Science at Camp

Giant Bubbles - A camp favorite, this class dives into surface tension and light refraction in a fun (and messy!) way. Campers of all ages enjoy creating bubbles and seeing how to and who can make the largest one!

Oobleck - What is both a liquid and a solid, while being neither a liquid or a solid? Oobleck, of course! Campers create this Non-Newtonian fluid and/or solid right in their hands! Oobleck is an interesting, messy, and fun way to see Chemistry at work!

Flubber - With a few simple ingredients, campers mix up flubber and discuss what makes it hold together. Polymers are the topic of class as campers make bouncy balls and squishy slime! As the group adds more water, they see how much the flubber changes. Why is that? You'll just have to come and see!

Invisible Ink - Have you ever wanted to send your friend a secret message that no-one else can read? Then you might know of invisible ink - a special type of ink that you can use for writing that does not show up on paper. Learn how to create invisible ink while learning the science behind acids and bases, mixtures and solutions.

Elephant Toothpaste - Create a giant foaming reaction, and use science to wow your friends with this classic activity. With just a few ingredients you can make something that looks like foamy toothpaste being squeezed from a tube—but so big that it looks almost fit for an elephant!

(Not So) Simple Machines - Use levers, pulleys and inclined planes to create some of the oldest machines known to man. Campers will work together to build a pulley system that can hold and (safely) lift one of their friends in a chair!

Catapults - With a few simple materials, campers can construct this small ancient machine on their own. They'll then test it by launching some items!

Balloon Rockets - Campers will race balloons rockets and create balloon hovercrafts as they learn about Newtons three laws of motion.

Paper Airplanes - Build the perfect paper airplane and challenge your friends to a competition. After some trial and error, and an understanding of the physics of flight, campers will make their best paper airplane.

Roller Coasters - Theme parks rely on engineering and physics to build your favorite rides and rollercoasters. Use recycled materials to build a rollercoaster that will allow a marble to safely complete the course.

Build the Body - Using recycled bottles campers will build the body of their rocket that acts as both they body and a pressure chamber.

Build the Nose - Campers will create and attach the nose and parachute to their previously built rocket body. This helps them be able to launch their rocket more than once with a safe landing.

Build the Fins - Campers will test different shapes, sizes, and amount of fins on their rocket body to see what combination makes the highest flying rocket.

Launch and Rebuild - Campers will do their initial launches of the rockets they built. They will then have time to think of ways to make their rocket shoot off better and rebuild for the final launch day.

Final Launch - Campers have spent the week building their perfect rocket and today is the day they get to show them off!

Sun and Earth: Solar Oven - Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere and weather, but the object with the greatest influence on earth's weather is very literally out of this world: the sun. But how much can a ball of fire 93 million miles away really affect the earth? Find out in this class while making s'mores!

Air Pressure and Wind: Solar Balloons - The earth is surrounded by air extending miles off the surface. That air is pushing down on us with a weight that is heavier than we imagine. Find out the power of air pressure and the wind that constantly swirls around us in this class.

Clouds and Rain: Water Cycle and Cloud in a Bottle - Every day, all over the earth, water is constantly being lifted into the atmosphere, moved in clouds by the wind, and dropped as rain or snow. In this class, explore this process and discover what different clouds might tell us about the upcoming weather.

Storms and Tornadoes: Fire Tornado - When air masses of different temperatures meet, they can blow up into spectacular storms, winds, and even tornadoes. Learn all about storms and create a tornado in this exciting class.

Lightning and Thunder: Mini Lightning- Shuffle your socks across the carpet, and you’ll get a tiny spark when you touch the doorknob. Shuffle some clouds together, and you’ll get a high voltage shock that can jump for miles. Learn all about lightning in this shocking class.

Follow the Prints - Capturing a legible fingerprint and tracking footprints or vehicle tracks may be harder than you think! Campers will learn how to pull fingerprints and then practice rolling each others fingerprints with ink and paper.

Trace Evidence - Can that thread left behind at the crime scene really help solve the crime? Is that white stuff on the floor chemicals tracked in, gun powder residue, or just flour from cookies made last night? Get up close looks at different fibers, hair types, and powders to see what a really small clue could lead to.

Handwriting and Ciphers - Can you tell the difference between two people's handwriting? Can you decode a ciphered message? Campers will learn skills to solve both puzzles in this exciting and mysterious class. julius Caesar says, "TFF ZB UIFSF!"

Blood Basics - Campers learn the basics of blood evidence in this class that teaches about blood types, bloodstain patterns, and how Forensic Scientists test for blood in a crime scene. Things get messy when campers have fun mixing up fake blood!

Whodunnit? - Older campers set up a mock crime scene, and the junior campers use their skills to assess the scene and determine the next course of action. By the end of the class, the team should have solved the crime, found motive, and captured the perpetrator!