RockFest, magic show at Tellus Museum
Tellus Museum in Cartersville has two upcoming events for kids:
The annual RockFest rock and mineral show will come to Tellus June 14-15, 2014. Visitors will see a range of minerals, gems and fossils. If your child has a special rock find they haven’t been able to identify, take it along and let experts have a look. The museum will also offer activities for the kids. Admission to RockFest is part of the general ticket price.
Then, on June 25, the museum brings back past guest Joe Turner for his lunchtime “Magic of Science” show. If you want to pre-order lunch (and have a reserved seat), call (770) 606-5700, ext. 431 by June 18.
Bookopolis: A reading community for kids
I’m letting my eight-year-old daughter, who just joined Bookopolis, write today’s post. She says:
Bookopolis is a good program for children who like to read. It lets them give and get recommendations for good books. You can earn badges for letting everyone else know what books you liked.
I’ll add a bit myself. . . . Bookopolis is a free web site aimed at elementary and early middle-school readers. Kids can write reviews of books they’ve read. They receive suggestions for other books they might like, and can read other kids’ reviews of books recommended for them. They can also actively share book recommendations with friends they’ve connected with through the site. This is a great way to encourage and track summer reading.
I can’t write any more now, because my daughter just said, “Let’s go to Bookopolis now.”
Guided walks through state parks highlight Georgia’s geology
You can learn the science behind some of Georgia’s most popular natural destinations by attending guided geology walks and talks this month with a noted science educator from the Fernbank Science Center.
Dr. Bill Witherspoon is co-author of the book Roadside Geology in Georgia (Mountain Press Publishing, 2013). He is an award-winning earth science teacher who has worked with K-12 students for more than 15 years.
Dr. Witherspoon’s public program schedule is as follows:
- June 6, 2014, 11:00 a.m., Amicalola Falls, walk to the falls
- June 7, 2014, 1:00 p.m., Amicalola Falls, “River Rivalries,” a presentation on how competing streams sculpted geological features including Tallulah Gorge and Amicalola Falls
- June 7, 2014, 3:30 p.m., Dahlonega Gold Museum, “Gold and Georgia,” a presentation about how gold accumulated in the Georgia mountains, leading to the Georgia gold rush
- June 14, 2014, 9:30 a.m., Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park, walk along Pine Mountain. Co-presenter at this site will be Dr. Leslie Edwards, a biogeographer from Georgia State University who will look at the unusual combination of plant life at Pine Mountain.
- June 28, 2014, 1:00 p.m., Brasstown Bald, “A Window through Time: Geology and Nature at Georgia’s Highest Summit,” co-presented with Dr. Edwards, who will discuss why some plants typically not found this far south still grow atop this mountain.
- June 29, 2014, 1:00 p.m., Anna Ruby Falls, geology walk
These events are free and open to the public, but you may have to pay admission to the venues where they are being held. Register ahead of time and you’ll receive a billion-year-old rock sample.
Summer programming classes in Decatur area
Summer classes for students rising to 4th-12th grades begin next week at 
START:CODE, located in the Decatur / Toco Hill area.
Elementary-level classes, which teach the Scratch programming language, meet once per week for six weeks. Middle- and high-school students meet once per week for four weeks, and learn Python and Java in addition to Scratch. These older students can move into app development as they build programming skills.
Weekly camps in Midtown for rising 1st-7th graders
Midtown International School, located near Piedmont Park, still has spaces available in its summer camps.
Each camp lasts one week and is open to students entering grades 1-7. The campers each week will be divided into an older group and younger group.
Camp themes range from ancient civilizations to volcanoes to visual art.
Midtown International School opened in fall 2013 with an academic approach designed for “innovative” learners.
Aviation camps at Fernbank Science Center for rising 4th-9th graders
Fernbank Science Center in Decatur is now accepting applications for Aviation Camp, a one-week summer day camp for students entering 4th, 5th or 6th grade next fall. Two sessions will be held, June 16-20, and June 23-27, 2014.
First-time campers will learn about the principles of flight. Advanced campers with more experience will try out flight simulators and fly remote-control helicopters. Each camp also participates in a field trip during the week.
For rising 7th, 8th and 9th graders, Fernbank is offering Advanced Aviation Camp, June 30 to July 3. Students will explore the local aerospace industry with field trips and hands on activities.
Fernbank Science Center is owned and operated by DeKalb County Schools, but Aviation Camps are open to students from anywhere.
Aerospace camps at Southern Polytechnic
Middle- and high-school students can learn about the science of flight at aerospace engineering camp at Southern Polytechnic State University in Marietta.
In this one-week camp, kids ages 12 to 18 will design, build and fly their own aircraft. They’ll build and launch rockets, use Computer Aided Design (CAD), and try out flight simulators.
Two sessions of this camp are full, but spaces remain in the June 23-27 and July 7-11 weeks.
GSU summer camp coming to Forsyth County
Georgia State University Saturday School has added a second week of summer camp, to be held at Lambert High School in Suwanee.
This CSI forensic science camp, open to students in kindergarten through 8th grade, will take place July 21-25, 2014. Registration deadline is July 7.
As always, admission to Saturday School programs requires that a child be gifted identified by his or her school; however, a new Saturday School student can be granted provisional admission until paperwork is submitted.
VOX Teen Communications summer program
If you have a teen who’s interested in digital media and the Atlanta scene, take a look at VOX Media Cafe. This three-week summer program gives teens ages 13-19 the chance to explore the city while learning about electronic journalism, including videography, photography, interactive media, writing and reporting.
Instructors come from local media organizations such as CNN/Turner Broadcasting, WABE and the AJC.
Each three-week session will enroll only 16 teens, enabling a hands-on, immersion experience.
VOX has been around since the 1990s, publishing an independent newspaper written by teens from around metro Atlanta. The summer program started in 2011.
Applications are now online for the camp and for scholarships to attend.
Plans for DeKalb County Schools 2014 Serendipity summer program
Every summer, the DeKalb County School District offers a day camp called Serendipity for gifted children enrolled in its public elementary schools.
Every spring, DeKalb County parents wonder when they are going to get the details of the program so they can plan their children’s summer schedules and get their kids registered. Two parents asked me about it this week, so I contacted DeKalb’s gifted coordinator, Donyell Atkinson. Here’s what she told me:
Serendipity 2014 is planned for June 16 to 19 at Brockett Elementary School in Tucker. The camp will meet daily from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
As for when parents can get full details and register, Ms. Atkinson writes, “Registration brochures will be distributed to the
local schools upon receipt from vendor.”
If you want to enroll your child, my advice is to check their backpack daily for the brochure.
Gifted Atlanta 