Welcome
Thank you for visiting our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) website; we are part of the DuPage County Regional Office of Education. Our goals are to encourage awareness and engagement with STEM content, processes, and careers. The events and activities hosted by our team focus on middle school grades and include educators, students, and parents. We collaborate with schools, businesses, and community organizations in DuPage on our quest for all to embrace STEM.
STEM Starters
Fun for:
Educators
You can use these starters to engage students as they enter class and get seated. This type of activity is sometimes referred to as bell work, or a bell ringer.
Families
You can use these to spark an after-dinner discussion, a game night or an exploration.
STEM Nerds
Just nerd out with us.
Everyone
Click “Get Starter” button to see the full challenge, from there you’ll scroll to a second slide to see the solution. Check back weekly to see new Starters.
STEM Starters
ALGORITHMS
What is an algorithm?
Give an example of something you do without thinking much about it that can be written as an algorithm.
GREAT HORNED OWLS
Write 5 things you know about these large birds.
ORDER OUT OF CHAOS: SORTING
What is sorting?
Think about it: Where do you see sorting around you?
FEATURED
DuPage Educators: We are here to support you.
One of our favorite questions is, “How can we help?”
- Arrange to borrow one or more of our 15+ STEM Trunks, which include supplies for a variety of activities for your class of K-12 students. We deliver and pick up the trunks, which are large plastic bins filled with STEM stuff.
- Schedule one or more of our After School STEM Workshops for your middle school students. We bring all of the materials and facilitate the activities. A STEM Club meeting is appropriate, or you can schedule a special after-school event.
- Check to see if we are available to facilitate an activity for your school’s STEM Night or Special Interest Day.
- Work with a STEM Squad member to plan STEM events or activities, or to brainstorm adding STEM into your existing curriculum.
- STEM-It’s Elementary We offer K-5 Outreach during the school day. We can model the implementation of these lessons, or teachers can instruct students using our materials, and we will be there as a guide on the side. We will also be available, by phone or email, before and after the lesson to address questions and concerns. The lessons are designed to align with standards and compliment class curriculum.
- There is no cost to your DuPage school district for our services.
- Contact Mary Biniewicz, our STEM Squad leader at mbiniewicz@dupageroe.org
Featured: Family Place to Go
McCormick Bridgehouse & Chicago River Museum STEM in action!
Located in Chicago at Michigan Ave. & Wacker Dr., this museum showcases the Chicago River and its historic movable bridges. Begin at river level and travel up five stories, to explore a Chicago landmark.
View the massive gears of this famous movable bridge and then learn the history of the Chicago River. At the top of the Bridgehouse, experience a 360-degree view of Chicago and its namesake river.
