Homeschool Workshops
Spring Semester 2021: February – May
10:30 am-12:00 pm
Ages 7 – 15
Price: $3 per student
Interested participants are required to register and pre-pay online or by calling 561-743-7123.
Space is limited to 15 students to accommodate safe social distancing requirements. These workshops are drop-off only, held in the River Center’s Chiki hut or classroom, with students working independently.
All students will be required to wear face coverings and undergo health screening prior to parent drop off.
Fish Morphology Lab
Friday, February 12, 2021 @ 10:30am-12pm
Ages: 7-10
Location: River Center
This fun and unique program provides a detailed look into the differences between fish species and adaptations found throughout nature that allows them to survive. Students get the opportunity to create their own fish using different art media to create different adaptations based on their ecosystems and specific habitats.
It’s Clear to Me! Testing Turbidity
Tuesday, February 16, 2021 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Ages: 11-15
Location: River Center
Erosion increases the amount of soil particles in water. Aquatic organisms are particularly susceptible to the effects of increased sediments and turbidity. Students will explore the effects of sediment on turbidity, compare the turbidity of muddy and clear water, stimulate environmental conditions that cause erosion, and investigate ways to reduce erosion that leads to turbidity in the waterways of the Loxahatchee River.
Reptiles of the Loxahatchee
Tuesday, March 23, 2021 @ 10:30am-12:00pm
Ages: 7-10
Location: River Center
Reptiles are considered eco-enrichers and play a significant role in the Loxahatchee River ecosystem. Reptiles such as alligators, freshwater turtles, and snakes have unique adaptations that allow them to thrive in our swamps and marshes. Students will get up close with some of the resident reptiles, learn about their distinctive characteristics, and discover what makes them unique.
Oyster Reef Ecology Lab
Friday, March 26, 2021 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Ages: 11-15
Location: River Center
This activity includes a habitat assessment using samples taken directly from the Loxahatchee River (oyster restoration bags). Macro and Microorganisms are discovered, identified, and classified using different scientific tools and equipment. Students are getting a firsthand look at the primary consumers of the food web in relation to fish nursery food supplies.
Pollinators in the Garden
Tuesday, April 13, 2021 @ 10:30am-12pm
Ages: 7-10
Location: River Center
Join the River Center as we celebrate the winged beauties of the garden, butterflies! Students will discover and learn all things butterflies such as life cycles, anatomy, and unique adaptations. They will also learn about rare and endangered butterflies, the species found in the River Center’s pollinator garden, and becoming design their own pollinator garden.
Natural Dilemma: What would you do?
Friday, April 30, 2021 @ 10:30am-12pm
Ages: 11-15
Location: River Center
This activity is designed to give students the opportunity to examine their own values and beliefs relating to wildlife and consider their personal code of ethics. They will listen to others and respect the rights of others to maintain different values and evaluate possible actions they might take that have an effect on wildlife and the environment. The major purpose of this workshop is to provide students with an opportunity to reach their own conclusions about what they think are the most responsible and appropriate actions to take in situations that affect wildlife and the environment.
What’s That, Habitat?
Friday, May 14, 2021 @ 10:30am-12pm
Ages: 7-10
Location: River Center
All animals: humans, pets, domesticated animals, and wildlife have similar basic needs. They will identify their own basic needs for food, water, shelter, and space in the proper arrangement. Together these resources make up an animal’s habitat. The main component of this activity is for students to differentiate between the essential requirements for survival verses nonessential resources that make our lives easier or more enjoyable. Students will sort out the essential components for survival.
Squid Dissection Lab
Tuesday, May 18, 2021 @ 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Ages: 11-15
Location: River Center
Squids are numerous in the sea, with more than 300 species alive today, and serve as food for many animals including the sperm whale, bony fishes, and human beings. Using proper dissection tools and techniques, students will perform a scientific dissection of a squid. Students will learn the classification of squid, their anatomy, unique characteristics, and adaptations.