ST. LUCIE CO., Fla. — Local scientists and environmental educators are collaborating to bring a unique learning experience to area homeschool students. Seven agencies and organizations will host a weekly immersion series known as the Homeschool Hopper: Starting a Riverlution. This interactive series will focus on watersheds, aquatic habitats and human impacts to water quality. The weekly hands-on sessions include biodiversity studies, investigations into microplastics, water quality testing, propagating living shorelines and more.
The sessions will take place on Fridays from 10 a.m. to noon, starting Jan. 18 and running through March 1. Each week, students will visit a different venue, learning from a diverse group of scientists and educators. Appropriate for ages 10-14, the cost for the seven-part series is $45 per student; $40 for each additional sibling. For more information, or to register, please contact the Oxbow Eco-Center at 772-785-5833 or oxbow@stlucieco.org.
The Homeschool Hopper program began in 2014. Designed to teach a comprehensive Science unit through immersion and hands-on experiential learning, it has been a popular opportunity for area homeschool families. This 2019 series, Starting a Riverlution, is sure to exceed expectations with a record seven participating organizations, including: the Oxbow Eco-Center, Smithsonian Marine Station, Heathcote Botanical Gardens, Savannas Preserve State Park, Manatee Center Observation & Education Center, and our two new partners, Indian River Lagoon Aquatic Preserves and Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA).
“The Homeschool Hopper is one of my favorite projects each year,” said Wren Underwood, senior environmental educator at the Oxbow Eco-Center. “Instead of a one-time visit for participants, this program allows students to gain a deeper, more meaningful understanding of the topic at hand. In this case, that topic is water and why our area is suffering from algal blooms and fish kills. It’s a timely and important topic.”
Homeschool families interested in understanding current threats to our aquatic ecosystems, and working toward solutions should contact the Oxbow Eco-Center to get involved.
–Oxbow Eco-Center
via St. Lucie County, Florida
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