We can't wait to explore the Preserve with your student(s) in this drop-off after school club for Middle Schoolers! This is an exclusive opportunity to experience hands-on exploration, investigation and discovery in ways unavailable to those just visiting the Preserve. We'll provide tools and expertise to go deep into a variety of topics. We want to grow a love of nature in your student, and train young naturalists in a casual, fun-oriented environment. These classes are always joyful and filled with wonder!

Ideally, students will attend multiple Nature Discovery sessions. Since topics and meet up locations change, each time is new and they can build on what they know. It is also OK to jump in at any point!

REGISTRATION CLOSES AT MIDNIGHT THE TUESDAY BEFORE CLASS. This allows us time to plan. If you miss the deadline, you may email erin@conesteepreserve.org to determine if there is still space for your child. CLASS SHOWING FULL? We can start a wait list. Please let us know, and we'll do our best to accommodate!

Every parent must fill out this form for their child/children once each season of Nature Discovery prior to their first class.

WHO

6th-8th Graders

WHEN

1st and 3rd Thursdays, 4:00pm-5:30pm, September - November (we'll resume with a new season in February)

**NOTE** This is a change in the pattern of Thursdays we had last semester, but 1st and 3rd avoids both Fall Break for GCS and Thanksgiving. 

Phenology is the study of ALL the topics below are subject to change if something COOL and 

• Thursday, September 7 - Dip Net Delight - Our most popular activity to kick the season off right! Grab a dip net and see what you can catch and study as we study living things in the rivers, streams, and/or wetlands of Conestee Nature Preserve.
• Thursday, September 21 - Log Rolling by the Lake - We'll see what terrestrial animals we can find and catch for closer study, and also take a moment to explore animals we can observe at the lake. It's a beautiful area full of wildlife! Always a hit.
• Thursday, October 5 - Fall Migration Bird Watch - We'll go bird watching and seek out some of the fall migrants only hear for a brief time each year! We'll divide into two groups and see who can win "Fall Migration Bird Bingo". Maybe we'll even play a migration game to warm up!
• Thursday, October 19 - "Spot" a Salamander - Join us in Froggy Bottom where we'll hunt for the big, beautiful spotted salamanders that love to find their homes there. But that's not all that's happy in this low area near the Reedy River. What else might we spot? Maybe some red eft stage newts, ring neck or Dekay's brown snakes (some might say the BEST kind...they have mouths too tiny to bite you!), a variety of toads and frogs, and who knows what else! A great area for free exploration (wear boots!). 
• Thursday, November 2 - Explore Brushy Creek  - Middle School Nature Discovery Students are true experts on Conestee Nature Preserve. But can they really call themselves experts when they haven't yet explored all of our 640 acres? The Brushy Creek Tract of Conestee Nature Preserve is less visited, and therefore often it's easier to spot wildlife there, especially deer. We'll go learn about this beautiful and slightly different land, and the future plans CNP has for it! This is also "Election Day". The students will vote on what we'll do in our final session of the season.
• Thursday, November 16 - Student's Choice! - That's right. This week's theme will be decided by popular vote on Nov. 2!

COST

Individual sessions are $10 per student. If you try the first week and LOVE it, you can switch to a bundle. Ask us how! Last year, we had almost no individual participants and 12 regular attendees.

NEW Bundle options! Register for the whole semester (6 sessions) for $50.00 per student. 

WHERE

Meetup locations will change each session. Registered participants will be emailed on the Wednesday prior to the event to let you know where we are meeting. Please add erin@conesteepreserve.org to your contact list so that the event emails do not get lost in your spam folder.

WHAT TO BRING
Please bring a water bottle. Sunscreen and bug spray should be applied before class if needed. Club sessions are entirely outdoors, so dress for the weather. 

CANCELLATIONS

We will cancel if we have less than 4 participants, so encourage your friends to sign up with you! We will notify participants by noon the day of the class if we are cancelling due to weather. Cancellations by participants must be made 1 week prior to the event for a full refund, with the exception of cancellations due to illness. If the event is cancelled by CNP or due to illness, full refunds will be issued.