When hubby and I discussed the possibility that we might be moving out of Illinois to Texas, one of the first things I did was research homeschooling.  Illinois was (and still is) a very homeschool friendly state.  The last thing I wanted to do was move to a state that would be problematic for our homeschool family.

Fortunately, Texas is also a homeschool friendly state, but I’ve discovered that homeschooling is made easier living in Texas (specifically the DFW area).

The number of options for homeschoolers is almost overwhelming.  There are co-ops, groups, classes, field trips, etc. specifically for homeschoolers.

The girls and I recently took advantage of a class/field trip opportunity at Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center.    I recently learned about the center from another FB homeschool group and discovered they host a monthly homeschool day.  The cost is quite reasonable and it was only a 40 minute drive (would have been shorter without traffic).

In the morning, they taught the kids about adaptation, most specifically bird adaptation.

The kids were asked to identify bird feet and discuss why they might be shaped the way they are.

They were then presented with some bird wings and asked to identify the wings.  They discussed the shape and span of the wings and how the birds adapt to the environment they live in.

We also examined a couple of bird nests before moving on to meet two turtles – one a land turtle and the other a water turtle.  Again, we examined their feet and their bodies to learn more about how they have adapted to their environments.

Following the class on adaptation, the kids participated in a craft project, each creating their own bird to take home.

Then we were off on a hike to learn more.

Along the way we met a new friend.

We just stayed out of his way and he stayed out of ours.  Overall, a friendly meeting.

Along the way, we stopped and learned about some of the fungi growing on the downed trees.  We saw, what looked like a fox den.  Our hike also included a scavenger hunt for things like butterflies, snails, tree limbs shaped like the letter Y, pink or purple flowers, etc.

We hiked about a 1/2 mile up the canyon and this was our view.

Then we headed back down the canyon to have lunch.

The afternoon class was how to identify trees using a Dichotomous Key.  We broke up into small teams to identify marked trees around the center.

Like I said, Dogwood Canyon is just one of many homeschool opportunities around the DFW area.  Several libraries host different homeschool programs.  Local museums offer homeschool classes.  Some local amusement parks also offer homeschool specific events.  For a matter-of-fact, the girls and I plan to participate in a couple different ones next month.

Six Flags over Texas has a Homeschool Day coming up which includes a Math, Physics and/or Texas History workbooks.

Heritage Farmstead Museum has an upcoming Homeschool Day.

Making a major move can certainly be challenging, so I feel fortunate that we moved to an area which provides so many more homeschool opportunities than we had before.