FOR IMMEDIATE
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(March 19, 2001)
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CONTACT:Communications & Marketing
cm@ecotarium.org
(WORCESTER, Mass.) — Is your child a Tracker, Earthkeeper or Naturalist? EcoTarium, a center for environmental exploration, offers these three nature tracks for its annual summer day camps for children ages 7-12.
The camps continue a 116-year tradition of the Worcester Natural History Society, EcoTarium's founding institution, to provide youth with summer opportunities for nature exploration. The Trackers camp, held July 9-20 for ages 7-10, will lead children on an urban wildlife safari through fields, forests and ponds. From July 23-Aug. 3, a corps of Earthkeepers, ages 10-12, will work to protect and preserve natural habitats for local wildlife. From Aug. 6-17, young Naturalists, ages 7-10, will arm themselves with hand lenses, cameras, microscopes and telescopes to uncover life in unusual places.
Each session of two-week day camp is filled with discovery, adventure and play, taking advantage of the museum and 60 acres in Worcester and two outlying field sites in Rutland and Paxton. All camps feature special activities focused on a theme, a guided program on the bridges of EcoTarium's Tree Canopy Walkway, and a planetarium program. The camps conclude with a family cookout and an optional camper sleepover.
All camps run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, with extended hours available. EcoTarium's teaching staff leads each camp with the assistance of college and high school students. Camp tuition is $375 per session ($350 for EcoTarium members). Candidates for scholarships are nominated through the Worcester Public Schools. Registrations begin on April 2 and are first-come, first-served. All registrations must be accompanied by a $75 non-refundable deposit. For a brochure and registration form, call (508) 929-2700 or visit EcoTarium on the web at www.ecotarium.org.
Trackers, July 9-20
In this camp for
children ages 7-10, Trackers will search high and low through
forests, ponds and meadows for signs of animal life.
The Trackers will become keen observers and use their senses to find all kinds of wildlife living nearby. They will learn to recognize animal footprints, identify bird songs, distinguish insect and amphibian sounds, and sniff out scent markers. By exploring different habitats, they will deduce where animals get their food, shelter and other supplies for survival.
Trackers will also study the animals in EcoTarium's care and invent toys and activities to keep them healthy and active.
Earthkeepers, July
23-Aug. 3
This brand new camp
challenges youngsters ages 10-12 to take an active role in creating
and protecting habitats for wildlife.
Through close observation, campers will discover the important relationships between plants and animals in New England habitats. The Earthkeepers will get hands-on experience working on a local habitat for butterflies, and they will build birdfeeders and track the species of birds who come for the food.
Earthkeepers will use EcoTarium's neighborhood as a laboratory for uncovering the many ways human activities affect animal populations, notably foxes. They will also investigate and compare two wetland areas for water quality and the diversity of wildlife.
Naturalists, Aug.
6-17
Open to ages 7-10, the
Naturalists in this camp discover amazing lifeforms often unnoticed
by the naked eye.
Naturalists will take a closer look at the Earth from the ground up, searching for life in soil, tall grass, trees, water and the sky. Campers will shake a tree bough to net some of the thousands of insect species prevalent in New England's forests. They will take samples of pond water and poke through rotting logs for glimpses of the creatures living inside.
Scientific tools will help the campers to see their world in new ways: microscopes, telescopes, digital cameras, hand lenses and even their own eyes. Once they understand the abundant and diverse life on Earth, the Naturalists will tip a telescope toward Mars and question the possibility of life there.
EcoTarium summer camps comply with regulations of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and are licensed by the board of health.
EcoTarium, formerly the New England Science Center, is located at 222 Harrington Way in Worcester. Its mission is to promote appreciation, increase knowledge and foster stewardship of New England environments by stimulating learning about the world in which we live. Call (508) 929-2700 for more information or visit www.ecotarium.org.
Photos e-mailed and mailed upon request. E-mail cm@ecotarium.org.