Discovery World holds Deep Dive STEAM camp
The campers pet the reptiles and observe the amphibian one last time before they head home. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
A Discovery World camper shows off his shark face paint. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Discovery World campers show off their mermaid and seahorse face paint. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Fritter the pancake tortoise roams freely as a Discovery World camper pets him. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Discovery World and Good Zoo volunteers show off Cornelius the corn snake. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
The campers pet the reptiles and observe the amphibian one last time before they head home. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
A Discovery World camper shows off his shark face paint. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Discovery World campers show off their mermaid and seahorse face paint. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Fritter the pancake tortoise roams freely as a Discovery World camper pets him. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
Discovery World and Good Zoo volunteers show off Cornelius the corn snake. (Photo by Gretchen Dowler)
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PARKERSBURG -- Discovery World on Market held its second week of STEAM camp themed Deep Dive Camp this week.
"Our education manger has planned a fun, hands-on STEAM experience for the kids that will introduce them to all kinds of educational experiences," said Wendy Shriver, Executive Director of Discovery World on Market. "Our first week of camp kicked off last Monday and was a huge success."
The Deep Dive Camp was for first- through third-graders and is centered around the STEAM concept. STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
"They learn a lot of science, art, and they just learned a new math game," said Education Manager Jill McDonald regarding the campers' hands-on STEAM experience. "If there isn't a certain STEAM element in an activity, I'll find a way to get it in there. You can do it."
This week, within the Deep Dive Camp theme of learning about the ocean, they made sensory density bottles to learn about the different layers of the ocean and incorporate the science of STEAM. The bottles also teach them about oil spills within the ocean.
"We're also going to teach them this week about how to clean oil off of feathers with Dawn." McDonald said about showing the children how to take care of ocean animals.
The STEAM camp incorporated math with a game called Tenzi which teaches the campers how to recognize number patterns.
The children also got to incorporate the art side into their ocean activities with drawing the life cycle of an octopus. Face painter Valorie Gustafson, of Happy Face Paints, was also there to paint ocean creatures on their faces such as an octopus, seahorse, shark, and sea turtles.
They even got to experience and learn about some live creatures as well. Coming from Wheeling, The Good Zoo at Oglebay made an appearance with several reptiles and an amphibian. The Good Zoo brought Fritter the pancake tortoise, Franklin the turtle, and a toad. Also along for the adventure was a 10-year-old corn snake named Cornelius.
"The snake is so cute! He's so slimy," said the children who braved petting the snake, "I wasn't afraid at all."
The STEAM camp highly encourages imagination, with McDonald ending the day telling the camp a story about using your imagination and chasing your dreams. She asked all the kids what their dreams were and had answers ranging from traveling to Canada, New York, Africa, the desert, and Australia; to living on the beach in a big hotel, becoming a millionaire, racing monster trucks, being a ballerina, having a YouTube channel, working with sea animals, being a ninja, and being a singer.
"It's important to have dreams, and no matter how old you are, you can still have your dreams," she said.
The Discovery World STEAM camp will hold its wrap up week from 9 a.m. to noon July 10-14 with the "Can You Dig It Camp" for fourth- through sixth-graders. Camp registrations for the final camp are still available, if you would like to register, email the Education Manager Jill McDonald at jill--mcdonald@dwonmarket.org.