The campers learned about
blood types,
investigated human senses, and dissected two foot long dogfish
sharks. Some of the kids found and identified the heart,
liver,
brain and digestive system. They checked the stomach contents
to
see what it had for its last meal.
Computers
The students dissected a
computer, did
some programming, and took part in a scavenger hunt for facts on
the internet.
Chemical
investigations included testing
the efficacy of various sunscreens, growing crystals of alum, and
evaluating several different antacids by checking how much acid they
would neutralize.
Physics
Day one
we did some
bubbleology, generating some bubbles that were amazingly
big. Two straws and a length of cotton cord dipped
in the
bubble solution and swept through the air can make a bubble a couple of
feet in diameter. The top of second picture shows a bubble
forming and at the bottom you can see that it has already started to
pop. With a couple of hula hoops and a shallow pan of the
bubble
solution can be used to make a bubble big enough to enclose a
volunteer. As the bubble is formed the surface tension of the
soap film pulls it in to minimize the area and it pops as soon as it
touches their hair or clothing. We also made flat, cubic,
tetrahedral, and just weird bubbles. We also made bubbles
that
the kids put their head or hand through without popping.
Days
two and three we constructed hot air balloons from tissue paper, rubber
cement, a bit of wire and patience. All the classes got to
fly
their balloons, most with considerable success. A
few
landed in trees or down over the side of the hill (one went almost a
mile before touchdown) and several caught fire at launch when a gust of
wind caused the tissue paper to come too close to the chimney of the
heater. That outcome was usually greeted with cheers and
calls to
burn another one.
Contests held during the
week included
the range of the mini rockets, the internet scavenger hunt, and physics
olympic events like the laser target shoot, periodic table word search,
toothpick and marshmallow tower, aluminum foil boat and others.
Here are pictures of the winners.
If
you would like more information on the camp or the projects and
challenges you can E-mail Nancy
and
Alan