Science 2023
Check out a 2023 summer brochure.
Registration is now open. Register online.
Programs for Science 2023
Chairperson: Jerry Dievendorf
S01 Bugs and Slugs … Advanced!
Week: 2, 3 Grades: 3 – 6
Bugs are everywhere! Want to learn the major insect groups and how they differ from spiders and other small creatures? We will use scientific methods to discover things about them using simple experiments, microscopic observation, and creation of an insect zoo.
Instructor: Jerry Dievendorf
S02 Science Fun
Weeks: 1, 5 Grades: 2 & 3
Do you know why certain animals live where they do? Explore the forest with us, probe the pond and swamp, examine evidence of deer activity and learn how to find salamanders, snakes, frogs and insects. Recognize animals from their tracks. We’ll conduct chemical tests of water and berries to make deductions about what certain animals eat and where they live. We will also examine stream beds to find fossils of ancient life, and we’ll try to guess what our environment might have been like in those earlier times. Come and have fun with us!!
Instructor: Jennifer Hess
S04 Early Birders
Week: 1 Grades: 3 – 7
Early Birders will explore the Heldeberg Workshop property learning to use observations to identify over 30 species of birds. We will learn techniques to identify birds by sight and more importantly, at this time of year, by sound. We will use bird feeders to lure birds into sight for a closer look and discuss ways to make our backyards more bird friendly. We will use games and activities to enhance our understanding of the world of birds and what makes them such unique and special animals.
Instructor: Ruth Brooks
S06 Rocks & Fossils
Weeks: 1, 2, 3, 4 Grades: 4 & up
Dig into the world of rocks, minerals and fossils. Learn about earthquakes, glaciers, volcanoes and much more! We go on hikes to various fossil-collecting sites, create model volcanoes, and learn to navigate the woods 7with ease (an essential life skill!) using a map and compass. We’ll complete the week with a “treasure” hunt!
Instructor: George Pafumi
S07 Swamping
Weeks: 1, 2, 3, 4 Grades: 2 – 4
Different plants and animals live in different parts of our swamp. We’ll spend the week discovering who lives in all that mud!
Instructor: Sadye Goldfarb
S08 Wee Beasties
Week: 4 Grades: 4 – 6
Explore the hidden microscopic universe of Heldeberg Workshop. Through the use of microscopes, we will learn just how different things look under powerful magnification. There are thousands of different forms of microbial life in the wilderness. We will search the entire Workshop for as many of these “wee beasties” as we can find. We will figure out how to protect ourselves from bad microbes that can harm us. And we will experiment with other microbes to do fun things, like make yeast bread. We will also learn how microscopes can help us solve crimes and study molecules like DNA.
Instructor: Dan Chaize
S09 Fossil Hunting
Weeks: 5, 6 Grades: 3 & 4
Find the remains of organisms that lived here hundreds of millions of years ago! Learn about the prehistoric environment that these creatures lived in. Discover how to search for fossils in an area known for its geologic richness. Get your hands dirty identifying fossils such as trilobites, bryozoans, ancient corals, and many, many others, as we talk about their significance.
Instructor: George Pafumi
S10 Flower Power
Week: 5 Grades: 3 – 6
Week: 6 Grades 2 – 4
In this workshop, young scientists will explore the land and
observe native plants and flowers. Embark on a scavenger hunt to identify a variety of native species. Participate in hands-on experiments to learn flower structure, and how they survive. Engage in creating ways to attract pollinators to the garden.
Instructor: Carrie Gahl
6:30 pm. We will send an email prior to opening registration online.