Collaborating with regional workforce enhances the depth of career-focused education, forging valuable connections for both sides. Explore how the LASTEM initiative seamlessly integrates career exploration across K-20 classrooms, empowering learners with practical skills and real-world insights.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave equipped with the knowledge of key contacts within corporations for effective outreach projects. Additionally, they'll grasp the significance of aligning lesson plans with career exploration to deepen student comprehension.

SPEAKERS:
Jenny McLeod (Central Creativity: Laurel, MS), Clint Coleman (Louisiana Board of Regents: No City, No State)

This Workshop aims to explore the transformative potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in daily classroom operations. Educators will delve into innovative strategies for leveraging AI in lesson planning, activity creation, and teaching students to utilize it as a tool in the classroom.

TAKEAWAYS:
Educators will gain skills to seamlessly integrate AI into teaching, with hands-on experience using AI-driven tools and resources to confidently apply AI in real-world settings. This leads to dynamic, effective learning environments where AI complements traditional methods.

SPEAKERS:
Gabiela Torres (Teacher: Las Vegas, NV)

Dr. Michael Hammond-Todd (Utah Tech University) will be presenting the (STEAM)2 - STEAM Squared model of lesson design for formal and informal K-12 educators that connects the STEM curriculum to inclusive practice by combining STEAM with NASA's Artemis 2 Program in a very interactive workshop.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants and STEM educators will be able to use the (STEAM)2 model to explore NASA's Artemis 2 program within the context of inclusive lesson design based on the contextual factors and diversity of their learners. You will also be able to explore this model within your own educational ideas.

SPEAKERS:
Michael Hammond-Todd (Utah Tech University: No City, No State)

This is a two part workshop in which we will delve into the power of plants, our connection to the natural world, and build a culture of curiosity, while we generate questions that lead to larger scientific connections. Participants will learn the processes of naturally dyeing fabric, experiment with the PH levels of our dye to observe how it affects color, and ultimately produce a freshly dyed bandana. We will also explore the relationship between tannins found in plants and iron oxide by making botanical prints on fabrics. This is a way to transform textiles and get curious about compounds and chemical reactions. Participants will gain experience practicing and witnessing natural phenomena as a means of sensemaking together. Get curious and creative with us!

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will leave with the tools to facilitate two activities that weave together art, science, and the natural world. We will be working with food, PH levels, and chemical reactions to create printed and dyed textiles to take back to our communities and classrooms.

SPEAKERS:
Mallory Schmackpfeffer (School Programs Coordinator: , AL), Hannah Corbin (Summer and Afterschool Program Coordinator: Shelburne, VT)

Explore two museum-school partnership models that integrate best practices in outdoor and environmental education to connect urban K - 8 students to place-based learning through teacher professional development and direct student engagement both in the classroom and outdoors.

TAKEAWAYS:
Participants will dive deeper into the ways these programs allow schools to partner with cultural institutions, connecting them to resources and building teacher capacity through supported outdoor experiences, to connect K-8 students with the nature in their neighborhood and city.

SPEAKERS:
Melissa Siska (Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum: Chicago, IL)

Connecting audiences to deep-sea habitats and the impacts humans can have on them is challenging. Creative hands-on activities, stunning videos, and talking to scientists at sea in real time brings an important ecosystem they may never see to them instead!

TAKEAWAYS:
After hands-on demonstrations of new, interactive educational materials and a viewing of highlights from livestream broadcasts, formal and informal educators and community leaders will leave the session with access to ready-to-use deep-sea activities for all ages, from “K to Gray".

SPEAKERS:
Sasha Francis (Gulf Restoration Education & Outreach Manager: , TX)

Session participants will experience the immersive Half-Earth Project map to explore our planet's richness and fragility. Then, they will learn to utilize ARC-GIS Story Maps to transform scientific content and data into compelling narratives suitable for non-formal and formal environments.

TAKEAWAYS:
In this session, attendees will be introduced to RC-GIS Story Maps and learn to create simple, learner-centered resources. They will also receive materials to support the continued application of this tool and facilitate student-created content.

SPEAKERS:
Claire Lannoye-Hall (Detroit Zoological Society: Royal Oak, MI), Jocelyn Miller (E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation: Durham, NC)

A unique and open-ended STEM investigation that incorporates absolute and relative dating techniques, anomalies, historical context, volcanoes, solar proton events, energy cycles, Earth systems, terrestrial events, and supernovas by analyzing 430 years of Earth history from 1562 to 1992.

TAKEAWAYS:
In constructing knowledge, there is no definitive answer, only plausible conclusions based on constructing, analyzing, and comparing data and research from multiple disciplines. This investigation provides a better understanding of the scientific process of developing models and defending results.

SPEAKERS:
Donna Young (NASA/NSO/UoL Program Manager: Laughlin, NV)

"Welcome to your first day at NASA, engineers! We need your help." "Today we will learn about aerospace engineering." Which got you more excited? The power of immersion is a strong, oft-overlooked tool! Come explore how to leverage this tool with any curriculum using a wide range of techniques.

TAKEAWAYS:
Hand over agency to students using the transformative power of immersion! We will delve into curriculum strategies and examples that lead to active participation and deeper understanding. You will have the chance to apply these principles and leave with your own example of an enhanced activity!

SPEAKERS:
Rowan Dell-deRonde (STEM Outreach Coordinator: , VA)

Discover how learning the process of podcasting can help individuals, teachers, students, and anyone communicate better and learn more effectively together. This is an interactive workshop on the science of connection through the process of producing an audio conversation.

TAKEAWAYS:
This session will make an impact on the study of conversational learning, creative development, interview skills, research, well-being, and creating strong connections.

SPEAKERS:
Camara Rauen (Creative Communication Workshop Facilitator)