TBnJ

This past week T&J were at Austin Children's Museum for "Micro, Nano, Pico" camp. Most amazingly, they ran into a kid they knew. This is the same kid who was at Spy Camp over spring break and computer art classes at AMOA in the spring. We don't know him any other way-- they just keep running into him at camps all over Austin.

They went to UT's Dept. of Chemical Engineering for Monday. According to them, they did nothing interesting at UT. They had fun at the park and playground they went to for lunch, but they don't know which park it was. They had fun watching two Magic School Bus videos during quiet time. They made coolers which they are going to use today to see whose ice cube will last the longest. And they had a bit of time to run around in the museum.

According to the sheet they brought home, they actually did the following on Monday: "Begin a measurement journal that we'll keep throughout the week; talk about what micro, nano, and pico mean; discuss nanotechnology; use knowledge of everyday materials to design a device to save an ice cube from melting; get an idea of how difficult it is to design nano devices by trying to perform everyday tasks with oven mitts on; and create an 'airjunk' catcher to collect tiny airborne particles at home."

Tuesday's agenda read: "Spooling DNA at UT's Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Measure how many 'hands' high we are; line ourselves up in order from tallest to shortest without saying a word; play a DNA decoding game; and go on a Museum-wide scavenger hunt that will help us to crack a secret code." They go to a park/playground every day for lunch, too.

T said that on Tuesday they went to UT again and made fish DNA show up by adding something and mixing it really fast. He thought it was neat. They went to Pease Park. They watched another Magic School Bus and an episode of Bill Nye the Science Guy. They played at the museum. They did the scavenger hunt and the resulting word was "technology." T asked me what technology was. I guess they didn't explain that part. Trying to explain what technology is to him was not easy. I fumbled it around a bit saying that technology usually involves computers or computer chips and that it is supposed to make life easier. And that Daddy-o could explain it better. Daddy-o asked T if he remembered how they’d talked about how engineers take ideas and make them into reality. T said yes. Daddy-o said that those ideas use technology, like computers and cell phones and such. T seemed to be latching on to the whole concept.

Wednesday's agenda said: "Pam Cook at UT's Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Measure how tall we are in inches; examine the slime that makes disposable diapers so absorbent; concoct our own silly putty-like glue slime; and complete a group picture project that magnifies a familiar image."

T said that they went to the Chemistry Library which had three long tables they sat at. They made computer chip cookies which they gave to Daddy-o (pic of J making her cookie at right). Daddy-o said he was given two squished up mudballs that he was told were cookies of some kind. T had lots of fun making slime. They went to Pease Park again. They watched another Magic School Bus and Bill Nye the Science Guy about the human body which he really liked. And then they played at the museum. J really doesn’t have much to say about the camps. This has not been her favorite week of camp by far.

Thursday’s agenda said: “Collecting at Barton Creek in Zilker Park. Measure how tall we are in millimeters; collect aquatic macro-invertebrates to take back to the Museum; sort everyday things in order from big to nanoscopic; examine our creek collection with a microscope and use it to make conclusions about the quality of the creek water; and get in teams to design a water filter.”

T said that the teachers would only let them go 5" into the water which was no fun because they were worried it was too deep. He found a rock in his water that he collected, but others found guppies, snails, and bug larvae. They played at Zilker Park and then they went to another park (the same as on Monday which has yet to be named or identified) where he "went over the edge of the wall at the end of the ramp after a big square of concrete but the wall was only like 2' high but it was lots of fun." Then they went back to the museum where they looked at water stuff under a microscope. Afterwards, T played security guard as people were robbing grocery store. They watched Magic School Bus about a seed but no Bill Nye.

Friday: “UT’s Center for Nanoscience and Technology. Measure how tall we are in nanometers and complete our week-long journals; have a water molecule relay race at the park; go on a science scavenger hunt throughout the Museum; and prototype our own nano devices to take home.”

T reports that they went to UT again and made slime out of corn starch and water. He says that they went to Pease Park. They watched Magic School Bus and Dragonfly TV. He made a Mars rover out of craft stuff (pictured in the two photos in this entry).

Overall, T had fun at camp, but he's looking forward to the camp he’s going to next week far more. J did not like this week at camp much at all. It was hard to get her to talk about it, and she was never really looking forward to going in the morning (though she also never really protested against going). I think the activities were too repetitive for her and just weren't on topics that interested her. I definitely don't plan to sign them up for another ACM camp again since it was not a huge hit.

To celebrate the end of the week, Daddy-o took them and B to Deep Eddy for swimming this evening rather than sitting in Mopac traffic. They had lots of fun with that.

Labels: at camp, kid sayings