Camp Discovery 2012

New for 2012: camps all year long.

Limited Scholarships Available*

Our hands-on science camps let kids build and program LEGO® robots, create icky and sticky concoctions, explore physics through roller coasters and skateboards, avoid nature-deficit disorder in the great outdoors and much more. We’ll build, create, play, and explore all areas of science. You’ll even watch spectacular demonstrations, plunge into challenging discussions, and take home things you’ve created.

Camp Discovery is a full-week science summer camp, built to serve and encourage budding scientists. Each session will provide opportunities for youth to explore science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) content through fun interactive experiments and exhibits, fieldtrips, and personal interactions. Campers will enjoy the thrill of discovering the science behind everyday things—hands-on, with experienced supervision and guidance. Certified teachers and professionals in the science field lead all camps, and each session of Camp Discovery includes appearances by science experts and guest speakers. All camps are based at the Powerhouse unless otherwise noted.

*If you qualify for a need-based full or partial scholarship, please contact Jen Lokey as soon as registration for the camp opens: jen@durangodiscovery.org.

2012 Camps

Soil, Slugs and Science

An extension of our Imagination Station program, this camp helps young scientists learn about where our food comes from through crafts, songs, nature walks, and planting our very own Imagination Station garden. Getting kids fired up about science, nature, critical thinking, and creativity, at an early age is what this camp is all about.

Did you know? An earthworm’s body is made up of around 80% water.

Ages 4-6 years

9am-1pm, M-Th, May 28-May 31

Body Shop I

Future doctors and nurses, this one’s for you! Come journey through the mammalian anatomy, as we dissect various organs, including the heart, brain, lungs, muscle, kidneys, and study how individual parts function together within organ systems. Consider this one pre-pre-pre med class. This camp fosters the innate fascination most elementary-aged kids have with "grossology." Beyond this, students are often shocked and proud of how much information they can take in and truly understand from this one-week camp.

Did you know? An individual blood cell takes about 60 seconds to make a complete circuit of the body.

Ages 9-13 years

9am-3pm, M-F, June 11-15

MacGyverology

Making something out of nothing—that is what this camp is all about. Use simple household materials to rig booby traps, escape from small spaces, and send messages—all useful skills for future FBI and CIA agents, police officers, fire chiefs, and other creative, innovative specialties. Kids will hone their creativity and ability to observe and take in detail in this camp. They will learn the secret value of recycling and reusing materials, as well as the advantages of working with a team to accomplish a goal.

Did you know? Unconfirmed, but still cool: ABC cancelled Macgyver because in the summer of 1991 the show caused a worldwide shortage of duct tape.

Ages 8-11 years

9am-3pm, M-F, June 18-22

Lego League Boot Camp

This camp's focus on theme-based challenges will engage kids in research, problem solving, and engineering. It will help prepare elementary-aged students to think like scientists and engineers through a fun, creative, hands-on learning experience. The Durango First Lego League’s Mission is to inspire children to explore and apply science and technology to global issues. Campers will not only have a blast using their hands and creativity to build lego robots to perform specific tasks, they will gain an understanding of large-scale world issues and ways to solve them.

Did you know? LEGO comes from the Danish words “leg godt” meaning “play well.” Lego also means “I put together” in Latin.

Ages 9-11 years

9am-1pm, M-F, June 25-29

Evolutionary Genetics + Taxonomy

For the advanced anatomy lovers. Campers will discover how animals have developed over the course of evolutionary time by dissecting sea sponges, sea stars, sea urchins, worms, insects, crabs, various reptiles, sharks, and mammals including rats, cats, and pigs. Campers will understand how animals are classified and how simple genes mutated and morphed into more complex traits. By learning these advanced concepts early on, campers will develop the confidence to tackle difficult subjects later in their education.

Did you know? Humans have 46 chromosomes, peas have 14, and crayfish have 200.

Ages 9-13 years*

9am-3pm, M-F, July 9-13

*Must have completed Body Shop I

Body Shop I (Ouray/Ridgway)

Same Body Shop I camp, different location. DDM is proud to be partnering with the Mt. Sneffels Educational Foundation and Southwestern Colorado Area Health Education Center (SWCAHEC) to offer this awesome camp for a whole new set of kids in southwest Colorado.This camp fosters the innate love of grossology most elementary-aged kids have. Campers will develop a love and appreciation for their own anatomy, seeing firsthand the complexity that mammals possess. Graduates are often surprised how much information they can absorb in just one week.

Did you know? Blood sucking hookworms inhabit 700 million people worldwide.

Ages 9-13 in the Ouray/Ridgway school districts

9am-3pm, M-F, July 16-20, Ridgway High School Science Lab

Sparks and Quarks

A perfect introduction or awesome second look at science for 5-7 year olds, this camp will involve chemical concoctions & reactions, and will have students performing original research both in the lab and in the field. The Animas River, along with the plants and animals surrounding the museum will act as the ideal tools for a plethora of science-themed activities.

Did you know? Certain scientists called Dendrochronologists use tree rings to study how often forest fires occur, and to hypothesize about various climate changes and natural disasters.

Ages 5-7

9am-3pm, W-F, July 18-20

My Senses and Me

This camp provides an environment where little ones can sort, stack, organize, create, destroy, rebuild, and begin to solve complex problems. An extension of the wildly popular Imagination Station class, this camp helps the youngest of scientists learn about their five senses, through stories, cooking, crafts, songs, nature walks, and more.

Did you know? Early experience and interaction with the environment are most critical in a child’s brain development. A 3-year-old toddler’s brain is twice as active as an adult’s brain.

Ages 3-4 years

9am-12, M-Th, July 23-27

Architecture + Design Camp

Future architects and designers will love this new camp. Campers will learn classical architecture techniques and about “green” or sustainable building. Several professional architects in the area will be guest experts all week as we develop a base of knowledge for the next generation of builders and inventors.

Did you know? Though the "green" building movement has gained momentum in the last decade or so, the origin can be traced back to the late nineteenth century.

Ages 11-15

9am-1pm, M-F, August 6-10

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