Our Wild Trip to the Milwaukee County Zoo!

1. Our Wild Trip to the Milwaukee County Zoo! Deanne Anderson and Beth Pollard Educ 140, Fall 2005

2. How to introduce this field trip… • Primary Classroom: Talking about different types of animals. (Our 1st grade clinical placement actually was doing this around the time of our field trip) • Some questions asked could be, “What adaptations do animals have that help them survive?” or “How does the winter in Milwaukee affect the animals at the zoo?” • By this field trip, students should be able to describe how certain adaptations help each animal survive where it is naturally found in the world and what types of special precautions zookeepers take to keep these animals safe and comfortable in their new homes.

3. Terms • Adaptation • Useful to explain why some animals can not live in our region. • The thick fur coat on a Polar Bear is to protect it from the arctic temperatures. • The long, gripping tail on a Spider Monkey helps it swing from tree to tree in the rainforest to get away from predators or to get food.

4. Terms Cont. • Camouflage and Habitat • Explanation of how animals protect themselves. What the condition is of their natural environment can effect the animals survival. Is it important to protect animals’ habitats? • The Zebra’s stripes help hide it in the tall grass of the savanna. • Are these giraffes in a good habitat right now?

5. Terms, Cont. • Nocturnal and Diurnal • Nocturnal animals are active at night, Diurnal animals are active during the day. • Can you think of some nocturnal animals that live in our region?

6. Terms, Cont. • Zookeeper • The Zookeeper helps the animals adapt to their new surroundings at the zoo and takes care of them • What special diets do the big cats have? How do the zookeepers adapt the diet they feed them to what they are used to getting in the wild?

7. Educational Discovery Opportunities

8. To take a class of 40 on a field trip… • Register by phone • There are several educational activities to choose from • Free zoo admission on school weekdays • Costs for programs: K-3rd; 21-30 Children; $50 at Zoo; $60 for Zoo-to-you plus $40 for any additional session • Grades 4-8: $30 at zoo, $60 for zoo-to-you plus $30 for additional

9. Field Trip, Cont. • Bus Parking= $13 + whatever bus system charges • Zoo offers a handful of free programming throughout the year. (Feeding times.) • The zoo is completely safe and welcoming to anybody with special needs. • Only may need a waiver for bus transportation.

10. Why the Zoo? • Seeing is learning. • The students can learn this stuff in class with pictures, but there is something about actually experiencing the real animals that stays with them.

11. Assessment • Students can fill out a worksheet. Short answer and fill in the blank about the animals and adaptations they see. • Or as a writing exercise, they can reflect on the zoo experience.

12. Connections • Mathematics: Looking at the meat lions eat in one day, how much do they eat in one year? • Social Studies: What are the effects of rain forest devastation to the primate population? • Reading: Have them read the educational display boards and write down words they are confused about.

13. THE END! • Hope you have a fun, educational and interesting time at the zoo!