Towson University Center for STEM Excellence

Bioscience Education and Outreach Program

SciTech Student Learning Laboratory

During a visit to the SciTech Student Learning Lab, students are challenged to develop hypotheses and delve into the world of scientific experimentation.

With seven different activities to choose from, educators are able to complement and enhance scientific concepts that are already being taught in the classroom. Each of our laboratory activities are based on real-world problems and issues, allowing students to apply the content knowledge they already possess in new and challenging ways. These lab activities are:

• Case of the Vanishing Fish – test out your CSI skills while helping us solve a crime,
• Chesapeake Bay Critter Investigation,
• Crucial Concentration,
• DNA Exploration,
• Looking Into Lactase,
• Mystery of the Crooked Cell,
• Natural Products, and
• Wildlife Forensics.

Help us pilot one of our new labs below – for FREE!

SciTech has recently developed two new lab experiences and we are seeking classes to pilot each of these new activities. As part of the pilot process, we will waive the $10/student SciTech fee (you will be responsible for providing your own transportation). If you are interested in this opportunity, please email scitech@towson.edu and let us know which of the two new labs you are interested in, the number of students and grade levels you would like to bring and we will contact you to discuss. Please note that both of these labs are for middle school students (grades 6-8) and the maximum number of students per class is 24 for the pilots.

CO₂ and Climate Change: Grades 6-8, Maximum number of students = 24.

In this lab activity, students will discover what role carbon dioxide plays in climate change and how climate change is affecting, and will affect, the oceans and the Chesapeake Bay. Students will take part in one of two different student-centered, inquiry-based challenges in which, given a set of materials, they will have to determine how to answer the research question posed by the instructor. Students will also take readings from an instructor-led demonstration which will require the students to determine what the demonstration is showing them. Students will also develop possible solutions for how to mitigate and/or adjust to the outcomes of climate change in the area.

• Middle School State Curriculum Standards covered and
• Next Generation Science Standards covered.

Rain Garden Engineering Challenge: Grades 6-8, Maximum number of students = 24.

In this lab, students will assume the role of an environmental engineer who is tasked with designing a rain garden that absorbs the most groundwater. Students will begin by observing rain gardens that have been installed at Pierce's Park (located outside the Columbus Center where SciTech is housed). They will analyze the purpose and positive impact rain garden installation has on the community and brainstorm factors to consider when designing a rain garden. When students enter our SciTech lab, they will learn about types of soil (mulch, loam, pea gravel and sand) that can be used in a rain garden design. In teams, students will create their own "rain garden in a bottle" with a $100 'fake' budget. Once designed, they will then observe and collect data on how much water their rain garden absorbs. They will have the opportunity to share results and redesign their rain garden based on class findings. In closing, students will learn about new materials that have been developed in chemistry labs to aid with water absorption in rain gardens, as well as have the opportunity to apply what they learned to help the community.

• Middle School State Curriculum Standards covered and
• Next Generation Science Standards covered.

Each laboratory activity takes approximately 3 hours to complete and is offered every week day throughout the year. To schedule a visit for your middle or high school class, please review the lab activities listed above and then complete the reservation form. If you have any questions about the visit or would like to talk with one of the education and outreach staff to help in selecting an activity for your class, please call 410-385-6361 or e-mail scitech@towson.edu.

The cost is $10/student; chaperones and teachers attend free of charge.

To make a reservation:

1. Review and choose from among the lab activities above.


2. Click here for reservation form.


3. Fill in the form, including all information and dates (we will do our best to accommodate your first choice of dates) and save to your desktop.


4. E-mail the completed form to scitech@towson.edu or mail to:

SciTech
701 E. Pratt St., Suite 200
Baltimore, Maryland 21202

5. Frequently Asked Questions