These lessons are self-guided activities led by parent-teachers for students in home schools. The lesson objectives and content are identical to the school program lessons, but geared for smaller, multi-aged groups. Four school lessons are available to home school students: Classifying Shells, Identifying Minerals, Unearthing Egypt and Exploring Ecosystems. Program descriptions below.

Home school lesson logistics: Activities are available every Friday at 10:15 and 11:00 for families with fewer than 10 people. Reservations required. Call 202-633-1079 for details.

Your students will observe, handle, compare, and contrast dinosaur fossils, describe dinosaur characteristics, and predict why dinosaurs have different kinds of teeth and claws. Pair this program with a visit to the Dinosaur Hall

Your students will observe, draw, compare and contrast, and analyze animal coverings and to group animals based on their shared characteristics using objects from the Museum’s collections. Pair this program with a visit to the Hall of Mammals

Challenge your budding zoologists to develop their own small exhibit about shells! In the process, they will observe, describe, compare and contrast, and sort a variety of shells to sharpen their classification skills and strategies. Pair this program with a visit to the Ocean Hall

Students practice the skills of entymology (the study of insects) by searching for patterns in survival strategies of insects. By the end of the program, students will describe an appropriate environment for an insect that demonstrates attention to survival techniques such as camouflage, mimicry, biting and stinging, flying and defense. Pair this program with a visit to the Insect Zoo or Butterfly Pavilion

Students conduct a series of tests to explore the luster, streak, scratch, color, and magnetism of a variety of minerals. Then they collect data to identify a mystery mineral and justify their conclusions with evidence. Pair this program with a visit to Geology, Gems, and Minerals

Spark your students’ curiosity about the diversity of interactions that occur in the natural world. In this program, they will identify interactions of humans, plants, animals, and environmental/non-living factors from within an ecosystem (forest, river, or estuary) based on their needs for food, water, shelter and energy and discuss how living and non-living parts of an ecosystem depend on each other. Pair this program with the Hall of Mammals or Butterfly Pavilion

Engage students in solving the mystery of how – and by whom – different kinds of objects were used by ancient peoples. Using objects recovered from real archaeological digs, students will interpret why certain objects were found at the burial site of a pharaoh or queen, at the burial site of a common person, or both sites, and explain what this tells us about the objects and Ancient Egyptian society. Pair this program with a visit to Western Cultures

• Capacity: Minimum number of students required per class is 15. Maximum number of students is 30 per class; two back-to-back classes are available for a total of 60 students.
• Program Days: Classes are available on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings and begin promptly at 10:15.
• Program Length: Classes are 35-45 minutes depending on lesson and grade level.
• Chaperones Required: 1 chaperone per five students.
• Accommodations: We are able to accommodate most students with special needs. Please call for details: 202-633-1079.

Please call 202-633-1079 with additional questions about programs or logistics.