Session Summary:

Sure, it's easy to add some creative opportunities for students when there's lots of time, or when it's a STEM class.

But how can we squeeze some creativity into any classroom on any given day?

Chris Woods shares some simple resources & ideas for helping you add some creativity every day to your classroom.

About:

Math Teacher

Chris Woods has been inspiring kids as a math & science teacher for over 25 years. In addition to his work in the classroom, Chris wrote the book "Daily STEM: How to Create a STEM Culture in Your Classrooms & Communities," shares free STEM resources on his website http://dailystem.com & @‌dailystem on social media, and is the host of “The STEM Everyday Podcast”

Chris loves finding creative ways to inspire students, especially by adding STEM to every classroom & making STEM accessible to families at home.  He believes that STEM is not a class we teach, it's a culture we build.

Chris has been happily married to his wife Sue for 27 years & has 3 great kids--

Social Media: 

https://x.com/dailystem

https://www.instagram.com/dailystem/

https://www.youtube.com/@dailystem

https://dailystem.com/

Session Summary:

Creativity isn’t just for the art room—it’s the driving force behind innovation in STEM. In this session, we’ll dive into strategies that foster creativity in your classroom and empower students to think beyond the blueprint.

Drawing inspiration from Dr. E. Paul Torrance and his Four Principles of Creativity—Fluency, Flexibility, Originality, and Elaboration—we'll explore how these ideas come to life through STEM experiences.

Together, we'll dissect the creative process and uncover how to guide students through challenges that spark imagination and inventive thinking. You’ll gain practical tools and ready-to-implement activities that encourage students to take risks, embrace the unknown, and stretch their ideas further.

Whether you’re designing the next big engineering challenge or refining a familiar lesson, come discover how to engineer a classroom culture where creativity thrives.

About:

K-5 STEM Teacher, Carly and Adam Curriculum Developer

I'm a mother of four daughters and the wife of a retired soldier. I taught in New York and Germany before we settled in Texas. With a decade of experience as a classroom teacher, I transitioned to STEM education in 2021.

Currently, I oversee the STEM program for our K-5 students on a local Air Force Base. Additionally, I have the honor of collaborating with Carly & Adam on developing STEM curriculum for our wonderful group!

Social Media: 

@‌stem_tasticmama

Session Summary:

Embrace the spirit of creativity—one of the four Cs of STEM—and sprinkle it like confetti!

Join Stephanie Higgs, @‌littlemissgifted, for an exciting journey where imagination knows no bounds, and every page turned opens a new door to inspiration! Let’s celebrate creativity together!

In this dynamic session, Stephanie invites teachers to explore the magic of beloved picture books filled with rich, colorful images that ignite student creativity!

You’ll learn lesson planning skills to turn pages into endless possibilities, discovering innovative thinking models rooted in research-based and evidence-based creative and critical thinking skills. From Roger Eberle’s SCAMPER to deBono’s Six Thinking Hats, this action-packed session will leave you wishing away summer so you can get back to your classroom and implement these strategies with your students right away!

Your new creativity teaching tool belt will support your learners as they become critical and creative thinkers and adept problem-solvers in your STEM classroom and beyond!

About:

Gifted Educator & Differentiation Coach

Stephanie Higgs, @‌littlemissgifted on Instagram, is an award-winning, Nashville-living gifted educator and differentiation coach.

Stephanie is a quick thinking, fast talking, passionate international presenter, featuring sessions with immediate, easily implemented, research and evidence-based, FUN takeaways.

Stephanie’s your #1 hype girl, here to love and serve. You’ll leave her session energized, equipped, and empowered for an educational glow up!

Social Media: 

https://x.com/littlemissgifted 

http://www.thelittlemissgifted.com

Session Summary:

This session is an introduction to GeoGebra’s dynamic mathematics software for all levels of education with an emphasis in elementary level. 

Attendees will learn how to find free, ready-to-use resources that can be used with students the very next day.

These resources can be easily shared through GeoGebra Classroom where student progress can be monitored in real time.

About:

Mathematics Educator, Author #MathPlay, #EdTech Consultant

Libo Valencia is a mathematics teacher at Horace Greeley High School in Chappaqua, NY. He is an adjunct lecturer at his alma mater CUNY Lehman College and also enjoys teaching at the Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) at Mercy University.

With fifteen years of experience, Libo is a passionate educator who strongly believes that understanding mathematics can help all students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that can be utilized beyond the classroom.

Libo is known for his constant use of different technologies to engage his students by bringing math concepts to life. As a mathematics educator, Libo has taught a wide range of subjects, from remedial algebra classes to upper-level calculus. He is committed to helping spread the joy of mathematics through MathPlay,

Libo wholeheartedly believes that facilitating #MathPlay helps students develop a deeper appreciation for math and empowers them to better understand it. He has presented and facilitated workshops related to Math Play and his professional experiences for educators across North America and the United Kingdom.

Libo holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics, a Master of Arts in Pure Mathematics, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership.

Social Media: 

https://www.facebook.com/MrValencia24

https://x.com/MrValencia24

https://www.instagram.com/mrvalencia24/

https://bsky.app/profile/mrvalencia24.bsky.social

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mrvalencia24/

https://www.youtube.com/@MrValencia24

http://libovalencia.com

Session Summary:

Come have some fun with Shannon McClintock Miller as we explore 10 creative, meaningful, and super fun ways to bring learning and reading to life through technology, making, and more.

Shannon will walk us through 10 amazing projects, with lots of books and connections to digital resources like PebbleGO, her favorite digital tool Book Creator, and bringing learning to life with Merge and Quiver AR.

She will give you lots of practical and creative tips and tricks, plus wonderful examples shared along the way.

You will be ready to take these ideas back to your classrooms and libraries, and you will have a new tool box of amazing resources to use, too!

About:

District Teacher Librarian at Van Meter Community School, Speaker, Author

Shannon is an international speaker, consultant, and author.

She is the preschool-12th grade district teacher librarian at Van Meter Community School District in Iowa. She currently serves as the Future Ready Librarians Leader, working with librarians, educators, and students around the world every day.

Shannon is Book Creator's Future Ready Advocate and Capstone's Champion. She is a Follett Thought Leader. Shannon is the author of the award winning The Library Voice blog.

Shannon’s newest book, Sonia’s Digital World, made its debut in August 2023 in partnership with Capstone and ISTE. And in the summer of 2025, Sonia and her friends will appear again in a brand new chapter book series that Shannon is currently working on with Capstone and ISTE again.

She has also written 12 children’s books about library skills and Makerspaces with Capstone; wrote Leading from the Library with her writing partner Bill Bass and ISTE; and has contributed to several other professional books about libraries and education.

In 2014, Shannon was named a Library Journal Mover and Shaker. In 2016, she was awarded the Making it Happen Award by ISTE.  In 2018, she was awarded the AASL Leadership Luminary Social Media Superstar.  In 2024, Shannon was honored as one of District Administration's Top 100 Influencers.

And her most favorite role of all....proud mom of 3 amazing kids and lucky wife of Eric's.

Social Media: 

https://www.facebook.com/shannonmcclintockmiller/

https://x.com/shannonmmiller

https://www.instagram.com/shannonmmiller/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannonmcclintockmiller/

http://thelibraryvoice.com

Session Summary:

Rethink traditional methods and empower students to create and innovate in the classroom!

Learn ideas to harness the power of creation over consumption and how to promote a highly engaging classroom environment.

About:

Teachers, Speakers and co-authors of The InterACTIVE Class Series

Kristin and Joe are teachers and authors of the InterACTIVE Class series.

Together, they put a spin on traditional strategies by infusing EdTech with learning that meets the needs of all students.

Social Media: 

http://www.facebook.com/TheMerrillsedu

http://www.x.com/TheMerrillsedu

http://www.instagram.com/TheMerrillsedu

http://www.tiktok.com/@TheMerrillsedu

http://www.themerrillsedu.com

Session Summary:

Great teaching starts with passion! This inspiring session will explore how elementary educators can harness their personal creative interests—whether it's science fiction, art, music, or storytelling—to spark curiosity and engagement in STEM learning.

Drawing on Andrea’s love for sci-fi and her expertise in multimedia storytelling, this session will highlight how imaginative world-building, futuristic problem-solving, and creative thinking can make STEM concepts more exciting and accessible for young learners.

Educators will leave with fresh insights, practical ideas, and new ways to integrate their own passions into the classroom, transforming everyday lessons into immersive learning experiences that captivate and inspire students.

About:

Digital Storyteller/Marketing

Andrea Calvin is an innovative multimedia storyteller and educator working in educational media, community journalism, and curriculum design. Passionate about making complex ideas accessible, Andrea specializes in using storytelling, digital tools, and hands-on activities to spark creativity and engagement in the classroom.

With a deep passion for fostering creativity in young learners, Andrea helps educators transform their classrooms into dynamic spaces where curiosity, collaboration, and problem-solving thrive.

Whether through digital media, maker spaces, or storytelling, their mission is to empower teachers with innovative strategies to ignite a love of STEM in every student.

Session Summary:

Whether you are just starting or a Grand-Master, Erik will be presenting how to use Tinkercad, a CAD-program to get students started with 3D-Design.

We will be covering all the basics up to the new sim-lab features.

Easy to start projects as well as simply assessments will also be covered.

About:

Middle School Engineering Teacher

Erik has been a STEM educator for almost 20 years, he started working in Museum Education and eventually found his way in the classroom.

Erik's speciality is creating fun, hand on accessible lesson for everyone. That don't break the bank.

Social Media: 

https://x.com/MrSTEmurray

https://www.instagram.com/mrstemurray

Session Summary:

Every educator faces a variety of constraints in their teaching—limited resources, time restrictions, classroom space, professional development opportunities, and community partnerships, among others.

Despite these challenges, an educator's mindset toward STEM can break down the barriers that restrict students' opportunities to express themselves creatively.

Join this session to open your eyes, engage your hands, and unlock your mind to create the conditions that liberate students' curiosity and creativity, both at home and at school.

About:

K-5 Engineering Teacher

Ekuwah Mends Moses is a national award-winning educator, published author-illustrator of two nonfiction picture books, and an international keynote speaker.

Ekuwah is a specialist who teaches K-5th grade Engineering to approximately 750 students on a seven-day rotation.

Social Media: 

https://www.facebook.com/EkuwahMAuthor

https://x.com/ekuwah

https://www.instagram.com/ekuwah_m/

https://bsky.app/profile/ekuwah.bsky.social

http://www.ekuwah.com

Session Summary:

STEM has long honored logic-driven thinkers - those who excel at patterns, rules, and structured problem-solving. But what about students who thrive in open-ended, creative environments? What if engineering could be a space for imagination, exploration, and wonder?

This session explores strategies for infusing creative thinking into STEM, making it more accessible to all learners - including those who don’t see themselves as “STEM kids.” What if, instead of just engineering, we taught students to imagineer?

Whether you're looking to spark joy in early childhood STEM or reimagine how creativity fits into engineering, this session will provide inspiration and tools to bring playful exploration into your teaching practice.

About:

PreK-4 STEM Specialist

Brittney Tarr works as a PreK-4 STEM specialist at Thomas Metcalf Laboratory School and an educational consultant for STEM teachers across the country. She holds a master's degree in special education and a graduate certificate in STEM Education and Leadership, and is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in teaching and learning from Illinois State University.

Her research interests include early childhood STEM education and STEM identity. Her professional goals aim to ensure access to high-quality STEM education for all students, particularly those from underrepresented groups.

Social Media: 

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=30822345

https://www.instagram.com/adventures_with_mstarr/

Session Summary:

One of the most important things a student can build is their creativity. No matter what they are learning or working on, creative skills can and should be a part of it!

In this session, learn what's in a creative thinker's toolkit and how to bring those tools into play in any lesson.

About:

Creative Education Specialist

Sara is an experienced K-12 educator, creativity facilitator and curriculum designer. She holds a Master of Science in creativity from the Center for Applied Imagination at SUNY Buffalo State University and is trained in facilitating self-directed learning and Creative Problem Solving.

Sara develops and delivers compelling professional development to lead change and grow creative skills.

Her vision is to support creative communities to help people nurture their passions and strengths.

Session Summary:

Discover how integrating STEM and project-based learning (PBL) can create engaging, hands-on experiences that bring core concepts to life.

This session will explore how PBL fosters creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving while making STEM learning more relevant and meaningful for students. Using real classroom examples, we’ll examine the benefits of PBL and discuss practical ways to design impactful STEM-based projects.

We’ll also address common challenges and share strategies for successfully implementing PBL to ensure deeper learning and student engagement.

Walk away with ideas and inspiration to transform your classroom with STEM-driven PBL!

About:

Technology Integration Teacher

Melanie Sowa-Li is an experienced educator with over 11 years in teaching, including 4th and 5th grade, library media, and technology integration. She specializes in educational technology, coding, 3D design, and makerspace activities for K-5 and intermediate-level students.

Passionate about using technology and STEAM to create relevant, authentic learning experiences, she helps increase student engagement through hands-on, real-world applications.

A frequent presenter, she has led sessions at TCEA, TCCA, and the Texas Library Association on robotics, 3D printing, AR/VR, and gamification. Melanie enjoys supporting teachers in leveraging digital tools to enhance learning and creativity.

Social Media:

https://www.facebook.com/melanie.sowa2/

https://x.com/MsSowaLi

Session Summary:

Within this session we will focus on how we utilize the Engineering Design Process to spark student creativity.

I will give my insight on how I utilize these lessons with my K-5 students and you will be able to walk away with ready to go slideshows to utilize in your classroom.

About:

K-5 STEM Teacher

Alma Torrez is a K-5 STEM teacher in Texas. She currently is the only STEM teacher at an elementary level in her district. Her students have worked on coding all sorts of robots and do a lot of engineering with recycled materials. Alma is always eager to bring new ideas to her classroom and find what works for her students.

She also schedules and assists in their school garden where they successfully have grown lots of onions, peppers, and more. Many of Alma's students come from low-income families, so she is passionate about educating them about careers in STEM while creating memorable lessons. Alma also loves to utilize literature that her students can see themselves in as her school is over 90% Latino/Hispanic.

She is no celebrity but her students sure do make her feel like she is when she walks the halls.

Social Media:

https://www.instagram.com/teachingconalma/

https://www.tiktok.com/@teachingconalma?lang=en

Session Summary:

Some people believe that they're not creative. Others don't bother to look for creativity in places of logic. What if creativity was actually everywhere and anyone was able to reveal it simply by learning a few simple rules?

This session will use tried and true methods to discover opportunities for creativity in the classroom...no matter what you're teaching!

About:

Director of Education

Kiki Prottsman is a computer science educator, author, and advocate for equity in STEM. She has written several books -- the most recent title, Let's All Teach Computer Science, has become a staple among school districts planning to integrate CS into the classroom.

As Director of Education for Microsoft MakeCode and Former Curriculum Development Manager at http://Code.org , Kiki has developed resources to enhance computer science education worldwide.

She has received international accolades such as the Google RISE Award and Stevie’s Female Innovator of the Year.

Social Media:

@‌KIKIvsIT

https://www.linkedin.com/in/prottsman/

http://KIKIvsIT.com

Session Summary:

Discover the transformative power of play in this interactive session. Learn practical strategies to integrate playful learning into your classroom, explore research-backed benefits, and uncover new ways to energize lessons with creativity.

Walk away with concrete ideas and a renewed passion for fostering joyful, future-ready learning experiences for students.

About:

Digital Learning Coach

Van Ridlehuber brings 21 years of educational experience to her role as a digital learning coach in Frisco, TX. Her background includes teaching Kindergarten, first, and third grade.

Van is driven by a passion for innovation, technology, and STEAM, and is dedicated to designing creative and engaging learning experiences that are accessible to all students.

Van's passion shines through in her work, inspiring both educators and students alike. 

Session Summary:

Discover the transformative power of play in this interactive session.

Learn practical strategies to integrate playful learning into your classroom, explore research-backed benefits, and uncover new ways to energize lessons with creativity.

Walk away with concrete ideas and a renewed passion for fostering joyful, future-ready learning experiences for students.

About:

Digital Learning Coach

Kristine Seale is a passionate educator, curriculum designer, and digital learning coach who believes creativity and innovation are the keys to unlocking every learner’s potential.

With over a decade of experience in instructional technology and elementary education, Kristine thrives on helping teachers turn big ideas into practical, engaging classroom experiences.

She specializes in crafting hands-on professional development, co-teaching with teachers, and designing tech-integrated curriculum that actually makes learning fun—for both students and educators!

Social Media:

https://x.com/pressNseale

Session Summary:

Discover how to introduce young learners to Google Suite in a developmentally appropriate and engaging way!

This webinar will provide educators with practical strategies for integrating Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and more into early childhood and elementary classrooms.

Learn how to foster collaboration, creativity, and digital literacy through hands-on activities, age-appropriate tools, and interactive learning experiences.

Whether you're new to Google Suite or looking for fresh ideas, this session will equip you with the skills and confidence to help young children navigate and utilize these powerful digital resources effectively.

About:

Kindergarten Teacher

Susan Spigelmire has been an educator for 24 years, with 12 years in preschool and 12 years in kindergarten.

She holds a Bachelor's degree in Human Development and a Master's degree in Instructional Science and Technology.

Currently serving as the president of the Mayer School Board, she also works in the Humboldt Unified School District.

Susan lives in Mayer, AZ, where she enjoys caring for her Pomsky puppy, chinchilla, and chickens.

Social Media:

https://x.com/chinchillagurl1

https://www.instagram.com/65stang_mopar19/

Session Summary:

With so many creative edtech tools out there, it's hard to believe that just ONE platform can hold SO much magic!

Whether you are a teacher using Canva to create engaging lessons, or your students are using it to show their content learning--this one tool is so jam-packed with possibilities it's almost magical!

The best news is that as a K-12 educator, you can unlock Canva Pro for FREE for you and your students!

This session will go over Canva as a teacher and a student and show how creating infographics, slideshows, videos and more is not only easy but it's fun! You'll learn some advanced features and even some AI magic you won't want to miss!

I am passionate about creating outside of the box and with Canva I'll show you how!

About:

Innovation STEM Coordinator TOSA

As an Innovation STEM Coordinator I have the great privilege to work with both students and teachers TK-8 in the areas of design thinking, technology, coding, robotics, engineering and all things STEAM!

I am passionate about sharing these lessons, resources & ideas to help other educators & to spread STEAM learning for students.

Social Media:

www.x.com/christinekdixon

www.instagram.com/makedesigninnovate 

https://makedesigninnovate.weebly.com/

Session Summary:

When considering both cost and earth friendly engineering supplies for students, one of the best building materials can be found in your recycling bin. Paper is both an easily accessible material and an incredibly versatile one.

This session will guide you through a variety of activities that involve designing, building and testing structures using just paper, tape and scissors.

You will come away with lessons that teach how to roll, fold and connect paper in a variety ways so that your students can create bridges, skyscrapers, ferris wheels and other structures using the simplest supplies.

This workshop will get you cutting, folding, connecting and building with paper in a matter of minutes.

About:

Director at Dazzling Discoveries

Dazzling Discoveries is a maker space and STEM education center based in New York City that provides interactive hands-on learning programs for students and  professional development for teachers.

Engineering with Paper downloadable packets and Dazzlinks Cardboard Engineering Kits are two of the product lines designed specifically for educators and popular with students.

Social Media:

Engineering with Paper: Simple, Hands-on STEM for Home & School |...

Instagram (@engineeringwithpaper)

DazzLinks Cardboard Engineering Kits

STEM Learning | Dazzling Discoveries