QUECHEE— As families seek new approaches to education in the wake of Covid-19, the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) is excited to announce expanded homeschool programs for this fall. Programs will be available to families with children in pre-K through fifth grade, and will include both at-home portions and activities to take place at the VINS Nature Center in Quechee. In the wooded, breezy surroundings of the expansive Nature Center, children and their caregivers can learn about ecology, animals, and habitats from highly qualified VINS Educators, who are licensed teachers in Vermont and New Hampshire.
The youngest homeschoolers can participate in Small Wonders, venturing to the VINS Nature Center every other Tuesday, from September through December, to participate in a series of animal-focused lessons, including butterflies and moths; deer and moose; and bears. Little Explorers (kindergarten-Grade 2) and Nature’s Adventurers (third- through fifth-graders) will join at the Nature Center every other week (with remaining weeks featuring virtual lessons) from September through December, with each month highlighting a different lesson theme, such as habitats; earth and sky; and engineering and design. Each week will include lessons within the month’s theme, and Nature’s Adventures will enjoy a more in-depth exploration of each weekly topic. More information available at vinsweb.org/homeschool-program.
