Our Program

The Rooted Learning Program

Overview

At Shoreline Scholars, we provide a thoughtfully designed, holistic learning experience that supports both academic growth and whole-child development.

For enrolled families, all major academic subjects are covered and provided through engaging, thoughtfully created workbooks. The Rooted Learning Program runs Wednesday through Friday during both the Fall semester (August through December) and Spring semester (January through May). Families may enroll in a 1-day or 2-day weekly schedule, with Friday Nature Day available as an add-on.

Beyond the Rooted Learning Program, we offer elective courses open to any student — homeschool, private, or traditionally schooled — who meets the age requirements. These hands-on classes gather on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons, inviting young learners to explore specialized passions such as aviation, creative expression, STEM, and other enriching subjects. Offerings shift throughout the year, giving students fresh chances to develop new skills, follow their curiosity, and build meaningful friendships within a welcoming learning community.

The program is led by a team whose credentials include a doctorate-level Licensed Mental Health Counselor and 20 years of classroom teaching experience.

Based in Melbourne Beach, Florida, we welcome homeschool families from across the Space Coast — including Indialantic, Satellite Beach, Indian Harbour Beach, Melbourne, and the greater Brevard County area.

Shoreline Scholars weekly class schedule — Tuesday electives and tutoring plus Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday classes for the Young Explorers, Curious Learners, and Confident Leaders groups
Weekly Class Schedule

Curriculum and Academic Scope

The Rooted Learning Program delivers comprehensive academic instruction across all major subject areas. Students enrolled in the full weekly schedule receive instruction in the following disciplines:

Both Fall and Spring Semesters

August through May

  • English Literature
  • Art
  • Science (Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Environmental Science, Animal Science, Marine Biology, Plant Studies, and Oceanography)

Core science rotates by term: Chemistry (T1), Physics (T2), Biology (T3), Environmental Science (T4). Animal Science, Marine Biology, Plant Studies, and Oceanography are covered on Friday nature days throughout the year.

Required Books for English Literature

Term 1
  • Charlotte's Web by E.B. White
  • Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
Term 2
  • The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
  • Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard & Florence Atwater
Term 3
  • The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
  • Frindle by Andrew Clements
Term 4
  • Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
  • Matilda by Roald Dahl

Fall Semester (T1–T2)

August through December

  • Civics and Government Studies
  • Creative Writing
  • Critical Thinking

Spring Semester (T3–T4)

January through May

  • History
  • Geography
  • Eastern and Western Philosophy

Enriched, Real-World Learning

In addition to these foundational subjects, Shoreline Scholars offers enriched, real-world learning opportunities that extend beyond traditional academics. Students are exposed to and engaged in:

  • Daily Reading and Writing Concepts
  • Mathematics Integration
  • Entrepreneurship (Business/Economic Principles and Financial Literacy)
  • Horticulture
  • Carpentry

These areas are introduced in age-appropriate, hands-on ways that encourage critical thinking, creativity, and practical life skills. Students will have opportunities to participate in entrepreneurial events, designing and selling handmade products.

Instructional Delivery

Academic content is delivered through thoughtfully created workbooks and guided instruction. The program serves three age tiers with differentiated schedules: Young Explorers (ages 5–7) receive shorter 30-minute lesson blocks with more structured play and movement; Curious Learners (ages 8–10) and Confident Leaders (ages 11–13) engage in 45-minute instructional periods with self-directed project time and, for the oldest tier, applied math and entrepreneurship integration. All three tiers benefit from daily outdoor learning, including gardening, gentle exercise, and coastal exploration.

Program Schedule

Wednesday and Thursday: 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM
St. Sebastian by-the-Sea, 2010 Oak St, Melbourne Beach, FL

Friday (Nature Day): 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM
Paradise Beach (August and September, April and May) · Orlando Park (October through March)

Wednesday

Ages 5–13 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM

Core academics (English Literature, Art, and Science) with entrepreneurship and self-directed project time. Three age tiers run differentiated schedules: Young Explorers (5–7) focus on Math, Reading/Writing & Public Speaking, Science, and Art; Curious Learners (8–10) and Confident Leaders (11–13) follow the core academic rotation.

Thursday

Ages 5–13 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM

Humanities rotation: Civics/Government (T1–T2) → History (T3–T4), Critical Thinking (T1–T2) → Geography (T3–T4), Creative Writing (T1–T2) → Eastern & Western Philosophy (T3–T4). Confident Leaders close the day with Applied Math & Entrepreneurship; Young Explorers follow a parallel structure with the same enrichment integrated.

Friday — Nature Day

All Ages 5–13 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM

All ages come together for nature-focused science instruction. Ocean Lab (August–September, April–May) at Paradise Beach covers Oceanography and Marine Biology. Park Lab (October–March) at Orlando Park covers Animal Science and Plant Studies.

Detailed Daily Schedules

Wednesday — Young Explorers Ages 5–7 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
9:30 AMMorning meeting and check-in with advisor (10 min)
9:40 AMGentle mind and body exercises, guided play, gardening outside (20 min)
10:00 AMAcademic Lesson 1 (30 min) — Math
10:30 AMRest and play outside (30 min)
11:00 AMAcademic Lesson 2 (30 min) — Reading, Writing & Public Speaking
11:30 AMBoard games (15 min)
11:45 AMLunch and free play (45 min)
12:30 PMAcademic Lesson 3 (30 min) — Chemistry (T1) · Physics (T2) · Biology (T3) · Environmental Science (T4)
1:00 PMRest and play (20 min)
1:20 PMAcademic Lesson 4 (30 min) — Art
1:50 PMClean up and closing circle (10 min)
2:00 PMDismissal
Wednesday — Curious Learners Ages 8–10 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
9:30 AMMorning meeting and check-in with advisor (10 min)
9:40 AMGardening and gentle exercise outside (20 min)
10:00 AMAcademic Lesson 1 (45 min) — English Literature
10:45 AMRest (15 min)
11:00 AMAcademic Lesson 2 (45 min) — Chemistry (T1) · Physics (T2) · Biology (T3) · Environmental Science (T4)
11:45 AMLunch and free play (45 min)
12:30 PMAcademic Lesson 3 (45 min) — Art
1:15 PMAcademic Lesson 4 (45 min) — Entrepreneurship / self-projects with guidance / individual tutoring
2:00 PMDismissal
Wednesday — Confident Leaders Ages 11–13 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
9:30 AMMorning meeting and check-in with advisor (10 min)
9:40 AMGardening and gentle exercise outside (20 min)
10:00 AMAcademic Lesson 1 (45 min) — Chemistry (T1) · Physics (T2) · Biology (T3) · Environmental Science (T4)
10:45 AMRest (15 min)
11:00 AMAcademic Lesson 2 (45 min) — Art
11:45 AMLunch and free play, indoor or outdoor (45 min)
12:30 PMAcademic Lesson 3 (45 min) — Entrepreneurship / self-projects with guidance / individual tutoring
1:15 PMAcademic Lesson 4 (45 min) — English Literature
2:00 PMDismissal
Thursday — Young Explorers Ages 5–7 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
9:30 AMMorning meeting and check-in with advisor (10 min)
9:40 AMGentle mind and body exercises, guided play, gardening outside (20 min)
10:00 AMAcademic Lesson 1 (30 min) — Math
10:30 AMRest and play outside (30 min)
11:00 AMAcademic Lesson 2 (30 min) — Reading, Writing & Public Speaking
11:30 AMBoard games (15 min)
11:45 AMLunch and free play (45 min)
12:30 PMAcademic Lesson 3 (30 min) — Chemistry (T1) · Physics (T2) · Biology (T3) · Environmental Science (T4)
1:00 PMRest and play (20 min)
1:20 PMAcademic Lesson 4 (30 min) — Art
1:50 PMClean up and closing circle (10 min)
2:00 PMDismissal
Thursday — Curious Learners Ages 8–10 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
9:30 AMMorning meeting and check-in with advisor (10 min)
9:40 AMGardening and gentle exercise outside (30 min)
10:00 AMAcademic Lesson 1 (45 min) — Civics/Government Studies (T1–T2) · History (T3–T4)
10:45 AMRest (15 min)
11:00 AMAcademic Lesson 2 (45 min) — Critical Thinking (T1–T2) · Geography (T3–T4)
11:45 AMLunch and free play (45 min)
12:30 PMAcademic Lesson 3 (45 min) — Creative Writing (T1–T2) · Eastern & Western Philosophy (T3–T4)
1:15 PMAcademic Lesson 4 (45 min) — Entrepreneurship / self-projects with guidance / individual tutoring
2:00 PMDismissal
Thursday — Confident Leaders Ages 11–13 9:30 AM – 2:00 PM
9:30 AMMorning meeting and check-in with advisor (10 min)
9:40 AMGardening and gentle exercise outside (30 min)
10:00 AMAcademic Lesson 1 (45 min) — Critical Thinking (T1–T2) · Geography (T3–T4)
10:45 AMRest (15 min)
11:00 AMAcademic Lesson 2 (45 min) — Civics/Government Studies (T1–T2) · History (T3–T4)
11:45 AMLunch and free play (45 min)
12:30 PMAcademic Lesson 3 (45 min) — Creative Writing (T1–T2) · Eastern & Western Philosophy (T3–T4)
1:15 PMAcademic Lesson 4 (45 min) — Applied Math & Entrepreneurship: practical pre-algebra, geometry, financial literacy, and applied STEM for real-world experiences
2:00 PMDismissal
Friday — Ocean Lab — Paradise Beach All Ages 5–13 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM Aug–Sep, Apr–May

Drop-off is not available for Ocean Lab days.

Age groups swap subjects across the two academic lesson blocks: Young Explorers do Oceanography first, then Marine Biology; Curious Learners and Confident Leaders do Marine Biology first, then Oceanography.

9:30 AMExploration and supervised play (20 min)
9:50 AMMorning meeting (10 min)
10:00 AMAcademic Lesson 1 (30 min) — Marine Biology or Oceanography
10:30 AMSupervised play (15 min)
10:45 AMAcademic Lesson 2 (30 min) — Marine Biology or Oceanography
11:15 AMSupervised play (15 min)
11:30 AMArt (30 min)
12:00 PMDismissal
Friday — Park Lab — Orlando Park All Ages 5–13 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM Oct–Mar

Drop-off is optional for Park Lab days.

Age groups swap subjects across the two academic lesson blocks: Young Explorers do Plant Studies first, then Animal Science; Curious Learners and Confident Leaders do Animal Science first, then Plant Studies.

9:30 AMExploration and supervised play (20 min)
9:50 AMMorning meeting (10 min)
10:00 AMAcademic Lesson 1 (30 min) — Plant Studies or Animal Science
10:30 AMSupervised play (15 min)
10:45 AMAcademic Lesson 2 (30 min) — Plant Studies or Animal Science
11:15 AMSupervised play (15 min)
11:30 AMArt (30 min)
12:00 PMDismissal

Monthly Field Trips

From August through May, students participate in one field trip per month to locations across Brevard County. These excursions extend classroom learning into real-world settings. Field trip admission costs are separate from tuition; most destinations offer free admission.

August
Tour at Publix Indialantic 8/24 Mon at 10 AM
September
Sea Turtle Academy — Barrier Island Center 9/22 Tue at 10 AM
October
Zoo 10/5 Mon at 11 AM
October
Tour & Educational Classroom Seminar at EAA 724 10/10 Sat at 8:30 AM
November
Plant School 11/9 Mon at 10 AM
December
Rockledge Gardens TBD
January
Buddhist Temple — Wat Punyawanaram 1/10 Sun at 10 AM · Food market
February
Environmental Learning Center TBD
March
Happiness Horse Farm 3/1 Mon at 11 AM
April
Harris Establishment Farm TBD
May
Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science TBD

Clubs, Activities & Community

One of the things that makes the Rooted Learning Program so special is the community we build together. Learning doesn't stop when a lesson ends — our students build friendships, discover new interests, work together, and turn their own ideas into real experiences.

Our clubs and activities are student-centered and ever-changing. Rather than handing children a fixed list and expecting everyone to join in, we listen. Our students' interests, questions, needs, and ideas shape what happens within our community.

From an Idea to Reality

A child might say, "I think we should have a chess club." Another wants to open a trading post, learn to crochet, or start a podcast. Instead of simply saying "that sounds fun," we ask a better question: How can we make it happen?

This year, students have helped dream up, build, and run:

Chess Club Trading Post Student Podcast Pokémon Club Garden Lab Crochet Club Math Mystery & Escape Rooms Scavenger Hunts Sushi Roll-Making Pop-Ups Bead & Bracelet Making Creative Pop-Ups …and whatever our students dream up next

Some activities grow into ongoing clubs. Others live for an afternoon, a special project, or a few curious weeks — and that's exactly as it should be. There is room for this community to grow organically.

A Community Built Around Children

Our goal is not simply to offer more activities. It is to create a place where children feel they belong, contribute, and have a voice — where students collaborate across ages, share ideas, solve problems, take responsibility, and discover that their interests can become something meaningful.

A simple interest can become a project.
A project can become a club.
A club can become a community tradition.

That flexibility is an important part of the Rooted Learning model.

Learning Together Beyond the Classroom

Throughout the year, we also create ways for students and families to connect outside of regular class time:

  • Monthly family socials
  • Monthly field trips
  • Group activities and special events
  • Student-led projects and experiences
  • Pop-up activities born from student interests
  • Opportunities for families to participate and connect with one another

These experiences help students build relationships in every kind of setting — and give families a real place in the Shoreline Scholars community.

At Shoreline Scholars, community is not an extra — it is part of the learning. Children thrive when they have meaningful relationships, opportunities to contribute, and the freedom to follow their curiosity. The Rooted Learning Program gives students a place to learn, create, explore, lead, and grow — together.

Family Partnership and Homeschool Compliance

We believe that parents play a vital role in a child's education. Families are not only welcome, but encouraged to actively engage with their child's workbooks and daily learning experiences. Our program is designed to complement your home education, and parents are free to continue using any additional curriculum or educational approach that best fits their family's needs.

As a homeschool support program, Shoreline Scholars does not assign grades, administer standardized tests, or provide formal academic assessments. Families remain responsible for maintaining their homeschool status and ensuring compliance with all applicable state regulations and requirements.

While we do not evaluate students through traditional grading systems, our team is deeply committed to each child's growth. We are always available to support:

Our goal is to create a learning environment where children feel supported, capable, and inspired — academically, personally, and practically prepared for life.

Admissions Process

1

Submit an Inquiry

Complete our online interest form to tell us about your child and your family's educational goals.

2

Family Connection Call

We'll schedule a brief call to share more about Shoreline Scholars.

3

Meet and Greet

We'll set up a tour at our enrichment center or meet in nature — a chance for questions to ensure it is a mutual fit.

4

Enrollment Invitation

If aligned, families will receive an invitation to enroll along with program details and next steps.

5

Secure Your Spot

Submit enrollment forms and pay registration fee and tuition to reserve your child's place.

Be Part of the Journey

We're building something special in Indialantic. Whether you're a family looking to enroll, a community member who wants to volunteer, or a supporter who believes in our mission — we'd love to hear from you.

Donate

shorelinescholars@gmail.com

Shoreline Scholars is a nonprofit organization based in Melbourne Beach, Florida. We have applied for 501(c)(3) status; donations will be tax-deductible retroactively to our incorporation date upon approval.