HOMESCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES

GUIDED INVESTIGATIONS
Guided Investigations offer interactive and exciting discovery in a traditional classroom environment. 45 minutes. Limited to 35 students. $6 per student. During Guided Investigations, siblings not enrolled in the class are encouraged to explore the museum’s exhibitions with adult supervision.

FAMILY LEARNING LABS
Family Learning Labs feature hands-on, science discovery for families. Limited to 44 participants, including parents. 90 minutes. $12 per student, free for parents or guardians. Parent/guardian participation is required for Family Learning Labs.

Fees are refundable if you cancel with at least 10 business days’ notice. After that, fees are non-refundable. If unable to attend a session, please call (907) 929-9280 as soon as possible.

2011-12 HOMESCHOOL PROGRAM SCHEDULE

CAVE ART GUIDED INVESTIGATION (K-5)
10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21
Working with clays, chalks, and charcoals, students learn to interpret and draw cave art. They sharpen their observation skills through the powerful act of drawing and art prompts. Children and parents are encouraged to navigate the Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age exhibit afterward for self-guided exploration. Location: South Classroom

ICE AGE HUNTERS GUIDED INVESTIGATION (6-8)
Noon to 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21
Journey back to the Ice Age. Students design prehistoric tools, test hunting skills, and discover what it took to survive. Children and parents are encouraged to navigate the Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age exhibit afterward for self-guided exploration. Location: Reynolds Classroom
CANCELLED

WONDERS OF THE UNIVERSE AND GUIDED STAR SHOW FAMILY LEARNING LAB (K-8)
10:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Oct. 19
Students peer deep into space through the eyes of the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope and travel back billions of years in time to witness the birth of the universe. Following the show, a science educator leads students on a journey through the sky, discussing stars, visible planets, and constellations. Location: Thomas Planetarium

LIFE ON THE EDGE GUIDED INVESTIGATION (K-2)
10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16
Students learn about sea stars and other marine creatures in the museum’s marine life touch tanks. Through hands-on exploration, discover how the bodies of various marine invertebrates are made for living in diverse marine environments. Location: North Classroom

BRAIN SCAN GUIDED INVESTIGATION (3-5)
Noon to 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16
Children begin to develop an understanding of the complex anatomy of the brain. They dissect sheep brains to better appreciate dissection as a method to explore human anatomy. Students discover the difference between sheep and human brains, while learning how the brain controls the body’s systems. Location: North Classroom

LIFE IN ALASKA TOUR (K-2)
10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012
Students travel to the ancient past to learn how Alaska Native people built houses, made clothing, and hunted and gathered food without metal tools and electricity. This tour includes costume play and hands-on activities. Location: Alaska History Gallery
CANCELED

ALASKA NATIVE CULTURES TOUR (3-5)
Noon to 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012
Students learn about Alaska Native Cultures: Unangax, Athabascan, Inupiat, Yup’ik, and Tlingit. Students explore traditional Alaska Native housing, cultures, and lifestyles. Location: Smithsonian Arctic Studies Center and Alaska History Gallery
CANCELED

COLD HARD FACTS FAMILY LEARNING LAB (K-8)
10:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012
Students examine the phases of matter through the unique properties of dry ice and liquid nitrogen. Following classroom investigations, students visit the Thomas Planetarium to watch Ice Worlds, a film exploring the delicate balance between ice, water, and the existence of life on Earth. Location: North Classroom and Thomas Planetarium

VOYAGES OF DISCOVERY: ART OF THE NORTH TOUR (K-2)
10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Alaska is seen through the eyes of artists who have drawn and painted here since the time of early European explorers. Students explore their relationship to the North through discussion, writing, and drawing prompts. Location: Art of the North Gallery

INTO THE WILD: AN ADVENTURE INTO THE ART OF THE NORTH (3-5)
Noon to 12:45 p.m. Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Students explore early 20th century Alaska through a series of guided activities centered on the 1929 painting Mt. McKinley by Sydney Laurence. Prompted by questions, students examine the artistic process and the historical context of the painting through period photographs, using these character portraits to spark their imagination in a drawing and writing activity. Location: South Classroom and Art of the North Gallery

TAILS AND SCALES GUIDED INVESTIGATION (K-2)
10:30 to 11:15 a.m. Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Students discover characteristics that make reptiles unique and meet a bearded dragon, American alligator, and ball python. Location: North Classroom

ROCKS ROCK GUIDED INVESTIGATION (3-5)
Noon to 12:45 a.m. Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Using the rock cycle as a guide, students navigate a rock’s journey from formation to disintegration through the processes of weathering and erosion. Children gain an understanding of the various compositions of rocks and how they are affected by water, wind, and weather. Location: North Classroom
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Homeschool Registration Form
86k PDF

TO REGISTER
To schedule a homeschool program, call (907) 929-9280 or e-mail homeschool@anchoragemuseum.org.

FEES
Homeschool programs include museum general admission for registered students and for attending parent/caregiver. Premiere exhibit fees may apply.

CANCELATIONS
Fees are non-refundable. If unable to attend a session, please notify the Anchorage Museum Education Department immediately so other students can participate.