Friday in Geo-Quest Welcome to the Inventors’ Showcase program!Everyone has had a great time brainstorming ideas, exploring concepts, and constructing inventions this week at Camp Invention! They never cease to astonish us with their innovative ideas and amazing enthusiasm for discovering and learning through hands-on fun. It’s hard to believe that the week is over; here’s a recap of what we did on our last day…

On our final day in the Ecoverse™ module, we prepared to dig down deep as we investigated clues indicating nearby fossils. We invented super digging machines and used them to uncover hidden fossil treasures. We became full-fledged expeditioninsts and received our final glyph to complete our petrosphere, having mastered the Earth’s elements!

Victory! Our ducks made a splash as they flew home today in the I Can Invent: Launchitude™ module! We showed off our Duck Chucking Device by launching our international rubber ducks and destroying competitor duck territory! Be sure to take a picture of our machines in action after the Inventor's Showcase!

It was the final day in Cache Dash™ and we finished designing solutions to our nature extreme global challenges. We then received a message from Hawaii thanking us for our outstanding inventing and solution-finding and we earned a final cache. We used its contents to design our own personal signet ring that we can use in future outdoor treasure hunting to log in and to leave our mark on the world!

This week, we’ve had lots of fun making connections between teamwork and creative problem solving in the Geo-Games™module. We learned to play old games in new ways and new games in old ways and realize that games can be whatever you make them!

At last! In Amazing Atlas™, we found our journey ended in the extreme cold as the latitude and longitude coordinates revealed we were in the middle of Antarctica, one of the most uninhabited places on Earth! We invented a “glacier digger” and discovered how challenging it is to bore through ice and examine ice samples. Our training is complete, and we are ready to take on new challenges wherever we go!

REMember!The Camp Invention program teaches Children academic content (like geology, invention, and velocity) and it also helps children think creatively and critically about solving problems. When you see your children’s work products made of appliance parts, boxes, tape and more, they represent immersion into creative problem solving, innovation, teaming and collaboration, vital 21st century skills.We encourage you to recognize and praise your children’s creative efforts. Your children are learning that science is fun and are developing the self-confidence to think like scientists and inventors. These skills will serve the children well in future academic work and in their everyday lives. Children realize that they are capable of finding solutions and answers to a wide variety of challenges.

Yesterday’s answer to the question of the day…Answer to “What is the longest known cave system in the world?” At 390 miles, the Mammoth Cave System in Kentucky is the longest known cave in the world.

Participants… for the creative ideas you shared this week. By working together, opening your minds and respecting other people’s ideas, you became a team!Instructors… for the time you’ve invested in the program, making it such fun for everyone involved. From crazy costumes to super storytelling, your commitment to our curricula helped bring each module to life.Counselors and/or Leadership Interns… for the guidance and support you showed the children this week. Your patience and willingness to actively participate in the learning process will leave lasting impressions in the minds of our participants.Volunteers… for your dedication to the program. Without your gracious help, this week wouldn’t have been possible. We are extremely appreciative!Parents… for allowing your child to be a part of this enriching experience. This is an incredibly bright group of children – of which you should be proud.Sponsors… The Camp Invention program is made possible through the assistance of a number of organizations, businesses and individuals that truly believe in the importance of inspiring our next generation of inventors. Special thanks to the following sponsors:

TRY IT AT HOME!Continue your child’s explorations at home

What you will need 1/4 cup Epsom salt (magnesium

sulfate) Epsom salt is available at many stores in the drug or laundry section.

1/2 cup water shallow glass or plastic bowl or

dish sponge (optional) food coloring (optional)

The challenge: Grow your own crystal garden! Have an adult bring the water to a boil on a stovetop or in a microwave. Remove from heat, and add the Epsom salt to it. Stir the salt until it is completely dissolved. Pour enough salt solution in the bowl or dish to cover the bottom. Set it in a warm or sunny place. As the water evaporates, crystals will form. You can place a sponge, or piece of sponge, in the bowl before adding the dissolved salt and water. If you wish, put a couple of drops of food coloring on the sponge in different places. As the crystals form, they will become colored by the food coloring.The science behind it: The salt hasn’t gone away when it is dissolved in water, it has just changed from a solid to a liquid. As the water evaporates, the Epsom salt is left behind and becomes solid again. Once one crystal starts forming, it acts like a ‘seed’ for more crystals to form around it. The sponge provides a surface for more ‘seed crystals’ to form. Many crystals in caves and in rocks formed when water dissolved a mineral, and then evaporated, allowing the crystals to grow.

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All module titles and creative content are the intellectual property of Invent Now Kids.Camp Invention and Invent Now are registered trademarks. © 2012 Invent Now, Inc. All rights reserved.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK!With the program coming to a close today, we’d just like to remind you that your feedback is very valuable to us.  We encourage you to visit:

http://survey.campinvention.org/index.aspShare what you liked or didn’t like about the program.  It only takes a couple of minutes to complete, but your input may make all the difference in years to come.  Thank you for helping us make the Camp Invention program the best possible experience for your children!