Educational Options
We welcome educational groups of all ages. You may choose from the following categories of visit:
With the Education Officer
- General guided tour punctuated with short talks about the animals in our collection.
- Topic-focused tour to include a taught interactive session
- NEW Environmental Enrichment for Zoo Animals - an innovative partnership of school and zoo. This requires pre-visit preparation at school. Explanatory planning and support materials will be provided by the Education Officer.
- Bespoke visit. We are happy to adapt/create sessions to suit your needs if sufficient notice is given.
Without the Education Officer
- Self-guided tour. Activity sheets can be emailed free of charge. Contact the Education Officer for details.
Topics for 2007 |
Pre-school and Foundation Stage |
| Animal Safari |
A musical guided tour around the zoo, learning a song and adding new verses about the animals we meet along the route. |
| What’s in the box? |
Look closely at and touch animal artefacts. Develop reasoning and vocabulary skills. |
Key Stage 1 |
| Fur, feathers, skin and scales |
Find out how scientists use physical features such as body covering to group birds, fish, minibeasts, mammals and reptiles. |
| What’s in the box? |
Look closely at and touch animal artefacts. Develop reasoning and vocabulary skills. |
Key Stage 2 |
| Feeding relationships |
An interactive look at food chains and food webs, using animals in the zoo for examples wherever
possible. |
| Habitats and adaptation |
What adaptations are needed to live in water or a
hot desert? Volunteers dress up to become better
suited for their habitats. |
| What’s in the box? |
Look closely at and touch animal artefacts. Develop
reasoning and vocabulary skills. |
Key Stages 3 & 4 |
| Wildlife Conservation |
Using lemurs and tigers as case studies find out
about the issues, possible solutions and barriers
facing some of our most endangered animals. |
| Managing a zoo |
A look at the many aspects of running a zoo: staff
roles, animal care, marketing, health and safety,
visitor services, environmental sustainability,
research and conservation. |
A Level |
| Applying science in the real world |
The role of zoos in conservation; developing a
behavioural enrichment programme; prevention of
haemosiderosis in lemurs by making dietary
changes. |
Please note sessions for Key Stages are only advised, not exclusive. Differentiation of a
topic to make it suitable for your age-group of children will be accommodated if
possible.
NEW EDUCATION SESSION
Environmental Enrichment for Zoo Animals.
This session is available for all ages and abilities.
At Isle of Wight Zoo the welfare of our animals is naturally our highest priority. This
means ensuring their mental well-being, as well as their physical health. With this in mind
we have, in common with most modern zoos, developed a programme of environmental
enrichment that is an integral part of enclosure design and of the day-to-day care of each
animal.
The aim of our enrichment programme is to encourage our animals to express natural
species-specific behaviours and/or to increase mental stimulation.
In 2006 the Education Department ran a very successful pilot project in which local
primary school children were invited to design and build an enrichment device for us to
use with the animals. The children created hollow paper-mache prey animals (known as
pinatas) into which keepers put meat. The piņatas were then given to our big cats while
the children recorded what happened. Pupils, cats and zoo staff had a very enjoyable
afternoon.
Following on from the success of this pilot project we have now decided to offer all
schools visiting the zoo the exciting opportunity to take part in the Enrichment
Programme if they so wish by inviting them to design and create enrichment activities for
our animals.
For more information contact the Education Officer
email education@isleofwightzoo.com
Telephone 01983 403883
General Visits (Key Stage 1 - A-level)
- Self-guided tour
- Duration approximately three hours
- Three presentations conducted by the Education Officer on:
- Lemur Conservation
- Tiger Conservation
- Natures Nightmares (Reptiles, Amphibians, Insects & Arachnids)
- Optional use of easy to copy Activity Sheets provided prior to your visit.
- Clipboards provided by the Zoo for the duration of your visit.
Personalised Visit (Key Stage 1 - A-level)
Want to do something a bit different? If you are studying a special topic we can adapt a session to suit your needs with reasonable prior notice.
Due to the variation between post 16 curricula we are happy to personalise or create a session to suit the needs of your students. Recently developed sessions include:
- Carnivore Adaptations
- Energy Transfer through Ecosystems
