Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary in McKinney, Texas offers Natural Science Programs for children ages 3-13. Below, you will be able to find class offerings for three different age groups. Please use your child’s age as of September 1, 2019 for both academic semesters. Click the links below to access more detailed information about each program and registration. Pre-registration is required.
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.
5 year olds – Spring 2021: Which ‘Ology is Which? Earth & Planetary Science
Young scientists will explore some of the “ologies” that deal with earth and space including geology, climatology, vulcanology and planetology. The hands-on activities, games and experiments will involve your child directly in the learning process.
6-7 year olds – Spring 2021: Discover Your World: The Earth
What can clouds tell us about the weather? What’s inside the earth? How are rocks formed? Why does the moon change? These are just some of the questions that will be explored as we take a look at our planet—its insides and its surface, and its place in space.
8-9 year olds – Spring 2021: Explorers: Amazing Adaptations
Adaptations, what are they? What do they look like? What has them? Students will examine the adaptations of a variety of animals and plants from all over the globe. We will study organisms from the microscopic to the most unusual plant life.
10-11 year olds – Spring 2021: Earth Trek: Sharing the Planet
Find out more about how and where animals live on Earth. Students will investigate adaptations to habitats, weather, climate, and human encroachment, as well as effects of global climate change, pollution and natural disasters.
Our plan is to offer in-person classes with class sizes limited by the ability to maintain appropriate physical distancing in each classroom (max. 8 – 12 students per room). If for any reason we need to halt in-person classes, we will switch to an online format with prerecorded instruction and live class “chat” time.
Students and staff will be subject to a health screening each class meeting and are required to wear a mask while inside when appropriate physical distancing cannot be maintained and while in public areas in and near the museum buildings (ex. Animals of the World and Butterfly garden). Staff and students only will be allowed in class areas. Additional cleaning and disinfection will be utilized in the classrooms and frequently touched areas.
Member Rate: $210
Non-Member Rate: $230
5 year old Kindergarten class
Tuesdays, 9:30 – 11:30am
All other classes
Tuesdays, 1 – 3pm
Spring 2021
Week of Jan 19 though week of Apr 13
No class Spring Break week (March 8)
1. Complete a Registration Form
Please note registration is not complete until a registration form and payment have been completed and submitted for each participating child. An optional monthly payment plan is also available at this link. Please note fees apply.
The Heard’s weekly Homeschool Natural Science Program is appropriate for children ages 5-11. We use the age of each student on September 1 for class placement for the entire academic year.
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.
Using the variety of outdoor environments at the Heard, we will explore topics such as water quality testing, wildlife surveys, oil spill cleanup, and animal behavior studies.
Students will be expected to:
Our plan is to offer in-person classes with class sizes limited by the ability to maintain appropriate physical distancing in each classroom (max. 8 – 12 students per room). If for any reason we need to halt in-person classes, we will switch to an online format with prerecorded instruction and live class “chat” time.
Students and staff will be subject to a health screening each class meeting and are required to wear a mask while inside when appropriate physical distancing cannot be maintained and while in public areas in and near the museum buildings (ex. Animals of the World and Butterfly garden). Staff and students only will be allowed in class areas. Additional cleaning and disinfection will be utilized in the classrooms and frequently touched areas.
Member Rate: $160
Non-Member Rate: $180
Tuesdays / 2x month
1 – 3pm
Spring Dates:
Jan 19 & 26; Feb 9 & 16; Mar 2 & 23; Apr 6 & 13
Please note that the reciprocal admission agreement that the Heard has with Perot Museum, Fort Worth Museum of Nature & Science and ASTC Passport Program participants does not apply to education programs or special events.
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 and its animal ambassadors. 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.
Spring 2021: The Earth’s Insulation – What keeps the Earth (and us) cozy? Discover the Earth’s insulating layer as we use the Magic Planet’s new program, Eyes on the Earth* by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, to deepen our understanding of the atmosphere. Weather, the ocean, and even the satellites in the exosphere will be featured in our studies. And, of course, our nature walks will allow us to experience atmospheric conditions in real time.
Note: Due to COVID-19, we’ll minimize indoor time.
*Thank you to Tropical Smoothie Café for making this program possible!
Our plan is to offer in-person classes with class sizes limited by the ability to maintain appropriate physical distancing in each classroom (max. 8 – 12 students per room). Students and staff will be subject to a health screening each class meeting and are required to wear a mask while inside when appropriate physical distancing cannot be maintained and while in public areas in and near the museum buildings (ex. Animals of the World and Butterfly garden). Staff and students only will be allowed in class areas. Additional cleaning and disinfection will be utilized in the classrooms and frequently touched areas.
*Please note that the reciprocal admission agreement that the Heard has with Perot Museum, Fort Worth Museum of Nature & Science and ASTC Passport Program participants does not apply to education programs or special events.
Member Rate: $210
Non-Member Rate: $230
Please note registration is not complete until a registration form and payment have been completed and submitted for each participating child.
Fall 2020 classes start the week of September 22 and end the week of December 15. These classes are offered on Wednesdays from 1:00pm – 3:00pm or Thursdays from 9:30am – 11:30am.
There will be no class Thanksgiving week.
In light of COVID-19, we have reduced class sizes to help maintain appropriate physical distancing. To help accommodate everyone for the fall semester, we are offering classes on Wednesdays or Thursdays.
We use the age of each student on September 1 for class placement for the entire academic year.
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