role of the zookeeper.
In this interactive workshop, learners will have the opportunity to meet some minibeasts up close and look at some objects that zookeepers use to look after the animals. They will learn about the things that zookeepers provide animals with to meet their needs, and some of the daily tasks involved in looking after animals. They can also have a go at designing their own animal enclosure.
National Curriculum Links
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Y1 - identify and name a variety of common animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
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Y1 - identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores
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Y1 - Working Scientifically: using their observations to compare and contrast animals at first hand or through videos and photographs, describing how they identify and group them.
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Y2 - identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including micro-habitat.
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Y2 - find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air).
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Y2 – Working Scientifically: asking questions about what things animals need for survival and what humans need to stay healthy; and suggesting ways to find answers to their questions.
Learning Objective
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Consider the needs of animals and how to care for them.
Learning Outcome
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Children will understand what skills a zookeeper needs to have and which tools they use to take care of animals;
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Pupils will use observation skills to ask thoughtful questions to the keeper
Pre-visit Suggestions
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Discuss key vocabulary with pupils e.g. diet, tools, skills.
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Access the Zoo app to look at the map of the zoo, watch live animal webcams and access more information on the animals.
habitats and adaptations.
We look at the different types of habitats that animals can live in and explore how the enclosures we have provided for the animals at the zoo match their needs. Together, we will observe the meerkats and look at their social groupings, as well as their adaptations to suit the environment in which they live. We will then compare the meerkats and their adaptations to some of our cold climate animals such as the arctic foxes, snowy owls and others.
National Curriculum Links
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Y1 - identify and name a variety of common animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
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Y1 - identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.
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Y1 - describe and compare the structure of a variety of common animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals including pets).
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Y1 – Working Scientifically: asking simple questions and recognising that they can be answered in different ways, identifying and classifying using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions, gathering and recording data to help in answering questions.
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Y2 - identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other.
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Y2 - identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including microhabitats.
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Y2 – Working Scientifically: they could describe the conditions in different habitats and micro-habitats (under log, on stony path, under bushes) and find out how the conditions affect the number and type(s) of plants and animals that live there.
Learning Objective
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I know that there are different types of habitats and that plants & animals are adapted to live in these habitats.
Pre-visit Suggestions
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Discuss key vocabulary with pupils e.g. 'habitat', 'ecosystem', 'predator' and 'prey.'
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Download the Northumberland Zoo App and look at the map of the zoo, watch the live animal webcams and access more information on the animals.
growth and development.
This workshop focuses on animal growth, life cycles and the basic needs of animals. We will investigate some different animal lifecycles by looking at some animal props such as bird nests and stick insect eggs, and consider what zookeepers need to provide animals with to meet their needs.
National Curriculum Links
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Y2 - notice that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults.
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Y2 - find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air).
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Y2 – Working Scientifically: find out about and describe the basic needs of animals, including humans, for survival (water, food and air), asking questions about what things animals need for survival.
Learning Objective
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I know that changes take place over time when developing from a baby or egg into an adult.
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I can describe the basic needs of animals.
Pre-visit Suggestions
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Invite children to look at baby photos of their classmates or teachers, look at the changes that have taken place. Introduce terms such as 'hatching', 'offspring', etc
animal groups & classification.
In this workshop, learners are invited to look at some of the animals at the zoo close-up in order to learn about which taxonomic group they belong to. They will discover how animals are separated into groups and the characteristics of animals in these groups. Learners will also have the opportunity to have a mini guided tour round the Zoo, completing a scavenger-hunt activity to look for different animals.
National Curriculum Links
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Y1 - identify and name a variety of common animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
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Y1 - identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.
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Y1 - describe and compare the structure of a variety of common animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals including pets).
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Y1 – Working Scientifically: using their observations to compare and contrast animals at first hand or through videos and photographs, describing how they identify and group them.
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Y2 - identify and name a variety of plants and animals in their habitats, including micro habitats.
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Y2 – Working Scientifically: describe the conditions in different habitats and micro-habitats (under log, on stony path, under bushes).
Learning Objective
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I can describe the differences between animals from different classes;
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I can correctly identify and name animals based on descriptions of their appearance and behaviour.
Pre-visit Suggestions
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Discuss key vocabulary (predator, prey, habitat, mammal, reptile, amphibian, bird etc.)
predators & prey.
Year 1 learners will discover what different animals at the Zoo eat, and how we can group animals by their diet. They will have the opportunity to look at objects such as skulls to improve their understanding of what makes an animal a carnivore, herbivore, or omnivore, and have a mini guided tour of the Zoo to look for these animals.
During the Predators and Prey workshop for Year 2 learners, we will investigate some food chains involving different animals at the Zoo, from top predators such as snow leopards, to small prey animals like harvest mice. The workshop will involve an active game, and looking at some animal props to understand the characteristics of a top predator.
National Curriculum Links
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Y1 - identify and name a variety of common animals including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals.
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Y1 - identify and name a variety of common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores.
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Y1 - describe and compare the structure of a variety of common animals (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals including pets).
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Y1 – Working Scientifically: using their observations to compare and contrast animals at first hand or through videos and photographs, describing how they identify and group them.
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Y2 - describe how animals obtain their food from plants and other animals, using the idea of a simple food chain, and identify and name different sources of food.
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Y2 - identify that most living things live in habitats to which they are suited and describe how different habitats provide for the basic needs of different kinds of animals and plants, and how they depend on each other.
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Y2 – Working Scientifically: construct a simple food chain that includes humans (e.g. grass, cow, human).
Learning Objective
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To understand that animals get their food from either plants or other animals, and that animals can be grouped based on what they eat.
Pre-visit Suggestions
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Ensure pupils have a basic understanding of key terms such as predator, prey, and food chain.