Camp Learn-A-Lot Week 5 - August 20th, 2015: THE LAST DAY

The Last Days

The Science Showcase and BBQ

Wednesday, August 19th, Camp Learn-A-Lot held its Science Showcase and family BBQ. Students and their families were invited to tour the school, view their child's classroom, meet their teacher, and view a presentation about what our campers have learned and experienced this summer. The teachers and tutors prepared some beautiful displays about our field trips to the Henry Ford, the Hands-On Museum and more, and topics the CSI have investigated, such as animal and plant structure/behavior, the transfer of energy, etc. Following the presentations, everyone was welcomed to enjoy some hot dogs, chips, and cookies prepared and served by our lunch staff and tutors. Many city officials were present, along with teachers and administrators from other schools in the district. A great thank you is in order to all who attended last night to support Camp Learn-A-Lot and our magnificent staff and students.

The Last Day

And now here we are: the last day. The day began as usual with morning mission, but during our theme song, all the students stood up and sang with the most enthusiasm I have seen all summer. Then, it was off to the movies! As you may recall, the campers were not able to go to Turtle Cove due to possible bad weather, however, the MJR Theater in Westland was kind enough to reserve a theater at the last minute for our students to see "Minions." They were supplied with popcorn, gummy snacks, and a drink to enjoy while they watched. All was well; the campers loved the zany, funny movie, and we certainly made the right choice, as that day was much too cold for a swim outdoors. Finally, the students loaded the buses, and it was a bittersweet goodbye. The students have come to love their teachers and tutors: I remember well, having been a 1st grade tutor for two years. Luckily, the regular school year begins in only a couple of weeks, and there is always next summer. But, for the Class of 2015, this was their last year, and as a member of that most recent graduating class, I think I speak for all of us when I say we will miss it terribly. Camp Learn-A-Lot is a place for fun and adventure, but it is also incredibly rewarding, for both student and teacher. I hope to come back and see this program flourishing, giving more children an amazing opportunity, many years from now. 

Behind the Scenes 

A special thank you goes out to all the unsung heroes of Camp Learn-A-Lot who work, often behind the scenes, to ensure Camp runs smoothly, and that everyone can have a good time. These people include Mr. Sam Bonam, who organizes the tutors, solves problems with and runs technical equipment, sets up Village each day, and much more.

Other people to recognize are Ms. Webb and Deanna Hearod; they work the office, prepare important information for parents and students, take care of kids who don't feel well, and solve every student or parent concern as they come.

Included in this list as well, is myself. My name is Miranda Moffat, and I do publicity and camerawork for Camp (which is why you've probably never seen me in a picture before!) I'm the woman with the camera, documenting all that goes on at Camp, and reporting it for parents in the blog posts and weekly newsletter.

And finally, all the staff and students of Camp Learn-A-Lot owe a great debt of gratitude to Ms. Dickson, our lead teacher this year, and Ms. Johnson, the principal of Wick Elementary and of Camp. They run every aspect of Camp, including curriculum, field trips, and every day life. We are very thankful for their wonderful leadership.

Goodbye, For Now

This summer at Camp Learn-A-Lot has been quite a ride! From crazy science experiments, to amazing field trips, to the every day learning, this year's Camp was incredible. We have had the most impressive outside learning opportunities this year, visiting places like the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum, the Yankee Air Museum, and even the Henry Ford Museum, where campers were exposed to centuries of history and scientific discovery. They were also afforded the chance to see, and touch, wild creatures when the staff of the Conservancy came to Wick, and just recently got to sit back, relax, and enjoy the show at MJR Theaters in Westland. Academically, students have been exposed to topics as diverse as matter, energy, and life itself, have immersed themselves in scientific jargon and procedures, and have become experts at questioning and experimenting with the ways of the world: they are a true CSI team. But beyond the classroom, beyond the field trips and the Village days and the fun, this program is designed in the hopes of further educating, preparing, and inspiring students of Romulus Community Schools, and I believe this summer, the staff of Camp Learn-A-Lot have done just that.

Thank You So Much For Reading!

Miranda Moffat, signing off.

Camp Learn-A-Lot Week 5 - August 18th, 2015

Reaching the Finish Line

This is the last week of Camp Learn-A-Lot! Can you believe it, how fast time has gone? All over Camp, staff and student are working together to end the program with a bang, and prove all they have learned this summer as post-testing begins. Final lessons are being taught and last experiments carried out. For example, Monday, Ms. Bolden and Ms. Miller's classes completed the last investigation in their unit about animal behavior and sensory receptors. A group of students, the "meerkats," were asked to rely on their other senses to detect a "predator," and sit down when they felt in danger; a tutor also acted as a meerkat alerting the other animals of the hazard with a call. With this, they were demonstrating a classic predator-prey relationship and altruism in the wild, in which the needs of many outweigh the needs of one. 

Review has taken many forms. Many classes continue to rely on math fact/sight word games to engage the students as well as traditional classroom review of the science topics using a review guide, but some have gotten a bit creative. Some campers have worked on presentations, made 3D models of predators and their prey, and even created a song! I can't disclose too many details, as the song and dance number is under wraps for now (possibly a surprise for teachers or parents), but I can tell you that it is a blast to watch. 

Students create motions for their science review song

Whatever best helps our students to remember all they have learned this year--sight words and math facts they will need to be successful next year, and science topics of objects/motion, electric and magnetic forces, and the science of living things--is the right method. The staff eagerly await final test scores and hope for improvement, and the students can't wait for the fun field trip planned for the final day of camp!

Fun at Summer Camp!

Camp Learn-A-Lot Week 4 - August 13th, 2015

An Eventful End of the Week

The Henry Ford Museum

Week 4 of Camp Learn-A-Lot has been jam-packed with cool and exciting learning experiences for the students. First, the campers got to witness an animal show about wild creatures from the Creature Conservancy, and then, they had the chance to take a journey through time at the historic Henry Ford Museum. I only wish I'd had this many amazing opportunities in my school days! This Wednesday, August 12th, the entire Camp made the trip to Dearborn and arrived bright, early, and ready to explore. From 10:00am to 11:30am, the staff and students toured the common area of the museum, which is broken into roughly five sections that cover the history of the United States: America's beginnings, the civil rights movement, aviation, technological and cultural advances, and how cars have shaped our lives. The halls were lined with beautiful vintage cars, full-scale airplanes, and an enormous locomotive; there was even a remodeled, fully-functioning diner from 1946 serving lunch, at which yours truly enjoyed a quick cup of coffee! 

The exhibits were interesting and interactive; the students launched paper airplanes, played with the controls of some pretty impressive machinery, worked on building a full sized Model-T from the nuts and bolts, and even sat on the bus in which Ms. Rosa Parks refused to be denied her civil rights any longer. After lunch in the Michigan Café, campers were treated to the movie "Secret Ocean." Our camp members did not simply watch life in the oceans, they experienced it in remarkable IMAX 3D. They were encapsulated in the magnificence of different sea creatures, and learned the importance of conservation efforts to preserve all sea life: did you know that 50-70% of the oxygen we breathe, comes from the oceans? Incredible! Thank you so much to the Henry Ford Museum for having us, and allowing us to give our students an incredible learning experience.

Romulus students building a Model-T

Sitting at the controls of a mechanical masterpiece

Sitting on the Rosa Parks bus

Fun at the IMAX… in 3D!

Splatter Day #2

Splatter day is always a labor of love: tutors spend the entire morning preparing the stations and filling water balloons. This Friday was the second "Splatter Day"of the 2015 Camp season. Activities included the regular water balloon toss, hose limbo, and the ever-popular water slide, but this time… we had something extra special in store for our campers. Our friends at the fire department visited us in their truck and let the fire hose loose to help our campers beat the heat. The students had a blast running through the spray, and thank the fire fighters for being so generous. 

Classroom Business

This week, along with many outside learning opportunity, much progress was made in the traditional classroom setting as well. Students continue their work with math facts in hopes of improving post test scores next week, and preparing them for their next school year, only a couple weeks away, now. Some classes have even practiced long division, averaging, and charting with the information they collect from performing experiments. And in another math-science connection, campers have worked with the symmetry and asymmetry of living beings. We continued this week with the study of plants and animals, studying social/herd behavior, plant growth and root systems, sense receptors, and how the five senses contribute to survival. A few classes even did an experiment where students were blind-folded, and had to use their sense of smell to guess the odor! (The students felt a little silly in their blinds, but they giggled and had fun guessing.) The lower grades also worked on identifying different types of vegetables and making a model of pollination. This blogger has personally seen some of the projects and animal behavior presentations our students have been working on, and know the parents and guardians attending the science showcase next Wednesday, August 19th will enjoy them too.

Students test their smelling skills in a blind experiment 

Third graders research an animal for their presentation next week

First graders work to identify different vegetables

Parents and Guardians:

Next week is the last week of Camp Learn-A-Lot! Some important dates to remember are Wednesday, August 19th from 5:00 - 6:00pm, there will be a Science Showcase and BBQ for the parents/guardians of Camp students. Please join us for free hot dogs, chips, drinks, and a chance to see your student's classroom and projects. Also, on the last day of camp, Thursday, August 20th, there will be a field trip to Turtle Cove for all students. Please send them to school with a swim suit, towel, and any other necessary swim gear. Thank you!

Camp Learn-A-Lot Week 4 - August 11th, 2015

Conservation Through Education

The Creature Conservancy is a non-profit organization located in Ann Arbor that is dedicated to rescuing abandoned and non-releaseable wildlife. At their facility they provide aid for animals like kangaroos and macaws that are not native to the region, but may have been purchased as pets and abandoned due to lack of knowledge about how to care for them. So, the staff rehabilitate, socialize, and use them to educate the community. The people at the conservancy were kind enough to pay the students of Camp Learn-A-Lot a visit this week, and give them an up close look at some beautiful and rare animals. The campers were introduced to a unique albino alligator, Spike the Scarlet macaw, Mango the Burmese python, Viola the giant Virginia opossum, and Poco the sloth. 

Some were overjoyed to see such amazing creatures so close, while others, including the adults, were simply terrified (especially by the python). During the show, the care-takers displayed the animals, shared interesting facts and insights about each, and answered student questions. For example, did you know that opossums are marsupials, not rodents, and are in fact the only marsupials in North America, or that the macaw has the intelligence of the average 3-4 year old? Pretty amazing, right? The crowd was engrossed in the presentation and shocked and awed by the crazy cool creatures. The staff said that our campers were so quiet and cooperative that they deserved a bonus, and were able to pet a baby Boa constrictor and an armadillo. Overall, the students had an amazing time and learned a lot of good information relevant to our topic these next few weeks: animal and plant structures. Hopefully, the presentation and information inspired a few future conservationists!

                                               

All in a Day's Work

As we begin the fourth week of camp, focus in the classroom has shifted from sight words to math facts, but science remains a major topic of everyday discussion. Work continues to be done, especially using the new card/board games, on the math skills critical for success. Games like "Splat!" and "I sea 10!" help the staff to review addition, subtraction, etc. with the students in a way that is fun and entertaining. For example, in "Splat!," someone holds up a number, and if you have a mathematical expression that would equal that number, you yell "Splat!" and turn your card over. As for our topic of biology, students this week have been studying the growth and reproduction systems of plants and animals, food chains/webs, and the social behavior of animals that live in packs or herds. All is well, and progressing smoothly, this week at Camp Learn-A-Lot!

A tutor and her students play a multiplication game

Tutors prepare the board for a lesson on food webs

    

                                                                     

    

Camp Learn-A-Lot Week 3 - August 6th, 2015

Camp Learn-A-Lot Week 3: The Saga Continues

Yankee Air Museum

Wednesday, August 5th, Camp Learn-A-Lot's fifth graders flew solo to the Yankee Air Museum. Clad in Romulus colors, and after a short trip through the gift shop, students were treated to a detailed tour of the museum by the knowledgeable staff. They sat in the cockpit of a vintage fighter jet, saw America's most fearsome aircraft in their entirety, learned the ins and outs of engines, and interacted with a display honoring women in aviation in wartime. Students also looked at equipment representative of each period of war in America: the uniforms, medals of honor, and aircraft. After their private look into history and aviation technology, the campers moved to the conference room for lunch where they watched a film about the Thunderbirds, a specific branch of the Air Force that performs stunts and has just acquired their first female pilot. It was a moving piece, and inspirational to young women looking to become pilots, or even simply to take up an untraditional profession. The afternoon consisted of the most interactive portion of the field trip. Campers built and launched paper rockets, used their body to control a character in a motion sensing game, and became pilots themselves in a flight simulator. It was a powerful and impactful learning experience, and certainly a lot of fun!

Romulus students exploring the control room of a vintage airplane

One of the guides explains the parts of a jet engine

A student being instructed on the flight simulator

Campers showing their skills on the motion sense game

5th graders with their paper airplanes

The Science Spectacular

Since the update on Tuesday, the students of Camp have engaged in even more exciting experimentation and scientific exploration. Again, this week is focused on the structures of plants and animals, and as a result, all over the building, you can find potted plants sitting on window sills, in classrooms, and hiding in the hallways; campers are observing their growth and testing what conditions are ideal for maturation. They continue to build models of plants and animals, and discuss adaptations, such as thorns or scaly skin, that help living things thrive. One third grade class is even in the process of creating a diorama that details the entire life cycle of an organism. An experiment the students really enjoyed was "Plant Guts," because they got to dissect different vegetables and scrutinize the smell, touch, and appearance of the structures inside. 

2nd graders potting plants

Student showing her work on the parts of plants

Observing some "Plant Guts"

 ATTENTION: Parents and Guardians

The Splatter Day or "Wacky Water Day" scheduled for Wednesday, August 20th has been rescheduled to Thursday, August 13th, which is next week. Please send them with swimming gear on this newly named date.