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Zoo Links Curriculum GuideThe Zoo And You

Table of Contents

Using this Guide...................................1

Lincoln Park Zoo Map..........................2

Get to Know our Animals......................3

Five Frequently Asked Questions...........5

Logistics and Planning.........................6

Preparing for Your Day ImportanceofPre-VisitActivities...7Activity 1:PlanyourRoute...............8Activity 2:InvestigateUpClose.......9

Exploring the Zoo ImportanceofInquiry-BasedExploration.........................11Activity 3:ConductingAnimalObservations.....................12Activity 4:EnrichmentSearch...........................................15

Revisiting the Experience ImportanceofReinforcingInformationLearned......................18Activity 5:CommunicatingDiscoveries....................................19Activity 6:ExploreSchoolyardWildlife..........................................20

Connecting with Families...................23

Using This GuideFieldtripsareagreatwayforstudentstoexperiencesciencebeyondtheclassroomwalls.Theycanheartheroarofalion,feelthescalyskinofasnake,orwatchaflamingobalanceononeleg.Youmayalreadyknowthatfieldtripsareagreatwaytolearn,andyou’renotalone.Infact,researchersallovertheworldstudytheimpactfieldtripshaveonstudents.We’velearnedalotthisway.Forexample,weknow…

studentsrememberchildhoodfieldtripsforyears

studentslearnnewinformationfromfieldtrips

fieldtripscangetstudentsexcitedabouttopicslikescience

learner-centeredexplorationsarethemostsuccessfulfieldtripactivities

…andthatproperplanningcanmakeagoodfieldtripevenbetter.

Tohelpwiththeplanningpart,we’vecreatedthisguidetoprepareyouforyourfieldtripandidentifywaystorevisittheexperiencebackintheclassroom.Thisguidecontainsinformationaboutthezooanditsanimals,detailedlessonplans,andhelpfulhintstomakeyourfieldtripthebestitcanbe.Don’tfeeltheneedtodoalltheactivitiesinthisguideforyourfieldtriptobeasuccess.Evenoneactivitycanenhanceyourexperience.

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Exhibits Penguins, Seabirds Vultures, Eagles, Owls Tropical Birds Giraffes, Rhinos, Ostriches Polar Bear, Sun Bears Monkeys Lions, Tigers Seals Bears, Otters, Wolves Snakes, Bats, Wallaby Swans, Ducks Flamingos, Geese Chimpanzees, Gorillas Antelope, Zebras, Kangaroos Cows, Goats, Pigs, Ponies Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo

Food Safari Café*: Tostadas, wings, flautas and ice cream novelties.

Café at Wild Things*: Organic fare, including paninis, salads and other green goodies.

Eadie Levy’s Landmark Café*: Chicago-style hot dogs, fries and snacks.

Park Place Café: Mexican food, Italian fare, burgers, sandwiches, salads, beer, wine and more. Ice cream, too!

The Patio at Café Brauer*: Grilled burgers, beer and wine, sandwiches, salads and Kids’ Meals.

Ice Cream Shoppe*: Hand-dipped ice cream, banana splits and sundaes.

Shops Wild Things: A wild selection of Lincoln Park Zoo souve-nirs, apparel, plush animals and exotic gifts.

Safari Shop*: Make your own wild animal—inside the Kovler Lion House.

Great Ape Gifts*: Remember your visit with a great ape souvenir—inside Regenstein Center for African Apes.

Nature Gifts*

Wild Gifts*

Rides LPZOO Children’s Train*:

Hop aboard this kid-friendly locomotive. $2.50 per ride.

AT&T Endangered Species Carousel*: Take a ride with your favorite animal. $2.75 per ride.

Prices subject to change

Facilities Gateway Pavilion

Information Judy Keller

Education Center Tadpole Room Bus Drop-off Zone Foreman Pavilion* People’s Gas

Education Pavilion*

*Open seasonally

Legend Information

Restrooms

Accessible Restrooms

Zoo Food

Zoo Shops

ATM

Strollers/Wheelchairs

Lockers

Picnic/Lunch Area

Emergency/First Aid

Parking

Conservation Center and Animal Hospital

Entrance

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P

$

$

Lincoln Park Zoo MapSpendafewminutesgettingtoknowLincolnParkZoo.Whatexhibitsdoyouhopetovisit?

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Get to Know our AnimalsWe’re pretty sure seeing animals is a top priority of your visit! With over 200 species on display, it’s impossible to list every animal you might see at the zoo. However, this list of exhibition spaces will give you a general idea of what to expect on the day of your visit.

Regenstein African JourneyThisexhibittakesyouonsafarithroughthedifferenthabitatsoftheAfricancontinent.You’llgetupclosewithorb-weaverspidersandwatchmeerkatsbusilyscamperingabout.Withbothindoorandoutdoorexhibitspace,there’splentyofroomforrhinos,giraffesandothersavannaanimals.

McCormick Bird House & Regenstein Birds of Prey ExhibitHearthe“laugh”ofakookaburra,thenfindbirdsfromaroundtheworldintheFreeFlightareaoftheBirdHouse.AtBirdsofPrey,seehowlargeabaldeagle’sbeakisandlistenforthestorks’clackingbeaks.

Kovler Penguin/Seabird HouseGoforaswimwithoutgettingwetinthisexhibitspace.Floor-to-ceilingglassallowsyoutoseepenguins,puffins,andotherseabirdswaddleaboutonlandandswimelegantlythroughthewater.

Helen Brach Primate HouseThere’salwayssomethinggoingonintheprimatehouse.You’llseefamiliesliketheFrancois’langursgroomingeachother,gibbonsswingingfrombranchtobranch,orTitimonkeystakingaresthighonabranchwiththeirtailsentwined.

Kovler Lion HouseBigteethandsharpclawsaboundattheKovlerLionHouse.Youmightcatchaglimpseofatigerontheprowlorseeapumaleaptotheverytopofitsexhibit.Ifyoulookcarefullyenough,youmightevenfindthenon-felineresidentsoftheLionHouse—redpandas!

Pritzker Family Children’s ZooExploreNorthAmericanspeciesinthisareathatcombinesindoorandoutdoorexhibitspaces.Redwolves,blackbearsandriverottersarejustafewoftheanimalsyou’lldiscover.Thisareaalsohasatemptingindoorclimbingstructuresowesuggestdecidingaheadoftimeifthisissomethingyou’dliketomakeapartofyourvisit.

Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile HouseBothscalyandfurryanimalscanbefoundinthisexhibit.Watchbatshangfromtheceilingandsnakesslither.Theimmersiveenvironmentallowsyoutoviewavarietyofspeciessharingspace,creatingtheperfectopportunitytodiscusshabitatuse.

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Hope B. McCormick Swan Pond & Flamingo HabitatDivingducks,glidingswansandbrilliantpinkChileanflamingosarejustafewoftheanimalsyou’llseeinthesetwoadjoininghabitats.

Regenstein Center for African ApesBesuretoallowplentyoftimeforthisincredibleexhibitspace.Floor-to-ceilingglassistheonlybarrierbetweenyourstudentsandourchimpan-zeeandgorillafamilies.Youmightevencatchaglimpseofaresearcherobservingourapesandrecordingdata.Besurenottobotherthesebusyscientists,butdefinitelytakesometimetoobservethematwork!

Antelope & Zebra AreaThisoutdoorexhibitareaallowsyoutowatchzebrasgallop,observealpacasbandtogetherinasmallherd,andcatchaglimpseoftheuniqueandrareSichuantakin.

Farm-in-the-Zoo Presented by John DeereAtthesouthendofthezoostudentscanlearnalit-tlemoreabouttheoriginofthefoodtheyeat.Fromhoneybeestodairycows,theFarm-in-the-Zoohassomethingforeverylearner.

Nature Boardwalk at Lincoln Park Zoo (Opening Summer 2010)Findyourselfinanaturaloasisinthemiddleofthecity!NatureBoardwalkatLincolnParkZooislo-catedatthesouthernendofthezoo.Aboardwalkallowsyoutowandertheperimeterofthepond,keepinganeyeoutforbirds,dragonflies,turtlesandfrogsasyouenjoythenativeplantings.

These are just some of the many animals you’ll see during your visit. Would you like even more information about animals in our collection? Visit the web site at: www.lpzoo.org

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Five Frequently Asked Questions1. We can’t stand crowds. When is a good time to visit? WhileaFridayinMaysoundsliketheperfectdayforaclassfieldtrip,manyotherteachersarethinkingthesamething!Winterisagreattimetovisit.Withsomanyindoorexhibitspaces,it’sthebesttimeforyouandyourstudentstohavethezootoyourselves.Smallercrowdswillallowyoutogetclosertoexhibits,resultinreducedbathroomlines,andoftenleadtolowervolumelevelswithinexhibitsthatallowforbettercommunicatingwithyourclass.Ifyouprefertoavoidsnow,wesuggestfallorearlyspringasanotheroptionforavoidingcrowds.Wealsosuggestyoucheckthezoo’swebsitetodetermineifthereareanyspecialeventsplannedforthedayofyourvisitthatmayimpactyourexperience.

2. How can we make sure the animal we want to see is visible? Havingageneralplanofwhatyou’dliketoseeandwhatyou’dliketodoisalwaysagoodchoice.However,zoosarecomprisedoflivinganimalsthatcanbeunpredictable.Ananimalyouplannedonobservingmaybeoffexhibitfortheday.Anewanimalmayhavejoinedthecollectionthatyoudidn’tknowabout.Weencourageyoutostayflexibleandbeopentomakingalastminuteswitchifnecessary.

3. Can we arrange for a keeper meeting or conduct an interview by phone? Youcanimaginethisisapopularquestion!Unfortunatelywedon’thavetheresourcestoaccommodatealltheserequests.Weknowit’sexcitingtolearnaboutthedifferentcareershereatthezooandweareexploringsomenewprogrammingoptionsforthefuture.

4. Can the bus drop us off anywhere? Allschoolgroupsmustbedroppedoffatthebusdrop-offarea.Yourbusshouldenterthepark-inglotonCannonDriveatFullerton.Thedriverwillneedtopullaparkingticket,butthereisnochargeforthefirsthalfhourtheyareinthelot.Theywillthenfollowthesignsindicatingwheredrop-offandpick-upwilltakeplace.

5. Are there souvenirs, lunch packages or rides for the kids? Thereareavarietyofthingsyoucanpurchasetoenhanceyourvisit.Wehaveboxedlunches,souvenirgoodybagsandcarouselortrainticketsavailableatgroupprices.Theseneedtobepurchasedpriortoyourvisit.LearnmoreabouttheseoptionsbygoingtoourPlanaFieldTrippage(http://www.lpzoo.org/edu_fieldtrip.php)andclickingonthegroupsalesorderformlink.

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Located near the East Gate, Gateway Pavilion can provide you with helpful information during your visit.

Logistics and PlanningMaking a ReservationWeaskallschoolandcampgroupsplanningazoovisittoregisteronline.Whilethereisnochargeforyourvisittothezoo,thishelpsusdeterminestaffingneedssothatwecanprovideourvisitorswiththebestpossiblezooexperience.Registeratwww.lpzoo.org/educationbyselectingthelink“PlanaFieldTrip”

Arranging for Special ActivitiesDecidewhichadditionalactivitiesorservicesyou’dliketoaddtoyourreservation.Whateveryoude-cide,beclearwithstudentsbeforethevisitaboutyourplansfortheday.

Managing the DayBepreparedforthelogisticsoftheday—frombusdrop-offtothenumberofchaperonesyou’llhavewithyourclass.Thingstoconsiderinclude:

Allow Enough TimeSelectadeparturetimefromyourschoolthatallowsfortrafficdelaysandparking-lotcongestion,butstillprovidessufficienttimeforexploringthezoo.Buildingsonthezoogroundsdonotopenuntil10a.m.,butmanyofouranimalscanbeseenintheiroutdoorenclosuresatanearlierhour.

Plan for EmergenciesBesuretobringalongacellphone,parent-contactinformation,andprocedurestofollowifastudentshouldbecomeseparatedfromyourgroup.Ifyouneedassistancewhileatthezoo,proceeddirectlytoGatewayPavilionwherewecanprovidethehelpyouneed.

Connecting with ParentsThebusdrop-offareacanbecomequitecon-gested.Ifparentsplantomeetyouatthezoo,wesuggestthatyoupickaspecificexhibitatwhichtomeetaswellasameetingtimethatallowsfordelays.Ifpossible,sharecellphonenumbersincaseplansshouldchange.

Bathroom BreaksThereareseveralbathroomslocatedthroughoutthezoo.Ourhigh-capacityrestroomsareonthebottomleveloftheKovlerLionHouse.Theyholdalargenumberstallsforbothboysandgirls.

Bathroomlocationswithsmallercapacity(buthelpfulforemergenciesorsmallgroups)include:

BottomlevelofParkPlaceCafé

Farm-in-the-ZooPresentedbyJohnDeere

ForemanPavillion

IndoorareaofPritzkerFamilyChildren’sZoo

RegensteinSmallMammal-ReptileHouse

Managing Lunch TimeThoughwedonotprovidemonitoredlunchstorage,thereareseveraloptionsformanagingstudentlunches.Studentscancarrytheirownlunchesthroughoutthezooaslongaslunchesareclosedandfoodsealed.Youmayalsochoosetobringyourownpersonallockandsecurestudentlunchesusingouroutdoorcagelockers.Wedonot,however,suggestleavingvaluablesinthisarea.Wedohavepaylockersthatrequirefourquarters.Thesearenotlarge,soseveralwouldbeneededtostorelunchesforafullclass.

Whenitistimetoeat,thereareseveralareassetasideforyoutoenjoyyourlunch.Ifyouwouldliketoenjoytheoutdoors,youmayselectfrompicnictablesnearthebusdrop-offortheshelteredForemanPavilionareaneartheMcCormickSwanPond.Intheeventofcoldweather,youmayeatintheTadpoleRoomwhichislocatedindoorsonthebottomflooroftheParkPlaceCafé.Pleasenotethattheseeatingareasareopentoallgroupsandcannotbereserved.

SeatingatthetablesassociatedwithourZooFoodslocationsthroughoutthezooisreservedforcustomersonly.ThisincludestheLandmarkCafé,ParkPlaceCafé,CaféBrauer,andtheCaféatWildThings.Wethankyouinadvanceforyourunderstanding.

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Preparing for Your DayImportance of Pre-Visit ActivitiesInadditiontologisticalplanning,preparingstudentswithafewkeyactivitieswillhelpmakethefieldtripmoremeaningfultothemandlinkmoreeffectivelytoclassroomobjectives.

Manyresearchershavediscoveredthatwhenafieldtriplocationisnewforstudents,theycanbeoverwhelmed.Thesefeelingscantakeawayfromthelearningandexcitementofthevisit.Tellingstudentsalittleaboutwhattheymightsee,showingthemimagesfromthezoowebsite,andgoingovertheday’sscheduleinadvancecanbuildexcitementandreducenervousnessonthedayofthevisit.

It’snotnecessaryforstudentstoknoweverythingaboutanimalsbeforeavisittothezoo.However,providingalittleinformationaboutsomeoftheanimalstheymayencountercanbehelpful.

Before You Visit Activity 1: Plan Your Route“I definitely want to see the lions. That’s what I care about most,” asserted Maria. “But I want to see the monkeys—they look neat climbing all over their exhibit!” countered Kyle. “Okay—so you want to see lions, you want to see monkeys and I want to see the flamingos. I think we can fit all of them in and leave time for shopping at the gift shop!” said Tessa. “There’s so much to see!” said Kyle enthusiastically. “We’ll never manage!” “We’ll figure something out,” redirected Maria. “Let’s take another look at our map!”

Activity OverviewIncludingstudentsintheplanningprocesswillnotonlyreduceapprehensionofvisitinganewplace,butalsoallowthemtotakeownershipintheday’sactivities.LincolnParkZoohasover900individualanimalsrepresentingover200speciessoit’slikelyyouwillnothavetimetoseeeveryanimalinasinglevisit.Inthisactivity,studentswillworkingroupstoidentifywhichexhibitstheywanttoexploreanduseazoomaptoplananefficientpathfortheirvisit.

ObjectiveStudentswillidentifyfiveanimalstheymostwanttovisitanddesignacorrespondingroutetofollowatthezoo.

MaterialsCopiesofzoomap(pg.2)Descriptionofexhibits(pg.3,4)Largepapertoshareresultswiththeclass

Standards ConnectionEarlyElementaryandLateElementaryIllinoisStateLearningGoals:

SocialStudies17A:Locate,describeandexplainplaces,regionsandfeaturesontheEarth

Inquiry Connection

Examiningbooksandotherinformationsources

Planninginvestigations

ProcedureAfterinformingstudentstheyaregoingtobetak-ingafieldtriptoLincolnParkZoo,letthemknowthattheyaregoingtohelpwithplanningfortheday.Explainthatwithsomuchtosee,itwillbeimportanttoidentifytheexhibitstheyaremostexcitedaboutanddeterminethebestwaytonavigatethezootoseeasmuchaspossible.

Atthisstage,shareanyspecificexhibitsyoudefinitelyneedtoincludeintheday’sitinerary

becauseofclassroomcurriculumorstatestandards.Studentswillwanttomakesuretheirplansaccommodatetheseneeds.

Placestudentsingroupsoffourandprovideeachgroupwithacopyofthezoomapanddescriptionoftheexhibits.AccesstotheInternetcanalsobehelpfulatthisstageasitwillprovidemorespecificinformationonthemanyspecieswithineachzoospace.

Workingintheirgroups,havestudentsusetheexhibitinformationtoidentifythefiveareasthey’dmostliketovisit.Aftertheyhaveagreedupontheirfivedestinations,havethemusethezoomaptoplanthemostefficientrouteforseeingtheirtopfivechoices.Youmightwanttoalsohavethemplanforrestroomstops,lunch,oratriptothegiftshop.

EvaluationStudentsshouldbeevaluatedwithacredit/no-creditsystem,earningcreditiftheybothidentifiedexhibitstoseeandapotentialpathwaytofollowatthezoo.

Modification for Younger StudentsThisactivitymaybemoresuccessfulstructuredasawhole-classdiscussionusinganoverheadprojectororbyplacingadulthelpersalongwitheachsmallgrouptoguidetheplanningprocess.

ExtensionsTobuildproblem-solvingskills,youcanprovidestudentswithan“update”thatwouldcausethemtomakealast-minutechangetotheirplan.Whatwouldtheydoif…

theMcCormickBirdHousewasclosedforrepairs?

apiedtamarinwasbornthenightbefore?

Providedyouhaveenoughchaperonestoaccom-panyeachgroup,youcanallowstudentstoremainintheirgroupsduringtheirvisitandfollowtheplanthattheyhavedesigned.

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Before You Visit Activity 2: Investigate Up Close“This one is so smooth! I bet this would be really helpful with flying!” said Kyle. “And this feather is so soft! I would like this kind to be right by my skin to keep me warm,” responded Maria holding a down feather. Tessa was using her hand lens. “You know, I separated the parts of this big feather and was able to actually put it back together so it was smooth! I wonder if that’s what birds are doing when they look like they are biting their feathers. They might be making them smooth again!”

Activity OverviewChildrenenjoytouchingwhattheyarelearningabout.Wehavelearningstationsthatwillprovideopportunitiestotouchduringyourvisit.Inaddition,youcanconductafeatherinvestigationpriortoyourvisit.Thiswillgivestudentshands-onexperi-encestodrawfromwhentheyreachourexhibitsfocusedonbirdsthatmaynothavehands-onopportunities.

ObjectiveStudentswillobserve,touchanddescribedifferenttypesofbirdfeathers.

MaterialsAssorted,naturallycoloredfeathersfromcraftstoreCopiesofAllAboutFeathers(seepg.10)Handlenses


Science11A:Knowandapplytheconcepts,principlesandprocessesofscientificinquiry

Inquiry Connection

Makingobservations

Communicatingresults

ProcedurePlacestudentsingroupsofthreeorfourandletthemknowthattheywillhaveachancetoexplorebirdfeathersinpreparationfortheirvisittoLincolnParkZoo.

Askstudentstothinkaboutsomewaysthatfeathersmayhelpbirdssurvive.Examplesinclude:

Feathersenablemanybirdstofly

Feathersinsulatebirdstohelpkeepthemwarm

Featherscanhelpabirdcamouflageandavoidpredators

Feathersofbrightcolorscanhelpattractamate

Explainthattheyaregoingtohavetheopportunitytoinvestigaterealbirdfeathers.Theirgoalwillbetoobservecarefullyandsharetheirdiscoverieswithgroupmembers.

Provideeachgroupwithacollectionoffeathersandahandlensforeachstudent.Havethemmakeobservationsandaskthemtoorallysharethreedetailstheydiscovered.Theymaywanttofocusonfeatherstructure,color,thefeelofthefeathersorhowfasttheymaydroptotheground.

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Aftertheinitialexploration,providestudentswithacopyoftheAllAboutFeatherinformationsheetandaskthemtoclassifytheirfeathersaccordingtothisinformation.Asfollow-up,leadabriefdiscussionwiththeclassonhowthesedifferentlystructuredfeatherswouldbehelpfultothebirdindifferentways.

Endtheactivitybyencouragingstudentstothinkaboutbirdstheymayencounteratthezoo.Whiletheywon’tbeabletotouchthesebirds,theywillgettoobserveanevenlargerrangeoffeathertypesandcolors.Thistimethough,they’llstillbeattachedtothebirds!

EvaluationAthree-pointscoringrubriccanbeusedtomeasurestudentparticipationintheinquiryprocess.

All About Feathers

Scientist’s Name:________________________

Whattypesoffeathersdoyouhave?

ExtensionToencourageattentiontodetail,youmightwanttohavestudentscreatescientificillustrationsofthefeatherstheyareinvestigating.Coloredpencilswillallowstudentstomoreauthenticallycapturenuancesofcolorandshade.

Making Careful ChoicesWhileitcanbeagreatexperienceforstudentstolearnmoreaboutanimalsbyinvestigatingspecimenssuchasfeathers,it’simportantthatthefeathersweuseareacquiredsafelyandlegally.Commerciallypurchasedfeathersaresaferforstudentstohandlethanfeathersfoundinnature.Ascollectinganybird-relateditemssuchasfeathers,nestsoreggsfromthewildisalmostalwaysillegal,purchasingfeathersfromacraftstoreisthebestoptionforclassroominvestigations.Formoreinformation,visitthewebsiteforU.S.FishandWildlifeService:www.fws.gov.

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Flight FeathersFlightfeathersaresmoothandarefoundonthewingsandthetail.

Body Contour FeathersThesefeathersarefoundalmostalloverthebird’sbody.Thepartclosesttothebodyissoftandhelpskeepthebirdwarm.Thesmoothpartofthefeatherscreateastreamlinedbodythatcanmoveeasilythroughtheairduringflight.

Down FeathersThesefeathersaresoftandfluffyandhelpkeepthebirdwarm.

Studentconductscarefulandfocusedobservations

Studentaccuratelydescribeswhattheyseetoafriendortheclass

Studentisabletoclassifyhis/herfeathersusingtheinformationsheetprovided

Twoofthesethreecriteriaaremet

Oneofthesecriteriaismet

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Exploring the ZooImportance of Inquiry-Based ExplorationWithmanyschoolsonlyreceivingonefieldtripayear,weknowitcanbetemptingtotryandsqueezeeverythingintoasinglevisit.However,researchtellsusthatanoverlybusydaycanleavestudentswithnegativefeelingsaboutthefieldtripandscienceasawhole.

Settingreasonableparametersforyourdaywillpreventarushedexperience.Havingafocusforyourvisitcanalsohelp.Manyteachersfindactivitysheetsorscavengerhuntsareagreatwaytokeepstudentsontask.We’velearnedthesearemosteffectivewhentheyareopen-ended,focusontheanimalratherthanalabel,andprovideopportunitiesforinquiry.

Inquiry-basedapproachesalignwiththewayprac-ticingscientistsexploreandstudytheworldaroundthem.Inquiry-basedactivitieswillinclude:

Makingobservations

Posingquestions


Planninginvestigations

Usingtoolstogatherandanalyzedata

Proposinganswers,explanationsandpredictions


Asingleactivitydoesn’tneedalloftheseelementstobeconsideredinquiry.Aligningwithevenoneisagreatstart!

During Your Visit Activity 3: Conducting Animal Observations“All my bird does is sit there on that pile of twigs— that’s so boring” complained Kyle. “Have you won-dered why it’s just sitting there,” asked Tessa. “Maybe there’s a reason.” Just then, the bird readjusted its position and a small white egg could be seen under-neath its body. “It’s an egg!!” screamed Maria. “Wow,” replied Kyle, suddenly interested. “I think that makes my bird the MOST interesting of them all!”

Activity OverviewCarefullyobservinganimalsisaninquiry-basedactivitythatcanbedoneanywhere,fromthelocalzootothelunchareaonaschoolyard.Thisactivityasksstudentstoselectabirdoftheirchoiceandrecorditsbehavioroverasetperiodoftime.Scien-tistsuseethogramstohelpthemsystematicallycollectthisdata.

ObjectiveStudentswillrecordanimal-behaviordataandsharetheirdiscoverieswiththeirpeers.

MaterialsCopiesofObservationDataSheets(pg.14)ClipboardsStopwatchorwatchwithsecondhandPencils



Science12B:Knowandapplyconceptsthatdescribehowlivingthingsinteractwitheachotherandwiththeirenvironment.

Inquiry Connection

Makingobservations





ProcedureBeforegoingtothezoo,brieflydiscusswiththestu-dentstheworkofascientistandthefieldofanimal-behaviorstudies.(SeeFindOutMoreonpg.13.)Explainthattheywillbeconductingtheirownanimalbehaviorstudyduringtheirzoovisit.

Preparethemfortheprocessofobservationanddatacollectionbyconductingseveralpracticeses-sionattheschoolsiteutilizinglocalbirdspecies.Thispracticewillsupportstudentsuccessatthezoowhentherearelikelytobemanyfactorscompetingfortheirattention.

Uponarrivalatthezoo,proceedtotheMcCormickBirdHouse.MovethroughtheexhibituntilyoureachtheFreeFlightarea,whereyouwillbestandingonawoodplatformwithbirdsinthenaturalspacesaroundyou.

Askstudentstofindasinglebirdtoobservewithintheexhibitspace.Morethanonestudentcanobservethesamebird,butencouragestudentstospacethemselvesevenlythroughtheexhibitspace.Thiswillgivestudentsroomtoworkanddiscourageoff-taskbehaviorthatoftencomesfromclose,physicalproximity.

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Provideindividualstudentswithaclipboardandacopyofthedatasheet.Youwillserveasthetimekeeper,announcingeverythirtysecondssostudentscanthenrecordwhattheyseeontheirdatasheet.

Aftertheallottedobservationtimeisup,collectclipboardsanddatasheetsforfurtheranalysisbackintheclassroom.Studentsmaywanttocreategraphsortablesfromthedatatheycollected,makingcomparisonsbetweentheirobservationsandthoseoftheirpeers.Displayingtheseresultsonabulletinboardalongwithpho-tosofstudentsatworkisagreatwaytoconcludetheactivity.

EvaluationAthree-pointscoringrubriccanbeusedtomeasurestudentengagementintheactivity.

Modifications for Younger StudentsAmodifieddatasheetwillbeappropriateforyounglearners.Severalbehaviorscanbecombinedsotherearefewercategoriestoidentify.Forstudentsthatneedmoretimetowrite,intervalscanbeincreasedto60seconds/oneminute.Studentscanbeplacedingroupswithonestudentkeepingtime,onedoingtheobservation,andoneormoredoingthedatarecording.

Scientists and EthogramsWhenscientistsconductanimalobservations,theyhavesetproce-durestocollectdataasaccuratelyaspossible.Theyalsoneedtocol-lectalotofdatabeforetheydrawanyfinalconclusions.Research-ersoftenusesomethingcalledanethogramwhenconductinganimalobservations.Ethogramsarealistofallthepossiblebehaviorstheymightsee.Theyhelpensuredatacollectedbymanydifferentresearchersisconsistentenoughtobecompared.Asyoucanimagine,weoftenusedifferentethogramsfordifferentspeciestocapturetheuniquebehaviorsofeach.Forexample,alionwouldn’tlikelybeseen“flying.”Someethogramshowevercanbeusedfordifferentspeciesthatmighthavesimilarbehaviors.

Studentstaysattentiveandon-taskduringtimedobservationperiod

Studentaccuratelyrecordsdataonprovideddatasheet

Studentdiscussesdatawithhis/herpeers



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Observation Data Sheet: BirdObserver’s Name:________________________ Date:__________________ Species:______________________

Self-PreeningThebirdismovingitsownfeatherswithitsbeak,stretchingorsunning.

FeedingThebirdiseatingorforagingforfood.

VocalizingThebirdissingingormakinganoise.

LocomotionThebirdiswalking,flying,pacing,hopping,runningorjumping.

RestingThebirdislyingdownorperchedsomewhereintheirexhibit.Nootherbehaviorisoccuring.

Not VisibleThebirdisoffexhibitoryoucannotseethebirdyouwereobserving.

OtherYouseeabehaviorotherthantheonesdescribedabove.

Ethograms that are part of this curriculum guide have been modified and condensed in order to be more developmentally appropriate for your students. Recommended for grades 3-5.

Notes

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Self-Preening Feeding

0:30

1:00

1:30

2:00

2:30

3:00

3:30

4:00

4:30

5:00

5:30

6:00

6:30

7:00

Total

Vocalizing Locomotion Resting Not Visible OtherTime


During Your Visit Activity 4: Enrichment Search“Why is the black bear sniffing underneath that rock?” asked Kyle. “Maybe there is food under there,” commented Maria.“Why would there be food there, wouldn’t it be in his food bowl?” asked Tessa. “Maybe a zoo keeper hid the food,” said Maria. “I wonder why they would do that?” asked Kyle. “Let’s see if any other animals are doing something similar,” suggested Maria. “Good idea,” said Tessa.

Activity OverviewInthisactivity,studentswillusetheirobservationskillstodeterminewhattypeofenrichmenttheanimalsweregivenbythezookeeperthatday.Enrichmentissomethingthatkeepersprovidefortheanimalstokeepthemactiveandinterestedintheirenvironments,suchasuniquefoodpresenta-tion,scentsortoys.

ObjectiveStudentswillrecordexamplesofenrichmenttheyobserveduringtheirvisit.

MaterialsCopiesofEnrichmentSearchDataSheet(pg.17)PencilsClipboards(optional)



Science13A:Knowandapplytheacceptedpracticesofscience

Inquiry Connection

Makingobservations



ProcedureBeforearrivingatthezoo,introduceyourstudentstotheconceptofenrichmentaswellasthetypesofenrichmentthattheymaysee.(SeeFindOutMoreonpg.16.)

Uponarrivalatthezoo,explainstudentswillbeus-ingcarefulobservationskillstoidentifyexamplesofenrichmentwithintheanimalhabitats.Torecordtheirobservations,provideeachstudentwithadatasheet.

Becausenotallexhibitswillhaveobviousorevenvisibleenrichmentcomponents,providestudentswiththeopportunitytovisitanumberofexhibits

throughoutthezoo.Alsoremindthemthatsomeenrichmentitemssuchasscentmaynotbeapparenttous.Encouragethemtoobserveanimalbehaviorasanindicatorthatenrichmentmightbepresent.

Backintheclassroom,tietheenrichmentobserva-tionsbacktopersonallyrelevanttopics.Youmightencouragethemtodiscusswhattheydointheirownlivesforenrichmentsuchasplayasportorvisitwithfriends.Youmightalsowanttodiscussprovidingenrichmentforpetssuchastoysorscratchingposts.

EvaluationAthree-pointscoringrubriccanbeusedtomeasurestudentengagementintheactivity.

Modification for Younger StudentsForyoungerstudentsnotyetabletowritetheirobservations,youcanmodifythedatasheetsostu-dentscandrawpicturesoftheenrichmenttheysee.

ExtensionsStudentscandevelopalistofenrichmentitemsforananimaloftheirchoicebasedonwhattheythinkthatanimalwouldlike.Encouragethemtothinkaboutthebehaviorthatthattypeofenrichmentwouldpromote.

Backintheclassroom,thestudentscanmakeenrichmentforaclasspetorapetathome,suchasadecoratedcardboardboxorapiñatainwhichtohideatreat.

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Studentstaysattentiveandon-taskduringobservations

Studentaccuratelyrecordsdataonprovideddatasheet

Studentdiscussesdatawithhis/herpeers



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All About Enrichment Zookeepersprovideeachanimalsomeformofenrichmentalmosteveryday.Enrichmentisdesignedtoencourageanimalstoexhibitnaturalbehaviorssuchasforaging,hunting,digging,explorationandothers.

Exhibit design: Differentlevels,thingstoclimb,andnichesinwhichtohideareallex-hibitcomponentsthatkeepanimalsinterested.Keeperswillalsomakechangestoexhibitssothere’salwayssomethingnew.

Food: Zookeepersscatterfoodsoanimalscanforageandhandletheirfoodastheywouldinthewild.Theymightscatteritaroundtheexhibitorhideitunderrocks,withinlogsorincon-tainersthatarechallengingtoopen.Thezoonutritionistcreatesadietplanthatincludesalargevarietyoffoodssotheanimalsdon’tgettiredofeatingthesamethingseachday.

Novel objects: Uniqueitemscanbeaddedtoananimal’senclosuretoencourageittoexploreandinteractwithnewthings.Burlapbags,sheets,balls,chewtoys,orpapier-mâchépiñatasfilledwithfruittreatsarejustafewexamples.

Scent:Animalkeeperssometimesintroducedifferentscentstoanexhibitsuchasspices,perfume,orevenscentsofotheranimals.

Sound:Recordedsoundscanbeusedtosimulatewhatanimalsmayhearintheirnaturalenvironment.

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FIND OUT MORE

Enrichment Search Data Sheet

Researcher:____________________________ Date:__________________

Animal:____________________________

_______ Exhibit Design _______ Food _______ Novel Objects _______ Scent _______ Sound

What did you see?_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Animal:____________________________


What did you see?_______________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Animal:____________________________


What did you see?_______________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________

17 © 2010 Lincoln Park Zoo

Revisiting the ExperienceImportance of Reinforcing Information LearnedJustbecausethefieldtripisoverdoesn’tmeanthelearningis.Revisitingdetailsofafieldtripexperiencebackintheclassroomisagreatopportunitytoreinforcenewlylearnedinformation,addressanymisconceptions,oransweranylingeringquestions.Thisreinforcementisacriticalpartofthelearningprocess.

Toprovidethisreinforcement,createactivitiesthatreplicatethefieldtripexperienceandpromptstudentstosummarizeandsharetheirexperiences.Notonlywilltheseactivitiessupportstudentlearning,butalsohelptransfersomeoftheenthusiasmfromthefieldtripbacktotheclassroomsetting.

18© 2010 Lincoln Park Zoo

Revisiting the Experience Activity 5: Communicating Discoveries“I hope they listen to us. We have a lot of important information they need to know!” Tessa whispered to her teammates. “I think it’s more than just information we’re sharing,” Maria reminded her. “We also want them to get excited for their trip next year.” “I don’t know who wouldn’t be excited…I mean we have these amazing pictures and that funny story about the young swan learning to swim,” laughed Kyle. “See Tessa,” Maria smiled encouragingly. “I know they’ll be excited to learn more about our trip to the zoo!”

Activity OverviewAgreatwaytoreinforcenewlylearnedinformationistohavestudentsre-teachtheinformationwithpeers.Thisactivityasksstudentstosharetheirzooexperiencewithotherstudents,someofwhommayhavetakenthesamefieldtripyearsearlierorwhomaybescheduledtotakeatripinthecomingyear.

ObjectiveStudentswillsharetheirzooexperiencethroughoralandwrittenpresentations.

MaterialsLargeposterboardsArtmaterialsPhotosfromfieldtripZooGuidesdownloadedfromthewebsite


LanguageArts3C:Communicateideasinwritingtoaccomplishavarietyofpurposes

LanguageArts4B:Speakeffectivelyusinglan-guageappropriatetothesituationandaudience

Inquiry Connection


PreparationInpreparationfortheactivity,you’llwanttotakephotosofstudentsduringthefieldtrip.Keepingacopyofyourzoomaporothermaterialsfromthedaycanbeusedduringthepreparationofthefinalproject.

ProcedurePlacestudentsinsmallgroupsandprovidethemwithalargeposterboardandotherartmaterials.Askthemtosummarizetheirexperienceatthezooinawaythatcanbepresentedtootherstudentsattheschool.

Youmaychoosetohavestudentssummarizedatatheycollectedduringtheirvisitorcomparetheanimalstheystudiedwiththoseofanothergroup.Youmayalsochoosetojusthighlightwhattheysawatthezooorwhatsurprisedthemaboutthevisit.Whateverthefocus,studentswillarticulatetheirthoughtsthroughamixed-mediapresentationusingmapsandhand-outsfromthezoo’swebsite,clippingsfrommagazines,markers,paintandotherartorcraftmaterials.

Afterstudentshavehadachancetocreatetheirposters,providetheopportunitytopracticepre-sentationswithintheclassroom.Oncestudentsfeelsecure,arrangeforeachgrouptovisitadifferentclass.Afterstudentsconducttheirpresentation,providetimetodiscusstheexperienceasaclasstohighlighttheirsuccesses.

EvaluationStudentsshouldreceivebasiccreditforcompletingaposterandconductinganoralpresentationoftheirexperience.Specificevaluationcriteriawillvarybygradelevel.

Modification for Younger StudentsYoungerstudentsmaybemorecomfortablehostingolderstudentsand/orparentsintheirownclassroom.

ExtensionsStudentscanwritelettersfornextyear’sstudentsonwhattoexpectduringthefieldtrip.

Studentscancreateaclassbookthatcanbelami-natedandleftintheschoollibraryforcheck-out.

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Revisiting the Experience Activity 6: Explore Schoolyard Wildlife“You can be the recorder, you carry our supplies, and I’ll be the observer!” announced Tessa authori-tatively. “I don’t want to just carry supplies. That’s not science,” whined Kyle. “Isn’t it better if we ALL do the observing?” suggested Maria helpfully. Tessa rolled her eyes, “There probably isn’t even that much to see—we don’t need THREE observers!” Just then Mr. Garrett passed out a list of plants and animals that the students might discover on their walk around the schoolyard. “Wow,” whispered Tessa. “There are twelve different birds we might find!” “And 10 different kinds of bugs!” added Kyle. “I guess we’ll all need to help with the observing after all,” Maria smirked.

Activity OverviewProvidingstudentswitharich,inquiry-basedsci-encecurriculumiscriticaltotheirsuccess.HelpingstudentsseeconnectionsbetweentheirdayatLin-colnParkZooandtheclassroomcurriculumhelpstoextendlearningbeyondasinglefieldtripday.Conductingsurveysoftheirlocalschoolyardisoneactivitythatcanhelpwiththeseconnections.

ObjectiveStudentswillexploretheirschoolyardandrecordthedifferentspeciestheyencounter.

MaterialsCopiesofSchoolyardFieldGuides(sampleprovidedonpg.22)CopiesofSchoolyardExplorationDataSheets(pg.21)ClipboardsPencils



Science12A:Knowandapplyconceptsthatexplainhowlivingthingsfunction,adaptandchange

Math10B:Formulatequestions,designdatacollectionmethods,gatherandanalyzedataandcommunicatefindings

Inquiry Connection

Makingobservations




PreparationBeforeconductingtheactivity,you’llneedtocreateasimplefieldguideforstudentstouseduringtheirexploration.Yourfieldguidewillconsistofimagesofthingsstudentsarelikelytoencountertogetherwiththenameoftheplantoranimal.Thesearenotintendedtocovereverythingstudentsmightfind.In-stead,startwithafewthingsyouknowarelikelytobearoundsuchasants,pigeons,gullsandspiders.We’veprovidedasampleguidetogetyoustarted!

ProcedureExplaintostudentsthatthezooisnottheonlyplaceforthemtoexplorewildlife!Theirownschoolyardislikelytohaveseveralspeciesofplantsandanimalsthatcalltheurbanenvironmenthome.

Preparestudentsfortheactivitybyreinforcingtheimportanceofcarefulobservation.Aschoollawnmaylooklikeonetypeofgrassfromadistance.Lookingclosercanrevealthelawnisreallycom-prisedofseveraldifferenttypesofgreenplants.Somestudentsmayquicklysaytheirschooldoesn’thaveanywildlife.However,iftheylookmorecloselytheymightnoticeanabandonedlunchattractingantsorcrowsperchedinaneighbor’stree.

Afterpreparingstudentstobecarefulobservers,providethemwithimagesofthetypesofanimalstheymightencounterontheirschoolyard.Youcaneasilycreateasimplefieldguide,likethesampleprovided,usingimagesfromyourowndigitalcameraortheInternet.

Providestudentswithclipboardsanddatasheetsandsetasidetimetoexploretheschoolyard.Astheyrecordtheirdiscoveries,remindthemit’sokayiftheydon’tknowthenameofabirdorinsectaslongastheyrecordadescriptionorsketchofwhattheysaw.

Afterstudentshavecollectedtheirdata,youcancompiletheinformationintoaclasschartorgraphasanoverviewofthemanydifferentlivingthingsthatsharetheschoolyard.

Whatdiscoveriesdidstudentsmake?

EvaluationAthree-pointscoringrubriccanbeusedtoevaluatecompleteddatasheets.

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Studentrecordsinformationon1species

Studentrecordsinformationon3ormorespecies

Studentrecordsinformationon2species

3 2 1

Schoolyard Exploration Data Sheet

Researchers: ________________________ _____________________________

________________________ _____________________________

Weather: __________________________________________________________

Time: ________________________

Notes and/or SketchNumber*Species

What was your most surprising discovery?

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*If you encounter a trail of ants, beehive, pigeon flock or other large group, it’s okay to estimate rather than count exactly how many you see!


Schoolyard Field Guide What animals can you find in your schoolyard?

House Sparrow (male) Passer domesticus

American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos

Eastern Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis

Ant Family:Formicidae(multiplespecies)

Eastern Cottontail Rabbit Sylvilagus floridanus

Pigeon/Rock Dove Columba livia

Sowbug/Pillbug/Rolypoly/Woodlouse Suborder:Oniscidea(Multiplespecies)

Spider Order:Araneae(Multiplespecies)

22© 2010 Lincoln Park Zoo © 2010 Lincoln Park Zoo

Connecting with FamiliesWe’veallseenithappen.Achildendsanaction-packeddayatschoolbutwhenafamilymemberaskswhattheydid,outcomesamumbled“nothing.”Weknowthatreinforcementoftheday’slearningactivitiesisanimportantpartofthefieldtripprocess,soencouragingstudentstotalkabouttheexperiencewithfamilymembersiscritical.

Share The Experience Studentsgetprettyexcitedduringazoovisit.Roaringlions,shockingpinkflamingos,androamingrhinoscaninspiresomeprettybigsmiles.Usingadigitalcameratocapturethesemomentsisagreatwaytosharetheexperiencewithfamilymemberswhocouldnotbethere.Dependingonyourschoolresourcesandphotographyguidelines,youmightwanttocreateaCDofthephotosasakeepsakeforyourstudents.Someschoolsmayallowyoutoposttheimagesonaclasswebsiteaslongasstudentidentityisn’tsharedandproperpermissionslipsarecompleted.Sendingaletterhomewithstudentsthatsummarizessomeoftheday’seventsaswellasprovidingquestionstopromptdiscussioncanencouragefamilydialogandextendthelearningprocess.

Plan a Saturday Field TripSometimes,planninganafter-hoursorweekendeventistheonlywaytoconnectwithworkingparents.Planninganoptionalfieldtriponaweekenddayforyourstudentsandtheirfamiliesisagreatwaytopromotehome-schoolconnections.It’salsoanopportunitytodemonstratetoparentshowtheycanuseresourceslikezoostopromotelearning.BecauseLincolnParkZooisfree,therearenoadmission-feebarrierstopreventfamilieswhomightstrugglefinanciallyfromjoiningyou.Besuretostipulatethisisafamilyeventwhereallagesarewelcome,butchildrenmustbeaccompaniedbyanadult.

Support Family Visits to the ZooWeknowthatwhenstudentshavetheopportunitytomakerepeatvisitstoafieldtripdestination,therecanbegreaterlearninggains.Wealsoknowthatmostteachersdon’thavetheoptionoftakingmultiplefieldtripsovertheschoolyear.Onewaytoencouragetheserepeatvisitsistosupportfamiliesintakingtripswiththeirchildrenoutsideofschoolhours.ThebestwaytosupportfamiliesinplanningtheirownvisittoLincolnParkZooistoprovidealltheinformationtheyneedforasuccessfulday.We’vecreatedaletterwithallthisinformationthatcanbephotocopiedandsenthomewithstudents.

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Date:_____________

Dear Family Members and Friends,

TodaywetookafieldtriptoLincolnParkZoo.Itwasanexcitingandfundayforusall!Askyourchildaboutouradventuresandencouragehimorhertotellyousomethingspecialabouttheday.Herearesomequestionstogetyoustarted.

Whattypesofanimalsdidyousee?

Whatweretheydoing?

Whatwasyourfavoritepartofthevisit?

Ifyoucouldgoback,whatwouldyoudo?

Becausethere’snowaytofitalltheexcitingthingsatLincolnParkZoointoasingleschoolfieldtrip,weencourageyoutoreturnasafamily.SomethingstoknowaboutLincolnParkZooare:

ThezooislocatedonStocktonDrive,justsouthofFullertonParkwayandwestofLakeShoreDrive

Thereisfreeadmissionforeveryone

Thezooiseasilyaccessedbypublictransportation.Thezooisapproxi-matelyonemileeastoftheFullertonCTAstop.Inaddition,the151and156busesstoprightinfrontoftheentrance.

Thezooisopeneverydayoftheyear

Theanimalbuildingsareopenfrom10a.m.–4:30p.m.inthewinterand10a.m.–5p.m.inthefall,springandsummer

Thezoostaysopenlaterduringsummerweekendsandthewinterholidaystoprovideevenmoreopportunitytovisit!Pleaseseewww.lpzoo.orgforexactdatesandhoursofoperation.

Youcanpickupafreemapthatwillshowyouallthefunthingstoseeonceyou’rethere

Youcanpurchaselunchatthezooorbringlunchtoenjoyonthelawnorpicnictables

LincolnParkZoo’swebsitehaslotsofinformationaboutthetypesofanimalsyoumightseeandthescientiststhatworkthere,aswellasparkingratesanddirectionsifyouplanondriving.Visitwww.lpzoo.org.Atriptothezooisaperfectactivityforweekends,schoolholidays,orevenashortvisitafterschool!

Sincerely,

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Cert no. XXX-XXX-000

zoo links curriculum guide - lpzoo.org · exhibits penguins, seabirds vultures, eagles, owls...

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