1. AS/A2 Animal Behaviour 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

2. AS/A2 Animal Behaviour Our male Sumatran Orang-utan, Puluh
Learning Objectives
After attending this session, students will be able to:
▪ Understand a wide range of behaviours exhibited by animal
species seen at Chester Zoo, such as:
▪ Communication (e.g. Asian Elephants, Jaguar)
▪ Social structure and behaviour (e.g. Orang-utans, Chimpanzees)
▪ Explanations of apparent altruism (e.g. Asiatic Lion)
▪ Intelligence (e.g. Chimpanzee, Humans, Orang-utan, Macaws)
▪ Reproductive Behaviour (e.g. Orang-utan, Cichlid fish/Seahorses, Peafowl)
Lesson content outline
This session is based around the AQA Psychology specifications
(comparative psychology). Biological explanations for behaviours
will be offered wherever possible. Utilising audio-visual materials
and referring to species and behaviour that can be observed at
the zoo, this session includes:
Classical and operant conditioning, as illustrated by the example of health care training of Californian Sealions
▪ Evolutionary explanations of behaviours including apparent altruism and kin selection, Infanticide, differential parental investment in young. Sexual dimorphism, as well as the potential conflict between offspring and their parents will also be discussed
▪ Social learning including examples of foraging and hunting behaviours, imitation of learned behaviours as well as self awareness and intelligence in great apes.
One of our Discovery sessions in action!
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3. Plan a route Click here to download a Zoo Map
Many different zoo species can be used to illustrate different behaviours:
Chimpanzee (near Education Centre) - for social and reproductive behaviour, communication and intelligence
Orang-utan (near Education Centre) – for sexual selection, reproductive behaviour and intelligence
Meerkats (near entrance by rhinos) – for apparent altruism and social behaviour
Jaguar (behind Education Centre) – for different types of communication
Peafowl (free roaming, mainly on West side of Zoo) – for sexual selection
Asiatic Lions (by large Oakfield House building) – for reproductive behaviour, sexual selection and altruism
Asian Elephants (by Main Entrance) – for social and reproductive behaviour, as well as communication
Macaws (near Education Centre) – for intelligence
Cichlid fish/Seahorses (in Aquarium by orang-utans) – for reproductive behaviour and sexual selection
Poison Arrow Frogs (in Spirit of the Jaguar exhibit) - for communication
Humans (everywhere!!) – for reproductive behaviour and intelligence
For more information on the zoo’s animal collection please click here
Click here to download a Zoo Map
A visitor favourite: ‘Boris’ the chimpanzee
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4. One of our young Sumatran Orang-utans born in 2004
Suggested activities to link with session
Before visit
Some background knowledge of the above concepts would be useful. Pre-visit knowledge of some of the species would also be desirable (but by no means essential) to maximise students learning opportunities on the day.
Note: binoculars may prove useful for close observation.
During visit
Focus on a species and look at their complete range of behaviours. Primates are good for this as they are generally quite active and have a good repertoire of behaviours.
Focus on a behaviour and discover species that display it. E.g. which species are monogamous? Which are polygamous? And why? Or look at sexual selection and the species that exhibit it and why?
Using our Chimpanzee identification guide (available for download on our website or can be viewed at the enclosure), follow and record the behaviour of individual Chimpanzees. This can be done for other individuals that are easy to identify (such as elephants etc).
After visit
If several students follow several different Chimps (as suggested above), results could be collated so that personalities/preferences/group dynamics could be unveiled.
This could also be done for elephants (smaller group than chimps so quite practical even for small groups of students).
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5. 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 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).
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 Twilight Zone (all students under 16 must be accompanied through the Twilight Zone)
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
Asoka – Chester Zoo’s male Asiatic Lion
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6. The day of your trip: arriving at the Zoo
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. Students 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 students 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 – indoor enclosures
The Aquarium, Tropical Realm, Twilight Zone, Spirit of the Jaguar, Islands in Danger are all undercover, indoor exhibits.
Additionally, macaws, Chimps, orang-utans, giraffes, elephants, rhinos, Monkeys , Miniature Monkeys all have undercover viewing.
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7. 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
Meeting ‘Beaky’ the quail during a Discovery session
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