Summer Camp Themes
Camp activities are organized around each week's theme, and we have five awesome themes to choose from for both our Full-Day and Half-Day camps. Below are descriptions of each them - check them out and register today!
Full-Day Camp Themes
(Rising 1st - 5th Graders)
Biodiversity Blast Off: The Race to the Red Planet
3-2-1 Blast off to outer space! Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon, maybe you will be the first person to travel in a space elevator, or to land on Mars! Get ready for some fantastic physics as you calculate your best trajectory to get you there. What will you bring? How will you terra-form this inhospitable red planet? Will you create a biosphere of blue and green to provide you with fresh water and food? Will you bring Flower the Russian Tortoise, first species of vertebrae to safely complete a voyage around the moon? This week we will learn about our 8 neighboring planets and the other celestial beings orbiting in our galaxy. By studying what we know about life on earth, we can explore the possibility of inhabiting other planets and what we would need to make life there possible!
Land of the Lost: From T-Rex. To Tesla
We are a story. From fire and cave paintings to fossil fuels and the internet, we are continually writing our story on the “walls.” We have come a long way since our ancestors crossed the Bering land bridge over 10,000 years ago. Once we burned seal oil to keep warm, and today we can store the sun’s rays to warm our bones on a cloudy day. This week, we will go on a journey though time and explore the evolution of our planet, from the time of the early dinosaurs to our modern life in 2017. Learn about the prehistoric megafauna that once roamed through San Francisco, brave the ice age, re-live the discovery of fire and invention of the wheel, sail with the early explorers, and try your luck at panning for gold on this super blast from past to present!
My Lab: Beakers, Brains and Big Snakes
It is time to mix it up and think big! So roll up your sleeves, don your safety goggles, and dive into some kid-friendly kitchen chemistry. Using the OHEC! Scientific Method, we will experiment with chemical reactions, create cool science projects, and turn the meadow into our own outdoor laboratory. Learn about how incredible your gooey gray matter mass is – how it receives, process, and stores all of the stimuli around us, takes an observation and forms an idea, sends signals through our nervous system so that you can leap in the air and exclaim “Ah-ha! I’ve got it!” With so many brilliant brains coming together, we are sure to make some serious scientific splashes! And, of course, we will get a visit from our science sidekicks, Blondie, Julie, and Rocky – the big snakes of Tree Frog Treks!
Big Nature: My Side of the Mountain~Wilderness Survival
Have you ever wanted to live off the land? To get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and live amongst the tall trees and the flowing rivers? Well, come on, let’s go! Learn to build shelters, navigate in the woods, purify water, read animal tracks, and identify edible plants. Do a “Bird Sit” and begin to decode bird language. Study animal adaptations, like Thorny the Bearded Dragon’s ability to collect morning mist on his back scales to get a dew drop drink. Hike Mount Tamalpais, wandering and wondering about your side of mountain.
Climate Pirates: Sailing Towards Sustainability
The climate is changing and we need to do some positive re-arranging! Imagine sailing across the seven seas, charting new territories, surveying the land and it’s abundant resources. How can we use these resources respectfully and responsibly to create a sustainable, eco-conscious existence here? This week, we will learn about your ecological footprint and ways to save, preserve and maintain our home for future generations to come. We will review Canada’s Sustainability in a Generation action plan (David Suzuki Foundation) to learn about simple ways we can reduce our impact on our home planet. From meatless Mondays and planting trees to riding bikes and rocking your re-useables , you can make a big, difference. Tally ho, Climate Pirates! Chart your course for innovation and adventure!
Half-Day Camp Themes
(Pre-K & Rising Kindergarteners)
Stellar Space Trekkers: To Infinity and Beyond!
3, 2, 1….Blast off on a knowledge rocket during this week of out-of-this-world science! From our nearest neighboring planets to the stars at the edge of our galaxy, we will make like a comet and soar through our solar system to learn all the we can about space. We will even get to meet Flower, the Russian Tortoise, which was the first species of animal to be sent on a voyage around the moon!
Prehistoric to Present Day: A Dino-mite Trip Through Time
This week, we will board an imagination time machine to travel back millions of years to the beginning of the Earth. Our journey will take us to explore the prehistoric world of volcanoes and dinosaurs, travel through the Ice Age, discover the ways of primitive human life, and learn about rich natural history of that has made California into the place we live today.
Crazy with Curiosity: Oh, the Things that Scientists Can Think!
Would you rather be a chemist or a zoologist? A botanist or a physicist? With so many awesome aspects of science, there is no need to limit ourselves to just one! This week, we will spend each day diving into a different field of science. From plant photosynthesis to human digestive tracts, conducting chemistry experiments to exploring the laws of motion, the possibilities are endless!
The Fantastic Five: Exploring our Sensational Senses
Eyes like a hawk, a nose like a fox… all animals have their own special sensory super powers, and guess what? So do you! This week, we will spend each day focusing on one of our 5 main senses, and using those senses to explore the world around us. We’ll look high in the sky and down in the dirt, suck on sour grass, and open our ears to the sounds of the forest… it’s amazing what you can learn when you hone your powers of observation!
Weather & Water, Food Chains & Frog Life: The Cycles that Surround Us
Did you know that the water on the planet now is the same water that was here a million years ago? Or that fallen leaves and sticks from trees decompose into the soil that helps grow new trees? These are just a few examples of the cycles that we experience every day. This week, we will take a closer look at these cycles and the roles that different animals and humans play in these systems. We will map out food chains, study the change of seasons, and of course get to meet some of our live frogs and toads to learn about the amphibian life cycle!
