Camp Chemistry
Session 1: Chemistry 101 & Edible Science: Welcome to Chemistry 101! In the first week of class, we will explore the periodic table of elements, or in other words, the chemicals that make up everything that matters in this world. By building models of molecules (some with marshmallows), conducting hands-on experiments, and investigating scientific theories, students will gain a better understanding of the physical and chemical properties of Earth’s elements. The labs this week will focus on how different chemicals interact, combine, change, and sometimes form new substances.
Now that you’ve learned the basics of chemistry, come taste them! This will be the most delicious week of chemistry you’ve ever experienced. This second week of class we can eat all of our experiments that we make! Did you know that cooking requires science? There are ingredients, instructions, precise measurements, and processes that need to be followed in the kitchen as well as the lab. This week we will be using science to learn how to make homemade pop rocks, ice cream, boba bubbles, sugar crystals, and more.
Session 2: Glowing, Gassy, & Artsy Experiments: Hope you’re ready to get glowy and gassy in this first week of class. Have you ever wondered what makes a jellyfish glow? Or why do bath bombs fizz when they get wet? Come explore why things glow in the dark by learning the science behind glow sticks and creating our own glowing objects, including edible Jell-O. And then dive into conducting experiments that demonstrate the properties of gases by inflating balloons without blowing them up, powering a boat with baking soda, making your own fizzing bath bombs, and more.
The second week is all about art! Students will use the properties of chemicals that they just learned to create beautiful and unique artworks that they can take home. Students can expect to experiment with colors, make rainbow paper, grow egg geodes, tie dye a shirt, and conduct other creative experiments that will result in works of art.
Session 3: Acids, Bases, & Explosive Reactions: Hot, cold, and electric! The first week is all about experiments that generate energy, use energy, and transfer electrical charges. Students can expect to build and explode a volcano, copper plate a quarter using a battery, create and play with elephant toothpaste, and perform other experiments that focus on observable and tangible chemical reactions.
In the second week, it’s time to explore the substances that can be found in insects, plants, fruits, our stomachs, car batteries, and even cleaning products! What are these substances? They are acids and bases, and they can be found in basically every liquid. We will use several hands-on experiments to explore these everyday liquids, including creating our own pH indicators, making little explosions, turning pennies green, and writing with invisible ink.
OFFERED: Sessions I, II, and III
TIME: 1:00 - 3:50pm
FEE: $195 + $30 materials fee (S 1 & 2) $225 + $30 materials fee (S 3)
LOCATION: San Luis Obispo Campus Room 4112
QUESTIONS: Contact the instructor at Leana_marcus@cuesta.edu
INSTRUCTOR: Leana Marcus
Meet the instructor | |
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Leana Marcus |
Leana is a Psychology student graduating this spring from Cuesta. She has a passion for for science and especially Chemistry. This is her 2nd year teaching for CFK. Her career goal is to integrate her love for nature with psychology by using wilderness therapy as treatment for anxiety and stress disorders. She has been educating children for over 15 years and she is also the mother of a 12 year old son and 3 year old daughter. |