Home education workshops

20 January 2020

Admission and workshop cost for 3-16 years £6.00

Admission cost for adults £13.25

Fur, feather, scale investigate

35 minutes

Children will explore the different vertebrate families. Comparing and contrasting different objects from the natural world, children will use descriptive words to label and sort the animals into groups. 

Intended learning outcomes:

• Separate animals into categories using observations
• Describe why animals are in different categories

Fur, Feathers, Scale Classify

45 minutes

Children will explore the different vertebrate families in more depth with different classification systems. Comparing and contrasting different objects from the natural world students will have to group unfamiliar objects into groups. Children will also investigate some exceptions to classification rules. 

Intended learning outcomes:

• Correctly group animals into mammals, birds, reptiles, fish and amphibian and explain the difference between them
• Give an explanation of why animals are classified into groups

Discover classification

50 minutes

Children will work to classify a range of unusual invertebrates, discuss the importance of the binomial system to name organisms and learn more about how modern technologies have affected how organisms are classified today. Students will also learn about how classification is applied to the conservation work carried out by ZSL.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Describe classification using: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus and Species
• Give an example of how to classify a species based on its similarities with other organisms
• Explain how to name organisms using the binomial system and why scientists use it
• Give an example of how modern technology has affected classification of a species
• Understand the practical application of classification in conservation of species, using the EDGE of Existence programme as an example

18 May 2020

Prices to be confirmed January 2020 

African animals

30 minutes

Children will be taken on a tour around the meerkats, lions and zebras enclosures bringing to life the role camouflage plays in the survival of animals in the wild. Students will compare and contrast the different colours in the wild and how these colours aid predators and prey

Intended Learning Outcomes:

• Identify an animal that uses camouflage
• Identify the relationship between colour and camouflage and predator/prey animals

Giraffe Behaviour study

45 minutes

Children will work scientifically to collect real data on our herd of giraffes. They will come face to face with our herd of giants to collect behavioural data using ethograms. They then use this data to create behaviour bar charts and to compare behaviours between different age groups in the herd. We will then discuss how this data could be used for the conservation of the species in the wild.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Work scientifically to collect real-time behavioural data using ethograms;
• Create bar charts to illustrate their results;
• Use scientific language to explain their results;
• Describe how research can impact the conservation of animals in the wild.

Enclosure design

50 minutes

Children will be introduced to the enclosure planning process while considering the perspectives of different stakeholders involved.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

• Identify who the important groups are when designing an enclosure and what the needs are of each group.
• Explain how the 5 freedoms affect enclosure design

21 September 2020

Prices to be confirmed

Habitats

35 minutes

Children delve into different habitats from around the world and are introduced to the animals that live there. Children will investigate specimens to decide what habitat the specimen would best suit.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Gain an understanding that a habitat is a place where an animal lives
• Organise different animals into their respective habitats
• Students will be able describe different habitats
• Students will understand that different animals are suited to different habitats

Endangered animals

45 minutes

Children will be introduced to endangered species and discover the threats facing these species in the wild.
Pupils will investigate real case studies of endangered species and learn about the conservation work that ZSL takes part in to protect different species and suggest a way in which people can help to protect endangered animals by completing simple actions.

Intended Learning Outcomes:

• Give a definition of the term “endangered”.
• Identify at least one endangered animal.
• Describe at least one threat to wild animals.
• Suggest an action that they can complete to save an endangered species.

Wildlife under threat 

50 minutes

Examine the underworld of wildlife crime as we use real Customs seizures to reveal the devastating impact of hunting on animal populations. Discover how ZSL is combating this and shining the light on this growing problem. After looking at the main threats to animals, we will focus on hunting and the illegal wildlife trade. Students will investigate an array of real objects that are loaned to us by HM Revenue and Customs, and will be encouraged to discuss some controversial statements about the illegal trade. After exploring their own opinions they will find out how these problems are tackled in real life by ZSL conservationists. N.B. Some students may find certain hunted objects shocking.

Intended learning outcomes:

• Gain an understanding that hunting and the illegal wildlife trade are major threats to animals.
• Identify some of the reasons why animals are hunted.
• Gain an understanding that the reasons why people hunt animals are complex and varied, and that in order to conserve animals we need to understand these reasons.
• Gain an understanding of the work of ZSL in tackling hunting and wildlife trade, and what actions they can take action to help