You’ve heard of our Xplorations Summer Camps — the sell-out science fests that bring thousands of kids to HMNS each summer. You probably know registration deadlines, details of the camp catalog and maybe even the peak times for carpool. But do you know what an average day in the life of a camper looks like?
I do, thanks to our camp organizers. And I’ve got the pictures to prove it:
I arrived at Earth’s Wild Ride on a “Thirsty Thursday,” during which each camper was required to list their favorite beverage on their name tag as a means to get to know one another. I kept it honest — but PG.
We kicked the day off with a book about the arctic landscape, in keeping with the day’s cold theme, and followed it up by practicing our seal sounds.
Next up, it was craft time.
Each camper constructed an arctic landscape using construction paper, Styrofoam, imagination, and a little bit of magic also known as instant snow.
(The material, which expands when it comes into contact with water, lost some of its allure when it was also revealed as the filling of choice for most diapers.)
We followed that craft up with another in the form of a faux glacier, which we filled with assorted sizes of rocks. These would be melted later with a hair dryer (the classroom method for modeling accelerated climate change) to study the erratics, or rock deposits, left by melting, retreating ice.
Lunchtime provided the perfect fodder for my weekly #throwbackthursday post on Instagram, courtesy of Bill Nye the Science Guy on DVD.
After we’d snacked sufficiently, the class headed to the Giant Screen Theatre for a spectacular 3D screening of Titans of the Ice Age.
Post-theater we were out in the open, out-of-doors, for a geyser demonstration. With the help of some studly pink safety goggles, Mentos and a liter of carbonated beverage, Mr. Colin was able to convey the physics behind these geological gushers.
Back in the classroom, we met two ingenious Ecoteens for a physics demonstration. Here, we explore how durable a nose is your center of gravity:
As if our day weren’t full enough, we concluded with the creation of an incredible edible: snowflakes crafted with mini marshmallows and toothpicks. Can you tell which of these belongs to a 26-year-old and which belongs to somebody who can count their age on one finger?
I’ll never tell.
