Graduation Moments

Good afternoon : )

We would like to share some videos and pictures from the BHSSC Graduation with you and your family. There were some great memories captured, so we hope you enjoy!

Also, we encourage you to forward any pictures you would like to share from camp to either i.freitas@neu.edu or k.malanych@neu.edu. We will post them on the blog so others can view them.

Thank you!

-Ivana

Survey and Pictures

Hello!

The link to the survey mentioned in the email is:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=XRZFZKQglpPWUZ58Sk0z0g_3d_3d

Also, we only received pictures from a few families, so if you have any from graduation (or any other time) that you would like to share with other campers, please send them to k.malanych@neu.edu and i.freitas@neu.edu so we can get those up online.

Thank you and have a great week.

~Kelly

Scavenger Hunt Photos

Hello everyone!

Hope you are enjoying your summer.

Below are links to the scavenger hunt photos. They are grouped by color and gender.

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntGoldBoys?authkey=Gv1sRgCOSCp5DFiMucTg#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntGoldGirls?authkey=Gv1sRgCKSl17aY6v2yGQ#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntGreenBoys?authkey=Gv1sRgCKfVr9PL2Pq68QE#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntGreenGirls?authkey=Gv1sRgCOjmg4yNiLWVdQ#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntPurpleBoys?authkey=Gv1sRgCP7K1ry_pbnnvAE#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntPurpleGirls?authkey=Gv1sRgCO-popegtpq4IA#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntOrangeBoys?authkey=Gv1sRgCOqX34nB5tjWTQ#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntOrangeGirls?authkey=Gv1sRgCLXxsf7d9raAAw#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntRedBoys?authkey=Gv1sRgCPna0fql38b2Mw#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntRedGirls?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ2EgpuTsZPkxwE#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntBlueBoys?authkey=Gv1sRgCKvFutKovNSVjwE#

http://picasaweb.google.com/bhssc.neu/ScavengerHuntBlueGirls?authkey=Gv1sRgCJ-z7PSox5C9wQE#

Enjoy : )

~ Ivana

Day 9: Field Trip to Maynard Ecology Center

Today the students had their last scientific adventure of their two-week journey at the Thomas M. Maynard Ecology Center. It is a Cambridge Public Schools science education resource center located near the Fresh Pond Reservation in West Cambridge. The Center is set up as an informal science-learning environment and is used as a base for students to explore the surrounding Fresh Pond Reservation and Black’s Nook Pond.

The students learned about various components affecting the ecosystem, including erosion control and water treatment. They investigated indoor stream tables using sod, sand, clay, sponges, and soil to create an environment that would contain a soil containment in a stream.

The ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp Staff looks forward to seeing you tomorrow in the Raytheon Amphitheater at 12:45 p.m. for graduation!
~Ivana

Day 8: Chemistry Fun!

Today the students had their first chemistry lesson! In the morning, they familiarized themselves with the periodic table and its elements. They researched various elements on the internet and were able to see how they combine to form compounds, i.e. NaCl = table salt.

Next, they took what they learned and applied it in the chemistry lab. The first lesson was on kitchen chemistry. Students learned about osmosis and the way in which diluted substances permeate through a membrane into more concentrated substances. Using an egg as an example, they saw how its shell fell apart after sitting in vinegar. They also observed how water, the diluted substance, permeated through the egg membrane into the yolk, the concentrated substance. Later, the students learned about capillary action and acids and bases. They tested out different substances and watched as cabbage juice (a particularly effective pH detector) altered the color of each liquid substance.

In the adjacent laboratory, or the “Flubber Research Corp.,” students learned about polymers and how through engineering, they can be applied to perform specific tasks. They first combined water and glue and examined its new consistency. Different shades of food coloring were also added to each polymer. Students then created the first ever “flubber” polymer to be produced in the lab.

Below is a poem written and shared by a 7th grader during activity time:

Math and science

What a joy!

Yet camp will soon to come to an end,

But in this road there is a bend.

We have a graduation

Which we can exchange

Phone numbers, e-mails, and other screen names.

If we can’t, some will be sad,

But they can’t get mad.

There is a meeting day in the fall

So that is my poem,

I hope you enjoyed it all.

-Samantha

Look for more updates tomorrow as the students attend their second field trip to the Maynard Ecology Center in Cambridge, MA.

Have a great evening,

Ivana

Day 7: Hoooo (Who) Ate What?!

Today the students had the unique opportunity of dissecting owl pellets and analyzing insect behaviors.

Owls regurgitate indigestible parts of their prey (usually bones, feathers, or fur) in the form of pellets approximately 20 hours after they eat. Instead of following an owl’s eating pattern closely, scientists can simply dissect its pellets to identify exactly what type of organism was digested. The students were fascinated by this activity and at the same time, shocked at what they were discovering. Before you knew it, groups were extracting tiny skulls and vertebra from the owl pellets! They then matched the bones they found to a chart in order to identify exactly what the owl had eaten. It seems as though a rodent is a favorite of owls being the most common creature found within the pellets.

Next, it was time to analyze insect behaviors. The students were split into groups and then given small containers consisting of several different types of bugs. They were asked to make observations as to how the insects behaved with their environment and each other. One group released the insect onto the carpet to examine its interaction with a rugged surface, while others noticed its tendency to hide behind objects. Experimenting with the insects’ attraction to ink was also quite captivating for the students. As they drew a line with pen on their paper, they watched as the insect followed their exact pattern. One student cleverly wrote his name in cursive to give the insect a run for its money. Surprisingly, it actually followed most of the pattern!

Stay tuned for the students’ transformation tomorrow from biologists to chemists!

~ Ivana

Call Home Time - Week Two

Hope you are enjoying your week! We are so glad we have ponchos because the rain has been dripping on us as we walk from class to class...

Male call home day this week is today (Tuesday) and females tomorrow (Wednesday). Though the official call home time on the form stated that students might be calling a bit later in the evening, we will start phone calls today around 6:00 p.m. so that we can get all phone calls completed before heading back to the dorms to work on our bridge projects. If your child tries to call at an earlier time and can't get through, we will have them give you call later.

We look forward to seeing you at graduation. As always, please feel free to contact us at any time with questions or concerns.

~Kelly