Learning Standards:

PK.SCI.1 Exploring, Observing, and Describing the World: Children observe and describe observable phenomena (objects, materials, organisms, and events). This standard supports activities that require children to observe animal behaviors and habitats, helping them to understand different aspects of the natural world.

PK.SCI.3 Exploring Life Science: Children explore characteristics, behaviors, and changes in living things (plants, animals, and humans) and the environment. This includes recognizing how animals are adapted to their environments, which directly relates to studying animal adaptations.

PK.SCI.2 Exploring Physical Science: Children observe and describe the properties of objects and materials and the changes that occur. This can be interpreted to include discussing changes in animal behaviors and adaptations in response to environmental changes, thus supporting inquiry-based learning.

CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.K.2: Comprehend and confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media. This standard supports the comprehension aspect when discussing the concepts of animal adaptations and habitats during experiments and presentations.

SEL Social Awareness: Develop empathy by fostering a deeper connection and understanding of animals and their habitats. This encourages children to consider the feelings and needs of other living beings, enhancing their emotional and interpersonal skills.

NORY Peace Prize: Community Change-MAKERS

What if the small problems you notice every day were actually opportunities to design something better? Think about a family member struggling with groceries, a friend annoyed by tangled cords, or a shared space that never quite works. As NORY Change-MAKERS, you’ll turn everyday frustrations into purposeful inventions, tackling problems many adults have learned to ignore. By learning how to ask the right questions and design with empathy, you’ll use engineering and systems thinking to challenge the status quo and create practical solutions that improve real lives. This experience isn’t about flashy tech or grand gestures. It’s about proving that thoughtful, well-designed ideas can create meaningful change, earning recognition through the NORY Peace Prize.

Campers Will:

  • Identify overlooked problems in everyday life and push beyond “okay” solutions by designing smarter, more effective improvements.
  • Design empathetic inventions by considering real users’ needs and program robotic prototypes that serve others intentionally.
  • Present their impact-driven solutions as candidates for the NORY Peace Prize, celebrating purposeful engineering and leadership.

6/12-6/16