The second to last week of camp is about Paleontology! I was still sticking with the younger kids this week. We watched a cute Planetarium show called Dinosaurs, a Story of Survival that had pretty good animation and storytelling. It was about a girl who goes back in time with a magic narrator to learn about how dinosaurs lived and got wiped out.

After the morning show, I assisted the teacher in cutting out dinosaur silhouettes for the kids to paste onto backgrounds that they painted. 

During lunchtime, I’ve been watching both of the older groups in the auditorium. The secret is to put on Phineas and Ferb and they stay quiet and focus on eating… for the most part. 

On Friday, a girl from the older class, in a moment of astounding wisdom, lodged one of the 7- to 9-year-old’s phone in the pretend cash register in the pizza area. It got stuck behind the drawer and the whole thing had to be taken a part to get the phone out. 

The last week of camp, (and my last week at MOAS,) is themed around art. Except for the older kids who have a Harry Potter theme which is honestly so freaking cool!! On Monday, I spent some time with the 7- to 9-year-olds. The teacher walked us through the museum and focused the kids’ attention on various artworks, specifically painted portraits. When we got back to the classroom after looking around, they grouped into pairs and drew their partner’s portrait. Letting the children observe artworks beforehand was a smart move in prefacing how they could go about drawing each other.  

The teacher also hung fishing line across the room (this man is crazy,) and had the kids create craft chandeliers with string and cardstock paper. It was very fun to watch, and the kids had a blast!! 

Overall, every single person who I have met at MOAS has been more than kind and welcoming. The teachers and staff members are highly qualified people who are dedicated to the institution. It truly has been a pleasure to observe and work alongside them all.