6th-12th Grade Education in the Age of AI:
Working with Data and Large Language Models

6th-12th Grade Education in the Age of AI:
Working with Data and Large Language Models

July 20-22, 2026
Golden, CO

Overview: Data literacy remains essential for informed decision-making across science, engineering, and the modern workforce. In parallel, large language models (LLMs) are rapidly becoming ubiquitous tools that students will encounter both inside and outside the classroom. This National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored workshop focuses on how LLMs can be intentionally integrated into 6th-12th grade STEM instruction to support data-driven reasoning, model building, and scientific sense-making aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, rather than treating LLMs as “answer-generating” technologies.

Workshop participants (data science experts, domain experts across physical/life/earth sciences and engineering, and 6th-12th grade educators) will collaborate to co-design curricular modules that integrate data, critical reasoning, and LLMs as interactive tools for learning core STEM concepts. Emphasis is placed on using LLMs to scaffold inquiry, generate and critique explanations, interpret claims drawn from data sources, and engage students in evidence-based reasoning, while explicitly addressing issues such as model limitations, bias, uncertainty, and hallucinations.

Curricular materials will be developed through a structured, collaborative hackathon format in which teams prototype, pilot, test, and revise lesson modules and assessment strategies during the workshop. All developed learning modules will be made publicly available at the end of the workshop.

Workshop Structure: The workshop will include:
– Keynote talks
– Working/breakout groups
– Hackathon style environment

Participants: The event aims to bring together 6th-12th grade teachers, educators, pedagogy specialists, district administrators, and scientists/engineers.

Financial support: This workshop is supported by the NSF Institute for Data Driven Dynamical Design (ID4). There is no registration fee, and we anticipate being able to cover the majority of participant travel costs using NSF funding.

If you would like to attend this workshop, please apply here: https://forms.gle/Cwyng6SnTeVz8f4G9
Applications are due by May 1, 2026. 

Organizing Committee

  • Brad Beadell, Wilcox High School, Biology and Physiology Teacher
  • Emily Freed, Colorado School of Mines, ID4 Project Manager and STEM Outreach Coordinator
  • Matthew Graham, California Institute of Technology, Research Professor of Astronomy
  • Leanna House, Virginia Tech, Associate Professor of Statistics
  • Alex Pak, Colorado School of Mines, Assistant Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering
  • Dan Rubenstein, Princeton University, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology