Host a Science Camp: Background

 First, I bet you are asking what I know about hosting a camp.  Before teaching with the local Co-op, I taught in both private and public schools.  Private schools often encourage teachers to host summer camps.  It’s a good cash cow.  At the public school where I taught, I took high school students to the local kindergarten and ran science stations one morning in the spring for around 100 students.  The private school camps helped me refine my program.  The families were very wealthy and the children entitled.  I made decent money; however the parents were often demanding.   My home-school friends asked me to host a science camp at our church.  Our pastor agreed.  For several years, our church held VBS and followed up with a week of Science Camp.  Half of the families were home-schoolers and half not.  Some of the kids weren’t even members of our parish.  We did not turn away any child.  Usually we had 40-50 kids, a dozen teens, and a few adults participating.

You’ll need money and help.  Our church in WV did not charge a fee for either VBS or Science Camp.  We begged, posted lists of materials, saved recycled materials, and held fundraisers.  Our most successful fundraiser was a media and toy sale. We scheduled the sales before the church yard sale to have a place to unload leftovers.  Families from church donated all of the goods which we sold after church services for two or three Sundays.  People gave us cash, too.  I also begged for help.  Our church had a dozen teens who volunteered both weeks.  It was harder to recruit adult volunteers for Science Camp.   So, I relied heavily on teens and looked for volunteers at outside agencies.  For example, I brought in free water quality experts and a forester.  I asked doctors and nurses to give lessons for Anatomy Academy.  The Rescue Squad brought an ambulance.  The police sent an officer to talk about forensics.  

Does Camp take a Herculean effort?  Yes, it does. I’ll post more about how to organize a camp.  No, it won’t be a professional series with links to a TPT site.  Instead I’ll give you some hints I have found to work.  

More Science Camp pix…

 We were too busy for many pix.  I’ll hit the highlights in another post when I recover.

A few Prime Day deals….

 There are a few deals.  Take a look.  Be sure to compare regular prices; too often there are better deals available.

Science Camp so far….

 Here are some pix…..

Make a Prime Day list.

  There are so many summer sales.  Make a Prime Day list.  Be sure to do a deep dive when you compare prices with Walmart, Dollar Tree, Five Below, and Temu.  I teach Co-op, lead Faith and Science camps, and help with religious education.  I use loads of card stock, craft sticks, coffee stir sticks, polymer clay, etc for loads of projects from clay, anatomy models to catapults.  Look at consumables like glue, glue sticks, and markers.  Let’s see if we can save a few dollars this year!

Constructing a Human Heart

 I’ve been shopping anatomical models for this fall’s anatomy class.  I don’t want a cheap torso with plastic organs.   I do like kids to make their own models. So I found this human heart clay model from Carolina Biological, which looks pretty good.  I’ve used anatomy diagrams to have  kids create their models.  I can do a hybrid version.  Some of my kids like detailed instructions rather than open ended assignments.  We can start inside and use diagrams for the exterior.  

How are Amazon Haul’s prices?

Let me apologize.  My blog posts are going to continue to be erratic.  I have camps the next three weeks.  I’ll post when I can.  Posts are likely to be brief.   I did a brief comparison among Amazon Haul, Temu, and Walmart for a few consumable items.  (Yes, the kids break microscope slides; they’re consumables.)  It pays to compare.  Temu and Walmart have added more shipping costs.  I would add Amazon Haul into consideration when I shop; however, I plan to compare prices with the regular Amazon website.

New Shopping Site

 Have you heard of Amazon Haul?  It looks like a competition site against Temu.  Take a look!

How do you get kids to read their textbooks?

 Some kids will sit down and just read a chapter or module in the textbook.  Those kids are relatively few.  More kids will read the text to complete a study guide.  I’ve had better luck using this technique.  This coming year I’m teaching Advanced Biology.  This is an anatomy class with many, many terms.  I’m structuring this like my husband’s math classes.  He assigns homework problems which require the kids to read over the lesson.  I’m going to assign study guide questions which require the kids to hunt down answers in the textbook.  A few of the teens have learning differences; they may use the instructional video or audiobook to answer study guide questions in place of the written textbook.  We’ll see how things go.

Advanced Biology: First Modules

 I’m getting started mapping out the modules in Apologia’s Advanced Biology textbook.  I bought a copy of the study guide, tests, audiobook; a friend gave me the instructional video.  Our Co-op meets from September to May.  I’m going through the textbook and creating slide decks for each module.  

1. Here and here are Modules 1 and 2.  

2. Amoeba Sisters Homeostasis is six minutes long.  

3. Labs: Homeostasis 1 and Homeostasis 2 (We’ll rename Homer Simpson in the first lab.)  Both labs help kids understand the nature of dynamic homeostasis; conditions are constantly changing and reestablishing stability or balance.  

4.  We’ll use my cup stacks to review levels of organization.

Lab Equipment

 Good Will has several good value kits and lots.  Be sure to check the shipping.  I’ve been keeping an eye on the Salvation Army’s online thrift store; the shipping costs are high.