Home School Series

February 5 & March 5, Thursdays, 2-4 PM

Metea County Park is offering a home school science enrichment program for all school age students in three age groups. Participants in this project must pre-register and prepay by February 13 at 449-3777 or by emailing Karie Harding at kharding@allencountyparks.org (preferred method). We will not accept walk-ins.

The fee for this program is $10.00 per student, $4.00 per adult and includes both month’s sessions, all handouts and equipment. One parent/guardian per family is required to attend. Classes fill up quickly, so reserve your space.

**NOTE: YOUR SPACE WILL NOT BE RESERVED UNTIL YOU HAVE PAID.**

Classes begin promptly at 2:00 PM!

	Beginner (Grades 1-3)	Intermediate (Grades 4-6)	Advanced (Grades 7-12)
Session 1: February 5	Mammals Let’s find out all about those warm, furry residents of our parks and what makes them special. Maximum 15 participants – must be prepaid.	Dissection – Fish The participants in this study will learn about the internal and external anatomy of a perch. All equipment and materials provided EXCEPT gloves. Maximum 10 participants – must be prepaid.	Microscope Study The students will be learning how to use compound microscopes to see tiny things around them. Maximum 10 participants – must be prepaid.
Session 2: March 5	Amphibians They’re slimy, small and change a lot as they grow up. Explore the world of frogs, toads and salamanders.	Dissection – Frog The participants in this study will learn about the internal and external anatomy of a frog. All equipment and materials provided EXCEPT gloves.	Microscope Study Continuation of above-mentioned study.

Groundhog Day Celebration

February 2, Monday, 10 AM

As the weather continues cold, we all wonder when spring warmth will be arriving. One of our native animals has a reputation for being able to tell when – the groundhog. We are going to encourage him with a little celebration held in his honor.

Come to the Metea County Park Nature Center to learn about hibernation and the history of woodchuck weathermen, sing some Groundhog Day songs, and go out looking for our own Metea Park Marvin. Will he see his shadow, or will he be out cross-country skiing? Come and find out on Wednesday, February 2, 10 AM!

Call 449-3180 to reserve your space. $2.00 per person.

Salamander Research Presentation at Aboite Library

January 26, Monday, 7-8:30 PM, Aboite Library

Little River Wetland Project’s Leslie Hamilton and Allen County Parks’ Rachel Rossiter Smith will present the conclusion of 2008’s Salamander Research Project. We had a great time and got lots of information.

Come out to Aboite Library, 5630 Coventry Lane, Fort Wayne, in the large meeting room to see what these two research sites found out.

Cost is free, donations are welcomed. For more information, call the Little River Wetland Project at 260-478-2515.

Winter Trail Guide Training – Survival Skills

January 25, Sunday, 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Go through the Metea County Park nature preserve and learn different parts of winter survival, from fire-building to shelter making. During this program, a naturalist will point out different ways to use the resources around you to help survive in the wilderness during the winter.

This program is free to volunteers, call 449-3777 or email kharding@allencountyparks.org to sign up.

Take a Hike! Learning to Track Animals

January 17, Saturday, 11-12 AM

Ever wish you knew what animal was sniffing around your house during the night after seeing the tracks it left? Come out to Metea County Park for a hike with Rachel Rossiter Smith to learn more about animal tracks and behavior. Dress for the weather.

Cost is $2 per person, kids 6 and under are free. Please register at 260-449-3777

Wilderness Women: Natural Fibers and Knitting

January 17, Saturday, 3-5 PM

Wilderness Women is a program designed for women and young ladies from about 12 years and up to become more self sufficient in the outdoors and develop an environmental consciousness all while gaining skills and knowledge.

Time to bundle up against the cold! Come to Metea County Park to learn about natural fibers and the basics of knitting. Materials will be supplied, but if you have your own, feel free to bring them. We’ll also be having a light snack.

Cost is $5 per person. Please register at 260-449-3777. Minimum five registered to run the program.

TREADS - Winter Tree Identification

January 10, Saturday, 2:00 PM

Treads is a hiking program that will take the participant through the many different areas/programs at Metea County Park.

During this hike, naturalist Karie Divelbiss-Harding will give tips on how to identify trees when they don’t have leaves. We will hike through the nature preserve identifying as many trees as we can. You won’t look at a tree the same way after this interesting hike.

This program is suitable for beginners and recreational walkers. $2.00 per person. Please pre-register by January 12 by calling 449-3777 or emailing Karie Harding at kharding@allencountyparks.org. We must have a minimum of 5 participants for the program to run.