About the Homeschool Enrichment Series
(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 5-12). 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 this year: Fall II, Winter, Winter II, Spring, and Spring II. 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, including closed-toe shoes, and is always prepared to get dirty! Long pants are also recommended as we do explore in our forest, meadow, and marsh.
The program is a drop-off program run by SLNC’s 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.
Participants may sign up for either a morning (10:30am-12pm) and/or afternoon (1:30-3pm) session.
🌦️ Wild About Weather: Homeschool Nature Series AM 10:30am-12pm
Children have the opportunity to learn about the fascinating science of weather and climate by engaging in a variety of outdoor observations and exciting experiments. Through hands-on activities, kids can explore things such as measuring temperature, observing cloud formations, and understanding the water cycle.
Weekly Themes & Activities
☁️ Week 1 (Jan 7th): Clouds & Rain
- Learn how clouds form & explore different types
- Outdoor cloud-watching & sky journal
- Experiment: Rain cloud in a jar
🍃 Week 2 (Jan 14th ): The Power of Wind
- Discover how wind shapes our weather
- Try out homemade pinwheels & wind tests
- Experiment: Build wind-powered boats
⚡ Week 3 (Jan 21st): Storms & Lightning
- Explore the science behind thunder, lightning & storms
- Learn storm safety & track weather patterns
- Experiment: Create static electricity “lightning” with balloons
🌡️ Week 4 (Jan 28th) : Weather Watchers
- Discover how scientists track weather changes
- Build simple weather tools (rain gauge, wind sock)
🧪✨STEAM Explorers: Where Science Meets Art PM 1:30pm-3:00pm
Join us for a hands-on homeschool enrichment series where children dive into exciting experiments and real-world problem-solving. Each week, children will explore different topics including chemical reactions, gas production, polymers & states of matter, viscosity & density, and air pressure through interactive demonstrations and guided experiments. We’ll also tap into engineering skills as children design, test and refine their own creative builds. This series is perfect for curious minds who love to experiment, discover, and get their hands messy!
Weekly Themes & Activities
🎨Week 1 (Jan 7th): Colorful Chemistry (Chemical Reactions & Gas Creation)
- Science experiments include inflating balloons using vinegar and baking soda in a bottle and elephant toothpaste using a hydrogen peroxide + yeast reaction
- Art Project “fizz paints” using baking soda and colored vinegar paints to creating fizzing textured art
Concepts: Acids and bases, gas production, chemical vs. physical change
🌀 Week 2 (Jan 14th): The Science of Slime and Goo (Polymers & States of Matter)
- Science experiments include making our own slime with glue, baking soda, and saline solution and our own oobleck mixture using cornstarch and water.
- Art Project mixing different textured items into our slime and making temporary sculptures
Concepts: Non-Newtonian fluids, polymers, viscosity, experimentation
🌈 Week 3 (Jan 21st): Light, Color, and Chemical Change
- Science experiments include a swirling color reaction of food coloring, milk, and dish soap, and a sink or float demonstration.
- Art Project spinning abstract art with liquid paint talking about centrifugal force creating unique patterns
Concepts: Density, diffusion, color mixing, and light
💨Week 4 (Jan 28th) : Air, Flight, and Motion
- Science experiments include designing and testing bottle rockets noting how shape and air affect movement
- Art Project designing paper planes and gliders
Concepts: Air Pressure, Engineering, and motion
Refund Policy:
If you have any questions, please contact Summer Camp Director/ Environmental Educator, Holly Hewchuk at v-hlhewchuk@buckscounty.org or 267-880-5021.