Our family participated in a virtual learning camp called Classical Conversations Explorers Digital Camp this past summer. We loved it! If you’d like to learn what the camp is like, what topics are covered, and how to use this resource with your own family read on.
What is Explorers Digital Camp?
Classical Conversations Explorers Digital Camp is based on content from their Foundations program. However, you don’t need to be a Classical Conversations family to enjoy this camp. The camp is organized into six 90-minute sessions with downloadable resources, games, activities, science experiments, recipes, geography, history, math, science, and more. The six-week camp offers tiered activities for ages 4-12.
How Do I Sign Up?
Classical Conversations Explorers Digital Camp was released this past summer and is currently available in the Classical Conversations Bookstore. It costs $99 for the whole family which is great value considering the quality and breadth of content.
Once you purchase the camp it is yours to enjoy as many times as you’d like. After purchasing this digital product in the Classical Conversations Bookstore, you will receive an email with an invitation to set up a free Canvas account. All content can be accessed from Canvas at your convenience.
How Does Explorers Digital Camp Work?
When your family is ready to begin learning just click on the link to get started. The hosts will lead your campers through entertaining and engaging camp sessions. After each segment they will suggest reinforcement activities to do on your own. You can pause the camp after each segment or experience all the segments in one sitting. There are three or four learning segments for each camp day which our family found could easily be spread across the whole week.
What is Included?
Below is an outline of the activities included in each of the six modules. For families who participate in Classical Conversations, you might recognize topics from Cycles 2 & 3. There is a lot of material so you may want to pick and choose from the activities.
Geography: World + South America
- Make maps of the world, South America, and Brazil
- Learn geographical terms
- Cook Brazilian Ham and Cheese Rolls & Classic Brigadeiros
- Listen to “How the Toad Got His Bruises” and retell the story using fun activities
- Learn words in Portuguese
- Research Rainforest Animals
- Draw a Toad
History – Medieval
- Learn about the following topics from the Medieval and Renaissance periods.
- William The Conqueror and feudalism
- King John and the Magna Carta
- Renaissance
- Monasteries
- Play a lance throwing game
- Make a Magna Carta-style Document
- Read a Midsummer Night’s Dream and Act out the Story
- Practice Shakespearean Phrases
- Make Rice Pudding
- Sing Dona Nobis Pacem
- Make an Illuminated Letter
- Make a Coat of Arms
- Read Robin Hood and make a Robin Hood Hat and Quiver of Arrows
- Build a Castle
- Make a Catapult
- Create a Painting Michaelangelo-style
Science + Math
- Gain understanding about the characteristics of living things
- Learn the 9 Classifications of living things (Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species)
- Learn the steps of the Scientific Method and Create a Scientific Method Poster
- Make a Nature Journal and Conduct Research using the Five Core Habits
- Observe a Plant Vascular System using Celery
- Research and Present on a Famous Scientist
- Explore measurements in science
- Make a 3-D Model of Solomon’s Temple
- Create a Observation and Measurement Chart using Items around your Home
English Grammar + Story Craft
- Explore the many types of creative writing
- Identify the key parts of a story
- Learn the four sentence purposes and four sentence structures
- Become aware of the story elements in a Bible story
- Rewrite Familiar Stories Changing the Setting, Characters, and Plot
- Play Canterbury Club Storytelling Game
Geography: North America
- Learn the grammar of world cartography and practice drawing continents and oceans on the 5 circles of the globe.
- Learn to draw the United States, adding and identifying the states and capitals plus 73 geographical features including mountains, bodies of water, deserts, and other prominent features
- Enjoy American Folk Tales and Create Crafts to Retell the Stories including Animal Masks, Stick Puppets, and Animal Drawings
- Make Arizona Sonora Dogs and Corn Pudding
- Make a Quilt Block using a Pattern and Colored Paper
History: North American
- Learn about the following events in American history.
- 1620 and the Mayflower Compact
- 1776 and the Declaration of Independence
- 1860s (1868) Civil War, the Underground Railroad, and the 14th Amendment
- 1969, the Space Race, and modern space exploration
- Identify virtues of our American experience
- Build a Native-American style house with natural materials
- Use blocks to construct Plymouth Colony
- Bake Cornbread
- Act out the Story of American Independence
- Draw the various American Flags throughout our history
- Make Early-American History-themed crafts including a Family Quilt and a Lantern
- Make a Space Exploration Badge and Model Rocket
What Did We Think of Explorers Digital Camp?
This program was a gift in the midst of this strange season. We were naturally disappointed when Classical Conversations Practicum and student camps were cancelled this summer. But, according to our kids, this program made up for it. Our whole family looked forward to Explorer Camp days and we all thoroughly enjoyed the activities.
The content in this digital camp is versatile, high-quality, and abundant! The resource packets are very well done and, aside from printing the packet and gathering materials, it is totally open-and-go. Required materials are items you will have around the house.
Though we are huge fans of Classical Conversations Practicums and student camps, we would absolutely purchase this product again. We enthusiastically recommend it to families whether they are homeschoolers, virtual schoolers, or parents looking for rich educational activities for their kids to enjoy during their spare time.
How Can your family Use this Virtual Camp?
We used Classical Conversations Explorers Digital Camp during the summer months, but you could use it in a variety of ways. Here are some ideas.
- Spread each module over the course of six week during the summer or school year. This made it possible for us to enjoy more of the fun hands-on projects.
- Enjoy one module per day over the course of six days. Note: If you opt to do all the activities, each module can easily fill a day.
- Join friends and complete the Explorer Camp together. You could watch the content independently and come together to do the crafts, cooking, and other hands-on activities in person or on Zoom.
- You could use this as in an “emergency schooling” situation. It is available instantly and provides high quality history, geography, art, science, and literature. Add reading, ELA, and math to round out your learning.
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