Senior Elementary Homeschool

The Senior Elementary Homeschool Program is designed for students ages 9-11 to delve deeper into the natural world. Alongside experienced naturalists, students will explore habitats including the shore of Lake Michigan, ponds, prairies, and forests. We offer a variety of interactions with nature such as hikes, field data collection, and live animals.

Sessions run the second Thursday of the month from 9:30am-12:00pm, September – May. Please note that this is a drop-off program.

2026-27 Curriculum

FALL

September 10, 2026 | Amazing Insects and Their Relatives

An amazing 80% of the animals on earth are insects and their relatives. We’ll sweep the prairie with field nets and visit the pond to strain for pond creatures. By spending time in each habitat, we’ll discover these creatures’ adaptations that help them survive and learn about their contributions to the Earth’s ecology.

October 8, 2026 | Land, Wind, and Water – Interactions that Form Our Landscape

Our land was shaped by forces long ago and continues to be formed by these forces today. At the shoreline of Lake Michigan, students will discover the concepts of weathering, erosion, and deposition, and search for examples of chemical and physical change, including evidence of Wisconsin’s glacial past.

November 12, 2026 | Owls: Nocturnal Raptor Study

Students will have the opportunity to observe the Center’s live owl ambassadors, as well as study skins and artifacts, to identify owl characteristics and adaptations that make them such unique and successful hunters. Additional discovery is highlighted through pellet dissection and in outdoor field studies.

Winter

*Winter programming is weather dependent and monthly subjects may vary according to weather*

December 10, 2026 | Winter Survival Strategies

To survive the cold of winter, animals must hibernate, migrate, activate, or die. Together, we will meet a Center animal and, while staying active outside, explore the strategies used by native mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, plants, and insects to survive in a frozen landscape.

January 14, 2027 | Wolf and Deer: An Adventure in Interdependence

Legends, facts, folklore – the controversial Timber Wolf is part of Wisconsin’s history and future. Using simulation and hands-on discovery, students will begin to understand the intertwined lives of the deer, the wolf, and the coyote and learn about how these animals benefit from each other in a sustainable way.

February 11, 2027 | Lake Michigan’s Winter Shoreline

Students will have the opportunity to explore the world of winter in the beautiful setting of Lake Michigan’s frozen tundra. As we hike the beach, we will note the change in the lake’s winter landscape and learn about the forces of nature that create ice formations.

Spring

March 11, 2027 | Modern Day Maple Sugaring

Join us as we learn about the modern-day methods of maple sugaring. Learners will explore the process of how sap is turned into syrup by visiting our sugar shack. In addition to uncovering the science behind this process, students will observe seasonal changes of plant and animal species in March and enjoy a sweet treat!

April 8, 2027 | Down in the Ground: The Study of Decomposers

Discover the sustainable process known as the web of life and focus on an often-overlooked part of the web: decomposers! Examine mushrooms, sow bugs, earthworms, and other soil critters and learn how they turn dead plants and animals into useable nutrients to help sustain the delicate balance of the earth’s ecosystems. Through games and models, learners will gain a greater appreciation and understanding of what’s down in the ground.

May 13, 2027 | Remove, Replant, Restore

Through a combination of games and trail activities, students will learn the basics of restoration ecology. Learners will recognize and aid in controlling several of Wisconsin’s most invasive plants. At the end of class, students will put their learning into practice by doing a mini-work project on the Center’s grounds!

Pricing & Registration

A completed student profile, which includes a health history and emergency care plan, is required for each participant prior to registration. New student profiles are required prior to each school year. Students must be 9 years old by the first class of the first session they are enrolling in.

Full School Year (September – May)
Member: $240 | Non-Member: $345

Fall (September – November)
Member: $80 | Non-Member: $115