June 26 – August 18, 2023

Experium Science is a hands-on, lab-based science program located on Rolling Hills Country Day School’s Campus. It offers a one-of-a-kind summer camp experience for young scientists to perform a variety of exciting experiments in subjects such as Chemistry, Engineering, Biology, and Physics. Campers in grades K-5 will have a blast while also learning valuable lab and logical thinking skills. Just like real scientists, our campers wear lab coats and goggles, and record their data and observations in their very own lab notebooks. Experium’s instructors are enthusiastic educators who inspire wonder, inquiry and delight in their students.

A summer experience with Experium Science may be just what your child needs to challenge the curious scientist within! Our classes promote wonder, discovery, and love of science in a fun and safe environment. Our Experium Science summer courses are offered in two week sessions, either mornings from 9:00AM – 11:30AM, or afternoons from 12:00PM – 3:00 PM.

For course descriptions, class schedules and pricing for 2023:

Kindergarten & 1st Grade

2nd & 3rd Grade

4th & 5th Grade

Experium Classes can be combined with Half-day Camp in the morning or afternoon and Extended Care is available from 7:30-9am & 3-6pm.

Summer 2023 Schedule

Class Descriptions

Planet Earth: Shake, Rattle and Roll
Earth science is a fascinating field, encompassing the study of our atmosphere, oceans, volcanoes, gravity, rocks, soil, and everything else that makes this wonderful planet home.  In this course, our students will explore these factors in depth. They will learn about erosion and where sand comes from, study rainbows and light refraction, and even learn to differentiate cirrus, cumulus and stratus clouds.  Finally, the causes – and devastating effects – of tornadoes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions will be investigated. Allergies: Fruit roll up, graham cracker, frosting

Life Science: Animals
Students will have an opportunity to explore the animal world in this diverse class!  Upon learning the basics of animal classification, students will study major animal groups, such as invertebrates and vertebrates.  Students will become fluent in using a micorscope and slides.  Additionally, students will investigate animal adaptations and habitats.  There will be a study of animal fossils and students will create their own fossils in this exciting lab.  Allergies: Dairy and wheat consumed (chocolate chip cookies)

Chemistry: Fizz, Bubble and Pop
Young scientists watch the physical world transform before their eyes as they explore mixtures, solutions, compounds and elements.  First, scientists explore the properties of matter: identifying objects just using their senses, learning that air – while invisible to the eye – actually takes up space, and seeing for themselves that water likes to stick together.  Students will learn how chemistry affects their everyday lives as they perform experiments on solubility. Allergies: Dairy and wheat consumed  (Ice cream, pudding, lemonade, apple juice, skittles)

Space: Exploring the Universe
Blast off into the exciting universe of space exploration!  In this fun and challenging hands-on course, students will experiment with the physical properties and laws that control the universe.  Students will perform exciting lab activities including: testing flame colors to determine temperature and what elements are being burned, as well as density and gravity experiments.  They will learn what planets make up our solar system as well as the differences between comets, meteors and asteroids. After completing this course, students will gaze at the night sky with new wonder and appreciation. Allergies: Dairy, soy, wheat consumed (Oreos, pudding, ice cream,  astronaut ice cream (made in nut facility)

Physiology: Incredible Human Body
Students take a look inside the body and learn how things work.  By making models of the human heart, students discover how blood circulates from the body to the lungs and back.  Students study skeletal muscles by participating in a muscle boot camp, and measure their lung volume while learning about water displacement.  We’ll test our senses, our reflexes, and learn why we favor one side over the other when it comes to writing or physical activities. We all have one, so let’s learn about how incredible our human bodies really are! Allergies: Dairy and wheat consumed (saltine crackers and chocolate pudding with milk)

Dinosaurs: Jurassic Playground
Students travel back in time to learn about the living things that roamed the Earth millions of years ago.  They discover the ages of the dinosaurs, the geologic periods, and learn that not all dinosaur species were alive at the same time.  Students explore the different types of dinosaurs and relatives of the dinosaurs, measuring how big (and small!) they could be. They study real dinosaur fossils, create their own fossils and even build their own dinosaur armor!

Entomology: Creepy Crawly Critters
With over a million species, the study of insects – entomology – is a vast field.  Our youngest scientists explore the world of insects by creating models and observing live specimens.  Students examine the four metamorphic stages of a butterfly’s life cycle and investigate their feeding process. They immerse themselves in the wild and wooly world of bees, studying the hive’s social structure, the process by which honey is made, and then use beeswax to create their own lip balm.  Other topics include the bioluminescence in fireflies, the function of a ladybug’s second set of wings, the incredible structure of a fly’s compound eyes, and the creation of the spider’s awesome hunting tool – its web! Allergies: Apple juice

Superhero Science: Powers, Forces and Gadgets
We may not have been born with mutant powers to fly or been given the power of super strength by a radioactive bug bite, but using the power of our mind and science, we can build our own super powers!  In this course, students become like some of the famous superheroes and use science to create their own gadgets and powers, like super strength! They harness the power of magnets to control metals, build a web-slinging device, and create their own grappling hook!  Some heroes are born super, others have the powers given to them, but superhero scientists make their own.

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Summer 2023 Schedule

Class Descriptions

Engineering: Pirate Inventors
Students explore different fields of engineering when they take on the role of a pirate shipwrecked on an island.  The students begin as biological engineers, studying how they can help their eyes adapt quickly to the changing light on their ship.  Once shipwrecked, students develop and test many ideas on how they can survive and be rescued. They learn about electrical wiring to create lights and even create their own water filters.  Students also study the basic foundations of a bridge, airplane and boat, and they observe how variations in their construction will produce different results – all in their quest to get off the island!

Chemistry: Ooey Gooey Science
In this course, young chemists will explore the composition, structure and properties of matter and the chemical reactions that result when various compounds are introduced – carefully! – to one another.  Experiments will include the application of liquid nitrogen to make instantaneous ice cream, spectacular rocket launches using a fuel they concoct themselves, the exploration of acids and bases, and a non-Newtonian fluid (also known as slime!).  This lab is truly ooey gooey fun! Allergies: bread, butter, ice cream (half and half, heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla flavoring)

Aviation Innovation: Take Flight!
Blast off into the exciting world of an aerospace scientist! Students will learn about aerodynamics and the forces that influence flight by investigating three different aircrafts: airplanes, helicopters and rockets. Students will experiment with the physical principles related to flight – such as gravity, lift and drag – and use those skills to construct their own airplanes, helicopters, rockets and parachutes!

Paleontology: Digging up the Past
Students explore the ancient world as paleontologists. They will use critical thinking skills to interpret past events, see how hypotheses change with new information and learn how to date ancient fossils.  Students will see how different fossils are created by making their own fossils in the lab using preservation techniques. Students will also identify fossils using dichotomous keys and learn what paleontologists do when they discover new fossils. They will also get to perform a fossil excavation (and keep their fossils) and even try to reassemble a skeleton! Allergies: Pudding, vanilla wafers, cool whip, gummies, oreos

Sound: Hum, Squeak and Buzz
The simple act of hearing is the result of an intricate dance between the source of the sound, the medium through which the sound wave travels, and the very complex mechanisms within our ears and brains that transform it into what we perceive as a “sound.” In this course, students will discover that seemingly invisible sound waves are actually both visible and measurable and learn that you can “see with sound” using echolocation and the Doppler Effect.  The young scientists will create and test a variety of musical instruments as they explore the musical world of sound.

Physics: Lights, Camera, Laser
Students explore the illuminating world of light beginning with learning that “white light” is made of many colors, then seeing how a prism works to cause light to reveal its full spectrum of colors.  In their ongoing study, students learn the difference between reflection and refraction, bend light with concave and convex lenses, examine the properties of the eye by dissecting a cow’s eye, take vision tests and discover why we have “blind spots.” They also examine the practical applications of light by using lasers, observing animals that produce their own light and learning why a self-made “pinhole camera” displays an inverted image.

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Summer 2023 Schedule

Class Descriptions

Biology: Investigating the Living World
This introductory course gives students an excellent knowledge base from which to pursue the many branches of biology. In their study of life and living organisms, students first determine the basic characteristics of living objects and observe them microscopically. Students will also examine the diversity of plant species and will dissect a lily. As they delve deeper, they study our incredibly powerful “engine”, our heart, and learn to identify its parts, understand its functions, and employ a stethoscope and heart rate monitor to interpret how physical activity alters heart rate. Lastly, students come to understand the anatomy of vertebrates through a frog dissection!

Physics: Science in Action
How do planes fly? What makes a great boat or race car? Are the rules on planet Earth the same everywhere in the universe? In this course, students will experiment with forces and pressure, learn how to make water flip upside down without spilling and even blast objects into space. Students build, prod, and explore each lab the fundamental laws that govern how the world works. 

Marine Biology: Creatures of the Sea
Because the ocean covers over 70% of our planet, it is no surprise that the majority of all species on Earth call it home. In this course, students explore the complex world that exists under the sea, learning about marine habitats as well as the plants, animals and protists that inhabit our oceans. Students will be introduced to classification and, by the end of the course, will have explored all the major phylum of the animal kingdom and their defining characteristics. In this course, there are hands-on dissections in every class. Students will have the opportunity to dissect a sea sponge, squid, sea star, crayfish, perch and shark… so sharpen your scalpel and get ready! 

Chemistry: Elements of Magic
In this course, students learn about the core concepts of chemistry including light, electricity, and chemical reactions, then conduct experiments using that knowledge. Experiments include discovering how fireworks are made, using the colligative property of freezing point depression to make their own ice cream, learning the properties of gases and why oxygen is needed to start a fire, and experimenting with different types of pressure.  Allergies: ice cream (half and half, heavy whipping cream, sugar, vanilla flavoring, chocolate syrup)

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Experium Classes can be combined with a half-day of camp. LEARN MORE ABOUT CAMP

AFTERNOON SWIM CAMP

Does your camper love to swim or need a little extra practice? Tested and grouped into their own skill level, campers will get a full hour in the pool. Swim Camp will provide small group lessons with our experienced instructors as well as free swim in our fully monitored pool.

AFTERNOON ART CAMP

Art Camp is a chance for children to express themselves through their own creative abilities. Our trained art instructors will guide and inspire campers through exciting projects in ceramic tile painting, clay modeling, acrylic and watercolor painting, pencil drawing and other mixed media.

EXTENDED CARE

Our working parents love that extended care is available everyday before and after camp! We offer morning extended care starting at 7:30am & afternoon extended care until 6pm. No need to sign up in advance since you are billed at the end of the summer for the hours you used!