SciTech Student Learning Lab

Program Details

Choose from over fifteen hands-on lab activities tailored for elementary, middle, and high school students. Our three-hour, instructor-led sessions provide a self-contained experience that complements and enhances classroom learning.

Aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), our activities are based on real-world problems and issues, allowing students to engage in scientific and engineering practices while exploring content in new and challenging ways.

Policies and Procedures

Class Size

Our current capacity is 32 students. We prefer a minimum group size of at least 10 students.  

Student Fee

The fee to visit SciTech is $12.00 per student.  Teachers and chaperones are free.

Student fees will be waived for Maryland public and charter schools in underserved communities—where at least 50% of students receive Free and Reduced Meals—and those serving students traditionally underrepresented in STEM, with at least 50% of students identify as African American or Hispanic. To check if your school is eligible,  please review the Fee Waiver List (PDF).   

Permission Slip

A signed permission slip is required for every student participating in a lab activity. Teachers must submit all signed slips to the SciTech instructor on the day of the field trip. Permission slips are available in both English and Spanish:

• Permission Slip - English (PDF)
• Permission Slip - Spanish (PDF)

Payment

Payments are processed through Towson University’s invoicing system—we do not accept payments on-site. After your field trip, an invoice will be mailed to you directly by Towson University. Your school's federal tax identification number (EIN) is required for invoicing. For acceptable forms of payment, please visit the Towson University’s Student & University Billing Office website. Purchase orders are not accepted. 

Inclement Weather and Cancellation Policy

If your school is closed or has a delayed opening, you must contact us to reschedule your visit. If our site closes or has a delays opening due to inclement weather, your visit will be canceled. We follow University of Baltimore (UB) closures and delays. We will contact you the next open business day to reschedule.

We reserve the right to cancel a class at any time for emergency reasons. In such cases, we will make every effort to contact you by phone or email. If you are unsure whether your visit is canceled, please email us at scitech AT_TOWSON.

Book a Field Trip

Make a Reservation

Complete the on-line SciTech Visit Request Form (see sidebar) with all required information and preferred dates. We will do our best to accommodate your first choice.

You can expect to hear from us within 5 business days of receiving your request form. If you have not received a response by then, please email us at scitech AT_TOWSON or call (410) 385-6323. 

Confirm Your Reservation

After your visit is scheduled, you’ll receive an email with links to a confirmation form and an accounts payable information request. Both forms must be completed—including any necessary updates—no later than two weeks before your scheduled visit.

Failure to submit the required forms by the deadline will result in cancellation of your field trip.

Tips for a Successful Visit

Arrival Information

SciTech is located in Baltimore's Inner Harbor at The Rita Rossi Colwell Center 701 E. Pratt Street, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.

Buses may drop students off in front of the building. There is no free parking available; however, several public parking garages are located nearby. Your SciTech instructor(s) will greet you in the lobby. If you expect to arrive late, please call (410) 385-6323.

Lunch Break

A 30-minute lunch break can be built into your field trip schedule. Students may bring their own lunches to eat in our auditorium—there is no food to buy onsite. When completing your request form, please indicate that you would like to take a lunch break during the lab. An instructor will be in contact to coordinate the timing.

Accessibility

We want all visitors to SciTech to enjoy our programs. The main entrance to the Colwell Center is equipped with an elevator to the auditorium and laboratory level. Please contact us for supporting special needs within your group.

Questions?

Contact a SciTech instructor at scitech AT_TOWSON with any questions.