Homeschool Spring 2019
Wednesdays, 1 to 3 PM
Single Sessions – May 8 & 15, 2019
4-Week Session – May 22 to June 12, 2019
Tuition: $15 per class ($60 for 4-week session)
About the Program
We have offered the science and agriculture education program for Homeschool students at Cedar Circle Farm every spring and fall since the program’s inaugural year in 2015. Our farm is an incredible outdoor classroom with our production fields, forested areas, orchard, and riparian area along the Connecticut River.
Together with our highly-qualified instructors, students ages 6-11 share the experience of exploring, discovering and learning the concepts together in order to gain a deeper, scientific understanding of agriculture and ecology. Our approach utilizes hands-on activities, inquiry-based investigations, games, and experiments. Journals are provided each semester for students to take notes or draw observations if they wish and to complete short weekly review assignments. Read more about our educational approach here.
*If after the first class you feel the program is not a good fit for your child, you may be reimbursed $50. No reimbursements will be made after the second class of the session.
If you have any questions, email Meredith Rivlin or please call us at (802) 785-4737.
Open House
An open house will be held on May 1, 2019 from 1 to 3 PM. Come explore the farm with Meredith, our new Education Programs Manager, and learn more about our approach to teaching.
Single session – May 8
Friend or Foe? – The farm is teeming with life—some organisms are friends of farmers, and others do a great deal of damage to crops. In this class, we’ll explore the intricate relationships between pests, beneficials, and the crops they impact. We’ll also learn how to promote beneficials and several Integrated Pest Management approaches employed by organic farmers.
Single session – May 15
Zooming in on Decomposition – There is a whole ecosystem involved in decomposing an apple core. In this class, we’ll zoom in to take a closer look at the web of energy involved in breaking down organic matter and figure out where that energy goes. Students will also leave knowing how to build their own worm bin at home to watch their own food scraps decompose. This is a follow-up lesson to the one offered in Fall 2018 but it is not required to have participated in the previous class.
4-week session – May 22 to June 12
Nutrients in the Soil (May 22) – We’re always told that fruits and vegetables are good for us, but have you ever wondered why? In this class we’ll investigate how all of those nutrients got into our fruits and vegetables and will make connections between healthy soil, healthy plants, and healthy people. Student scientists will conduct their own experiments to determine how nutrients added to the soil affect plants and how those, in turn, affect us.
What’s in a Watershed? (May 29) – In this class, we’ll follow a single water drop along the water cycle as it moves through the local watershed. Beyond exploring where their water comes from and goes to, students will learn about human impacts to the water in their own backyard and ways to keep it safe for all of the organisms who rely on it. This is a follow-up to the lesson to the one offered in Fall 2018 but it is not required to have participated in the previous class.
Focus on Nutrition (June 5) – This class focuses on empowering students to make their own choices when it comes to what they snack on. We will compare and contrast organic and conventional foods that we might find in the grocery store and focus on making nutritious choices to nourish our bodies. This class will also involve a cooking project.
6 Plant Parts (June 12) – In this class, we’ll take a closer look at plant anatomy and function by focusing on 6 main plant parts, from roots to fruits. The class will also involve a cooking challenge to incorporate all six plant parts in a recipe and will help students develop observational skills to be able to recognize these plant parts in the grocery store.