Amber Quirk

   Regional Superintendent 

   DuPage County Schools

Regional Office of Education

421 N. County Farm Rd

Wheaton, IL 60187

630.407.5800

STEM Insider

September 2024

NEWS

AI Eventually Gets Algebra Right

Asking Chat GPT to solve the same problem over and over reduced its error rate to almost zero. Adults who were allowed to use the AI solutions as hints saw math scores increase by 17%. Read the full story.

All Girls STEM School Offers Robotics, Aviation and Scout Badges

The girls enrolled at the Girls in STEM Academy are still too young for serious career plans, but with a spark to nurture their interest, they may be well on their way, thanks to the partnership among charter schools and the Girl Scouts.

Everyone Can Be a Math Person

A new school year offers a fresh opportunity to create a classroom environment where every student can develop a positive math identity. Here are some insights regarding how to break the cycle.

Digital Literacy Conference - September 10, 2024 - Online

Explore digital literacy and discover how to foster tomorrow's digital citizens. To read more about the event and to register, click here.

STEM Network Meeting - September 24, 2024 - College of DuPage

Gather with other STEM colleagues from DuPage County to share successes, support each other with challenges, and expand our thinking about what STEM learning entails. Participants are eligible for some great giveaways, too. Register here.

ICTM Annual Meeting and Exposition - September 25-28 in Chicago

Join math colleagues at the annual event that will host over 700 sessions searchable by grade band, topic, or content. Learn more.

Illinois Education and Technology Conference - November 13-15, 2024 - Springfield

Over the three days, discover strategies and resources for meeting your edtech needs while you connect and collaborate with edtech peers. Access this site to learn more about the schedule and registration.

ICTM Grade School/Junior High & High School Math Contests

ICTM has math contests for students from grades 3 through 12 that are great opportunities to provide extra problem-solving opportunities for your students! Registration is currently open. The Grade School/Junior High Contest kicks off in November, while the High School Regional Contest will be held Saturday, February 22. Check out all of the details at our Math Contest site.

NSTA's eCYBERMISSION Competition - Registration Closes February 26, 2025

Registration is open for eCYBERMISSION, a free, virtual STEM competition for 6-9 graders administered by the National Science Teaching Association! Teachers will lead teams of 2-4 students as they tackle a community problem with science or engineering. It's the perfect way to bring problem-based, phenomenon-based, and even social emotional learning to your students this year!  



Advanced Materials and "Lab to Table" Sustainability Science Projects

Explore the lab-to-table movement, cellular agriculture, microfluidics, and scientific advanced materials with new, cutting-edge student projects that address questions related to sustainability.

PBS Learning Media from the Illinois PBS Stations

PBS has assembled a number of videos that can serve as springboards for classroom projects and discussion. Many topics are geared toward grades 6-8 and 9-12, and reach into elementary grades as well. Here are two to help you begin your exploration of this great resource.

• Hope in the Water - Learning Materials
• Digital Studios - STEAM Topics

Morton Arboretum Learning Opportunities

Right in our own backyard is a wonderful resource for adult and child learning opportunities. From field trips to virtual bundles to classroom visits, Morton Arboretum offers a variety of experiences.

DuPage ROE STEM Squad Is Here to Support You

This new year comes with some great STEM learning tools and opportunities. The STEM squad can partner with you in a number of ways, from helping to plan to helping to implement. Explore a few of the ways through the links below. Thinking of something not included in one of the links? Simply ask and we will do our best to assist. Email Mary Biniewicz for more information.

• STEM - It's Elementary - geared toward grades K-5
• After School Outreach - geared toward grades 5-8
• STEM Trunks - geared toward K-12
• Plus we can assist with STEM Events, offer a website with various resources, host a STEM network group, and more.

Visit our website for more information and resources!

Direct newsletter questions, comments, and suggestions to Dr. Mary Biniewicz.

STEM Fun and Learning in DuPage County

Enjoy these photos of some of the opportunities supported by the DuPage ROE STEM Squad.