Register for the Innovation Institute and pick up a bag of resources for the event. You will be able to sign up for limited seating sessions during registration. The conference organizers Lisa Ockerman, Vice President of Academics, Jessie Metzger, Director of Director of Faculty Learning and Recruitment Coordinator, and Wendy Swanson,  Director of Educational Design and Lower School Program Administrator will provide a welcome and overview of Day 1 events of the Innovation Institute.

The "E" - Engineer. It's a noun and a verb. But above all – it’s a mindset. Deanne Bell’s keynote presentation will shine a spotlight on the "E" in STEM education. Deanne will share her passion for teaching students (and the general public) about the field of engineering - from prototyping with younger kids to building NASA payloads with high school students. Deanne loves empowering students with the skills and confidence needed to turn their ideas into a reality, and her message will emphasize both the creative and analytical sides of engineering. Her passion to constantly innovate within her career as an engineer, entrepreneur, and television host will challenge us all to “imagine the impossible."  

This year’s Innovation Institute badges are not just cardstock and plastic. They are ePaper screens powered by a Raspberry Pi 2040 chip and programmed to be both badge and conference information sources. This programmable badge can be hacked! In the tradition of hacker conferences, participants will have the opportunity to dig into the software, learn how it works, and customize the badge to look and act the way they like – which is the true definition of hacking! Attendees will learn how to program the badge in MicroPython, which is commonly used on small devices like this one, and it is easy for novice programmers to read, understand, and rewrite. In the workshop, attendees will learn how to connect to and program a device like this in MicroPython and be able to apply these new skills to other devices and projects.

Electricity powers our modern world, and understanding how it works is essential in today's technological landscape. EmPOWERing Electrobots is a dynamic and innovative educational opportunity that empowers students with the knowledge and tools to effectively take learning objectives about electricity and inspire them to create functional electrobots using the Bird Brain Hummingbird Kit. Learn how to challenge students to apply their knowledge of electricity in a practical and creative manner, ultimately solving real-world problems through the creation of Electrobots.

Including a STEAM curriculum can offer a unique and valuable experience for high school students. In the race to get our students ready for the global workforce, STEAM education can target the four C's of the 21st Century: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. For over a decade, these elements have been upheld as the most desirable traits that need to be cultivated for a successful citizen. What are the practical ways that STEAM could be incorporated into your curriculum – especially if your school doesn't have a dedicated program or the space for it? In this session, participants will be introduced to some of the strategies that have been most successful for bringing STEAM into diverse classrooms and across curriculums. Although the common refrain is "there's no time in the curriculum," there are definite ways to encourage teachers to add some STEAM to their lessons.

PC EDGE (Pine Crest Entrepreneurship Dedicated to Global Engagement) is designed to cultivate a learning environment that inspires, prepares, and supports our young global entrepreneurial leaders and scholars. The space is dedicated to social entrepreneurship and STEAM competitions, such as the Technology Student Association, Verizon Innovative App Challenge, and Built By Girls, to name a few. Through this initiative, students are empowered to develop skills to be change-makers in the world. The program at Pine Crest offers opportunities for students to become innovative problem solvers and agents of social change. In addition, it supports our students as they prepare for a future where resilience is key and translating ideas into reality is essential. Through a roundtable discussion, those in attendance will explore the characteristics of the entrepreneurial mindset and spirit, which is characterized by innovation and risk-taking. During this session, participants will learn that all people possess the capacity to contribute meaningfully to society by way of a new invention, different approach, or more rigorous application of known technologies or strategies. Bring your questions to the session!

Are you a lower school teacher eager to foster a sense of wonder and curiosity about nature in your students? Join the Lower School innovation team in this engaging and hands-on workshop where attendees will learn how to create root viewers, an innovative and exciting way to teach germination and growing systems. Using easily accessible materials such as a jewel case, white bean seeds, and a simple wooden stand, participants will explore alternative planter options that can ignite young minds. Participants will gain practical experience creating root viewers for educational purposes. They will learn the science behind germination and outdoor learning for young students and explore ways to integrate root viewers into lower school curricula and science standards. Participants will also gain insight into outdoor garden systems and their role in educational settings.

This workshop will focus on exploring the ideas of repairing and repurposing materials to create and innovate on objects. Attendees will discuss the difference between repairing objects and repurposing materials from broken objects to create innovative new designs. Participants will group up to analyze “broken” objects to ideate new designs and/or uses for the object. They will then use the materials from the broken object to create something, which will be shown during a gallery walk with all participants. Participants will end with a brief discussion on how they can connect and/or extend this activity to their practice.

During this session, participants will learn strategies for integrating electronics into project-based learning activities.  Attendees will not only learn how to design and engineer a creation, but they will also learn why it works with volts, amps, and ohms. Many makers know how to make simple light-up circuits, but to be able to take projects into the future, students will need to have a more advanced understanding of how to calculate the successful application of power to any project.   We will also showcase some non-soldering techniques, making building and testing even easier!

Are you curious about some great ways to diversify your technology integration to include lessons on various cultures? This session is geared towards educators not quite sure where or how to start with different ideas on inclusion. During the session, participants will explore Victory To Civil Rights Augmented Reality Art Gallery. After, they will investigate a series of learning stations based on the included topics:

• Interactive Poster Scanning: Discover how students can engage with interactive biographies on digital posters. Learn to make biographies come to life with a simple scan.
• Hispanic Heritage Coding with Scratch: Participants will have the opportunity to use Scratch to modify cultural words and celebrate Hispanic Heritage.
• Native American Quilt and Coding: Dive into the world of Native American culture by creating a virtual Native American Quilt. Compare block coding shapes with geometry blocks for a unique learning experience.
• Asian American History Timelines: Attendees will learn how to help students create engaging graphic organizers using BrainPop's Make-a-Map tool. Explore the rich history of Asian Americans through interactive timelines.
• Sphero Indi Robot Adventure: Get hands-on with the Sphero Indi robot. Participants will program the robot to explore different landmarks and museums, creating an interactive gallery.
• BrainPop Make-a-Map Exploration: See student samples of graphic organizers created using BrainPop's Make-a-Map tool to build Asian American History timelines.

By the end of this session, participants will be inspired with innovative ideas and practical ways to incorporate these interactive learning tools into their curriculum. 

Our students' imaginations are wondrous, but they may only take them halfway into the world we want them to explore. In this session, participants will learn the basics of using ClassVR kits as a tool in education. Attendees will be introduced to the setup process, navigation, and features of the kit, and explore how it can enhance the learning experience for students. Using VR headsets, participants will demonstrate how students can be transported around the world, back in time, and even out of this world, using examples from a range of subjects.

In this closing session, all attendees will delve deep into the world of collaborative problem-solving and effective communication while shifting focus from the end product to the intricacies of the creative process. During this hands-on challenge, participants will transcend traditional problem-solving by exploring group roles and dynamics, in addition to the complexity of iteration within the design process. This session is designed for both novice and seasoned educators who are seeking an opportunity to integrate meaningful, interactive learning experiences for their students.

The conference organizers (Dr. Lisa Ockerman, Vice President of Academics, Jessie Metzger, Director of Educational Design and Upper School Dean of Faculty Services, and Wendy Swanson, Director of Faculty Learning and Recruitment Coordinator) will provide a welcome presentation and overview of Day 2 events for the Innovation Institute.

During this presentation, a panel of Pine Crest School’s Computer Science and Technology Specialists, facilitated by the Director of Educational Design, will share the School’s journey to navigate the rapid changes in Artificial Intelligence options available for schools. Submit your questions ahead of time using this form.

Participants will use Micro:bits, servo motors, lights, and various craft materials to build an interactive “Digital Pet” that they can then program to respond to sound and other inputs using a simple, kid-friendly Machine Learning training system. In addition, attendees will use an easy-to-access block coding system and learn to repeat or modify this project back at school. Participants will take their new pets home to continue working on them after the Institute!
(This session is being offered in sessions 4 and 6.)

Embrace your students' love of video media and create an opportunity for them to practice becoming the next big YouTuber while applying it to the classroom curriculum! Utilize the iPad's native app Clips for an easy and accessible way to bring video editing down to students as young as first grade. The presenters will show attendees an example of the end product and the ins and outs of Clips so that they can get them started on what will be one of their most memorable projects of the year!

Join the Innovation Team in the Mintz Family iLab for a gallery walk to learn about our science and engineering continuum and how Innovation Specialists integrate “fan favorite” tools in grades pre-kindergarten through five. The presenters will share how Pine Crest builds skills from year to year and will showcase a variety of science projects, from simple to complex. During this session, attendees will have the opportunity to try some of the tools utilized in the iLabs by making a version of some of the projects! Discussions will include how to enhance and integrate the projects into your school’s curriculum. 

The world of education is constantly evolving, and in today's digital age, integrating eSports programs into schools is a topic of increasing interest. This roundtable discussion aims to bring together educators at the Institute to explore the benefits, challenges, and best practices for incorporating eSports into schools.

The integration of robotics and STEM education has revolutionized K-12 learning, offering students hands-on experiences that foster creativity, problem-solving, and a deep understanding of robotics building and coding. This roundtable discussion brings together educators at the Institute to share experiences with establishing an exploratory robotics program, emphasizing the benefits, challenges, and best practices to inspire and prepare future robotics innovators.

Assessment in STEM education can be a complex task. This roundtable discussion brings together educators at the Institute to share best practices for providing authentic assessments as students apply real-world skills, critical thinking, creativity, and innovation to STEM projects in dynamic learning environments.

Our future world is uncertain. Knowing how to prepare future-ready students is also tentative. Join us to delve into mindsets and habits that help alert school leaders to hone in to future-driven signals so that schools might adapt and evolve to meet ever-changing needs and leverage opportunities to empower our students to be future-ready.

Discover the magic that happens when educators prioritize the journey over the destination! In this session, participants will delve into the world of TinkerCad through a captivating engineering challenge emphasizing the significance of process, design thinking, and documentation. The session will include a hands-on engineering challenge that will require attendees to design, iterate, and refine a 3D-printed creation. The catch? It's all about the process, not the final product. Throughout the challenge, participants will delve deep into the design thinking process, encouraging attendees to empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test. But we will not stop there. Documenting the journey is as critical as the journey itself. Attendees will explore the art of keeping detailed records, showcasing how proper documentation enhances understanding, encourages reflection, and supports continuous improvement in not only engineering but across disciplines and grade levels.

In this workshop, attendees will harness the power of design thinking to reframe problems, foster empathy, and generate innovative solutions. The focus will be on using journey mapping as a transformative tool to empathize deeply, ultimately leading to more effective problem-solving. This interactive session will leave participants with tips and tools on how to practice open-ended questioning, problem identification, and idea generation to empower students and educators to solve problems of the future. 

In this session, participants will learn everything they need to know in order to implement Cubelets in their classrooms with students as young as pre-kindergarten. The session will begin with an exploration of the versatility of these modular robots. The presenters will share inventor challenge activities such as creating an air conditioner, lighthouse, and smart car. Participants will walk away with project ideas for incorporating Cubelets in their classes and strategies for adapting their modular robot-based projects. Even experienced Cubelet users will discover new applications for hands-on activities with their students.

Participants will use Micro:bits, servo motors, lights, and various craft materials to build an interactive “Digital Pet” that they can then program to respond to sound and other inputs using a simple, kid-friendly Machine Learning training system. In addition, attendees will use an easy-to-access block coding system and learn to repeat or modify this project back at school. Participants will take their new pets home so they can continue to work on them after the Institute!
(This session is being offered in sessions 4 and 6.)

In this session, participants are invited to explore a dynamic fusion of science and education. The first half of the session will unveil the intriguing science of balance beams, offering insights into mechanics, physics, and equilibrium principles. Attendees will gain an understanding of how balance works, setting the stage for an unforgettable learning experience. The second half of the session will transform this new knowledge into powerful teaching strategies to explore critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving, and persuasive writing. Participants will learn how to harness the magic of balance beams as an engaging and interactive tool to implement Bloom's Taxonomy in the classroom to master the art of balancing learning. 

Student agency is evident when given a choice and voice on how to learn. Through building and coding robots, student agency grows with each iteration. Attendees are invited to experience agency using simple materials, a Micro:bit, and a Hummingbird robotics kit. Attendees have a choice of using MakeCode or Python to create a simple or complex robot model and a voice in considering how to integrate the project within their curriculum. Participants will discuss developing goals for robotics at various ages and stages of ability levels. Participants will leave with ideas to implement directly into their curriculum. A Hummingbird Robotics kit will be raffled during this session.

Reflection is a vital component of the learning process during professional development sessions. Systematic reflection allows one to make connections from newly learned concepts to gain new insights into practice. During this session, attendees will work collaboratively with one another and Pine Crest School’s innovation team to share ideas, draw on support from others, and share strategies for tailoring ideas.