Week 1: Archaeology Quest

Archaeology Quest!

Day 1

Today, campers started off their week by making Archaeology Lapbooks. Younger groups pasted the answers to archaeological questions in, while older groups discussed and wrote down the answers on their own.





 

Next, campers measured and set up their own archaeological mapping site, flagging and noting down the pottery pieces they found there.

In the archaeology gallery on the 4th floor, campers hypothesized about where an ancient knife was found based on contextual clues.

Day 2

Our oldest two groups, Orange and Green, spent the day at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. There, they received a tour and designed their own mythical monsters!

Meanwhile, Yellow and Red groups learned about Ancient Rome. They first designed then assembled Roman helmets.

Next, campers learned the play the ancient game of Rota, which is similar to Tic Tac Toe. 

Day 3

Today, the groups switched and Yellow and Red visited the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. There, they received a tour and designed their own mythical monsters!

Meanwhile, Orange and Green groups learned about Ancient Rome. They designed and assembled their own Roman helmets, and even got to try on a replica!

Next, campers learned the play the ancient game of Rota, which is similar to Tic Tac Toe.

Day 4

Today was all about Ancient Greece! Campers learned about Greek mythology and history through games and crafts!

First, they made their own mythical monsters based off of Greek myths.

Later, campers were up for the Broken Pottery Challenge. They went up against other pairs in their group to tape broken pots back together as quickly as possible. 

Campers in Orange and Green groups played the Digging Up Greece Board Game, where they answered trivia questions and traveled around Greece to gain points.

Meanwhile, campers in Red and Yellow groups played Ancient Greece Go Fish!

Day 5

On this rainy day, campers put their knowledge from the week to the test. They took notes on their own archaeological discovery in their journal with the use of scales and calipers. 

They then brainstormed different life events, and had other campers try to guess their order. This was connected to the importance of determining chronology in archaeological digs. Campers were then asked to remove a few events from their lists to represent the holes created by looters and destruction over time. 

 

Some groups also excavated a Roman bowl from clay and then tried to piece it back together. 

We also visited the Museum Store and recapped our amazing first week!! We are so excited for the rest of the summer!

Out of This World Questions

We are so excited to learn about space this week. It's going to be out of this world! Here are some questions to ask your camper at the end of each day!

On Monday, we are learning all about what it takes to be an astronaut. Ask me...

• What kind of training astronauts go through. 
• What are the essentials for living on the moon.
• If I would want to work for NASA.

On Tuesday, we will be learning all about Mars. Ask me...

• About the Mars colony I made.
• What are some cool facts about Mars.
• If I would want to live on Mars!

On Wednesday, we will be making and launching our own rockets. Ask me...

• How rockets work.
• What kind of decorations I put on my rocket.
• How high my rocket went in the sky!

On Thursday, we will be learning about the moon. Ask me...

• If I successfully landed on the moon with my lunar lander.
• To demonstrate my rocket launcher.
• What project was the hardest.

On Friday, we will be learning about the possibility of life out in space and make some cool aliens. Ask me about...

• What kind of life signs we look for in soil. 
• How I would classify different aliens.
• What I loved most about camp!

Archaeology Quest Questions

We are so excited that our first week of camp is under way! We have a full week of exploring ancient civilizations and getting to know archaeological methods. Here are some questions to ask your camper at the end of each day!

On Monday, we will be learning about the basics of archaeology. Ask me...

• What is the difference between a paleontologist and archaeologist.
• What I found in our archaeological mapping site.
• Where they think the knife from "Contextual Clues" was found.

On Tuesday, the Orange and Green groups will be visiting the Kelsey Museum, while Red and Yellow groups stay at the Museum of Natural History to learn Ancient Rome.

For Orange and Green groups, ask me about...

• The archaeology dig we did, and what sorts of artifacts we found.
• What we learned about myths and monsters.

For Red and Yellow, ask me ...

• How to play the game of Rota.
• How I decorated my Roman Helmet.

On Wednesday, the Red and Yellow groups will be visiting the Kelsey Museum, while the Orange and Green groups stay at the Museum of Natural History to learn about Ancient Rome.

For Red and Yellow Groups, ask me about...

• The archaeology dig we did, and what sorts of artifacts we found.
• What we learned about myths and monsters.

For Orange and Green groups, ask me about...

• How to play the game of Rota.
• How I decorated my Roman Helmet.

On Thursday, we will be learning about Ancient Greece. Ask me...

• How I made my mythical monster.
• If I played Ancient Greek Go Fish or the Digging Up Greece Board Game.
• What I know about Ancient Greece!

On Friday, we are putting together all of our new knowledge about archaeology! Ask me about...

• The life events I chose for my timeline.
• My favorite event in the Archaeology Olympics.
• What I loved most about camp!

Meet Your 2017 Camp Counselors!

Meet the 2017 Camp Explorations Staff!

           

Sarah Carrillo (Morning Sessions, Red Group) just finished her second year at the University of Michigan studying environmental policy through the Program in the Environment. She enjoys spending time outdoors biking, swimming, camping, hiking, and more! She grew up in Ann Arbor and loves summertime here. Sarah was a camp counselor last year with Camp Explorations and is super excited to be returning this year!

Ryan George (Morning Sessions, Orange Group) has lived in Ann Arbor his whole life and will be a senior at the University of Michigan in the fall. He is majoring in Classical Civilization with a minor in Latin. As a child, Ryan frequented the University of Michigan’s Museum of Natural History and loved every exhibit, diorama, and display. To this day, he enjoys the amazing things the museum has to offer. Paleontology, and the study of dinosaurs and other prehistoric animals remain among his passions and he is excited about sharing his interests and knowledge as a counselor at Camp Explorations.

Molly Moroz (Morning Sessions, Yellow Group) double majored in Ecology, Evolution & Biodiversity and Earth & Environmental Science, and just graduated from U-M in April. She loves hiking, kayaking reading, and learning about nature. Molly hopes to go to graduate school to become a paleontologist. She is so excited to share her love of science and nature with campers!

Ryan McGowan (Morning Sessions, Green Group) is a graduate student studying Historic Preservation and just finished his first year learning about building archaeology and museum practices. Ryan loves the study of history and the natural world.

Maggie Jones (Afternoon Sessions, Red Group) just graduated with a degree in elementary education, with a concentration in language arts. She lives to sing, read, and sit in the sun. She loves dinosaurs, space and animals. This is her third year as a camp counselor, and there is nowhere else she would rather spend her summer.

Kellyn McKnight (Afternoon Sessions, Orange Group) is entering her second year at the University of Michigan, and is pursuing a degree in Comparative Literature with a minor in Translation Studies. While not at the museum, you can find her in the library or trying to tempt a squirrel with a bagel. Kellyn’s favorite exhibit at the museum is the sauropod leg, and she is very excited to share her enthusiasm with your children this summer!

Franny MeLampy (Afternoon Sessions, Yellow Group) is a rising senior studying Evolutionary Anthropology. She was raised in Ann Arbor and is lucky to have worked at the museum for over two years. After returning from the U of M Biological Station up north (otherwise known as “Bug Camp”), she is happy to continue her camp adventure at the museum this summer! Franny love all things nature, and cannot wait to explore the natural world with the   kids of summer camp!

McKenzie Ogden (Afternoon Sessions, Green Group) is a senior in the School of Education at U of M, studying political science and history in the Secondary Education program. She has a wide range of experience with children, spending most summers either teaching dance classes, babysitting, or working as a substitute teacher at a preschool on North Campus. McKenzie is excited to meet your kids and looks forward to spending her summer teaching campers a love for learning!

Annie Cohen (AM/PM Sessions, Blue Group) is a rising senior at the University of Michigan studying film.  In addition to film, Annie enjoys theater in all forms and was an actor in Ann Arbor's Shakespeare in the Arb for the past two summers.  This is her third summer working at the Museum and she is super excited to be working as a camp counselor. 

Therese Westman (Little Explorers, Blue Group) has been working at the Natural History Museum since January of this year. She is currently attending U of M, hoping to major in Anthropology and minor in Museum Studies. In her free time, she likes to visit museums and hang out with her niece. She cannot wait to share this adventure with you, since this will be her first year as a camp counselor!

Natalie Zimmerman (Little Explorers, Purple Group) is a rising senior studying Political Science and International Studies and minoring in Gender and Health. She hopes to pursue a masters in elementary education after graduation. Natalie is an Ann Arbor native and loves spending time in the city. She has worked at the museum for just over a year, but she has been a dinosaur-lover for as long as she can remember. Natalie is very involved in Dance Marathon at the University of Michigan, as well as tutoring patients in Mott’s cardiology unit. Natalie also works with PEAC (Programs to Educate All Cyclists), where she is a transit advocate for individuals with autism and cognitive impairments. In her spare time, Natalie loves spending time with animals, playing music, coaching Girls on the Run, and learning about new scientific discoveries. She is so excited to make discoveries at camp!

Delaney Brewer (Morning Assistant Director) is an incoming senior in the School of Education, earning teaching certifications in Secondary Political Science and History. She loved her time as a camp counselor last summer, and has had years of experience educating and working with children. Delaney cannot wait for another fun-filled summer!

Meghan Hoffman (Afternoon Assistant Director) just graduated with a BS in Biochemistry and will be starting a PharmD at Michigan’s Pharmacy School in the fall. In her free time, she likes to read up on new scientific discoveries (especially if it has to do with space or dinosaurs!) and watch cheesy movies with her friends. She had a ton of fun being a counselor last summer, and is excited to come back as an assistant director!

Brittany Burgess (Camp Director) is ready for her sixth year at Camp Explorations. Brittany holds a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and a M.A. in Museum Science from Texas Tech University.  She has experience in developing, planning and teaching summer camps at other museums. In addition to Camp Explorations, she coordinates the student docent program and manages K-12 school programming at the Museum. She is excited for another fun-filled summer!