Differentiation at Camp Invention

Every summer, Camp Invention^® brings new, innovative STEM experiences to K-6 students across the country to inspire their creativity, build their confidence and promote hands-on invention. For over 35 years, this engaging, standards-aligned program has been designed by the dedicated education team at the National Inventors Hall of Fame^®, informed by the latest insights in education and inspired by our Hall of Fame Inductees.

The all-new 2027 Camp Invention program, Gear Up, is a dynamic program packed with immersive learning experiences that encourage discovery and innovative thinking. Students step into entrepreneurship, explore cutting-edge architecture, uncover mechanical engineering concepts and so much more! As children collaborate to solve STEM challenges, the turnkey curriculum includes step-by-step instructions with differentiated options for educators to help every camper explore STEM at their grade level.

Read on to learn how each of our 2027 Camp Invention experiences supports differentiated learning among primary and intermediate learners.

Stuck!^™

Students embark on an entrepreneurial endeavor, explore the phases of product development and compete in a hands-on prototyping challenge to design an exclusive new product. Exploring materials science and engineering, they visit the Sticky Situation Station to keep their ideas flowing.

• Participants can choose how they begin the product development process, whether sketching ideas, exploring inspiration tools, gathering materials or building prototypes. These multiple entry points support different learning preferences and levels of readiness.
   
• Primary participants explore "greater than" and "less than" when introduced to Scrappy Bucks, the currency campers can earn and spend on materials to build their prototypes. This provides age-appropriate support for foundational math concepts while helping younger learners apply number sense in a meaningful, real-world context.
   
• Intermediate participants write key features about their product in their Inventor Log and are invited to develop a tagline for their product, while primary participants are given the option of drawing pictures or writing out their ideas at the Sticky Situation Station and in their Inventor Log. This provides age-appropriate ways for participants to express their ideas, allowing them to communicate their thinking through methods that match their developmental readiness and communication skills.

New Heights^™

Students reach for new heights as they take on an engineering challenge inspired by cutting-edge architecture and construct a multilevel superstructure. Exploring electrical engineering, participants assemble a motorized construction elevator and enhance the stability of their structure with biomimicry concepts. After discovering sustainable materials technologies, students showcase their clever designs and eco-friendly solutions.

• Primary participants are asked to use simple measuring techniques, while intermediate participants are asked to use advanced measuring systems. This allows participants to engage with measurement concepts at an appropriate level of complexity while building mathematical skills and confidence.
   
• Primary participants receive assistance when building their superstructure’s foundation. This scaffolded support helps younger learners successfully engage in the engineering design process while developing foundational construction and problem-solving skills.
   
• Primary participants are taught hand motions to help them better understand sustainable power. This provides a multisensory learning experience that supports comprehension by connecting abstract STEM concepts to movement and visual cues.

Gadget Garage^™

Students gear up to invent as they work in collaborative crews to investigate the inner workings of gadgets, discover idea-sparking tools and explore mechanical engineering. After excavating a useful gearbox, they deconstruct a wind-up robot and repurpose its parts and pieces in imaginative ways before creating their own spinning Etch-n-Glow Wand^™.

• Primary participants are provided with additional materials for a Gadget Challenge Race, while intermediate participants use limited materials. This scaffolds the engineering design process for younger learners by reducing constraints, while encouraging older participants to apply creativity and problem solving within more complex design parameters.
   
• During ideation, primary participants draw their ideas, and intermediate participants write their ideas. This offers age-appropriate ways for participants to capture and communicate their thinking, supporting different levels of writing and communication development.
   
• Intermediate participants explore mechanical and electrical functions in greater depth. This increases the complexity of STEM content to match learner readiness while helping participants develop a deeper understanding of how gadgets and systems work.

Ooze and Aahs^™

Students uncover ooey-gooey chemistry concepts as they investigate nature’s tiniest organisms. They explore, observe and analyze slimy substances from freshwater pond samples, solve the challenge of improving water quality and protect the ecosystem from a new invasive species. Next, they incorporate biomimicry concepts to design an insect-inspired bioinvention.

• During a ladybugs vs. aphids game, primary participants collect aphid honeydew (i.e., cotton balls) after each roll of a die and place it on trees (i.e., in paper cups), while intermediate participants must wait until their rolls add up to six before placing their honeydew on the trees.
   
• During a Stop the Swarms activity, primary participants use tally marks to track their progress, and intermediate participants keep score using addition and subtraction. This provides age-appropriate data collection and mathematical reasoning opportunities while allowing all participants to monitor and analyze their results.
   
• During the Bioslime Analysis activity, primary participants receive additional support identifying and categorizing slime samples, while intermediate participants are encouraged to apply deductive reasoning and explain the evidence behind their conclusions. This provides differentiated levels of scientific analysis while engaging all participants in the same investigation.

Bring Innovative Learning Experiences to Your District

The newest edition of camp is better than ever! Learn more about Camp Invention’s all-new 2027 program, Gear Up!