Summer of Discovery 2020 (6 -10 year olds)
Download application for schedules and prices.
Summer Programs Are Open To All Children Including Those Who Do Not Attend MDS.
- Children have fun and learn at the same time
- 8 one week segments with different areas of focus
- Hands on experimentation
- Projects reflect students’ interests
Each group will be limited to 14 children. MDS staffers lead this program. Weekly sessions run Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Please note: Our elementary building is peanut free.
2020 Summer of Discovery Weekly Themes
Week 1 Fun with Medieval Fencing with Ms. Lael (June 22-26)
Welcome to a world of chivalry, respect, and historical fascination. This summer, students will have the opportunity to step into the world of a Medieval Knight. They will be studying how to handle a long sword and learn to move, block and hit. They will have the opportunity to build and understand the advanced fortifications of a castle and how they were intricately designed to be a safe location for a whole city. Students will also learn how to take aim and shoot with bows and arrows. It is a fantastic week of history, a lot of safety, and a huge amount of fun!
All equipment is provided. Participants must have completed first grade.
Week 2 Fun with Renaissance Fencing with Ms. Lael (June 29-July 3)
Step into the renaissance time period of honor, loyalty, and respect. This summer we will explore the intricacies and the art of the duel. We teach students how to move, block, and hit with the rapier. We will learn about the weaponry, armor, lifestyle, and manners of the time. We will also spend time with crafts, exploring the amazing art and music of this time period. It is a fantastic week of history, a lot of safety, and a huge amount of fun!
All equipment is provided. Participants must have completed first grade.
Week 3 Fun with Modern Fencing with Ms. Lael (July 6-10)
A little bit of history, a lot of safety, and a huge amount of fun! This class teaches children how to move, block, and score with modern sport fencing. We will spend time understanding how the modern rules of fencing evolved from duels. We’ll explore swords including: foils, sabers, and epées. We will also spend time learning about electricity and circuits to better understand modern scoring systems. All equipment is provided. Participants must have completed first grade.
Week 4 Nature Exploration with Ms Andrea (July 13-17)
Does stomping around in the mud, inspecting insects and catching frogs sound like fun? Or running around and playing outdoors? Then join us for this week of outdoor fun! We will go for hikes in the fields, rocky outlets and marsh land around MDS. We will learn about native animals of Connecticut and see if we can discover living creatures around our school. There will also be plenty of time for us to have free play and group games throughout the week. So put those boots on, pack that bag of water bottle and extra clothing and come join us for a week in the great outdoors!
Week 5 Science! Science! Science! with Ms Lael (July 20-24)
This week will focus on the wonderful and interesting world of science. Students will have the opportunity to do hands-on science experiments, observe the microscopic world and learn about fantastic discoveries. Students will study experimental design and test out theories of their own.
Week 6 Art Investigation with Ms Andrea (July 27-31)
Calling all artists! Come join us for this week of creativity while we investigate the world of mixed media and sculpture. This week will be all about how to use a combination of recycled and new art materials. In the process we will learn and practice the fundamentals of art, such as composition and color theory while we work with cardboard, old books, plastic bottles, paint, and many more exciting materials. Let’s see what we can create!
Week 7 Artists in the Natural World with Ms Andrea (Aug. 3-7)
Art and Nature, what more is there to love? Come join us and learn about nature through the lens of an artist’s eyes. We will be inspired by naturalists like John James Audubon and learn how to create our very own field journals. We will go for hikes around the MDS property and observe what the natural world is up to. Maybe we will even be able to identify a plant or catch a critter! We will experiment and create art with natural materials that we find on our hikes, similar to artist Andy Goldsworthy. Inspiration will lead us from the outdoors into the art studio in this full week of art and nature.
Week 8 Create Like the Greats with Ms Andrea (Aug. 10-14)
Want to get inspired by famous artists and learn more about art history? This week will be filled with learning about some of the most influential artists throughout history. Become enchanted by Claude Monet’s pastel gardens, Picasso’s silly faces, and have fun throwing paint around like Jackson Pollock. We’ll explore different art materials like acrylic paint, chalk pastel, watercolors and colored modeling clay. At the end of the week we will create our very own art museum, showing off our masterpieces to family and friends.
