Not as hard as you might think, says Temple education professor Dr. Penny Hammrich, founder of the University s Sisters in Science Summer Camp, which runs Monday, July 12, through Friday, July 23, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. each weekday. We re competing with a lot of other summer programs, but our numbers are increasing each year, says Hammrich, noting that over 50 fourth-grade girls from six city schools will attend this year s program, which focuses on Philadelphia s waterways. Girls will study habitats, do water quality testing and stream studies, and design their own model rivers and biomes. Four field trips are interspersed with the interactive, hands-on projects, an approach that fits girls learning styles, says Hammrich.
Girls learn science in a more cooperative manner.
They tend to be less competitive than boys and more conversationalist in their approach to learning. They like to talk together and come up with answers together. I think part of the message thy'll get is that these women can play and play well, says Temple sports psychologist Michael Sachs. Hopefully, the'll have a little bit more of an awakening that the quality of play, athleticism and competitiveness are just as high for the women as they are for the men. Sachs notes that many young teams these days are co-ed and boys are seeing very early on that girls can compete.