A weeklong summer camp experience for 10- to 12-year-olds will be offered in June and July at the Michigan Historical Center in Lansing. “Dig Camp” will focus on archaeology and be tied to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) core concepts.
The first session is set for June 23-27; the second, July 14-18. Each day runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Before care and after care also will be offered each day from 8 to 9 a.m. and from 4 to 5 p.m. at no additional charge. Each weeklong session is limited to 20 participants.
The cost for the weeklong Dig Camp is $275 per child. For families with an annual membership to the museum, that price is discounted to $250 per child.
“If your child likes science and history, then Dig Camp is for him or her,” said Mark Harvey, archivist for the Archives of Michigan. “Dig Camp will teach the skills used in science, technology, engineering and math to study the past, making archaeology a fun way to learn these core concepts. Dig Camp is an innovative learning experience that involves hands-on activities for the students.”
Some of the skills that will be explored during Dig Camp include:
Critical reasoning through forming and testing hypotheses;
Natural sciences through understanding archaeological site formation;
Spatial relationships through scaled mapping and drawing;
Technology through computer-aided data collection;
Functional design through artifact analysis;
Experimentation through trial and error of re-creating past technologies; and
Ethics and personal responsibility through teamwork and knowledge sharing.
“Archaeologists play an important role in helping us discover and learn about social relationships, the environment, biology and technology and how it has changed,” said Stacy Tchorzynski, archaeologist with the State Historic Preservation Office and Department of Natural Resources. “Dig Camp taps into a child’s natural curiosity and sparks a deeper interest in history and STEM.”
For more information on Dig Camp, including online registration, go to www.michigan.gov/museum.
The Michigan Historical Center is part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Its museum and archival programs help people discover, enjoy and find inspiration in their heritage. It includes the Michigan Historical Museum, 10 regional museums, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary and Underwater Preserve, and the Archives of Michigan. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/michiganhistory.
The museum and visitor parking are on the north side of Kalamazoo Street, two blocks east of M. L. King Jr. Boulevard. in downtown Lansing. Weekend parking is free.
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