Lots of Denver kids get to spend the day at Elitch Gardens, but few see the amusement park as a hands-on classroom.
Metro-area middle schoolers in a two-week science camp spent Friday using roller-coaster rides at the amusement park as a classroom, taking measurements as they screamed through the dips and swirls.
“You’re distracted with how you’re feeling physically and mentally as well as trying to do something with taking measurements,” said Maya Sterett, a 13-year-old entering the eighth grade this fall.
Fifth- through eighth-grade campers at the Summer Science Institute spend 10 days learning about nine different areas of math and science — mathematics, microbiology, human biology, chemistry, meteorology, earth science, computer science, aerospace and physics.
The many options of science are what turned 12-year-old Thaliesen Landry on to the study.
“I learned science is definitely something to explore,” she said. “There are so many options.”
The kids are taught by Metro professors and take classes in a different classroom each day, giving them a mini college experience.
“I’m trying to do two things,” said Larry Johnson, the Metropolitan State College professor who founded the camp. “I want to get them interested in going to college if they aren’t already or reinforce it if they are. And I want to keep them active in science and mathematics.”
Physics professor Kameron Sahami, who runs the physics day, said research shows interest in math and science takes a sharp plunge for middle-school girls, but until then, the amount of interest is balanced between males and females.
“This is just the right age to capture the imagination and turn kids on to science,” Sahami said. “I think the way the program targets middle school, especially with females, is really good so you can re-boost that interest.”
Sahami, whose research is in science education, said many people involved with the program also work with the teacher-education department, so they’re scientists as well as experts in pedagogy and curriculum.
He said the camp curriculum focuses on how the kids experience science and how they feel, and it also hits the hard-science skills of taking measurements and plugging data into the equation.
“But the most interesting part is the way the kids interact and actually teach each other,” Sahami said. “They all realize that they’re all getting pushed back in their seats, but there is one kid with the accelerometer that’s actually measuring it.”
Since it began 14 years ago, more than 2,000 kids have gone through the program. Some have returned as counselors.
Second-year counselor Cassie Rohrer was a camper for four years.
“It’s fun to watch their opinions change, even in two weeks,” Rohrer said. “Some will come in not thinking they’ll like a subject, but leave looking forward to taking it in high school.”
Lenzy Hudson, an 11-year-old going into sixth grade, said having fun while learning makes the material easier to understand.
“I learned a lot the past two weeks,” she said. “Today was a good break from the classroom, even though I’m still learning.”
Bianca Davis: 303-954-1698 or bsmith-davis@denverpost.com
