Edinburgh Zoo

EDUCATION AT THE PARK

The Highland Wildlife Park is a great day out for any visitor, but for young people it offers a marvellous educational opportunity, which helps to meet the demands of the Curriculum of Excellence and bring their lessons alive. We want to become an extension of your classroom and a valuable learning resource. For Health and Safety reasons children aged 15 or under must be accompanied by a responsible person aged 16 or over at all times.

For information about our Science Summer School please click here.

EDUCATION VISITS: DESIGN YOUR DAY

Contact our Education Officers to design your day for your group (for all ages and group sizes). Create with us your blend of:

- GUIDED BUS TOUR

See the Mountain and Tundra animals in the drive-through. When available, the Education Officer will accompany your group and with the use of bio-facts will point out the animals and discuss the aims of zoos. If the Education Officer is unavailable you can download an interactive PDF or just print out what you require for additional information about the animals in the Park here. (pdf 3.9mb) This can be downloaded either onto your smart phone or IPad and used during your visit.

- EXPLORATION OF THE PARK
Walk around the park spotting the Mountain and Tundra animals from around the world as well as our rarer Scottish wildlife set within the Cairngorm National Park.

- CLASSROOM SESSION
Within our Education Centre, we can focus on the animals / topics of your choice e.g. Skins and Skulls / Animals at Risk sessions / Wildcat and tigers.

For a vivid glimpse of our Education Programme, magnificent setting and wonderful Mountain and Tundra wildlife, download our latest flier here.

LENGTH OF VISIT
All groups should, if possible, allow at least 3 hours (not including lunch) in the Park with flexible starting times. The time with a guide will vary.

PREPARATORY VISIT
Teachers are welcome to make a free visit by appointment with the Education Officer. Suggestions from teachers are always valued. Additional information that would assist you in your visit is available as PDF downloads below:

HWP Pre-visit Information
General Information

Also available to download here are the following Risk Assessments:

Guided tour on your bus
Self-explore of the Park
Studying at the Park
Rules and Regulations for studying at the Park

THE POSSIBILITIES FOR GROUPS OF ALL AGES ARE ENDLESS
Many of our lessons conform to the Experiences and Outcomes for the **Curriculum for Excellence** (see below)

NURSERY
Nursery groups can have fun, seeing, smelling and learning about the animals of Mountain and Tundra environments from around the world and rare Scottish wildlife.

PRIMARY
Tours are available for P1- P7. Topics can include:
- Scottish Wildlife, Wildcats and Tigers
- Endangered Species
- Food Chains and Classification
- Zoos and Conservation
- Habitats of the Cairngorm National Park

SECONDARY
There are lessons to suit all ages. Many fit with Standard Grade and Higher courses in Science, Biology, Rural Skills, Geography and Contemporary Social Studies. Our Education Officer is happy to arrange a session to meet with your particular needs.

Examples of programmes include:
Fieldwork Day practising Observation and Recording skills: (Standard and Higher Biology) e.g. The Red Deer Rut, Animal Enrichment (design and study). Other possible animal topics include: Social and Courtship Behaviour and Species Conservation.

Cross-curricular packages can be designed to suit individual requirements. The Park offers great scope, not just in Environmental Studies, Biology and Geography, but also in stimulating English, Art, Photography, Drama and Personal and Social Development.

We have prepared some pre and post information to maximise your visit to the Park. The Teachers’ Sheets aim to let you know what is involved in your chosen activity so you can prepare your class for the day and help them and you get as much from the visit as possible. A visit to the Park can provide a basis for a wide range of learning activities for many ages and levels. Linking your visit to activities at school, before and after the visit, will really strengthen the learning experience for your class and will maximise the time and money spent on your visit to us. Below are Teachers' Sheets available to download:

Re-introduction	Tooth and Claw
What is the point of zoos?	Adaptations
Enclosure Design	Skulls, teeth and diet
Rural Skills	Wildlife Crime
Animals at Risk	Zoos and Conservation
Evolution (Darwin / Polar Bear)	Biodiversity in the Scots Caledonian Forest
Art in the Park	Zoo Careers
Evolution of the Scottish Highland Landscape	Global warming and how to reduce its effects

If there are any topics not mentioned that you would like, please contact the Education Officer to see about creating a workshop that fit your needs.

*NEW* Available to download the Highland Wildlife Park directed learning worksheets:
Learning and Activity Pack (Part 1) and (Part 2) complete with Answers. The worksheets are designed to enhance the learning activity and can be used by teachers, youth group leaders and pupils to accompany them as they explore the Park. Each activity can be printed out individually or as a whole booklet. It is a pick 'n' mix worksheet where you can select what suits your requirements for your pupils.

*NEW* Available to download: Pre- and Post-Visit Activity Sheets

The idea of this pack is that it can be used before or after your visit with pupils, youth groups or families. Each activity can be printed out individually or as a whole booklet - it's a pick 'n' mix activity sheet. These worksheets do not require a visit to the Park and there are links to extra information on the web. You can select what suits the requirements of your group and what you are interested in.

FURTHER EDUCATION

We can provide formal and informal education for colleges and universities that are on study or field trips and whose course involves studying environmental management, eco-tourism, zoo management, and conservation etc.

Formal Education

We have prepared information to complement your visit to the Park. The sheets can inform you on some of the content of the lectures and direct you towards further reading and web links which may be of interest. Below are the lecture information sheets available to download.

Lecture Info - Zoo Animal Care	Lecture Info - Animal Behaviour
Lecture Info - The Role of the Modern Zoo	Lecture Info - RZSS Conservation Projects

Informal Education
Informal education can be included into the guided tour of the Park and can be described as discussion groups. Topics that can be covered for example are re-introduction, conservation with the Cairngorm National Park, native species and zoo management.

- Your visit could include "A day in the life in of a keeper" which is designed for animal care / countryside management students (including food preparation / interpretation and conservation).
- Individual students are well come to the Park to study our animals as part of their investigational projects for their course.

All of these topics are available across the age range and can be adapted accordingly.

Please speak to the Education Officers to ensure that you maximise your visit to the Park.

SPECIAL NEEDS
Children with learning difficulties are welcome in the Highland Wildlife Park and often enjoy the experience immensely. Many benefit from the "Touch and Feel" session in the Dulverton Room with various bio-facts (skins and skulls). There are also some native amphibians. The majority of the Park is accessible for disabled people.

LINKS WITH CURRICULUM FOR EXCELLENCE
Many of our topics match the Experiences and Outcomes for the Curriculum for Excellence:

SCIENCE	Curriculum for Excellence Guidelines
Animal Observation and Enrichment	“develops the skills of scientific investigation, using practical techniques"
Animals at Risk & Zoos and Conservation	“express opinions and make decisions on social, moral, ethical, economic and environmental issues based upon sound understanding”
A Darwin Day: Evolution in Action	“demonstrate a secure knowledge and understanding of big ideas and concepts of science”
Polar bear - evolution and adaptation	“the effects of isolating mechanisms, mutations and selection on the gene pool”
Biodiversity: The Scots Caledonian Pine Forest	"Understanding the interactions and energy flow between plants and animals in ecosystems, food chains and food webs"
Climate change	“develop an understanding of the Earth’s resources and the need for responsible use of them”

RURAL SKILLS
Rural Skills Day	“developing skills for learning, life and work”

GEOGRAPHY
Summit to Sea in Scotland	“learn how to locate, explore and link features and places locally and further a field”

ENGLISH
Animal projects	“communicate, collaborate and build relationships”
What is the point of zoos	“develop confidence when engaging with others within and beyond my place of learning"
Tooth and Claw	"develop an informed view, identify some of the techniques used to influence of persuade"

(Please allow two weeks preparation time for topics not previously offered).

INDOOR FACILITIES
40 seater Discovery Room with audio-visual equipment and touch tables. There are 2 covered seating area for eating packed lunches if weather is unsuitable for eating at the picnic areas. The cafe has a selection of light snacks and drinks available for purchase. Snacks can be organised for group events.