JMA science camp provides cool experiences for kids

Published 2:00 pm Tuesday, June 27, 2017

MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Usually when a person produces mucus it’s because they are coming down with an illness.

That’s unless you’re a kid at John Milledge Academy’s summer science camp.

JMA kindergarten teacher Katherin Smith along with teachers Christy Miller and Karen Rubino oversaw the weeklong endeavor for elementary students. Summer academic camps have been held at the private school in previous years, but with different areas of focus. Smith did some STEM activities with kids during the school year and noticed that they really responded to that hands-on type of learning. 

“It kind of morphed from the kids really enjoying the STEM activities into a summer science camp,” she said.

After some much needed recreation time Thursday afternoon the younger camp participants stepped into Miller’s science lab where they got to create their very own man-made mucus. How does one create mucus in a lab? A gelatin packet stirred into a beaker of boiling water (handled by Miller, of course) followed by corn syrup is all it takes to create the cruddy concoction. Kids were engaged throughout the experiment and observed how the materials reacted when mixed with one another. 

“That’s why I love to teach elementary age kids, especially kindergarten, because they’re naturally curious,” said Smith. “You don’t really have to force things to interest them.”

But the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics aren’t the only areas where 17 kids were getting schooled. Rubino taught them rudimentary outdoor skills that could really help the kids out should they find themselves in a precarious position. One major project was teaching them how to make their own tents out of found materials. Of course shelter is not the only important aspect necessary for survival; sustenance is also extremely necessary. Rubino showed them different berries as well as plants and leaves that could be consumed should they find themselves without food.

Since the kids are still a little too young to build fires on their own they were also taught how to create a solar oven using only basic materials like a pizza box. The week of survivor science was capped off with a challenge where kids tested their knowledge of being able to make it in the wild.

“Across the board they have enjoyed it and really had a good time,” Smith said of the kids’ experience. “They’ve just been interested and had good questions and responses. They have been very willing to do everything.”