Steve Spangler’s Science in the Rockies is a nationally recognized summer STEM professional development conference for educators, built for teachers who want practical strategies they can use immediately. Whether you have been doing this for decades or you are stepping into STEM for the first time, you will leave with hands on ideas, clear instructional structure, and engagement strategies that help students lean in instead of check out.
Who should attend? Classroom teachers (K-8). Instructional coaches. District STEM coordinators. Informal STEM educators. School leaders responsible for engagement outcomes. Science in the Rockies was built for educators who want students leaning in instead of leaning back. It is for teachers who are tired of starting with explanation and hoping engagement follows. It is for leaders who know that hands on does not mean chaotic, and engagement does not mean entertainment.
Held each summer in Colorado, this conference aligns with NGSS standards and research-based instructional practices, supporting meaningful, standards-aligned STEM instruction with lasting classroom impact.
Join educators from across the country who are ready to rethink STEM learning and bring it to life.
Every aspect of this conference is intentionally designed to help you implement what you learn with confidence and create engaging, real-world STEM experiences your students will remember long after the lesson ends.
Science in the Rockies is intentionally designed as a small, immersive STEM conference, limited to just 200 educators. That size matters. It allows for meaningful interaction, hands-on learning, and real connection with Steve Spangler and his instructional team. This is not a sit-and-get conference. It is an experience where teachers actively participate, ask questions, try ideas, and build confidence in real time.
Participants take home more than $500 in classroom materials, including hands on learning tools, hard to find supplies, and curated resources selected for high impact STEM instruction. There is no need to redesign lessons or track down materials when you return to school. You are ready to implement immediately.
Each morning also includes a full breakfast and dedicated time to connect with other educators. These conversations create space to share ideas, reflect on practice, and build professional relationships that extend beyond the conference.
The cost to attend Steve Spangler’s Science in the Rockies is $1,295. Participants consistently point to the depth of instruction, classroom-ready resources, and lasting impact on their teaching as the reason this experience delivers exceptional value.
Your registration includes:
The conference opens with a high-energy, experience-driven session led by Steve Spangler that challenges how educators think about STEM instruction. Rather than focusing only on what to teach, Day 1 explores why certain STEM experiences capture attention, inspire curiosity, and encourage students to think like scientists. Steve will present his latest research on student engagement from his book The Engagement Effect.
Next, you’ll roll up your sleeves and do a deep dive into hands-on, inquiry-based STEM training developed through the collaboration between Steve Spangler and Kesler Science. These sessions model how phenomenon-based learning can be used to spark curiosity and deepen student engagement across grade levels.
You will explore STEM Starters, Science Minute lessons, and extension activities designed to turn open-ended questions into meaningful learning experiences. You will also learn how to integrate short science videos strategically to support discussion, reasoning, and higher-level thinking.
Most importantly, you will leave with ready-to-use lessons and access to a robust digital library of STEM resources, all focused on building communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity in students.
By the end of the day, your head will be spinning with classroom-tested ideas you can put into practice immediately!
Breakfast Included: 7:45 – 8:30 AM
Morning Session: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Lunch: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (on your own)
Afternoon Session: 1:30 – 4:30 PM
Day 2 delivers practical STEM strategies teachers can use across subjects and grade levels. The day begins with more than two dozen hands on STEM activities and challenges that model proven engagement techniques you can adapt to your own curriculum.
You will conduct the experiments alongside Steve using materials at your table, then take many of those materials home to use with your students. Expect lessons that fizz, pop, change color, and surprise you, all designed to spark curiosity and motivate deeper learning.
Dr. Diane Jackson Schnor then explores how children’s literature can serve as a powerful entry point into STEM instruction. You will learn how to use multicultural picture books to inspire connected learning experiences that support NGSS standards and help students see themselves reflected in STEM.
The day concludes with Bruce Yeany, known for his practical, homemade science demonstrations. He shares budget friendly experiments that make complex concepts accessible using simple, easy to replicate materials that engage students without requiring expensive equipment.
By the end of Day 2, you will leave with affordable ideas, classroom ready materials, and proven strategies that balance engagement, accessibility, and instructional impact.
Breakfast Included: 7:45 – 8:30 AM
Morning Session: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Lunch: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (on your own)
Afternoon Session: 1:30 – 3:30 PM
Optional Event – Explore Boulder, Colorado
4:00 PM to 8:00 PM
No need to spend the evening in your hotel room when Boulder is just 30 minutes away. Join Steve and his team for a casual evening on Boulder’s iconic Pearl Street Mall. This one-of-a-kind outside mall offers an eclectic shopping experience and amazing restaurants in a setting that is uniquely Boulder, Colorado. More details about this event after you register.
Day 3 is about making everything you’ve learned work in your classroom. This final morning is intentionally designed to help you reflect, refine, and translate new ideas into lessons and experiences that fit your students, your curriculum, and your teaching style.
Steve and the instructional team facilitate small-group conversations that give you space to ask questions, troubleshoot challenges, and focus on how to implement what you’ve learned with confidence. This is your opportunity to connect the dots and create a clear path from conference learning to classroom practice.
You’ll also get an inside look at the Kesler Science platform so you can confidently access and use the digital resources that support real-world connections and help students see how science concepts apply beyond the classroom.
Dr. Diane Jackson Schnor’s breakout session remains a conference favorite, offering hands-on ideas and carefully curated children’s literature that deepen multicultural connections within STEM lessons. You’ll explore practical ways to strengthen relevance, representation, and engagement through stories that resonate with students.
Bruce Yeany closes out the experience with even more of his favorite homemade science demonstrations and hands-on activities. You’ll leave with access to more than 200 of Bruce’s how-to videos, giving you ongoing support and inspiration long after the conference ends.
Day 3 is also a moment to pause and remember your “why.” It’s a time to capture memories, celebrate new professional connections, and leave with renewed purpose for creating meaningful STEM experiences that spark curiosity and inspire students to learn more on their own.
The conference concludes at 12:00 PM, allowing time for travel or an extended stay to enjoy Colorado.
Breakfast Included: 7:45 – 8:30 AM
Morning Session: 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Ask Steve Spangler what he does, and you’ll get a two-word answer. Science teacher. The Emmys, the books, and the 4.5 billion video views are part of the job.
Steve attended the University of Colorado and started teaching elementary science in the Cherry Creek schools. His Mentos and Diet Coke video, uploaded in 2005, became one of YouTube’s first viral phenomena. He’s a two-time Emmy Award winner and the bestselling author of eight science experiment books. His latest, The Engagement Effect (Forefront Books, 2025), is the playbook behind a career spent helping educators turn passive learners into active participants. Global Gurus named his program the world’s #1 in education for three years in a row.
Over twenty-five years, more than 120,000 teachers have come through one of his full-day workshops, hands-on science boot camps, or multi-day STEM institutes. Today, Steve serves as STEM Educator in Residence at High Point University, where his work now extends into the schools of business, entrepreneurship, and communication. He still gets the same kick out of watching a kid lean forward.
Most attendees fly into Denver International Airport (DEN), located approximately 30-45 minutes from the Sheraton Denver West Hotel.
You will find several convenient transportation options, including Uber, Lyft, rental cars, shuttle services, and Denver’s RTD light rail system.
For airport information, flight details, and amenities, visit FlyDenver.com.
Uber & Lyft
The easiest way to travel from Denver International Airport to the Sheraton Denver West Hotel. Travel time is approximately 30–45 minutes, depending on traffic.
SuperShuttle Express
A convenient transportation option for larger groups traveling together. Pricing varies based on the number of passengers.
Rental Cars
All major rental car companies serve Denver International Airport.
The Sheraton Denver West Hotel is the official conference hotel for Science in the Rockies. Conveniently located just minutes from the conference venue and approximately 45 minutes from Denver International Airport (DEN), the hotel offers a special Science in the Rockies group rate of $169 per night (plus taxes).
Once you complete your conference registration, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a link and instructions for booking your room within our discounted room block.
Sheraton Denver West Hotel
360 Union Blvd
Lakewood, Colorado 80228
(303) 987-2000
Discounted rooms are limited, so please be sure to make your reservations early.
We’re planning a networking evening to Boulder, Colorado. It is a great time to connect with each other outside of the event and experience the always eclectic and sometimes strange Pearl Street Mall on Thursday evening during the conference. No, it’s not an indoor mall with Nordstroms. Pearl Street Mall is an outdoor area filled with one of a kind restaurants, cool shops and street performers that make Boulder one of those amazing places to visit.
Join us for an optional evening in beautiful downtown Boulder!
Our buses will depart the hotel at 4:00 PM on June 24 and return to the hotel starting at 8:00 PM.
Round-trip transportation is included with your conference registration, making it easy to enjoy an afternoon and evening exploring Boulder. Stroll the Pearl Street Mall, enjoy dinner at one of the many local restaurants, browse unique shops, or simply take in the beautiful Colorado scenery.
A sign-up sheet will be available at the conference registration desk.
Bringing a guest? Family members and friends who are not attending the conference are welcome to join us if space is available on the buses.
Learn more about the Pearl Street Mall by visiting…
The cost to attend Steve Spangler’s Science in the Rockies is $1,295, and the registration fee is designed to deliver value well beyond the three days of the conference.
Your registration includes:
Many conferences of similar length cost hundreds of dollars and provide little more than a seat in a room. Science in the Rockies is intentionally different, with participants consistently citing the depth of instruction, classroom-ready resources, and lasting impact on their teaching as the reason it delivers exceptional value.
Educators consistently describe Steve Spangler’s Science in the Rockies as one of the best STEM conferences for teachers because of its hands-on format, classroom-ready resources, and direct focus on implementation. Participants leave with practical strategies, materials they can use immediately, and increased confidence in teaching STEM, which is why many return year after year and recommend the experience to colleagues.
Save the date! June 23-25 2027
This conference is designed for Pre-K through 8th-grade educators, including classroom teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, and curriculum specialists. It is especially valuable for educators who want practical STEM strategies, hands-on learning experiences, and classroom-ready lessons that increase student engagement and confidence in teaching science.
Do high school teachers and college teachers attend? Yes. Each year we have a good number of upper-level teachers participate in the conference and they consistently rate the experience as being “exceptional” on the evaluation.
If you have any questions, please contact Carly at (855) 228-8780 or email [email protected]
Yes. Steve Spangler’s Science in the Rockies is designed specifically for classroom educators and instructional leaders who work directly with students in Pre-K through 8th-grade learning environments. The content, pacing, and hands-on experiences are intentionally structured around classroom instruction, curriculum alignment, and student learning outcomes.
If you are not currently working in a classroom or instructional leadership role, this conference may not be the best fit. However, Steve offers other programs and experiences focused on science communication, program development, and business strategy. For guidance on which option may be the right match, please contact Carly at 855-228-8780.
Here’s a short summary of the conference benefits you can include in an email or a grant.
Science in the Rockies is structured professional development designed to support standards-aligned STEM instruction and measurable classroom impact. The conference aligns with NGSS standards and research-based instructional practices and focuses on hands-on, classroom-ready strategies that teachers can implement immediately. Participants earn 20 hours of professional development credit and receive curriculum resources, instructional materials, and digital tools that support real-world STEM learning and student engagement. Many educators use district professional development funds, Title II funds, or building-level PD budgets to attend. Documentation for attendance and professional learning hours is provided to support approval and reimbursement.
Science in the Rockies takes place on the 2nd floor at the Sheraton Denver West Hotel, 360 Union Boulevard, Lakewood CO, 80228.
Science in the Rockies
June 23-25, 2027
Denver, Colorado
Day 1 – 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
Day 2 – 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Day 3 – 8:30 AM to 12:00 PM
** Please note that we are unable to ship materials to participants who leave the conference early.
Absolutely! We’ve negotiated a special discounted room pricing for our conference attendees at the Sheraton Denver West.
Plan on booking your room early as once the room block sells out we will have to use an overflow hotel.
Yes! If you are sending a large group, please contact Carly at 855-228-8780 to discuss pricing options.
Absolutely! If you’re registering a team from your school or district, we can reserve your seats now and update the individual attendee names later. This makes it easy to secure Early Bird pricing while your district finalizes participant details.
Please contact Carly at 855-228-8780 or [email protected]
Yes. Steve Spangler’s Science in the Rockies aligns with NGSS standards and research-based instructional practices, which serve as the foundation for science standards in many states. The instructional strategies, hands-on STEM experiences, and lesson design approaches emphasized throughout the conference are intentionally transferable and adaptable, allowing educators to align what they learn with their specific state standards, district frameworks, and curriculum requirements.
Educators leave with classroom-ready lessons, materials, and implementation strategies that can be mapped directly to grade-level expectations and performance standards in their own schools.
Science in the Rockies is a three-day, intensive workshop in Colorado. Other professional development opportunities with Steve take place around the country and are only one-day (six hours) in duration. Science in the Rockies goes into much more depth about the scientific concepts and teaching strategies than the Hands-on Science Boot Camp and Steve’s other introductory teacher training programs.
At Science in the Rockies, you will receive over $500 of materials and supplies to take home with you so that you can start implementing Steve’s science activities and strategies immediately. The other introductory workshops provide a “Survival Kit” that offers enough supplies to participate in the activities at the workshop with a few added gizmos and gadgets to share with your students. The notebook that accompanies the Science in the Rockies curriculum is 250 pages long.
All of our professional development opportunities are great, but Science in the Rockies is Steve Spangler’s ultimate teacher training experience.
This event is setup for 200 teachers from around the country and the world.
Participants may earn graduate-level professional development semester credit, also known as professional development units, through our partnership with University of Massachusetts Global. These credits are not part of a degree program, but instead are primarily used for professional advancement (such as salary increment steps and recertification). You can earn three credits by completing the Science In The Rockies. A registration form for the credits will be provided at the conference. Please plan on completing the form within one month from the event. Payment is due ($210) with your application and is sent directly to University of Massachusetts Global.
Bring a large checked back with you to bring home your materials. Over the years we’ve learned a checked back is a more cost effective option to taking all of your materials home vs shipping them back.
Registering by credit card is a fast and easy way for you to reserve your seat at the workshop. Your card will be charged when you register, and a receipt will be sent to you by email.
ACH Payment
If your school or district pays by ACH, simply complete your registration to reserve your seat. Then contact our office and we’ll help coordinate ACH payment with your school or district.
Questions?
[email protected]
855-228-8780
Purchase Order (PO)
We gladly accept Purchase Orders from schools and districts.
To reserve your seat, complete your registration and email a copy of your Purchase Order to [email protected].
Your registration will be confirmed once we receive your Purchase Order, and an invoice will be sent to the billing address listed on the PO.
Check Payment
If you prefer to pay by check, complete your registration and mail your payment to the address below.
Your registration will be confirmed once your payment has been received.
Please make checks payable to Steve Spangler, Inc.
Steve Spangler, Inc.
PO Box 621249
Littleton, CO 80162
855-228-8780
Credit Card: Registration is confirmed immediately upon successful payment.
ACH, Purchase Order, or Check: Payment is due within 30 days of your registration date (or within 30 days of receipt of your Purchase Order, if applicable).
Your registration will be confirmed once we receive your Purchase Order or other payment arrangements have been made with our office.
Questions? / 855-228-8780 / [email protected]
To receive a full refund, cancellations must be made by April 30, 2027. All cancellations are subject to a $100 cancellation fee.
Due to planning purposes any cancellation made after the April 30, 2027 deadline will be eligible for a 50% refund.
We know school and district budgets don’t always follow the same schedule. Our flexible payment plan allows you to choose the amount you would like to pay when you register and make additional payments at your convenience.
There is no required monthly payment amount or set payment schedule. Simply make payments that work for your budget, with the full registration balance due by June 1, 2027.
Payment plans are available for credit card registrations. To register with a payment plan, please call us at 855-228-8780.
This was the best professional development I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been a teacher for 21 years. I love the fact that it is all hands-on! I was never bored by just sitting and listening to someone talk. We were constantly engaged through demonstrations and activities with materials you can take home. We were even taught how to write grants to fund new projects! Steve and his whole staff made me feel extremely comfortable asking questions. I would strongly recommend this conference to anyone considering it.
Science In The Rockies was the best science/STEM conference I have personally ever attended. You get to teach us these awesome experiments in the purest platform! What I mean by that is – this conference was literally teaching in its purest form, all about experiences with no strings attached. As I wrapped up my 1st year of teaching, this really refreshed my love for science and I cant wait to create brand new science experiences with future students. I seriously wish every teacher that has a passion for making learning fun could attend this conference, it was truly amazing. Thank you Steve, and your awesome staff for the phenomenal experiences you created for me and everyone else. Hope to see y’all in the future!
If you ever attend a workshop or conference again – you need to Make this one top priority. You will not be disappointed! You will walk away with more ideas and quality supplies than you ever will from any other conference. You will also never laugh so hard or be treat better. Steven Spangler and his staff are very knowledgeable and very caring. I will be attending again and possibly attend other workshops they have panned. Not to repeat myself but you will not be disappointed!
I can’t say enough about Science in the Rockies. Steve is not only extremely knowledgeable but super entertaining and fun to watch. I am a 30-year veteran teacher, but you can certainly teach this old dog new tricks. Watching Steve present gives me the confidence to present lessons with ease in my classroom. The more I explore, the more comfortable I am becoming the teacher Steve inspires me to be.
This experience was way more than I expected. Each day was better than the next, as we learned that “anything worth doing is worth overdoing.” We were overloaded with supplies, experiments, and resources. I especially enjoyed the session by Covey Denton on grant writing. That alone paid for the price of the workshop tenfold. This has left me recharged and reenergized to return to the classroom with many hands-on experiments and over-the-top demonstrations to inspire my students.
I have been an educator for over 25 years, and typically go to a couple of conferences/workshops a year. This experience has been the funniest and most enjoyable workshop I have ever attended, and it re-energized me for the new school year. Thanks so much to Steve and his great team!
My sister Elise Saidler and I attended your conference Science in the Rockies. We are both Christian preschool teachers and we appreciated everything about the conference including breakfast,the shuttle and the hotel. We especially appreciated you, your family, your science teacher and your staff. This is my 14th year teaching preschool and I love science. I am so excited to usethese experiments to show God’s wonderful world to my students.
Science in the Rockies was amazing. It was a wonderful learning experience and just plain fun. Someone once said that education is not the filling of a pail but it’s the lighting of a fire. You have been lighting the science fire for years and I am so glad that I have had the opportunity to learn from you and to attend your conference. Thank-you to your wonderful staff and thank-you for all of the supplies that you sent home with us. I can’t wait to use them.
Science in the Rockies was an engaging three day adventure into science unlike any other workshop I have attended! After 30 plus years of teaching, I have found the one workshop that will truly impact my students with engaging lessons for curious minds. The activities are well thought out and align with both the Common Core and NGSS requirements. My classroom will never be the same after utilizing the experiments and activities I learned during this workshop. Thank you Steve Spangler and the “Spangler team” for enriching my future science lessons and helping me to create a better learning environment for my students.
This was one of the best workshops I have ever been to. We were busy the entire time doing experiments and watching as Steve demonstrated different procedures. I gained so much knowledge and can’t wait to share it with the other teachers at school. Great experience and I would recommend it highly!! #BESTDAYEVER
This is the second time I attended Science in the Rockies. In my 4 plus decades of teaching, this is the one conference I have returned to for more ideas, resources, and experiences. At the start of the conference, one of my table partners asked me if this event was really as good as everyone was saying? On the last day, she just smiled at me and said now I get it!
This is my second time to attend Science in the Rockies and it is absolutely amazing. I always come back ready to jump in and get ready to share everything I learned with my students and colleagues. Not a dull moment in the 2 1/2 days I attended. The staff and presenters are so prepared and organized. Can’t wait to come again!!
The most important message that I took with me from Science in the Rockies is to create an “experience” for our learners, and that is what I left with as well. I feel rejuvenated to return to my classroom (and my home with my 9 year old) and bring forth the wonderment and inquiry found within the many experiments you shared! Thanks to you and yours for such an energized and organized delivery. I recommend the Steve Spangler Experience to anyone who wishes to spread the spark of learning!
Thank you to the entire staff for the fantastic 2 1/2 days. Everyone was so nice, helpful and professional. This was the most useful professional development I have ever participated in, and I’ve been teaching almost 30 years. I plan on using some of the techniques and activities with the faculty during preplanning and with my students during the first week of school.
Science in the Rockies 2022 was a dream that started in LEBANON and came true in DENVER. We traveled 2 days to get here. My sincere words of appreciation and gratitude for Steve and the organizing committee for the highly engaging, fruitful, informative and productive conference. Thank you Steve for giving me the opportunity to discover the kind of teacher that I want to be and share unforgettable memories that will be engraved in my heart and mind forever.
The Science in the Rockies is unlike any other training I have been to. Everyone is constantly doing hands-on activities, and Steve Spangler presents the material in such an enthusiastic way; Everyone is having a great time! The experiments and information in the trainings are not only fun, they are also very applicable. I went to bed dreaming about ways to incorporate the science activities into my 2nd grade classroom. This training will definitely make a difference for me in my classroom!
What I appreciated the most was not just the cool demos, but how Steve could explain the science behind it, AND give us ideas of lessons we could use them for. The way you presented the Film Canister activity this morning was exactly what I am looking for – an impressive activity, AND how to manage a lesson, guiding the students through the scientific method without the process being too long/complicated.
Best Conference Ever! The Spangler Gang did more than wow us with great science experiments. They motivated us to focus on the experiences that our students will remember and take home to the dinner table! I’m excited to use Steve’s materials across the curriculum.
Science in the Rockies was by far the BEST professional development that I have attended in my 17 years of teaching. I learned a ton, laughed a lot and feel much more prepared to add science into my school day.
I can’t wait to implement the great ideas I learned at Science in the Rockies into my art class. Your message about creating a STEAM-rich environment for our students inspired me to create units that will have my kids asking more questions and communicating with passion through their art. Thanks for making STEM and STEAM make sense.
Science in the Rockies was a wonderful opportunity to rediscover the joy of wonder. It was jam packed with fun, science, collaboration and the WOW factor. My 7th grade science classroom will never be the same again. Steve Spangler is a talented entertainer, with the heart of an educator, and the mind of a scientist. This combination makes for an amazing learning experience.
Science in the Rockies was awesome! Normally I leave teacher trainings feeling like my head is going to explode and not in a good way. I felt the same leaving SITR, but this time it’s exploding with great ideas, stuff I can’t wait to try, confetti, and party poppers! I’m so excited to get started using what I learned! I only wish the workshop was longer!
This was the best conference I have ever been to. I have so many exciting activities, labs, and inspirational leadership projects I can use immediately with all the equipment I need to do them. So far I have already used four of the activities with my summer class and they are so excited to learn more. I can’t wait to attend my next Spangler event and am crossing my fingers for Science at Sea in 2017!
Steve Spangler and his team are friendly, accessible, incredibly knowledgeable, passionate about science and teaching teachers, and have thought of everything! Not only did we learn engaging science demos, experiments, and lessons, we also received resources to help us integrate science with reading and writing and help build leadership and create community. Science in the Rockies is packed with entertainment, excitement, and education and is the best professional development I’ve ever attended! Thank you SO much! I can’t wait to use what I’ve learned with my students (and my nephews) and to share with the teachers at my school!
