As part of HCEF's Customized Accelerated Programs for Education (CAPE), many partner family housing agencies have taken advantage of a week-long science summer camp or after-school experience for their resident children. Offered by Pittsburgh-based LabRatz Science Club, the program is funded with corporate contributions received through Pennsylvania's Education Improvements Tax Credit (EITC) program. The children have enjoyed a number of hands-on experiences: creating chemical reactions, getting acquainted with a turtle named Maxwell, using a microscope to see microbes as well as human cells and body tissue, finding fossils in shale, piecing together skeletal remains, understanding potential and kinetic energy, exploring electricity and magnetism.

What follows is a story of children engaged in Science Club activities.

CHEMISTRY: What do you get when you mix cornstarch and water or Borax and white glue?

Something messy, slippery, gooey, and just plain fun to play with –

 

and that requires serious cleaning up after!

REPTILES: specifically a turtle – heading for cover in its preferred habitat

But not for long. "Let me guess. I'm the center of attention at another science camp and sooner or later she's going to turn me over to check out my underside."

"I don't know how I got here. I don't know where here is."

"But I'm on my way!"

Up next: fossils and bones