South Washington County Schools Community Education

"3… 2… 1… Lift Off! This camp will launch your imagination into the stars. The focus of this camp is building and launching model rockets. We will also explore the wonders of our solar system and beyond as we learn about the planets, moons, comets, asteroids and stars. Activities will include building a glow in the dark constellation, making your own planisphere to guide your stargazing, a DYI planet to hang in your room and more. You will learn about the physics of spaceflight by building and flying model rockets that you get to take home to continue your STEM journey. This camp is engineered for students entering first grade and up. Your instructor, Mr. Kilbane, is a local scout leader and a veteran STEM teacher. He has been writing and running STEM camps for over 20 years and just completed his 12th season as a FIRST Robotics Competition mentor and coach. He is a STEM teacher with the Minnesota Astronomical Society and has a level 2 Certification in high power rocketry though Tripoli. "

My Super Science Camp was super popular last summer, and I have added 24 new programs to my after-school program this year! In this camp I have all of my favorite classes from the last year and I add in all of the amazing activities and fun projects that we just do not have time for in a one-hour after-school class. I will send your Junior Scientists into a spin as we learn the physics that happens when we have rotational motion. We will explore some super cool science at -321 °F and use dry ice to make amazing bubbles. We will learn how Newton’s laws of motion make amazing things possible and they will be able to explain to you about the gravity of the topic. Our study of sound and light waves will leave your Junior Scientist a little brighter and louder! The optical illusions you experience will amaze you. We will explore our sense of taste and make our own elephant’s toothpaste. When we learn about spy tech and gadgets, your Junior Scientists will make a REDACTED and bring home their own REDACTED. We will do this and more in this second week of Super Science Camp. Your instructor, Mr. Kilbane, is a local scout leader and a veteran STEM teacher. He has been writing and running STEM camps for over 20 years and just completed his 12th season as a FIRST Robotics Competition mentor and coach. He is a STEM teacher with the Minnesota Astronomical Society and has a level 2 Certification in high power rocketry though Tripoli.

Let's get some summer science going! In this camp, I am collecting all my favorite activities from my first three seasons of my after-school programs. We will go on a dinosaur dig and take home a model T-rex tooth. We will learn all about electricity and circuits. I will even bring my Van de Graaff generator and make your hair stand on end. Explore the depths of the ocean and learn about the amazing animals that live there. Discover how some slick science makes magic tricks possible. Learn about the rock cycle, why earthquakes happen, and how volcanoes form. We will make slime as we learn about the chemistry of polymers. We will explore how bubbles are made and your Junior Scientists will even have the opportunity to get inside one. We will make and break secret codes. Use some forensic science to discover who-done-it! I will bring my leaf-blower-powered hovercraft to learn about the power of air. Get ready to have a blast with Gopher STEAM’s Super Science Camp this summer. Your instructor, Mr. Kilbane, is a local scout leader and a veteran STEM teacher. He has been writing and running STEM camps for over 20 years and just completed his 11th season as a FIRST Robotics Competition mentor and coach. He is a STEM teacher with the Minnesota Astronomical Society and has a level 2 Certification in high power rocketry though Tripoli.

If you want a real robotics challenge, this camp is for you! In this camp we will focus on building one of our favorite kit robots of all time, the OWI Arm Edge. The OWI Arm Edge is a fully articulated robotic arm with 5 degrees of motion. The best part is your young engineer will get to take it home! Batteries are included. This is a large complicated kit, so we will spend most of the week building the arm. It will take most of the week to complete. Once your Junior Engineer completes their robot arm, they will have the opportunity to build a robot with my LEGO robotics kits. Your instructor, Mr. Kilbane, is a local scout leader and a veteran STEM teacher. He has been writing and running STEM camps for over 20 years and just completed his 12th season as a FIRST Robotics Competition mentor and coach. This camp is for those kids who love to build and can easily work on a project for an hour or two. I do have a Junior Build-a-Bot camp for younger kids and my regular Build-a-Bot camp as well. If you have questions about what camp is right for your Junior Engineer, please drop me a line at colinkilbane@GopherSTEAM.com.

Ask it, Imagine it, Design it, Build it, Test it, Repeat! Your Junior Engineers will spend the week exploring learning engineering first hand through the design cycle with my favorite classroom engineering projects. We will learn about the history of technology and engineering as we engineer and build catapults, bridges, mouse trap cars, egg drops, and so much more. We might even build a rocket if the weather cooperates. We will discover how engineers through the ages made our modern world what it is today. Each day your Junior Engineers will make a project to bring home to keep the STEM education going. Your instructor, Mr. Kilbane, is a local scout leader and a veteran STEM teacher. He has been writing and running STEM camps for over 20 years and just completed his 12th season as a FIRST Robotics Competition mentor and coach. He is a STEM teacher with the Minnesota Astronomical Society and has a level 2 Certification in high power rocketry though Tripoli.