Camp Discover S’more at TAES offers fun and learning
Tracy Area Elementary School students have another opportunity this summer to practice the love of learning at Camp Discover S’more.
The program began on Monday when an excited group of students began their day with a healthy school breakfast and some “soft start” activities — playing games and solving puzzles with their friends and classmates.
The program leader this year is Ms. Amber Tietz, a first-grade teacher at TAES, who will be focusing on science during her class time with the summer students. According to Tietz, Camp Discover S’more is seeing a record number of students this year, with about 80 children signed up from first through sixth grade. This number is up more than 10 from last year’s 70 students.
After morning play, the students are grouped with those around the same age and sent to their first classroom at around 8:45 a.m. During the class day, each student will have a chance to learn eight different subjects taught by eight different teachers. Along with Tietz’s science class, the students will also visit Mr. Dean for Gym and Leadership, Mrs. Buysse for Writing, Mrs. Meyer for Reading, Ms.
Prahm for Social Studies, Mr. Novosad for STEM and Technology, Mrs. Novosad for Math, and Mrs. Stahl for Art. They will spend around 25 minutes in each class.
The goal of the program this year is to make learning new and fun by giving the students opportunities to interact with different teachers and subjects than they may be used to. Instead of teaching the same age group they always work with, teachers get to instruct all of the Discover S’more students in their subject of choice. Students experience a more relaxed schedule focused on enjoyment in learning.
Students will also have access to the school library during the camp as part of Meyer’s Reading class.
While most of the week will be classroom-focused, the program will feature “Fun Fridays,” which will have special activities such as a movie day, game day, and — if the weather cooperates — a water day. Other activities will be sponsored through the Tracy Kiwanis Club; like on Wednesday, the Sioux Falls Mobile Zoo, and further into the camp, a Kite Program.
