On 12-14 February 2026, Elwandle Node successfully
hosted an enriching grade 10 camp at Pine Lodge Resort in Gqeberha. The camp
brought together learners from Eastern Cape, including three schools from
Makhanda, three from Gqeberha, and one from Kariega. Over three days, learners engaged in
interactive hands-on activities designed to spark curiosity and foster a deeper
connection with the ocean.
The camp started with an exciting, innovative coding
ice breaker, where learners used arranged tokens to create simple codes, which
were then scanned using the Ranger app’s camera. This activity sparked
enthusiasm and health competition amongst learners as they learnt new coding
concepts.
Following the coding session, learners participated in
a lively Kahoot quiz aimed at assessing and expanding their ocean literacy
levels. The quiz provided insight in
their existing knowledge while introducing important ocean concepts in a fun
and engaging way.
Dr Cotiyane- Pondo introduced learners to the
fundamentals of scientific methods, guiding them through hypothesis formation,
experimentation, and analysis. Dr. Mia Strand introduced learners to social
science research approaches on how human behaviour and communities are studied.
Leaners learnt about the Global Citizen Science
Project iNaturalist. Learners were shown how to o use their phones to capture
photographs of organisms and upload to the platform, contributing to global
database of observations, and were encouraged to participate in the upcoming
citizen science projects.
After exploring rocky-shores, Dr Strand challenged
learners to express their connection with the ocean through art. Learners
created posters, poetry, books, and freestyle rap songs.
The camp encouraged creativity and critical thinking
this was seen in the posters presented by learners. Also, the camp helped
learners to understand how scientific knowledge is developed and applied in a real
context.
