Wolf Gap offers four types of homeschool programs:
Curiosity Club, a once-monthly program offering deeper dives on specific topics in history & science for K-8th (registration required)
Wild Wolves Play Day, a free once-weekly child-led homeschool meetup for all ages
Canebrake Wildschool, a once-weekly nature school with an emphasis on the arts, nature, and history for K-5 (registration required)
Homeschool archery classes with a NASP-certified instructor
Canebrake Wildschool is an all-weather nature school day where children and their caregivers share the joy of exploration in nature and curiosity about the past and present.
Each Canebrake day sets aside time for Arts in Nature, Living History, Natural Science, and Nature Journaling - along with plenty of active play. Canebrake kids should come ready for the weather, rain or shine, cold or heat, and be ready to get dirty or wet!
A day at Canebrake includes:
Arts in Nature - Creative projects related to, or using, nature items
Living History - Curious discovery of how history is alive all around us
Natural Sciences - Scientific inquiry of animals and plants
Nature Journaling - a Charlotte Mason style observation of nature
Canebrake is an all-weather program, and the caregiver is required to stay with the group. Bring a zero-waste lunch to enjoy as part of our day together.
Younger and older siblings are welcome, but some of our activities will require caregiver attention to the enrolled student. Canebrake programs are best suited for grades K-5.
Canebrake days are led by Wolf Gap staff and volunteers. All supplies are provided and each student will have a supply kit and personal nature journal to use throughout the term.
Families register for the entire term, not for single sessions.
STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT SESSION OF CANEBRAKE! Send us an interest email if you want to make sure you find out when we open Canebrake again for enrollment!
Wild Wolves Play Day is a child-led time for exploration, play, and projects. Wild Wolves may spend one day building shelters in the woods, another day creating art from found items, or another day tracking the birds they see and hear - it’s all driven by what catches their interest.
Wild Wolves meet on Wednesdays from 10am-12pm from February 4 - May 14 (no meetup March 18 for Spring Break). This is an all-weather program and is entirely outdoors. Bathrooms are available inside the Wolf Gap Education Center. No registration is required, and there is no cost to attend.
A Wolf Gap volunteer facilitates Wild Wolves Play Days. Caregivers are expected to stay with the group, while giving their children freedom of exploration. Children of all ages are welcome.
Curiosity Club is a once-monthly 90-minute enrichment program with an in-depth focus on a single topic from history, science, art, or nature for students in K-8th grade. Each session includes a lesson portion and a hands-on activity portion.
Curiosity Club meets on the 1st Friday of each month from 10am-11:30am.
Fall Term 2026:
Plant Identification, September 4
We are surrounded by green, leafy living things - but sometime we overlook how diverse they are! We will begin with an introduction to plant parts and leaf shapes, as well as how to use a dichotomous key to identify plants. Then we’ll explore Wolf Gap’s outdoor spaces as we tune in our eyes and brains to spot the differences between types of plants and leaf shapes. We’ll finish with a creative take-home activity using leaves and leaf shapes.
Nature Journaling, October 2
Nature journaling can combine science, mindfulness, art, adventure, and creativity. We will cover some of the basics of nature journaling, different approaches to what goes in your journal, and the tools that will make your work more fruitful. Then we get to the good part - putting our experience of Wolf Gap’s outside spaces onto paper in our own journals! Every student will get their own nature journal to use during class and take home with them.
The First Tennesseeans, November 6
A 2019 archeological study told us that about 7,000 years ago, humans spent time here at Wolf Gap - and left things behind! Join us to imagine what they saw, did, wore, ate, and made while they were here. We will introduce the cultures who spent time in the prehistoric Tennessee Valley, even prior to the formation of the named tribes (Cherokee, Chickasaw) that we may recognize today. Learners will also examine stone artifacts from Wolf Gap’s archeological collection.
Trail of Tears, December 4
Wolf Gap's site is less than half a mile from the Old Stage Road, which saw more than 1200 Cherokee pass in late 1838 on their forced march from Fort Payne, Alabama to Oklahoma as part of the Trail of Tears. We will introduce this history, then participate in an interactive group activity using primary sources to connect us to stories of the people affected by the Trail of Tears. Along the way, we will introduce and exercise ways to come to terms with challenging and problematic periods of American history such as this one.
Caregivers & younger siblings may stay with the student, or drop them off.
Registration is required. Registration closes one week before each scheduled program, or closes when the session meets its enrollment limit. Sessions are $15 each.
Register for 4 classes at one time and save $10 on your 4th class. This discount applies for families registering multiple children, or for families signing up for the full 4-session term.
CURIOSITY CLUB REGISTRATION
After we’ve received your registration, we will contact you with information about payment for the sessions you’ve registered for. We accept check, cash, or Paypal payments.
Curiosity Club is $15/session or $50/term (4 sessions) if you register one week before the term begins. Registration for individual classes closes one week prior to the class.