FOR CHILDREN ENTERING 1ST THROUGH 5TH GRADES

 

MISSION STATEMENT

To provide an arts-infused garden-focused day camp where the students will learn through hands on play and direct experience.

 

PHILOSOPHY

We believe that children learn best and become more successful as individuals when they are in accepting, accommodating and stimulating learning environments. Dirty Hands Camp (DHC) will provide integrative activities and encourage critical thinking skills to prepare the students for the varied greater world in which they live. To minimize competition and encourage compassionate support among the children and staff, DHC will also strongly emphasize cooperative learning in a fun and informal atmosphere. Staff members and parent volunteers will facilitate student learning and apply direct instructional techniques as appropriate. They will also model qualities of compassion, humor, respect, and cooperation.

 

CURRICULUM

Each day will start with outdoor education in the cooler hours of the morning. In depth work in the garden will include plant identification and weeding, watering, harvesting, food prep, planting, seed studies, constructing, sculpting, observational drawing, bug investigations, preparations for chicken care on campus and solar cooking. A special project this summer will focus on building a chicken coop and caring for the chickens. One afternoon a week will be spent exploring the bosque at the Open Space Visitors Center.

 

Creative movement, collaborative storytelling, visual art, fiber arts, garden based crafts, sustainability, experiments and explorations of all kinds will happen throughout the day—we will spend the majority of our time outside, getting our hands dirty!

 

DHC’s curriculum reflects the belief that children learn best by doing and by playing. The curriculum will reflect the desire to provide a rhythmic experience through extensions of art, physical movement, storytelling and awe of nature. Cooperative learning will be a major focus of the DHC, to improve social interaction among the students. A cooperative learning environment will not only promote more compassionate and supportive behavior among the students, but it will also encourage the students to stretch their abilities and approach new and challenging material or skills with confidence.

 

PROGRAM INFORMATION

DHC care is provided on the Mountain Mahogany Community School campus. DHC hours are 9am to 3pm, Monday- Friday. The camp’s phone number is (505)514-9210. We will not be able to text message on this phone, calls only, please. Also, we will be busy with your children, so please don’t expect an immediate answer to voicemail messages. If you have an emergency and need to reach us right away, please continue to call the number until we are able to answer. Your repeated calls will be the signal that the phone call is an emergency.

 

Dirty Hands Camp does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, creed, color, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or pregnancy. Dirty Hands Camp is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution fully committed to achieving diversity and complies with all Federal and New Mexico State laws, regulations, and executive orders regarding non-discrimination and affirmative action.