Zoo Miami and the Deering Estate at Cutler are collaborating to offer enhanced learning opportunities to homeschool parents and other parent educators in South Florida. Our “Eco-Academy” - an exciting 30 week science and environmental stewardship program - draws on the rich resources of Zoo Miami and the Deering Estate at Cutler. Our Eco-Academy for Parent Educators and Youth provides a rich, hands-on curriculum in the field of animal kingdom, animal adaptations, endangered species, marine biology, archaeology, and environmental sciences. The program’s main goal is to complement more formal educational programs (homeschool, public and private school curriculum) with the opportunity to apply Eco-Academy materials and lessons to real life situations.

All programs are correlated to the Florida Department of Education Standards. They engage participants in interactive, positive and balanced activities to foster understanding and appreciation, as we think critically about the world around us. Educational & Interpretative from both facilities provide parent educators with fossils, artifacts and tools, preserved specimens, photographs and simple laboratory experiments to help illustrate the key points of a specific topic. The program will accommodate up to 30 people per class, per site and will be offered once a week for 30 weeks during the academic year for 2 hours each session.

ECO-ACADEMY 2010 - 2011
For Parent Educators & Students