This year at camp the kids investigated facial reconstruction software, 3-D animation, and the World Wide Web in their computer classes.  In biology they dissected a frog,  looked at fingerprinting and hair/fiber analysis which would prove useful later in their crime scene investigation.  During their chemistry sessions they learned about chromatography, analyzed several white powders, and searched for clues using their new scientific tools and deductive powers.  They built a star projector and some tools that are used in astronomy.  In physics we investigated the effects of cryogenic temperatures on some physical, chemical and electrical properties of matter and looked at some physics that can be done with things that you find in fast food restaurants. The kids were also challenged with contests to see who could generate the best computer composite drawing of Mr. Arts, solve a crime, get the highest score on the Olympic events and build the strongest, lightest, and most earthquake resistant spaghetti tower. The field trip this year was to COSI in Columbus Ohio.

Campers

Astronomy
Heavy paper, tape, a CD, some friends and a little care and you have an instrument that they can use to check the spectrum of a light source and determine what chemical elements are present.

Chemistry
Studying the fingerprints, dossiers on the suspects and analyzing other evidence.

The crime scene.  You can see some of the evidence that had to be analyzed.

Computer science

 

Physics
 Building Cartesian divers and putting clouds in bottles in physics.  Some of the divers took more urging than others to get them to submerge.

Biology
Dissection

The spaghetti tower challenge.
Some towers ready to be tested.  Loaded in the earthquake machine.  And crushed.

 We had some time left after judging the spaghetti tower earthquake so some of the campers worked on the "8 Queens Problem" and learned the game of Nim.

A Treat
        Some of the volunteers helped make and serve the "Wizard Ice Cream" for the campers.

We also did some cryogenic experiments.  To see some of them click here.
 Physics Olympics
 Towers of toothpicks joined by marshmallows, paper and straw structures that had to float, a cantilever made from spaghetti and tape, a laser maze done blindfolded with your team mates giving instructions, a laser target shoot where the problem was to set up 2 mirrors with the laser off and your score was determined by how close you came to the target when it was turned on.  These and other problems challenged the Olympic teams that were competing.

Contest winners


Trip to the COSI
A ride on the unicycle came first for my group
     
Then a visit to adventure

And a ride on the Centripetal Generotor. One group before liftoff and another during the period of maximum Gees.
 
Investigating the mechanical advantage provided by pulley systems.
 

300,000 volts of static electricity is about to pass from the Van de Graff generator to ground through our intrepid investigators.

Real soon now.

A 300,000 volt discharge is startling but it only hurts a little.

A discharge is about to pass through this line of conductors to ground.

Like charges repel as is demonstrated by these hairdos.
          

To go to COSI's web site click here.

Robert Arts, the program director.

To contact Mr. Arts or for more information about the Pikeville Math/Science Resource Center and programs that are conducted there click here.