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Home
Our Team
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Donate
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OARS Homeschool STEM & Nature Collective

The Outdoor Arts & Recreation Society (OARS) is excited to announce the launch of the OARS Homeschool STEM & Nature Collective, a place-based learning community designed for homeschooling families seeking meaningful, hands-on educational experiences rooted in science, nature, creativity, and exploration. The OARS Homeschool STEM & Nature Collective is more than a class; it’s a community of families exploring, questioning, discovering, and learning together. Whether your child loves science, art, nature, engineering, wildlife, gardening, or simply being outdoors, we invite you to join us as we investigate the natural world and develop the skills of observation, critical thinking, creativity, and stewardship.

At OARS, we believe some of the most powerful learning happens when children are actively engaged with the world around them. Rather than learning science solely from textbooks, students investigate streams, forests, wildlife, weather, engineering challenges, ecosystems, agriculture, and environmental systems through direct observation, experimentation, project-based learning, and field experiences.

Our curriculum is designed for elementary and middle-grade learners and integrates:

  • Science and environmental literacy

  • Mathematics through real-world applications

  • Reading and writing through authentic scientific inquiry

  • Social studies through the study of human systems, stewardship, and community

  • Art, nature journaling, mapping, and design

The annual learning cycle follows the natural rhythms of Western New York and includes themes such as:

  • Place & Observation

  • Biodiversity & Ecology

  • Earth Systems

  • Forces, Motion & Energy

  • Engineering Design

  • Waves & Communication

  • Plants & Ecosystems

  • Agriculture & Sustainability

  • Community Stewardship

Learning Labs

Homeschool families are invited to join us for Learning Labs every Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

During Learning Labs, students may participate in:

  • Hands-on science investigations

  • Nature study and field journaling

  • Engineering and design challenges

  • Environmental education activities

  • STEM projects

  • Mapping and observation exercises

  • Collaborative learning experiences with other homeschool students

Each session is designed to complement, not replace, a family's existing homeschool curriculum. Families are welcome to participate in as many or as few Learning Labs as they wish.

Homeschool Groups Welcome

OARS warmly welcomes existing homeschool groups, co-ops, and learning communities to participate. We believe collaboration strengthens educational opportunities and helps build meaningful connections among families throughout our region. To help offset materials, supplies, and program costs, a small participation fee will be requested for students attending Learning Labs. Group rates and partnership opportunities may be available for established homeschool organizations

For more information about upcoming Learning Labs, schedules, and registration opportunities, please contact OARS via email: OARSCubaNY@gmail.com .

2026 - 2027 Schedule

July: Place, Observation & Scientific Inquiry

Driving Question:
How do scientists learn about a place?

Projects:

  • Field notebooks

  • Mapping

  • Observation journals

August: Biodiversity, Ecology & Seasonal Systems

Driving Question:
How do living things interact within ecosystems?

Projects:

  • Species inventories

  • Naturalist journals

  • Ecosystem studies

September: Earth Systems

Driving Question:
How do Earth's systems interact?

Projects:

  • Watershed maps

  • Weather studies

  • Earth systems models

October: Forces, Motion & Energy

Driving Question:
How do forces and energy create change?

Science:

  • Motion

  • Forces

  • Energy transfer

  • Heat

Projects:

  • Engineering investigations

  • Survival system design

  • Motion experiments

November: Engineering Design & Systems

Driving Question:
How do humans design solutions to problems?

Projects:

  • Design challenge

  • Engineering notebook

  • Testing & redesign

Winter Break: December–February

March: Waves, Light, Sound & Communication

Driving Question:
How do humans use waves to communicate and understand the world?

Projects:

  • Communication systems

  • Sound investigations

  • Light experiments

April: Plants & Ecosystems

Driving Question:
How do living systems grow and interact?

Projects:

  • Field guides

  • Ecosystem models

  • Growth studies

May: Agriculture & Sustainability

Driving Question:
How do humans create sustainable food systems?

Projects:

  • Garden design

  • Soil studies

  • Food system investigations

June: Stewardship, Community & Capstone

Driving Question:
How can we use science to improve our communities?

Projects:

  • Community action project

  • Final showcase

  • Portfolio presentation

Outdoor Arts & Recreation Society

4413 Hamilton Hill Road
Cuba, New York 14727

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