COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Area elementary students will have a chance to tackle science, technology, engineering and mathematics in a fun way this summer. Camp Invention®, a nationally recognized, nonprofit summer enrichment camp program, is coming to the Branch Area Careers Center the week of June 17-21, 2019.
A program of the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF), in partnership with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Camp Invention challenges children in grades K-6 to find their “inner inventor” by learning the process of innovation. Using hands-on activities,
Camp Invention promotes science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) learning; builds confidence, leadership, perseverance, resourcefulness and problem-solving skills; and encourages entrepreneurship.
Each year, the program features a new curriculum inspired by some of our nation’s most world-changing inventors. This year’s Supercharged™ curriculum features several video challenges from these Inductees encouraging children to be confident in their ideas and explore their innovativeness. These hands-on activities include:
* Innovation Force®: Campers team up with the Innovation Force (NIHF Inductees as superheroes) to battle the evil Plagiarizer, a supervillain who is out to steal the world’s greatest ideas. As children create a device to retrieve the stolen ideas, they learn about the importance of intellectual property and the U.S. patent system.
* Deep Sea Mystery™: The children embark on a research adventure at sea to dig up fossils. Using lessons and advice from NIHF Inductees, they invent island-survival tools and underwater equipment.
* Farm Tech™: Campers are put in charge of managing their own farm as they learn the basics of running a business. With the assistance of the Bot-ANN-E robot, they learn fundamental coding techniques to maximize their time and profits. Children also are introduced to DNA syntheses, where they perform their own mock experiment to check the health of their newly purchased cattle.
* DIY Orbot™: The children will explore frequency, circuit boards, motors and gears as they use real tools to reverse engineer a remote-control robot. Throughout the week, campers will adapt their DIY Orbot to perform increasingly challenging tasks.
At the end of the program, each camper will bring home a robot
All local Camp Invention programs are facilitated and taught by certified educators who reside and teach in the community.
Camp Invention serves 130,000 students every year and partners with more than 1,800 schools and districts across the nation.
For additional information, visit invent.org/camp.
