Campers select from different core classes, held for 3 hours in the morning. Also, they rotate to mini-core classes in the afternoons. Plus they have Labs/Workshops later in the week based on similar skill sets with the core classes.
CORE CLASSES *updated July 2024
- Amazing Moons (moon phases and eclipses)
- Bodies by Design (human body systems)
- Environmental Detectives (what is killing the lake beings?)
- Marine/Environmental Biology
- Microscopic World (look closely at an unseen world)
- Fun with Physics (including liquid and magnetic dynamics)
- Wearable Tech – Thinkabit(tm) (engineering circuits to create something that works)
Scroll down this page for more descriptions–>
LABS/WORKSHOPS
Two afternoons are filled with 90-min labs or workshops on fun and fascinating topics:
- Reebops (genetic traits)
- Medical Skills 101
- Shellfish biology
- Elements of the Stars
- Defying Gravity (engineering challenges)
- DNA extraction
- Cryptography
- Layering Liquids physics
- Scratch Coding computer skills
- Games with Math
OTHER CAMP ACTIVIIES
FIELD TRIPS: In 2024, campers had a full day of field trips to study marine biology at Harbor WildWatch in Gig Harbor, learn about the history of flight at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, or practice environmental detection with USGS scientists.
PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S NIGHT: We welcomed a large panel of professional women one evening for round-table discussions, including ZOOM conferences with those from far away. Campers dressed up for the event. Every camper had the opportunity to talk to every professional.
FINANCIAL LITERACY: Campers spend an afternoon learning how to budget and live within their means in an engaging session with Sound Credit Union. Each camper is assigned a career which comes with a monthly salary. They are required to “purchase” things such as housing, transportation, food, and leisure activities. Some had student or credit card debt. All were advised to budget savings for unexpected expenses. This session provided critical life skills in a fun and fascinating way.
Core Class Descriptions 2024
Amazing Moons – Take a journey to our moon and discover how we see different phases as well as solar and lunar eclipses. Design experiments to learn how the crater patterns on the surface are formed. Go back in time to re-enact Galileo’s groundbreaking telescopic observations of Jupiter’s moons and learn his conclusions that affected the history of astronomy. Then take a grand tour of four of the largest moons of Jupiter to learn their amazing characteristics in order to create 3-D mission-directed settlements on each moon.
Bodies by Design – How do all the parts of our bodies work together to function as an amazing biological whole? Join us while we explore the eleven human body systems! Through model-building, dissections, and use of microscopes, campers will: learn to identify the parts of each system; compare systems to each other at the cellular, tissue, and organ level; discuss each systems’ function in relation to their structure; understand how the systems work together; and compare our body systems to those of other animals.
Fun with Physics – What do hot air balloons, fish tanks, lava lamps, lanterns, earthquakes, thermometers, clouds and currents have in common? Motion through matter due to changes in energy. Your challenge will be to recreate an instrument that is capable of measuring changes of energy within a system. You will have the opportunity to dive deep into the concept of density and will surface with a greater understanding of how you experience this law of nature. We will definitely have fun with Physics!
Marine/Environmental Biology – Water, water, everywhere! In Puget Sound, we have a wealth of water and we’ll be examining all of the forces that interact, as well as the creatures that inhabit water. We’ll look at watersheds, estuaries and marine environments through several experiments, art projects and dissection. So, hold your nose and jump in for some science fun!
The Microscopic World – Embark on a journey into the unseen world with our Microscope Exploration Class! Check out the fascinating world of microscopic organisms and structures as you learn to wield the power of magnification. You will discover the hidden beauty of everyday objects, tiny insects, plant cells, and unlock the mysteries of the miniature universe. Through interactive classes you will develop essential microscopy skills, including slide preparation, focusing techniques, and specimen handling. Whether you’re a curious beginner or a budding scientist, join us and uncover the wonders that lie beyond the naked eye in our Microscope Exploration Class.
Wearable Tech [Thinkabit] – Are you interested in a career in technology? In Thinkabit Wearable Tech, you will explore how your unique talents might help you find the right career. In the hands-on Engineering activities, you will learn about electronics and how to use them to complete circuits. Your final project is a wearable project using what you learned about your unique talents in Engineering,