49ers EDU presented by Chevron today launched a new Virtual Lesson Series accessible online and perfect for any K-8 students or teachers interested in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math). To remove any barriers of access, 49ers EDU – the 49ers Foundation's award-winning educational program – provides all programming, including this Virtual Lesson Series, completely free of cost to the end-user.
This newly launched Virtual Lesson Series is an extension of the regular 49ers EDU in-person programming at Levi's® Stadium, which has been completely halted since the beginning of the pandemic. In a normal year, 49ers EDU welcomes 60,000 students to the "49ers EDU & Denise DeBartolo York Education Center" – located within the 49ers Museum presented by Foxconn Industrial Internet – for meaningful and relevant educational experiences that leverage football as a platform to connect, engage and inspire K-8 students and educators in STEAM. The Virtual Lesson Series hopes to spark interest in STEAM and continue to grow the next generation of STEAM professionals.
As of launch, the Virtual Lesson Series features three lesson topics, all of which are adjustable to fit accordingly with K-8 academics. These lessons align with Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards, and included in the EDU Digital Playbook that launched at the start of the pandemic.
- Art, Math and Football – The game of football and Levi's® Stadium provide a backdrop for this lesson, which showcases how math influences art, and how art can help people understand complex mathematical problems.
- Career Connections – In this lesson, students and educators can explore all the different jobs that are necessary for a successful football franchise, both on and off the field.
- Environmental Sustainability – Levi's® Stadium takes center stage in this lesson by displaying the many environmentally friendly practices in place at the venue, including the use of solar, a rooftop garden, and recycling.
"Educators of all levels can agree that one of the biggest joys of teaching is seeing the eyes of enthusiastic young students in person. Our 49ers EDU team has truly missed hosting field trips to our stadium this past year, but we are thrilled to now bring the Levi's Stadium experience to classrooms and homes everywhere," said Jesse Lovejoy, Director of 49ers EDU and 49ers Museum. "We realize that virtual learning has been difficult for students and educators alike, so we hope that this Virtual Lesson Series will serve as a fun, unique, and simple way to learn about STEAM through the lens of football."
49ers EDU finished creating the Virtual Lesson Series in early 2021 and since then has been offering the lessons on an individual basis to educators across California. This process has provided an organic way for 49ers EDU to receive feedback directly from teachers, allowing the team to refine and enhance the content before this virtual launch. Since January, the Virtual Lesson Series has been used 41 times in 26 schools across nine counties.
To access the 49ers EDU Virtual Lesson Series, please visit 49ers.com/eduvirtuallessons.
