Welcome to the SciTrek Resource Hub for Secondary Educators
At SciTrek, we are committed to supporting teachers in bringing hands-on, inquiry-based science experiences to their students. This page serves as a central location where you can access essential materials for running our Secondary SciTrek modules in your classroom.
Key Features of SciTrek Secondary Modules:
- Multi-Day, Hands-On Investigations – Students conduct experiments, collect data, and analyze results over the course of each 5-day module to deeply explore NGSS-aligned scientific and engineering concepts.
- Real-World Applications – Activities are designed to connect scientific concepts to everyday life and STEM careers.
- Collaborative Learning – Students work in teams, practicing communication and problem-solving skills essential for scientific inquiry.
- Mentor Support – UCSB undergraduate mentors guide students through the process, encouraging curiosity and deeper exploration.
- Evidence-Based Reasoning – Modules emphasize data collection and analysis, reinforcing the scientific method.
- Structured Yet Flexible – Each module provides clear guidance while allowing for teachers to customize the program to the needs of their students and their specific classrooms, while retaining the advantages of open-ended exploration and student-driven discoveries.
Currently, we have our most recent middle school module materials available. Here, you’ll find:
- Module Workbooks: Teacher- and student-friendly workbooks designed to guide program facilitators and learners through SciTrek investigations.
- Step-by-Step Instructions for Specific Module Activities: For many of our Module activities, we have generated clear, step-by-step instructions you can laminate and include with materials kits to help you and your students quickly and easily get started with the hands-on, interactive parts of our programs.
- Additional Resources: We also have Spanish-language student workbooks available, as well as helpful videos for teachers to use as they prepare to run more technical parts of the program.
Whether you are new to SciTrek or a returning educator, these resources are designed to help you seamlessly integrate SciTrek modules into your curriculum. If you have any questions or need additional support, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Click below to access the materials and start exploring.
Conservation of Mass: SciTrek Module Resources
The Conservation of Mass module engages students in hands-on investigations to explore how mass is conserved during physical and chemical changes. Students work through interactive stations where they observe chemical reactions, compare physical and chemical changes, and measure mass before and after transformations to gather evidence demonstrating when mass is conserved during these transformations and how emissions from chemical reactions can be captured. Activities include burning and subjecting marshmallows to a vacuum, endothermic and exothermic reactions, and capturing gas emissions from reactions. Below, you’ll find all the materials needed to run this module, including student workbooks, lesson plans, and additional resources to support your classroom implementation.
Conservation of Mass - Lead Workbook
Conservation of Mass - Student Workbook
Conservation of Mass - Student Workbook (Spanish)
Step-by-Step Activity Laminates for Conservation of Mass
Conservation of Mass - Research Poster Template
Conservation of Mass - Research Poster Template (Spanish)
Best Bread: SciTrek Module Resources
The Best Bread module engages students in hands-on investigations to explore the science of cellular respiration through the lens of experimental design and data analysis. Students work in teams to test how different variables—such as temperature and amount of sugar (glucose)—affect the metabolism of yeast and the resulting production of carbon dioxide. By designing and conducting controlled experiments, they analyze the role of systematic control of variables and observation of outcomes as the keys to this kind of research methodology. They'll also get an opportunity to connect yeast to things they encounter every day in their food and drink!
Below, you’ll find all the materials needed to run this module, including student workbooks, lesson plans, and additional resources to support your classroom implementation.
Best Bread - Student Workbook (Spanish)
Step-by-Step Activity Laminates for Best Bread
Best Bread Research Poster Template
Best Bread Research Poster Template (Spanish)
Waves: SciTrek Module Resources
The Waves module immerses students in hands-on investigations to explore the physics of mechanical waves and how they move through different media. Through engaging activities, students will experiment with tuning forks, slinkies, and wave drivers to observe wave properties in action. As they progress, they will apply their understanding by building their own simple speakers using magnets, wire, and cups.
In the final challenge, students will collaborate with their SciTrek mentor and teammates to design and construct the loudest speaker possible, testing and refining their designs through an iterative process. This module emphasizes the scientific method, teamwork, and the real-world applications of wave physics in technology.
Below, you’ll find all the materials needed to run this module, including student workbooks, activity laminates, and additional resources to support your classroom implementation.
Waves Research Poster Template