A solar-powered Mars rover (Photo by Source The Space)
Two local businesses are teaming up to launch a science and sustainability summer camp this July, offering kids the chance to tackle hands-on, good-for-the-Earth projects.
A creative studio in New Cumberland called Source the Space is combining forces with Thoughtfully Sustainable, an online STEM and sustainability education platform created by Jessica Purcell.
Purcell, who has over a decade of experience as a classroom teacher, will run four Tuesday morning classes this July at Source the Space through the pair’s “Summer STEM Camp Series” for kids in 2nd through 6th grade.
Each summer camp session focuses on a different sustainability project, spanning the realm of composting, experimenting with solar power by making their own ovens and a “Mars rover,” and constructing structurally sound “wildlife” bridges and earthquake-proof towers out of recycled materials.
“The first class is all about composting, so they’ll learn how composting works,” explained Purcell. “They’ll actually make their own soil area. They’ll be able to play with little red wiggler worms and understand the importance of decomposing their own food scraps instead of putting them in the trash.”
Kids will also learn about greenhouse gasses, climate change and how diverting food waste can help the planet and their gardens, she added.
In the second class, on solar power, kids will make solar-powered ovens to bake s’mores and create rovers powered by the sun.
The wildlife bridge and earthquake tower classes will teach scientific design along with lessons, respectively, about wildlife engineering and Richter scales.
A solar-powered s’mores oven (Photo courtesy of Source The Space)
Up to 20 kids will be able to sign up per session and, while they can sign up for all four sessions, they can also sign up for one-offs at $50 per session.
Purcell said the goal of the series is to walk kids through basic STEM concepts, the design process and the scientific method.
“I’ve had the classes structured so that they can design, they can fail, and they can try again,” said Purcell. “The underlying purpose of this is for them to see that there’s growth through designing, failing and retesting until they get something that they really like.”
Stephanie Durborow Fletcher, one of the owners of Source the Space, will assist Purcell in documenting the camp and helping learners, as well as Purcell’s high school-age daughter.
“We’ve got a lot of hands to be able to make sure that all the kids get an equal opportunity to dive in as much as they want to,” said Purcell.
She described it as a great opportunity for any creative kid ready to design things and learn about “how our everyday actions impact our greater world.”
For more information on the “Summer STEM Camp Series,” visit Thoughtfully Sustainable’s website.
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