Virtual Learning at The Tech
You are here
Virtual Learning at The Tech
While your learners can’t attend The Tech Interactive in person, our virtual programs will still engage them in activities that promote collaboration, creativity and perseverance. Whether they build with us in a science lab or take a virtual field trip through the exciting world of tech, your innovators will be inspired to be the problem-solvers of the future.
Virtual Labs
We’ve converted our two most popular science labs — Physics of Roller Coasters and Down the Drain — into virtual labs. Even better, we created a brand new Tech Challenge-inspired experience that requires only paper and some tape!
Facilitated by our brilliant, entertaining, and endlessly patient lab instructors, these NGSS-aligned activities blend the best of synchronous and asynchronous learning, giving you the flexibility you need. The best part — we’ll take the lead, so you can sit back, observe, and have a complete thought!
Virtual labs include:
- Prerecorded introduction that frames the challenge.
- One 90-minute live session, split into two halves, one for each half of your class.
- Teacher and student worksheets, including engineering journal, pre-lab content activity, post-lab activities, and sharing tools.
- Instructions for your school/district's IT department on how to allow you to share our Google Classroom.
- Challenges designed around materials found at home.
Cost
All labs are just $125 per class, unless your school is Title I, in which case the lab is free (a $50 deposit will be refunded on the day of your lab). We will never turn learners away for lack of resources; please get in touch if this fee is a hurdle.
Grade level recommendation
Our labs are intended for Grades 3-8 (see recommendations in the descriptions below). At this time, we are unable to provide modifications for grades above or below that age range.
How to register
Please fill out the form at the bottom of this page. Due to our new virtual format, we are asking each individual teacher to request a lab only for their own class of 34 students or fewer. Please ask your colleagues to fill out their own request form. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you!
Down the Drain
Grades 3-8
There’s a lot of trash in the Bay’s watershed, from San Jose to the Pacific Ocean. By designing and constructing different types of storm drain grates, students discover how water systems function and how to use science and engineering to protect Earth’s natural resources. Students will:
- Describe a watershed.
- Explain why keeping trash out of the watershed is important.
- Complete a design challenge to create a storm drain to combat pollution from a specific source
IMPORTANT: The live lab experience requires preparation beforehand. You must have your class watch the introductory video and begin building their storm drain at least 48 hours before your virtual lab is scheduled. The live, facilitated experience with our lab instructor assumes that your students have already begun the hands-on process. Our instructor will answer questions, encourage your learners to try different approaches to the challenge, and make sure they have fun while they're learning engineering! We will provide all the information you need once you sign up.
Physics of Roller Coasters
Grades 3-8
They love to ride them, now they’ll love to build them! Students explore potential and kinetic energy and apply what they learn to build their own roller coasters made of materials they have at hand. Students will:
- Demonstrate that gravity is a naturally occurring force that pulls objects toward the center of the Earth.
- Describe and demonstrate the difference between potential and kinetic energy.
- Complete a given design challenge with constraints.
IMPORTANT: The live lab experience requires preparation beforehand. You must have your class watch the introductory video and begin building their roller coaster at least 48 hours before your virtual lab is scheduled. The live, facilitated experience with our lab instructor assumes that your students have already begun the hands-on process. Our instructor will answer questions, encourage your learners to try different approaches to the challenge, and make sure they have fun while they're learning engineering! We will provide all the information you need once you sign up.
Paper Engineering: A Tech Challenge Lab
Grades 4-8
Engineers often have to work within constraints like budget, time or materials. In this fun lab, inspired by the 2021 Tech Challenge, learners will immerse themselves in the Innovation Design Process by creating an object out of a single material -- paper! Students will:
- Brainstorm ideas using collaborative prompts.
- Use their creativity to build a prototype out of paper using at least three different 3D techniques.
- Test their creation, see if it works, and think about possible iterations.
IMPORTANT: The live lab experience requires preparation beforehand. You must have your class watch the introductory video and begin building their paper invention at least 48 hours before your virtual lab is scheduled. The live, facilitated experience with our lab instructor assumes that your students have already begun the hands-on process. Our instructor will answer questions, encourage your learners to try different approaches to the challenge, and make sure they have fun while they're learning engineering! We will provide all the information you need once you sign up.
Our virtual field trip takes your students on a road trip through Silicon Valley to meet some of the region’s smartest and most innovative tech experts. Viewers get a sneak peek inside some real-life medical labs, workshops and makerspaces and hear advice about how they can follow their passions to work in tech, too!
Along the way, they’ll get to experience some of our favorite exhibits and make the connection between what we do here and the exciting work of tech engineers and entrepreneurs.
Stream the full Virtual Field Trip
Coming November 17: Our second virtual field trip focusing on our Tech for Global Good program, featuring four entrepreneurs who use data analysis to solve some of the world’s biggest challenges! Stay tuned for registration details.