Ecology Camp Weekly Themes
Eco-Adventurers June 22- 26
Get ready for an exciting adventure, where toads, insects, butterflies, and birds await! Captivating explorations, investigations, games, and creative activities will fill your days! We’ll use nets, water quality testing equipment, microscopes, and much more. Throughout the week, campers will also contribute to a community science project by gathering daily observations on local wildlife. Weekly projects include designing and building a mini-habitat diorama.
Estuary Explorers June 29- July 2 (*no camp on July 3)
Dive into the extraordinary world of estuary life! Campers will explore the creatures, plants, and algae that thrive in this environment through hands-on discovery. Using seine nets, magnifying glasses, microscopes, and buckets, they’ll enjoy up-close encounters with critters, observing them in detail before their release. Campers will contribute data to a community science project related to estuary health. As part of the weekly project, campers will design, construct, and test their very own clean water filter.
Art and Science Discovery Week 1 July 6 – 10
Unleash your inner artist! Science invites exploration while art fuels the imagination. The two will interconnect in this week’s session. By experimenting with a variety of materials and media, we will witness firsthand the intriguing and beautiful results that can emerge! For campers who wish to capture everything they learn and do, there will be daily time for journaling. Campers will also take part in a community science project that encourages them to observe and record patterns in nature through an artistic lens. The weekly project culminates in a large-scale collaborative multimedia art piece created with found and repurposed objects.
Super Scientists July 13 – 17
Embark on a journey into the realms of “ologies”! Biology, ecology, ornithology, hydrology and more! Uncover the secrets of plant and animal adaptations, water, soil quality and more! From birds to bugs and soil to water, we’ll unravel the wonders of the natural world. In addition, campers will take part in a week-long community science project, collecting real-world data. This week, campers will engage in a personalized plant study of their own design.
Wild Water Wonders July 20-24
Investigate the mysteries of water, mud, and soil! Worms, slugs, and snails are just the beginning of what you will discover! Campers will examine what lives in the water, help take care of our classroom tanks, and learn about the importance of protecting our water sources. As part of this week’s community science project, campers will record observations on water quality. Each day will feature a new water experiment, offering campers exciting opportunities for exploration.
Nature Engineers July 27 – 31
Build, test, design, and trial – witness STEAM in motion! Put your skills to the test this week as you construct, explore, problem solve, test materials, and work cooperatively! Campers will explore biomimicry and draw inspiration from nature’s designs. Throughout the week, campers will participate in a community science project by collecting data to inspire their engineering creations. Based on their observations, campers will create their own tools to solve real-life problems.
Fantastic Flyers August 3- 7
Soar into the enchanting world of birds, bats, dragonflies, and butterflies! Campers will search for these winged creatures and their habitats as we explore the outdoors! We’ll uncover the mysteries of beaks, talons, and feathers while discovering the incredible talents and skills of birds. Learn to use binoculars and field guides! Throughout the week, campers will also contribute to a community science project by conducting daily bird counts and sharing their findings through eBird. Campers will create a bird feeding station and conduct daily bird counts, collecting valuable data on bird behaviors.
Budding Scientists August 10-14
Campers will catch and study insects, search for wild birds, track animals, and design their very own field journal filled with weekly discoveries! Each day will focus on a different topic as we explore all that our natural world has to offer! To deepen their investigations, campers will participate in a week-long community science project that encourages careful observing, recording, and sharing of their daily discoveries!
Art and Science Discovery Week 2 August 17-21
Science invites inquiry, while art inspires the creative process. The two will interconnect in this hands-on, exploratory session. By experimenting with a variety of materials and mediums, we’ll witness firsthand the intriguing and beautiful results that can emerge! Campers will engage in weekly sketching activities in their very own art sketchbooks. As part of a week-long community science project, campers will track a nature theme through art and observation.
