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News from the College | |
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Contact us: 252 985 5141 |
June 2, 2000
Scientific Summer at North Carolina Wesleyan College
Rocky Mount, NC – Attention: Parents who are scheduling worthwhile and fun summer activities for your offspring: Two 5-day sessions of Scientific Summer 2000 at North Carolina Wesleyan College are being held this year, one starting June 19 and one on June 26. The day camps have two levels of courses for 3rd through 7th graders this year. Every year for the past 15 years, youngsters have invaded the Rocky Mount campus to come to fun-filled day camps about SCIENCE AND MATH?!!! Yes, these are learning camps and the professors and instructors at Wesleyan make science and math fun for these campers. For more information, call either Dr. Dan Gall, at 985-5159, or Dr. Arch Sharer at 443-5118. First of all, the kids get to work with college professors, and participate in interesting, hands-on experiments and activities, including working with live animals and insects, fossils, plant life, interactive computer programs that tie together environmental aspects of the other classes, statistics and the metric system, composing and desktop publishing. They make their own brochures on computers. They learn how to use microscopes, computers, and other real laboratory equipment. In the chemistry lab they make superballs and slime. They take away t-shirts and pocket magnifiers, a certificate, and an increased interest in, and appreciation of, science and math. The brainchild of Wesleyan Professor Emeritus Arch Sharer, the day camps have continued to be successful since their inception. "It’s really quite exciting," said Dr. Sharer. "The children learn things they can carry on to school and everyday life. Older kids are exposed to a little deeper investigation and examination of materials and research-and-study methods. They can carry on their own investigations at home or in school later on. We try to make it so it stimulates thinking and the ongoing thought process: how do people do science?" Dr. Sharer teaches life science. He is joined by Gail Stafford teaching math, Ruth Gall teaching chemistry and physical science, Daniel Smith teaching computer science, Dr. Dan Gall teaching geology and earth science, and two college student assistants, Erin Gaddy, a biology major, and Darlena Brittingham, an education major. The average camp day is made up of four 80-minute classes in computers, math, physical science, and earth science. Every day there are mid-morning refreshments, bag lunches the kids bring, and an activity period. Activities include games at the student activities center and tours of the residence halls, the art gallery, and the library. All activity is supervised; student assistants are with the campers the whole time they are on campus. "Parents have always complimented the program," said Dr. Sharer. "Sometimes they want it to run longer. Some people have called to see if we would do a residential program." At the end of each camp there is a reception for parents and other family members of the campers.
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Last modified by webmaster@ncwc.edu
on 12/16/05 |
