Camp Learn-A-Lot Week 3 - August 4th, 2015

Camp Learn-A-Lot Week 3: Classroom Heroes

In anticipation of this week's field trip to the Yankee Air Museum, the 5th graders, and in fact, all other grades, have been rigorous in their instructional time studying science. Each morning, most classes have a "Do-Now" or "Bell ringer," that poses a scientific question and opens the class for discussion on the day's topic. The first weeks of camp, students learned and experimented with the states of matter: What are the phases of matter? Does changing the state change the mass? How can we best move from solid to liquid, and liquid to gas? And now, in our third week of camp, the focus has shifted to the biology of life--to the plant and animal structures that fuel life. Campers of all ages and grade levels have investigated the subject. Just this week, experiments have included a three part dissection of a lima bean, observations of the germination of beans provided with differing levels of water, and an exploration of structures specific to birds and other mammals. Students are even bolstering their creative skills and working as groups to craft a fake flower they believe could survive in the arctic tundra.

3rd graders led through the dissection of a lima bean

Tutor and students use craft supplies to model a plant

First grader with her drawing of animals and their structures

Teacher discusses seed germination observed with students

As well, both staff and student have remained vigilant about learning and maintaining their sight words and math facts. For example, the first graders start their day with an involved review session of key words. Using the Smart Board, the teachers and tutors lead the class in saying, spelling, and writing the words to cement them in their minds, and prepare them for the English requirements of the upcoming school year. For every class, flash cards and games have become an engaging way to learn and review, and campers are making improvements at every turn, like the second graders advancing from a focus on addition to subtraction. At Camp Learn-A-Lot, students are active members in their education as they prepare for the future.

Tutor tests a student on sight words to ensure she is improving

And of course, after testing, experimentation, and instructional time, our campers love to have fun! They love Village time, when they can relax and play tag, draw, build with Leggos, and bond with their tutors/teachers after a long day of learning. 

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS:

• The Camp Learn-A-Lot blog will no longer be hosted singularly by blogger.com. I will continue to post from this website, but there is now also a blog built into the district website. You can find it by going to romulus.net and clicking on the Camp icon, or go directly to the blog using the following link: www.romulus.net/camp-learn-a-lot

• The 5th grade field trip to the Yankee Air Museum is tomorrow. If you have not already, return the permission slip and please send your child to school in their official Camp shirt.