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STEAM Newsletter – Monday, September 1, 2025
STEAM Newsletter Vol. 57
Welcome Back, STEAM Innovators!
As summer wraps up, we’re still reflecting on the incredible STEAM energy we saw across the Illinois State Fair this August. From the innovative student-designed 3D Mini butter cow at the DoIT booth to the ‘My IL AG Charm’ bag at the Illinois Ag in the Classroom exhibit where creative art-meets-agriculture, imagination, skill, and collaboration are thriving in Illinois.
As we look ahead to the new school year, we’re excited to take a fresh direction—one that focuses even more on spotlighting student-led projects and that process behind them. This year, we aim to go beyond finished products and highlight the experimentation, problem-solving, and passion that drive STEAM learning.
If you or your students are working on something inspiring like a prototype, performance, research, or design—we want to hear about it. Submit your project using DoIT STEAM Project Spotlight to be considered for our STEAM Project Highlight in an upcoming edition. Let’s build a school year full of innovation, curiosity, and bold ideas.
Let off some STEAM with these fun activities!
Grade K - 4
Recent News on STEAM
"Large language models are built with safety protocols designed to prevent them from answering malicious queries and providing dangerous information. But users can employ techniques known as “jailbreaks” to bypass the safety guardrails and get LLMs to answer a harmful query."
"In every living cell, there are membranes, and in every membrane there are proteins, each of which acts as a chemical gatekeeper.
Rather than passively letting ions pass in and out of the cell, these biochemical bouncers throw the door wide or shut it as needed."
"A researcher at Southern Illinois University Carbondale wants to use agricultural waste products to develop carbon materials specifically designed to trap carbon dioxide, and he has earned a prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Fellowship to pursue the work with colleagues in India."
Upcoming Events
ideaU September 2025 - AI in Education | IDEA
Begins Mon. Sep 1 | 9 am - 11 am | Register
“We believe professional learning should be responsive, inclusive, and available when you need it most. That’s why we’ve reimagined ideaU as a monthly series of on-demand videos, each centered around a timely theme that speaks to the heart of today’s educational landscape.”
S.T.E.A.M. Saturdays | Abraham Lincoln Council
Sat. Sep 6
“In partnership with the Illinois State Museum, the Abraham Lincoln Council is pleased to bring you S.T.E.A.M Saturdays in 2025 and 2026!
Boys and girls ages 5-11 are welcome!
September 6th: Coding Unplugged
- Get ready to roll into the world of robotics! In this hands-on STEM event, kids will explore programming and problem-solving using Spheros and Ozobots - fun, interactive robots they can code and control. "
Computer Science Series: Finch Robot 2.0 (K-12) | Learning Technology Center
Tue. Sep 9 | 9 am - 11 am | Register
"Bring computer science to life with the Finch Robot 2.0 powered by micro:bit! This hands-on workshop will guide you through the exciting possibilities of this robot, designed for learners of all ages, from kindergarten to 12th grade."
Be Connected: Data Governance and SOPPA Compliance | Learning Technology Center
Wed. Sep 10 | 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm | Register
“In today’s digital landscape, protecting student data is more critical than ever. This week on Be Connected, let’s discuss best practices for data governance and navigating the complexities of SOPPA compliance within our school districts.”
Edtech Power Hour! AI Tools for Back-to-School | Learning Technology Center
Thu. Sep 11 | 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm | Register
“Ready to work smarter, not harder this school year? Join the LTC team for a fast-paced Power Hour filled with fresh AI tools and strategies that can transform your classroom.”
The Power of Print: 3D Printing for Educators | Learning Technology Center
Fri. Sep 12 | 9:00 am - 2:30 pm | Register
“Explore the exciting world of 3D printing in this hands-on workshop built for educators of every grade level and subject area! Whether you’re new to 3D printing or already have a printer, this is your chance to empower your students with future-forward skills.”
ENTICE Education Workshops: Galls, Pests, & Trees
Sat. Sep. 13 | 9 am – 3 pm | Morton Arboretum, Lisle | Register
“What are those bumps on oak leaves? How did those swirly designs get into the wood? What made the D-shaped hole on this tree trunk? This workshop answers these questions and more."
ENTICE Education Workshops: Illinois Wetlands
Sat. Sept 13 | 9 am – 3 pm | Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago | Register
“Wetlands are habitats for a wealth of animals. At this workshop, we will visit wetland habitats around the Nature Museum as we learn about adaptations and interactions of organisms in a wetland."
Edtech Power Hour! Quick Wins with Non-AI Tools | Learning Technology Center
Wed. Sep 17 | 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm | Register
“Ready to kick off the school year with fresh ideas that don’t require artificial intelligence? Join the LTC team for a high-energy Power Hour focused entirely on creative, non-AI tools.”
NIU STEM Fest | Northern Illinois University
Sat. Sep 20 | 10 am – 3 pm
"STEM Fest is a celebration of all things science, technology, engineering and math. This free event is held each year in the fall on the campus of Northern Illinois University and features more than 100 exhibits, speakers, and demonstrations designed to inspire and engage guests of all ages with opportunities for STEM learning."
Open House | College of Veterinary Medicine University of Illinois
Sun. Oct 5 | 10 am - 5 pm
"The annual Open House of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine has a wide variety of events, including family-friendly activities, educational exhibits, and fascinating demonstrations."
One Conference | Illinois Education Association
Fri. Oct 17 & Sat. Oct 18 | DoubleTree by Hilton Chicago-Oakbrook | Preregister
“Join us in 2025 for a two-day event offering a variety of elective sessions for Education Support Professionals, Higher Education, and IEA Retired members.”
IETC | Learning Technology Center
Wed. Nov 12 - Fri. Nov 14 | BOS Center | Springfield, IL | Register
"Sessions focus on technology integration strategies, engaging instructional practices, digital tools and resources, and emerging trends – all with a focus on helping every K-12 district and educator harness edtech’s full potential."
Educator's Corner
STEAM resources for in-person, hybrid, remote learning, and professional development
STEAM Resources
“Since 2020, ideaU has served as a summer sanctuary for educators, a short, hybrid event designed to reignite passion, deepen knowledge, and build community through dynamic sessions led by fellow educators and visionary partners."
Our STEM Nonprofit Work | Lumity
"We’re Lumity, a STEM nonprofit dedicated to shaping the future of STEM education for Chicagoland’s students. Build it with us."
Education | Illinois Science & Technology Coalition
"We pave the way for the next generation of innovators by providing structured programs which connect Illinois students to industries and companies. Our programs facilitate long term, ongoing mentorship that builds student identity, esteem, and skills in STEM. "
The 'A' in STEAM
"Arts foster scientific success" -Dr. Temple Grandin
This series is dedicated to showing how art and creativity play a crucial role in our society within the STEM fields.
"Like the artist, the scientist is a lover of nature. Just as the artist is restricted only by his imagination and his facility with his chisel or brush, the scientist is restricted only by his imagination and his facility with his mathematics. The artist uses imagery and metaphor; the scientist, numbers and mathematics. The artist is more interested in the whole of his composition than in its very fine details. And the scientist is more interested in the generality of nature’s laws than in its particulars. However, it is from scrutiny of a very small section of the universe, the earth, that he tries to explain the whole. A “beautiful law” of nature, one whose fundamental symmetries have been deciphered, one that is simple and yet general, evokes the image of an ornate tapestry, and in physicist Richard Feynman’s words, “Nature uses only the longest threads to weave her tapestry, so each small piece of her fabric reveals the organization of the entire tapestry.”"
Please submit STEAM ideas, comments, or questions using our contact us form.
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