We will learn about the importance of reducing our ecological footprint by following the three basic R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.  We will trace the journey of our recyclable items from our home recycling bin.  We will learn about the next steps in their journey, including collection, sorting, processing, and manufacturing.  We will explore the second and third lives of recyclable materials.  We will explore all the ways we can use recycled materials for various purposes, such as art, musical instruments, jewelry, home decor and games as we work with aluminum foil, cardboard, plastic bottles, paper towel rolls and more!  We will also explore composting and gardening in our efforts to appreciate and nurture our planet Earth.

Join us as we celebrate the history of Pop Music from the 1950’s to the 1990’s!  We will examine the trends, culture and top artists of each decade, along with the various dance moves they made famous.  We will explore each decade’s unique method of expressing emotion through movement and rhythm.  We will learn to do the moves of Elvis Presley’s rubber legs, Chubby Checker’s Twist, John Travolta’s Saturday Night Fever, Michael Jackson’s Moonwalk, the Macarena and more! 

Pack the Minivan, grab some snacks, make a playlist and we are off!  We will set off on the adventure and road trip of a lifetime!  We will cruise across the United States stopping at various National Parks as we discover America’s Story!  From Shenandoah National Park, to Mammoth Cave, to the Great Sand DUnes, Grand Canyon to Sequoia National Park – we will explore the stories of America’s people and places.  The stories of our nation;s landscapes will be told as we “visit” each National Park and examine the natural resources, geography, and culture each park represents.  We will learn about the history of National Parks in the United States, investigate the issues that currently affect our parks and think about how we can address and preserve them for the future.  

Field Trip: The week will end with a trip to Skyline Caverns, to experience caverns similar to Mammoth Cave, which is located close to the north entrance of Shenandoah National Park.

Have you ever thought about the kitchen as a science lab?  This week we will use everyday kitchen items to create and observe chemistry at work!  Cooking is a perfect combination of math and science, as we measure, weigh, and combine our ingredients.  Baking is an endothermic reaction, meaning when you ass heat to something, it changes.  We will probe deeper and explore how different ingredients affect our final product.  What happens when we leave out the oil or the baking powder?  How does the appearance and taste change?  We will investigate how chemistry is involved as we make our own bread, butter and ice cream.  We will also experiment with colorful, fizzy and explosive reactions.  Grab your apron and your beaker, it is time to cook up some science in the kitchen!

We will roar into summer as we learn about the most fascinating creatures to roam the earth – Dinosaurs!  Our study of the Jurassic age will demonstrate how species came to be, disappear, adapt and survive.  We will explore the unique features of various dinosaurs as we compare/contrast how they move, what they eat, and what they look like.  We will become junior paleontologists as we study fossils and participate in our own excavation dig!

Field Trip: Our week will conclude with a trip to the Smithsonian’s Natural History Museum to explore the new fossil hall and discover how Earth’s distant past is connected to the present and informs our future. 

Taekwondo is a Korean Martial Art that combines self-defense techniques with sport and exercise.  Physically, taekwondo develops important skills such as strength, speed, balance, flexibility, and stamina.  But taekwondo teaches more than just physical skills.  Taekwondo is a traditional discipline that shows how to enhance our spirit and life through training our body and mind.  We will concentrate on the five tenets of Taekwondo that include courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit.  We will also explore Korean culture and language.  Ultimately, we will learn that martial arts is not about fighting but about building character! 

Campers will explore and discover how simple machines help us apply force and make work easier!  Students will learn about the six different types of simple machines – lever, wheel and axle, pulley, inclined plane, wedge, and screw.  Campers will exercise their critical thinking skills as they are challenged to make a Rube Goldberg invention perform a simple task in an indirect way.

 Field Trip: The week will end with a trip to Frying Pan Park where campers will explore how simple machines can be useful both at home and on the farm.  We will test the use of simple machines by performing farm chores with them.

Is there life on other planets?  If so, what does it look like?  Campers will set out to answer these questions and more.  Along the way they will learn about the thrilling work NASA and astrobiologists are doing to search for life in our solar system and beyond!  We will focus on the role of scientific inquiry in advancing NASA’s ongoing commitment to space exploration.  Join us as we embark on an epic adventure of interstellar exploration and discovery!