Homeschool Day

Event Details

Connect with Texas nature, wildlife, and art at this special "Wild Texas" themed Homeschool Day! Explore regional geography, the life science of plants and animals, and how to explore nature as we feature our new special exhibition Art of Texas State Parks. This exhibition celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Texas State Park System through works of art that highlight the diversity of the landscape of Texas. Check back for updates on details, schedule, and class info.

Museum admission is free for homeschool families and RSVPs are not required. Discounted school group rates for films in the IMAX^® Theatre and Texas Spirit Theatre are available from 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.; film tickets may be purchased in advance online and at the Museum on Homeschool Day. Check in at the table in the Grand Lobby upon arrival. Information about directions and parking can be found here.

Attend scheduled activities and paid classes

• 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. Participate in a special paid class with Giddyup Art Studio's Juliet Whitsett and create an animal track pop art piece
• 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Participate in a special paid class with a Bullock Museum Educator and professional cartoonist and design your own Texas wildlife comic
• 12:30 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Join Ranger Arlyne from Texas Parks and Wildlife for a special presentation, “Skulls and Skins.” Learn about the diversity of mammals in Texas, and how their teeth, fur, and hair teach us about their lifestyles. Learn about what it is like to be a Park Ranger at Hill Country State Natural Area. 
• 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Join Austin Public Library in storytimes that include books, songs, dancing, and guitar music. Take home a free book and sign up for a library card at Austin Public Library's Bookmobile
• Buy tickets to see IMAX documentaries The Arctic: Our Last Great Wilderness, Dinosaurs of Antarctica, and Serengeti and tickets to the Texas Spirit Theater films Shipwrecked and Star of Destiny

Drop in anytime between 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. for activities, resources, and exhibitions

• Unlock your inner artist and collaborate on a community mural about the regions of Texas
• What walked here? See if you can guess the animal based on the features of its track markings
• Explore the structures and functions of different birds and their beaks, and test which beak works best to eat certain foods
• Learn about foraging edible plants that grow wild in Texas
• Try some hands-on activities and gather resources from community organizations like Girlstart and Texas Parks and Wildlife
• Explore Museum exhibitions with educational activity guides and hands-on Discovery Centers
• Pick up educator resources to supplement your at-home curriculum provided by the Bullock Museum and community partners

Available Classes

Hands-on classes taught by museum educators and partner organizations give your students an opportunity to spend more time exploring topics that relate to Texas nature, wildlife, and art.

By popular demand, reserve a seat in a class in advance for a small fee. Space is limited in each class and reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are required only for students, not for accompanying adults. All classes are $10 per student. On the morning of Homeschool Day, online class registration will close, but tickets can be purchased at the Museum while available. Class information and tickets below. 

Pop Art Animal Tracks (ages 6+):

10:30am–11:30am

Can you tell the difference between raccoon and skunk tracks? How about coyote vs dog tracks? Many of our iconic Texas wildlife species are hard to spot, some are great at camouflage while others are awake while we are asleep.  Knowing their tracks is one way we can learn who were sharing out Texas trails with!

In this class, we will spend some time learning the clues to some of Texas' most iconic species tracks, then learn an engaging art pop art technique to create art about these species!

Wildlife Comics (ages 6+):

11:30am–12:30pm

A rattlesnake and a roadrunner are having spaghetti together at a table in a crowded restaurant. What happens next? It's up to you! Many famous cartoonists have used wildlife to make their comics funny, engaging, or even educational. In that same tradition, we will design comics using Texas wildlife as characters. Maybe you want to make an educational comic about the Bat Bridge; maybe you want a silly one about a Texas Longhorn wanting to buy a hat. When it comes to making comics, the choice is yours! 

Appropriate for all ages (6+) and artistic abilities, this class introduces you to basic cartooning skills as you work to create a four-panel comic about your favorite Texas animal. 

​​Read the Bullock Museum’s refund policy.

School Programs are generously funded by Featured Sponsor The Marie M. and James H. Galloway Foundation and contributing sponsor The Honorable Kent R. Hance.

The Bullock Museum, a division of the Texas State Preservation Board, is funded by Museum members, donors, and patrons, the Texas State History Museum Foundation, and the State of Texas.