Camp Explorations: Science Explorers

This week of Science Explorers we have been learning about all different kinds of science. On Monday we learned all about animals. We made habitat dioramas using a variety of craft materials for a snake or a lizard. We talked about how a habitat is an animals home and what that animal might need in their habitat. We then had different pictures of animal habitats and put various animals in their correct habitat.

We learned that there are different kinds of animals and sorted them into those groups. There was an insect, fish, reptile, bird and mammal group. We talked about the differences and then sorted plastic animals into their correct group.

On Tuesday, we were scientists and did all sorts of experiments. We read the book Pancakes, Pancakes! by Eric Carle and learned about all the ingredients that go into making pancakes. We then made our own "chocolate chip cookies" by putting all the ingredients in a bowl and mixing them together and then they change to what we know as chocolate chip cookies! We talked about how a mixing some ingredients like flour and sugar is a physical change and when they are mixed they stay the same. We then talked about a chemical change is when we mix all the ingredients together and then bake it to make chocolate chip cookies.

Mixing the ingredients

Adding ingredients to make chocolate chip cookies

What other ingredients do we need?

We made some puffy paint using foaming shaving cream, glue and food coloring. Campers then painted their own pictures.

Katherine showing us how to use the pipettes

We experimented by dropping colored vinegar onto baking soda to see the reaction and the different colors that were made just by dropping red, yellow and blue.

Look at the reactions!

When we were outside at snack we did another experiment, called Elephant's Toothpaste, because it comes out all foaming like toothpaste and it's big enough to be used on elephant's teeth! We got to touch the foam and feel how warm it was after the experiment. We learned that is it warm because of the chemical reaction happening.

Adding the yeast mixture

Waiting for it!

On Wednesday, we learned about space and became astronauts! We read the Astronaut Handbook by Meghan McCarthy to learn what it takes to become an astronaut. We then made and decorated our own astronaut helmets.

We went to the planetarium where we learned about stars and planets. Then at 11:30 we launched our rockets. We used Alka-Seltzer and "Rocket Fuel" (water) to launch our rockets. All you need to do is put one-fourth to one-third tablet in the canister and add some rocket fuel. Then give it a little shake, set it down and wait for it to launch!

A beautiful blue gemstone

On Thursday, we learned about rocks. We went on a rock hunt around the Museum and then looked at all kinds of rocks. We sorted them into groups and used magnifying glasses to look closely at them. We made our own gemstones to take home and then looked at fossils in the Museum exhibits. We also made some mosaics using mineral pieces.

Sorting rocks

An emerald!

We found the canoe and just had to get in!

Look at that pretty rock!

"I found something!"

On Friday, we learned about paleontologists and dinosaurs. We went on a dig and found lots of different fossils. We got to take home a cast of a Deinonychus claw. We made Triceratops hats and went to look at the different dinosaurs in the Museum exhibits.