KS3/4 Conservation Information and guidance for teachers Contents Learning objectives Lesson plan Curriculum links Plan a route Suggested activities Things to arrange prior to visit The day of the trip: arriving at the Zoo Your teaching session Maps Sheba is our oldest Asian Elephant at over 50 years of age!

Back to top A discovery session in action! Learning Objectives After attending this session, students will be able to: ▪ Discuss the meaning of conservation and extinction. ▪ Describe ways in which animals and plants are endangered around the world. ▪ Explain how Chester Zoo is working to conserve endangered species.  Understand that every person can help. Lesson Plan ▪ Introduction: Whole class discussion to define conservation and extinction. Brief history of extinction with examples. ▪ Main lesson: Introduction to the IUCN ‘Red List’, whole class identification of global threats to species, class and group investigation of artefacts (identifying reasons why animals are hunted), discussion about some of Chester Zoo’s conservation work, identifying what everyone can do to help. ▪ Plenary: Summary of key points, focus on individual responsibility and positive steps. KS3/4 Conservation Curriculum Links AQA GCSE Humanities (Core 2): Environmental Issues: Human activity and its consequences (with specific reference to impacts on species), our responsibility, and the positive effects of conservation. AQA GCSE Geography A: Living World: Conservation (with specific reference to species from a variety of habitats), human impacts (e.g. deforestation, hunting) and the positive impact of conservation work.

One of our critically endangered Blue-throated Macaws Back to top Plan a route Animals discussed during session Many different animals are discussed during this session including Scimitar-horned Oryx, rhinoceros, jaguars, tigers, elephants, tortoises, turtles, snakes, caiman and chimpanzees. Animals to visit before or after session Scimitar Horned Oryx (in West Zoo past the spectacled bears) - Scimitar horned Oryx are listed on 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 Rhinos are listed as ‘critically endangered’. Asian Elephant (in West Zoo not far from the main entrance) - Asian Elephants are listed as ‘endangered’. Chimpanzee (in the East Zoo, on the main path, near to the Okapi) – Chimpanzees are particularly threatened by the bushmeat trade. They are listed as ‘endangered’. Jaguar (in the East Zoo, behind the Education Centre) – Chester Zoo are working with local communities in South America to conserve the jaguar and are also funding research to learn more about this elusive animal. They are listed as ‘Near Threatened’.

One of our young Sumatran Orangutans born in 2004 Suggested activities to link with session Before visit (recommended prior learning - useful but not essential) Vocabulary: conservation, extinction, endangered Any activities that increase pupils’ awareness of the problems facing us and all living things on the Earth. Investigation of internet sites such as the IUCN (which includes the Red List at and CITES ( websites. The online Chester Zoo Annual Report gives additional information concerning our collection and our conservation work within the Zoo, in the UK and overseas. 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). Many Chester Zoo species are threatened in the wild. Those most seriously threatened include several species that are classified as extinct in the wild, critically endangered and 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 and collect perhaps one or two sets of leaflets for your class describing the Zoo’s conservation work. Back to top

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 (please click here for guidance) and collate contact details. Please inform us of any special needs so we are aware and can be of assistance if required, for example if you have wheelchair users or there are specific allergies. Assign students to a group leader, ensure students and leaders know the running plan for the day, have staff contact details and map of the Zoo (click here).click here Ensure group leaders have a plan for the day including; student 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. 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 Fruit Bat Forest (all students under 16 must be accompanied by and adult through the Fruit Bat Forest) Time for students 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 students under 16 should be accompanied in the gift shops. Time and location to meet when leaving the Zoo Back to top One of our critically endangered Black Rhinos.

Back to top ‘Holly’, one of our chimpanzees, faces a safe future here at Chester Zoo. 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: (Please see map) Reptiles and birds can be seen in the Tropical Realm, situated near to the Education Centre in the East Zoo. The Fruit Bat Forest contains free-flying bats as well as insects and other mammals. This is situated just past the Monkeys in the West Zoo. Monkeys, chimpanzees and the Spirit of the Jaguar all have good indoor viewing. Other enclosures with indoor viewing include; Tsavo Black Rhino experience, Elephants of the Asian Forest, Realm of the Red Ape, 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, and last around 50 minutes. 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. Back to top Meeting one of our stick insects 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 There are plenty of picnic tables around the Zoo to use for your lunch. On rainy days there is a small indoor picnic area next to the Education Centre. You can even pre-book school lunches from Chester Zoo when you book your teaching session! These healthy and palm oil free lunch boxes will be prepared for your visit. You can either collect them from the Ark Restaurant or eat them in there (tables cannot be pre-booked). Please click here for more information. There are toilets opposite the Spirit of the Jaguar house just past the Education Centre. Some Discovery Sessions may include a live animal and/or a selection of bio- artefacts. Please inform us in advance of any allergies or phobias that may be affected by this. An antibacterial foam hand-wash will be offered to students at the end of the session. In order for this to be effective, teachers are asked to ensure that all students have clean hands on arrival at the Education Centre.

Education Centre Conservation: some key species locations Scimitar- horned Oryx Asian Elephant Jaguar Black Rhino Chimpanzees Sumatran Tiger

Rainy Day Visits Cheetah Butterfly Journey Islands in Danger Fruit Bat Forest Monkeys Elephants of the Asian Forest Chimpanzees Spirit of the Jaguar Realm of the Red Ape Tsavo Black Rhino Experience Secret World of the Okapi Tropical Realm Aquarium