Homeschool Fridays

an adventure in learning

First Friday Schedule 26 - 27

First Fridays are a free learning experience for local learners, ages 6 – 13, who do not attend traditional schools. Lessons begin promptly at 10 a.m. and last 90 to 120 minutes. Activities are designed to be engaging, hands-dirty, and mostly outdoors, weather permitting. 

Registration for each program opens one month in advance. Participants can register by emailing Anvi at Anvi.Srivastava@ccwa.us. Please include the following information:

  1. Guardian’s name
  2. Children’s names and ages
  3. Any required accommodations (wheelchair accessibility, ASL interpreter, etc.)
  4. Program name
  5. Phone number
  6. Email

** If you do not receive an email back within two business days, please call. Emails often get caught in Outlook’s quarantine.

Two children talk to each other while holding turtles at the edge of a wetland.
Children look through the rails of a boardwalk and look into the water.

Fall Semester

September 4 – What is a Wetland?

What determines if an environment is a wetland, a forest, or any other type of ecosystem? Looking at the variety of plants and wildlife can help us find out what ecosystem we are exploring. Looking at the soil of an environment also gives us more information. In this lesson, we learn the three key components of a wetland and how to identify them! 🌊

(Registration opens August 7)

October 2 – Macro Mania 

Leaves, even after they’ve fallen from trees, are important to their environment as they become habitats for insects. In the water, many aquatic insects rely on leaves for different parts of their life cycles. Scientists survey different types of aquatic insects to determine water quality and stream health. Learn all about aquatic insects and water quality in this lesson and be a scientist yourself! 🍂

(Registration opens September 4)

November 13 – Birding Blitz (Note: This is the second Friday)

Wetlands and forests are important habitats for many different species of birds. Fall is also a crucial time for many birds to migrate for the upcoming winter. Learn what a bird is, how they survive in their environment, and how to identify common birds of Georgia. Then, join us on a birding trip to find as many native birds as possible. 🐦‍⬛

(Registration opens October 2)

December 4 – Fashion a Fish

Animals have all sorts of adaptations to survive in their environment. Scientists can learn all about these advantages just by their appearance such as how their fins, wings, claws, talons, or fur looks. In this lesson, we learn about adaptations, and build a fish based on their natural traits. Then, we will learn about what traits are needed for these fish and if they can survive in their habitat. 🐟

 (Registration opens November 13)

Spring Semester

February 5 – Riparian Reach

Riparian zones are habitats where land and water meet to create a unique environment. Wetlands have riparian zones and host many different wildlife. Together, we’ll discover why these habitats are important and what animals and plants live in them. Then, we’ll get to go outside and see them for ourselves along different creeks in our wetlands. 🦐

(Registration opens January 1)

March 5 – Life Cycle Craziness

Every living thing, or organism, on Earth has its own unique life cycle. Many can
hatch from an egg or emerge from their parent as a juvenile. Over their life,
they mature and grow. Sometimes they grow wings, change their colors, or
transform completely. Together, we’ll learn about different life cycles of
different types of organisms and see if we can guess what immature animal
belongs to its adult. We’ll also learn how these organisms reproduce. 🪺

(Registration opens February 5)

April 2 – Rambunctious Reptiles

Reptiles like snakes and turtles aren’t the most loved, but are crucial to the
environment, especially in wetlands. Learn what a reptile is, their common
traits, and then get to see turtles up close through our turtle catch and
release program! Get into the water with our traps to find turtles and then
release them back to their home. 🐢🐍 

(Registration opens March 5)

May 7 – Native Plants and Wildflowers 

Why are pollinators extremely important for plant reproduction? What makes a plant better suited for a specific region compared to others? How are insects and plants related to each other and how can they help each other reproduce? We explore all these questions and more, then go outside and see these answers in action.  🌻 

(Registration opens April 2)

A boy in a black baseball cap looks through binoculars.