Wood Lake Nature Center provides fun and educational programs for homeschoolers grades K through 12. There are three main programs designed to grow with your child as they get older. The elementary aged program, Science Explorers, introduces students to science in a fun and experiential way. The Junior Scientist Program, designed for middle schoolers, uses the scientific knowledge learned in the Science Explorers program to perform field research at Wood Lake. Minnesota's Biome Exploration is designed for high school aged students. It takes the knowledge learned in Science Explorers and the skills learned in the Junior Scientist Program and focuses on Minnesota's four biomes to prepare highschoolers for college science classes. Homeschool Co-ops, associations, groups, and individual families are welcome! For more information check out the programs below or call Wood Lake's Homeschool Coordinator at 612-861-9193.

Science Explorers- This program is designed for elementary aged children 5 and up. Science Explorers is a fun and exciting introduction to science, natural history, and cultural history. Classes are once a month and follow a five year rotation. While the format of the class will depend on the topic, you can expect most classes to have a lesson, a game that ties into the lesson, and a craft related to the lesson. Classes are designed to be an active learning experience and the majority of the time is spent outdoors. For information on how to sign up for this class, the topics taught, and other specifics, please click here.
If your child is younger than five, Wood Lake offers a preschool program, Nature's Adventures, designed specifically for your child's age. Please call 612-861-9365 for more information.

Junior Scientist Program- Wood Lake Nature Center's Junior Scientist Program is designed for middle-school aged homeschoolers. This program builds upon the knowledge learned in the Science Explorers program to perform real hands on research. The program provides hands on projects related to citizen science, resource conservation, and cool projects that a field scientist would experience. Students work on a team with other homeschoolers and are the driving force behind the program. This isn't a class, it's an experience! For information on topics covered and how to sign up please click here.

Junior Scientist Leaders- Wood Lake's Junior Scientist Leaders is for high school aged students ages 14. The Junior Scientist Leaders assist in leading the Junior Scientist Program. Each leader will be in charge of a team of 6 students under the supervision of the homeschool coordinator. Leaders gain in depth knowledge of research techniques, receive experience interviewing for a job, and get their resume critiqued. They also gain invaluable leadership experience on the resume. Most importantly, however, they get to have fun! For more information on this program please click here.

Minnesota Biomes Exploration- Wood Lake's newest program, it is designed for highschoolers ages 15 and up. This program will focus on one of Minnesota's four biomes each year. It is designed to be an introduction to ecology that will prepare high-school students for the terminology and labs they will experience in college. Student's will learn how to read and write scientific papers, they will learn about Minnesota's biomes, and will learn research techniques that they would perform in a college science lab. The class will culminate with a camping trip to a state park in the biome being studied. More information will be available soon!

Other options- Is there some other way Wood Lake can meet your homeschooling needs? Please call the homeschool coordinator at 612-861-9193 to see how Wood Lake can assist you.