Zoo to You

The Lincoln Children's Zoo invites teachers within a 50 mile radius of Lincoln to participate in the Our Zoo to You program.

Throughout the school year, a variety of animals will be loaned to classrooms for six-week periods. These animals will be cared for in classrooms where teachers and students can observe, keep records, propose theories, test preconceptions, and share data on a website.

Zoo staff will visit participating classrooms twice a month.

Participating teachers attend two workshops, one before an animal is taken into the classroom and the second in mid-term. These workshops empower teachers to...

• teach inquiry based science using live animals,
• handle, care for, and incorporate animals into existing curriculum,
• become part of a professional learning community, and
• share data and observations on a specifically designed website.

A listserv of teachers will be established to facilitate peer support and the exchange of ideas throughout the length of the project. This internet resource will be used to exchange information about classroom management of animal issues, assignment of animal-related activities and curriculum, and monitor and discuss student activities and investigations.

Mimi Wickless, Education Director, explains the significance of animals in the classroom: "Studying animals in a classroom situation, caring for them every day, and monitoring their well being enables students to develop skills of observation and comparison, a sense of stewardship, and an appreciation for the unity, interrelationships, and complexity of life. This will be a unique opportunity for classrooms in our area."

Teachers interested in participating in this program during the school year should call the Zoo at (402) 475-6741 for more information.  Check the Our Zoo to You website at http://dwbrr.unl.edu/Zoo.