Family Homeschool Experiences
The Arizona Game and Fish Department Homeschool Program is part of the Focus Wild Arizona wildlife education program. Our goal is to provide enriching field experiences for homeschool families that will immerse students of all ages in outdoor recreation and real science.
Past opportunities have included kayaking, bald eagle banding, bat viewing, elk collaring, digital photography, night herping, fishing, desert tortoise monitoring, and urban bird watching.
Beginning in 2014, we started to offer a monthly programs at the improved and expanded Hirsch Conservation Education Area located at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility. In addition to these regularly scheduled programs, we still offer unique "in the field" experiences around the state as they become available! As usual, all of these events are free to participate. We do ask, however, that adults attend the programs with their children.
You can see the list of 2015 programs below. We open registration each quarter for 3 programs. You can subscribe to our Homeschool email listserv below to get timely updates and information. We also provide updates at our Focus Wild Facebook page.
**Due to the popularity of these programs, we are making some changes to the registration process. In the past, programs filled up in under one minute. This makes it difficult for all of the people who want to participate. As a result, we will be implementing a lottery system. Registration for each program will open at the designated date and time. Registration will remain open for a 24 hour time period. After registration closes, a random drawing will be held to select the participants. Each family who registers will have an equal chance of being drawn. Only those that have been accepted and those who are placed on the waiting list will be contacted following the drawing.
All events with registration currently open are indicated by a highlighted link. Those that have been closed are indicated by RED ITALICS.
Monthly Events
Each month, we offer a program at the Hirsch Conservation Education Area located at the Ben Avery Shooting Facility in north Phoenix. Participant age levels may vary.
The 2015 schedule for these programs is below. Dates and topics are subject to change.
Registration is required to participate. Registration for new programs opens on a quarterly basis. Registration will only be open for 24 hours. Yes, a separate registration is required for each program.
- Thursday, July 23 – Exploring Predator/Prey Relationships through Owl Pellets – All Ages (REGISTRATION CLOSED)
- Wednesday, August 12 – Mammals of Arizona – All Ages (REGISTRATION CLOSED)
- Friday, September 4 – Scavengers of the Sky – All Ages (REGISTRATION CLOSED)
- Thursday, October 15 – Basic Digital Photography – Ages 10+ (REGISTRATION OPENS IN SEPTEMBER)
- Wednesday, November 18 – Introduction to Geocaching and the Science of GPS – All Ages (REGISTRATION OPENS IN SEPTEMBER)
- Thursday, December 10 – Field Notes and Nature Journals – All Ages (REGISTRATION OPENS IN SEPTEMBER)
