Kids have a blast at Sci-Fi Science Camp
By Joan Janzen
EATONIA - A dozen energetic kids had a blast at Eatonia’s Sci-Fi Science Camp from August 3rd to 8th. The young campers were more than happy to demonstrate the launching of their pop bottle rockets, which they had made earlier in the week.
Their instructors, Logan and David, came from the U of S College of Engineering to conduct the camp every afternoon from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. They took the best and most exciting engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, and animal science projects from each of their camps and brought them to Eatonia for an unforgettable hands-on experience!
These three campers had a blast at Eatonia’s Sci-Fi Science Camp last week. PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN
Logan gives some last-minute instructions before the campers launch their pop bottle rocket. PHOTO BY JOAN JANZEN
Kids from Grades 3 to 6 gathered at the Eatonia Memorial Arena for the fun and educational Satellite Sci-Fi Science Camp, sponsored by the Community Initiatives Fund. The campers were having so much fun, they didn’t seem to realize they were learning all kinds of new information at the same time. And David and Logan also appeared to be enjoying their summer employment project.
The bottle rocket project was designed to show how a rocket engine works. All that was required to make the rockets were 2-litre pop bottles, a funnel, paper plates, construction paper, and tape. The kids learned about the purpose of fins and how a pointed tip helps cut through the air, creating lower areas of air pressure.
It was a beautiful sunny afternoon for a rocket launch. The rocket was placed on a launcher attached to a bicycle pump. One of the kids was busy pumping while the countdown began. The pumping caused the water to blast out of the bottle and take off, much like a real rocket takes off into space. While campers were having a blast watching the rocket shoot at least twenty feet into the air, it was also demonstrating how thrust can be generated, showing Newton’s third law at work.
The campers all received a USASK Sci-Fi Science Camp t-shirt as a souvenir of their time at camp. After I left the group, the fun continued as they were about to build a police siren controlled by light.