CYC Camp Uses Many Resources at the UMD to Enhance Learning

The Center for Young Children runs a six week summer camp program for ages three to eight year olds each summer. During the camp each class chooses a topic to study as a focus for the six weeks. This summer, one group of rising first and second grader’s project was energy. Along with reading, hands on activities, and online resources, the teachers pulled resources from the many departments on campus to help guide the children through their learning.

Speakers included, Blossom Ojukwu, a music education student, who talked to the children about how sound comes out of the body, Heyi Solera a graduate student in the Ethno-musical department, who shared her bandoneon. Sarah Bergbreiter a micro-robotics expert, brought in some of her robots and Paul Anderson from the Mechanical Engineering department demonstrated potential and kinetic energy.

From the Office of Sustainability, Sally DeLeon and Samantha Bennett, came to discuss conserving energy and shared some solar cars. Two UMD physicists, Dr. Edwards and Dr. Turpen, made liquid nitrogen ice cream with the campers as they explained about thermal energy. Also two representatives from the Kinesiology department, under graduate student Lenisha Paige and graduate student Darius Singpurwalla, shared information on food and energy.

On-campus field trips were to the LeafHouse were Renee Catacalos gave the children a tour, Dr. Isaacs Chemistry Lab to learn more about chemical energy, the Glen L. Martin Wind Tunnel to learn more about wind energy, and a “Turtle Bus” was used to transport the children to the Maryland Science Center in Baltimore.

Other classes used campus resources too. The other projects included, birds, musical instruments, trees, ponds, and boats.

Read more about the energy study on their camp web site.