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 of the beginning of the academic year 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.
Spring 2023: Earth & Planetary Science
Young scientists will explore some of the “ologies” that deal with earth and space including geology, climatology, vulcanology and cosmology. The hands-on activities,
games and experiments will involve your child directly in the learning process.
Spring 2023: 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 2023: 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.
Spring 2023: 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.
place holder
Member Rate: $210
Non-Member Rate: $230
Homeschool Covid Protocol Statement as of June 2022
At this time, assuming the rate of infection stays low, we are not anticipating requiring masks to be worn except when live animals are present (generally for about 10-15 minutes) or when the class is going through the Animal Encounter Trail.
However, if conditions change and any local, state, or federal mandates are implemented that would affect what we offer, we reserve the right to make any needed changes to our program offerings and/or class sizes.
What, if any, protocols we put in place will be sent to all registered families and posted on our website by the end of August.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this.
– Full refund minus $20 admin fee by January 3.
– No refunds after January 4.
January 10, 1-2pm
(New Students Only)
Tuesdays, 1 – 3pm
Week of January 17 to Week of April 11
Pre-registration is required for all participants.
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.
Spring 2023
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. Using the variety of outdoor environments at the Heard, we will explore topics such as wildlife surveys, oil spill cleanup, and water quality testing. Spots are limited and pre-registration is required.
Spring 2023
The spring semester of this lab-based course will focus on the animal kingdom, combined with building our science vocabulary from Greek and Latin roots, hiking, and keeping a nature journal. Students will observe live animals and specimens, use microscopes and lab tools, and discuss threats to animal habitats.
Students will be expected to:
Member Rate: $160
Non-Member Rate: $180
Homeschool Covid Protocol Statement as of June 2022
At this time, assuming the rate of infection stays low, we are not anticipating requiring masks to be worn except when live animals are present (generally for about 10-15 minutes) or when the class is going through the Animal Encounter Trail.
However, if conditions change and any local, state, or federal mandates are implemented that would affect what we offer, we reserve the right to make any needed changes to our program offerings and/or class sizes.
What, if any, protocols we put in place will be sent to all registered families and posted on our website by the end of August.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this.
– Full refund minus $20 admin fee by January 3.
– No refunds after January 4.
The course will meet 8 times per semester (about twice a month)
1 – 3pm
January 10, 1-2 p.m. (new students only)
Pre-registration is required for all participants.
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. 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 2023
How do humans on Earth know about objects in space? First, we used our eyes on the night sky. Then, we invented instruments to help us see further. Finally, we became able to send instruments, and even ourselves, into space. This Magic Planet class will use the Heard’s interactive globe and Augmented Reality (AR) to delve into the many ways humans have explored, and will continue to explore, nature outside of our atmosphere. We’ll also spend classtime exploring the sanctuary and comparing our natural world to worlds beyond our own.
Member Rate: $210
Non-Member Rate: $230
– Full refund minus $20 admin fee by January 3.
– No refunds after January 4.
Homeschool Covid Protocol Statement as of June 2022
At this time, assuming the rate of infection stays low, we are not anticipating requiring masks to be worn except when live animals are present (generally for about 10-15 minutes) or when the class is going through the Animal Encounter Trail.
However, if conditions change and any local, state, or federal mandates are implemented that would affect what we offer, we reserve the right to make any needed changes to our program offerings and/or class sizes.
What, if any, protocols we put in place will be sent to all registered families and posted on our website by the end of August.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this.
Thursdays, 1-3 p.m.
January 19 – April 13
Pre-registration is required for all participants.
We use the age of each student on September 1 for class placement for the entire academic year.
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.
Member Rate: $55 per course
Non-Member Rate: $60 per course
Full refund minus $20 admin fee by September 1
Homeschool Covid Protocol Statement as of June 2022
At this time, assuming the rate of infection stays low, we are not anticipating requiring masks to be worn except when live animals are present (generally for about 10-15 minutes) or when the class is going through the Animal Encounter Trail.
However, if conditions change and any local, state, or federal mandates are implemented that would affect what we offer, we reserve the right to make any needed changes to our program offerings and/or class sizes.
What, if any, protocols we put in place will be sent to all registered families and posted on our website by the end of August.
We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate this.
Thursdays, 9:30-11:30 a.m.
December Course: December 1, 8 & 15
Pre-registration is required for all participants.
We use the age of each student on September 1 for class placement for the entire academic year.
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