Science builds a foundation for a child’s education by advancing critical thinking, creativity and the ability to problem solve. The Cabbage Patch started the summer Science Day Camp two years ago to help engage students in a fun creative way to introduce these concepts to our members.
“It is important to teach them to be creators,” Kanisha Ford, Educational Opportunities Specialist for The Cabbage Patch, said.
At the beginning of the week campers were assigned a project and a partner according to their area of interest. Slime, ice cream, volcanoes and the beach were a few of the experiments presented at the end of the week at a Science Fair held in Holladay Hall. Each child received a certificate for participating and three groups then received a prize for first, second, or third place. First place went to “Craters and Meteorites,” followed by “Chemistry of Ice Cream” and “Weather/Climate in Your Neighborhood.”
Throughout the week, campers also experienced science through field trips to the Louisville Science Center (where they learned about chemical mixtures), the Louisville Zoo (where they saw reptiles and amphibians), and U of L’s planetarium.
Kanisha said the character Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus inspires her to make science “fun, creative and wacky” but a learning experience for the children and youth enrolled in Science Camp
In addition to learning about science, the week included improving social skills by working with a partner.
“Young humans take longer than a week to get to know someone. At first, some partners collided but then eventually came together,” Kanisha said.
At the end of the week, one parent told Kanisha, “My child did not like science, but now he wants to sign up for Science Camp every year.”
When camp was over, students looked at a chart from the first day and saw how much they improved and learned. Campers walked away with awards, memories and a greater understanding of the world around them.