Senior Elementary
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.
2024-25 Curriculum
FALL
September 2024 | Herps and their Habitats
What unique adaptations of these fragile creatures allow them to survive where they live and how do they benefit their habitats? Gain a greater understanding of their contributions to the world in which we live. We will meet one of our animal ambassadors and compare reptiles to amphibians.
October 2024 | Lake Michigan, Rocks, and Fossils
Explore incredible rocks and unlock some of the mystery of their formation. Learn how rocks break down into soil and how the soil slowly turns back into rocks. At the beach, we will make magnetic sand dance, discover fossils of ancient sea creatures, and investigate the other rock groups.
November 2024 | Hawk and Falcon
Learn about the basic characteristics of hawks and falcons and the specific adaptations that make these raptors such unique hunters. Students will closely observe a hawk and a falcon and focus on these meat-eating, flying machines. After meeting our raptor ambassadors, students will hike and participate in an outdoor field study.
Winter
*Winter programming is weather dependent and monthly subjects may vary according to weather*
December 2024 | Winter Shelters
One of the essentials for survival in winter is having a suitable habitat. Students will look for animal evidence that is left behind in the winter landscape and search for their shelters. While exploring different habitats, they will make connections between the evidence they find and how each habitat is unique in providing the needs for the animals.
January 2025 | Tracks and Traces
The winter landscape reveals secrets often hidden during other seasons. Learn to “read” the story left in the snow through careful observation and clue interpretation. Find out about animal locomotion, adaptations, and techniques for surviving winter in Wisconsin.
February 2025 | Lake Michigan in Winter
Students will explore the magic of our changing Lake Michigan frozen shoreline. Often during the frigid cold of February, icy waves transform our shoreline and create ice formations. Learn about the conditions that form ice shelves, ice bridges, arches, ice balls and ice pancakes, as well as the safety needed when exploring this winter landscape.
Spring
March 2025 | Maple Sugar Time
Maple sugaring is an ancient tradition with many legends and stories. As time moved forward, methods for collecting sap have evolved into what we’re more familiar with. Students will learn about these updated methods and how they have changed over the years, and of course earn a pancake treat!
April 2025 | Marvelous Mammals
Mammals are found all over the world and in all sorts of environments and climates, but their adaptations vary depending on their habitat. Investigate these habitats and explore for clues and signs of mammals living at the Center. Students will examine artifacts and hike in search of live Wisconsin mammals.
May 2025 | Birds: Our Fine Feathered Friends
Students will investigate the characteristics of birds and have a chance to meet one of our raptor ambassadors. Afterwards, we will climb our 60-foot tower for a bird’s eye view, search for birds and their nesting sites by the Lake Michigan shoreline, and play trail games that teach about bird adaptations.
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.
Winter (December – February)
Member: $75 | Non-Member: $105
Spring (March – May)
Member: $75 | Non-Member: $105