Camp Invention keeps Grandview students excited about learning
The formula is quite simple.
Take a camp setting, add plenty of hands-on activities and mix with a healthy dose of hanging out with friends, and voila – the result is an inventive way to keep kids engaged in and excited about learning during the summer.
Grandview Heights Schools held its Camp Invention program June 6-10 at Edison Intermediate Larson Middle School.
Camp Invention is a grant program funded by the National Inventors Hall of Fame.
"It's a STEM (science technology, engineering, mathematics) program that encourages students to keep learning without them even realizing it," said Stevenson Elementary second-grade teacher Joe Liptrap, who served as director of the local program.
"Camp Invention gives them a different learning atmosphere than they typically get at school. It's more relaxed and not as structured as a regular school day. They have the chance to use their imagination and creativity in whatever direction they want to go."
Another key is that it's a chance to spend time with friends having fun, Liptrap said.
Each day during the five-day camp, students in grades K-5 rotated through several stations, each of which offered hands-on activities that invited them to use their ingenuity, creativity and problem-solving skills, he said.
"There were really no rules other than just to be safe and kind to each other," Liptrap said. "Camp Invention activities are designed to let them go where their imagination takes them. There's no wrong answer."
Robotic Aquatics gave youngsters a chance to adopt their own aquatic animal, design aquatic plans and take the animal they created home in a mini-tank.
As part of Spacecation, the campers created space-exploration technology, including Spacepacks and Astro-Arm devices to help with gravity-defying tasks; mined an asteroid and observed erupting ice volcanoes.
The Attic's activities included building a robotic artist to help students make their own spin art.
Another station involved students designing, building and testing their own large marble arcade structure.
About 120 students participated this year, Liptrap said.
More than a dozen middle school and high school students served as volunteers to help conduct each day's activities, he said.
"Many of the older students came to Camp Invention themselves when they were younger," he said. "It's nice to see them continue that connection now that they are older. I think they see themselves in the younger students."
Fifth-grade twins Ellie and Claire Bills of Grandview Heights have both attended Camp Invention the past couple years.
"It's usually a lot of fun and my friends are here at camp," Ellie said. "I like science at school, but this is even more fun because it's like you're at camp, not school."
Her favorite activity was the Marble Arcade, she said.
"I liked trying to figure out how to get the marbles to move," Ellie said. "You try some things out and see what works best."
Claire said she most enjoyed the Robotics Aquatics activities, including designing and building a contraption to capture a jellyfish.
"They give you a few supplies and you have to figure out how to use them to catch the jellyfish," she said. "I just used a net, a few straws and my imagination."
Camp Invention is a good time, Claire said.
"You see your friends and everybody's laughing all day long," she said. "I can't wait to come back each day."
Liptrap has been involved with the program for five years.
"I look forward to it every year," he said. "The reason the program is so successful is the National Inventors Hall of Fame comes up with great hands-on activities the students can do, but it's also all the great teachers and volunteers who support the program each year. Plus, our students, who are so enthusiastic and excited to be here. That's what makes it so much fun for me."
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This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: Camp Invention keeps Grandview students excited about learning
