Days 14 and 15: Reading, Math, Polymer Spheres and Field Trip!

Thursday and Friday of Week 3 were excellent.  We spent our time practicing our math on Sumdog.  We placed 6th out of 94 schools in the US Math Competition and several of our students placed in the top 100 students. Congratulations to Kevin Botbol, Sergio Paez and Johnny Walker for their excellent work.  Ten campers completed the 1000 questions, and our campers as a group answered over 17,000 math problems over five days.  The Dragons worked on some math problems from our Critical Thinking Co. books and excelled at combining their arithmetic and critical thinking skills. The Tigers tested their critical thinking skills trying to solve several difficult toothpick problems.  Both groups spent time reading and several students managed to finish their summer reading assignments from school.

During science we looked at polymer spheres, also known as super absorbent jelly marbles, that absorb over 300 times their weight.  We did an experiment with them to see how they would respond if placed in chocolate syrup, yogurt, Gatorade, and laundry detergent as compared to our control set that was soaked in tap water.  The ones soaked in Gatorade and laundry detergent increased substantially in size but far less than those soaked in water.  The ones in the chocolate syrup expanded the least, followed by the ones soaked in yogurt.

Physical fun with Master Sky is always a camper favorite.  The Tigers got a great workout with a new medicine ball drill and both groups had plenty of time to run around.  Roses Are Red/Violets Are Blue, Four Corners and Jail Break continue to be the most requested free time games, along with box ball.

On Friday, we went to Matheson Hammock armed with nets to explore the marine environment.  Unfortunately, high tide and excess seaweed and debris forced us from our normal location for catching marine life, but a we still managed to have fun exploring in the lagoon.  Afterwards, we had a picnic lunch and then played soccer and football before returning to the taekwondo school.

We are off next week as Master Choi, Master Sky and Ms. Dana will be in San Jose, California for the 2014 USAT National Championship.  Master Sky, Gabriel Mora, Michael Mora, Sergio Paez, and Camila Perez will representing Florida and Team Taekwondo at Nationals.  Go Team!

Day 13: Sumdog Math Contest, Reading, and Homemade Bubble Gum!

Wednesdays are always fun.  We started our day with free time.  Many camper helped assembled the 100 Lego mini figures to add to our 8000+ piece Lego collection. Others played chess or Animal Jam.  The Tigers started the morning off by competing in Sumdog's U.S. Math Contest.  Team TKD is currently ranked 5th in the country and Kevin B. is ranked in the top 100 individually!  After Sumdog, the Tigers got comfortable and settled in to read.  The Dragons spent their morning practicing math facts with Master Sky, working on their addition skills with Miss Sophia and Miss Christine, or working on some challenging critical thinking worksheets.  After that, they did Sumdog reading and got to try an new program called Zoo Whiz.  The National competition team worked on their competition forms before and after lunch with Master Sky.  Also, we have a growing group of campers (Roberto, Ryan, Patrick, Christian, Joshua, Chica and Johnny) that are taking part of their lunch hour to work on their summer packets from school or summer workbooks to get ahead for next year.  After lunch, the middle school team hit the Algebra books, while the rest of the campers watched a movie.  Hands On Science was a lot of fun and a little messy (again!) today.  We made homemade bubble gum and learned about the history of bubble gum and what three factors make gum good for blowing bubbles.  Check out our photos below!

Day 12: Reading, Math, Color Changing Beads, Touchable Bubbles, …What A Day!

Day 12 was a good day.  We had plenty of free time in the morning playing box ball, making bracelets with the Rainbow Loom, playing chess, and of course, playing Animal Jam.  The Dragons started their day practicing their reading skills, while the Tigers had a chance to work on their summer reading.  The Tigers also continued the U.S. Math Competition on Sumdog.  Both Tigers and Dragons spent time working out hard with Master Sky today. I did not get a chance to take photos of their workout, but let's just say it involved a lot of squats, ladder drills, and kicking.  After lunch, there was time for a movie and for the middle school group,  Algebra class. As for Hands On Science, the Dragons tried out the touchable polymer bubbles and then made bracelets using beads that change color in the sunlight.  The Tigers also experimented with the color changing beads and then used their brains to figure out some challenging toothpick puzzles.  We finished our day pretty much the way we started it.

Week 3: Reading, Math and Slime!

Week 3 has begun!  Both the Tigers and the Dragons had time for reading today and for Sumdog Math.     The Tigers ended the day 4th in the country out of 634 teams.  I can't wait to see what they do tomorrow! The Dragons had time to do some scratch art projects before lunch.  Back by popular demand, we made homemade slime today during Hands On Science using glue, water, Borax and food coloring.  Both the Tigers and Dragons had a great time and we only made a moderate mess!  The Nationals team spent time working on their forms and breaks during lunch hour.  After lunch, while the campers watched a movie, the middle school team finished up Unit 2 of Transition to Algebra.   Of course, there was plenty of time to play box ball and jailbreak, two camp favorites.  And, during the last hour of camp, many campers played National Geographic's Animal Jam, while others played chess, Blokus, Othello, Stare, and Apples to Apples.  It was definitely a great start to another awesome week!

Day 10: Fun Friday!

Friday is field trip day, and we had an amazing time at the ice skating rink.  All of our campers got on the ice and had a good time.  When we returned from our field trip, we had plenty of time to play box ball, computer games, and board games.  And of course, we also watched some World Cup action. You know it has been a good day when the parents arrive and the campers beg to stay longer!

Day 9: Rain, rain go away come again in the evening (when camp is finished;)

It was a very rainy day on Day 9, but that did not stop us from having fun. Along with our normal routine of making sure our math and reading skills are improving each day, we had plenty of time for art projects, Lego building, chess, Apples to Apples and everyone's favorite game, Jailbreak.  There is a picture below where campers are strewn about on the floor and only three remain standing ---this was a follow-the-instructions game where failure to do so lands you on the floor where you made your mistake.  Congratulations to Valerie, Jacobo and Chica for being the last three survivors.  For Hands On Science, we brought back a favorite from last year, Alka Seltzer rockets.  This year we experimented with using larger containers such as a tupperware dish, empty Playdo bottles, etc.  We also did the baking soda and vinegar in a baggie explosion before the rain came and forced us back inside.

Day 8: Chess, Sumdog, IXL, Reading and Hoop Gliders!

After starting our day with free time, the Tigers once again competed in a 30 minute reading challenge followed by a 30 minute math challenge on Sumdog.  The Dragons had a chess lesson with Master Sky. The Tigers then did their silent reading, while the Dragons worked on Sumdog and IXL as well as read to Ms. Dana individually.  The competition team trained hard in preparation for Nationals.  After lunch, the Dragons learned nunchaku skills with Master Sky.  Both groups had fun learning how to make and fly hoop gliders. Master Sky presided over the glider competition.  We celebrated Giancarlos' birthday in the afternoon as well.  What a fun day!

Day 7: Math, Reading, Rainbow Looms, Water Rockets, and Math Relay Races!

After morning free time, the Dragons learned to recognize and add coins while the Tigers did a 30-minute reading challenge, followed by a 30-minute math challenge. Next, the Dragons joined Mrs. Dana for reading circle while the Tigers did math relay races with Master Sky. After lunch, the competition team prepared for Nationals. The middle school group continued with Algebra while the rest of the campers took a break to watch a movie.  We then tried out our new Aquapod rockets.  We made predictions about whether the rocket with more water would fly higher than the one with less. Master Sky did the honors of setting up the rockets for us and he only got slightly wet.  Next, the Tigers exercised their brains doing Math Perplexors, while the Dragons worked out with Master Sky.  The Tigers joined them and everyone trained hard.  We ended the afternoon with free time.  Some of our campers watched FIFA World Cup while others played on the computers, made bracelets with the rainbow loom, or played with the marble run.  It was a good day!

Week 2: Math, Reading and Things That Fly

Week 2 is here.  After free time, the Tigers dove into their math lesson on Sumdog while the Dragons played Dragon, Dragon, Tiger with Master Choi.  Afterwards, the Tigers got in their reading while the Dragons worked on their reading and math  using IXL and Sumdog. The middle school team started Unit 2 of Transition to Algebra after lunch while their fellow campers took time to watch a few episodes of Adventure Time.  Of course, the day would not be complete without plenty of time to run around playing Jail Break.  Today's Hands on Science involved making pinwheels and the best flying gliders. We rounded out the day with more free time that included plenty of Animal Jam and Apples to Apples.  Check out some of the photos from today.

Day 5: Field Trip and Fun

It's Friday!  Because thunderstorms were anticipated on Friday morning, we made the decision to switch field trips this week.  Instead of going to Sawgrass Recreation Park for airboat rides, we headed indoors and went roller skating.  It was the first time roller skating for many of our campers. Unfortunately, the roller skating rink does not allow photography so we do not have any pictures to show.

After skating we headed back to the taekwondo school where Master Sky had everyone reaching for the stars during physical fun. After lunch, the middle school team finished off their first Algebra unit. The competition team put on their gear and had a tough sparring practice.  The rest of the campers had a great time playing box ball and jail break. We also celebrated not one but three birthdays!  Happy birthday to Carlos, Patrick, and Roberto!  Throughout the day we were able to watch FIFA World Cup action as well.  Plus, we had plenty of free time to play board games and computer games and build with Legos. A new favorite game is Apples to Apples.  The first week was fun, but we are already looking forward to Week 2!  Come join us!

Day 4: Another Amazing Day!

As usual, we started our day with plenty of free time.  It is summer after all.  Many campers played box ball.  Others chose to play on the computers or Kindles.  A few built amazing things with Legos or played Magnetic 4.  For reading today we paired up a Tiger with a Dragon so that the youngest campers had a chance to read to the oldest ones. The Tigers had another math challenge on Sumdog, but this one was a little bit harder. The Dragons played math relay races with Master Sky, getting their exercise and math practice all at one time. Later, the Tigers had their own reading time so that they could continue with their summer reading books. Our competition team managed to fit in some extra training with Master Sky during lunch hour.   After lunch, the middle school group worked on their Algebra problems, while everyone else watched Teen Titans in the dojang.  Then, the Tigers practiced their language arts skills using IXL.com.  For science, we did the Coke test.  When you stick your tongue in Coke, there is a chemical on your tongue that changes the carbon dioxide in the soda bubbles into carbonic acid which irritates your tongue.  We previously learned about carbonic acid when we did the baking soda and vinegar volcano. Baking soda is also known as sodium bicarbonate, and it's a powder that reacts as a slight base. Vinegar is an acid, actually acetic acid in water.  When the two are mixed, a hydrogen atom effectively changes places with a sodium atom and we end up with two new substances - carbonic acid and sodium acetate. The carbonic acid then quickly breaks down further into water and carbon dioxide. It is the carbon dioxide escaping from solution that causes the frothy foam we are using as the lava for our erupting volcano. After science the Tigers worked out with Master Sky and the Dragons practiced reading on Sumdog and IXL.  Both the Dragons and Tigers ended the day with free time, including watching some World Cup soccer.  Check out some of the photos from today.

Day 3: Math, Reading, Boxball, Jailbreak, Pizza Party, Volcanos, Games = Crazy Fun!

I love Wednesdays!  We had extended free time this morning as everyone was enjoying playing box ball in the taekwondo school.  Of course, we also exercised our brains with Sumdog.  The Tigers started a 3-day math challenge and almost everyone made their target on the first day.  Master Sky lead both groups in some wildly spirited games.  Good thing today was our pizza party because everybody worked up a big appetite training with Master Sky.  After lunch, the middle school group is rocked their Algebra lesson ---even Mrs. Dana seems to have a new found passion for Algebra!  The Tigers made more progress with their summer reading as well.  For Hands On Science, we are still going strong with our geology week by learning about plate tectonics and the three types of volcanos.  The Dragons drew a diagram that shows the flow of magma/lava and made a paper model volcano.  The Tigers also made the paper model volcano.  The paper models were very cool, but folding and gluing was a little tricky so Ms. Dana came to the rescue on a few of them.  Additionally, because everyone loved our volcano experiment from yesterday, especially our lemony-smelling lava, we made a volcano out of ice and re-did the experiment so we could see the reaction between the baking soda and the vinegar/detergent mixture.   We also had plenty of time time to play with games, including Stare, a new favorite.  And of course, a day is not complete without playing National Geographic's Animal Jam.  The week is flying by but there are still two more days of fun left. Check out a few photos from our day:

Day 2: More Learning, More Fun --- Math, Reading, Volcanos, Curling, and Taekwondo.

Day Two was just a good as Day One!  We worked on our academics by using two of our favorite programs, Sumdog and Zoo Whiz.  The Tigers had a Reading Challenge and awards were given out to the top five challengers (Valerie, Gabriel M., Gabriel H., Valeria and Michael).  For Hands On Science we did the classic volcano experiment using baking soda and vinegar. Adding a few drops of dish detergent to the mixture makes for smoother more viscous lava --- not to mention giving it a fresh lemony scent;). Then everyone took a turn at making their own volcano.  Master Sky taught the Dragons the sport of Curling (Doral Style) and worked on their addition facts.  The Tigers did a great job during their reading period --- check out the photos below to see what we are reading.  And the day would not be complete without plenty of time to play Animal Jam on the computer, build with Legos and the Marble Run, play Blokus, Chess, Jenga, and Othello, trade FIFA cards, and do a little scratch art.  Add in taekwondo practice and our day is complete.