Invention camp means business

[flashl]

Summer programs combine efforts to teach kids science, entrepreneurship

HUDSON, Ohio -- The team of 11-year-olds wanted to launch an egg into a frying pan, but not the conventional way. Instead, they decided to build a catapult -- using parts of dismantled home appliances and electronics.

Such ingenuity is typical at Camp Invention, a program run by a subsidiary of the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation, based in Akron. The camp features a hands-on curriculum that combines science, math, history and the arts taught by local elementary school teachers.

...

The class was taught by Junior Achievement, an international organization that teaches business principles to young people. Organizers hope to expand the partnership to other local Camp Inventions next year.

"The goal I think from both organizations is that we can extend it nationally," Camp Invention spokesman Michael Schwabe said.

Columbus Dispatch

[ulysses]

1. we need a camp for that?

Maybe it's just me, but it seems as if we're not giving kids enough free time to monkey around and build potentially dangerous stuff in the back yard if we need a camp for catapults.

Eh, I'm probably just grumpy this morning.

[flashl]

2. Mindset change? Blending education, pratical application, and enterpernuership. nt

[NYC_SKP]

3. Yea, they're not allowed to do it at school and

as you point out it's not happening at home (videogames and cellphones) and some kids don't have backyards.

But, it's not happening in many schools.

NCLB has led to math and language arts only schools, virtually, with art and music first to be cut, and now science.

Teachers have told me that they're not allowed to do any hands-on science. Imagine that.

So, camp sounds like fun!