Homeschool Explorations
Explore nature, science, engineering, the arts, and architecture at Taliesin West! Each lesson focuses on a new concept, and every activity takes inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright’s work, the Sonoran Desert, and our wonderful World Heritage Site, Taliesin West.
Registration fees are per student. Each class will be taught outside in a partially shaded area. We recommend dressing for the weather.
All classes meet at the ticket kiosk. A parent/guardian must accompany each student. Students and their families must stay with their Museum Educator during the lesson.
A tour of the historic area of Taliesin West is not included in this program. To purchase tour tickets, please go to our visitors page.
Questions? Email education@franklloydwright.org
October 10 and 12, 2023
Organic Architecture 101 (recommended for students ages 6-8)
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs were all based on the principles of organic architecture. What is that? During this lesson, students will explore this architectural philosophy and learn how the natural world helped inspire some of the world’s most beautiful buildings.
-
Date: Tuesday, October 10, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Organic Architecture 101 (recommended for students ages 9-11)
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs were all based on the principles of organic architecture. What is that? During this lesson, students will explore this architectural philosophy and learn how the natural world helped inspire some of the world’s most beautiful buildings.
-
Date: Thursday, October 12, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
October 24 and 26, 2023
Textiles at Taliesin West: Weaving (recommended for students ages 6-8)
-
At Taliesin West, there is a long history of weaving and textile arts. In this lesson, students will engage with this tradition, learn about the history of weaving, and create their own woven art piece.
-
Date: Tuesday, October 24, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Textiles at Taliesin West: Weaving (recommended for students ages 9-11)
-
At Taliesin West, there is a long history of weaving and textile arts. In this lesson, students will engage with this tradition, learn about the history of weaving, and create their own woven art piece.
-
Date: Thursday, October 26, 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
November 14 and 16, 2023
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Furniture (recommended for students ages 6-8)
-
Students will learn that Frank Lloyd Wright designed unique pieces of furniture to bring the interiors of his buildings to life. They will then design their own furniture pieces and create a model to demonstrate their ideas.
-
Date: Tuesday, November 14, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Furniture (recommended for students ages 9-11)
-
Students will learn that Frank Lloyd Wright designed unique pieces of furniture to bring the interiors of his buildings to life. They will then design their own furniture pieces and create a model to demonstrate their ideas.
-
Date: Thursday, November 16, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
November 28 and 30, 2023
Building with Balance: Cantilevers (recommended for students ages 6-8)
-
Students will learn about how architects use cantilevers to lift their buildings into the air, soaring over rivers and ravines. They will then explore concepts of balance and use their new knowledge to build unique balancing sculptures.
-
Date: Tuesday, November 28, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Building with Balance: Cantilevers (recommended for students ages 9-11)
-
Students will learn about how architects use cantilevers to lift their buildings into the air, soaring over rivers and ravines. They will then explore concepts of balance and use their new knowledge to build unique balancing sculptures.
-
Date: Thursday, November 30, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
December 12 and 14, 2023
Holiday Treasure Boxes (recommended for students ages 6-8)
-
When Frank Lloyd Wright lived at Taliesin West with his students, they would create special gift boxes for him at Christmas. These gift boxes were often elaborately painted and hid special artworks or poems inside. In this tradition, students will create their own winter holiday boxes that can hide small notes and treasures.
-
Date: Tuesday, December 12, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Holiday Treasure Boxes (recommended for students ages 9-11)
-
When Frank Lloyd Wright lived at Taliesin West with his students, they would create special gift boxes for him at Christmas. These gift boxes were often elaborately painted and hid special artworks or poems inside. In this tradition, students will create their own winter holiday boxes that can hide small notes and treasures.
-
Date: Thursday, December 14, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
January 16 and 18, 2024
Saguaro Skyscrapers: Wright’s Towers (recommended for ages 6-8)
-
In this lesson, students will learn about Wright’s mile-high skyscraper proposal featuring a structural element he called “the taproot.” They will also examine the internal structure of the skyscrapers of the desert, the Saguaro cactus, and utilize their new knowledge to build their own towers.
-
Date: Tuesday, January 16, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Saguaro Skyscrapers: Wright’s Towers (recommended for ages 9-11)
-
In this lesson, students will learn about Wright’s mile-high skyscraper proposal featuring a structural element he called “the taproot.” They will also examine the internal structure of the skyscrapers of the desert, the Saguaro cactus, and utilize their new knowledge to build their own towers.
-
Date: Thursday, January 18, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
January 23 and 25, 2024
Japanese Block Printing (recommended for ages 6-8)
-
Frank Lloyd Wright was greatly inspired by Japanese woodblock prints and he collected them throughout his life. In this lesson, students will learn about the history of woodblock printing, Japanese art, and poetry, and make a woodblock inspired craft.
-
Date: Tuesday, January 23, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Japanese Block Printing (recommended for ages 9-11)
-
Frank Lloyd Wright was greatly inspired by Japanese woodblock prints and he collected them throughout his life. In this lesson, students will learn about the history of woodblock printing, Japanese art, and poetry, and make a woodblock inspired craft.
-
Date: Thursday, January 25, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
February 6 and 8, 2024
Urban Planning for Kids (recommended for ages 6-8)
-
What would a city designed by kids look like? In this lesson, students will learn about Frank Lloyd Wright’s Broadacre city design and the fundamentals of urban planning. Then, they will be challenged to design their own kid-friendly city.
-
Date: Tuesday, February 6, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Urban Planning for Kids (recommended for ages 9-11)
-
What would a city designed by kids look like? In this lesson, students will learn about Frank Lloyd Wright’s Broadacre city design and the fundamentals of urban planning. Then, they will be challenged to design their own kid-friendly city.
-
Date: Thursday, February 8, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
February 20 and 22, 2024
Painting in the Desert (recommended for ages 6-8)
- Both Frank Lloyd Wright and painter Georgia O’Keeffe were heavily inspired by desert landscapes. In honor of the special exhibition currently on view at Taliesin West, this lesson will highlight outdoor painting, or “plein-air” practice. Students will learn about O’Keeffe’s legacy and create their own painting inspired by the desert.
-
Date: Tuesday, February 20, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Painting in the Desert (recommended for ages 9-11)
- Both Frank Lloyd Wright and painter Georgia O’Keeffe were heavily inspired by desert landscapes. In honor of the special exhibition currently on view at Taliesin West, this lesson will highlight outdoor painting, or “plein-air” practice. Students will learn about O’Keeffe’s legacy and create their own painting inspired by the desert.
-
Date: Thursday, February 22, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
March 5 and 7, 2024
Engineering Power: Windmills (recommended for ages 6-8)
-
On Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wisconsin farm there stands a beautiful windmill that he built for his aunts. In this lesson, students will learn about different types of energy, wind resistance, and the history of wind power. Then, just like Wright, they will build a windmill that is both functional and beautiful.
-
Date: Tuesday, March 5, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Engineering Power: Windmills (recommended for ages 9-11)
-
On Frank Lloyd Wright’s Wisconsin farm there stands a beautiful windmill that he built for his aunts. In this lesson, students will learn about different types of energy, wind resistance, and the history of wind power. Then, just like Wright, they will build a windmill that is both functional and beautiful.
-
Date: Thursday, March 7, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
March 19 and 21, 2024
Why are Blueprints Blue? (recommended for ages 6-8)
-
Students will learn about the photographic invention used to create blueprints, called the cyanotype process. In this lesson, students will learn about how this invention revolutionized architecture, dive into architectural drawings, and create a cyanotype print to take home.
-
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Why are Blueprints Blue? (recommended for ages 9-11)
-
Students will learn about the photographic invention used to create blueprints, called the cyanotype process. In this lesson, students will learn about how this invention revolutionized architecture, dive into architectural drawings, and create a cyanotype print to take home.
-
Date: Thursday, March 21, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
April 9 and 11, 2024
Wright’s Windows: Stained Glass (recommended for ages 6-8)
-
Wright famously included stained glass in the windows of many of the homes he designed. His stained-glass patterns were often inspired by the natural world. Students will learn about abstraction, pattern, and the history of stained glass. They will also create their own stained-glass inspired artwork.
-
Date: Tuesday, April 9, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Wright’s Windows: Stained Glass (recommended for ages 9-11)
-
Wright famously included stained glass in the windows of many of the homes he designed. His stained-glass patterns were often inspired by the natural world. Students will learn about abstraction, pattern, and the history of stained glass. They will also create their own stained-glass inspired artwork.
-
Date: Thursday, April 11, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
April 23 and 25, 2024
Eco-Engineering (recommended for ages 6-8)
-
In honor of Earth Day, students will learn about sustainable building practices, passive solar design, and how Wright used these techniques at Taliesin West. Then, they will learn about solar power and make a mini solar craft.
-
Date: Tuesday, April 23, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Eco-Engineering (recommended for ages 9-11)
-
In honor of Earth Day, students will learn about sustainable building practices, passive solar design, and how Wright used these techniques at Taliesin West. Then, they will learn about solar power and make a mini solar craft.
-
Date: Thursday, April 25, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
April 30, 2024
End of Year Homeschool Party (all ages welcome)
-
Celebrate the conclusion of this season’s Homeschool Explorations at Taliesin West! Students and families are invited to a morning of fun, games, and snacks. All ages are welcome. Registration is required for ages 6 to 12. Parents and children under 5 are free.
-
Date: Tuesday, April 30, 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
-
Price: Homeschool Student $15.00
Homeschool Group Tour:
A child-friendly tour can be arranged for your homeschool group! Together with a Museum Educator, your group will explore architectural history, the natural wonders of the Sonoran Desert, and more! You will see many spaces at Taliesin West that visitors of all ages enjoy, including Frank Lloyd Wright’s office and a special movie theatre from 1949 called “The Cabaret.”
Price:
Adults $30.00
Youth (6-8) $15.00
5 and under Free
Minimum of 10 paid guests required to book.
To inquire about booking a homeschool group visit, please email education@franklloydwright.org.
