Home School Classes

If you have every wondered just how do you train a dolphin to jump through a hoop, a dog to sit, stay, lay down,  a crocodile to get into a crate, or a dragon (ok, a bearded dragon) to come when called, then this is the class for you!  Using a real live dragon (bearded), you will learn and see first hand how trainers use clickers, classical and operant conditioning, positive rewards, shaping and molding behaviors to get desired results.  You will discover why animals behave they way they do and why it is important to train them.  This class is so much fun you will jump on command and beg for more!

Do you love lizards?  Leap for joy about frogs?   Are you sentimental for snakes or sappy for salamanders?  If so, you might just be a budding herpetologist!  That’s just a big word basically saying that you like to study and learn about amphibians and reptiles.   That is totally cool because we do too.  During this class you will delve into the world of reptiles and amphibians with this hands-on herpetology adventure! Students will learn all about these scaly creatures, from a python's secret sense, to crocodilian eye shine, and even lizards that have been compared to... dogs? What?! But it's true--there is a lot more to these animals than meets the eye. You will learn about real-life herpetologists and see if YOU have what it takes to catch a gator, wrangle a 13-foot snake, or even test your own bite force against a croc!!

Maybe at some point you've found an abandoned baby bird...a opossum in your attic...or yikes a snake in the garage! What do you do...you call Rescue 911!!! When an animal is in distress it's up to experts to come to the rescue.  This class is all about Animal Rescue. Sometimes it's a box turtle but at times it can be a gigantic croc, or a half ton manatee. Each and every rescue requires different expertise. Participants in will learn all about why animals need rescuing- or even not! Meet and interact with some of Eco Adventures very own rescued animals, and learn about their amazing back stories. These amazing animal stories are living, breathing examples of many of the conservation issues in todays' world, from poaching to pollution, entanglement to irresponsible pet ownership, and much more! Students will get to participate in a “Mock Rescue” of a dolphin. It’s all hands-on as students learn how to make a difference with the power of knowledge...and Animal Rescue 911!

Have you ever wondered what it is like to take care of animals and to provide them with a level of care that meets all of their needs?  What are the specific needs of animals such as alligators, snakes, tarantulas, hedgehogs and more?  What does a vet tech for animals including exotic animals do exactly?  In this class you will learn about all of this and the specific needs of some of our very own animals at Eco Adventures.  Did you know that we need to trim very small nails on hedgehogs, scrub some slimy scales,  weigh our animals to ensure proper weight/health, feed nutritious diets,  bath for proper hygiene and to help with shedding reptiles ?  In this class we will meet some of our animals and learn about their specific needs and get hands on experience bathing one of our animals (it’s a secret , so you’ll have to come to find out who!)   We hope you are READY, and all SET, to VET in this exciting class!

Marine Bio 101!!!  The class that fills up faster than a shark sheds teeth!!  This wet and wild class allows students to dive deep into the ocean to explore the world of Marine Biology!  This class will be spent learning about the different worlds of marine biology, such as, creatures of the deep, marine mammals, boneless beasts (invertebrates), sharks, sharks, and more sharks.  Students will also learn what’s all the fuss about our very own Chesapeake Bay.   Students will get hands- on and up close with our many marine artifacts (identifying shark teeth, touching sea stars, coral, seahorses, horseshoe crabs and even a porcupine fish-sorry no touching this prickly fish- , mermaids purse, sea turtle carapaces, and much more.  Come make a big SPLASH in the world of the deep blue sea all while having fun learning about marine biology.

Ohhhh the number of times, we’ve heard someone say they want to be a zoo keeper someday is quite often. But do you know what it takes to be a zoo keeper?  Sure working with some pretty amazing animals is really awesome but those BIG , beautiful elephants, well… they have really BIG poo and guess who gets to clean it up?  That’s right YOU.  That is if you are a zookeeper.  Come to this class and learn all about what goes on behind scenes at the zoo.  From taking care animals in sickness and in health, cleaning out cages, feeding some interesting and many times smelly diets, training, providing enrichment activities, educating the public and much more.  By the end of this class, you can decide if being a zoo keeper is the right kind of job for you.