UT: Kids U

Growing YearsIf you are looking for opportunities to enlighten your child’s knowledge, UT has a program called “Kids U” exclusive summer camps for area youth in grades 3-12. Children work with college faculty, staff, and graduate students on the UT campus in fields such as art, chemistry, cooking, anthropology, photography, microbiology, computers and veterinary medicine. Camps are offered for one week in the morning or afternoon. Choose summer camps from these fun categories: Animals, Careers, Computers, Creativity, Discovery, Languages, Leadership, Nature, Photography, Science, and Testing: ACT Prep. This is a great program and worth looking into for that extra push to motivate your child to expand learning opportunities.

(Phone: 865-974-0150) http://noncredit.utk.edu/kidsu/index.html)

Here are a few of the camps:

Vertebrate Zoology: explore the biology and diversity of vertebrates as well as the incredible variation in feeding, locomotion, appearance, and habitats of fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals by observing animals both in their natural habitats and in the lab.

Alive! Hands-On Herpetology: handle lots of live animals and study reptiles and amphibians, including where they live, their unique characteristics, and their behavioral patterns.

Animal Behavior: observe live animals and conducting experiments to determine why animals do what they do.

Veterinary Medicine camp: learn about small and large animal practices as well as avian, exotic, and wildlife medicine and study animal behavior, anatomy, and how diseases are diagnosed.

APP Attack! Make Your First Game APP: customize your very own game app!

Minecraft Designers: design your own characters and buildings, learn the basics of creating 3-D modeling.

EV3 Robotics: Sumo Wrestling Style by designing your own Mindstorm EV3 robot to challenge competitors and force them outside the ring.

LEGO YOUniverse: Make Your Own Adventure and end the week with a digital comic book that can be shared with friends and family on a password protected website.

Minecraft Modders: learn both the basics of modding and the foundations of programming and create your first mod.

Video Game Animation: take your game design to the next level by creating and animating your own character sprites, objects, and backgrounds.

Got Talent? Beginning Acting and Theatre Games: use creative dance, vocal exercises, and improvisational games to create a very special piece of original performance art.

UpCycled Art: create beautiful one-of-a-kind art using recycled and found materials and several techniques, including weaving, printmaking, painting, and drawing, to create unique 2-D art and sculptures.

Writing Poetry and Fiction: put your imagination on paper, find inspiration in poetry, fashion, music, nature, memories, and emotions.

Draw, Paint, Print!: explore the disciplines of drawing, painting, and printmaking.

Bend It, Twist It, Sculpt It!: create your very own sculptures using paper mache, found objects, wire, clay, and much more.

UT Photography Camp

Bones, Crimes, Careers: Forensic Anthropology

Fun with Forensics: Adventures in Chemistry

Universe Exploration: close-up looks at the evidence for water on Mars, catch Cassini on its way to Saturn, build our own solar system, make craters and comets.