Mother with child pointing up to a tree

Trail Guide Training – 2023

12/21/2022 |

Would you like to learn more about the nature and history of the Heard?

Join us for the 2023 Trail Guide Training class series. You will get to learn aspects of all of our trails onsite. You’ll also learn to help guide school groups and more along Heard nature trails.

The classes will be on Fridays in February (February 3rd, 10th, 17th and 24th) from 9 AM to 3 PM in Laughlin Hall at the Heard. Participation in all 4 sessions is required. All guides must be registered volunteers at the Heard.

Participants must bring lunch and wear closed toe shoes and long pants. Pre-registration is required and spots are limited. Join us on this great adventure by signing up here.

Members-Only Winter Tree Walk

10/28/2022 |

Come and see the magic of the Heard’s bottomland forest without the camouflage of leaves during the Members-Only Winter Tree Walk. You’ll get to know the things we overlook the rest of the year. In the winter, when many plants have lost their leaves, it may seem impossible to identify plants; however, during this hike, you will learn about some of the ways you can identify plants without their foliage.

This program is an exclusive Heard Museum member benefit and is free for Heard Museum members. Spots are limited, and reservations are required.

group of children walking the Heard

Preschool Classes Begin (ages 3-4)

08/16/2022 |

Encourage your preschooler’s love of nature!

Preschoolers will have the opportunity to explore all that the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary has to offer. In each class, your child will be engaged in hands-on learning experiences that promote a connection to nature.

Preschool programs have been an integral part of the museum’s mission since 1974. This informal science program introduces your child to the natural world through nature walks and hands-on science activities that foster cooperation with others, language development, and creative play.

 

Preschool Nature Explorers is appropriate for 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds. We use the age of students on September 1 for placement for each academic year.

magic planet earth planet

Magic Planet Homeschool Mini Courses Begin

08/16/2022 |

Mini Courses

Topics – Fall 2022

Weather

October 6, 13 & 20

Weather affects everyone every day! To find out how, we’ll (1) explore the four ingredients of weather, (2) learn about seasonal weather patterns, and (3) swirl into winter weather.

 

Seasons

November 3, 10 & 17

North Texas experiences warmer months and cooler months – but why? This month, we’ll learn more about seasons by (1) exploring the rotation & revolution of the earth, (2) explaining the reason for our seasons (the earth’s tilt), and (3) figuring out why some leaves change color and fall to the ground.

 

Planets

December 1, 8 & 15

Planets often look to us like exceptionally bright stars. Which ones can we see during late fall and early winter? For the holiday season, we’ll journey through our solar system to visit (1) the sun, (2) the inner planets, and (3) the outer planets. As we focus on the planets, we’ll learn to find the ones which are visible without a telescope.

students gathered around the magic planet

Magic Planet Homeschool Classes Begin (ages 6-11)

08/16/2022 |

Magic Planet Homeschool classes will introduce your students to natural science in ways that are both familiar and not-so-familiar. Just like our Tuesday programs, Magic Planet Homeschool will take advantage of the learning opportunities provided by the Heard’s wildlife sanctuary. However, the Heard’s 4-ft interactive digital globe will put a different twist on the inside lesson portion of our class period!

Spots are limited and pre-registration is required. These classes are for children ages 6-11.

Children staring at a dinosaur that spits water

Homeschool Classes Begin (ages 12-13)

08/16/2022 |

This lab-based course will focus on using the scientific method to ask questions, form hypotheses, collect data in the field, and present our findings in charts and graphs. Spots are limited and pre-registration is required.

 

More Info

a group of students sitting on a dino

Homeschool Classes Begin (ages 5-11)

08/16/2022 |

Now is the time to encourage your child’s love of nature! In our natural science programs, kids will have the opportunity explore all that the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary has to offer. Students will experience learning through classroom activities, outdoor field investigations on our 289-acre wildlife sanctuary, laboratory science, small group activities and take-home study packets. Each course curriculum is developed by the Heard Museum’s education staff who strive to recognize and meet the needs of homeschool families. Spots are limited and pre-registration is required.

 

More info