Our Homeschool Adventures programs are designed to introduce homeschool students to specific nature-based themes, with the goal of helping students better understand the natural world and their connection to it.
- Each program is $18 members/ $23 non-members
- To inquire about scholarship opportunities, e-mail amy@potomacaudubon.org
- Programs are held one Friday a month at Cool Spring Preserve
- Every program is from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (3 hours)
- Lunchtime will not be scheduled into the program
- To keep the group size smaller, we ask that parents do not stay for the program. However, Parents are welcome to enjoy the trails of the preserve during the program.
January 15 Capturing Winter (Nature Photography)
Age Range: 8-14
Description: Hike with our naturalists through Cool Spring Preserve and photograph the surrounding wildlife during the cold month of January. You’ll get to borrow one of PVAS’s Nikon 35mm digital SLR cameras and become an amateur nature photographer. Please bring a flash drive or laptop to use at the end of the program for downloading your pictures onto.
February 19: Our Changing Climate
Age Range: 8-14
Description: Come learn about our changing world and how you can make a positive difference. We will explore not only what’s happening on the whole planet but also what changes we are seeing right here at Cool Spring Preserve as we hike and play games.
March 19: Capturing Spring (Nature Photography)
New Dates added: March 29 and April 30
Age Range: 8-14
Hike with our naturalists through Cool Spring Preserve and photograph the surrounding wildlife during Spring! You’ll get to borrow one of PVAS’s Nikon 35mm digital SLR cameras and become an amateur nature photographer. Please bring a flash drive or laptop to use at the end of the program for downloading your pictures onto.
April 16: Brilliant Birds
Ages 5-10
Birds are fascinating! Come become a bird watcher and learn how to identity some common birds by call and sight. We’ll set out on the trails with binoculars to try to identify and record as many different bird species as possible. You will leave the program with the start of your own Bird List Journal that you can continue to use to track all the birds you have seen.
May 14: School of Fish
Ages 5-10
Ever wondered why there are so many kinds of fish that look so different? Come learn about how fish evolved over time and study fish anatomy. We’ll be exploring the creek to see just what kind of fish inhabit Bull Skin Run. If you like getting wet, this program is for you.
Programs By Request
Want to schedule a homeschool program for your group? We offer 2-hour programs by request for groups of 6 or more homeschoolers. Some programs can be held at our other Preserves upon request. You can choose one of the following programs:
| Skulls and Bones | Ages 5 & up | $12/child |
| Animal Signs | Ages 5 & up | $12/child |
| Decomposition Detectives | Ages 5 & up | $12/child |
| Birding Basics | Ages 5 & up | $12/child |
| Marching through the Marsh | Ages 5 & up | $12/child |
If you would like to schedule a program, e-mail Amy Moore at amy@potomacaudubon.org.
Safety
Children and instructors are required to wear masks when social distancing cannot be maintained and when they enter a building to use the bathroom. Children will be notified when masks can be removed for activities such as hiking, working independently, eating etc.
To maximize safety we will:
- Limit sharing of materials and supplies
- Lend assigned supplies and equipment such as nets, magnifying glasses, binoculars to each participant for the entirety of the program
- Promote healthy hygiene practices
- Conduct health screening of staff and participants upon daily arrival
- Intensify cleaning, disinfection of shared supplies
- Promote physical distancing of at least 6 feet between staff and participants
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces multiple times daily.
- Disinfect bathroom after every use
- Only allow participants to enter inside facility space for restroom use and thorough handwashing only
- Require students to self-clean bathroom after each use
- Provide an experience that is entirely outdoors
Furthermore, PVAS will adhere to the following Daily Arrival Screening Procedures:
- The temperature of each participant will be taken. Participants with a temperature of 100.4° or higher will not be allowed to attend.
- In order to attend, participants must be able to answer “Yes” to all of the following statements:
- Neither the participant nor anyone in the participant’s household have had a fever (temperature of 100.4° or higher) within the past 72 hours.
- Neither the participant nor anyone in the participant’s household have had symptoms of COVID-19, such as shortness of breath or persistent dry cough, within the past 72 hours.
- The participant has not been exposed to anyone that has symptoms of COVID-19 in the 72 hours.
- The participant has not taken any fever reducing medications like acetaminophen or ibuprofen in the past 24 hours.
- The participant is free of symptoms of other communicable illnesses, and is healthy enough to engage in program activities.
Cancellations:
PVAS will cancel a program if:
- West Virginia Governor’s order restricts group sizes or issues a Stay at Home Order
- Hazardous weather is in the forecast that would create unsafe road conditions or unsafe conditions for being outside.
If PVAS cancels a program, you will receive a full refund.
Parents will be notified by email of any cancelations by 5:00 p.m. the evening before an outdoor school class.
You may cancel your registration and receive a full refund if:
- You do not want to send your child due to concerns about COVID-19
- Your child is feeling unwell
- Anyone in your house hold has COVID-19 or has been exposed to someone with COVID-19 in
- Anyone in your household has had a fever in the last 72 hours
*We understand that last minute cancellations might need to happen, but please try to let us know as soon as possible, so that depending on the circumstance, we can open the spot to someone else.