A group of Da Vinci Science Center summer campers confronted today a challenge similar to the one facing the world’s leading scientists – cleaning up an aquatic oil spill.

The fifth, sixth, and seventh graders in the Chemical Excitement morning camp session took part in the Oil Spill Challenge, an activity created in response to the recent Gulf of Mexico oil spill. After discussing that spill, teams of boys and girls were given small “oceans” of water in which cooking oil had been spilled. The students also were given different materials and asked to devise methods for extracting the oil. The young scientists encountered the same type of challenges faced by their adult counterparts along the way.

Wednesday was the second time the Chemical Excitement camp was offered this summer and the second presentation of the Oil Spill Challenge. When the challenge premiered last Friday, feathers were deemed the most effective tools. Pipe cleaners were added to Wednesday’s challenge, and the second group students found them to be the best tools.

“We strive to incorporate current science news and events into our programming whenever possible,” said Karen Knecht, the Da Vinci Science Center’s education programs manager. “The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was an event that most students are aware of and had a lot of questions about. We want to help them understand and find answers to their questions by creating an oil spill model. 

“Through this hands-on experience, we hope they also learn about how the scientific process can be used to create solutions to similar real-world problems.”

The Da Vinci Science Center’s summer camps are week-long adventures that take place over a nine-week period. Morning and afternoon sessions are available for students entering grades 1-7. The morning camp sessions from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. are specifically focused on particular themes or topics. The afternoon sessions from 1-5 p.m. are non-themed experiences during which campers experiment with Da Vinci Science Center scientists and guests. Each morning and afternoon session is offered twice during consecutive weeks.