Attendees of The Literacy & Learning Center’s Summer Camp recently took a trip to Mill Creek in Highlands to collect mica to make moon rocks for a recent project. Kids brought back the haul of mica from the creek to create their own moon rocks back at home base (TL&LC).
Pictured below are TL&LC Summer Campers hiking to Mill Creek in search of mica to make moon rocks back at home base (TL&LC).
Campers also read the Dr. Suess book There’s No Place Like Space and were visited by John Hendricks from The Bascom who helped kids paint space-themed art projects.
TL&LC Senior Program Manager said adventures like the hike to the creek are activities that often revolve around STEAM, learning focused on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
Back at TL&LC headquarters campers created their moon rocks. From left are Mary Betances, Victoria Rutter, Marina Martinez Millor, Kenley and Avery Birchfield, Kiyah Burleson and Catherine Graham.
“This was a chance tie in the experience of nature with our moon rocks project,” said Norton. “Some of them have never been there before so it was a great chance to explore the area.”
TL&LC’s Anna Norton leads Summer Campers on the search for mica at Mill Creek.
Visitors from The Bascom, The Highlands-Cashiers Land Trust, and Ben the Reading Dog stop by throughout the summer presenting art and nature themed projects to campers, or just hang out and read books.
“They can learn facts around a theme, and then explore those facts with hands-on activities at camp,” said Norton.
In addition to collecting a solid haul of mica, camper Catherine Graham, 6, found an inch worm.
Catherine Graham shows off her inchworm she found while searching for mica.
“We found a lot of mica and got to find all kinds of creatures like butterflies, minnows, and I had an inch worm on my finger,” said Graham. “It tickled when it moved and it was fuzzy, kind of.”
Marina Martinez, 7, said the coolest part about making moon rocks was looking for the mica.
“You need to find shiny rocks to make the moon rocks,” said Martinez. “I made 2. I found some mica on the beach, some in the water, and some on land away from the beach. That’s why summer camp is fun, because we do fun stuff.”
Mary Betances (wearing dress) asking Anna Norton about things Summer campers found at Mill Creek.
Mary Betances, 7, said she had tons of fun at Mill Creek.
“We had to find mica to make moon rocks, and then we got to spread our creativity by finding big ones and small ones,” said Betances. “I liked that they glittered.”
To learn more about TL&LC click HERE or call 828.526.0863.
Campers show off the mica they collected at Mill Creek before hiking back to TL&LC to make moon rocks. From left are Vickie Betts, Kenley, Mary, Catherine, Avery, Kiyah, Marina, and Anna Norton.
Article and photos by Brian O’Shea
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