Activities

Explore UT is open to the general public with online programming that is accessible to all. Activities specifically designed for K-12 students include an indication of a suggested grade level, denoting the difficulty of the concept or activity presented. Some programs will require participants to join virtual platforms (Zoom, Brazen, etc.). Children who are participating in these programs must be monitored by an adult chaperone (parent, guardian or a teacher) in order to join the virtual platform. Some may require verification that a chaperone will be present in order to register for participation.

Anytime

Designing Super Paper Planes

Learn the basic science of air travel and test your engineering skills by creating a super paper plane. The guide will provide design tips that may help your plane fly farther. Once you've tested it in flight, you may want to choose to change the design to make it better. The sky is the limit.

Cockrell School of Engineering Engineering

Anytime

Space: Fact vs. Fiction

This video presentation of Space: Fact vs. Fiction contrasts a number of common and not so common misconceptions about space by sharing the real facts about those issues. Issue topics include gravity, living in space, rockets, atmospheric entry, the costs and benefits of space exploration, the civilian space program, Star Trek and extra-terrestrials.

Jackson School of Geosciences Science

March 5, 2021, 11 a.m. to noon

Look (Safely) at the Sun

Feast your eyes on the sun as you’ve never seen it before: live, through specially filtered telescopes and cameras. Learn about sunspots, prominences, solar flares, and more. As a bonus, learn how, when, and where to safely view the upcoming total solar eclipse, a once in a life time event, on April 8, 2024. The host and moderators will answer your questions live.

College of Natural Sciences Science

March 6, 2021, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Design a Gumdrop Dome or Marshmallow Tower

Design and create a dome or tower (or any shape) using only toothpicks and gumdrops or marshmallows! How tall can you make your tower? How strong of a structure can you make? If you shake the table like an earthquake, does it stay standing? If you put a book on top of it, will it withstand the weight? If you press on it from the side, does it hold up or does it topple over? Stop by to build with members of Chi Epsilon and talk about engineering! To older students, drop by to chat about UT, honors organizations, and anything else you want to know about civil engineering, etc.

Cockrell School of Engineering Engineering

March 6, 2021, 10 to 11 p.m.

Live Deep Sky Tour

Take part in a special night time Explore UT program, starting at 10 p.m., to go where no human has gone before: thousands of light years from Earth. Join the McDonald Observatory for a live tour of galaxies, nebulae, star clusters and more through a research-grade telescope in West Texas. An astronomer will discuss the unique features and scientific observations of each target and moderators will answer your questions live.

College of Natural Sciences Science