Day 4 - Terraforming and Extreme Temperatures

Summer Camps that Explore Outer Space and Science for Kids

How do offer STEM Programs for Elementary Kids in Science Summer Camps?

Summer Camps in Chicago have always had the advantage of including real projects for kids, and Kids Science Labs Innovation Camps have taken it to the next level, offering science projects for PreK - 8th grade students that explore adventures in outer space.

Kids may have experimented with thermal sensitive paper.

During our summer camps this year in Seattle, students had a blast discussing and playing with temperature changes. They had the chance to experiment with heat and light as well as explore the relative temperatures of various objects. Our summer camp students were then were able to design a heat sensing tool as seen above. The purpose of these tools is to relay information of relative temperature and UV light from the sun. In order to do this they were given the KSL relative temperature scale seen below.

The KSL relative temperature scale that was used.

A big part of Terraforming a planet, involves investigating what would it would take to change soil in order to give plants the nutrients they need in order to grow and thrive. Our young scientists selected and planted vegetables, flowers, and fruits that they would desire to grow and harvest in outer space, then made nutrient rich soil for those plants.

Kids adjust their soil to add certain nutrients like nitrogen.

Our scholars compared types of dirt, soil and other environments for growing plants. Most students used this day to design device including a seed planted in their own nutrient rich soil and a transport container. It can be repotted in your home or outside garden.

How could child astronauts survive on Mars with no Grocery Stores?

Summer Camps in Chicago that Explore Adventures in Space to Advance Careers in STEM

Kids love the summer, but its chaos sometimes for parents. There are umpteen Summer Camps in Chicago, and nearly as many in every geographic area in the U.S. For Kids that are interested in Engineering, Science, Medicine, and Arts, Summer Camp in Chicago changed when Kids Science Labs entered the scene in 2010.

Some kids are super curious about living on Mars, and Summer Camps are great ways to build understanding

Earth is the perfect place for us and even Mars pales in comparison. To live on another planet, we need to create (or find) the proper conditions - temperature, nutrition, water, oxygen to breathe and protection from the harshness of the sun’s energy (or lack thereof). On this day, our students explored the real concept of Terraforming as we explored how to manipulate soil, change an atmosphere, and survive off-Earth. Space, while so far away, is always present in our kids’ imagination because its a frequent topic of adventure books, cartoons, and movies. Make so mistake though, Earth is special, with its mild climate, access to liquid water, and abundant protections from the Earth’s brutal radiation.

Using KSL’s unique STEAM Innovation, our students investigated:

• Design ways to adjust temperature using science fundamentals and discuss potential impacts on planetary exploration

• Types of soil, how to enrich it with nutrients and testing soil’s ability to enable various plant growth

• Explored which types of fruits, vegetables, and flowers may be helpful in changing a planets atmosphere and helping to sustain human life

• Performed LSF (Look, Smell, Feel) tests to expand basic science investigative methods to compare and contrast various flowers and vegetables and discuss how well they may be adaptable to climates with higher CO2, like Mars

Later this week, your child will design their own Terraforming Mars KIT, complete with nutrition rich soil, seeds to practice growing flowers, vegetables and fruit at home, and custom ingredients that would make their adventure in space even better! Watch this video with your child to expand their depth of what it would take to actually terraform Mars

Why can't we use gasoline to launch rockets into space? - Chicago Summer Camp Kids want to know...

Rockets are massively heavy, yet we can lift them, not just off the ground, but beyond Earths gravitation pull! There is something very real about the atmosphere and the special force between any two massive objects, called gravity, and we want to do real experiments to explore propulsion science and how rockets can escape Earth’s Gravity. Our students looked at both physical (throwing) and chemical (reacting chemicals) to boost objects with forces, and explored the relationship between propulsion science and the weight and shape of the objects being launched.

Don’t forget your INNOVATION BOX, which is customized by your child every Wednesday at Kids Science Labs, to enable at home science and create new neuroscience pathways that increase the fun and build real confidence with hands-on science. ….Watch below with your child to advance their learning of how the tallest buildings in our cities were designed and built!

As members, please take advantage of our KSL Rewards Program that offers benefits to our entire community. Call us at (773-798-2012 or email support@kidssciencelabs.com) and mention “KSL Blog”

• 20% off any new program registration (parties, camps, group events, field trips) after this camp

• Free access to KSL Academy Programs for gifted and enthusiastic young scientists

• Social media raffle for members to win birthday party giveaways at Kids Science Labs

• Exclusive members-only Youtube content that powers kids to outperform in STEM long-term and on NGSS tests in 3rd, 5th, and 7th grade!

You can watch this slow motion video of a KSL 6yr old launching a chemical propulsion rocket for Adventures in Space and How Rockets Work to help enable your child to think more deeply about rocket propulsion..