For Kindergarten to Grade 8 classrooms, we offer the the Tech ‘n’ Tinker (TNT) Trailer. This is a mobile classroom that provides hands-on experiential learning opportunities that complement the Ontario Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum. 

A visit with the TNT Trailer includes two of our program streams, Robotics and Engineering Design. These programs run simultaneously, meaning that Connections staff can work with two classes or groups at the same time. 

Robotics

Our robotics sessions introduce students to coding and robotics and their role in engineering. Students will gain hands-on experience with age-appropriate robots and apply areas of knowledge and skills from the Ontario math curriculum.

Students will be introduced to the robot, learn its basic features, and then be presented with a challenge. Your students will think like engineers to overcome their challenge while using estimation, measurement, directional language, and basic numeration. 

The robots we typically use during our workshops include LEGO Spike Prime; Dash; Ozobot; and Bee-Bot. 

 
 

Engineering Design

These workshops introduce students to the engineering design process (Problem, Plan, Create, Test, and Share). Students will be presented with a design challenge that will highlight a theme from one of the engineering disciplines; they will then develop a product to overcome that challenge.

Students will engage in hands-on engineering design activities. They will be presented with a problem that needs to be solved by using the engineering design process. Your students will think like engineers while using teamwork, problem-solving and decision-making skills while also applying areas of knowledge and skills from the Ontario science and math curricula.

In Engineering design workshops, students typically construct a product using basic building materials, such as cardboard and construction paper but they will also be introduced to technologies like the micro:bit, CoSpaces, and Scratch. 

FAQs

Due to high demand within our community, Connections cannot guarantee a booking with the Tech 'n' Tinker Trailer on a requested dates. To manage demand Connections will be reaching out to interested schools to schedule visits. If you are interested in a visit with the Tech 'n' Tinker Trailer, please send an email with your contact information and the name of your school to eng.connections@queensu.ca Building the schedule is completely up to you as a school. Connections will visit for an entire school day offering up to 250 minutes of instruction in the trailer as well as 250 minutes of instruction with our robotics kits in school. Our team will bring all the materials your classes will need, for multiple sessions. Our sessions are typically broken down into two 100-minute sessions and one 50-minute session. The 50-minute session should be schedule at the end of the day so that our staff can ensure that they have ample time to leave school property before dismissal. Yes! The Tech 'n' Tinker Trailer is heated, and can be booked during the Winter months. However, Connections staff reserve the right to cancel or alter bookings due to unsafe or inclement weather. All bookings scheduled on snow days will be cancelled and rescheduled at the earliest availability. In most cases, the Tech 'n' Tinker Trailer is parked on school property when we visit. We ask that school staff assign a parking spot that can accommodate the 27' Trailer before we arrive. Connections will provide all necessary materials and technology. You do not need to bring to have anything prepared unless otherwise specified.

Contact us to discuss bringing a day of workshops to your school.