2026 STEAM Summer Week 2

Week 2’s theme was Wild World

Week 2’s theme of “Wild World” took us outside to learn about plants, animals, and nature conservation! Explorers had fun germinating seeds and making observations in their nature journals. Investigators made badges, paintings, & slime and did animal trivia.

Investigators’ paintings

The Science Museum of Minnesota visited us to teach us all about water systems. Investigators did the “wastewater residency”, simulating filtering out different pollutants from home water and storm water.

Investigators in pairs for the wastewater residency activity

Ratings on how difficult it was to filter out each item; leaves, sticks, trash, & rocks they removed from the water

In groups, they used different tools to filter out food, dye, trash, leaves, and rocks, rated how difficult each was to filter, and then learned how these materials are filtered out of our water in real life.

Camp guide Ms. Lizzie with Investigators

Investigators using strainers, plastic, and other tools to filter out pollutants

At the end, all groups poured their filtered water into shared tubes, and we used test strips to see how clean the water was.

Investigators combining their water to check how clean it is

With the Science Museum, Explorers learned all about the water cycle and got to see how dry ice works!

Explorers after completing their water cycle activity

The Wildlife Science Center came by with some live animals for us to see!

Wildlife Science Center staff showing Investigators one of their snakes

Gecko from the Wildlife Science Center

Both groups got to see a gecko, tarantula, three different snakes (including an albino garter snake), and an owl. Campers got to learn about each animal’s habitats, behaviors, diets, and animal rehabilitation.

Investigators looking at the two garter snakes

Explorers learning about the owl rehabilitated by the Wildlife Science Center

Both groups got lots of sun playing & swimming at Powderhorn and Stewart Park.

Investigators swimming at Powderhorn Park and playing soccer at Stewart Park

While outside, Explorers gathered plants, flowers, leaves, & sticks for a sun printing/cyanotype activity.

Cyanotypes made by Investigators

Both groups learned about the chemical process before unleashing their creativity – combining art & science! They experimented with buttons, stencils, string, rocks, pipe cleaners, and sequins to create different patterns.

Cyanotypes made by Explorers

“Mine is so cool!” – Investigator about his cyanotype

More cyanotypes made by Investigators

On Friday, we took an exciting field trip to Lake Phalen to spend the day with Wilderness Inquiry!

The whole group playing an intro game with Wilderness Inquiry staff

We split into small groups and rotated between four different outdoor activity stations.

Campers at Lake Phalen

We touched animal furs, antlers, & bones, then went on a guided nature walk, making observations, collecting acorns, learning about flora & fauna, and seeing if we could spot animals/plants for each letter of the alphabet.