CLASSROOM WORKSHOPS IN KELOWNA
Geering Up is excited to announce that we are offering in person workshops from October 2022 – June 2023! Each workshop will be led by two amazing Geering Up instructors and will consist 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, Engineering and Technology after the workshop. Workshops are available to schools across the Okanagan!

Workshop Dates: Oct 14, 2022 – June, 2023
Excluding Nov 10, 2022.
Available Times:
9 – 10:15AM, 10:30AM – 12:00PM, 1 – 2:30PM
We are happy to accommodate your school’s bell schedule.
Cost:
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In-Person
1 General Workshop – $175/Workshop
3 General Workshops (in the same day) – $155/Workshop
6+ General Workshops – $135/Workshop
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Limited bursary options may be available as funding becomes available. Please ask us at kelowna.geeringup@ubc.ca!
KELOWNA WORKSHOPS
Ecosystems Everywhere
In-Person
What do living things need to survive? In this workshop, students will learn about the fundamentals of living things through various games and explore the basics of ecosystems by building their very own biodome!
GRADES: Kindergarten
*BC Curriculum Ties: Daily and seasonal changes affect all living things; Plants and animals have observable features
Molecules Matter?
In-Person
Everything around us is made of matter, but not all matter is the same! With Demonstrations and activities, we will explore the science behind solids, liquids and gasses.
GRADE: 1
*BC Curriculum Ties: Matter is useful because of its properties; observable patterns and cycles occur in the local sky and landscape
Crazy Chemistry
In-Person
The world around us is filled with change. Put on your lab coats and safety goggles because in this workshop we will be investigating what causes chemical and physical change through hands on experiments!
GRADES: 2
*BC Curriculum Ties: Materials can be changed through physical and chemical processes.
Thermal Theatrics
In-Person
How does thermal energy travel from place to place? Why do some materials heat up faster than others? In this workshop we explore the three methods of thermal energy transfer through exciting hands on experiments!
GRADES: 3
*BC Curriculum Ties: Thermal energy can be produced and transferred; All matter is made of particles.
Elemental Energy
In-Person
We use energy every day in our life! In this workshop, students will learn how energy is transferred and transformed by applying their creativity to develop their own working circuits to create working tools!
GRADES: 4
*BC Curriculum Ties: Energy can be transformed.
Oh my Organs!
In-Person
How do different organs within the body cooperate? In this workshop, students will explore the world of biomedical engineers by learning the fundamentals of working organs in the digestive and respiratory systems and using their creativity to complete design challenges.
GRADES: 5
*BC Curriculum Ties: Multicellular organisms have organ systems that enable them to survive and interact within their environment; Basic structures and functions of body systems.
Manufacturing Pioneers
In-Person
In this workshop, students will become engineers and manufacturers and use 3D modelling and programming to create their very own digital designs.
Please note students will need to have a computer with internet connection to participate.
GRADES: 6/7
*BC Curriculum Ties: Design can be responsive to identified needs; Complex tasks may require multiple tools and technologies.
*Only available from January to June.
Amazing Bots
In-Person
Can you identify a robot from a machine? In this workshop, students will learn about the components of a robot and how robots turn instructions into actions by guiding their mini Ozobot robot to complete tasks!
GRADES: 1 – 3
*BC Curriculum Ties: Meets multiple components of the Applied Design, Skills and Technologies Curriculum.
Scratch Dino Run
In-Person
Programming is all around us and is used to build all the games we love to play! Using Scratch, students will learn to use code and their creativity to create their very own interactive game.
Please note students will need to have a computer or tablet with internet connection to participate.
GRADES: 4 – 6
*BC Curriculum Ties: Designs can be improved with prototyping and testing.
*Only available from January to June.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
In-person workshop fees vary depending on how many workshops you choose to sign up
for. Please see above for details.
To help offset the cost of vehicle rentals and travel time, travel fees apply to all schools outside of the Greater Kelowna area. Should you want to participate but find that cost is a barrier, please don’t hesitate to contact us at kelowna.geeringup@ubc.ca.
Our workshops are designed for single classes of up to 30 students. Each of our teams can teach up to three workshops per day, according to the following schedule. We are happy to accommodate the nuances of your school's bell schedule.
Workshop 1: 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Workshop 2: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Workshop 3: 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
We are very excited to re-launch our in-person workshops! Geering Up instructors will be able to join your classroom for an entire session to guide the class through STEM workshop(s) of your choice. Please ensure that there is a way for our instructors to project slides and, depending on the course you have selected, each student or pair of students may need a computer with internet connection to participate in the workshop activities.
As these are unprecedented times, we will be closely following all provincial COVID-19 health guidelines and ensuring that our staff and those receiving our workshops remain safe.
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. Will I need to download any software prior to the workshop to participate?
No! Workshops will not require the downloading of any apps or software. All of the software we use in our workshops are web-based applications that you and your students can access through the internet!
3. 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. A teacher letter with information about the workshop content and a list of any additional materials needed will be provided in advance of your scheduled workshop.
4. What do I need to do to set up for the workshop?
Please keep an eye out for a teacher letter with information about the workshop content and a list of any additional materials needed. This will be provided after registration, and in advance of your scheduled workshop.