TRETC 2025: Full Schedule

9:15am EST

Conquering the Clock & Making Connections: Designing Meaningful Cross-Curricular Projects to Maximize Student Learning Time (with a little help from AI)

Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:45am EST

Oliver, Room 215

In this interactive workshop, we will inspire educators to embrace collaboration and Design Thinking in designing meaningful, cross-curricular projects that maximize learning time. As we showcase student projects, we will take you through our process, illustrating how we transformed the challenge of limited time into opportunities for creativity and deeper learning. We will share practical strategies for interacting with AI to streamline brainstorming, planning, and resource creation for projects.

You will witness how our students brought action verbs to life in STEAM class by creating stop motion animation films using props made in Art; see how they applied math concepts to design and 3D print cutting tools for clay projects; and feel their excitement as their bioluminescent organism paintings lit up using a paper circuit. Other example projects include coding activities and robotic creations that showcase how technology enhances learning experiences.

After showcasing some of our student projects, participants will embark on a choose-your-own-adventure style workshop, with options to create a hands-on project from a student’s perspective, workshop their own project ideas, or do a combination of both. Participant takeaways will vary depending on individual goals: some may leave with new strategies for effectively interacting with AI, others may leave with project ideas, and some may depart with a blueprint for endless possibilities in making learning meaningful for students.

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand and apply collaborative strategies to design meaningful, cross-curricular projects that enhance student engagement and maximize learning time.
2. Explore how to effectively interact with AI to streamline brainstorming, planning, and resource creation for cross-curricular projects.
3. Create a hands-on project from a student’s perspective, or dive into planning a cross-curricular project or lesson, using us as coaches and brainstorming partners.

Speakers

Colleen Hinrichsen

STEAM Teacher, Mars Area School District

Colleen currently teaches STEAM to 2nd-5th grade classes as part of the weekly "specials" rotation at Mars Area Elementary.

Katherine Frye

Art Teacher, Mars Area School District

Monday January 20, 2025 9:15am - 10:45am EST
Oliver, Room 215

Workshop, Create & Explore

Company Mars Area School District
Audience Elementary Educators (K-5), Appropriate for All Audiences
Subject Integrating AI into the Classroom, Robotics & Coding, Design Thinking

12:00pm EST

Innovation Hall: Exhibitor, Vendor, Poster Sessions, and Student Showcase

Monday January 20, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST

Snyder Gym

Earn TRETC Cash for just entering the Innovation Hall! Then collect more TRETC Cash as you visit each table. There is SO much to explore. You will use your TRETC cash at the TRETC Auction in the REA Auditorium at the end of the day!

Monday January 20, 2025 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST
Snyder Gym

Booth Showcase

Audience Appropriate for All
Subject Design Thinking, AI for All (SEL), Computational Thinking Pathway, Career Connections, Data Driven Education, EdTech Accessibility, EdTech for Equity, Effective Assessment Strategies, Emerging Tech, Ethics in AI, Inclusive Education Through Technology, Integrating A

1:00pm EST

Innovation Hall: Lighting Talks

Monday January 20, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm EST

Snyder Gym

Monday January 20, 2025 1:00pm - 1:45pm EST
Snyder Gym

Booth Showcase, Create and Explore

Audience Appropriate for All
Subject AI for All (SEL), Career Connections, Computational Thinking Pathway, Data Driven Education, Design Thinking, EdTech Accessibility, EdTech for Equity, Effective Assessment Strategies, Emerging Tech, Ethics in AI, Inclusive Education Through Technology, Integrating A

1:45pm EST

Let’s Bring AI into Your Class! A Co-Design Session to Embed AI Literacy into Traditional Subjects

Monday January 20, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST

Oliver, Room 215

This interactive co-design session empowers K-12 teachers to seamlessly integrate AI concepts into their existing classroom activities, making learning both engaging and relevant for students. Teachers will work collaboratively with the speakers to develop activities that convey essential, practical AI knowledge, helping students build the foundational skills to become responsible, informed decision-makers in a future shaped by AI. No prior AI expertise is required—this session is designed to support all educators. By the end of the workshop, each team of teachers will have crafted an AI-enhanced activity ready to bring into the classroom, helping students build common-sense AI literacy through familiar subjects. Join us to explore accessible, innovative ways to bring AI into your teaching practice!

Learning Objectives:
1. Identify potential AI-related knowledge that suitable for existing learning activities.
2. Create a classroom-ready AI-embedded activity.
3. Design assessment criteria for this AI-embedded activity.

Speakers

Ruiwei Xiao

PhD Student at Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie Mellon University

Monday January 20, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Oliver, Room 215

Workshop, Create & Explore

Company Carnegie Mellon University
Audience Elementary Educators (K-5), Middle School Educators (6-8), High School Educators (9-12), Computer Science Educators, Administrators, Appropriate for All Audiences, EdTech Leaders, All grade levels (k-12)
Subject AI for All (SEL), Data Driven Education, Integrating AI into the Classroom, EdTech for Equity, Design Thinking, Computational Thinking Pathway, Effective Assessment Strategies

1:45pm EST

Literature Based Video Game Design with Bloxels

Monday January 20, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST

Oliver, Room 110

Do you want to learn how your students can become game designers through the online video game creation platform, Bloxels? During this session, attendees will learn how to empower their students to design characters, art, animations, backgrounds, and program game mechanics based on any piece of literature. This is also a wonderful opportunity for your students to practice the 4Cs of communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking on their journey to become fluent digital creators.
There will be time built into the session to practice planning, designing, and building your own Bloxels game. We will also learn how to publish our games for people around the world to play!

Learning Objectives:
1. Explore the design functions of Bloxels video game builder.
2. Collaborate and create video games integrating into curriculum standards.
3. Empower students to focus on the storytelling aspects of a video game.

Speakers

Kelly Del Greco

CIRC (Librarian/STEAM/Tech Specialist), Seneca Valley

Monday January 20, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Oliver, Room 110

Workshop, Create & Explore

Company Seneca Valley School District
Audience All grade levels (k-12)
Subject Design Thinking

1:45pm EST

STEELS Standards with the Use of Phenomena Based Learning

Monday January 20, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST

Oliver, Room 112

We will link Phenomenon based learning with the Steel standards. We look at free resources and websites to enhance the students learning. We will look at the Next Gen storylines, EIE, Yes, and others to teach students in a hands-on lesson.

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand what Phenomena Based learning is.
2. Develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and scientific observation skills.
3. By using scientific disciplinary ideas and crosscutting concepts as they engage in engineering and science practices students strengthen their understanding of and facility with both science and engineering.

Speakers

Krisann Lambert

Teacher, Knoch School District

Alana Johnston

Teacher, Knoch School District

Monday January 20, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm EST
Oliver, Room 112

Workshop, Create & Explore

TRETC 2025

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