DJ Angus - Research Vessel

It was perfect weather for a field trip on the water.

Through Grand Valley State University, school groups can book field trips on the DJ Angus research vessel. Once aboard, the kids learn how to test water samples in Spring Lake and Lake Michigan. While the boat is cruising, they learn how the water has changed over time, about invasive species, runoff zones and other issues effecting the water of the Great Lakes.

Hands on science rocks. This is a wonderful spring time/early summer field trip and kids learn so much participating in this activity.

USS Silversides - Submarine Tour

There are only 24 submarines operating as museums across the United States and we have one in Muskegon. The USS Silversides is an operational submarine that ran missions in the South Pacific during World War II.

 Do you see the basketball hoops without nets on the top of the sub? Those are not really basketball hoops at all, but locations men stood watch while the submarine was on the surface recharging its batteries. The red and white icons below the flag mark the number of sunk or damaged enemy vessels.

There we three primary reasons a submarine would end a mission: out of food, out of battery power, or out of torpedos.

Inside the submarine, the kids got to try out the births. Large groups can even spend the night on the submarine.

 Inside the mess officer's mess hall the kids learned food was stored in every nook and cranny of the submarine.

 The museum had several displays on World War II, including a display on Nazi book burning.

 An engaging movie brought life aboard a submarine closer to home.

Kids could see the controls aboard the submarine and try out a periscope inside the museum.

Did you know World War II soldiers going to war were given books to read? These specially printed books contained small font and were the perfect size for a pocket. Books solved a major issue of troops waiting to be deployed. - Boredom. Very few books were left behind once troops were sent into battle. 

Frosty Cove - Ice Cream Tour

Mackinac Island Fudge, Black Cherry, Peanut Butter Cup, Coffee, Strawberry or Chocolate... What's your favorite flavor? Our tour of the Frosty Cove Ice Cream Shop on Lakeshore Drive in Muskegon, was a great way to end the school year.

 The kids learned ice cream is stored at different temperatures depending on when it will be scooped.

They learned how soft serve machines turn a liquid mix to solid, frozen, delicious ice cream.

 How many homeschoolers can you fit in a freezer? Brrr...... It's cold in there.

 How could we tour an ice cream store without sampling the merchandise?

Once the ice cream was gone the kids had just as much fun playing tag on the hill as they did playing on the swing set.

 

Outdoor Discover Center

Can you see the frog? It was hiding in the water with lots of others in early May at the Outdoor Discovery Center in Holland, MI.

This was one of the very first Grand Haven Open Homeschool field trips. The Outdoor Discovery Center has a small wildlife museum and grounds with trails, a picnic and play area. Inside the kids who wanted to got to hold a snake. Best of all was the birds of prey exhibit. Most of the birds were injured or illegal pets and can no longer survive in the wild on their own. 

The nature center offers classes for homeschoolers. If you are interested, sign-up right away as the classes fill up fast. Please call the center for more information.