Backyard Naturalists
Homeschool Nature Study & Environmental Science
Backyard Naturalists is a 10-week outdoor homeschool program designed for curious kids who love nature, science, and hands-on learning.
Each week, learners will explore environmental science through guided outdoor investigations, nature journaling, simple data collection, hands-on activities, observation, and plenty of time spent exploring the natural world around them.
The goal is to help children build real naturalist skills while developing a deeper understanding of local ecosystems and the connections that make the natural world work.
While Nature on the Geaux is known for our live animal programs, Backyard Naturalists is not centered on animal ambassadors. Animal ambassadors may occasionally make a guest appearance when they naturally connect to what we're studying, but the focus of this program is nature study, ecology, conservation, and environmental science.
Our 10-Week Nature Study
Each week builds on the last as learners develop observation skills, investigate local ecosystems, and begin looking at the natural world through the eyes of a naturalist.
Week 1 — Becoming a Naturalist
Observation, Field Skills & Nature Journals
We'll kick off our session by learning what naturalists actually do! Learners will practice slowing down, looking closely, asking questions, and recording what they discover. We'll start our nature journals and establish a few places we'll return to throughout the session to watch for changes.
Week 2 — Biodiversity in Our Backyard
How Much Life Can We Find?
There's a lot more living around us than we realize. We'll explore biodiversity by searching for plants, insects, fungi, wildlife signs, and other organisms while learning why having many different kinds of living things matters to an ecosystem.
Week 3 — Insects & Pollinators
Small Creatures, Big Jobs
We'll take a closer look at the insects and other small creatures that keep ecosystems working. Learners will investigate pollination, search for insects and signs of insect activity, and explore the relationships between plants and pollinators.
Week 4 — Plants, Seeds & Survival
How Plants Make a Living
Plants can't walk away when conditions get tough, so they've developed some pretty amazing ways to survive. We'll investigate plant structures, adaptations, seed dispersal, and the important role native plants play in local ecosystems.
Week 5 — Soil & Decomposers
The World Beneath Our Feet
There's an entire ecosystem hiding underneath us! We'll investigate soil, leaf litter, decomposition, and the organisms responsible for recycling nutrients back into the environment.
An animal ambassador may even make a guest appearance if one fits naturally into our investigation.
Week 6 — Food Webs & Ecosystem Connections
Everything Is Connected
What happens when one piece of an ecosystem changes? We'll explore producers, consumers, decomposers, predators, prey, and the many connections that create a healthy ecosystem.
Week 7 — Weather & Microclimates
Is the Weather the Same Everywhere?
Learners will become field scientists as we observe and compare conditions in different areas. We'll investigate temperature, sunlight, shade, moisture, wind, and how small differences in the environment can affect the living things found there.
Week 8 — Water, Wetlands & Watersheds
Where Does the Water Go?
Water connects everything! We'll explore rainfall, runoff, watersheds, wetlands, and why water is especially important to the ecosystems of Louisiana.
Hands-on investigations may include observing runoff, comparing soil and water conditions, or exploring how wetlands help both wildlife and people.
Week 9 — Habitats & Human Impact
Sharing Space With the Wild
Wildlife needs food, water, shelter, and space—but people need places to live too. We'll investigate what makes a healthy habitat and explore some of the ways human activity can help or harm the ecosystems around us.
Learners will also think about ways we can make our own yards and neighborhoods better places for wildlife.
Week 10 — Stewardship & Naturalist Field Day
Putting It All Together
For our final week, we'll put our naturalist skills to work!
Learners will revisit some of the places and observations from earlier in the session, look for changes, complete a final nature investigation, and reflect on what they've discovered over the past 10 weeks.
We'll finish by talking about stewardship and the small things each of us can do to care for the natural world around us.
How We Learn
This isn't a sit-at-a-desk science class!
Each week may include a mix of:
Guided outdoor exploration and nature walks
Nature journaling and field observations
Hands-on science investigations
Simple data collection
Environmental science activities
STEM challenges
Seasonal nature studies
Group discussions and plenty of questions
Some investigations may continue across multiple weeks, giving our naturalists the opportunity to revisit habitats, notice seasonal changes, collect observations, and see how the environment changes throughout the session.
Designed for Homeschool Families
Backyard Naturalists is a multi-age homeschool experience for ages 5–12, making it easier for families with children of different ages to learn together.
Activities are layered so younger naturalists can participate through hands-on exploration, sensory observation, drawing, and simple investigations, while older learners can dig deeper through journaling, data collection, problem-solving, and environmental science concepts.
Siblings are welcome to attend together, with activities adapted so each child can participate and be challenged at an age-appropriate level.
Family Participation
Siblings may attend together.
Parents of younger children or children needing additional support are welcome to stay and assist their child as needed.
Older, independent learners may participate as drop-off students if they are comfortable participating independently and following class expectations.
The goal is to create a relaxed, welcoming learning environment where homeschool families can explore nature together without needing separate classes for every age group.
Nature Journals
Each learner will use a nature journal throughout the session to record observations, drawings, questions, weather notes, simple data, and favorite discoveries.
Rather than completing traditional worksheets each week, learners will use their journals much like naturalists do in the field—as a place to slow down, look a little closer, ask questions, and document what they discover.
Their journal is theirs to make their own. Perfect drawings and perfect spelling aren't the goal. Curiosity is.
Class Details
Ages: 5–12
Schedule: Tuesdays at 11:00 AM
Length: 90 minutes
Format: 10-week session
Class Size: Maximum of 10 learners
Tuition
First Child: $150
Each Sibling: $115
Tuition covers the full 10-week session and includes nature journals and class activity materials unless otherwise noted.
Dates for fall
September 15
September 22
September 29
October 6
October 13
October 20
October 27th
November 3rd
November 10th
November 17th
Location
Classes are primarily held outdoors at my home in Slidell.
Occasionally, we may meet at a nearby neighborhood park when a lesson is better suited for field exploration. Families will always be notified in advance if our meeting location changes.
What to Bring
Backyard Naturalists is an outdoor program, so learners should come ready to explore!
Please bring:
A reusable water bottle
Closed-toe shoes suitable for outdoor exploration
Comfortable clothing that can get a little dirty
Weather-appropriate layers when needed
A small backpack for personal belongings
Sunscreen and insect repellent should be applied before class.
Nature journals and class activity materials will be provided unless otherwise noted.
Weather
Spending time outside in different conditions is part of being a naturalist! We may still meet during light drizzle, cooler weather, or other mild conditions when it is safe and enjoyable to do so.
If severe weather, lightning, heavy rain, extreme heat, or other unsafe conditions require class to be canceled, families will be notified as early as possible.
Canceled classes will be rescheduled when possible or added to the end of the session so families can receive the full 10-week experience.
A Different Kind of Science Class
Backyard Naturalists is designed to feel less like sitting in a classroom and more like becoming a young field scientist.
We'll ask questions.
We'll look under things.
We'll get our hands a little dirty.
We'll notice things we've walked past a hundred times before.
And along the way, learners will discover that you don't have to travel somewhere far away to explore nature. There's an entire world waiting right outside our doors.
Explore. Notice. Question. Connect.
