South Carolina Aquarium on Charleston Harbor ~ Home School Program

The South Carolina Aquarium encourages all South Carolina homeschool groups to participate in the Aquarium's free, Standards-Based Structured School programs. We mail copies of our Structured School Programs materials to public school and to homeschool local support groups each year in early August. Homeschool groups should fill out the registration form included with the materials and send it to the Aquarium by the deadline. See our school programs section for forms and more information on Standards-Based Structured School programs. Homeschool group applications received by the deadline will be included in our random drawing that will determine structured school group visitation throughout the school year.

The minimum number of students that we can accommodate per program is twelve and the maximum number is thirty-five; these arrangements should work for most homeschool groups. We encourage small homeschool groups to partner with one another to meet the Aquarium's program requirements.

We realize that homeschool groups may have a broad grade level representation, and we will work with this. We encourage all groups to TRY to pull together students of similar grade levels; the group, as a whole will learn more while at the aquarium. Please indicate the grade level range of your group on your application.

We will not admit children below the Kindergarten level; homeschool groups awarded a structured program will need to make alternative arrangements for younger siblings.

The Aquarium's required chaperone ratio is one adult per six students. Adults accompanying groups awarded a structured program in excess of this ratio will be required to pay the adult group rate admission.

Homeschool teachers, parents and students can explore the Aquarium's K-8 online curriculum. Homeschool groups will need to designate one person to integrate the Aquarium's curriculum into the studies of the homeschool group awarded an Aquarium Structured program. This person will be required to attend a training workshop PRIOR to bringing their group to the Aquarium. Workshop dates and locations are listed in the Structured School Programs materials and are also available on our website.