Summer Science Camps

Welcome to our Summer STEAM camp’s webpage! Edgewood College's Office of Science Outreach is committed to giving your child another amazing in-person camp experience. Based on our very successful 2022 camp season, our 2023 season will once again offer something for all ages. Whether your child is a growing gamer, a budding biologist or a phenomenal physicist, there will be something in our line up that's sure to pique their interests.

Registration for the 2023 camp season is now open! Please click on the red "Register" button below to view camps and/or register your child. We look forward to meeting your campers soon. As always, feel free to contact me (jbenink@edgewood.edu) with any questions.

J. Benink

 

Please note that the grade range for each camp listed in the table below corresponds with what grade your child will be going into in the fall.

 

Title Date Time Grade
WeDo. Who do? We all do WeDo! Jun 12 - Jun 16 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Grades 1-3

Calling all Lego lovers! Do you like to build? Have you ever dreamt of making your creations come alive? If so, this is the class for you.

This class is designed to ignite students’ curiosity in science, engineering, technology and coding. Come spend a week learning some basic engineering principles, while collaborating with others. Then together we’ll make your creation(s) come alive while learning some basic coding.

Instructor: Diana Albrecht
Amazing Aquariums - A Healthy Home for Happy Fish! Jun 12 - Jun 16 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grades 4-6
Aquatic life is fascinating!  In this camp, you’ll learn all about life in the water, how to keep your fish as healthy as possible and how to keep their environment healthy too.  You camper will design and create their very own aquarium to take home with them, as well as learn the key tasks which will keep the tank and the fish happy and healthy.
Instructor: Pete Kuhn
Rube Goldberg - How to build crazy contraptions that perform simple, everyday tasks! Jun 12 - Jun 16 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Grades 4-6
Reuben "Rube" Goldberg was an engineer in the early 1900s with a passion for drawing. Goldberg later went into sketching comics for local papers, many of his most famous comics featured crazy contraptions to help carry out simple everyday tasks. In this camp, we will learn how to incorporate our creativity into science and engineering through studying simple machines and designing our own contraptions!
Instructor: Layna Macaulay
The Biology of Pokemon Jun 12 - Jun 16 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grades 1-3
Using Pokemon and other imaginary creatures as models, students will learn about what features make something an animal, what animals need to survive, and how animal life has adapted to live in various environments!
Instructor: Layna Macaulay
Explore the Chemistry Behind the Craft Jun 20 - Jun 23 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Grades 4-6

Have a curious and creative mind on your hands? In this week-long science camp, kids will combine their inner budding scientist and their artistic side to learn, explore, create and have fun! In addition to working on arts and crafts, kids will learn and experiment with different materials to learn why some materials are used more than others and why some just don’t make the cut. Kids will also learn how to make their own chalk, watercolors, and other items to discover the chemistry - the how and why - behind the art.

Instructor: Erica Schauf
Who lives in my lake? Jun 20 - Jun 23 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grades 1-3

Water!  Explore our lakes and what lives in them this summer as we get up close and personal with fish, frogs, water chemistry, plant life and much more!  We will be working closely with Lake Wingra and the life around it while also taking time to do some experiments in a science lab.

Instructor: Emma Watermolen
Discovering Geoscience - Let's dig up some fun together! Jun 20 - Jun 23 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Grades 1-3

Campers will learn the basics of Geoscience through games and activities. They will briefly learn about an area of geoscience each day. Some topics that will be covered are weather, space, geological processes, fossils and Dinosaurs.

 

 
Instructor: Kirsten Webster
Environmental Engineering - How to Feed Our People in a Changing World Jun 20 - Jun 23 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grades 4-6

Our world is changing!  There are issues impacting how plentiful (or scarce) our food supplies can be.  In this camp, your student will explore food production problems related to population growth. They will then engineer a model vertical farm as a potential solution to current food production limitations. They will also incorporate green energy into their designs.

Instructor: Kirsten Webster
SCRUBS Camp - The Science of the Medical World Jun 20 - Jun 23 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Grades 7-9

Campers will dive right into the world of an actual medical professional, learning just how incredible our human bodies are and how they function. Campers will engage with hands on simulations, participate in dissections, practice suturing techniques, demonstrate their proficiency in CPR and splint setting, as well as cooperative team work to diagnose a “patient" and more!

Instructor: Carly Ziegler
Turning Plants into Biodegradable Plastics: Engineering a Healthier Planet Jun 26 - Jun 30 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Grades 4-6

Join us as we explore the engineering and design process! Campers will become chemical engineers as they work to design their own plant-based biodegradable bioplastics (designing mini catapults, testing ingredients to create the best bouncy balls) and then using what we learned from the design process to develop bioplastics as a possible solution to current plastic problems. 

Instructor: Erica Schauf
WeDo! Who Do? We All Do Lego WeDo! Jun 26 - Jun 30 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Grades 1-3

Calling all Lego lovers! Do you like to build? Have you ever dreamt of making your creations come alive? If so, this is the class for you.

This class is designed to ignite students’ curiosity in science, engineering, technology and coding. Come spend a week learning some basic engineering principles, while collaborating with others. Then together we’ll make your creation(s) come alive while learning some basic coding.

Instructor: Diana Albrecht
Chemistry for Kids - Let's mix up some fun together! Jun 26 - Jun 30 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grades 1-3
Students will learn about the properties of matter while creating chemical concoctions! Students will explore various types of slime, compare densities of liquids to create rainbows, try their hand at making candy crystals, and more!
Instructor: Layna Macaulay
Physics Adventure: Light, Forces, and Motion Jun 26 - Jun 30 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grades 7-9
Join us for a physics adventure as we explore the mysteries of light, the thrill of forces and the wonder of motion! This camp will have you engaging in interactive experiments and fun activities that teach you about how physics controls the world around us. 
Instructor: Casey Conkel
Engineering Challenges - A World of Issues to Solve! Jul 10 - Jul 14 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM Grades 1-3

Our world is SO big!  Realistically, your camper will be confronted daily with an engineering problems that need to be solved. In this camp, campers will work in teams to solve these everyday problems. Some topics we'll explore are bridges, earthquakes, bubbles, air pollution, robots, waterslides and boats.

Instructor: Kirsten Webster
Environmental Exploring - Become the GOAT of the Boats! Jul 10 - Jul 14 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grades 7-9

Join us as we hop in a canoe and dissect all that Lake Wingra has to offer!  Campers will paddle out into nature and discover the unique ecosystem this area provides.  Adventure and science await as you collect numerous samples from the lake to study and catalog.

Instructor: Erica Schauf
Computer Science for Beginners (Coding Unplugged) Jul 10 - Jul 14 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grades 1-3
Campers will learn basic computer science and why it's important.  This camp will include these concepts through game playing, stories and hands on activities.  Campers will have a chance to work with a robot and program it to solve tasks throughout the week.
Instructor: Kirsten Webster
Environmental Exploring - Picture You in a Canoe! Jun 26 - Jun 30 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grades 4-6
Our canvas will be beautiful Lake Wingra as we head out into nature and discover the unique ecosystem this area provides. Canoeing and exploring await us!  Learn all about what lives in our lake - plants, fish and more!
Instructor: Erica Schauf
Adventures in Game Development (Using Python for Programming) Jun 12 - Jun 16 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM Grades 7-9

People have found ways to build games using dice, cards, art, trivia, and anything else within reach, and this camp will explore how to build a game using a computer. In this camp, students will learn the key concepts needed to build a computer game and have the freedom to build and write their own story for a text-based adventure game. Students will learn how to design a game, develop a plan for creating their design, and how to use the Python programming language to build their game. This course will help students explore areas such as logic, critical thinking, and computer science. 

Instructor: Professor Alex Anderson

Click on the button below to register for any of the camp sessions listed.

General Camp Information

Edgewood College’s Office of Science Outreach is here to bring the wonder of scientific discovery, the thrill of nature exploration, and the challenge of engineering design to the public.  Through our Summer Science Camps, your child will experience science and engineering with our faculty, students and associates, as we share our resources and expertise and learn something new about our world and ourselves.  Each camp is designed to best utilize the expertise of our unique staff. Many camps change frequently as we discover something new that would be cool to explore with your child.  Whether it is learning how to design new gadgets with electrical circuits, exploring other planets in search of life, or unraveling the mystery of the microbe, there is sure to be something to stimulate your child’s imagination and bring out their native curiosity and creativity.

Camp Age Ranges

Camps are created to fit the characteristic interests and abilities of a given age range while also providing opportunities for social interaction with their peers. Grade levels refer to the grade that your child will be entering in the Fall of 2022.  If you believe that your child’s needs would be better met in a camp outside of suggested grade level, please call the camp director to discuss the possibilities.

Lunch/Snack/Water Bottle

All camps are half-day in duration.  If you enroll your child in both a morning and afternoon camp in any given week, lunch supervision will be provided.  Send a sack lunch with your child as there will not be food for purchase.   There will be time to eat, explore and run around.  All campers should bring a refillable water bottle to camp each day.  A light mid-morning and mid-afternoon snack will be provided for each child.  If your child has food allergies please plan to send a snack along to avoid any issues with food reactions.  Serious allergies should be discussed with the camp director.

The Great Outdoors

All camps will undoubtedly have some portion of their time spent outdoors.  The amount of time depends on the specific camp.  This information will be given in the camp description or sent to you by the camp instructor after registration.  Use your judgement and the information provided for each camp to make decisions about hats, bug spray and sunscreen.

Attire

All camps will be very active and often messy.  Clothing that allows for active movement and that can get dirty are recommended.  Closed-toed shoes are the best bet as they are required in some labs and offer the best protection for out-of-doors excursions.  Some camps have specific requirements so please check individual camp descriptions for those.

Refund Policy

If we need to cancel a camp, you will be notified as soon as possible.  If another camp is open in your child’s age range and you want to simply move your child to that camp, we will happily do this for you.  If not, then your registration will be refunded.  If you need to withdraw your child from any/all camps, our refund structure is as follows:

  • Cancelling before March 13th, we will refund all but $25 per camp cancelled
  • Cancelling between March 14th and April 13th, we will refund all but $50 per camp cancelled
  • Cancelling between April 14th and May 9th, we will refund all but $100 per camp
  • Cancelling after May 9th, we will not offer any refunds at this point

We also recognize that emergencies can arise at any time.  We make every effort to accommodate the needs of families and will work with you in the case of an emergency.  These situations will be handled on a case by case basis. 

There are no partial refunds for missed days of camp.

Medical Forms

Completed medical forms must be submitted with your registration.  A space will not be reserved in the camp until the medical form has been submitted.   If your child has medical or other needs that will require special consideration or accommodations, please contact the camp director in advance so that we are sure to provide a safe and respectful environment for your child and others.