Class Act: Exploration Works Holiday Camps

Students from the Helena school district are getting a crash course in the art of chemistry while on Christmas vacation.

Exploration Works is hosting a winter camp to motivate kids to get involved science. In this week's Class Act, Beartooth NBC stopped by the camps to see what creations were in the works.

School may be out for the holidays but it's not stopping Exploration Works from teaching its campers about the importance of science.

"We're doing a Christmas chemistry class. We're doing a lot of fun little things with changing states of matter and Christmas stuff with poinsettias, exploding snow, polymers,” says Counselor, Cody Davis.

"We actually made Kool-Aid Play-dough and let it cool throughout the day and just finished it up. And then we made Kool-Aid finger paint and they had the chance to paint on poster board," says Counselor, Tatum Poell.

The art of chemistry has never been more active, with edible ingredients and hundreds of things to create with them.

"It's just really fun. I mean it gets kids into science, not just reading about science but its hands on, inquiry based learning and it really kind of makes them want more. They leave wanting to find more things out,” says Davis.

"Definitely the measuring part of it, they learn lots of measurements for the math part you need three of these to every one of these. Instructions they have to listen to instructions to a point cause if you do mix it wrong or if you mix something before you’re told to it does come out wrong,” says Poell.

Using everyday products for experimenting has to be the highlight though for most of the student scientists.

"Kids love the mixing part I mean who doesn't as a kid growing up loving to mix dish soap with borax and see what happens so definitely they like that part," says Poell.

When you put all of the skills acquired here together you get one part hands on experience, one part knowledge of science, and mix in the most important ingredient...fun. This chemistry equation is what makes Exploration Works a Class Act

Campers get the chance to explore many different ideas related to the subject of science, since the camp lasts all week.

Story by Drew Steele, Beartooth NBC.
Sponsored by Sylvan Learning Center of Helena.
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