Upcoming Events
Monthly Nature Lessons for Elementary Age Homeschool Students
Second* Tuesday of Every Month - September 2024 through May 2025
1:00pm to 3:00pm
The Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek will offer elementary age homeschool students a nature lesson each month. The two-hour program will run the second Tuesday of every month (with the exception of the September class), September 2024 – May 2025 from 1pm-3pm. Sessions will take place at the Outdoor Discovery Center, and include a fun and hands-on mix of nature lessons, crafts, games, hikes, experiments, and more.
Depending on the topic we will make use of our indoor and outdoor classrooms; our animal room which has an impressive display of mounted, taxidermized mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish; our lawn and trails.
Tentative Class Topics:
- December 10, 2024: Pines - Students will learn interesting facts about pine trees and the importance of forests. Learn about germination and compare and contrast a variety of beautiful and unique seed pods and pine cones. They’ll plant and take home their own pine tree seed. They can enjoy a small taste of the forest, by eating a pine nut, and they’ll create a treat for the birds. PA Master Naturalist Mindy McClister will be joining us and showing students the new fairy garden at the ODC.** Please be aware this program will involve tree nuts and peanuts.**We will once again be offering a morning (10am-12pm) and afternoon (1pm-3pm) session. Please indicate during registration which session you plan to attend.CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR ONE OF THE HOMESCHOOL NATURE LESSONS ABOUT PINES ON DECEMBER 10, 2024
- January 14, 2025: Cardinals
- February 11, 2025: Porcupines
- March 11, 2025: TBD
- April 8, 2025: TBD
- May 13, 2025: TBD
Each session is $10/child. Advanced registration is required so that we may plan accordingly. You may pay by cash or check (made payable to the Armstrong Center for Community Learning) the day of the class.
Class size is limited.
A special THANK YOU to the Grable Foundation for providing the funding to offer these homeschool nature lessons at the Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek!
If you have questions, please contact Rachel Filippini, ODC Program Coordinator at [email protected] or call 724-763-6316.
Yoga Class
January 4, 2025 (class will also take place on Jan. 11 and 18)
10am-11am
Donations appreciated
Let's resolve to love and nourish ourselves in 2025. This three class gentle yoga series offered by the ODC with LolaJ Yoga is the perfect way to start. Through foundational postures & mindful movement, it will create space for growth, resilience, & self-care. Let's begin this journey together and step into the new year feeling refreshed and empowered.
Bring a mat and water bottle. The classes are donation based and 100% of your donation benefits the ODC. A donation of $10/class is suggested.
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE YOGA CLASS ON JANUARY 4, 2025
Stump Stories - Children's Storytime (best suited for children 3-5 years old)
January 7, 2025
10am
FREE
Bring your little one out for Stump Stories the first Tuesday of the month. We’ll read a nature inspired children’s book, make a simple craft, and go on a short hike.
Registration requested to help us prepare any necessary supplies.
Armstrong Nature Book Club - Deeply Rooted
January 14, 2025
7pm
FREE!
Open to all, this monthly book club focuses on nature-themed books and is particularly suited for those with an avid interest and curiosity in nature-related topics, human interactions with nature, and how these concepts can personally relate to each individual reader. The book club will be facilitated by a member of the Pennsylvania Master Naturalist program.
Check back soon for more information about the book that will be discussed at the January 2025 meeting.
All meetings will be at the Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek, 142 Kerr Rd., Ford City, PA 16226.
Upcoming Armstrong Nature Book Club meetings and featured books:
February 11, 2025 - TBD
March 11, 2025 - TBD
April 8, 2025 - TBD
May 13, 2025 - TBD
Youth Water Quality Education & Engagement Projects for High School Students
Upcoming Engagement Projects will be announced soon!
FREE
Learn more about the Youth Water Quality Education and Engagement projects for high school and middle school students by visiting https://www.armstrongcenter.org/odc-events/youth-water-quality-education/. Here, you will learn about our water quality education and engagement projects, such as building and installing catfish spawning boxes, designing water quality games and activities for elementary students, tree planting for stream bank stabilization, touring an environmental laboratory, etc.
PA Master Naturalist Certification Training
Registrat
ion is closed for the Fall 2024 PA Master Naturalist training cohort. A cohort is held in each Fall at the Outdoor Discovery Center at Crooked Creek.
Do you enjoy learning about the natural world? Are you interested in sharing that knowledge with others? Would you like to know more about supporting natural resource conservation? Pennsylvania Master Naturalists are a dedicated group of people who share a passion for nature, getting outdoors and giving back. If you enjoy hiking, wildlife watching, being outdoors, and volunteering, you’ll love being a Master Naturalist.
Become a Master Naturalist by attending our 50-hour training course at the Outdoor Discovery Center. Classes will be held weekly on Thursday evenings from August 8 – October 24 with four field sessions on Saturdays (August 17, September 7 and 21, and October 5)
Click here to access the Fall 2024 schedule.
Visit the PA Master Naturalist Facebook page by clicking here.
You can also visit https://pamasternaturalist.org/become_a_master_naturalist/ for additional information about becoming a Master Naturalist.
Learn more about PA Master Naturalist training course application at https://bit.ly/PMNtraining.
For more information and registration details, contact Rachel Filippini, ODC program coordinator at [email protected].
