On April 30th at 10 a.m., our Read and Explore program will meet outside at Heron Cove (weather permitting) to explore the hidden lives of bugs and insects.  Meeting weekly, this early STEM and literacy program engages young children with hands on exploration and learning opportunities.  

The transformative lives of frogs can teach us a lot about nature.  Together on April 23rd, we will learn about their life cycle, role in our local ecosystem, and why frogs are an important part of our environment.

On April 16th at 10 a.m. our Read and Explore program will learn all about turtles.  A turtle's unique features and characteristics make them an ideal reptile for young children to learn about.
Darwin the Russian tortoise will be on hand to help us watch a turtle in action and interact with the participants.  After the reading and learning some fun facts, we will head outside to visit the pond to see if we can observe turtles in their natural habitat.

This week at Read and Explore, we will meet in the fossil pit at the request of some of our regular participants.  This program appropriate for young children will include fossil basics, the geological timeline and of course time to dig for your own fossils. 
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​Please be sure to bring your own eye protection and digging tools.

The Vernal School is excited to unveil our new monthly nature photography contest. Starting April 1st, we encourage you to discover, capture and share the dynamic beauty of nature that is found in our own back yard. 
Each month we will announce a new topic.  The public will vote on Facebook and the winning photograph will be displayed at the Visitor Center of Montour Preserve.