Camp Learn-A-Lot 2015: Just The Beginning

Camp Learn-A-Lot 2015: Just The Beginning

Overall

Welcome teachers, students, and parents, to another wonderful summer of fun and adventure at Romulus Community Schools' Camp Learn-A-Lot! Following 2014's "superhero" spectacular, this year's camp will belong to the super sleuths. Our theme is CSI--for Camp Science Investigators--and both student and teacher will journey through the world of scientific investigation and inquiry. Campers will examine scientific principles such as matter, the energy of motion, and velocity with the eye of a crime scene examiner, as well as learn the terminology of those in the criminal justice profession, all the while having loads of fun too. Students can look forward to regularly scheduled "Village" time, Wacky Water Days, and field trips to places that excite and engage. It's shaping up to be an amazing year of summer camp!

Training Week

Beginning the week of July 13th, teachers and tutors alike began their training to become the ultimate "Camp Science Investigation" team. The staff were busy unpacking supplies, decorating the hallways according to theme, and preparing classrooms for our brilliant students. The focal point of the teachers' training was the curriculum, which focuses upon vital skills such as identifying key words or "sight words," and math facts, but has also been re-vamped to encompass the theme and hands-on learning experiences. Concurrently, the tutors learned how to play games such as "Splat!," "Tri-Facta," and "I sea 10" to share with the kids and help them improve their basic math and English skills. The Camp Learn-A-Lot teachers and tutors are now ready and excited for the students to arrive, so the educational journey can begin.

First Week of Camp

The sun has shined brightly on the first days of Camp Learn-A-Lot at Wick Elementary, not only in weather, but in mood. Students arrived ready to learn, were escorted by our tutors to enjoy a healthy breakfast in the cafeteria, and sang along to the camp theme song--a remix of Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger"--during the morning meeting. The principal of the program, Mrs. Johnson, and lead teacher Ms. Dickson, led the assembly to prepare and excite the students for class. The first portion of class has been dedicated purely to instructional time with math, English, and science, however, along with required pre-testing and math/English review, has been engaging group experimentation. Science kits have been ordered and delivered, and our campers are putting them to good use. Throughout the halls, you'll see students measuring the distance a toy car travels down a ramp to study velocity. You will see 5th graders investigating matter with balloons and the mixing of liquid and solid components. You'll also see children using their critical thinking skills to build a slingshot, or other structure, from a random assortment of items, with their teammates. And after a delicious lunch served by Camp's excellent staff, our campers enjoy "Village,": a time to unwind and have fun with classmates. Activities so far have consisted of volleyball, soccer, kick-ball, musical chairs, crafts, Legos, and many more. One would not be surprised to find student and staff engaged in a playful tug-of-war, or enjoying a game of catch with one another. It's been but a few days, and already the campers love their teachers and tutors. Each day a new set of stations are assembled, and each day is more creative and more incredible fun, than the last. And on a more informative note, parents of campers should also be aware of a few important documents that have been sent home with your student, including an emergency card and transportation information. Please review the materials and return the emergency information to the school as soon as possible. Thank you for reading, and I will see you next week with a new installment of Camp Learn-A-Lot news!