Saturday STEM @ IMSA
Cupid’s Cuts: A Valentine’s Dissection Camp
Get ready to explore the wonders of biology with a Valentine’s twist! Students will engage in hands-on dissections to discover the inner workings of animals and the human body. Depending on grade level, activities may include exploring a sheep heart to study circulation, dissecting a frog to understand digestion, or working with a fetal pig to investigate biomedical science and practice suturing. With exciting challenges and opportunities for discovery, this camp is a perfect blend of curiosity, science, and creativity!
February 8, 2025
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Registration opens at 8am on January 13th.
3rd & 4th Grade - Follow the Flow: A Baaa-lentine’s Exploration
Did you know that your heart beats around 100,000 times a day to keep your body alive and well? In "Follow the Flow: A Baaa-llentine’s Exploration," 3rd and 4th graders will jump into the exciting world of the circulatory system! Campers will begin by dissecting a sheep heart to explore its anatomy and understand how it pumps blood. They will learn about the heart's chambers, valves, and arteries, gaining a deeper appreciation for how our own hearts work. Next, students will study the circulatory system to discover how blood flows through our bodies, delivering oxygen and nutrients to our cells. Through hands-on experiments and interactive lessons, campers will connect science to real-life concepts, all while developing important skills in anatomy, biology, and exploration!
5th & 6th Grade - Leap for Love: A Frog-tastic Digestive Adventure
What do a frog and a human have in common when it comes to digestion? In "Leap for Love: A Frog-tastic Digestive Adventure," 5th and 6th graders will dive deep into the world of digestive anatomy by dissecting a frog! Through this hands-on experience, campers will explore the frog’s organs, including the stomach, intestines, and liver, while learning how food travels through its body. They will make connections between frog anatomy and human digestive systems, gaining a better understanding of how our bodies process food and absorb nutrients. With fun and engaging activities, campers will enhance their knowledge of biology, develop dissection skills, and discover how our bodies—and frogs—are designed for survival!
7th & 8th Grade - Sow Much Love: A Pig-Perfect Biomedical Lab
Ever wondered how doctors and surgeons learn to heal wounds or study the inner workings of the body? In "A Pig-Perfect Biomedical Lab," 7th and 8th graders will step into the shoes of a biomedical professional! Campers will start by dissecting a fetal pig to explore its organs and gain an understanding of human anatomy and the biomedical concepts that apply to both. They will then practice suturing a banana to simulate how professionals close wounds and promote healing. With hands-on activities and real-world applications, campers will develop essential skills in anatomy, surgical techniques, and problem-solving while learning how the science of medicine helps improve lives.
Celebrating Women in STEM
Embark on a journey to celebrate the brilliance of women in STEM through interactive and inspiring activities! Students will explore hands-on activities tailored to their age and interests, like decoding binary messages, discovering how our amazing brains work through interactive experiments, or connecting Morse code to modern wireless technology. This camp combines fun, creativity, and discovery, encouraging young learners to explore the world of science and technology while celebrating trailblazing women who have made their mark in these fields.
March 8, 2025
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Registration opens at 8am on February 10th.
3rd & 4th Grade - Think Like a Computer: Binary Code Adventure
Featuring Ada Lovelace!
Calling all future tech explorers! Ready to unlock the hidden language that powers every computer, phone, and video game? Join an exciting journey into the world of binary code - the amazing language that powers our digital world! As a Code Explorer, you'll discover how computers turn simple 1s and 0s into everything we see and hear on our devices.
🔍 YOUR EXPLORER MISSIONS:
- Transform regular messages into computer language
- Build colorful pixel art with just two numbers
- Create musical patterns that computers understand
- Work with fellow explorers to solve digital puzzles
⚡ WHAT YOU'LL DISCOVER:
- How computers think and communicate
- The amazing way digital images are built
- Methods for turning numbers into music
- Problem-solving tools used by real programmers
This hands-on adventure will challenge your problem-solving skills, spark your creativity, and show you how computers work in a whole new way! Through teamwork and exploration, you'll develop skills that real programmers use every day. Are you ready to explore the building blocks of technology? Let's decode the digital universe together!
5th & 6th Grade - Brain Power: Understanding How We Think & Feel
Featuring Temple Grandin!
Ever wondered why some people love loud music while others can't stand it? Or why do some people think in pictures while others think in words? Get ready to discover the amazing power of your brain! Join us for mind-blowing discoveries that will change how you think about thinking because you’ll:
- Build a colorful model of a real brain
- Create a human neuron chain to send brain messages
- Run experiments in our Sensory Science Lab
- Learn to think like Temple Grandin, a famous scientist who sees the world differently
- Design visual instructions that anyone can follow
Designed for curious minds who love science, this session is perfect for learners who enjoy hands-on experiments, students interested in how people think differently, and anyone who wonders how our brains work. No previous science experience is needed - just bring your curiosity and get ready to explore the most amazing machine ever created: your brain!
7th & 8th Grade - Crack the Code: From Morse to Modern Robots
Featuring Hedy Lamarr!
🌐 Ever wondered how your phone, headphones, and game controllers connect without wires? Jump into the fascinating world of wireless technology! In this hands-on session, you'll:
- Decode secret messages using Morse code - just like early inventors did
- Discover how Bluetooth really works (it's cooler than you think!)
- Learn the science behind wireless connections that power your favorite devices
- See real-world examples of how engineers use wireless tech to solve problems
- Get ready for the robotics challenge, where you'll program robots using Bluetooth control!
Perfect for curious minds who love technology and coding or just want to know how things work. No prior experience is needed - just bring your enthusiasm and get ready to explore the invisible connections that make our modern world possible! Don't miss this chance to uncover the invisible technology that connects our world!
The Future is Green: Earth Day Challenges
Celebrate Earth Day by diving into exciting STEM challenges designed to protect and improve our environment! Students will explore sustainability and engineering through hands-on activities. They’ll design and test water filters to clean contaminated water, build models of cutting-edge recycling trucks that integrate recycling plant processes, or repurpose reusable materials to create plastic bricks, promoting eco-friendly construction solutions. This camp empowers young learners to think critically, problem-solve, and engineer creative solutions for real-world environmental issues. Let’s innovate for a greener future!
April 12, 2025
9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Registration Opens March 10th.
3rd & 4th Grade - H20h Wow! Water Filter Challenge
In this Earth Day activity, students will dive into the importance of clean water and its impact on the environment and communities. Using the engineering design process, they will brainstorm, build, and test their own water filters to remove contaminants from a bucket of "dirty water." Through hands-on experimentation and problem-solving, students will explore concepts like filtration, pollution, and resource conservation while discovering how STEM can contribute to a cleaner planet.
5th & 6th Graders - Trash Transformers: Engineering the Ultimate Recycling Truck
Did you know that recycling has been a challenge for thousands of years? As populations grew and new materials like plastic and metal were invented, the amount of waste increased, making waste management even more difficult. While recycling helps reduce waste, modern recycling trucks still face problems, like taking too much time and energy to collect recyclables. In this activity, students will explore how materials are processed at recycling plants, look at different types of recycling trucks, and then design their own model of a recycling truck that includes some of these processes. By the end, students will have a chance to create their own solution to improve recycling and waste management!
7th & 8th Graders - Brick by Brick: Reuse and Recycle
Imagine turning trash into something strong enough to build with! In this Earth Day session, students will combine recyclable materials with plastics to create the strongest bricks possible. Using STEM skills like problem-solving and design thinking, they’ll experiment with different material combinations and test their bricks for strength and durability. By the end, students will see how reusing materials can help the planet and spark new, sustainable solutions for the future!
*Applying and qualifying for a scholarship does not guarantee an award or registration into the program. To qualify for a scholarship, the student’s family is required to submit proof of financial eligibility: if you qualify for SNAP or Free/Reduced lunch, you qualify, but we need you to submit proof of eligibility. If you do not have a form in your possession or have difficulty getting it from your school or IDHS, you may submit a screenshot showing eligibility. Please contact us at studentenrichment@imsa.edu if you have difficulty with this requirement. Alternatively, a 2021 or 2022 federal tax return showing proof of family income may be submitted.
- Scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis, so it is to your benefit to submit all supplemental forms as soon as possible.
- WATCH YOUR EMAIL and CHECK YOUR SPAM FOLDER! Award recipients will be notified via email and must reply to the scholarship offers within the time period indicated in the email.
- NOTE: You may choose to either pay for program registration OR apply for a scholarship and await award notification. Your scholarship application will not be considered if you also complete a paid registration.
No requests for a registration cancellation/refund will be accepted for all in-person Saturday STEM programming.
