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Summer Camp

Date: Aug 07 2009

Themes: Family, Holidays

Grammar: Be Able To

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Intro

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A typical American childhood just isn’t complete without a summer camp experience or two. In the summer, when most kids don’t have school, many parents choose to send them away to camp for a couple weeks, or even longer.

There are different kinds of special summer camps, like sports camp, music camp, or dance camp, where kids develop a particular interest or talent. There are even math camps for kids who love solving math problems—or whose parents are especially cruel. But the typical camp experience is all about sleeping in log cabins, eating in a communal mess hall, getting crushes on the camp counselors, hiking and swimming and doing other activities in the great outdoors.

Not everybody loves summer camp, though. For some kids, it can be a traumatic experience to be separated from their parents for a long time. Find out if Mason and Dale’s memories of camp are sweet or sad.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Dale

Mason

Dale: Have you been to summer camp, Mason?

Mason: Dude, that was like the defining part of my youth, was every summer I went to a sleep-away camp for like three weeks.

Dale: So how was that, did you miss your parents, family?

Mason: You know, I remember being young and freaking out the first year about thinking three weeks away from home was a really long time. And no, it ended up…you end up having so much fun that it doesn’t really enter into your thoughts.

Dale: Do you believe that it’s like a rite of passage?

Mason: Definitely. It’s a formative experience to be able to, one, get away from parent supervision, two, kind of have this little space where you’ve got structured activity but still a lot of freedom. And you’re supervised enough to know that you’re not gonna get in trouble but can kind of just explore and feel adventurous.

Dale: Did you learn a lot about nature?

Mason: Yeah. The big thing, we did a fishing camp-away night. And we literally…we fished enough that we brought back food to feed the entire camp for a dinner, with all the fish that we caught. Which was like, “Man go out, man bring food.”

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Discussion

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Dale asks Mason about his summer camp experiences. Mason spent three weeks at a sleep-away camp every summer when he was a child. The first time he went, he thought he would miss his family. But he had so much fun at camp that he didn’t feel lonely or homesick.

Mason thinks summer camp is an important rite of passage for kids. It allows them to be away from home and experience freedom but still have some structure and supervision. It’s also a good opportunity for kids who live in the city to experience nature. When Mason was a camper, he went on a fishing trip and helped catch enough fish to feed the entire camp.

Have you ever been to summer camp? Do you think it would be fun? Is it important for children to spend time in nature?

Comments

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clemmie

Canada

i remember i joined a sleeping-away camp once when i was about 9 year-old. in my memory, i felt neither excited nor freak out at that moment. but that's one thing i experienced will never be forgotten in my life.nowadays, i still remember that there is one pupil was found that she was sleeping on the floor in the morning. the news was spread out in a minute when everyone got up.

nicole19810823

China

I haven’t take part in this summer camp,but I think it might be very fun.I think it’s a good activity for kids.Kids love it so much,and they will know many new friends and get more,hmm,it’s so envy.

chus conde

Spain

I´ve never went to summer camp in my youth, but this year my eight years old daughter is going to go for one week, it´s her first time; she is really exciting about it.

dilara_turkey

Turkey

hi, friends…ı'm 14. ı want to meet new people… see you later:p BYE!

hanabluestar

Yemen

I never have been in summer camp,but it is an interesting to go outdoor with new freinds.it is good for our helth to be in nature.

hanabluestar

Yemen

I never have been in summer camp,but I think is an interesting thing to go outdoor whith freinds and have fun .it is good for your health to be in nature.

amit_axl

India

I never had an experience of summer camp. But I feel it's really great for children having summer camp. It gives new horizon to the children to think about the life. They get the real experience of life, be independent, learn team work, explore the world. I believe every country should have this kind of culture. I am sure It would definitely help to shaping the child persona. As I told I never had but I saw in movies and feel, I missed that fun part of my life. This kind of activity really help the children to reduce their study pressure.

In my opinion, summer camp is a great idea. Unfortunately In my country it's only available for rich people.

dearpesar

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

summer camp is a very nice custom. i have experience that and all i have is good memory.

bd_xinji041

China

I hadn't a summer camp ,but I think it's very interesting. I hope have a chance to camp

Ca_Brazil

Brazil

no, unfortunately i havent been to summer camp before, though, it would be great if i had this kind of experience when i was kid, i totally agree with mason, its important to have some kind of experience in childhood like that, i think it makes the kid to work in group, to respect the nature, to value the simple things and people and even grow up a bit more indepedent.

meteorareanimation

Egypt

I think it would have been cool to go on a camp but that's not very common here. Although i'm not sure if i could handle being away from electicity and all luxury stuff

Larisa on-line

Russian Federation

In Russia all summer camps used to be called Pioneer Camps where children had a kind of a military life with marching and discipline and cleaning the territory and not much fun. Now it's becoming different.

kimarr_boink

South Korea

i've been Summer Camp for 2weeks and i had really good time with some new friends and new activites and nature things.I think Summer Camp is very big thing for all of us. u know, we can have opportunity that you will never get with your parents or in home,meet new friends and have more confidence about everything…

lm74

China

I never have been to a summer camp, for this days I was living a great outdoors.I even never heard summer camp before being adult.I was considered that the children who lived city must attend the summary camp.

annabatyreva

Russian Federation

I used to visit some summer camps. I liked this trips, I communicated this different people, met new friends and had so much fun.

s id

Saudi Arabia

i have never been to summer campe.when i was a child . but i want my kid have summer campe. but unfortunity not common in my country yet

egyptophile1

Egypt

It was the first time to sleep in a tent. I discovered the charm of Sinai desert. It was a full moon and that added more charm to the desert.. It looked like a beautiful garden bathing in moonlight.

cardio25

Japan

I have never been to a summer camp. When I was a child, a summer camp was not common in Japan. Recently, it is getting common in Japan and it is very good oppotunity for children.

rosendo

Mexico

when i was a child i went a bunch of summer camps , well , not exactly summer camps bcs i went in fall , and winter also… u know in these camps u learn a bunch to survive in the outdoors , and also u know other kinf of experience , like send signals to the ladies and walk with them in the middle of the wood or even hiding from the conselours bcs they always are behind u. but i recomend enterly if u have the oportunity go with out think.

Rubil

Peru

no entiendo que es lo que se debe de hacer aca, entonces como es que puedo conversar con personas de otro pais. but i wanna learn, i will be practice whit you … i mail is in hotmail yes, my nick is Rubil.garrido, i m man.