Each year, Merry Lea hosts programs for homeschooled students covering a range of natural history and environmental topics. During homeschool programs, students spend a significant portion of time outdoors to take advantage of Merry Lea’s wonderfully diverse landscapes. Students are grouped by age for trail explorations to provide age appropriate instruction.
Additionally, any of our standard field trips are available as a homeschool co-op program as well. Contact us for more information.
Merry Lea is hosting our annual series with 5 programs that cover a range of natural history and environmental topics on Merry Lea’s trails. To make it easier for families with students of multiple ages, these program times happen concurrently with each Junior IMN session (see below) being held at Merry Lea.
See below for more details and this school year’s 2021-2022 Homeschool Series program options.
2. Junior and Teen Indiana Master Naturalist | ages 9 – 17
Merry Lea is hosting a monthly 9-session series in collaboration with Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site that brings together natural resource specialists with young people to explore Indiana’s landscapes and wildlife, and promotes volunteer service.
See this webpage for more details and this school year’s Junior and Teen IMN sessions.
Examine leaves, seeds, buds and more as students hike among the trees, compare and contrast living tree examples, and participate in trail-based activities designed to spark curiosity and learning – all about trees!
Date: September 16
Location: Learning Center | 2388 S 500 W | Albion, IN 46701
Discover how animals and plants prepare for winter by observing evidence and using all 5 senses in the forests, meadows and wetlands at Merry Lea.
Date: October 7
Location: Learning Center
Descend into our gravel pit and hike along a glacier-made hill! Rock out about rocks and geology in this hands-on hike.
Date: November 4
Location: Glacial Retreat Center | 1799 S 650 W | Kimmell, IN 46760
Put on your grubby clothes and shoes and join us to explore firsthand what lives in the aquatic ecosystems of Merry Lea, including a vernal pond, wetland and lake.
Date: April 14
Location: Luckey’s Landing | 2300 S Stone St. | Albion, IN 46701
What makes a happy bug habitat? Explore homes for pollinators and other insects, with a focus on comparing woods with our very own sustainable farm! Practice using insect nets, jars and other collection techniques on our expedition to find insect life.
Date: May 5
Location: Farmstead | 2152 S 425 W | Albion, IN 46701
Ages & Times
Ages 6 – 8 | 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Older students may join our NEW Junior and Teen Indiana Master Naturalist program!
All homeschool series programs are happening concurrently with each Junior IMN session being held at Merry Lea (not at Gene Stratton-Porter State Historic Site).
Registration
Cost: $5.50/child for each program
Sign-ups: Students can register for one or all of the programs
Safety Guidelines
Merry Lea cares about the safety of our guests and staff. To protect our youngest learners, we ask all participants to join Merry Lea staff in following these policies:
Please note these policies are subject to change at any time.
All offerings are aligned to Indiana Academic Standards, and are designed to support your student’s academic and outdoor learning. Please review our Scheduling Policies page with any questions about scheduling a program, cancellation policies, program logistics and registration.
