Fun & Learning: School Programs

Bring Your School to the Aquarium

Hook your students with our fun programs at the Downtown Aquarium. We are excited to offer your students the following classroom program topics to help support the TEKS in your classroom. These programs are 30-45 minutes long. Book your school trip today – call 713-315-5112 or email [email protected].

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Classroom Programs

Note:

The Education Team at the Downtown Aquarium has teamed up with OCEARCH to create TEKS-aligned, STEM based lesson plans for grades K-12. Learn about sharks through fun activities and experiments while using the Global Shark Tracker to learn alongside some of the field’s brightest scientists. This curriculum is available for free download at www.ocearch.org/education.

Move & Groove! - Preschool

Our youngest animal lovers will learn how animals move around their habitats; such as fish, snakes, and birds. This fun program includes songs, dance, and even live animals!
Science TEKS: 2A, 2B, 10A, 10B
Music TEKS: 2A
Theater TEKS: 1C, 1D, 2B, 2D

Spectacular Story Time – Preschool

Relax and enjoy an animal-related story read by one of our animated Educators. Program includes a craft and live animal encounter!

Something's Fishy – Grades K-2

Mouth here, eyes there, fins, fins everywhere! In this program, students differentiate between living and non-living things, learn the basic anatomy of a fish, play fun games, and more!
Language Arts TEKS: Grade K – 1F
Science TEKS: Grade K – 2A, 2B, 9A, 9B, 10B; Grade 1 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 9A, 9B, 10A; Grade 2 – 1A, 2A, 9A, 9C, 10A

Coral Communities – Grades 1-6

Coral reefs are one of the most diverse habitats on the planet! In this program, students learn all about coral and the amazing sea creatures that rely on it for survival.
Science TEKS: Grade 1 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 9B, 9C, 10A; Grade 2 – 1A, 2A, 4D, 9A, 9C, 10A; Grade 3 – 1A, 9A, 10A; Grade 4 – 1A, 9A, 9B, 10A; Grade 5 – 1A, 9A, 9B, 9C, 10A

Rockin' the Rainforest – Grades 1-6

The Downtown Aquarium is home to more than just fish! We have an entire exhibit dedicated to rainforests. Students learn all about the layers of a rainforest, meet some of the animals that live there, and discover their unique adaptations.
Social Studies TEKS: Grade 1 – 6A; Grade 2 – 6A; Grade 3 – 4A
Science TEKS: Grade 1 – 1A, 1C, 2A, 6C, 10A; Grade 2 – 1A, 1C, 2A, 2E, 2F, 3A, 9A, 9B, 10A; Grade 3 – 1A, 1B, 9A, 9B, 10A; Grade 4 – 1A, 2A, 9A, 10A; Grade 5 – 1A, 1B, 9A, 9C, 10A; Grade 6 – 1A, 1B, 2A, 12E, 12F

Crazy About Carnivores – Grades 1-6

Sink your teeth into this program about the Downtown Aquarium’s carnivore collection! Students learn the characteristics that differentiate carnivores from other types of animals and come face-to-face with real live carnivores!
Science TEKS: Grade 1 – 1A, 2A, 9C, 10A; Grade 2 – 1A, 2A, 2E, 2F, 3A, 9A, 10A; Grade 3 – 1A, 2A, 10A; Grade 4 – 1A, 9A, 10A; Grade 5 – 1A, 9A, 10A; Grade 6 – 1A, 2A, 2D, 12E

African Animals – Grades 1-6

Our knowledgeable educators will be your safari guides and teach you all about African animals and habitats. This program includes fun games and live animal encounters!
Social Studies TEKS: Grade 1 – 6A; Grade 2 – 6A; Grade 3 – 4A
Science TEKS: Grade 1 – 1A, 2A, 10A; Grade 2 – 1A, 2A, 2E, 2F, 9A, 9B, 10A; Grade 3 – 1A, 9A, 9C, 10A; Grade 4 – 1A, 10A; Grade 5 – 1A, 9A, 10A; Grade 6 – 1A, 2A, 12E, 12F

Radical Reptiles – Grades 1-6

There are more than 10,000 species of reptiles in the world and scientists discover almost 100 more every year! Reptiles are found in rainforests, deserts, and even your own backyard. In this program, students learn about the different types of reptiles and meet live reptiles up close!
Science TEKS: Grade 1 – 1A, 2A, 10A; Grade 2 – 1A, 2A, 2F, 9A, 9B, 10A; Grade 3 – 1A, 9A, 10A; Grade 4 – 1A, 10A; Grade 5 – 1A, 9A, 10A; Grade 6 – 1A, 2A, 12E

If the Beak Fits – Grades 1-6

Not all beaks are the same, just like not all birds are the same! Students learn how different species of birds use their beaks for survival with a hands-on experiment.
Science TEKS: Grade 1 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 2E, 4A, 10A; Grade 2 – 1A, 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 4A, 9A, 10A; Grade 3 – 1A, 2A, 2F, 4A, 10A, 10B; Grade 4 – 1A, 2A, 2F, 3A, 4A, 10A, 10B; Grade 5 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 2F, 9A, 10A, 10B; Grade 6 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 2E, 4A, 4B, 12E

Stupendous Sharks – Grades 1-6

There are around 440 known species of sharks; each with amazing adaptations for survival in the ocean. In this program, students learn all about the natural history of sharks, their adaptations, threats to wild sharks, and how we can save them.
Science TEKS: Grade 1: 1C, 2A, 10A; Grade 2: 2A, 2F, 9A, 9B, 10A; Grade 3: 9A, 9B, 10A; Grade 4: 10A; Grade 5: 9A, 9C, 10A; Grade 6: 1B, 2A, 12E

If the Beak Fits – Grades 1-6

Not all beaks are the same; just like not all birds are the same! In this program, students learn how different species of birds use their beaks for survival with a hands-on experiment.
Science TEKS: Grade 1: 1A, 2A, 2B, 2E, 4A, 10A; Grade 2: 1A, 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 4A, 9A, 10A; Grade 3: 1A, 2A, 2F, 4A, 10A, 10B; Grade 4: 1A, 2A, 2F, 3A, 4A, 10A, 10B; Grade 5: 2B, 2C, 2D, 2F, 9A, 10A, 10B; Grade 6: 1A, 2A, 2B, 2E, 4A, 12E

NEW! Web of Life – Grades 1-6

In this program, students learn all about food webs and how energy flows through an ecosystem from producers to consumers to decomposers. Students will work together to create a model of a rainforest food web so they can see how all life is connected.
Science TEKS: Grade 1: 2A, 3A, 6A, 9C; Grade 2: 2A, 3B, 9C; Grade 3: 2A, 2C, 2D, 2F, 3A, 9B, 9C; Grade 4: 2A, 2C, 2D, 2F, 9A, 9B; Grade 5: 2C, 2F, 2G, 9B, 9C; Grade 6: 2A, 2B, 2E

NEW! Creatures of the Night – Grades 1-6

Are you a night owl or an early bird? Did you know animals also have preferences for when they are awake? In this program, students learn the differences between diurnal, crepuscular, and nocturnal animals and study the adaptations of nocturnal critters. Includes a live animal encounter!
Science TEKS: Grade 1 – 2A, 6A, 9C, 10A; Grade 2 – 2A, 9A, 9B, 9C, 10A; Grade 3 – 2A, 2C, 3A, 9A, 10A; Grade 4 – 2A, 2C, 10A; Grade 5 – 2C, 2G, 8C, 9A, 10A; Grade 6 – 2A, 12E

Training 101 – Grades 1-12

Animal training plays an important role in the care of the animals that call the Downtown Aquarium home. In this program, students learn the basics of animal training, learn why it’s important, play games, and see real animal training in action!

Squidy Anatomy – Grades 1-12

There are roughly 300 species of squid in the world – the largest weighing up to 1,000 pounds! In this program, students learn all about squid and their amazing adaptations with a hands-on dissection led by our knowledgeable Educators.
Science TEKS: Grade 1 – 1A, 2A, 10A; Grade 2 – 1A, 2A, 10A; Grade 3 – 1A, 2A, 4B, 10A; Grade 4 – 1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 4B, 10A; Grade 5 – 1A, 2B, 3A, 4A, 4B, 10A; Grade 6 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 3A, 4A, 4B; Grade 7 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 3A, 4A, 4B, 12A, 13A; Grade 8 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 2E, 3A, 4A
Aquatic Science TEKS: HS – 1A, 2E, 2G, 3A, 10A
Biology TEKS: HS – 1A, 2E, 3A

Where'd You Get Those Genes? – Grades 6-8

Genes – the building blocks of life. Discover how these tiny molecules can have such a huge impact on living organisms of all shapes and sizes. Experience hands-on how small changes here and there can affect an organism's ability to survive.
Science TEKS: Grade 6 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2E, 3A, 3B, 12A; Grade 7 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2E, 3A, 3B, 11B, 11C, 14A, 14B, 14C; Grade 8 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 2C, 2E, 3A, 3B

Physics of Flight – Grades 6-8

Fascinated by flying birds? Learn how birds fly by doing experiments and meet some of our flying feathered friends.
Science TEKS: Grade 6 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 2E, 4A, 8B; Grade 7 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 2E, 4A, 7C, 12A; Grade 8 – 1A, 2A, 2B, 2E, 4A, 6A

Fishy Anatomy – Grades 6-8

Designed for older science students, this dissection teaches lab safety, dissection terminology, and both external and internal anatomy features of fish. Students will learn how different fins help fish swim, how fish ‘breathe’ underwater, and how to tell males from females!
Science TEKS: Grade 6 – 1A, 2C, 4A, 4B; Grade 7 – 1A, 2A, 2C, 4A, 4B, 12A; Grade 8 – 1A, 2A, 2C, 4A, 4B

Life in the Gulf of Mexico – Grades 6-8

The Gulf of Mexico has a variety of habitats, from shallow coastal areas and coral reefs to deep underwater areas that are home to incredibly diverse species of animals. In this program, students play a life-size board game that takes them on a journey to learn all about life in the Gulf of Mexico.
Science TEKS: Grade 6 – 1A, 1B, 3A, 3B, 12E, 12F; Grade 7 – 1A, 1B, 2A, 3A, 3B, 5C, 10A, 10B; Grade 8 – 1A, 1B, 2A, 3A, 3B, 11A, 11B, 11D

View information about our other programs that may be a good fit for your class:

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Outreach Programs

Classroom Programs

No busses, not enough chaperones? No problem, we'll come to you! Downtown Aquarium will provide lessons covering ocean, aquatic and other wild topics in your classroom. We provide the materials and the animal experts, you provide the students. Note: Some classroom programs involve live animals so anything – including lots of fun – can happen! Book your Outreach Program today! 713-315-5112

Built for Survival Bird Show

If your students love wildlife, then they will love our Built for Survival Animal Show! This 30-minute auditorium–style presentation features five of our Ambassador Animals – animals who help us teach about wildlife, habitats, and conservation. Students will learn about animal adaptations and how they help animals survive in the wild!