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
MONARCHS
Monarchs are Illinois’ state butterfly.
What do you know about Monarchs?
WHAT IS THE AREA OF THIS TRAPEZOID IN SQUARE UNITS?
For what careers is finding areas an important skill?
HOUSE FINCHES
What do you call baby birds that haven’t left the nest?
What do these young ones eat?
How many eggs are typically found in a nest?
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.
- New this year! STEM-It’s Elementary We are now offering K-5 Outreach during the school day. Teachers will 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
Naper Settlement, in Naperville, has a STEM Center!
This award-winning outdoor history museum, offers visitors educational programs, exhibits, tours, and a myriad of special events. Now on Settlement grounds, you’ll find the Illinois Department of Natural Resources STEM Lab, within the Benck Family Agriculture Center. Here you will note engaging exhibits, educational programs, family-friendly offerings including STEM Nights, and more! This new building is part of a larger innovation to connect STEM, agriculture, history, and sustainability.
