Sun and Science: Six Sizzling Experiments for Summer Camp

School’s out, but science is heating up! Say goodbye to textbooks, flashcards, and presentations, and welcome in a season of hands-on discovery. Whether you’re crafting a STEM camp curriculum, infusing a touch of science into a general camp, or planning a one-time experiment extravaganza, we’ve got the inspiration you need. Get ready for six experiments that blend summer fun with scientific wonder to create fireworks worthy of July 4th!

1. DIY DNA Extraction Necklaces: No summer camp experience is complete without taking home a camp shirt and an unique keepsake. Why not complement those friendship bracelets with a necklace showcasing campers’ own DNA? Provide a step-by-step guide on how to extract, spool, and dye DNA from campers themselves (or from summer fruits or vegetables.) Then, guide them in transferring the extracted DNA into a tube that can serve as a pendant on a necklace! DNA extraction is an easy, accessible, and powerful intro experiment that can be performed using household items and that ends with a bang – you get to see DNA! Check out the University of Utah’s “Learn Genetics” protocol or our Genes in a Tube kit for an advanced procedure that each camper can individually perform.
2. Exploring Photosynthesis and Plant Biology: What better time to discuss the process of photosynthesis and its importance in sustaining life on Earth than summer? Extra point if you can incorporate a vegetable garden. Check out this website for some great K-8 ideas including making a leaf model, measuring/counting stomata from different leaf samples under a microscope, or making chlorophyll paintings. For more advanced students consider our Plant Pigment Chromatography and Photosythesis Experiment, our or our Origami Organelle Models.
3. Bio-inventing in Nature: Bugs are an often disparaged part of summer. Turn this narrative around by exploring examples of bioengineering solutions inspired by insects (and other summer creatures). Take, for instance, the remarkable mechanical properties of spider webs, which have inspired designs ranging from sticky-when-wet bandages to light-weight body armor to bird-deterrent windows. Or this water-collecting biomimetic device designed by Kitae Pak and inspired by the structure and strategy of the Namib Desert darkling beetles. After sharing some inspiring stories of bioinspiration and biomimetics go outside and let campers find their own muses and then design and develop their own invention(s).
4. Aquatic Ecology Expedition: Tis the season to get wet. Exploring biodiversity in a nearby summer stream. Check out Earth Echo’s “How to Collect and Identify Benthic Macroinvertebrates” video and the Headwaters Science Institute’s Benthic Invertebrate Packet for ideas and inspiration. Or plan a virtual or in-person field trip to a local lake or pond to study its aquatic ecosystems. Use this Lesson Plan from Gordon State University or the EPA citizen scientists water quality resources to test water quality during or after your field trip.
5. Lake and Beach Defenders: Beach and lake closures are becoming a part of summer due to water quality concerns and algae blooms. In the spirit of lemons into lemonade, use such closures (past, present or future) as an opportunity for learning and action. Dive into the biology behind these phenomena. Next have students conduct experiments on local water using chromogenic analysis, multiplex PCR, or the Winkler method. Finally, equip your campers with a toolkit of actionable steps they can take to gradually improve the situation and become stewards of their favorite swimming holes.
6. Bioart Bonanza: Take campers creatively to the next level with summer-inspired biotech art projects. Check out these 8 Art and science projects, use our Agar Art kits to recreate a beach landscape or firework show using living (and glowing) bacteria, or visit a museum exhibit on a hot day to make scientific observations and drawings or to even inspire larger multi-media projects.

Want more summer science? Check out our Camp Edvotek series and our FREE summer science activity guide and coloring book complete with achievement badges..