Summer 2017 Camp Innovation Program -- June 12-16 at Northern Kentucky University

Great news!  We are excited to announce our summer 2017 Camp Innovation Program classes held at Northern Kentucky University.  Camp Innovation will be held, Monday-Friday, June 12 - 16, 8:30-11:30 am.  Students are able to select 2 classes from 40 different selections!  The first courses will meet from 8:30-10:00 and the second 10:00-11:30.  Students will be escorted between classes by program personnel.  The full program brochure is available here: Summer 2017 Camp Innovation Program Brochure.

Northern Kentucky University’s Camp Innovation Pathways to College Program is a trailblazing program designed for high potential youth to discover and explore advanced content and engaged learning.  All classes provide the opportunity for students to share interests with other children while exploring pathways to intellectual development, academic enhancement, career exploration, and creative artistic fulfillment.  Camp Innovation offers transdisciplinary courses infusing entrepreneurship, science, mathematics, social studies, technology, visual and performing arts, and original interdisciplinary studies.  We encourage students to choose their own classes on a first-come first-served basis.

What makes NKU's Camp Innovation Program Leading-Edge?

• Student-centered focus on career exploration pathways and college-readiness
• Emphasis on critical and creative thinking though independent learning
• Environment that values creativity, diversity, entrepreneurship, and achievement
• Challenging hands-on, transdisciplinary learning
• Personal attention from dedicated teachers trained through graduate coursework in gifted education
• Small class sizes for caring, personalized, and differentiated instruction
• The opportunity to share interests with other high potential children

Registration:

• Registration opens Monday, April 24, online http://inside.nku.edu/gifted or via phone 859-572-5600.
• For the best choice of classes, register early!  Students are placed in classes on a first-come, first-served basis and many classes will fill before the June 5 application deadline.
• Course grade levels are recommended levels.  For example, if you child is advancing from third grade into fourth grade in the fall, she can select courses from either the Builders (K-3) or the Innovators courses (3-6),
• Class materials fees are paid directly to the individual teachers on the first day of class.
• A limited number of need-based financial aid scholarships are available.

Afternoon Care:

• Afternoon care is available through NKU's Early Childhood Center's summer program from 11:30 am - 6:00 pm.  Contact Lindsey Shaffer, Summer Camp Coordinator, 859-572-6338 or ecc@nku.edu for details and registration.

Questions and Additional Information:

• Please contact Dr. Kimberly Code at gifted@nku.edu or Community Connections at 859-572-5600 for questions and further information.

NKU's Camp Innovation Pathways to College Program is endorsed by the

Northern Kentucky Association for Gifted Education.

Minds-On Hands-On Learning through Board Games

Many of us grew up playing board games with our siblings and family members.  Personally, I have many fond memories of board game nights with my brothers and sister.  Playing board games is an easy and excellent way to be competitive while also mastering new skills and concepts.  Board games provide a wonderful opportunity to spend time with family and friends.  They are a way to engage your brain in learning something new and to improve your memory, creativity, and critical thinking skills. 

Even in the classroom, board games provide the opportunity for students to increase their verbal and communication skills.  They can teach children about rules, competition, fair play, and values all while developing their attention skills and ability to concentrate and focus for longer periods of time. 

One way parents and teachers can further the learning from board games is to have students develop their own games.  Through creating their own board games, students engage many important skills – writing, communication skills, graphic design, mathematics, and learning content at a deeper level.  Children can be presented with the challenge to become a board game entrepreneur charged with the challenge of creating a new inventive game that must teach content – historical events, mathematical concepts, scientific content, etc. 

Providing basic guidelines and considerations assists students to outline and think through their design before they begin creating.  They must think through the concept of the game, the pieces that will be used, and the gameboard design.  I ask them to write clear, detailed directions that would allow anyone to pick up their game and easily play the game without further explanations.  For the construction of the game, they can use simple recycled materials such as file folders, poster board, gift boxes, and other easily recycled materials.  The middle school students I worked with recently overwhelmingly preferred to use inexpensive premade gameboards and gameboard kits which resemble games one might purchase commercially.

Environmental Education Game Created by Middle School Student

I have used this assignment with students from elementary through the university level and have found it to be engaging and authentic.  Just this semester, my university students were charged with creating their own games, then they shared the games with elementary students.  The elementary students were charged with evaluating the games and providing feedback to the college students.  A win-win for both groups! 

What are your thoughts?  How could your child or students use this idea to create their own interactive games?