About the Homeschool Enrichment Series
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(For info on SLNC’s Day-off from School Camps, please click here)
SLNC’s Homeschool Enrichment Series is an option for families who take a different approach to educating their children (ages 5-14). Our 4-week program provides an opportunity for children to get hands-on experience within the STEM disciplines, without the formal constraints. Each of the lessons are developed with the PA Standard Aligned System (SAS) in mind and ensure that children will excel in all settings.
There are five sessions per year: Fall, Fall II, Winter, Winter II, and Spring. The topics covered are relevant to each season. We enjoy all types of weather at SLNC and will encourage your children to feel the same way. It is important to make sure that your child dresses for the weather and is always prepared to get dirty! We love seeing students in closed toe shoes and long pants as we do explore in our forest, meadow, and marsh.
The program is a drop-off program run by our environmental educators. We encourage parents to minimize interactions with the class in order to reduce distractions. Parents are not encouraged to stay on site, but are welcome to hike the trails on their own during this time.
Homeschooling Enrichment Series: Topic –Geology Rocks! (Rock and Mineral Identification)
AM (10:30 – 12:00) from October 9th-October 30th
During this Fall I series, we will be focusing on the identification of rocks and minerals. We will be learning all about the types of rocks including metamorphic, igneous, and sedimentary while also making hands-on observations of each specimen. We will then be moving our focus onto mineral identification learning about the certain properties and characteristics of each. This will include streak, luster, sheen, hardness, color, specific gravity and clarity or transparency. To better our understanding of minerals, we will be making our very own crystals!
October 9th – Introduction to Rock Identification (Sorting and Classification)
October 16th – Erosion and Weathering of Rocks (Exploring and Observing)
October 23rd – Introduction to Minerals and Characteristics (Crystal making)
October 30th– Distinguishing between rocks and minerals
Homeschooling Enrichment Series: Topic – Fungus Among Us! (Mushrooms and Fungi)
PM (1:30-3:00) from October 9th – October 30th
During this Fall I series, we will be focusing on the identification, lifecycle, and importance of mushrooms and fungi. We will be learning to grow our very own mushrooms and observing the changes each week as they mature over the 4-week series. The main 3 types of fungi we will be focusing on for these classes include symbiotic, parasitic, and saprophytic. We will be touring the grounds of Silver Lake in search of some mushrooms and fungi we can observe and dissect to properly identify the different parts under microscopes. We will also be creating spore prints with mushrooms that we find as a nature craft!
October 9th –Introduction to Mushroom and Fungi Identification
October 16th– Learning to grow our own mushrooms
October 23rd– Mushroom/Fungi Hunting and Dissection
October 30th– Spore prints and art with mushrooms
Pricing for Fall 2024:
Entire 4-week Session- $60/member; $80/non-members
Refund Policy:
If you have any questions, please contact Summer Camp Director/ Environmental Educator, Holly Hewchuk at v-hlhewchuk@buckscounty.org