Homeschool Day

Event Details

Explore the ocean at the Bullock Museum this winter as we feature the Sharks special exhibition and the Secrets of the Sea IMAX^® documentary. Join us in hands-on activities and special ocean-related classes that explore the ocean and the animals who call it home at this special Homeschool Day.

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. to 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. Directions and parking information can be found here.

Attend special hands-on activities between 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

• 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Learn about scrimshaw, the art of whale tooth and bone etching, with a whale expert and make your own whale-friendly scrimshaw.
• 11 a.m. & 12 p.m. Enjoy an ocean-themed story time with Austin Public Library.
• 11:30 a.m. Discover how our water practices in central Texas impact the ocean with a mermaid from the Mermaid Society of Texas.
• 12:30 p.m. Dive into the Gulf of Mexico and experience the animals that call it home up close with a virtual dive from the Texas State Aquarium.
• 1 p.m. Create pop art highlighting three state-threatened shark species native to the waters off the Texas coast.
• Watch IMAX documentaries. Tickets and info: Secrets of the Sea, Fungi: The Web of Life, Serengeti, and tickets to the Texas Spirit Theater films Great White Shark and Star of Destiny.

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

• Clean up an oil spill at an interactive, hands-on demonstration.
• Make your own sea jelly wind sock.
• Show off your shark knowledge with a shark jeopardy game.
• Dive into the world of natural selection and adaptation by designing your own camouflaged fish.
• Craft your own shark fin hat.
• Discover the warming properties of blubber and how animals stay warm in cold water.
• Track data on a map to trace migration patterns for humpback whales (for middle grades students).
• Explore the fascinating world of nature’s most fascinating and misunderstood animals in our new exhibition Sharks!
• 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 artists and historians give your students an opportunity to spend more time exploring topics that relate to sharks, the ocean, and how they impact our world.

Classes are $10 per student. Accompanying adults do not need tickets. Due to demand and class capacity reservations are recommended. 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.

All About Scrimshaw
(recommended ages: 6+)
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10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. What would you do for fun if you were at sea for months with no cell phone, books, or TV? Discover scrimshaw, one of America’s first popular art forms. Learn about the history of sailors using whale bones and teeth to make art. Then, make your own whale-friendly scrimshaw using everyday items! When registering, specify whether your student would be more comfortable using a bar of soap and duller tools or PVC pipe and more advanced tools.

Shark Pop Art
(recommended ages: 6+)
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1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Did you know Texas has three sharks on our threatened species list? It's true, the Shortfin Mako, Oceanic Whitefin Shark, and the Great Hammerhead are all on our list! In this class, we will spend some time learning about some of Texas’s protected species, then learn an engaging pop art technique to create a shark art piece to remember.

School Programs are generously funded by Featured sponsor The Marie M. and James H. Galloway Foundation, Supporting sponsor The Lange Family Foundation, and Contributing sponsors Bella and Chase Cooley, Dian Graves Owen Foundation, The Honorable Kent R. Hance, and Roger and Marianne Staubach.

Sharks is organized by the American Museum of Natural History, New York. The Museum gratefully acknowledges Warner Bros. Discovery for its generous support of Sharks. A selection of footage in SharksShark Week.

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.