Summer Explorations 2011 – 2nd/3rd Grade

Visit our Summer Explorations Day Camp General Information page for additional details.

Registration Form

Click HERE for the Registration Form (for Preschool & Elementary classes)

Class Descriptions

Session 1: May 31 – June 10

a.m. Arts and Crafts – Mrs. Spencer, M.S.

Hands-on crafts every day provide a creative way to start your day. Learn how to improvise and to change a pattern or plan to fit your imagination. We’ll also create one big project that will be ongoing for 10 days.

a.m. Intro to Violin – Mrs. Yang Zhao, B.A. and Suzuki Instructor

Summer is the best time for kids to start or continue their violin lessons! In this two week period, I will be introducing students to the Suzuki Violin Method. They will learn classical, popular folk songs and fiddle songs. I will also teach students how to read musical notes. We will listen to the classical music together and learn how to play it. Through learning to play violin, these 8 kids will have fun and great time that they will not forget. Violins will be provided during the lessons.

p.m. A Book A Day – Mrs. Sheila Hallman, M.S.

Ten books will inspire us as we engage in an Author study to learn about the talented writers of children’s books. We’ll produce art to mimic the original work of the illustrator, enjoy music, and food experiences, too. This unique approach to literacy helps students enjoy reading.

Session 2: June 13 – 24

a.m. Puzzles & Brain Questers – Mrs. Spencer, M.S.

Spend two weeks engaged in solving Brain Quests, working educational puzzles, and finding your way through mazes. Each day we’ll tackle new puzzles and a maze to learn something new. Students will make their own creative puzzle to take home.

a.m. Digging for Bones – Dr. Toni Copeland, Ph.D. in Medical Anthropology

An introduction to the fun side of archaeology! We will “excavate” bones and other artifacts while learning about what these things tell us about our past. Although we will talk about the techniques that archaeologists use to excavate and learn about past peoples, the focus will be on FUN—digging in the dirt!

p.m. Readers’ Theater – Mrs. Kiesha Matthews, M.S.

Reader’s Theater gives students the opportunity to tell a story without props, costumes, or sets while reading directly from scripts. This is a reading activity, and students are not asked to memorize their lines. They are encouraged to “ham it up” and use proper intonation and gestures appropriate to their characters and their characters’ words. It provides repeated reading practice — an important factor in building fluency. Repeated reading practice also improves students’ confidence in, and enthusiasm for reading!

Session 3: June 27 – July 8

(holiday on 4th of July)

a.m. Musicals & Movement – Ms. B. Spencer

Every child has experienced seeing a musical—either a play at the Bama Theatreor at Shelton or in a movie theater or on DVD. Our children will be participate inmusic and movement activities each day—indoors and outdoors, too. They’ll learn how music can even change your mood! We’ll be rehearsing as each child chooses a favorite song to sing for family and friends on July 8.

p.m. Learning with LEGOS© – Coach Denise Moody, M.S.

Come use LEGOS to create structures, design vehicles, play areas, and whole cities — both real and imaginative. All the while, we’ll be fostering creativity and learning and developing important motor skills, dexterity and problem-solving skills. LEGOS inspire imagination!

Session 4: July 11 – July 22

a.m. Art on the Park – Ms. Donna Ploessl, B.F.A., M.S. Ed.S.

Enjoy the Fine Arts of drawing, painting, and sculpting. Learn about the Great Masters and create your own masterpieces. Students will learn about artists and different art styles, demonstrate art techniques, and explore creative art materials to design original artwork. This class goes far beyond traditional cut and paste of arts and crafts.

p.m. Playground Physics- Coach Denise Moody, M.S.

Simple machines are all around us! Without their help, we wouldn’t be able to accomplish half of our daily work! Come tour the area around Capitol Park to examine the physics of our local playgrounds and experience these machines at work! Hands on physics learning right in our own backyard! Lots of outdoor games and summer fun will be included since our bodies have levers, too.

Session 5: July 25 – August 5

a.m. Fun with Spanish Vocabulary – Ms. Kerri Lowery, M.S.

It is fun to learn Spanish through games, puzzles, arts & crafts, and cooking. The vocabulary comes naturally when you are learning names of things and describing what you are doing.

p.m. Science Secrets About the Body – Ms. Spencer, M.S.

Learning how to stay healthy is the focus of these two weeks. Children will study nutrition and healthy eating as the fuel for our bodies. Learning about the human body will start by drawing the outline of your own body and then finding out what is inside. Exercise will be part of this healthy class, too.