connections between classroom learning and real-world challenges.
As librarians and teachers, we cultivate amazing places in our libraries and classrooms for making through Makerspaces and opportunities using technology. Have you thought about how literacy, such as picture books, chapter books, nonfiction, and even student created projects, fit into these opportunities and Makerspaces? Shannon McClintock Miller and Megan Muyskens will show you how to bring literacy to life through making and with digital tools and apps, in a fun, creative and exciting session that will be filled with project ideas, wonderful books that encourage making, meaningful moments to tie in STEM and so much more. They will leave you inspired to bring making, STEM and technology to your classroom and library, in person and virtually through literacy every day.
My name is Megan Muyskens, and I am proud to introduce myself as the Representative of Capstone for Iowa and Nebraska. I have a deep-rooted passion for literacy & STEM education.With a career that started seven years ago in Van Meter, Iowa as a fifth grade teacher that evolved to... Read More →
Shannon McClintock Miller is an international speaker, consultant and author who has a passion for education, librarianship, advocacy, technology, social media and making a difference in the world and lives of others, especially children.Shannon serves as the preschool-12th grade... Read More →
Tuesday October 22, 2024 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
307
Bring geometry to life through interactive coding! This workshop explores how Finch Robots can transform your math classroom. We'll delve into an engaging activity for fifth-graders, where they'll code the Finch to justify geometric properties. Step into their shoes – participate in the hands-on coding activity and experience the challenges and collaborative discussions your students will encounter. We'll then reflect on the activity's implementation, sharing successful strategies and recommendations to seamlessly integrate it into your own curriculum. Leave feeling empowered to ignite student engagement through feedback, revision, and the power of coding with Finch Robots!
Classroom Teacher, Southeast Polk Community School District
Dr. Kim McCoy-Parker is in her tenth year of teaching fifth grade at Four Mile Elementary in the Southeast Polk CSD. She also serves as the STEAM lab coordinator and model teacher. In 2022, Kim was awarded the PLTW Outstanding Teacher Award. She completed her doctorate degree... Read More →
Tuesday October 22, 2024 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
313
Learn how to develop resilient learners with maker challenges. You will discover what makes them different from makerspaces. And you'll see examples of how to structure challenges as you experience some for yourself. You’ll leave with ideas that span all grade levels and abilities, and that fit in any budget.
Instructional Technology Coach, Cedar Falls Community School District
Hello everyone! While I've been in public education for over 19 years, this is my third year as an Instructional Technology Coach. I taught kindergarten for eight years, then switched to 5th/6th grade for an additional eight years. This K-6 background has given me a comprehensive... Read More →
Hi! This is year 20 for me in public education. For the first 11 years of my teaching career, I was a 2nd grade teacher at Hansen Elementary in Cedar Falls. I took on the job of Tech Integration for coach for 3 years- then became a full time virtual 2nd grade teacher during Covid... Read More →
Tuesday October 22, 2024 12:00pm - 12:50pm CDT
312
This session will talk about how my 6th graders used 3D printing by designing keychains and fidgets, identifying design flaws, and marketing their creations in an authentic learning experience. Hear how they had to aim to produce cost-effective items and maximize profits by "selling" them to fellow students.
Hi! This is year 20 for me in public education. For the first 11 years of my teaching career, I was a 2nd grade teacher at Hansen Elementary in Cedar Falls. I took on the job of Tech Integration for coach for 3 years- then became a full time virtual 2nd grade teacher during Covid... Read More →
In this presentation, we delve into the dynamic world of school makerspace technology and its transformative impact on equipping students with essential career skills. Makerspaces, as innovative learning environments, not only foster creativity and hands-on learning but also play a pivotal role in preparing students for future careers.
