Homeschool Classes

Join us for our homeschool sessions in October, November, and December! Classes will be held on the second Wednesday of each month from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Each 2-hour session will focus on a different theme, and kids ages 6-11 get the opportunity to see animals up-close while learning all about them! Taught by Zoo educators, classes include hands-on activities, discussion, animal encounters and behind-the-scenes experiences. Each program includes progressive program topics focused on teaching students about animals and their interactions within their ecosystems.

Class Size and Safety Information:
Classes will be limited to two groups of eight participants, separated by age. Classes are held indoors, with certain activities and zoo walks held outdoors. All staff are required to wear face coverings at all times, and children will be encouraged to wear theirs at all times as well. While indoors, children will be seated at least 3 feet from each other. We encourage thorough hand-washing, and will provide opportunities to wash and sanitize hands throughout the duration of the program. Due to new COVID-19 regulations, we are not able to offer opportunities to touch ambassador animals we will be meeting.

Price:
$35 for non-members, $30 for members

October 13: Skeletons and Structures

Teeth, skulls and skeletons, oh my! In this class, we'll compare and contrast the wide variety of skeletal structures within the animal kingdom. Together, we will learn how different species are adapted to survive, whether they live in treetops, riverbeds, or anywhere in between!

November 10: Animal Behavior and Health

How can you give a lion a checkup? Why do we weigh a sloth’s leftovers? In this session, we'll answer these questions and more as we investigate animal behavior and its ties to animal health. We’ll learn how to be great trainers and animal-centered zookeepers!

December 8: Ancient Animals

Let’s take a trip back in time to meet some creatures of the past! We’ll explore their adaptations, similarities to modern animals, and how studying these prehistoric animals can teach us about the world around us.

Join us this fall for our homeschool sessions offered throughout October, November, and December to children ages 7-10! Each 3- or 4-week session focuses on a different theme, and kids get to see animals up-close while learning all about them! Taught by Zoo educators, classes include hands-on activities, discussion, animal encounters and behind-the-scenes experiences. Each program includes progressive program topics focused on teaching students about animals and their interactions within their ecosystems.

Class Size and Safety Information: Classes are limited to 12 participants and held indoors, with certain activities and zoo walks held outdoors. Staff are required to wear face coverings at all times, and children will be encouraged to wear theirs at all times as well. While indoors, children will be seated at least 3 feet from each other. We encourage thorough hand-washing, and we will provide opportunities to wash and sanitize hands throughout the duration of the program. Due to new COVID-19 regulations, we are not able to offer opportunities to touch ambassador animals we will be meeting.

October: Spooky-ology

October 6, 13, 20, and 27, 3:00-4:30 pm
Price: $130 for members, $145 for non-members

October 6: Super Songs and Creepy Calls
Have you ever heard the gibbon’s morning song? What about a jaguar chuffing (the equivalent to a domestic cat’s purr)? This week, we'll learn about sounds zoo animals make as they interact with the world around them!

October 13: Spooky Skeletons
Teeth, skulls and skeletons, oh my! In this class we will compare and contrast the wide variety of skeletal structures within the animal kingdom. Together, we'll find out how different species are adapted to survive, and whether they live in the treetops, riverbeds, or anywhere in between!

October 20: Prehistoric Pals of the Past
Sloths the size of elephants? Giant armadillos? During this class, we'll talk all about the colossal world of megafauna! We will learn about giant animals of the past, and what we can do to help protect the megafauna on Earth today!

October 27: Costumes, tricks, and treats
Trick or Treat! This week, we talk all about the ways animals disguise and protect themselves from predators as we cover the vast array of animal defenses.

November: Conservation Heroes

November 3, 10, and 17, 3:00-4:30 pm
Price: $100 for members, $110 for non-members

November 3: Ecotourism with Inaoyom Imong
Inaoyom Imong, Director of the Cross River Gorilla Landscape Project at the Wildlife Conservation Society in Nigeria, works to protect the Mbe Mountains and its wildlife. In this class, we'll learn about the protection of endangered species, community building, and ecotourism in a fragile environment.

November 10: Habitat Preservation with Marjory Douglas
Writer and conservationist Marjory Douglas helped to preserve and protect the Florida everglades. This week, we'll learn about the unique and delicate ecosystem of the everglades, the animals within it, and the impact that Marjory had on it.

November 17: Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation with Lek Chailert
For our last class in our Conservationist series, we focus on Lek Chailert, who has been dubbed ‘Thailand’s Elephant Whisperer,’ and who founded Elephant Nature Park, a rehabilitation center for elephants that can't be released into the wild. We'll discuss the impacts that logging, deforestation, and tourism have on animals, and what's being done to protect them.

December: Seasons at the Zoo

December 1, 8, and 15, 3:00-4:30 pm
Price: $100 for members, $110 for non-members

December 1: The Great Migration
Monarch butterflies, gray whales, and wildebeest all have something in common – epic migrations! During this class we'll focus on the great migrations across the globe, and the driving forces behind them.

December 8: Hibernation Stay-cation
Do you ever wish you could hit the snooze button all winter and wake up in the spring? We'll talk all about animals that do just that, and what they do to prepare for such a long slumber!

December 15: Braving the Cold
Have you ever wondered how flamingos stay outside all winter? Or how arctic foxes stay cool in the summer? This week, we'll wrap up our session by talking about the ways that animals native to places near and far handle our wacky New England weather.