Let's Experiment! Science Camp with Aunt Sam

I love interesting picture books and I love science. This camp combines both! Through an integrated approach to science, we will use literature, multiple activities, crafts and experiments to enlighten the learner about scientific concepts. These concepts will cover some Earth, Life and Physical Science. This is an elementary science class, with no prior science required.

The Picture Book read each class introduces the scientific concept. We discuss the book, answer questions about the concept, then proceed to the activities which reinforce the concept. These are fun, hands-on activities/experiments/challenges. Classes may involve break-out rooms for further discussion. Each class has a supply list, worksheets and challenges. All of these items will be in the classroom, most objects are household items. Some activities will not be completely finished in class and will need added work outside class.

Before the Picture Book is read each week, we will have a short sharing time. A few students will share what they learned about Science that day. This could be a cool bug they saw, a finished science project they show, or an experiment gone wrong that they explain! The last class of camp is a Presentation Time.
Day 1-2 Earth Science
Day 3-4 Life Science
Day 5 Physical Science
Day 6 Presentations

Here's the Outline of the Books, Concepts and some of the activities/experiments in class:

Earth Science
Day 1 Rocks 
Everybody Needs a Rock - What's in a Rock? Welcome to our class, learners will share, show and describe a Favorite Rock. We will answer rock questions: Where do Rocks come from? How do Rocks change? How are Rocks used?  We will dip our rocks in water. How does the rock change? Aunt Sam will break a frozen rock. What are rocks made of? (Item: Rock)

Day 2 Volcanoes 
Hill of Fire - Boom! How do Volcanoes form. This book describes a Volcano forming in a few days/weeks in front of the eyes of the villagers.  Learners will diagram a Volcano, make a Volcano flip book and learn about the Richter scale and faults. Identify this Mexican town on your Map along with major faults. (Items: Paper, pencils)

Day 3 Life Science
Two Bad Ants - Thorax and Crystals: In this book we see the world through the eyes of ants. We will view how things looks through magnification. What does a grain of wheat look like under Magnification? We will create a diagram of an ant and start our crystals. 

Day 4 Nutrition
Gregory, the Terrible Eater  - You are what you Eat! What is good to eat? What tastes good? How do we taste? Learners will make a Food Pyramid diagram and experiment with tastes. The Challenge will be to eat a NEW Nutritional Food (Item: Challenge Food)

Physical Science
Day 5- Chemical and Physical Change. 
Strega Nona's Magic Lessons - Gas, Balloons and Baking Soda- There is chemical change all around us. How does yeast rise? How does soda and vinegar react? This story takes place in Italy, we will identify Italy on the Map. Learners will do several chemical reactions using household items. (Items: Vinegar, Baking Soda, Bottles, Balloons)

Day 6 Presentations
Learners will each present a scientific project from this class or something they are working on personally. Learners will be encouraged to describe the experimental process, what they learned, what they liked, or did not liked and how this project connects with the learner. And how the project is used in our world.  We will also have a fun KAHOOT review quiz this week. Learning for us ALL! 

Most of these lessons are taken from "Science Through Children's Literature, An Integrated Approach" by Carol M. Butzow and John W. Butzow