IMAGINE STEM Saturdays for Students
Explore future STEM careers, engage in advanced mathematics and engineering topics, and develop the skills and mindsets needed to be the innovators of today and tomorrow. IMAGINE STEM Saturday classes are available each Spring and Fall semester for Kindergarten – 12th-grade students and families in the Champaign-Urbana area.
All courses include project-based activities with close attention to advanced mathematics, introducing algebra concepts as early as kindergarten with the goal of long-term participants being algebra-ready by 8th grade and calculus-ready by 12th.
Fall 2026 IMAGINE STEM Saturdays - Grades K - 5
Dates: October 31st, November 7th, November 14th (9:30 am - 12:00 pm)
Location:
- Kindergarten - 5th grade: College of Education at Illinois, Education Building, rooms 17, 22, 4F, and 4G (Education Bldg, 1310 S 6th St, Champaign, IL 61820)
*Parents/Caregivers attend classes with K-3 students. Caregivers optional for 4-5th grade classes.
- Kindergarten – 1st grade (+Caregiver(s)): Chemistry - Chemical reactions change one substance into another, and this reaction often comes with amazing side effects like color changes, foaming bubbles, or heat and light. Explore the matter that's all around us, and how new substances are created. Use measurement and data collection tools to uncover patterns that help us understand the substances and the experimental results.
- 2nd - 3rd grade (+ Caregiver(s)): Circuits - Explore electricity production and use. Build simple circuits and learn more about how electricity is used to power the things around us. Build mathematics skills as you make measurements, chart results, and identify patterns.
- 4th - 5th grade (+Caregiver(s)): Structural Engineering - Learn the engineering design process as it relates to building bridges. Learn about the shapes that add strength and stability to structures and the constraints that must be considered in the design of new structures. Compete to design the strongest structure for the most reasonable price.
For all classes:
- Check-in begins 15 minutes before class begins
- To-go lunch provided at dismissal.
Parent / Adult Caregiver Involvement is an Important Part of the IMAGINE STEM Program:
- Elementary (K-5): side-by-side learning with the child and an adult caregiver will participate together during all Saturday classes
- Middle School (6-8): IMAGINE Family STEM Nights
- High School (9-12): Explore Grainger Engineering events
Partnerships for Equity, Access, and Representation in STEM Initiative Overview
IMAGINE STEM Saturdays were developed as part of the Partnerships for Equity, Access, and Representation in STEM Initiative funded by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion’s Call to Action grant as a social impact initiative. PEAR-STEM was a collaboration of Champaign-Urbana community organizations Driven to Reach Excellence & Academic Achievement for Males (DREAAM) & the Urbana Neighborhood Connections Center (UNCC), and the Chicago Pre-College Science and Engineering Program (ChiS&E). University of Illinois participants included Psychology and Engineering faculty, as well as specialists in public engagement and STEM curriculum development & teaching (WYSE & MSTE). The goal was to address inequities in preparation for STEM careers among K-12 students and to identify how to optimize preparation for historically excluded Black and Brown children. In alignment with our mission to foster a supportive environment for all members of our university community, this organization is open to all eligible students regardless of race, color or national origin who have an interest in encouraging diversity and inclusion in STEM fields.
Through PEAR-STEM, IMAGINE STEM Saturdays were initially implemented in the C-U community. Participating teachers received professional development to strengthen course content and delivery, and the courses were evaluated for effectiveness and continue to grow.
Partners