​​
​
​
THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN DIRTY HANDS CAMP!
Attention: Dirty Hands Camp will not be in operation this summer (2017). Rainmakers, the parent non-profit supporting DHC, has made this decision based on matters of sustainability and vision. We felt that DHC was a success, and hope to extend other arts and garden opportunities to local youth soon. You can check this page for announcements regarding our future activities. Please feel free to share your contact information if you have more questions.
~Karen Edmondson, Secretary of Rainmakers"
FOR CHILDREN ENTERING 1ST THROUGH 5TH GRADES
Dirty Hands Camp is an arts & gardening centric day program for elementary age students.
Our 2016 curriculum is rooted in Permaculture Principles--with special focus on chickens in the garden. The camp will culminate in the construction of a chicken coop--including painting murals to adorn it. Our focus is hands-on: exploring natural materials--in building, tending the garden, and the arts.
Each week, we’ll welcome guest presenters on a wide variety of themes, explore our North Valley neighborhood via thematic, collaboratively planned field trips, and touch down at the Open Space Visitor Center (6500 Coors Blvd. NW- north of Montano) for explorations of the Bosque. Students will have experience working in flexible small [age and / or interest affinity] groups, as well as whole group settings.
The cost is $120/ week per child. Sibling and early registration discounts available (see registration form for details). The camp runs 5 weeks: 06/20 - 07/22; Monday through Friday, 9AM-3PM (with before and after care available at additional cost, and with pre-registration, depending on enrollment), and meets on the lush campus of Mountain Mahogany Community School (near 4th and Griegos). As a small non-profit, we must meet a minimum enrollment of 13 students per week to run the camp. In the unlikely event of underenrollment, a certain week may be cancelled.
06/20 - 06/24 INTERACT & OBSERVE and CATCH & STORE ENERGY:
We will learn about chickens—what are their behaviors and needs? We’ll practice acting like chickens and seeing how they see. We’ll play team building games and start getting to know our garden, what's growing, who lives here? We’ll practice silent observations--via senses, reflected in discussions, writing and drawing.
Welcome chickens to campus. We’ll consider the chicken’s habitat--heating and cooling, food, and egg-collection. We’ll begin exploring the properties of different materials--i.e. wattle and daub, adobe, wood, wire, found materials on campus, and we’ll begin prepping wood for mural: sand, prime, and start sketching. We’ll start harvesting and talking about food storage.
06/27 - 07/01 USE & VALUE RENEWABLE RESOURCES & SERVICES:
Utilize recycled and found (free / naturally occurring) materials on campus. We’ll build chicken “habitat” models and reflect on the pros and cons of each. We’ll sketch different birds; start mural painting and begin coop construction, focusing on working with nature, rather than expending a lot of energy working against the natural flow.
07/05 - 07/08 USE & VALUE DIVERSITY (and the MARGINS):
Chicken coop construction will continue. We’ll consider outer / inner relationships--how can we use diversity to protect the chickens from predators and care for the chickens in various weather conditions? We’ll complete the mural this week--how might the mural serve to protect the chickens, too?
07/11 - 07/15 CREATIVELY USE & RESPOND TO CHANGE:
Consider changes all around us. How is the weather different in mid-July? We’ll observe changes in the orchard, garden and chickens, considering symbiotic relationships (weeds, seeds, plants, produce, pests, etc.) We’ll explore building and making with materials that change over time, in different circumstances (ie. clay and mud)
07/18 - 07/22 OBTAIN A YIELD:
Prepare for a harvest party with our community. We’ll celebrate our work and officially inaugurate the chickens, focusing on the concept of community and diversity.
Daily Schedule
Tuesdays: We will spend the afternoon at the Open Space Visitors’ Center, transportation via OSVC passenger van. (Families are welcome to join us, but will need to drive separately)
Mondays:Wednesdays:Thursdays:Fridays:
9am Families walk students to the garden and sign in; garden care for 1.5 hours
10:30 Snack
11am-3pm Camp curriculum as outlined above, with lunch around 12:30-1:00
3pm Families pick up and sign out