Workshops Offered

Spaceworks

Grades 5-7 • Maximum Class Size: 16 students

Wonder what it's like to be an astronaut? This introduction to space exploration begins with "The History of Manned Spaceflight" slide presentation and models. Students will then rotate through the hands-on "Astronaut Training Simulations" that utilize science and math skills. After viewing actual NASA mission patches, students will work in cooperative groups to design a mission patch of their own. This workshop concludes with a NASA video of astronaut life on-board the shuttle.

 

NASA Design Challenge

Grades 5 - 7 • Maximum Class Size: 16 students

Design and build a moon rover prototype for Moon Rover races! Did you know that President Bush has set a goal for NASA to return astronauts to the moon by 2018? This workshop introduces students to the engineering design process to design a prototype (model) of the future Moon rover. Students will work on activities to design simple models, create their blueprint drawings, organize their materials, and begin their prototype. They will test and evaluate their designs, makemodifications, and prepare prototypes for Moon Rover races.

 

Moon Colony Adventure

Grades 6 - 8 • Maximum Class Size: 16 students 

Imagine living on the moon! NASA is planning a lunar outpost for humans by 2020! This hands-on workshop uses everyday materials to construct life support systems for living in space. How will NASA get water, food, air and other Earth systems working on the Moon? Students work as NASA engineers and scientists to research, design and build models of life support systems for the future Moon Colony. Teams construct two 8'x10' inflatable habitats to simulate how their systems will work in space. Presentations of life support systems will take place inside the lunar habitats the last day of the workshop! Please bring your thinking skills, imagination, and creativity for this problem solving workshop! Each student is asked to bring one grocery bag full of assorted clean recyclable materials including: paper tubes, foam meat trays, plastice single-serving containers and covers, bottle caps, etc.

 

Bridges: Build 'em & Bust 'em

Grades 5 - 8 • Maximum Class Size: 16 students

Become a member of a bridge building team to design, finance and test build a model bridge! Working in groups, students form construction companies. Can you and your team of architects, engineers, construction workers and accountants build the strongest, most economical and efficient bridge? Enter your constructed bridge into the Bridges Bust'em Competition — which team will have the bridge that is most economical, best designed and strongest? Which bridge will support the most weight?

 

Totally Trebuchet

Grades 5 - 7 • Maximum Class Size: 14 students

Build your own trebuchet! Students, come lay siege to your opponents! You will study the construction of a gigantic medieval Trebuchet; then, working in teams, you will research, innovate and construct competitive tabletop Trebuchet models...and lay siege to your opponents' castle!

 

LEGO Robotics

Grades 6 - 8 • Maximum Class Size: 16 students

Real world robotics! Students are introduced to the basics of Technology using LEGO Robotic (RCX) materials. This is done through the use of motors, programmable RCX bricks, touch sensors and light sensor. Engineering concepts are explored through designing simple machines (gears, levers and pulleys), structures, and attachments to solve problems relating to the world we live in today. The choice of projects that students may complete: the 2007 First LEGO League Competition mat or designing an animal project.

 

Search & Rescue Robotics

Grades 9 - 12 • Maximum Class Size: 14 students

Teams of 3-4 students will work against the clock to assemble an Earth Rover Vehicle (ROV) that will navigate a remote obstacle course...but the problem is...you can't SEE the robot! Team success depends on building team skills and applying science and math skills. But more important, your team will need to develop its own audio and visual communication system! 

 

Mini-Controllers

Grades 9 - 12 • Maximum Class Size: 12 students

Build your own mini-controller! Think about all the electronic devices you use every day — cell phones, video game consoles, MP3 players and more. If you're like most people, you know how to use these devices, but you don't know how they work. Have you ever wondered how could anyone make sense of what is inside? Well you can do it and the hands-on projects in this workshop will get you started. Using a mini-controller componets kit you will build our own electronic device, including a digital thermometer. Learn to write simple computer programs in the C language (no programming experience required).

 

Adobe PhotoshopSKILLZ Part 1

Grades 6 - 8; Maximum Class Size: 12 students

This is an introductory course that will give you a strong foothold into the endless possibilities of digital imaging. Students will be introduced to and practice the basic tools in Photoshop.

 

Adobe PhotoshopSKILLZ Part 2

Grades 6 thru 12; Maximum Class Size: 12 students

Take your Photoshop skills to a higher level! Basic Photoshop skills are a pre-requisite. Create a design project using more advanced Photoshop tools while working with nationally recognized designer and art director, Andrew Newman.

 

Movie Maker: Lights, Camera, Action!

Grades 5 - 7  &  8 - 9 • Maximum Class Size: 14 students

Become a movie producer and learn how to use MovieMaker by Microsoft. Learn the basic tools in MovieMaker so you can begin to create your very own movie to use for gift giving or to showcase your own sports event or talents! Digital Communication Skills learned: scanning, editing, importing music, designing and script writing.

 

Digital Storytelling with iMovie

Grades 6 - 8; Maximum Class Size: 12 students

Do you enjoy storytelling? Do you like to express yourself? Are you interested in digital skills and technology? If so, Digital Storytelling with iMovie is the workshop for you!

 

Digital Photojournalism

Grades 7 - 12; Maximum Class Size: 16 students

Students learn basics in SLR cameras versus point and shoot models, the effect of wide angle lenses versus telephotos and using a flash - indoors and out. Students experiment with taking photos, learn to download images and then discuss student images. The second session, students concentrate on the telling of the story with their pictures, capturing the "moment" and then do a newsroom style critique. Students learn from and get mentored by an award winning photojournalist whose images have appeared around the world.

 

Turtle TLC & Seal SOS

Grades 5 - 8 • Maximum Class Size: 12 students

Working with Marine Life Center educators explore how turtles and seals are stranded, found, and rescued. Learn some of the techniques that researchers use and tour the turtle hospital. What causes stranding? How can we prevent them? What do strandings teach us about the life of marine animals? How are sick animals nursed back to health? Develop biology, math, and earth science knowledge and understanding.

 

Coastal Investigations!

Grades 6 - 8 • Maximum Class Size: 12 students

You've been to the beach, but have you ever studied it? Join us as we combine curiosity, computers, and clam digging to carry out coastal investigations! You will sample, observe, and record conditions at the shore as you learn how to take the "pulse" of the bay.  In teams, you will carry out short-term research projects and interpret results using real-time coastal data sets. Be prepared to get your feet wet and your creativity flowing!

 

CSI - Marine Mammals

Grades 9 - 12  • Maximum Class Size: 12 students

Get your hands dirty and be part of a research team dissecting a non-endangered marine mammal to learn what caused its death! Join researchers from WHOI and The Cape Cod Stranding Network in this special hands-on learning opportunity. Over this two day course, students will necropsy a cetacean and pinneped.

 

Wind Turbines & Kid Wind Power

Grades 5 - 8 • Maximum Class Size: 16 students

Build a mini-turbine! Students will study the nature of wind, and working in teams they will design, construct and compete their very own mini-turbines! Which team will desing the most efficient and effective mini-turbine?

 

Solar Sprint Car Competition

Grades 6 - 8 • Maximum Class Size: 16 students

Students study the nature of solar energy and working in teams, culminate in the design, construction, and competition of model cars powered by solar energy. Participants will attend and enter their solar powered cars in the Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) Competition.

 

GotMath? Series

The JR. TECH's GotMath? programs coincides with the Massachusettes mathematics curriculum framework standards. In addition to meeting the math standards, the program features and introduces students to industries located in the Cape region and demonstrates how thses very math skills are used by professionals daily to accomplish their jobs.

 

GotMath? Marine Science

 

Grades 5 - 8 • Maximum Class Size: 16 students

Students work with professionals from the National Marine Life Center in Buzzards Bay. The folks at NMLC are animal rehabilitation specialists caring for sick and stranded turtles and seals. Students learn how math skills are used by NMLC daily to accomplish their job. How is math applied to caring and nursing these mammals back to health? How is math used to track released animals? How do these professionals gather and understand the data?

 

 

GotMath? Marine Fisheries

 

Grades 5 - 8 • Maximum Class Size: 16 students

Students work with teachers and professional fisherman to learn how math is used daily to perform their job. Why do fisherman need to know about buoancy, center of gravity, boat load and many more mathematical concepts? Why does light refraction matter? How is math applied to making a fisherman's job efficient and ultimately more successful?