Nano Camp | Video

Kristin Clouston | 7/9/2012

You could say this is the smallest camp Gateway to Science is offering this summer. Kids going into grades one through six are spending the week learning about nanotechnology.

Playing games like this one can be big fun

"Kind of like a twister where you have to put in on either a macro, stuff you can see with your eyes, stuff that`s micro that`s microscopic, and stuff that`s nano that`s really hard to see," said camper Zayd Khalidi.

In case you don`t know, Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale.

"Right now we`re just trying to get them in the mind set of how small it is and then we`ll start demonstrating things like thin films and showing them things really are that small," said instructor`s assistant Anna Bernhardt.

Instructors try to simplify the lessons and use good examples so everyone can understand what they`re talking about.

"A lot of people just hear Nano iPod so we`re just learning what nano is and it`s crazy how small it is. I mean your fingernail grows a nanometer every second, I mean that`s how tiny this measurement is," Bernhardt said.

Students are doing a number of hands on activities and they get more complicated throughout the week.

"The one I`m excited for is a touch screen and they get to make a touch screen this week and find out how that works, which is what we see in our iPod touches or big iPods even," said Education Outreach Coordinator Arin Casavant.

And if teachers have any questions, by the end of the week they may be able to get some help from these guys.

Gateway to Science offers a number of summer camps. For more information, visit www.gatewaytoscience.org.

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