We make science accessible to all ages in a variety of ways…

Organising Science Camps not only means choosing the best approaches and teaching methods, it also means mastering the logistic and organisational details which are vital to the success of the project.

We now present the main ideas behind our work on these original intelligent holidays.

 Our Know-How

We make science accessible to all ages in a variety of ways. We consider science an integral part of life and society which is evident in the activities we skilfully schedule throughout the day, according to a curriculum which is perfectly adapted to the topic and the age concerned. Every year we participate in various national and international meetings among science educators, we share our experiences and in return we benefit from those of the other professionals in the field.

 Our Experience

Our experience in organising summer camps Summer camps
camp Les colonies de vacances ne sont plus ce qu’elles étaient, c’est à dire énormes, anonymes et sans activités précises. Heureusement les choses ont changé et les enfants qui ont vécus il y a 20 ans les premiers camps de vacances, qui à l’inverse des colonies de vacances proposaient des stages de qualité au grand air et bourrés d’activités intelligentes, ont grandis et sont devenus eux-mêmes
organisateurs de séjours de vacances intelligentes et hors du commun. Ces
séjours, vous les trouvez sur ce site... since 1995 [1], easily enables us to quickly plan high-quality holidays. We not only know how to plan them pedagogically, technically or logistically but also how to manage them on a daily basis. We pay special attention to the after-camp Summer camps
camp Les colonies de vacances ne sont plus ce qu’elles étaient, c’est à dire énormes, anonymes et sans activités précises. Heureusement les choses ont changé et les enfants qui ont vécus il y a 20 ans les premiers camps de vacances, qui à l’inverse des colonies de vacances proposaient des stages de qualité au grand air et bourrés d’activités intelligentes, ont grandis et sont devenus eux-mêmes
organisateurs de séjours de vacances intelligentes et hors du commun. Ces
séjours, vous les trouvez sur ce site... as it is during this time that we can still have discussions, carry out assessments with the teaching and technical team or with the partners, collect the evaluations done by the children and the parents and constantly improve where necessary.

 The Science Camps are organised as follows :

 We select the theme or themes of the camps a year in advance in collaboration with our science partners and the parents who participate in the pedagogical meetings.

 We finalise the general programme, dates and places of field trips etc. with the help of some of the parents who participate in the discussions.

 We prepare the camp catalogue which is then distributed as widely as possible in order to reach all young people who are passionate about science or simply curious and eager to learn.

 We identify the expert scientists and technicians who will teach during the camps in addition to our camp educators.

 Along with our team of science educators, we plan the specific pedagogical project (objectives, sub-objectives, pedagogical means, means of implementation) around the selected themes, we develop the lesson kit with its corresponding method, then we finalise the programme for each camp and go on to set them up.

 We conduct registration.

SPECIAL EVENT : In the spring we gather with the most motivated parents for a pedagogical and scientific meeting (known as the “Parents Pre-Camp”). At that time, we also hold an information session for the new parents where they can meet the past parents.

 On the first day of camp, parents and their children are welcomed at the camp-site. They are introduced to the teaching programme, the camp educators, the technical team as well as the programme of the camp.

 Campers are encouraged to volunteer to plan some of the scientific activities as we believe that an important aspect of the activity itself is knowing how to organise oneself in the context of scientific research (Co-op Camp).

 After an initial sensitising/discovery period, the campers move on to the deepening stage where the main part of the activity takes place – they begin scientific research. During the “Objectif Sciences International” holidays, campers, whether they are 7 or 18 years old, are given the opportunity to carry out their own research as part of a team. It is definitely not a matter of classes or simple science workshops in the morning followed by sporting or leisure activities in the afternoon. On the contrary, campers are asked to conduct scientific research in order to voluntarily contribute to a final project. This research, more than all the other activities, is the opportunity to go on field trips to the surrounding Provence and to do crafts, sports, reading, writing workshops etc.

 The campers hold regular meetings among themselves during the holidays and decide what form they want the end of the camp to take (exhibition, website, sharing their camp journal, film, etc.). When the parents come to pick up their children they can also use the time to talk with the camp educators.

SPECIAL EVENT : If you wish, you may participate in the end-of-year review meeting held on New Year’s Day at the Centre for Scientific Living, known as the “Parents Post-Camps”. You will be able to discuss the great teaching and scientific successes of the summer or the little details that we can still improve, while enjoying leisure activities which add further excitement to this festive 4-day meeting. If you cannot make it, you can simply fill out the questionnaire sent out to parents and campers after their holidays.

 At the end of the camps and in the months afterwards, campers are given various opportunities to share their experiences. For example, creating a blog together, participating in research work on the public site of the Research Programme, a meeting spontaneously organised at the Centre for Scientific Living. These opportunities also allow for physical or virtual reunions for the children who, along with our educators, are able to imagine and prepare next year’s Science Camps.

 Then a new cycle begins.

If you wish to support the association, you can pass our flyers around !

Consult the holiday catalogue

[1] Since 1992, 3 years after we were established.

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date de publication : 2 juin 2009,
date de dernière mise à jour : 2 juin 2009