Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math will be what camp is all about this week. We did experiments, learned how winged animals fly, and discovered art in Nature.
We kicked this week off on Monday with the first letter of ‘STEAM’: Science! We experimented with wind and water to begin to unpack how these elements can help us power our communities. Then, for research we went down into the river to spot how some of our local critters use the environment around them to their advantage.
Then on Tuesday we heated things up by making and using a solar oven to help us with a snack-tivity full of chocolate, graham crackers, marshmallows and so much s’more! With the power of the sun behind us, we explored a special box activity from the Museum of Nature and Science all about how renewable and nonrenewable energies can be used to power the state of Colorado.
On Wednesday we combined the nature around us with technologies, old and new, and learned from our animal friends how to design and combine what we have to help the river and all those who live in and around it. Our beaver boss, Chompers, taught us how beaver dams can help form huge thriving ecosystems and even prevent wildfires.
Thursday was field day! We hiked upstream to Vanderbilt Park to enjoy the views of a beautiful pond, the shade of cottonwood trees and test some of our engineering and innovation skills. We built bridges, dropped some eggs, and tested pulleys and dams that we made.
On Friday we rounded out the final letters of ‘STEAM’ with a day dedicated to art and math, and how they can be intertwined in nature. The patterns around us in leaves, shells, and even water are even more beautiful when you understand where they come from. Even the critters in the river like crawdads, snails, and scuds can teach us so much about creativity. Then we celebrated everybody’s creativity at graduation with some prizes and notes to express our gratitude for all the campers this week.
Cookout with My Outdoor Colorado