Little Dragon Summer Camp ‍Newsletter (7/27-7/31）

Pdouble

We've had another incredible week of sunshine, activities, and laughter. Here's a quick update on what our students have been up to…

Basketball

We have physical health + social skills + brain boost + fun all at the beginning of a day!

STEM

What an exciting week of discovery! Our young scientists spent the week exploring the amazing world of science through hands-on experiments, engineering challenges, and teamwork. Each day focused on a different scientific theme, encouraging students to ask questions, make predictions, test ideas, and think like real scientists.

🎨 Monday – Color Chemistry

Students explored the science behind colors through exciting chemistry activities and physical changes. They discovered how dish soap breaks the surface tension of milk to create beautiful swirling colors and observed how different liquids affect the movement of color. Through these investigations, students learned that chemistry can be found in everyday materials all around us.

🧲 Tuesday – Invisible Forces

Students investigated invisible forces, with a special focus on friction and how it affects motion. Through a variety of hands-on activities, they explored how different forces influence the movement of objects and discovered that although forces cannot always be seen, their effects can be observed everywhere in our daily lives.

🧊 Wednesday – States of Matter

Students explored solids, liquids, gases, and fascinating non-Newtonian materials through a variety of experiments. They investigated how matter changes under different conditions, made slime, observed density and floating experiments, and discussed how particles behave differently in solids, liquids, and gases. These activities helped students understand that matter can change its state while still remaining the same substance.

⚗️ Thursday – Chemical Reactions

Students became chemists as they mixed safe household materials to observe exciting chemical reactions. They explored how gases can be produced during a reaction, watched bubbling and foaming reactions, and even launched mini rockets using the gas created during the experiment. Students learned to identify the signs of a chemical reaction, including bubbling, gas production, temperature changes, and the formation of new substances. These investigations reinforced the importance of making careful observations and recording scientific evidence.

💡 Friday – Light & Shadows

Students investigated reflection, refraction, and the behavior of light through a series of engaging experiments. They observed how pencils appear "broken" in water, used water droplets as magnifying lenses, created rainbow effects, and explored how light bends and changes direction. Students discovered that many amazing optical illusions occur because of the way light travels.

Everyday Notes

English

The week began with a strategic spelling assessment that served a dual purpose: it gauged students' current abilities and allowed for flexible grouping, ensuring that both younger and older learners were placed with peers of similar skill levels. This data-driven approach eliminated outliers and created a focused environment where instruction could be tailored effectively. For the younger group, the week centered on mastering foundational mechanics—vocabulary, sight words, opposites, and essential writing conventions like capitalization, punctuation, and line spacing—using flashcards and repetitive practice to build automaticity. Meanwhile, the older students tackled higher-order literacy skills through article-based reading comprehension and the use of KWL (Know, Want to know, Learned) charts, which encouraged them to engage actively with texts and articulate their understanding in writing.

While the week excelled in delivering instruction, literacy, and writing, the speaking component remained largely implicit. To address this, future weeks could integrate structured verbal exercises that complement the existing activities. For younger students, pair-based "Word Detective" talks would transform flashcard drills into conversational practice, while older students could benefit from brief peer presentations of their KWL findings or simple editing partnerships that combine writing revision with spoken feedback. These additions would not only reinforce the written work but also build the oral confidence essential for holistic communication.

Overall, the week demonstrated a thoughtful balance of assessment, differentiation, and engagement. By replacing rigid, closed-ended questions with open-ended prompts, the older students experienced a sense of autonomy that made learning enjoyable, while the younger group gained a solid grasp of English basics through repetitive, hands-on practice. With a more explicit focus on speaking in future lessons, this framework has strong potential to develop well-rounded communicators who are confident in reading, writing, and verbal expression alike.

Music

This week in music, students explored rhythm through movement and body percussion, developing a stronger sense of beat and rhythmic patterns. They also reviewed the basics of the musical staff and learned about musical dynamics, applying expressive changes in volume through singing and fun music games.

Students proudly learned the Little Dragon Summer Camp Theme Song and two traditional Chinese children's songs. One of the songs introduced a famous Tang Dynasty poem, allowing students to experience the beauty of Chinese poetry through music while deepening their appreciation of Chinese language and culture.

It has been a joyful week filled with singing, movement, creativity, and musical discovery!

Math Support Friday Fun Break Volunteers