奇怪、狂野、精彩！遇見地球上最奇怪、最晦澀的東西（動物科學）

All around our planet, Earth is home to an expansive crew of creatures connected to her ecosystems and various environments. Many people may have heard of common and popular members of its biodiversity. However, here we will show off and bring light to the most misunderstood members of Earth; the weird, wild, and wonderful! From odd body parts and adaptations to obscure patterns and colors we will learn about magnificent ways of life that deviate from the norm. Our planet is home to perplexing and breathtaking biodiversity. All deserve our awareness of them, more connection from ourselves, and greater education on those lesser known and loved.

Did you know micro-animals like Tardigrades can survive exposure to outer space for limited amounts of time? What about how Immortal Jellyfish are able to switch between its polyp and medusa stage in order to practically reverse its life cycle and survive, in theory, forever?! Or even how bird species like Kiwi can lay eggs 15-25% of their body weight? That's like if your mom had you at 6 years old!

This is a class all about the quirkiest and craziest creatures that can be found across many of Earth's ecosystems. Learners will virtually travel our planet visiting terrestrial (land) and aquatic (water) habitats and biomes in order to learn about a few unique species and the parts they play in the environments they are found within each week.

We will learn about weird, wild, and wonderful species, their food webs, and the impacts they create locally and globally, especially on the other organisms within its ecosystem.

There will be plenty of facts provided on these animals as well as their characteristics, behavior, species diversity, and what makes them so special! We will work on broad (all encompassing) and narrow topics. There will be a focus on each species's natural history, evolutionary relationships, biology, anatomy, and the interactions/dynamics present within their ecosystems and beyond.

Certain classes we may have video clips to watch, activities like games/coloring pages/etcetera, and discussion about these fauna.

If you have questions regarding the schedule please reach out.
* No Class December 31*
December 8- Week 1. Saiga, Elephant Seal, Proboscis Monkey
December 15- Week 2: Mata- Mata, Gharial, Pig-Nosed Turtle
December 22- Week 3: Tarsier, Slow Loris, Snub-Nosed Monkey
December 29- Week 4: Stink Badger, Hog-Nosed Skunk, Ferret Badger, Hog Badger
January 5- Week 5: Manatee, Dugong, Irawaddy Dolphin
January 12- Week 6: Stonefish, Basking Shark, Flying Fish 
January 19- Week 7: Kenyan Sand boa, Boomslang, Spider-tailed Horned Viper 
January 26- Week 8: Hammer-headed Bat, Vampire Bat, Bulldog Bat
February 2- Week 9: Mexican Mole Lizard, Thorny Devil, Horned Toad
February 9- Week 10: Hairy Frog, Pipa Pipa/ Suriname Toad, Darwin’s Frog, Marsupial Frog
February 16- Week 11: Superb Bird-of-Paradise, Bearded Vulture, Hoopoe
February 23- Week 12: Babirusa, Narwhal, Hyraxes
March 2- Week 13: Purple Frog, Turtle Frog, Glass Frog
March 9- Week 14: Goliath Bird-eater, Camel Spider, Peacock Jumping Spider
March 16- Week 15: Brazilian Tree Hopper, Dobson Fly, Scorpion Fly
March 23- Week 16: Echidna, Platypus, Spiny Bandicoot
March 30- Week 17: Elephant Trunk Snake, Tentacled Snake, Hognose Snakes
April 6- Week 18: Ocean Sunfish, Mudskipper, Spiny Lumpsucker 
April 13- Week 19: Lamprey, Goliath Tiger Fish, Mimic Octopus
April 20- Week 20: Humpback Anglerfish, Leafy Sea Dragon, Barreleye
April 27- Week 21: Jabiru, Kiwi, Cassowary
May 4- Week 22: Shoebill , Kakapo, Helmeted Hornbill
May 11- Week 23: Yapok, Bilby, Numbat 
May 18- Week 24: Tardigrade, Vinegaroon, Giant Weta
May 25- Week 25: Goblin Shark, Sand Tiger Shark, Cookie Cutter Shark
June 1- Week 26: Potoo, Hoatzin, Frogmouth
June 8- Week 27: Chinese Giant Salamander, Hellbender, Axolotl
June 15- Week 28: Chevrotain, Tufted deer , Muntjac
June 22- Week 29: Ghost Shark, Common Fangtooth, Red-Lipped Batfish
June 29- Week 30: Portuguese Man-o-War, Colossal Squid, Cuttlefish
July 6- Week 31: Japanese Spider Crab, Pistol Shrimp, Mantis Shrimp 
July 13- Week 32: Aardwolf, Aardvark, Fossa
July 20- Week 33: Lowland Streaked Tenrec, African Brush-Tailed Porcupine, Armored Rat  
July 27- Week 34: Okapi, Takin, Tapir
August 3- Week 35: Sloth Bear, Sun Bear, Binturong
August 10- Week 36: Giraffe Weevil, Stick/ Leaf Insect, Australian Horror Moth
August 17- Week 37: Blob Fish, Sea Bunny, Blue Glaucous and Other Sea Slugs 
August 24- Week 38: Wobbegong, Paddlefish, Oarfish
August 31- Week 39: Paradise Flying Tree Snake, Draco Lizard, Flying Tree Frog
September 7- Week 40: Firework Jellyfish, Upside Down Jellyfish, Immortal Jellyfish
September 14- Week 41: Hummingbird Hawk Moth, Hercules Beetle, Dung Beetle
September 21- Week 42: Giant River Otter, Fishing Cat, Flat-Headed Cat
September 28- Week 43: Pink Fairy Armadillo, Pink River Dolphin, Naked Mole Rat
October 5- Week 44: Star-Nosed Mole, Solenodon, Short-Tailed Shrew
October 12- Week 45: Aye-aye, Sifaka, Colugo
October 19- Week 46: Jerboa, Springhare, Kangaroo Rat
October 26- Week 47: Pangolins, Sloths, Anteaters
November 2- Week 48: Bobbit Worm, Geoduck, Hammer-Head Worm
November 9- Week 49: Maned Wolf, Bush Dog, Tibetan Sand Fox
November 16- Week 50: Uakari, Hooded Seal, Magnificent Frigatebird
November 23- Week 51: Gerenuk, Serow, Dik-dik
November 30- Week 52: Gelada, Owl Monkey, Drill

Students will also learn about these animal's conservation/ preservation, concerns, and threats as habitat loss amongst many other impacts affect these species. EDUCATION is the first step in conservation! These animals are absolutely necessary to the proper functioning of ecosystems globally and they need our help! Since they are lesser known and loved they also need our support and understanding. We can help change the narrative on these creatures that many do not give the time of day!

This is a lecture style, interactive class with many opportunities to ask and answer questions from myself or other students. 
No prior knowledge or experience is needed to take this course. 
A love for nature is most definitely appreciated :) 

Flexible Age Range!!! 
Join on whatever week you would like!