FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE:

 

Celebrate the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s 40th Anniversary Year!

 

San Diego, CA—April 8, 2013—Last year, some of our most popular Summer Camp offerings were filled in a flash (in a science experiment way, of course!). So get ready now for science fun for everyone––registration is open for Fleet Summer Camps! Our weekly, half-day summer camps will run from June 24 to August 23 this year––they are fun, educational and hands-on––and incorporate time in the Fleet’s exhibit galleries. The majority of our camps are geared for kids in Grades 1–2 and Grades 3–4, but we also offer camps for Pre-K and Grades 5–8 on selected weeks.

What could possibly make this better? To further enhance the summer camp experience and as a convenience to you, many Balboa Park institutions—including the Fleet—coordinate their half-day summer camps so kids can spend a full day in the park. Staff members at participating institutions escort children from one camp to another during a supervised lunch hour. This means that a child can be dropped off at a morning camp at the Fleet and picked up from an afternoon camp at a different venue. Parking is limited during summer months, so please plan accordingly.

Pre-Kindergarten:

June 24–28, 9AM–11AM, come and land in Kid City: Spaced Out! —Blast off on an exploration of our solar system and beyond. Discover what it is like to be an astronaut while investigating planets, moons and stars. Don't worry—we'll be sure to get you back in time for lunch.

August 19–23, 9AM–11AM, drive on down to Kid City: Construction Crew and grab your hard hat and join us for a camp devoted to the science of construction. Experiment with a variety of building materials and techniques while exploring balance, gravity and geometry.

Kid City camps are designed to complement the learning environment of our Kid City exhibition. These camps are appropriate for children ages 4–5 and an accompanying adult.

Grades 1–2:

June 24–28, 1PM–4PM & August 5–9, 9AM–12 noon, check out Chemistry in the Kitchen—See regular household items in a new and exciting way! Working with many materials found in an average home, we will interactively demonstrate many of the amazing science possibilities of our everyday lives.

July 1–5, 9AM–12 noon, become Energy Explorers and light up your day and get noisy! Delve into the world of light, sound, motion and more. Learn about the many forms of energy while harnessing wind power, investigating solar panels, designing musical instruments and creating chemical reactions. (No class July 4.) July 1–5, 1PM–4PM, learn about Secondhand Science—What can you do with all of those leftover bottles and containers? … Science experiments, of course! Explore awesome activities you can do to reduce, reuse and recycle. Scientifically challenging and environmentally friendly, too! Ask about Union Bank scholarships for this camp. (No class July 4.) July 8–12, 9AM–12 noon, discover the secrets of Superhero Science—Faster than a speeding comet, more powerful than a locomotive, it's Superhero Science! Join us for a behind-the-mask look into the powers of your favorite superheroes, and the science behind them. For added fun, come dressed as your favorite superhero character. July 15–19, 9AM–12 noon, use your magic and cast a spell in Wizards Workshop and use science to simulate the magic of your favorite sorcerers from books and movies. We’ll mix up chemical concoctions and perform super science spells that are sure to amaze your friends and family. You won’t believe your eyes! July 15–19, 1PM–4PM, explore Body Basics—How strong are bones? What causes hiccups? Discover the answers to these questions and many more while exploring the human body inside and out. Use microscopes, models and more to discover what makes your body tick! July 22–26, 9AM–12 noon, have fun with Gross and Gooey Science—Ewww! What’s that? Explore the science of everything slimy, gooey and gross. Find out why snails leave trails, why owls regurgitate their lunch and why mucus is so useful. Make your own gooey concoctions to take home. July 22–26, 1PM–4PM, let your mind go wild in Art-ology—Creativity and scientific thinking go hand-in-hand with this imaginative class. Explore the properties of materials, use energy from the sun to create a masterpiece and discover what happens when you mix artistic ingredients. July 29–August 2, 9AM–12 noon, probe and discover the Super Solar System! Can you skate on the rings of Saturn? Was there ever life on Mars? Unlock the secrets of our solar system in this cosmic class. Learn why the seasons change on Earth and why the sun is so important to our everyday lives. Wrap up the week with a Micronauts mission aboard the International Space Station in our Nierman Challenger Learning Center. August 12–16, 9AM–12 noon, become Young Tinkerers! —Have you ever wondered how a toaster toasts or what a computer looks like on the inside? Get ready to disassemble and tinker with household objects in this hands-on class. Tools provided—just bring your imagination! August 12–16, 1PM–4PM, understand the craziness of Weird & Wacky Science—Mad scientists wanted! Many everyday phenomena that we take for granted can be explained by science. Hypothesize, experiment and discover the answers to mysteries through scientific inquiry. August 19–23, 1PM–4PM, tinker in the Toy Lab if you are tired of the same old games! Discover the science behind your favorite toys and build gadgets based on exhibits in the Fleet galleries. Create play dough, design toys that make noise, harness wind power and make other amazing creations to take home.

Grades 3–4:

July 1–5, 9AM–12 noon, go green with Green Engineering and discover what it means to be green. Find out how to help make our planet a better place to live in this eco-friendly class. Learn about sustainable energy, recycling and water conservation. Become a “greengineer” by designing and racing a solar-powered vehicle. (No class on July 4.) Ask about Union Bank scholarships for this camp.

July 1–5, 1PM–4PM, get moving using Shocking Forces! In this electrifying class, you will create homemade circuits, harness the power of the sun in a solar-powered car and combine magnetism and electricity to make a working motor. You’ll be shocked by how much you learn! (No class on July 4.) July 8–12, 9AM–12 noon, turn into Young Engineers to design, construct and test your engineering masterpieces. Use the planks in our Block Busters! exhibition to design the tallest tower or build the longest bridge. Return to the classroom to build castles, boats and buildings out of unexpected materials. July 8–12, 1PM–4PM, travel back in time with Medieval Inventions. Attention all noble Ladies, Lords and Knights: Head to the roundtable as we master the science of medieval engineering. Join us on our quest as we explore Middle Age inventions and discoveries! From archery to armor and trebuchets to telescopes, find out what the Renaissance was all about. July 15–19, 9AM–12 noon, eCamp is calling all technology enthusiasts! Design and test robots, create your own inventions and test a variety of games and electronics. July 22–26, 9AM–12 noon, train at Spy Camp to be the coolest secret agents around town! Create mysterious messages to conceal your identity and discover and create tools that make James Bond so sneaky. Come join us on this Mission Impossible! July 29–August 2, 1PM–4PM, X marks the spot at Ahoy! Arrrr! Pirate Camp! Ahoy matey! It takes more than plundering and pillaging to be a pirate. Discover how to design a catapult, create a compass, build a boat and other critical pirate skills. Eye patches welcome! August 5–9, 1PM–4PM, become enchanted in Magic for Muggles—the “School of Wizardry” is in session! Unleash your imagination and creativity while investigating the science behind potions, astronomy, magical creatures and more. Wands, cauldrons and enchanted ingredients are included. August 12–16, 9AM–12 noon, fly on down to Space Camp and blast off with this exciting exploration of the skills needed for a successful space mission. Top off the week with a simulated mission in the Nierman Challenger Learning Center. August 12–16, 1PM–4PM, make a change and Save the Planet! Did you know there are many things that kids can do to save planet Earth? Save water, care for plants, keep garbage out of landfills and explore our natural environment in this hands-on camp. August 19–23, 1PM–4PM, cool the summer down with Cool Chemistry! This camp has cool chemical tricks for any student’s repertoire! Marveling at dry ice, examining acids and bases and characterizing chemical reactions make this class a fun, messy favorite!

Grades 5–6:

July 22–26, 1PM–4PM, create Chemistry With a Bang! Explore the basics of chemistry through loud, colorful and shocking activities. Create chemical compounds, analyze acids and bases, make things glow and whip up a few “explosive” reactions. August 5–9, 9AM–12 noon, launch off to Astronaut Camp and make your dreams of becoming an astronaut become a reality. Learn what space flight is like, create and launch your own rockets, experience the teamwork required for a successful flight and put your new knowledge to the test in two different simulated space missions to the Moon AND Mars! August 5–9, 1PM–4PM, it is all about the environment in EcoTech, where the future is green! Use technology to explore the latest trends in environmental science, from alternate energy to conservation and design techniques. Grades 5–8: July 8–12, 1PM–4PM, steam into an alternate world of Steampunk & SciFi and learn what the past and future can teach you about science and technology—fact or fiction. July 29–August 2, 9AM–12 noon, learn about Women Scientists in Action—Each day we’ll explore a new science field. You’ll interact with local women scientists, participate in incredible hands-on experiments and investigate careers in science and engineering.

Grades 7–8:

July 15–19, 1PM–4PM, find your way to Biotech Bootcamp and use equipment from the world-famous Salk Institute in an investigation of bioscience. Throughout the week, you’ll have a chance to explore various biotechnology techniques, including DNA extractions, electrophoresis, bacterial transformations and polymerase chain reactions. Please note: an additional materials fee is required for this class. July 29–August 2, 1PM–4PM, be challenged in the Robotics Garage! Can you design a machine to do your homework? Well, maybe not, but in this challenging class you will work in teams using LEGO Mindstorms™ to construct and program competition-style robots to perform complex tasks. Test your robotics skills with exciting contests throughout the week. Please note: an additional materials fee is required for this class.  

Summer Camps run from June 24 to August 23. Sign up for one camp or multiple camps! To register, please contact our Client Services Department at 619-238-1233, ext. 806, or purchase online. Member: $110 per weekly camp; nonmember: $125 per weekly camp. Call to ask about our sibling and multi-camp discounts!

http://www.rhfleet.org/events/summer-camp

 

The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is located at 1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101. Gallery Admission, including access to all eight exhibit galleries, is $11.75 for adults; $9.75 for children & seniors. The Fleet is open 365 days a year; Monday–Thursday 10AM–5PM, first Wednesday of each month 10AM–8PM, Friday 10AM–8PM, Saturday 10AM–7PM and Sunday 10AM–6PM.  For more information, call (619) 238-1233 or visit our website at http://www.rhfleet.org.

 

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Celebrate the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center’s 40th Anniversary Year!

Forty years ago, a spark ignited our imaginations!  March 9, 2013 kicked off a year-long celebration of the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center and its 40 years of success in bringing hands-on science to our San Diego community. Forty years ago, the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center opened its doors and brought interactive exhibits and the world’s first IMAX® Dome Theater to San Diego. Today, the Fleet inspires minds and connects individuals to science and technology through more than 100 “do touch” exhibits for all ages and amazing IMAX films and planetarium shows in the recently renovated Heikoff Giant Dome Theater. Enjoy our year-long celebration, featuring a blockbuster exhibition, incredible events and dynamic educational experiences.

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