KS2 Interdependence and Adaptations Information and guidance for teachers Contents Learning Objectives Lesson plan Plan a route Suggested activities to link with session Things to arrange prior to visit The day of your trip: arriving at the Zoo Your teaching session We have a group of over 30 chimpanzees here at Chester Zoo

KS2 Adaptation and Interdependence Learning Objectives After attending this session, pupils will be able to: ▪ Discuss how animals are suited to the habitat in which they are found ▪ Explain ways in which animals and plants are dependent on each other ▪ Construct a simple food chain Lesson Plan ▪ Introduction Whole class discussion to define what adaptation and habitat means and to establish what a habitat has to contain. ▪ Main lesson Close encounter with a live invertebrate discussing its adaptations to its habitat. Group work investigating a skull to establish its adaptations to its habitat (skulls will be selected from either a South American rain forest habitat or an African savannah habitat-if you have a preference please let us know as soon as possible). Presentation of group findings with additional information and artefact exploration. Whole class construction of a simple food chain. ▪ Plenary Recap vocabulary and main points (using a close encounter with an additional live animal if time allows). Back to top One of our Discovery sessions in action!

Plan a route Animals discussed during session Several different animals are discussed during this session. In particular, if Savannah species are chosen, Chimpanzee, zebra, giraffe and lion and if Rainforest species are chosen tapir, Capybara, Jaguar and caiman. In addition insects, reptiles and birds may be discussed. Animals to visit before session (or after session if at 10.30) Chimpanzee’s can be found in the East Zoo near the Education Centre. They have long toes to help climb and eyes on the front of their head to judge distance as they move through the trees. Zebra can be found near the Spectacled Bears in the West Zoo. Try counting them if they’re standing together. Giraffe are opposite the entrance to the Tropical Realm in the East Zoo. Try to spot their long blue tongues! The Lion is near the Fountain Shop in the East Zoo. Look for it using its senses and at its claws. Capybara and tapir can be found sharing an enclosure just beside the exit from the Twilight Zone in the West Zoo. Capybara have webbed feet and oily fur and spend much of their time in water. Tapir have a short trunk and their young are spotted and striped. Jaguar can be found in the Spirit of the Jaguar exhibit near the Education Centre in the East Zoo. The Zoo has five Jaguar but they can be difficult to spot! Why? Caiman - The Zoo does not keep caiman but Dwarf Crocodile which exhibit very similar adaptations can be found in the Tropical Realm near the Education Centre in the East Zoo. Look at the position of their sense organs and their coloration. Back to top Grevy’s Zebra can be seen at Chester Zoo Click here to download a Zoo Map

Suggested activities to link with session Before Visit (recommended prior learning – useful but not essential) Vocabulary – adaptation, habitat, rainforest, savannah, camouflage, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, vegetarian. Concepts – What animals need to survive (food, water and shelter) During Visit Focus on one country or habitat for instance rainforests and visit all the animals in the zoo from that habitat looking at their adaptations to it. Visit Europe on the Edge exhibit to compare the beaks of a range of birds: long Waldrapp Ibis’ beaks probe for worms in the mud, serrated edged Red-breasted Geese bills are for grazing on grass, vultures have short strong beaks to rip meat and the Spoonbills have a spoon shaped beak to sieve little animals from the water. Focus on animals and plants from extreme habitats such as Bactrian Camel from steppe (cold desert), Amur Tiger which has to withstand very cold winters on the Russo-China border and cacti from the hot dry regions of America. Presenter talks. Check out the times and topics of talks. Some talks include animal feeds. All presenters are happy to answer individual questions after their talk. Food Chain Treasure Hunt. Start from the Grow Zone Greenhouses or a garden area. What might eat grass? From the suggested animals pick one to visit for example zebra. What might eat zebra? Perhaps a lion? What might eat a lion? Perhaps a scavenging bird like a vulture etc. Draw and photograph the animals perhaps focusing on camouflage and other adaptations. Pictures could also be collected in order to build food chains back in school. One of our young Sumatran Orang-utans born in 2004 Continues on next page….

After Visit Animal A-Z Games (on the coach?!) Think of an animal beginning with each letter of the alphabet. Something beginning with for example ‘z a lion might eat’, or ‘a meat eating animal beginning with J’. An animal that flies/hops/swims beginning with … Letter writing – Write and tell us about your day at the Zoo. Designer Animal – Invent an animal designed to live in a specific habitat. Draw it and annotate to indicate its adaptations. Food Chains - From photos taken in the zoo build food chain wall displays. Make animal masks to make living food chains with pupils. From a long list of species from a habitat make as many different food chains as possible (could use species only once or multiple times). Plants aren’t just for eating – How many different ways can you think of that plants need animals. Why are flowers and fruit brightly coloured? Why is fruit tasty? Why are seeds sticky and tasty? Laurels rely on Spectacled Bears for germination, sundew plants eat flies, orchids look like bees to encourage bees to pollinate them. Sign writing – Make an identification sign for an imaginary animal. Give it a name, draw it and describe its food, habits, predators and number of babies etc. ICT – Use computers to present mathematical information you have collected. RE – Noah’s Ark story can be linked to the logo of the zoo and its mission to save animals from extinction. Drama – Turn your sounds and experiences of visiting the zoo into a play or assembly. Back to top Asoka – Chester Zoo’s male Asiatic Lion

Things to arrange prior to visit Please check details on confirmation letter, any queries please call Arrange a pre-visit to the Zoo, contact us for details Arrange appropriate number of group leaders and collate contact details. Assign pupils to a group leader, ensure pupils and leaders know the running plan for the day, have staff contact details and map of the Zoo (these can be downloaded from the website at Ensure group leaders have a plan for the day including; pupil names, time and location of teaching session (e.g. a copy of the confirmation letter) and where to meet, if necessary, after the session as well as a map of the Zoo. Identification wrist bands are available for 5p each, and can be sent to you in advance. For more information please contact Running plan for the day Time and location of teaching session Time and location to meet for teaching session Time and location to meet for lunch Time to visit Twilight Zone (all pupils under 16 must be accompanied through the Twilight Zone) Time for pupils to visit the gift shop (the shop at the entrance is open all year round, opening times of the other 2 shops vary throughout the year) All pupils under 16 should be accompanied in the gift shops Time and location to meet when leaving the Zoo Back to top Chester Zoo supports Black Rhino conservation in Kenya

Back to top Sheba is our oldest Asian Elephant at over 50 years of age! The day of your trip: arriving at the Zoo Please help us to make your entrance to the Zoo as smooth as possible. Allow plenty of time to get to and into the Zoo, it can take over 30 minutes to enter the Zoo and reach the Education Centre, particularly at busy times of year. On arrival the group leader only should approach the main gate with the confirmation letter. Pupils and other staff should remain on the coach. This provides an ideal opportunity for another member of staff to run through itinerary for the day with pupils and helpers, to hand out work sheets, information, maps, talk times etc. Once the paperwork has been completed the group leader can collect the group from the coach to be counted into the Zoo by Gate Staff. There are toilets at the main entrance both inside and outside the Zoo. Rainy day plan: indoor enclosures Snakes, insects, birds and other reptiles are in the Tropical Realm. The Tropical Realm is situated near to the Education Centre in the East Zoo. The Twilight Zone contains free flying bats as well as insects, fish and mammals. The Twilight Zone is situated just past Monkeys in the West Zoo. Monkeys, Chimpanzees and Jaguars all have good indoor viewing Other enclosures with indoor viewing include; Rhinos, Elephants, Orang-utans, the Aquarium and Islands in Danger.

Your teaching session Sessions are run in 3 classrooms all located in the Education Centre next to the Spirit of the Jaguar exhibit. Please be aware that it can take 30+ minutes to cross the zoo particularly at busy times of year. On arrival at the Education Centre please wait outside the appropriate room (Cook, Columbus or Cousteau), as stated on your booking confirmation for an Education Officer to greet you. Please don’t block doorways to education classrooms as there may be classes about to leave. Each teaching session will last approximately 50 minutes. There is plenty of open space for lunches outside the Education Centre. On rainy days there is an indoor picnic area (Arara Picnic Lodge) past the Spirit of the Jaguar exhibit. There are toilets opposite the Spirit of the Jaguar house just past the Education Centre. If you are delayed for any reason and may be late for your teaching session please contact , we may be able to help! If you have found this information useful or think there is something that we could add to help your day run smoothly please let us know at Back to top Meeting ‘Beaky’ the quail during a Discovery session