An Introduc+on to the China/UK Giant Panda Project
Planning For Pandas: Housing Giant Pandas 1
Early Level: Cra5 and Design Contexts for Developing Technological Skills Within real and imaginary se>ngs, I am developing my prac+cal skills as I select and work with a range of materials, tools and soEware. TCH 0-‐12a Through discovery, natural curiosity and imagina+on, I explore ways to construct models or solve problems. TCH 0-‐14a
Suggested AcHvity: Design and Build an Outdoor Panda Enclosure Using Natural Materials Aims • To design and build an outdoor giant panda enclosure that has all the features needed to provide a
s+mula+ng, yet comfortable, environment for pandas in cap+vity. • To find and use a selec+on of natural materials suitable for the design task. • To use a selec+on of basic carpentry tools to help complete the task. In this lesson, pupils will listen to Lesson S+mulus – Housing Giant Pandas. They will find out about the giant panda enclosures at Edinburgh Zoo and the features they have that make them suitable environments for giant pandas in cap+vity. Pupils could also watch the Edinburgh Zoo Panda Cam www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/pandacam.html to see Tian Tian in her enclosure. Using a selec+on of natural materials that they have gathered from woodland walks, school grounds and home gardens, pupils will design and build a miniature outdoor enclosure for giant pandas. Some features, such as the climbing frame and tree house, will require pupils to refashion materials using addi+onal resources such as grasses and natural twine. They will also need to use basic carpentry tools to complete the task. On comple+on of the design task, pupils will be able to explain the features they have included in their models and say why these are necessary for a giant panda outdoor enclosure.
Background Notes for Teachers Giant pandas naturally live in the mountainous areas of central China surrounded by cool, wet, dense bamboo forests. For pandas in cap+vity, it is important that they spend their +me in an environment that closely mimics that of their natural habitat. At Edinburgh Zoo the giant panda enclosure has been primarily designed to do just that. Each design feature of the enclosure has a purpose – from giving the pandas shelter from the elements to providing structures for climbing and scratching, everything has been designed and installed for a specific reason. Use the informa+on from the ‘Giant Panda Outdoor Enclosure’ PDF to find out more about these features.
Gian
t Pan
da
Outdo
or Enclosure
1. Ston
e caves for sh
elter
and privacy.
2. Po
nd fo
r refreshing
dips on ho
t days.
3. Trees for clim
bing and
exercise.
4. Ro
cks, grass and
woo
dchip to provide
a
varie
ty of textures.
5. Low trees a
nd sh
rubs
for shade
and
cover.
6. Tree hou
se and
clim
bing fram
e for
privacy and exercise.
7. Re
clining rocks for
relaxa+o
n!
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7
6
5
3
An Introd
uc+o
n to th
e
China/UK Giant P
anda Project
Plan
ning fo
r Pan
das:
Housing Giant P
andas
1
Background Notes for Teachers Natural and CapHve Environments for Giant Pandas Giant pandas naturally live in the mountainous areas of central China surrounded by cool, wet, dense bamboo forests. They are solitary creatures and live alone for most of the year, only coming together during breeding season. Pandas like to spend +me in dens, and will oEen give birth to their cubs in a den made from a hollowed out tree, pile of rocks or a cave. Like most bears, pandas love to climb and start climbing when they are around 6 months old. They are also great swimmers and love the water. They spend around 16 hours a day feeding, but they do occasionally like to play – when they are not sleeping! Female pandas ovulate once a year and can conceive for only 2 or 3 days around the +me of ovula+on. In the wild, female pandas will urinate in streams and rivers to send chemical messages to male pandas to indicate she is ready to conceive. For pandas in cap+vity, it is important that they spend their +me in an environment that closely mimics that of their natural habitat. At Edinburgh Zoo the giant panda enclosure has been primarily designed to do just that. Each design feature of the enclosure has a purpose, from giving the pandas shelter from the elements to providing structures for climbing and scratching, everything has been designed and installed for a specific reason. Use the informa+on from the ‘Giant Panda Outdoor Enclosure’ PDF to find out more about these features. Some, or all, of them can be used in pupils’ designs.
An Introduc+on to the China/UK Giant Panda Project
Planning For Pandas: Housing Giant Pandas 1