The DuPage Regional Office of Education STEM Team is here to provide you with STEM news, learning opportunities, and resources. How can we support you next year?

STEM News You Can Use. . .

December 2021 Edition

Computer Science Education Week - December 6-12, 2021

Next week marks an annual call to action to learn and teach computer science, advocate for equity, and celebrate contributions to the field. Resources abound in celebration of this important week. Hour of Code, Department of Innovation & Technology newsletter, the Learning Technology Center website, Google, and www.csedweek.com are great places to begin your journey. And, be certain to continue the journey, even after Computer Science Week.

Ideas for Improving Education with STEAM

Learn more about integrating the arts into lessons across the curriculum and how it prepares students for the future workforce and bridges learning gaps.

Study Affirms STEM Stereotypes

Research involving over 2000 youths found that 63% believed girls were less interested in engineering than boys and 51% believed girls were less interested in computer science. Interesting details were exposed about these misperceptions and how early they develop.

Computer Science Learning Opportunities and Standards

Illinois recently enacted legislation that requires schools to embed computer literacy into high school curriculum and provide the opportunity for all students to take at least one computer science course. Also recently adopted are these computer science learning standards.

COVID-19 Is a STEM Lesson Waiting to Happen

Teachers have a wealth of information available to help students understand what science says about the virus. While we do not have all the answers, teachers can serve as tremendous sources of support and information. Read more in this special EdWeek report.

Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) Grades 3-8 Contests

Did you know that ICTM offers contest opportunities for students in grades 3-8? These are a great way to engage and motivate young students to dig deeper into their math learning. 

Check out more about these opportunities.

Plant the Moon / Plant Mars Challenge Closing Symposium - January 11, 2022

Citizen scientists will report findings based on their experiments with growing crops in lunar and Martian regolith. And, what about the researcher who published work on the Heinz Marz Ketchup project. Register for the Zoom session.

Computer Science Symposium - January 14, 2022

Join your peers for this one-day, virtual gathering that will feature presenters from around the state who are excited to share CS teaching experiences in multiple grade levels. Attendees will also have the chance to obtain proven curricular resources.

Virtual STEM Competition for Grade 6-9 Students - Registrations due January 12, 2022

Student teams identify a community problem and investigate the problem through the use of scientific inquiry or design a solution through the use of the engineering design process. Read more.

Gingerbread STEM!

Science Buddies has assembled a collection of activities to keep science and engineering in the foreground while giving students opportunities for creative hands-on learning.

Fermilab

Fermi is closed to the general public, but staff have been working to offer numerous resources to enrich your classroom. Check them out here.



Ah, Spring in California. . .

The California Academy of Science will offer some new learning experiences this spring. Take advantage of their virtual sessions to enrich your development.

Morton Arboretum

Enrich your learning and that of your students by tapping opportunities offered by the Arboretum. Choose from among field trips, podcasts, career information, and more.

Forest Preserve District of DuPage County

The District offers learning opportunities ranging from virtual speakers, to field trips, to professional development opportunities.

Amazon Future Engineer Program

Amazon offers virtual tours and chats, robotics courses, student coding challenges and more. Explore here.

STEM Trunks

The DuPage Regional Office of Education has in stock several STEM Trunks available for loan to your school for two weeks at a time. The Trunks target a wide variety of topics and age levels, with most being easily adjusted to your needs. The trunks come complete with all materials, and many come with teacher guides and suggested activities. Email Mary Biniewicz for information.