Philosophy Camps for Youth

Claire Elise Katz is associate dean of faculties, the Murray and Celeste chair in distinguished teaching in the liberal arts, and professor of philosophy at Texas A&M University. The author of three monographs and numerous articles, she is the recipient of the Association of Former Students University Level Distinguished Achievement Award for Teaching and the American Philosophical Association Prize for Teaching Excellence.

Philosophy Camps for Youth is a terrific addition to the rapidly growing and much-needed body of literature dedicated to bringing philosophy to young people. A companion to Claire Katz's edited collection, Growing Up With Philosophy Camp—itself an invaluable account of the power of philosophy to change lives and minds for the better—Philosophy Camps for Youth is a compelling blend of nuts and bolts guidance for anyone wanting to start up a philosophy camp, and reflections from mentors, campers, and parents on the indelible experience of participating in such a camp. From funding to legal issues to lesson plans and more, Philosophy Camps for Youth will provide the reader keen on starting up a summer philosophy camp—or adding a philosophy element to an existing camp—with tips and invaluable insights based on experience for doing so effectively. But more profoundly, Philosophy Camps for Youth, together with Growing Up with Philosophy Camp, provide abundant evidence that the project of philosophy, of bringing together wonder, creativity and rigor, has the power to feed a human mind, build community, and cement relationships.

• AcknowledgementsIntroductionClaire KatzPart I. How to start, organize, and run a philosophy campObservations on the Aggie School of Athens: Running a Philosophy Summer Camp in South Central TexasClaire KatzDeveloping a Philosophy Summer Camp at the University of KentuckyCaroline Buchanan, PhD, James William Lincoln, MA & MS, Suraj Chaudhary, MA, Clay Graham, MA, Andrew Van’t Land, MA, Lauren Dickey, MA, Colin Smith, MAThe Iowa LyceumLandon D. C. Elkind (University of Iowa) and Gregory Stoutenburg (York College of Pennsylvania)The Philosophy and Critical Thinking (PACT) Summer Camp at Ohio StateJames Fritz, Lavender McKittrick-Sweitzer, Justin D’Arms, Julia JoratiPhilosophy Summer Camp: A Philosophical World of Tangible ConversationsKimberly Arriaga-Gonzalez, Cristina Cammarano, & Jackson MalkusCorrupt the Youth Alex Hargroder and Briana TooleFrom the Ground Up: Developing a High School Philosophy Camp Charlie Kurth and Adam WaggonerPart II. Sample Activities and Lesson PlansLesson Plan: Justice and Different Types of EvidenceJamie FritzLesson Plan: How Should Scientists Choose the Best Theory? Roger SansomPlaying the Hobbes Game at Philosophy CampRobert GarciaRational Choice Theory and the Prisoner’s DilemmaCora DrozdPhilosophy, Magic, and Curiosity: Reflections on P4C Texas’s 2019 Summer CampMichael PortalThe If/Then Exercise and The Case for Incorporating P4C into Pre-K Camps and ProgramsCharles CarlsonTeaching Freire: Philosophy for Children LessonAna Olivares-McFaddenPart III. Camper/Parent ObservationsAggie School of Athens at Texas A&M UniversityEvelyn ConwayCalla DuffieldEllie HagueMia PaulkE. Grace SorensenAndrew Sorescu, Alina Sorescu, and Sorin SorescuSurya SunkariIowaNicholas C. PetersMaeve WardChristopher C. PetersMOSHI Winter CampSu-Yin BouchotPACT Ohio StateEzra JohnsonLarada McCrearyShefali Sinha Kevin and Melisssa ShoultzSalisburySophia SmithRyan Cadwaller Appendix: Pre-college philosophy works Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Philosophy for Children Program on Students’ Cognitive Outcomes (excerpt)Sijin Yan, Lynne Masel Walters, Zhuoying Wang, Dr. Chia-Chiang WangContributors