NATURAL HISTORY DAY CAMP - Mass Audubon

Mass Audubon's

NATURAL HISTORY DAY CAMP

in Chatham

Chatham Elementary School | 147 Depot Road | Chatham, MA

DISCOVER. EXPLORE. BE OUTSIDE! SUMMER 2019

My son is very energetic and all the counselors were cheerful, friendly and created many fun games as outlets. He also definitely appreciates taking care of natures and this program reinforced that!

ABOUT CAMP

Mass Audubon's Natural History Day Camp in Chatham inspires a child's curiosity and excitement about nature. Campers ages 4 to 13 have fun and make friends as they explore the nature of Cape Cod. Our goals are to instill a sense of place, and an awareness and appreciation for nature. Above all, we create happy and memorable outdoor experiences for our campers.

OUR CAMP STAFF

Our staff members are chosen for their enthusiasm, experience, nature knowledge, and ability to work with children in the outdoors. They are college graduates or undergraduates currently enrolled in environmental and/or educational fields of study. All are certified in first-aid and CPR and participate in a pre-camp training in saftey, child development and natural history.

LOCATION

Camp headquarters is located at Chatham Elementary School. Each camper group will have a classroom to store belongings and use as a place for activities when there's inclement weather.

OUR CAMP DIRECTORS

Camp Director Emily Wolfe has been with Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary for 11 years. Emily is also Wellfleet Bay's Education Coordinator. When camp isnt in session, she is busy teaching natural history curriculum in Cape Cod schools and helping out with cold-stunned sea turtle rescue effots. Our on-site Chatham Camp Director, Morgan Peck, has been with Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary for four years. Throughout the year, Morgan teaches and coordinates educational programming with visiting schools to Wellfleet Bay. Her specialty is marine science.

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UNDER YOUR FEET July 8?12 Get low, go slow, and search for what lies at your feet! Look in nearby bushes and under piles of fallen leaves to uncover creepy crawlers. Learn to observe the ground from an animal's perspective, and find out just how important soil is. You won't have to go far to discover what's been hiding right under your nose, like worms, a robin's nest, or even a garter snake!

PEEPS | Entering Pre-K or K*

Counselor-to-Camper Ratio: 1 to 5

AMAZING ANIMAL ADAPTATIONS *Peeps only July 15?19 Surviving in the wild is no easy task, and each animal has it's own unique adaptations to make sure it doesn't end up someone's lunch! Explore different habitats to see how different animals protect themselves. What makes deer ears so special? Why do a raccoon's hands make it such a good omnivore? Observe, and uncover the answers to these questions and more!

Half Day: 9:00 am?12:30 pm $240 members; $305 nonmembers, per week

Full Day: 9:00 am?2:30 pm $275 members; $340 nonmembers, per week

The Peeps encourages curiosity and introduces campers to nature exploration and Cape Cod wildlife. Half-day sessions include time for a mid-morning snack, and full-day sessions include time for a mid-morning snack and lunch. Peeps stay on campus and visit wild places within walking distance of Chatham Elementary. *Please note: Peeps must be age four by June 1.

SHARK ENTHUSIASTS *Turtles only July 15?19 Immerse yourself in shark biology and marine science during field trips to serveral local destinations! Learn about the special adaptations and anatomy of a shark by completing a shark dissection, and observe the white shark's primary food source--seals! Offered in partnership

with the Atlantic White Shark Conservency

BETWEEN THE TREES July 22?26 Travel through some of Cape Cod's wooded habitats and learn about the animals that make their homes in fields and trees. What do grey squirrels do in oak trees? Why do chickadees hide inside tree trunks? Become familiar with all sorts of furry and feathered forest creatures!

NATURE ART July 29?August 2 Gather inspiration from the natural world, and spend lots of time outside building art! From fairy houses, to leaf murals, to shell collages, bring a different habitat or animal to life and have a natural piece of homemade art to take home!

TURTLES | Entering Grades 1?2

Counselor-to-Camper Ratio: 1 to 5

RAD REPTILES August 5?9 What makes reptiles and amphibians unique from their furry counterparts? Investigate a snake's shed skin and various turtle shells, and find our where reptiles lay there eggs. Travel to nearby ponds or vernal pools to look for salamanders and catch tadpoles, frogs and turtles. Get wet and muddy searching for our slimy, scaly friends!

Full Day: 9:00 am?2:30 pm $300 members; $365 nonmembers, per week

The Turtles program inspires nature discovery through outdoor exploration, crafts, and creative games that focus on animals and their habitats. Full-day sessions include time for a mid-morning snack and lunch. Turtles travel off site by van on two field trips each week.

WRACK-LINE INVESTIGATORS August 12?16 Traverse our nearby coast-lines to discover the mysteries that every wrack-line holds. A collection of things the ocean has uncovered, the wrack is anything that has washed up above the high-tide line; it is filled with all sorts of marine treasures Look closely for small living invertebrates like sand-hoppers, crabs, and mollusks!

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SEALS | Entering Grades 3?5

Counselor-to-Camper Ratio: 1 to 7

Full Day: 9:00 am?2:30 pm $385 members; $450 nonmembers, per week

The Seals program brings science and nature together with field activities, in-depth exploration, and scientific methods. Full-day sessions include time for a mid-morning snack and lunch. Seals go off site on field trips by van to learn more about their subject being studied.

BENTHIC BIOLOGISTS! July 8?12 Field Trip: Marine Boat Cruise The best way to learn about any eco-system is from the bottom up! Explore Cape Cod natural habitats like the salt marsh, the forest floor, open fields, and fresh water ponds by examining the living (and dead!) hidden in the benthic layers of these areas. Grab a magnifying glass, and search for invertebrates under dead logs and detritus, to find out how things that were once alive fuel the grand cycle of life!

FASCINATING FIELDS & FORESTS July 15?19 Field Trip: Nickerson State Park It's not all about the water here on Cape Cod--the drier habitats, like our fields and forests, are important parts of a larger, more diverse ecosystem. Box turtles, turkeys, coyotes, and more! Take your hiking pack, and explore the beautiful pitch pine forests, maritime heathlands, and grasslands to learn all about our fun terrestrial critters!

POLLINATOR POWER! July 22?26 Field Trip: Cape Cod Natural History Museum From birds, to butterflies, to bees, investigate the adaptations that make pollinators unique from other animals. Observe our own Painted Lady butterflies as the metamorphose from caterpillar to winged adult, build hummingbird feeders for the garden, and learn what makes this group of animals so important to our world.

discover how crabs, fish, shellfish and other animals handle this constant shift in habitat. Use dip nets and collection cases to observe creatures of the tidal flats up close. Visit nearby beaches to examine their special adaptations!

FRESHWATER FRENZY! August 5?9 Field Trip: Marine Boat Trip What leaps through ponds, crawls from vernal pools or migrates to streams? Visit these habitats on foot and by boat to gain a new perspective on the organisims that live there. Follow freshwater systems to catch frogs, painted turtles, set fish traps, and look for aquatic insects. Will our explorations eventually lead us to the ocean? Find out!

MARINE MANIA August 12?16 Field Trip: Seal Cruise See all the wonders the open oceans have to offer! Jellyfish, sea turtles, pelagic birds, and countless others make their home in the vast blue waters. Discover the differences between bayside and ocean side beachers as you comb the shores and see seal populations on a guided boat tour!

CITIZEN SCIENCE AT CAMP!

SEALS BEACH CONSERVATION CLEAN-UP

As developing nature stewards, Seals partake in a beach debris clean-up! Safely collect and categorize the most common unnatural materials found in our oceans and use these materials to create various art projects.

SHARKS SNORKELING SHELLFISH SURVEYS

Sharks survey an abundance of underwater organisms on weekly snorkeling trips. Over the course of the summer, observe trends of shellfish found throughout the mid-Cape.

TRAVELS BETWEEN THE TIDES July 29?August 2 Field Trip: Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge How do some creaures live half their lives on dry land, and the other half fully submerged? Delve into the tidal flats to

SALT MARSH SCIENCE Measure and record the length of salt-marsh hay and cordgrass that grow within local salt marshes. Learn about the complex chemistry that sustains a salt marsh, and what makes this habitat an important part of our coastal 3 ecosystem!

SHARKS | Entering Grades 6?8

Counselor-to-Camper Ratio: 1 to 8

Full Day: 9:00 am?2:30 pm $415 members; $475 nonmembers, per week

The Sharks program nurtures environmental stewardship and education through fun and exciting hands-on activities, including offsite field trips to explore Cape Cod's varied habitats. Every week includes a snorkeling trip. Full-day sessions include time for a mid-morning snack and lunch. Please note: participants must be able to demonstrate strong swimming skills in order to snorkel.

MISSION: DECOMPOSITION July 8?12 Field Trips: White Cedar Swamp (Marconi) & Marine Boat Cruise Why does the salt marsh smell so weird? What's in the muck at the bottom of the pond? Decomposition, or simply broken down dead stuff, is an extremely important part of any healthy habitat. Examine the lesser-known parts of the marsh, pond, and forest to get the science behind why we need the decomposers in our eco-system! From mushrooms, to insects, to snails and salamanders, follow small creatures to lead you through the tale of something once living!

THE GAME OF CLUE: NATURE EDITION July 15?19 Field Trips: Paddle Boarding & Tern Island Nature mysteries are all around us. Who dug up those turtle eggs? Why are all these feathers on the ground? How did that tree fall down? Step outside to locate something puzzling, collect nearby clues for a potential hypothesis, and submit your case to the rest of your group for review! Step into the mind of a true nature detective, to make sesnse of evidence that's right under your nose.

SHARK ENTHUSIASTS* July 22?26 Field Trips: Boat Trip to Active Shark Receiver Immerse yourself in shark biology and marine science through handson labs and field trips to several local destinations. Engineer hydraulic arms

to complete sampling challenges, learn about the various tags used in tracking sharks, study the anatomy of a shark by completing a shark dissection, take a boat trip out to an active shark receiver, and observe the white shark's primary food source--seals! Offered in partnership with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy.

THE POWER OF THE COASTLINE July 29?August 2 Field Trips: Seal Cruise & Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge The shape of Cape Cod and it's coastline are constantly changing. Learn about many of the coastal processes that affect our beaches and contribute to its ever-changing nature and resilience. Hear from people whose careers are dedicated to studying coastal habitats and wildlife, and learn what you can do to protect the beautiful marshes, beaches, and animals who live there for the future!

THROUGH THE STREAMS August 5?9 Field Trips: Kayaking & Marine Boat Cruise Explore the freshwater habitats of various aquatic life, from stream to sea! Set eel traps and reveal the contents, discuss the lifecycle of herring, and seee unique changes that these bodies of water undergo as they empty into an estuary. Collect freshwater specimens to bring back to our tanks at camp to observe their behaviors and adaptations.

GEOCACHING, A REAL LIFE TREASURE HUNT! August 12?16 Field Trips: Eddy Sisters Trail & Pah Wah Pond Conservation Area Have you ever dreamed of finding a map that would lead you on your very own treasure hunt? Geocaching consists of using a GPS unit to follow a map of clues that leads you to a trove of hidden items (the "cache") somewhere in nature! These maps are created for those who want to get out and explore beautiful natural spaces. Search for geocaches, and learn orienteering and wilderness survival skills along the way!

FIELD TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

STAND-UP PADDLE BOARDING Learn to stand-up paddle board with SUPfari Adventures, and see marine wildlife from a whole new angle atop your board!

NAUSET MARSH KAYAK Explore Nauset Marsh aboard your very own kayak, and search for shorebirds and seals along the way! Paddle the marsh's inlets to observe fish, crabs, and other wildlife.

TERN ISLAND TRIP Hop aboard a boat to Tern Island to look for shorebirds, horseshoe crabs, shellfish, and more. A Mass Audubon Coastal Waterbird Specialist or Naturalist will lead the exploration to observe nesting shorebird populations.

LEADERS-IN-TRAINING

Ages 14?17 $150 members/$215 nonmembers

Chatham's Leaders-in-Training (LIT) Program is for teens who are looking to gain experience working with children in a camp setting. Participate in trainings in natural history topics and teaching skills, assist camp groups, and learn to teach nature-themed lessons, games, and activities.

An application is required and space is limited. For more information and to request an application, contact Camp Director Emily Wolfe at ewolfe@ .

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