The IMAGINE Program

Art Park^™

In the Art Park module, a local art museum is about to lose a major source of funding, and it’s up to the Club Invention team to stop this from happening by building the next greatest sculpture garden! From totem poles to swaying mobiles, to art using recycled materials, to a final fusion of all three types, children save the art museum’s funding by building the next great art sculpture masterpiece! The use of art to emphasize science concepts and math is designed to show the interrelatedness of multiple content areas in the construction of one area (art).

Saving Sludge City^™

In the Saving Sludge City module, the adults and businesses in Sludge City have polluted their town to the point of ruin, and it’s up to the Club Invention team to rebuild a cleaner, more eco-friendly city for its residents! Children are introduced to ecology and the concept of conservation as they investigate, experiment, and demonstrate the actions that caused the city to become so terribly polluted and determine effective methods to clean it up. Children explore green city design, make water filtration systems to clean up mock toxic water pollution, build landfills that protect the Earth from contamination, ensure safe waste disposal, and invent new methods of transportation that operate solely on renewable, pollution-free power sources.

M.A.R.S. (Moving at Rocket Speed)^™

A trip to Mars is the premise for a week of space, science, and fun during the M.A.R.S. (Moving at Rocket Speed) module. From utilizing the science of space travel to build spaceships and living quarters, to creating craters that pocket the planet and building a Mars rover, to practicing communication skills necessary to bridge the distance (approximately 34.8 million miles!), children discover the difficulties and rewards of space travel. Through science experiments and brainstorming, children discover that rocket science really is much more complicated than most people realize!

I Can Invent III^™

The I Can Invent III module illustrates the joys (and frustrations) that real inventors face during the process of creating totally new inventions. Creative problem solving is fostered as children imagine and assemble the unthinkable! Younger children create fantasy inventions using pieces and parts of broken appliances and other recyclable materials. They further explore the process of invention as they market their inventions and apply for (and even receive) mock patents. Older children work in teams to build complicated, multi-step machines that solve a challenge. A participant favorite, children of all ages find this module incredibly challenging and exciting!

Global Games^™

The Global Games module transports children across the globe to explore games! Children will discover the link between the games of ancient civilizations and the sports of this generation. Children will be challenged to create lacross sticks, dice and soccer balls from found materals, just like ancient cultures used the materials they had to create games, and how even now, found objects can be used to create new challenging games. Children will use strategy and teamwork to play these games with new spins. Children will create new games to place in a time capsule for future generations.