Embedded Files
The 2019 Bonanza Creek Science Adventure Camp was a week-long camp open to new and experienced campers ages 11-16.
Monday
Monday
Monday was a busy day! We discovered our "true colors" and made structures in teams with the same color. We learned about clouds and collected data for a NASA project. We learned how to build survival shelters. And we played a lot of active games. By the end of the day it felt like we had known each other for a long time!
Our True Colors sculptures
Cloud activity
Building a survival shelter
Relay race time!
Tuesday
Tuesday
On Tuesday morning we went to Creamer's Field, where we learned how to catch tree swallows and band them. We even got to hold some! Later in the day we got to work with museum specimens and learned all about the wings, beaks and feet of different bird types and how they are adapted to their environment and lifestyle. Of course, we played games, too.
Tricia Blake taught us about swallows
Laurel Devaney helps a group catch the adults
Laurel demonstrates how to sex a tiny bird
If you hold it correctly, you don't hurt the bird.
One of the sets of specimens that Kyle Campbell brought from the Museum of the North
Wednesday
Wednesday
On Wednesday artist Natalie taught us how to journal using watercolors. We all selected "sit spots" to try it. It was hard to get people to stop!
Later that day Jamie Hollingsworth showed how to use a drone to gather information, and Pat Doak taught us about the leaf miners that live in aspen leaves. Then Steve taught us how to identify animals based on their tracks, and we played a "what animal am I?" game to test what we had learned.
Natalie demonstrates; two kids draw in their sit spots
Watching the drone
Pat prepares materials to teach us about leaf miners
Thursday
Thursday
On Thursday Katie Rubin taught us about dichotomous keys. Then we headed off for a big hike. We encountered an enormous puddle... but that did not stop us! We learned about medicinal plants along the way. When we got back to camp, we did "Wilderness ER" skits. Then we hosted a review team from the National Science Foundation (which funds us) and got to "hot seat" two of the team members!
Katie R. demonstrates dichotomous keys with plastic animals
The enormous puddle
Wilderness medicines
Wilderness ER skits
Review team visit to our "classroom"
Friday
Friday
Friday was the day of the Great Race! Teams had to go from station to station and answer questions or demonstrate that they had learned topics all week long. Then we built a bonfire, made 'smores, and talked about all we had learned from each other. We wrote notes about feelings we wanted to get rid of and burned them. Then we took group pictures. Just as we got ready to pack up, a marmot showed up in one of the tents!
Identifying soils
Building mini survival shelters...for a doll!
'Smores!
Our friendly marmot
Report abuse