KS2 Conservation 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 Harvest mouse re- introduction at Chester Zoo

KS2 Conservation Learning Objectives After attending this session, pupils will be able to: ▪ Discuss the meaning of extinction ▪ Explain ways in which animals and plants are endangered in this country and abroad and how everyone can help protect them ▪ Explain how Chester Zoo is working to conserve endangered species Lesson Plan ▪ Introduction Whole class discussion to define conservation and extinction. ▪ Main lesson Whole class exploration of artefacts identifying reasons why animals are hunted followed by a group investigation. Whole class discussion about other reasons why animals and plants are endangered. Brainstorm what ordinary people can do to help. Discuss some of Chester Zoo’s conservation work. ▪ Plenary Recap including, if time permits, outdoor visit to highlight conservation work of Chester Zoo. Back to top One of our Discovery sessions in action!

Plan a route Animals discussed during session Many different animals are discussed during this session including Water Voles, tortoises, turtles, Jaguar, tigers, elephants, snakes, caiman, rhinoceros, chimpanzees, macaques, Przewalskis Horse and orang-utans. Animals to visit before session (or after session if at Przewalskis Horse (in West Zoo near Rhinoceros) - We have been involved in a re-introduction programme for this species which had been recorded by the IUCN Red List as Extinct in the Wild. Black Rhinoceros (in West Zoo not far from the main entrance) - The Tsavo Rhino experience has lots of interesting interactive signs. Black Rhino’s are Critically Endangered. Asian Elephant (in West Zoo not far from the main entrance) - Asian Elephants are on the IUCN red list as Endangered. Sulawesi Crested Macaque (in West Zoo in the Monkeys exhibit) – These macaques are on the IUCN red list as Endangered. They are the Christmas dinner of choice in Sulawesi! Orang-Utan (in East Zoo near to Aquarium) - Chester Zoo has been successfully breeding orang-utan for over 20 years. They helped set up a rehabilitation centre for orphaned orang-utans in Borneo. Sumatran Orang-utans are Critically Endangered and Bornean Orang-utans are Endangered. Back to top We have a group of over 30 chimpanzees here 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 – conservation, extinction, endangered Any activities that increase pupil’s awareness of the problems facing us and all living things on the earth and brainstorm ways in which we all can Help. During Visit How many endangered species can you visit? Most of our animals have identification signs which include the conservation status (according to the IUCN Red List) of the animal. These can be checked back in school by consulting the Zoo Annual Review on the internet (click here). Overclick here 56% of Chester Zoo’s collections are species that are threatened in the wild. Those most seriously threatened include several species that are Extinct in the Wild, those that are Critically Endangered and those that are classified as Endangered. At each enclosure find out what habitat the animal is from. Is it a habitat that is being destroyed and why? Breeding is a very important part of our work in the zoo. How many babies can you spot around the Zoo? Conservation is needed right around the world and we have animals from many different countries. How many countries do our animals represent? In school you could flag these on a world map. Ask your pupils to imagine they are Noah! Which five species of animals would they choose to save and why? Visit Zoo Information Centre and collect perhaps one or two sets of leaflets for your class describing the Zoo’s conservation work. One of our young Sumatran Orang-utans born in 2004 Continues on next page….

Cross curricular activities Follow the Zoo map-pupils lead the way following the Zoo map downloadable from the internet (click here).click here Record the ‘sounds of the Zoo’ for example the visitors, the monorail, the Chimpanzees or Sealions at feeding time. Draw and photograph the animals. Collect data such as the number of animals with spots, stripes, four legs, wings etc. After Visit Animal A-Z Games (on the coach?!) Think of an animal beginning with each letter of the alphabet. Think of as many animals as possible beginning with… 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 … Chester Zoo Conservation wall display - This might include a world map with the places marked where animals can be found in the wild, photos and pictures of the animals and information about the IUCN conservation status. It could also include information about Chester Zoos role collected from Zoo Information Centre leaflets How can we help – Reminder list of things children can do to help protect the world and its living things. Letter writing – Write and tell us about your day at the Zoo. 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. Art – Display photos and drawings made at the zoo. 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