Each of our workshops is led by Geering Up instructors and consists of exciting STEM based and hands-on activities that stimulate experimental thinking and scientific literacy. Students of all levels can participate and be equipped with the tools and knowledge they need to further explore Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math after the workshop. Workshops are available to schools across the Okanagan and the Southern Interior!
- Workshop Dates
October 2026 to June 2027 - Workshop Schedule
Workshops are designed for single classes of up to 25 students, and are 75 minutes long unless otherwise stated. All our workshops are directly linked to the BC provincial curriculum. Our workshops can be run around the nuances of your bell schedule. - Cost:
1 Workshop: $195/Workshop
3 Workshops (in the same day): $175/Workshop
6+ Workshops: $155/Workshop
Should you want to participate but find cost is a barrier, please do not hesitate to contact us at Kelowna.geeringup@ubc.ca
WORKSHOPS BY GRADE
Code Explorers: Meet the Ozobots
Discover the world of coding with Ozobots. Students explore how colours and patterns become secret instructions that help robots move, turn, and complete challenges. Through playful activities, students will build early coding skills while practicing creativity and problem-solving.
GRADES: K – 3
Animal Engineers: Designed by Nature
Discover the engineers hiding in nature! Students will explore how nature is full of incredible builders, designers, and problem-solvers. Through stories, discovery, and creative building activities, young learners will uncover how living things engineer the world around them and inspire human innovation. This workshop introduces engineering to curious minds. This workshop is 60 minutes in length.
GRADE: Kindergarten
The Magic of Matter: Solids, Liquids, and Gases
Investigate solids, liquids, and gases through experimentation and demonstrations. Students compare materials, explore changes in state, and uncover the science behind everyday matter.
GRADE: 1
Chemistry in Action
Explore physical and chemical changes using everyday materials. Students engage in colourful reactions and safe lab activities to discover the science behind transformations.
GRADE: 2
Heat it Up: The Science of Thermal Energy
Learn how heat moves through solids, liquids, and gases. Through experiments and demos, students explore conduction, convection, and radiation while building observation skills.
GRADE: 3
Code Your Own Adventure: Game Design with MakeCode
What does it take to create a video game? Students will become computer engineers as they use MakeCode to design, code, and refine their own interactive game. Through experimentation with code, students will apply computational thinking and problem-solving skills as they test solutions and create a digital project they can share.
Students will each need a laptop with internet access. They will be guided to log into their google accounts.
GRADES: 4 – 6
Watt’s Up? Circuits and Electrical Engineering
How does electricity make things work? Students will explore electrical circuits through hands-on challenges involving energy, electrical components, and energy transformation. They will test, design, and build a working creation while developing skills in problem-solving, collaboration, prototyping, and testing.
GRADE: 4
Bodyworks: Exploring Biomedical Engineering
How can we design solutions that help the human body stay healthy? Students will explore the field of Biomedical Engineering and discover how science, technology, and design come together to support human health and wellness. Through hands-on investigations, they will explore technologies and innovations that help people in their everyday lives.
GRADE: 5
Materials Engineering: Design for the Future
How can we rethink the materials we use every day? Students will explore the environmental challenges of single-use plastics and consider how new materials could offer more sustainable solutions. Using chemistry and hands-on experimentation, they will investigate material properties and apply the engineering design process to a real-world challenge.
GRADE: 6
Digital Engineering Lab: Intro to TinkerCAD
Become manufacturing Engineers and discover how everyday products go from an idea to a real object. Students will explore how engineers use computer-aided design (CAD) to visualize, test, and refine products before they are made. Using TinkerCAD, they will create their own 3D digital model while building skills in design thinking, creativity, and the Engineering Design Process.
Students will each need a laptop with internet connection. Teachers will be guided to create a TinkerCAD virtual classroom before the workshop begins.
GRADE: 7
Eco-Tech Lab: Intro to Arduinos
Explore how technology can support sustainable and energy-efficient living in this hands-on workshop. Using Arduino microcontrollers, students build and code a light-sensing system while developing foundational skills in programming and electronics. With sustainability at the core, students connect technology to real-world impact, and imagine how smart solutions can help shape a better world.
All tech for this workshop will be provided by Geering Up.
GRADES: 8 – 10
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Our instructors will arrive at your school and check in at the office before heading to the classroom. Depending on the workshop, instructors may require access to a screen and projector for slides, a sink, or other classroom resources. Any technology or equipment requirements will be clearly explained by email during the booking process, so you’ll know exactly what to expect before your workshop.
1. Why should I bring this into my classroom?
70% of tomorrow's jobs will require STEM skills, but less than half of high school students graduate with the prerequisite STEM courses (Skills Competencies Canada). BC's new ADST curriculum heavily integrates computer science and applied science skills to help address that gap. Geering Up workshops aim to help educators satisfy BC's new ADST curriculum by providing their students the opportunity to investigate STEM in fun, innovative, and hands-on experiments and projects. Our workshops allow students to build future skills, connect with current university undergraduate students, and gain tools, knowledge, and inspiration to explore a future in STEM!
2. What materials will my class need to participate?
For our in-person workshops materials may include computer with an internet connection. All other materials will be provided by the Geering Up team.
3. What is Geering Up?
UBC Geering Up Engineering Outreach is a student focused organization dedicated to promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) concepts to the children and youth of British Columbia through fun, innovative, and hands-on experiments and projects. Geering Up recognizes that there are systemic barriers that prevent many people from pursuing careers in STEAM. Thus, Geering Up strives to reach all children and youth, regardless of gender, ethnicity, culture, or socioeconomic status. Over the past 30 years, Geering Up has reached over 150,000 youth through summer camps, in-school workshops, community outreach trips, clubs, and more. On UBC’s Okanagan Campus, Geering Up has operated for 10 years, bringing Geering Up’s exciting programming to the Okanagan region.
