The homeschool or preschool curriculum throughout the area can be enhanced with “Homeschool Science Adventure Days” available at the West Hartford museum and Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton.

Submitted by Jennifer Toone

From natural wonders, space exploration and team work, Home School Science Adventure Days are designed especially for the Connecticut homeschooling community.

Homeschool families can enhance their curricula through engaging programs relating to science and nature exhibits at The New Children’s Museum. These programs meet Connecticut State Standards and provide unique, hands-on science instruction, inquiry-based learning activities, and cooperative learning opportunities.

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The Fall 2014 series focuses on Natural Wonders in which students explore biology, and botany through encounters with the museum’s live animals and nature center resources. During Space and Earth exploration, homeschoolers will investigate the cosmos and planet Earth through planetarium presentations and hands-on inquiry. In Team Science, scholars will work cooperatively to solve physics, engineering, and chemistry challenges using unique museum resources.

Standards-aligned extension activities are designed to encourage learning at home between classes.

This four-month program offered by the Children’s Museum Homeschool Association is designed for students in grades K – 6.

Little Scientists is a program is for children aged 2-4 who are not yet ready to take part in the Homeschool classes but still have a desire to discover and explore.  The program will meet during regular Homeschool Programming days. Each session will feature hands-on activities for early science exploration.

In addition to 8 weeks of hands-on, cooperative science instruction in three separate tracks, enrollment in the Children’s Museum Homeschool Association includes special perks and programming for the whole family. These include a Family Membership to The New Children’s Museum, valid through the end of December 2014. Membership  includes  unlimited  access  to  The  New Children’s Museum and Roaring Brook Nature Center as  well as  hundreds  of  other  museums  across  the country.

Program Date

• September 8 and 22
• October 6 and 20
• November 3 and 17
• December 1 and 15

For pricing and registration, contact The New Children’s Museum at 860-231-2830 ext.44.

Roaring Brook Nature Center’s Home School program focuses on the wonders of woodlands, fields, and streams.  Each class session will investigate a different environment with hands-on experiences in the out-of-doors utilizing the varied habitats found in close proximity to the Nature Center.

The program is called Wednesdays in the Woods and meets from 1pm to 2:30pm. Session I meetsOctober 8, 15, 22 and Session II on October 29, November 5, 12.

For information and registration, contact the Nature Center at 860.693.0263.

The museum is home to over 100 live animals, including the now famous Fennec foxes, hands-on science exhibits, out-of-this-world digital planetarium shows, and programs for younger children and families. The Children’s Museum and Roaring Brook Nature Center are the region’s premiere destinations for science and nature exploration.

The Children’s Museum is located at 950 Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford and at Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton. More information is available at www.TheChildrensMuseumCT.org