Article
Northern Region NCN Science Camp a huge success for 2006
Submitted by Christine Aday, Capacity Building Intern
Uu-a-thluk
August 30, 2006
All the kids attending the camp enthusiastically agreed, “SCIENCE ROCKS!”
This July, Mowachaht/Muchalat hosted an exciting, weeklong science camp for young, up and coming Nuu-chah-nulth scientists. The camp was presented by the University of Victoria’s Science Venture department and sponsored by Uu-a-thluk to show Nuu-chah-nulth kids that science is part of our everyday lives and that it is lots of fun. Heather Shivas of Science Venture stated, “Science camp helps expose kids to science and helps to break down stereotypes about science. Science is not super-geeky. You can do some really cool things with science as well as keeping many more ‘doors’ open in life.”
Uu-a-thluk intern Christine Aday assisted in connecting science with Nuu-chah-nulth teachings by sharing a legend about respecting salmon to keep them coming back season after season – respecting and managing the resource. She then led games about the salmon lifecycle during which the kids eagerly shared their prior knowledge of the subject.
During the week, the group investigated many disciplines of science in very fun ways. They observed chemical reactions while making ‘elephant toothpaste;’ investigated resource management by mining for chocolate chips in cookies; and practiced the hands-on learning of physical principles in a game called “Nothing but net,” where each young scientist constructed miniature basketball courts complete with marshmallow launching catapults. This, in combination with an Elder visit and the Mowachaht/Muchalat singers, had the kids asking to stay late everyday. As one camper said, “I love science camp so much because you do lots of science projects, you learn stuff, and you make new friends!”
All the kids attending the camp enthusiastically agreed, “SCIENCE ROCKS!”
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