2022 Summer Experience
Incoming 4th & 5th Graders
These courses are designed for students entering 4th and 5th grade.
Incoming 4th-5th Grade Summer Experience Opportunities
Animal Planet
If you love learning about animals from all over our world; this is the course for you. We will learn about fascinating animals in the oceans, jungles, forests, and deserts. You will get the opportunity to use technology to research animals that you may have never heard of to share with others. You will also get to learn how to design and draw animals in their habitats. If you love adventure, we will be taking a field trip to Dickerson Park Zoo and Bennett Springs State Park.
ART & NATURE
Explore how art and nature combine in this exciting class! Join us in creating both inside and outside the classroom this summer, using unique art making processes, and learning how art and nature coexist. Take a trip to a local nature center or art museum to see and learn more firsthand! Projects include: eco-printing, clay beadmaking, branch weaving, chalk, garden spinners, and more!
Cakes, Cookies, and Sweets oh My!
This class is for students who don’t mind getting messy! Young chefs will explore the world of baking and create a delicious array of treats in a fun and engaging atmosphere. Cakes and cookies will be made from scratch, enabling students to learn what ingredients are, what each does in the baking process, and how to properly follow directions and measurements. Students will be taught how to fill and use pastry bags, learn the difference between tips, and how to properly ice and decorate cakes. Bakers will leave confident and excited to show off their “sweet” new skills with their own personalized cookbook.
*Please be aware that food may contain these ingredients: milk, eggs, wheat, soybean, peanuts, and tree nuts.
Can You Survive This Camp?
In this class we will learn how to set up a tent, start a campfire without matches, and cook outdoors!! We will learn about edible plants and plants that can be used for basic first aid. Possible fieldtrips will include visits to local conservation areas, fishing, and nature museum.
CSI - Crime Scene Investigators
Join your fellow Crime Scene Investigators as we work together to solve mysteries. You will gain first-hand experience solving cases using forensic science experiments. Learn techniques from our local CSI and law enforcement. Learn about crimes and investigating from the Missouri State Highway Patrol in Jefferson City. Apply your skills to create your own mystery for your friends to solve. Build friendships and teamwork as you work together to conquer the class Escape Room and solve a classroom crime!
In this course students will get EACH day, we will split our time between creating yummy, kid friendly food creations and a craft of some sort. The Fun for Foodies course will teach young cooks about nutrition and the importance of eating healthy foods. We will also share some of our favorite foods. Students will be asked to bring in a favorite family recipe to create a class cookbook! As part of this course, we will also be focusing on staying healthy and active, so we will be taking part in interactive exercises. The Creative Crafters course will teach students to recognize their creative talent! Students will create masterpieces to display in their home, as well as fashionable jewelry and other creative art. Students will be working with watercolors, clay, yarn and other decorative items. As part of this course, we will be visiting Firehouse Pottery Shop, where we will participate in decorating our very own clay coffee mugs. Join us to find out what new and improved wild creations you will take home! **Please be aware that food products are used that may contain food allergens such as nuts, eggs, milk, wheat and soy.
Game On
In the summer experience class, “Game On”, we will be learning and playing a lot of fun games both individually and in group settings. We will be playing games outside and inside, so we will be very active! The games we will play include board games, card games, outdoor games, and interactive games. We will also have the opportunity to create your own game for us to play! Our field trips will be game oriented as well! It is recommended that students dress to be playing games (such as, but not limited to dodgeball, whiffle ball, basketball, board games, and other gym activities). If you want to spend your summer experience playing games, then this is the class for you!
JR Explorers Camp-Incoming 3rd-5th graders only
Join your outdoor guides; Ms. Bonnette and Mr. Sherrer at Bennett Springs State Park, for JR Explorer Camp. This camp for incoming 3-5th graders. We will spend our days learning in nature. We will hike every day, do trail clean up service projects, and learn a ton about science! Students can earn badges. We will also sharpen our saw, with swimming and reading in the shade. We are partnering with the MO State Park Dept. for workshops and activities. Parents must provide transportation to and from Bennett Springs.
Mission Impossible
This class will be about all about mysteries! We will read various mystery books. We will focus on critical thinking skills. Activities may include the game Clue, solving puzzles, riddles, and completing escape rooms. If you like a good challenge and mystery, this class is for you!
National Days Calendar Celebration
Based on the National Days Calendar, students in this class will celebrate each day of June with a new activity. We will celebrate days such as: National Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Day, National Ice Tea Day, National Drive-In Movie Day, and many more. This class will include projects, cooking, puzzles, and field trips.
Nature Unleashed
Let's learn all about nature! You will learn about the untamed world of Missouri's ponds, forests, and prairies through real world experiences. We will explore outside together, carry out investigations, and collect data together. We will research and create different crafts and projects all about Missouri's nature. The MO conservation department and other special guests will be joining us throughout the course to teach us even more.
Sphero Robotics Sports Academy
Students will learn about popular sporting events, athletes, official sporting rules... and ROBOTICS!! Students will build gaming platforms and code Sphero robots to compete in a variety of sporting events such as soccer, basketball, bowling, track, and more. In addition, students will be able to compare automated performance to humans performance as they take a break from technology to play the sports themselves. This class includes a trip to the bowling alley where students will compete for a top score and bragging rights. Kiddos will show how automation and robotics require teamwork and sportsmanship!!
Summertime Adventures
If you are looking for an ACTIVE class, this is the class for you! Through this course, we will be reading the book "Hatchet" by Gary Paulsen. Using this novel we will use it to guide our weeks of summer experience. We will have the opportunity to incorporate survivalist skills, map skills, using perseverance to overcome obstacles, going on several problem solving adventures, and more. This class will feature all four core subjects, (Math, English Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies). Through this course, we could visit Bennett Springs State Park, Ha Ha Tonka State Park, and/or partner with the Missouri Department of Conservation.