SUMMER CAMP PROGRAMS 2014 

Summer camps at the Nature Center are fun, educational experiences for all campers. Experienced teachers draw upon the Nature Center staff naturalist and the natural history collection to present a program designed to involve children in the wonders of the natural world. The classroom provides a headquarters for crafts, lessons and shelter from summer heat and thunderstorms as the children engage in exploratory activities throughout the Nature Center. Each camp session offers a unique theme using both plants and animals to create fun learning activities encompassing the arts, sciences, and social studies.  As a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, we celebrate the continuous promotion of making proper ethical choices for our environment! We will be including a second camp for Pre-K children called Pee Wee Camps, which will include parent-child participants each camp with a selection of 3 dates.

DOWNLOAD 2014 REGISTRATION FORM

Camp Hours

** Pee Wee Camps: June 23 - 27, July 7 – 11, and/or July 28 – August 1, Mon-Fri., 9:00 a.m.-12 noon (child-parent combination)

** Wild Week Camps:  June 16 – August 1; Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (arrival time 8:15-8:30 a.m.)

**Overnight Delight: August 7-8 (Thursday 7:00pm – Friday 10:00am)

**After Care – 3:00-5:00 p.m. (for Wild Week Camps only, additional fee, see below).

About Camp

Grade Level & Class Size

Registration is based on the grade the child will be entering in the fall 2014-15 school year. Unless otherwise noted, each class is limited to a maximum of 21 children to ensure individual attention and safety considerations.

Special Needs

The primary goal is safety for campers and staff, and a positive camp experience for all. Camp staff is unable to provide one-on-one supervision for a special needs situation, but we would be happy to assist the family in making those arrangements with a care facilitator of your choice. Parents are asked to discuss this need with the program director prior to registration. Camp registration may be denied if the need is determined to be in excess to camp resources and capabilities.

Registration Fees:

Pee-Wee Camp (June 23 - 27, July 7 – 11, and/or July 28 – August 1)

Registration per child/parent is $70.00 (Members of the Friends of the WNCNC)
Additional participant is $25.00 (Members of the Friends of the WNCNC)
Registration per child/parent is $75.00 (Non-members)
Additional participant is $25.00 (Non-members)

Wild Week Camp (Weeks One - Seven)

Registration is $150.00/week(Members of the Friends of the WNCNC)
After Care is $50.00/week (Members of the Friends of the WNCNC  
Registration is $175.00/week    (Non-members)
After Care is $50.00/week     (Non-members)

Overnight Delight Family Sleepover (Week Eight only) – child and/or adult pricing

Registration is $30.00/Member of the Friends of the WNCNC
Registration is $35.00/Non-member

How to Register

Pre-registration is required with full payment to guarantee enrollment in the camp session of your choice. To register, you may visit the Nature Center on Saturday March 1 starting at 8:00am. March 1 is registration for Friends of the WNC Nature Center Members only! Please MAKE SURE your membership is up to date. Those adults who come to the WNC Nature Center March 1 (first day of camp registration) will have preferential treatment to registration over any registration forms that had been mailed and received by our office. If you are a member and unable to attend the March 1 registration, you may elect another person to register for you as long as they have your current membership card, the completed camp registration form, and full payment. Open registration will begin for non-members March 2, 2014. Visit our website
at:
http://wncnaturecenter.com/Education/SummerCamps2014.aspx for applications or register ON LINE starting March 2^nd

at:  
https://webtrac.asheville.nc.us/wbwsc/ncwebtrac.wsc/wbsplash.html?wbsi=e5d6c94d-03f5-ad90-e311-aa78e5766ce1.

You may also email ([email protected]) or FAX (828-298-2644) your registration, but full payment must be received to finalize your reservation. Payments on line will accept Visa or Master Card. Letters of acceptance will be mailed 3-weeks prior to your designated camp date(s).

Cancellation Policy

A fee of $25.00 will apply to all cancellations. Cancellations must be received at least three weeks prior to the camp session to receive a full refund (minus $25 cancellation fee). 50% of the registration fee will be withheld for cancellations made less than three weeks prior to the session (plus the cancellation fee). No refund for cancellations made three days or less prior to the session. Allow four to six weeks for refunds to be issued from the time of cancellation.

Programs

All program activities posted in the course descriptions (below) are subject to change during the course of the week due to weather conditions, timing, or other factors. We will try to accommodate every activity listed in the descriptions, but may need to alter some at the discretion of the camp director and/or the camp facilitator.

WNC Nature Center Pee Wee Camps

Monday – Friday 9:00am – 12:00noon each week in the Tree Top Classroom, Level A

Wk  #1 - June 23 -27 -  Hi-Ho the Derry-O                         

Wk #2 - July 7 -11 - Knick-Knack Paddy Whack           

Wk #3 - July 28 – Aug 1 - Old McDonald had a Farm

Welcome campers! Each morning we will host a new animal group to discover with activities, outdoor adventures, crafts, snacks, games, and storytelling. Let’s not forget to meet some of our animals with a close encounter! Topics include predators, reptiles, amphibians, farm animals, and birds. This is a marvelous introduction to the camp atmosphere for Pre-K and kindergarten children. Instructor: TBA

Wild Weeks Summer Camps

Monday – Friday,  June 16 – August 1 from 8:30 am – 3:00 pm  in our Summer Camp Room,  Level B

June 16 - 20 Grades 1-3 Candice Paden Beastly Behavior

June 23 - 27 Grades 4-9 Kevin Fitzpatrick ATBI

June 30 – July 4 Grades 1- 3 Wende Fonvielle Fur, Feathers, & Scales

July 7 - 11 Grades 1-3 Virginia D’Orazio Spanish Wilds

July 14 - 18 Grades 4 - 6 Wende Fonvielle Forest Adventures

July 21 – 25 Grades 1 – 3 Jeff Menzer Reptiles & Amphibians

July 28 – Aug 1   Grades 1-3 Carlton Burke Budding Naturalists

August 7 - 8 Family Sleep Over Nature Center Staff Overnight Delight

Week #1 - Beastly Behavior (Grades 1 – 3)

June 16 - 20

Animals can do the zaniest things and our campers get to study the world of behavior as they become Citizen Scientists, observing how our animals react to environmental conditions. Campers will make animal enrichments items, test theories of behavior, use scientific equipment, and participate in experiments designed to stimulate a sense of wonder through science. Crafts, creative activities, nature hikes, and games will help us view the natural world! STEM based learning.

Instructor: Candice Paden

Week #2 - All Taxa Biodiversity Index: ATBI (Grades 4 - 9)

June 23 – 27

Join visiting state scientists for a documentation effort of our Appalachian flora and fauna called the All Taxa Biodiversity Index (ATBI) along the Trillium Trail and Swannanoa River at the WNC Nature Center. Participants will research multiple forms of living organisms found on our property which are then registered into the ATBI database. Prepare to get wet, dirty and challenged!  All activities are based on scientific collection modules and will involve digging, seining, netting and identifying species of mollusks, fungi, mammals, birds, fish, flowers and ferns. With any scientific research, we may find a new species not yet documented!

Instructor: Kevin Fitzpatrick

Week #3 – Fur, Feathers, & Scales (Grades 1 – 3)

June 30 – July 4

It’s an animal, alright! But how does it survive in these mountains with  winter’s cold, drenching rains, and hot summer days? Discovering these answers and closely examining animal physiology is this year’s best camp for young scientific minds wanting to delve into biology and ecology. Crafts, games, and daily animal programs will enhance your child’s interest in how animals eat, hunt for food, protect themselves, and survive the Appalachian wilderness.

Instructor: Wende Fonvielle

Week #4 – Spanish Wilds (Grades 1 – 3)

July 7 - 11

Buenos dias! It’s another year of beginner’s Spanish for our campers. Learning the basics of Spanish has never been so engaging. Based on integrated learning, campers discover the names of plants, insects, wildlife, and even foods as they journey throughout the center’s 43 acres. Spanish has quickly become our second language in the US and will be an important part of our children’s education. It’s all great fun with crafts, games, and outdoor activities.

Instructor: Virginia D’Orazio

Week #5 – Forest Adventures ( Grades 4 - 6)

July 14 - 18

The theme this week is on connecting plants and animals to their native habitats. Activities will include the arts, games, music, science and team challenges. Several problem-solving scenarios will enhance the campers experience as they make those wild connections between themselves and the world around them! Every day will see 2 hikes to a new animal destination somewhere in the park with interactive games planned to encourage team building and understanding our natural environment.

Instructor: Wende Fonvielle

Week #6 – Amphibians and Reptiles: Fact and Fiction (Grades 1 – 3)

July 21 - 25

Direct observations of snakes, lizards, turtles, toads, frogs, and salamanders will lead to a study of their life cycles and life styles.  Coloration, patterns, and shapes will be explored through many crafts and activities.

Instructor: Jeff Menzer

Week #7 - Budding Naturalists ( Grades 1 - 3)

July 28 – August 1

In this week's camp we will explore the wide world of nature through fun activities designed to help young budding nature enthusiasts build a life-long appreciation and respect for the natural wonders around us. Creative games, fun crafts, and numerous outdoor experiences will enlighten camper’s ability to see beyond the sight of something, bringing home an understanding as to why nature exists and how its inhabitants survive!

Instructor: Carlton Burke

Week #8 – Overnight Delight for Families (any age group)

August 7 – 8 (Aug. 7 starting 7:00pm and ending Aug. 8^th by 10:00am)

Welcome to this year’s overnight camping opportunity at the Nature Center for families. We present an evening of crafts, activities, a Wolf Howling program, and bon fire story telling right on grounds.  Pitch a tent or stay in the Appalachian Station and let us do the rest! Evening snacks with a continental breakfast. Any grade level & all family members welcomed!

WNC Nature Center’s
Summer Camp 2014 Registration Form
(one camper per registration form, please)

Bring or send registration and full payment to the WNC Nature Center, c/o Wild Weeks, 75 Gashes Creek Rd., Asheville, NC, 28805.

For information, contact the Nature Center at (828) 259-8082.