Homeschool Community Engagement

For more than a decade, members of the Lemmon Lab have worked with local homeschool families through inquiry-driven science labs and field trips for students from preschool through high school. A core practice is weekly nature journaling. Students go outside to find the organism or object of the week, observe it closely, ask questions, draw it in detail, and look up its parts so they can label the anatomy. The habit builds attention to the natural world, sharper observation, and growing skill as illustrators. Undergraduate and graduate students from the lab help lead these activities. They learn to design educational materials and adapt their teaching to each child's age and background—a low-pressure way to strengthen oral communication and pedagogy. Homeschool students, in turn, work with young scientists who are eager to share their excitement about the natural world.