The Amos De-Shalit Science Youth Camp

Registration will open during April. 

The amount of participants is limited - register early.

The Amos De-Shalit Science Youth Camp – for 50 high achieving 8^th and 9^th grade students will take place between August 9-14, 2015.

Come and learn from the best! … Lab visits and research at the Weizmann Institute of Science, meetings with students and scientists, lectures and scientific demonstrations, visit of the Clore Garden of Science, astronomical observations … all this and more!

During the course of the camp students will hear lectures about cutting edge research which are occuring right now in the Weizmann Institute and around the world, will gain experience in lab activities, will discuss bio-ethical issues and visit labs in the Weizmann Institute and the Clore Garden of Science. Graduate and PhD reesearch students from the Weizmann Institute will run most of the activities.

In addition, the pupils will enjoy a vast array of activities that the Weizmann Institute has to offer – visits to research labs and to tourist attractions, use of the facilities at the Country Club including tennis and basketball courts, a football pitch and a swimming pool. In the evenings there will be social and sporting activities, scientific programs and lectures by scientists from the Institute, a night swim and more. Accommodation and visiting is at the youth village in the Institute and meals are at the restaurants on site. On the weekends during the camp there will be organized trips around the country.

On the last day of the camp there will be a meeting with the parents where the participants will present with pictures and demonstrations the educational activities that they took part in.

In the morning there will be scientific activities regarding the tracks the students chose, in the afternoon there will be other exciting scientific activities and in the evenings there will be social activities. The participants will take part in scientific sessions, hear lectures by scientists, will experience planning and lab work, and more. They will sleep  in the Youth Village and eat in the restaurants of the Weizmann Institute. Two counselors will be with the group all the time.

You may choose from the following tracks:
(Students who have already participated in the camp who would like to join again this year - please choose a different track than the one you were in previously.)

Biotechnology and Medicine track

What is genetic engineering, is it dangerous and how is it related to treating diseases and the food we eat? What is the connection between glowing jellyfish and Alzheimer's disease? How does bacteria look, can they help us and why do we need them?

On this track we will learn about the wonders of genetics and the ethical challenges entwined with the potential uses of genetic engineering. We will learn about drug development, produce our own DNA and understand how to use that information in Forensics.  We will also grow bacteria and examine how antibiotic medications affect them. We will visit the lab that cultivates genetically engineered plant species and we will discuss the benefits and dangers of this technology.

I got it … Chemistry with Physics

How can a rainbow be created without any clouds? What does dietary fiber and diapers have in common? Can voices be seen? How can one loose one's sense of North? What is the connection between quantum and laser beams?

Here is a list of just some of the amazing things about the world we live in that we're going to learn about … we'll learn 'soundly about sound', we'll discover what static electricity is and grow crystals, we'll use natural indicators to detect acidity and then we'll find out what happens to helium at low temperatures. At the end of the day we'll discover how our complex lives and the world around us is all about Chemistry and Physics. We will build a camera and understand how it works, we will study the role of chemistry in cosmetics, we will visit the sub-micron Physics Lab.