Wild Animal Kingdom

The 2025 IslandWISE Summer Camp was all about animals and their habitats.

Our Summer 2025 Participants (white shirts) along with our amazing camp counsellors and volunteers (purple shirts)

We kicked off the week with Desert Day. Campers were placed into their groups for the week and jumped right into action with our Heat Shelter Competition. Each team designed a shelter to protect a desert animal from the sun—and later in the week, we put them to the test outdoors to see which design worked best! Next, the campers explored the outdoors with a nature scavenger hunt, matching natural objects to creative descriptors. We wrapped up the day with an energetic Adaptations Relay Race, where each group had to figure out which desert animal best fit a given adaptation. It was a day full of discovery, teamwork, and sun-soaked fun!

Tuesday was Ocean Day, and it was packed with hands-on learning. We kicked things off with a visit from Marine Atlantic, who taught us all about buoyancy. The campers then put their engineering skills to the test by designing and building their own boats, experimenting to see how much weight their creations could hold. Later on, we headed down to the stream on campus with Allison Mackie for a rubber duck race, where we measured stream velocity. In the afternoon, we dove into the chemistry lab where the girls explored pH hands on. Kellie White wrapped up the day with an awesome session on Seashore Creatures found right here in Cape Breton. The campers learned about natural predators and picked up some great tips for identifying shells that wash ashore.

Wednesday was Rain Forest Day, and we started things off with a fast-paced Kahoot quiz all about the rain forest. The competition was fierce, and we quickly discovered we had some true rain forest experts among us. Next, Megan from 45Drives led a fantastic hands-on activity about invasive species and food competition. Campers got creative using different “beaks” (spoons, magnets, and tape) to collect food—learning firsthand how adaptations and invasive species can impact survival. We made our own ecosystems in a jar to take home as well. In the afternoon, Jamey, Hannah, and DJ from the Eskasoni Fish and Wildlife Commission shared teachings on Etuaptmumk (Two-Eyed Seeing) and Netukulimk, helping us understand the importance of blending Indigenous and Western knowledge when it comes to caring for the environment. We wrapped up the day with a camouflage challenge, testing our eyes to see if we could spot hidden animals in their habitats—it was harder than it looked!

Thursday was all about Temperate Climates, and we had a blast exploring the climate we call home. We kicked off the day by making UV bracelets, a fun and practical way to detect harmful rays and remind us to put on sunscreen! Then, ACAP taught us all about watersheds and how to tell whether a water source is in good or poor health. In the afternoon, creativity and innovation took center stage. We built our own bee homes to support local pollinators, and learned about 3D printing—even making our own camp souvenirs to take home!

On Friday, we journeyed north for Arctic Day. We started by painting our bee hives from the day before, followed by some sweet fun decorating cupcakes. We even got a little messy making snow slime, bringing a bit of the Arctic chill into our summer day! In the afternoon, our campers proudly presented their hard work at our Open House, showcasing the amazing science projects they had been designing all week. It was inspiring to see their creativity, curiosity, and knowledge come to life.

We’re already counting down the days until next year!