Incoming 5th Graders

We are excited that your 5th Grader is interested in our summer program!  Below is a list of camps that students currently entering 5th Grade can sign up for.  If you want to learn more about a specific camp, click on the name below.  If you have questions about our policies and procedures, please see the Information link on the right.  We also offer full day care during weeks we only a morning or afternoon camp works for your family.  To learn more about this Extended Care click on the FAQ.

List of 8 items.

  • Week 1: May 31st - June 1st

    8:30 - 11:30 AM

    May 31 - June 3,  8:30 - 11:30 AM, Grades 5 - 8, Cost $144. Enjoy a week learning to bake a wide assortment of breads, from simple crusty rounds to baguettes. See what happens when the water in a bread dough is replaced with...orange juice? Milk? Coke? Make fresh butter to spread on fresh bread. Take home your very own sourdough starter--a culinary pet that lives in your fridge and makes sourdough...sour. And feast at Friday's homemade pizza party. Dough I knead to say anything more? Instructor: Noah Buchholz

    May 31 - June 3, 8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 2 - 8, Cost $230. IndySabre makes the art and sport of fencing fun and accessible through different fencing games and learning fencing basics.  No experience necessary! Students will receive instruction in footwork and technique, take part in fencing drills and games, learn about the history of fencing and even compete in an in-class fencing tournament!  All beginners fencing equipment is provided.  Students should wear comfortable pants or shorts (no jeans or slacks, please!) and tennis/running shoes.  A waiver must be filled out and signed for each student.  Instructor: IndySabre Fencing staff
     

    1:00 - 4:00 PM

    May 31 - June 3,  1:00 - 4:00PM, Grades 5 - 8, Cost $144. Take me out to the ballgame! Take me out to the crowd!  Campers will learn how to improve their game. Skills taught include: hitting, fielding, base running, and team-playing.  This camp is sure to build baseball confidence in every camper!  See you there! Instructor: Noah Buchholz

    May 31 - June 3,  1:00 - 4:00PM Grades 2 - 5, Cost $144. S.Q.U.I.D. (Students Questing for Underwater Invertebrates of the Depths) Is your child fascinated with weird and bizarre creatures? In this camp, students will investigate the weird and wild side of nature by learning about all life with tentacles-squid, octopuses, and other members of the cephalopod family. Activities will include dissection of squid and octopus specimens, discussion of cephalopod documentaries, close-up examination of ancient cephalopod fossils of Indiana, cooking and eating calamari, and creating squid ink artwork. Open your child's eyes to the wonder of the universe by giving them an encounter with these aliens on Earth!  Instructor: Joe Eisinger

  • Week 2: June 6th - June 10th

    8:30 - 11:30 AM

    June 6 - June 10, 8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 1 - 6, Cost $180. Cloud City Youth is offering chess for kids to support Indy's Kids Inc., a local non-profit for kids. Never Played?  That's O.K.!  We use a Creative Play method of instruction that makes learning this complex game easy.  It is a fun, imaginative, and energetic camp!  We play on tournament boards and sets, integrate chess variants, and other various games and activities, to keep things interesting.  Children learn advance concepts together.  We promote an all inclusive, encouraging, challenging, and supportive program.  The benefits of learning chess are tremendous and students love learning with their heads in the clouds.  Students can sign-up for the morning and afternoon camp.  Instructor: Colin Hargreaves, Cloud City Chess

    June 6 - June 10,  8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 2 - 5, Cost $180. Would you like to paint like a famous artist? Come to Masterpiece Makers and learn about the history of some of the most famous artists and their work! Then, we will recreate their masterpieces with our own flare and style! At the end of the week, family and friends will be invited to see our masterpieces at an Art Gallery! Instructor: Julia Cassel

    Kitchen Chemistry 3 - 5
                  
    June 6 - June 10,  8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 3 - 5, Cost $180. Ever wonder why baking soda gets put in cookies, or how yogurt is made? Join me to explore kitchen chemistry and make some delicious concoctions along the way! Instructor: Anna Freije
    June 6 - June 10, 8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 3 - 5, Cost $180. This camp will provide an intensive introduction to young naturalists in training in identifying trees and shrubs. Daily activities will include quizzing leaf and twig specimen identification, identification games like Capture the Leaf and tree scavenger hunts, creating tree maps of school grounds,and the completion of a nature journal with specimens, rubbings and drawings of trees and their characteristics. Students will also be taught basic forest ecology concepts and how trees can tell the history of the landscape. A strong base of tree knowledge will illuminate new facets of Indiana nature, turning forests from masses of indistinguishable leaves to communities of ancient creatures each with their unique relationships to each other, animals, and the land around them.  Instructor: Joe Eisinger

    Harry Potter World     
                
    June 6 - June 10, 8:30 – 11:30AM, Grades 4 through 6, Cost $180. Hogwarts is coming to Sycamore!! After designing their wizarding world, students will attend classes like Potions 101, Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, and Dueling during this spellbinding week.  We will end the week with a refreshing glass of butterbeer and a viewing of a Harry Potter movie. Sign up for this camp today, Harry Potter fans! Instructor: Julie Clawson


     

    1:00 - 4:00 PM

    June 6 - June 10, 1:00 - 4:00PM, Grades 1 - 6, Cost $180. Cloud City Youth is offering chess for kids to support Indy's Kids Inc., a local non-profit for kids. Never Played?  That's O.K.!  We use a Creative Play method of instruction that makes learning this complex game easy.  It is a fun, imaginative, and energetic camp!  We play on tournament boards and sets, integrate chess variants, and other various games and activities, to keep things interesting.  Children learn advance concepts together.  We promote an all inclusive, encouraging, challenging, and supportive program.  The benefits of learning chess are tremendous and students love learning with their heads in the clouds.  Instructor: Colin Hargreaves, Cloud City Chess

    June 6 - June 10, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, Grades 5 - 7, Cost $180. Learn the world's fastest growing programming language! Want to learn the world’s fastest-growing programming language favored by Google, NASA, Youtube, and the CIA?  ​Learn how to code with Python to create engaging apps and games. Each lesson takes you step-by-step on a programming path that will let you challenge friends with fun content you create from start to finish!​  Students will work in pairs or teams for most of the program. Instructor: BlackRocket Instructors

  • Week 3: June 13th - June 17th

    8:30 - 11:30 AM

    June 13 - June 17, 8:30 – 11:30 AM, Grades 1 - 8, Cost $210. Karate is a fun and exciting form of martial Arts. All students are respected for individuality and progress at their own rate. Discipline and self control are gently encouraged. Students will learn the appropriate use of karate along with strategies to avoid and manage conflict.  The camp will be led by Jeanie Gensheimer, a 7th degree black belt in the style of Shorei Goju Ryu. Last year, 11 of her students earned black belts (one of them started in a karate camp, just like this one!) Sensei holds degrees in Early Childhood Education from Ball State University, and a Masters degree in Marital and Family Therapy from Butler University. Her goal is for each student to find and develop their own strengths. Instructor: Sensei Jeanie Gensheimer

    June 13 - June 17, 8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 2 - 8, Cost $230. IndySabre makes the art and sport of fencing fun and accessible through different fencing games and learning fencing basics.  No experience necessary! Students will receive instruction in footwork and technique, take part in fencing drills and games, learn about the history of fencing and even compete in an in-class fencing tournament!  All beginner’s fencing equipment is provided.  Students should wear comfortable pants or shorts (no jeans or slacks, please!) and tennis/running shoes.  A waiver must be filled out and signed for each student.  Instructor: IndySabre Fencing staff

    June 13 - June 17, 8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 1 - 6, Cost $180. Cloud City Youth is offering chess for kids to support Indy's Kids Inc., a local non-profit for kids. Never Played?  That's O.K.!  We use a Creative Play method of instruction that makes learning this complex game easy.  It is a fun, imaginative, and energetic camp!  We play on tournament boards and sets, integrate chess variants, and other various games and activities, to keep things interesting.  Children learn advance concepts together.  We promote an all inclusive, encouraging, challenging, and supportive program.  The benefits of learning chess are tremendous and students love learning with their heads in the clouds.  Students can sign-up for the morning and afternoon camp.   Instructor: Colin Hargreaves, Cloud City Chess

    1:00 - 4:00 PM

    June 13 - June 17,  1:00 - 4:00PM, Grades 2 - 6, Cost $180. Become young authors, illustrators and media creators! Professor Watermelon will show you how to create stories with memorable characters, twisty plots  and captivating settings. Mister Smart will show you how to bring these stories to life with your own cartoons and art. Be prepared to have FUN while challenging your imagination, and don’t forget about the Melon Money you’ll earn for the prize auction at the end of each day! The exciting world of storytelling is at your fingertips. Will you join us? Instructor: Professor Watermelon and Mr. Smart

    June 13 - June 17, 1:00 - 4:00PM, Grades 1 - 6, Cost $180. Cloud City Youth is offering chess for kids to support Indy's Kids Inc., a local non-profit for kids. Never Played?  That's O.K.!  We use a Creative Play method of instruction that makes learning this complex game easy.  It is a fun, imaginative, and energetic camp!  We play on tournament boards and sets, integrate chess variants, and other various games and activities, to keep things interesting.  Children learn advance concepts together.  We promote an all inclusive, encouraging, challenging, and supportive program.  The benefits of learning chess are tremendous and students love learning with their heads in the clouds.  Students can sign-up for the morning and afternoon camp.   Instructor: Colin Hargreaves, Cloud City Chess

    June 13 - June 17, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, Grades 5 - 7, Cost $180. Learn to Code Lua While Designing Roblox Games! Unlock the power of ROBLOX® Studio, the world creation tool used by real-world ROBLOX® developers! Learn how to build 3D models and create an adventure in your ROBLOX® world. Bring characters to life with unique animations you design.  Student-created projects will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Students will work in pairs or teams for most of the program. Instructor: BlackRocket Instructors

  • Week 4: June 20th - June 24th

    8:30 - 11:30 AM

    Coach Branigan’s Middle School Basketball Camp 

    June 20 - June 24, 8:30 – 11:30AM, Grades 5 through 8, Cost $180. Improve your young player’s fundamental basketball skills with this awesome sports camp! With 19 years of coaching experience at all grade levels, Coach Branigan will help participants learn to improve their footwork, dribbling, passing, and shooting through exciting drills, games, and activities. Offensive and defensive basketball concepts will also be practiced.  Individualized instruction, partner work, and team play skills will promote good sportsmanship and build character during this seriously fun camp!  Instructor:  Kevin Branigan

    1:00 - 4:00 PM

    June 20 - June 24, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, Grades 5 - 7, Cost $180. Pump up your coding skills! Learn programming tools so powerful they seem like magic! Start off by learning an array of core programming concepts with JavaScript by experimenting in a series of digital challenges. Start with programming your first animated memes, then tackle more advanced skills such as interactive 3D experiences and game creation. Projects will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Students will work in pairs or teams for most of the program. Instructor: BlackRocket Instructors

  • Week 5: June27th - July 1st

    8:30 - 11:30 AM

    June 27 - July 1, 8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 2 - 8, Cost $230. IndySabre makes the art and sport of fencing fun and accessible through different fencing games and learning fencing basics.  No experience necessary! Students will receive instruction in footwork and technique, take part in fencing drills and games, learn about the history of fencing and even compete in an in-class fencing tournament!  All beginner’s fencing equipment is provided.  Students should wear comfortable pants or shorts (no jeans or slacks, please!) and tennis/running shoes.  A waiver must be filled out and signed for each student.  Instructor: IndySabre Fencing staff

    1:00 - 4:00 PM

    June 27 - July 1,  1:00 - 4:00PM, Grades 2 - 5, Cost $180. Does your child love to draw and create stories and comics? In Watermelon University Comic Creators Camp, professional cartoonist Mister Smart will teach the skills of making your own comics and by the end of the week your child will have created a graphic novel keepsake of their very own! Instructor: Mr. Smart

    Pottery w/ Ripple Mobile Arts
                    
    June 27 - July 1, 1:00 - 4:00PM, Grades 1 - 8, Cost $210. Create awesome works of art with clay and glass! Wooly mammoths, owls, dragons are just a few of the items we will create during the week.  Explore the details of creating with the combination of clay and glass.  All items are made from scratch.  Every child will have a chance to use the pottery wheel twice.  Some items will be make and take and some will be fired and delivered about 3-4 days after camp to the school for pickup. Instructor: Jeremy South

    June 27 - July 1, 1:00 - 4:00PM, Grades 3 - 5, Cost $180. What is horticulture?  How does it connect with agriculture? In this week long camp, campers will explore how cultivating plants produce more than just food.  Instructor: Athletics Global Academy

    June 27 - July 1, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, Grades 5 - 7, Cost $180. Modify and create your own Minecraft® characters, tools, mobs, and more! Use your favorite game to learn the basics of modding and foundations of programming. Learn scripting and logic statements as you create your first mods! Introductory coding will also be taught through a simulated environment inspired by Minecraft. Student projects will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Students must own a Java version of Minecraft. Tablet, phone, and game console versions of Minecraft are not compatible. Students will work in pairs or teams for most of the program. Returning students can create more advanced projects that build on previous years. Instructor: BlackRocket Instructors

  • Week 6: July 11th - July 15th

    8:30 - 11:30 AM

    July 12 – July 23, 8:30 – 11:30 AM, Grades 5 though 8, cost $180 for one week, $325 for both weeks.  Mr. Tormoehlen and Mr. Fischer have worked together to develop this camp over the last 10 years and most of our instructors have been teaching with us since the beginning. It is our most popular offering with well over 100 students attending in past years The camps primary focus is to teach students math problem solving skills.  We focus on general problem solving techniques, but also teach specific lessons on material not often taught in a traditional classroom.  This camp is also designed to help students wanting to improve in math competitions.    The core curriculum comes from a variety of popular middle school math contests, with a primary focus on MATHCOUNTS and AMC 8.    It is not designed for students needing to stay sharp over the summer, but rather for students that want to tackle problems that they normally do not see in traditional math classrooms.  The camp has five sections for the different levels of students.  This year, for the first time, we are introducing two new non-competition sections that will focus on general problem solving and be designed around fun, interactive problem solving activities.  The goal will be to encourage a love of mathematical thinking and learn some problem solving skills and techniques along the way. 
    July 11 – July 22, 8:30 – 11:30 AM, Grades 5 through 8, Cost: $180 for one week, $325 for both weeks. Students will take the rolls of astronaut, mission scientist, spacecraft technician, medical officer, flight control leader, mission analyst, and more.  After training for these positions, the team will conduct a simulated space flight in Sycamore’s Space Shuttle Simulator.  While in the simulation, the astronauts will conduct science experiments and solve problems thrown at them by mission control personnel.  Students will not only learn about the Space Shuttle, but they will also be challenged to solve real world problems, learn to work as a team, and learn valuable communication skills.  Instructor:  Jim McCarter  

    July 11 - July 15, 8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 1 - 6, Cost $180. Cloud City Youth is offering chess for kids to support Indy's Kids Inc., a local non-profit for kids. Never Played?  That's O.K.!  We use a Creative Play method of instruction that makes learning this complex game easy.  It is a fun, imaginative, and energetic camp!  We play on tournament boards and sets, integrate chess variants, and other various games and activities, to keep things interesting.  Children learn advance concepts together.  We promote an all inclusive, encouraging, challenging, and supportive program.  The benefits of learning chess are tremendous and students love learning with their heads in the clouds.  Students can sign-up for the morning and afternoon camp.   Instructor: Colin Hargreaves, Cloud City Chess  

    1:00 - 4:00 PM

     
    July 11 - July 15, 1:00 - 4:00PM, Grades 1 - 6, Cost $180. Cloud City Youth is offering chess for kids to support Indy's Kids Inc., a local non-profit for kids. Never Played?  That's O.K.!  We use a Creative Play Method of instruction that makes learning this complex game easy.  It is a fun, imaginative, and energetic camp!  We play on tournament boards and sets, integrate chess variants, and other various games and activities, to keep things interesting.  Children learn advance concepts together.  We promote an all inclusive, encouraging, challenging, and supportive program.  The benefits of learning chess are tremendous and students love learning with their heads in the clouds.  Students can sign-up for the morning and afternoon camp.   Instructor: Colin Hargreaves, Cloud City Chess

    July 11 - July 15, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, Grades 5 - 7, Cost $180. Create your own game using Unity! Are you ready to take your game design skills to another level? With Unity, an industry grade design software, aspiring game designers will learn level editing, 3D modeling, intermediate event scripting, and the impact of game play on user experience. Student-created games will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Students will work in pairs or teams for most of the program. Instructor: BlackRocket Instructors

  • Week 7: July 18th - July 22nd

    8:30 - 11:30 AM

    July 12 – July 23, 8:30 – 11:30 AM, Grades 5 though 8, cost $180 for one week, $325 for both weeks.  Mr. Tormoehlen and Mr. Fischer have worked together to develop this camp over the last 10 years and most of our instructors have been teaching with us since the beginning. It is our most popular offering with well over 100 students attending in past years The camps primary focus is to teach students math problem solving skills.  We focus on general problem solving techniques, but also teach specific lessons on material not often taught in a traditional classroom.  This camp is also designed to help students wanting to improve in math competitions.    The core curriculum comes from a variety of popular middle school math contests, with a primary focus on MATHCOUNTS and AMC 8.    It is not designed for students needing to stay sharp over the summer, but rather for students that want to tackle problems that they normally do not see in traditional math classrooms.  The camp has five sections for the different levels of students.  This year, for the first time, we are introducing two new non-competition sections that will focus on general problem solving and be designed around fun, interactive problem solving activities.  The goal will be to encourage a love of mathematical thinking and learn some problem solving skills and techniques along the way. 
    July 11 – July 22, 8:30 – 11:30 AM, Grades 5 through 8, Cost: $180 for one week, $325 for both weeks. Students will take the rolls of astronaut, mission scientist, spacecraft technician, medical officer, flight control leader, mission analyst, and more.  After training for these positions, the team will conduct a simulated space flight in Sycamore’s Space Shuttle Simulator.  While in the simulation, the astronauts will conduct science experiments and solve problems thrown at them by mission control personnel.  Students will not only learn about the Space Shuttle, but they will also be challenged to solve real world problems, learn to work as a team, and learn valuable communication skills.  Instructor:  Jim McCarter  

    July 18 - July 22, 8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 2 - 8, Cost $230. IndySabre makes the art and sport of fencing fun and accessible through different fencing games and learning fencing basics.  No experience necessary! Students will receive instruction in footwork and technique, take part in fencing drills and games, learn about the history of fencing and even compete in an in-class fencing tournament!  All beginner’s fencing equipment is provided.  Students should wear comfortable pants or shorts (no jeans or slacks, please!) and tennis/running shoes.  A waiver must be filled out and signed for each student.  Instructor: IndySabre Fencing staff  

    July 18 - July 22, 8:30 - 11:30AM, Grades 2 - 5, Cost $216. Calling all aspiring innovators and skilled engineers for another dual camp! Dive into programming logic with Scratch, the drag-and-drop creative learning environment developed by MIT Media Lab.  You'll use code blocks and characters to gain a foundation in computational thinking, creating animated stories and games. We will end the camp with a surprise electronic Harry Potter craft! Learn more about First Start Computer Science courses at www.firststartcs.com   Instructor: Miss Sou

    1:00 - 4:00 PM

    July 18 - July 22, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, Grades 5 - 7, Cost $180. Learn to code and publish your own Roblox games using Lua! Discover how to code in the Lua language while playing and designing worlds in ROBLOX®, an online universe where you can create anything you dream of. This new class combines game design concepts, coding, and fun! Young entrepreneurs will also learn how to navigate Roblox’s fast-growing marketplace to publish their games. Student-created games will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Instructor: BlackRocket Instructors

  • Week 8: July 25th - July 29th

    8:30 - 11:30 AM

    July 25 - July 29, 8:30 – 11:30AM, Grade 5 or middle school students new to Sycamore, Cost $180.  Are you ready to start 5th grade?  Are you worried about keeping track of your assignments and staying organized while switching classrooms all day?  Maybe you are just a little worried about finding your classrooms. Are you new to Sycamore and wanting to get settled in before school starts? This camp is all about getting ready for a smooth transition to middle school.  During this camp you will: practice your keyboarding skills, improve organization and time-management skills, learn about executive skills and how they impact performance, find out how to use self-management and improve your success, and make new friends and connect with classmates.  Don’t worry -  it won’t be all work and no play.  We have time for games, competitions, and decorating your locker!  Instructor: Lori Reiter

    1:00 - 4:00 PM

    Beginning Cooking and Sewing
                  
    July 25 - July 29,  1:00 - 4:00PM, Grades 4 - 6, Cost $180. Cooking and Sewing—two important life skills that are so much fun to learn!  During this camp, you will learn basic sewing techniques while creating your own pillow, pair of knit boxers shorts perfect for sleeping, and your choice of an apron or tool pouch.  Our cooking unit will develop skills in meal preparation and planning as you make (and eat) spaghetti with meat sauce, fruit or lettuce salad, cheesy garlic bread, and homemade chocolate chip cookies (Substitutions in ingredients can be made for most dietary restrictions).  You will leave with recipes so you can cook dinner for your family at home! Instructor: Lori Reiter

    July 25 - July 29,  1:00 - 4:00PM, Grades 1 - 5, Cost $180. It’s a bird! It’s a plane!  No, it’s definitely a bird.  In this week long camp , campers will study various kinds of birds, learn many of the bird species found in Indiana, and learn and study migration patterns. 
    Instructor: Athletics Global Academy

    July 25 - July 29, 1:00 – 4:00 PM, Grades 5 - 7, Cost $180. Design a thrilling multiplayer experience! Fans of Fortnite, we need you! Instead of playing the game, design your own. Using a professional 3D game development software, build levels and assets inspired by popular battle royale games like Fortnite. This course includes cartoonish action and battle sequences. Student-created games will be available on a password protected Black Rocket website to share with friends and family. Students will work in pairs or teams for most of the program. Instructor: BlackRocket Instructors

Summer Program Links

Indiana’s Only Accredited, Private, Independent Preschool - 8th Grade School for Gifted Students