Merry Lea Homeschool Series 2010-2011

Each year, Merry Lea sponsors a series of class sessions for homeschooled students covering a range of natural history and environmental topics. Sessions are planned so that students can attend in successive years without significant repetition of content while building on previous experiences. Students are grouped to provide age appropriate instruction. Scroll to the bottom of the page for details.

For each session, students spend a significant portion of time outdoors to take advantage of the wonderfully diverse landscapes at Merry Lea. Please dress appropriately for the predicted weather conditions. Information for each homeschool session:

2011-2012 Merry Lea Homeschool Series

What's Buggin' You?
September 15, 2011

Students will gain an understanding & appreciation of the characteristics, diversity & importance of insect populations. Students will learn about life cycles, behavioral adaptations, human interactions with insects, the types & essential parts of insect habitats, & how insects fit into food webs. Meet at the Learning Center building.

Rock Cycle
October 20
Dig into northeastern Indiana’s rich geological history! Students start inside for a slide introduction explaining glaciers & their impact on this area. The rest of the program time is then spent outside experiencing the results of glacial activity firsthand. Students hike down an esker, moving through layers of top soil & glacial till until they finally reach a peat bog at the bottom. Students also explore & identify rocks in an abandoned gravel pit discovering the variety of treasures left behind by receeding glaciers. Meet at the Glacial Retreat Center (see our new facilities at that site!).

Poultry Butchering
November 10
What happens to a turkey right before Thanksgiving?? At this class we will be teaching you the art of butchering and bird anatomy 101. Come participate in the experiential learning of life on the farm. Meet at the Farmstead.

Sugar Bush
March 15, 2012
Come enjoy the first crop harvested in Indiana each year – maple syrup! Students meet at an off-site family-owned sugar bush near Huntertown, Indiana. After a 1/2-mile hike from the farmhouse to the sugar bush, they explore many aspects of maple syrup production. Students learn the history of collecting & processing maple sap. They help with syrup production by tapping a tree, collecting sap & visiting the sugarhouse to see one way maple syrup is produced. Students also learn to Identify maples & other trees & learn the science behind sap production. Merry Lea provides the cooking grills & maple syrup to top off the students’ lunch of pancakes & sausage. Meet at The Yoder Farm Sugar Bush near Huntertown, IN.

Feathered Frenzy
April 19
Answer questions about birds, their seasonal adaptations & behaviors! Students will inspect mounts, examine feathers, explore flight & make nests. Outdoors students will learn correct use of binoculars & use them to observe & identify birds in a variety of habitats. Meet at the Learning Center Building.

Wonderful Wetlands!
May 17
Students learn what a "wetland" is, how to recognize different kinds of wetlands, what lives in wetlands, & the many important functions wetlands have. A short indoor slide show introduces students to these fascinating ecosystems that once covered most of northern Indiana. The rest of the time is spent outdoors wading in a marsh, discovering some of the plants & animals living there. Meet at the Farmstead.

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• Target Audience: Sessions are open to students in grades 1 through 12.

• Class Time: 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; registration begins at 9:15 a.m.

• Lunch: Students should bring a packed lunch to each class.

• Meeting Locations: Varies for each program; check each class description for its meeting location at Merry Lea. Directions to each location can be found at the Merry Lea web site, www.goshen.edu/merrylea/about/directions.php

• Cost: $7.50 per student per session $25 maximum per family per session OR $40 per student for all six sessions if paid at the September class (save $5.00 for the series)

• Payment: Payment can be made in cash or by check written to Merry Lea.

• Registration: Please fill out the homeschool registration form (one per family) at the beginning of the 2011-2012 season or at the first session attended. You may also request that a copy of the form be emailed or snail mailed to you. In addition, please email or call Roberta Miller at the office at least one week in advance of each class session to confirm your attendance - ramiller@goshen.edu, 260-799-5869.

• Cancellation Policy and Procedures: We will make every effort to conduct homeschool classes as scheduled. However, sessions may be cancelled and rescheduled in situations where severe weather is predicted. In these cases, we will call and email all registered families as soon as the decision is made. If you have any questions about whether or not a session will take place, please feel free to call the office before leaving home.

Directions to Merry Lea

K-12 School Programs