MondayFirst day of camp! After getting to know one another in a few different games, we practiced using our five senses (except actual taste) to make observations and complete a scavenger hunt competition outside. With a focus on STEM for the week, the morning was spent practicing the scientific method to make predictions about the growth of bacteria (Mr. King bravely volunteered to eat bacteria). Over the next few days we will observe growth from bacteria collected in different locations and then later in the week test the effectiveness of different cleaning methods. The focus of the afternoon was engineering, specifically the engineering of catapults to launch cows and chickens! We discussed the use of potential energy to launch the objects in hopes of knocking down cup towers. Groups did an amazing job of identifying areas needing improvement and engineering solutions to make their catapults more effective and accurate. We had lots of fun in our first day together and are looking forward to a great week together.
TuesdayTuesday began with a revisit of discussion of observations and making conclusions about "sewer lice." Our beginning challenge for the day is called "Build-It" challenge in which one group member is the communicator and must explain to the rest of the group (the builders) how to construct an object using provided materials.
We began our learning in day two by by testing different types of gum to see which could blow the best bubble. It turns out, a single piece of gum is more difficult than expected to blow good bubbles. However, we had some success and were able to determine that Bubble Yum with Hubba Bubba a close second. While Juicy fruit and Spearmint held their flavor, they were not great for blowing bubbles. We also introduced and began practicing the scientific method by developing questions, predictions (hypothesizes), collecting data, and making conclusions based on the results. To practice this, we put gummy bears in different soda to see how they change after soaking overnight. The afternoon focus was potential and kinetic energy as demonstrated by marble roller coasters. Returning campers were extremely excited to begin this activity and are excited to show off their designs tomorrow morning WednesdayOur session Wednesday began with a focus on exploring density and polarity be examining liquid layers and the ability of different substances to dissolve in water. Spoiler: water can dissolve most things unless it is a fat. As it was expected to be very warm today, campers selected five locations to measure the temperature throughout the day (morning, lunch, afternoon) to see which materials/locations changed the most and became the hottest. After reviewing the data, the blacktop and wooden picnic tables became extremely hot. In small groups throughout the day we made "plastic" shapes by combining hot milk with vinegar. We'll let the shapes sit until Friday in which they should harden and be similar strength to manufactured plastic.
Our main engineering project for the day harnesses the power of wind in order to push cars as far as possible. Groups quickly realized after testing and revision that a large sail and light car were most effective. We finished up this hot day with water relay races (sorry if your camper came home very wet) that was a lot of fun. |
ThursdayThursday was a great day with lots of fun activities. We built towers out of spaghetti to support marshmallows in the morning, compared our temperature changes from yesterday (asphalt had the highest temperatures), discovered if we were right or left brained individuals, launched rockets, and did a little molecular gastronomy (made boba balls of coke).
A reminder that campers will be provided a pizza lunch tomorrow (gluten free will also be provided). Students should still bring their own morning snack and water bottle. FridayToday was our last day of camp and it was filled with lots of excitement. Kennedy, Maci, and Brynlee built a very challenging build-it challenge that was one of the hardest we have ever had! As is often the case in science, the details are important. Our morning challenge continued focus on gravity, specifically with saving a water ballon from exploding after experiencing gravity (dropped from various heights). After our lunch time pizza party, we played a variety of indoor games before heading outside for water competitions: relay races, water ballon toss, and sprinkler run.
We had a great week and really enjoyed all of the new and returning campers. We hope to see everyone back next year for more fun and learning. Have a fun and safe remainder of the summer, Mr. King & Mr. Rott |