From October 2nd to the 4th, sixth-grade students traveled to Camp Ironwood east of Barstow for the annual Science Camp trip. Camp Ironwood, a western-themed Christian camp, served as a great backdrop for hands-on learning in an immersive setting.
“The students learned about the desert as an ecosystem and how God created plants and animals to survive such extreme conditions,” shared sixth-grade teacher Amanda Hovey. “They also learned about the night sky and our solar system and got to go out to the middle of the desert to stargaze and observe the moon and Saturn’s rings via telescope. All of the staff at Camp Ironwood do a great job teaching students academically and spiritually while energetically engaging them in activities.”
This experience complements sixth-grade science studies as a part of an all-encompassing earth science curriculum. Students also enjoyed various outdoor activities.
“Camp Ironwood provides five different classes for students where they learn about one of the following: fishing, horseback riding, archery, reptiles, and canoes,” shared sixth-grade teacher Morgan Fay. “Students learned so many new things during each of these classes like how to classify horses by their colors, how to shoot a bow and arrow, how God has designed reptiles to survive the rugged desert terrain, the different types of canoes, and how many species of fish there are in the world. Each of these lessons point back to God and His magnificent creation.”
Complete with a game room, snack shop, beautiful grounds to explore and a beloved water slide that launches kids (and parents) into the swimming pond, Camp Ironwood is the perfect atmosphere for getting away and learning together. In addition to learning through experiencing nature, students enjoyed chapel time as Dr. Wilson taught in the book of Colossians.
“It was a privilege to have Dr. Wilson preach through the book of Colossians as he highlighted the importance of having faith in Christ,” continued Miss Hovey. “Our students learned that a relationship with God starts with faith, which leads to wanting to grow in our knowledge of God, which leads to us growing and bearing fruit, which leads to an increased amount of faith and growth in our walk with the Lord. I love this time of bonding with our parents and students.”
At the end of each chapel, parents led small groups of students and walked through prayer and discussion of the sermon. Students, teachers and parents alike enjoyed time away learning and growing together.
“Science Camp is an opportunity for students to take a couple of days away from the hustle and bustle of life, to spend time in God’s Word amongst other believers,” continued Miss Fay. “Science Camp may have tons of activities and adventures to offer, but above all of those fun things, it emphasizes the gospel and pointing people toward Jesus Christ.”
When asked why she enjoys teaching sixth grade, Ms. Hovey replied, “Sixth grade is such a pivotal age because students are really starting to question whether their faith is legitimate or not. They ask really thought-provoking questions about God’s word and want to know more about who He is and who they are in light of who God created them to be.