Dirt Camp: Day 5

Well, that’s a wrap on Dirt Camp! We had an awesome last day, and we hope your camper did, too!

We took care of all of the animals this morning and made sure they had plenty of water on this hot day.

We did an experiment to demonstrate soil erosion on a hill or a slope. Campers took a pan full of soil, poured a set amount of water down the slope, and watched to soil erode and pool with the water at the bottom of the slope. Then, we added plants and tried pouring water down the slope again. This time, we saw that the plants’ roots held the soil in place and only a little bit of the water ran off the slope. Ask your camper what the different kinds of runoff are!

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Red Peppers doing their runoff experiment.

Ms. Ellen talks with the Yellow Peppers about runoff and erosion.

Ms. Ellen talks with the Yellow Peppers about runoff and erosion.

During Garden Kitchen, we talked about MyPlate and what a balanced meal looks like. We did a scavenger hunt in the Children’s Garden, and we also had yogurt parfaits for snack. Campers got to pick which color they liked best, and we used food coloring to turn their yogurt into a bright neon.

Green Peppers enjoying their neon yogurt!

Green Peppers enjoying their neon yogurt!

We picked the last of the broccoli in the garden and helped Mr. Brendan clear out some of the old broccoli plants. We also talked about irrigation methods in the garden and how farmers go about choosing an irrigation type. There are many different techniques for watering plants, including drip lines, sprinklers, soaker hoses, etc. Ask your camper which ones they remember!

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Orange Peppers talking about broccoli and irrigation.

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Red Peppers harvesting broccoli.

After lunch, we had peach popsicles that we made yesterday. They were delicious!

Yellow Peppers enjoying their popsicles in the shade.

Yellow Peppers enjoying their popsicles in the shade.

We used soil targets and measured the “splash zone” that forms when water is dropped onto soil from a distance. This experiment simulated raindrops and the impact they have on the soil surface as they fall. To mitigate the raindrop effect, plants are used to cover bare soil and absorb the impact of the water droplets.

Yellow Peppers performing the splash zone experiment.

Yellow Peppers performing the splash zone experiment.

We finished up our STEM projects today, and they looked amazing! Be sure to have your camper explain their thought process when they built their mud castle. What was the strongest material?

To finish out the week, we set up a massive water slide, sprinklers and kiddie pools with sand a water. Everyone—campers and staff alike—let loose and just played in the water. It was the perfect end to a perfect week at camp!

 

 

 

If you didn’t turn in your evaluation form, feel free to scan and email it to Alan Jaros or mail it to us. We would still love to hear your feedback about Dirt Camp!

Thank you for allowing us to learn and grow with your camper. We have had an amazing week with all of them, and we hope to see you around MSU Tollgate very soon!


Peach Yogurt Smoothies/Popsicles

Ingredients

16 oz. frozen peaches
16 oz. yogurt
1/4 cup honey

Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender. Serve as a smoothie or freeze in popsicle molds and serve as popsicles.

 

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