Monthly Home School Enrichment Lessons

Bring history and science to life, right here in Huntsville!

Home School Happenings Fall 2021 at Burritt on the Mountain

Burritt on the Mountain is excited to offer another great year of home school classes! Whether your student loves experiencing history, expressing themselves in art, or discovering more about the science around us, you can find an enriching opportunity here at our mountaintop campus. Each lesson includes an oral presentation, a hands-on learning experience, and a handout featuring information and follow-up activities related to that month’s topic. We are looking forward to a year of lessons that will give you a chance to explore life in our historic homes or the wonder of nature on our forest trails.

Our home school classes are open to children from kindergarten to 8th grade. This fall, we are offering Wednesday and Thursday morning classes that are geared for lower elementary students and Wednesday afternoon classes that are designed for upper elementary and middle school students. Morning classes run 9:30-11:00, and afternoon classes run 12:00-1:30. Exceptions may be made to these age designations so that siblings may attend class at the same time, so choose the class that best suits your family’s needs. If a class you’re interested in is already full, please send an email to alice.kirsch@huntsvilleal.gov to be placed on a waiting list.

Some classes fill up quickly, so sign your child up today! Students must be registered and paid at least one week in advance to ensure that ample supplies are available. The cost for each class is $15, or $12 for members. Due to limited space, parents who choose to attend with their child must register and pay also. Sorry, no younger siblings may attend with parents; we have found this can cause both space issues and distractions. Please note that during our winter hours (November-March) the gift shop is not open until 10:00, and our morning class will begin before the grounds and welcome center are open to the public.

Our COVID-19 protocols for attending homeschool classes at Burritt are: children must bring a mask that fits properly over their nose and mouth to class. We will be wearing masks when we are indoors and anytime that we do not think that we can ensure that social distancing can be maintained. The number of students in each class has been reduced so we can provide adequate spacing.

Registration for fall will open August 6, 2021. Registration for the spring semester will open in November, 2021.

Burritt reserves the right to cancel or combine classes that do not meet our minimum required enrollment.

Contact Alice Kirsch at alice.kirsch@huntsvilleal.gov or 256-512-0148 with any questions.

Register for Home School Classes HERE

Download the Fall 2021 Home School Happenings Guide

Home School Happenings Fall 2021 Classes and Schedule

September 8th & 9th: Egg-o-Naut Engineers will discover firsthand the importance of experimentation in flight and flight safety! Learn about the history of flight and some of the big developments we’ve made right here in Huntsville, then test out your powers of invention when you work to design the ideal vessel for your egg astronaut.

October 13th & 14th: Cotton was king in the South, where the economy was shaped by the production and sale of this critical crop. We’ll learn about cotton and its influence on the South. We will investigate how cotton grows, how it is harvested, and how it is used, both today and in the past.

November 17th & 18th: Dr. Burritt and his “Green” Home make our museum a fascinating institution here in Huntsville. Learn about the creative doctor who left us his house, take a closer look at the unique features and furnishings, and see if his innovations inspire any ideas of your own!

December 15th & 16th: Food Preparation and Preservation was a challenge that our ancestors met with gusto. Find out how food was preserved in a time before refrigeration. We’ll learn how both smoke and water can help us keep food fresh. Try your hand in one of our kitchens and help prepare a holiday treat!

Home School FAQs

Will I drop off my child or stay with them?
Most parents drop their students off for the hour and a half class. A small number of parents do choose to stay with their students. However, due to limited space parents who choose to attend with their child must register and pay also. Sorry, no younger siblings may attend with parents; we have found this can cause both space issues and distractions.

Is there a place I can wait during the class?
Burritt on the Mountain has a large green with a restroom and some picnic tables that you are welcome to use if you choose to stay onsite. We also have our trails which circle the mountain and take just over an hour to hike. You can also pay admission and have full access to our facilities, including our playground, historic park with barnyard and animals, and the Burritt Mansion and exhibits.

What if I am late picking up my child from class?
Plan to pick up your child when the class ends. If you are more than ten minutes late picking up your child you will incur a $10 fee. For every additional five minutes that you are late, there will be an additional $5 fee. If you incur a charge due to picking your child up late, the fee must be paid before your child is accepted for the next class. We accept cash, check, Visa and MasterCard. After the second infraction, your child will be unenrolled from our homeschool program, and no refunds will be given.

If you have an unexpected delay (traffic, etc.), please call 256-536-2882 and let us know.

I have both elementary and middle school students. Will they need two different classes?
We are happy to allow siblings to attend together. The class material is the same, just presented at slightly different levels, which can be tailored based on the ages we have enrolled. If you have multiple students, choose whichever class suits your schedule best. If you have any concerns, we would be happy to advise you about which session would be ideal.

Should we sign up for all the classes in that week?
Each month’s lesson is a single class session, offered at four different times. Unless you would like additional reinforcement of the lesson, please choose one class.

My students have some home-schooled friends who would like to attend. Can I sign them up?Only a parent or guardian may register a student for classes. If you are attending with another family, please make sure they are listed as one of your emergency contacts. We can only release children to and share registration information with the contacts listed on your registration form.

What if I need to cancel or change my enrollment?
Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to change or cancel a class reservation. We will do our best to fit you in to another class when space is available. We will issue a refund if the student withdraws at least one week before the class.

I have a large study group/co-op that would like to come for this month’s topic.
If you have a group of 12 or more who would like to attend, we would be happy to look into setting up an individual class for you. Please contact Alice Kirsch at 256-512-0148 or alice.kirsch@huntsvilleal.gov to discuss the details of the trip.