Romulus Camp Learn-a-Lot: Camp Learn-A-Lot Week 3

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.