Home School
2012 Home School Classes
The Fort Worth Zoo offers classes for home-schooled children ages 6 through 12 one Tuesday a month through May. Classes, $20 each, are from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and include a snack, live animal presentation and admission for each student to the Zoo on class day. See below for class descriptions.
Children ages 6-8
Join us on a journey across continents this semester as we explore the animals and environments unique to each one!
March 27 – Pass through the prairies of North America on your way to a picturesque woodland habitat and discover the different places animals choose to sleep.
April 24 – Safari to Africa to see the inhabitants of grasslands and learn about what they prefer to eat for dinner.
May 22 – Explore Asia to spot jungle natives and the ways they utilize camouflage.
Children ages 9-12
Join us this semester as we explore different careers through zoo exploration!
March 27 – Discover who’s been here! Using tracks and animal signs, students will interpret and create stories through inference and discovery.
April 24 – Discover interesting names for animal babies and the unique ways animals raise their young.
May 22 – Learn about all the different responsibilities of a zookeeper and meet a Fort Worth Zoo zookeeper.
Home School Day: Thursday, March 1, 2012
Join us for Career Day at the Zoo! All home-schooled children, and their families, are invited to a fun-filled educational day in the wilds of the Zoo. This special day’s events and activities will explore the careers of zookeepers, veterinarians, nutritionists, education and animal outreach specialists. Keeper chats and interpretive areas tailor-made for home-schoolers will be available throughout the park. Enjoy asking Zoo staff your best animal questions around the Zoo’s world-class exhibits, and consider purchasing additional tickets to the Zoo’s Wild Wonders Live Animal Program or a Homeschool Day T-shirt.
Admission:
| Children 2 & under | free |
| Pre-K through 5th grade | $4.00 |
| 6th grade through college | $5.75 |
| Adults | $6.00 |
Please note: Zoo members do not need to purchase admission tickets, but will need to purchase T-shirts or tickets for animal programs.
Some hints for planning your day:
- Register early for the Wild Wonders animal program! This is a very popular event and space is extremely limited.The show will be held in our new Outdoor Learning Center, centrally located near the entrance to Texas Wild! Adults must attend with children and everyone attending must have a ticket.
- Keeper chats are scheduled repeatedly on opposite ends of the park at each time during the day. For instance, at 10:15, a chat may be at elephants AND mountain lion. The same chats may be held at 3:00. Take your time – if you miss the morning chat, catch the one in the afternoon! For pre-registered guests, we will send a schedule via email, and additional copies will be available at the front gate on Home School Day.
- Interpretive carts will be open at MOLA, Great Barrier Reef, elephants and in Texas Wild!. Make sure to stop by to see, hear, touch and learn!
Weekday Home School Volunteens
This program provides local home-schooled teens, ages 12-17, the opportunity to assist our Zoo Preschool teachers. They help set up, clean up and assist students with crafts and excursions into the Zoo. Volunteens come in once a week for half of the day, either from 8:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. or 12:45 to 4:15 p.m. The fall session runs from September to December and the spring session runs from January to May. Applications are completed online and interviews are scheduled after the final application date. After interviewing all applicants, the Education staff will make selections. Selected Volunteens are required to attend a mandatory orientation prior to the start of the semester.
Applications for the fall 2012 semester will be available in in May.
For more information, contact the Education Department:
Fort Worth Zoo
1989 Colonial Parkway
Fort Worth, TX 76110
phone: 817/759-7200
fax: 817/759-7201
email: education@fortworthzoo.org