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ZOO CLASSES FOR SCHOOL GROUPS


From story time to live animal encounters to dissection classes and even wild careers, the Memphis Zoo makes teaching easier for you by offering these special classes during your field trip! All of our “edZOOcation” classes meet Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi state standards. 

 

Cost:
      

$2.00 per person for most classes (in addition to gate admission)    

$5.00 per person for Dissection classes (in addition to gate admission)

$5.00 per person for Made-to-Order classes (in addition to gate admission)**    

Minimum of 15 paid participants for all classes    

One free chaperone is admitted for every 10 paid students    

Additional chaperones or adults pay regular program cost

 

Length:   
 

30 minutes for Pre-K/K Classes

45 minutes for all other classes

 
Classes can be scheduled Monday through Friday throughout the school year at the following times:
   9:30 a.m.           10:30 a.m.             11:30 a.m.               1:00 p.m.
 

You can view all of our classes below, sorted by grade levels:  Pre-K/K, Grades 1-23-5, 6-8, or 9-12.  One chaperone/teacher per 10 students may attend at no charge with a minimum number of 15 paying participants.


If you have a specific topic in mind that is not listed below for your grade level, please contact the Education department at 901-333-6600.  Our educators can develop a program to fit your specific curriculum needs. You provide the topic: we'll develop the program.

 

To book a Zoo Class, or for more information, call 901-333-6765. Classes are booked on a first-come, first-served basis and our calendar does fill quickly!


Can't bring your class to the Zoo?  Bring the Zoo to you with our Wildlife on Wheels program.

 

CLASSES FOR PRE-K/K

We cannot guarantee that Pre-K/K students will be able to touch live animals. There will be Biofacts (furs, feathers, skulls, etc) available for touching in all Pre-K/K classes.  

   Grizzly Grotto
                          
What makes a grizzly bear different from other bears? In this class, your students will learn about the grizzly bear’s lifestyle, diet, and habitat through interactive animal visits and story time.

Wolf Watch

Through story time and animal visits, your students will explore the lives of the grey wolves of the Yellowstone area and find out what makes these creatures cool.
Polar Prowl
From polar bears to eagles to seals and sea lions, your students will learn about these fascinating creatures in this interactive class.
Who’s Home in the Barn?
This class is barnyard basics with a “wild” twist. Students will explore which animals are a farmer’s friend and which animals are uninvited guests while meeting these animals up close and discovering why they are important on the farm.
Panda Tales*
Students will explore fascinating China and its famous ambassador, the giant panda, through story telling and animal encounters.
Meet An Animal
Students will get up close and personal with your choice of birds, reptiles, mammals, or amphibians. Help your students develop a better understanding of one of these animal groups through careful observation.
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CLASSES FOR GRADES 1-2

Winter in the West
What happens to some animals when it becomes winter time in the West? Your students will learn how and why some animals migrate, insulate, or hibernate through the winter.
Bears, Bears, Bears, Oh My!* (NEW AND IMPROVED)
Here is a new twist on an old favorite: the updated curriculum for this class focuses on the grizzly bears of the West.  Students also explore adaptations of all the world’s eight bear species. 
Animals Have Class
Fur, feathers, skin and scales! This class explores how scientists group animals and investigate how body coverings enable animals to survive in their habitats.
Eat or Be Eaten
What’s for lunch? Students will discover the ways that animals are linked together in an intricate web of life. Animal skulls and live animals will demonstrate the predator/prey relationship.
Native Neighbors
Even though some animals can be noisy and messy, it’s true we need wildlife in our neighborhoods. In this class , students will learn why.
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CLASSES FOR GRADES 3-5

Home on the Range
How do geological forces change environments over time? In this class, students will explore how plant and animal species have adapted to survive in the unique environment of the Yellowstone area.
Teton Trek Junior Ranger
Ever wonder what it would be like to be a park ranger? In this class, students will solve the mystery of what animals can be found in the Teton Range by learning to identify wildlife through the signs and tracks they leave behind.
Asian Adaptations*
Students will learn about Asian animals while discovering some amazing animal adaptations.
Endangered Species
How do genetic diversity, invasive species and bush meat impact endangered wildlife? Students will explore these issues and learn how they can make a difference.
Properties of Matter
How do temperature, density, volume and buoyancy effect animals? When your students come to this new exciting class, they’ll learn how “properties” matter at the Zoo!
Spineless Wonders
Expose your students to the fascinating world of arthropods. Learn how spiders, insects and many other arthropods function in their diverse environments.
Owls Eat Whooo?
Students will take a closer look at owls and owl pellets as we discover "whooo" they hunt.
The Living Desert
Turn up the heat and prepare to explore the living desert. Students will find out how amazing adaptations help plants and animals survive in such a harsh environment. This class will reveal why it’s cool to be hot!
Rainforest Adventures
Through interactive activities, amazing biofacts and real rainforest animals, students will be transported to the rainforests of the world. We’ll explore the reasons this important ecosystem is threatened and ways to help save it.
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CLASSES FOR GRADES 6-8

Endangered Species
How do genetic diversity, invasive species and bush meat impact endangered wildlife? Students will explore these issues and learn how they can make a difference.
Properties of Matter
How do temperature, density, volume and buoyancy effect animals? When your students come to this new exciting class, they’ll learn how “properties” matter at the Zoo!
Spineless Wonders
Expose your students to the fascinating world of arthropods. Learn how spiders, insects and many other arthropods function in their diverse environments.
Owls Eat Whooo?
Students will take a closer look at owls and owl pellets as we discover "whooo" they hunt.
The Living Desert
Turn up the heat and prepare to explore the living desert. Students will find out how amazing adaptations help plants and animals survive in such a harsh environment. This class will reveal why it’s cool to be hot!
Rainforest Adventures
Through interactive activities, amazing biofacts and real rainforest animals, students will be transported to the rainforests of the world. We’ll explore the reasons this important ecosystem is threatened and ways to help save it.
Why Genetics
Your students will learn why the study of genetics is important, how genetic diversity is lost in the wild, and what zoos are doing to help.
Yellowstone Redefined
From the time the first human settlers arrived, the Yellowstone area has been altered, though not always for the better. This class investigates how people have negatively impacted the natural resources of the West and how we are now working to protect them.
From Wolf to Willow
What does a wolf have to do with a willow tree? In the Yellowstone ecosystem, the answer is everything! This class explores the region’s ecology while focusing on the relationships that plants and animals have with each other and with their environments.
The Dirt on Plants
‘Leaf’ it to a Zoo Educator to bring the study of plants to life for your students! Students will meet animals while exploring a variety of fascinating plant-related topics, including reproduction, photosynthesis, and the important roles that plants play in their ecosystems.
NANO: Technology of the Future
We’re taking science to a whole new level: the nano level.  Come join us to learn how the smallest particles can have the largest impact on our lives.
Animal Anatomy (choose Mammal Dissection or Amphibian Dissection)

Each dissection class ends with up-close encounters of our live animal ambassadors to enhance the learning experience. 

Dissection classes focus on organ systems within the abdominal and thoracic body cavities. Included in the lesson are discussions regarding similarities and differences between human anatomy and the specimen.

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CLASSES FOR GRADES 9-12
Expedition Yellowstone
Ever wonder how the West was won? In this class, your students will learn about the three major scientific expeditions that recorded scientific information and provided natural history specimens to the civilized world, effectively putting Yellowstone on the map.
Dynamic Populations
All living things in the Yellowstone area are intricately linked together through relationships and interactions with each other and their environment. This class investigates the population dynamics of Western species and how stability is maintained within their ecosystems.
Endangered Species
How do genetic diversity, invasive species and bush meat impact endangered wildlife? Students will explore these issues and learn how they can make a difference.
Properties of Matter
How do temperature, density, volume and buoyancy effect animals? When your students come to this new exciting class, they’ll learn how “properties” matter at the Zoo!
Spineless Wonders
Expose your students to the fascinating world of arthropods. Learn how spiders, insects and many other arthropods function in their diverse environments.
Why Genetics
Your students will learn why the study of genetics is important, how genetic diversity is lost in the wild, and what zoos are doing to help.
Wild Careers
Would you like your students to know about different careers in the zoo community? Education, accounting, nutrition, research and animal husbandry are just a few of the exciting and wild careers we will explore in this class.
NANO: Technology of the Future
We’re taking science to a whole new level: the nano level.  Come join us to learn how the smallest particles can have the largest impact on our lives.
Animal Anatomy (choose Mammal Dissection or Amphibian Dissection)
Each dissection class ends with up-close encounters of our live animal ambassadors to enhance the learning experience.
Dissection classes focus on organ systems within the abdominal and thoracic body cavities. Included in the lesson are discussions regarding similarities and differences between human anatomy and the specimen.
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*Scholarships
Macy’s, the Memphis Zoo’s Giant Panda Conservation/Education Partner, is sponsoring a limited number of scholarships for Title
One schools to attend panda classes. For information, please call (901) 333-6765.

 

 

TO REGISTER


Call (901) 333-6765 to register for classes.
E-mail educationinfo@memphiszoo.org with questions.

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