Work with animals and real zoo keepers hearing amazing stories

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Early Stage 1 - Stage 1: Dreaming and Living on the Land
Sand Circle
Dreaming stories are an integral part of Aboriginal culture. Through native animal encounters, this workshop links the importance of animals and Dreaming stories to Aboriginal people and their culture.
Year Level:
Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 2
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Early Stage 1 Science: Wildlife Patrol (Living Things)
Bird Patrol
Have you ever spied on birds in your playground? At Taronga Western Plains Zoo, you'll meet a variety of animals and learn all about the needs of living things. Take this information back to school and decide what needs to be done to ensure the birds in your playground are happy and healthy.
Year Level:
Kindergarten
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 1 Science: Backyard Buddies (Habitats)
Ring-Tailed Possum
Which native animals in your area could do with a helping hand? After completing a fauna survey at your school, visit the Zoo to learn how to create habitats for wildlife. Then, when you are back at school, get busy creating homes for your Backyard Buddy friends. Be prepared to get your hands dirty!
Year Level:
Year 1, Year 2
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 1 Science: The Bug Garden (Habitats)
Goliath Stick Insect
Bugs alive! Identify the invertebrates in a garden at your school and discover if they are a pest or friend. Use microscopes at Taronga to examine the body parts of a range of invertebrates and their predators, and then design a way to improve the bug balance in your garden.
Year Level:
Year 1, Year 2
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 2 Science: Life Cycles
Swamp Wallaby
Our local wildlife is doing it pretty tough these days. No matter which stage in their life cycle, animals like birds, lizards, frogs and insects could really do with some help. Learn how to create an animal habitat in your school or backyard to suit all stages of its life cycle.
Year Level:
Year 3, Year 4
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 2-3 Wiradjuri Wanderings
Bird Tracks
A unique, guided walking tour incorporating Dreaming stories and cultural learnings, drawing a connection between the Aboriginal people and nature.
Year Level:
Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 3 Science: Plastic Predator (Adaptations)
Eastern snake necked turtle
Over millions of years animals have evolved and adapted for survival in their environment, but what happens when that environment starts to change rapidly? Can sea turtles tell the difference between a plastic bag and a jellyfish? Visit Taronga to observe a range of animal adaptations and discuss the challenges animals face in today’s changing environments. Back at school, design away to combat the serious demands placed on our wildlife due to plastic pollution.
Year Level:
Year 5, Year 6
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 4 & 5: Zoo Enclosure Design
Lemur Enclosure
Modern Zoos are now considered conservation, education and research facilities and support conservation both onsite and in the wild. Develop a design brief for a new animal exhibit by undertaking research on animals in the Taronga collection and their adaptations.
Year Level:
Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 4 Science: Classification and Adaptations
Hatchling turtle
Marvel at the diversity of vertebrates during this hands-on workshop. Students will discover amazing adaptations that have given our native wildlife the edge for survival and learn how and why we classify these creatures.
Year Level:
Year 7, Year 8
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 4 Science: Exploring Ecosystems
Tasmanian Devil
Learn the delicacy of ecosystems by studying a threatened Australian species and its role in a specific environment. Meet Australian animals, explore the interactions in food webs, and discover how Taronga is contributing to species recovery plans for threatened Australian animals.
Year Level:
Year 7, Year 8
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 4-5: Connecting to Country
Platypus Mural
This fascinating workshop presentation, tailored for each Zoo location, incorporates history, culture and identity, and the importance of the land’s role in kinship, spirituality and everyday life for Aboriginal Peoples.
Year Level:
Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 5 Geography: Environmental Change and Management
Orang-utan
Taronga's local and international conservation projects provide the perfect resource for your Environmental Change and Management investigative study.
Year Level:
Year 9, Year 10
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 5 Science: Threatened Species
Sumatran Tiger
Using Taronga’s Science Conservation projects as case studies, students will develop an understanding of the need for scientific research in identifying threatened species, assess the impact of the species decline on the wider ecosystem and contribute to their recovery through the creation of their own Threatened Species Recovery Plan.
Year Level:
Year 9, Year 10
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 6 Biology-Zoo Case Studies: 13th June & 22nd June 2017
Tasmanian Devil
Stage 6 Biology-Zoo Case Studies: 13th June & 22nd June 2017
Year Level:
Year 12
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 6 Biology: Communication
Indian Peafowl
Biology Option 9.5
Year Level:
Year 11, Year 12
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 6 Biology: Maintaining a Balance
Carpet Python
All plants and animals manage their internal environment. Take a close look at some carefully chosen case studies to help your students understand the concepts of this fascinating unit.
Year Level:
Year 11, Year 12
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 6 Biology: The Evolution of Australian Biota- 25th-27th July 2017
Kangaroo
Biology: Evolution of Australian Biota.
Year Level:
Year 11, Year 12
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 6 Biology: The Human Story
Stage 6 Biology Elective Module
Year Level:
Year 11, Year 12
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 6 Business Studies: It's Zoo Business
Meerkat Bobby Jo Clow
A unique organisation, Taronga plays an important role in global wildlife conservation programs and requires a strong business model to achieve set objectives. Join one of our educators and discover the strategies employed to ensure we meet our marketing, operations and financial goals.
Year Level:
Year 11, Year 12
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Stage 6 Business Studies: Tackling tourism and Zoo business - extended investigation (28th March & 28th November 2017)
Zoofari Lodge Guest house
Taronga Western Plains Zoo is an award winning establishment with a recognisable presence in conservation, tourism and business communities. Come and learn about business and tourism from NSW's premier inland tourist attraction.
Year Level:
Year 11, Year 12
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Zoo Event - Biodiversity Month (September 2017)
Environment day
Year Level:
Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Year 11, Year 12
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Zoo Event - Book Week At The Zoo (August 2017)
Book Week
2017 Theme is- 'Escape to Everywhere' Visit us to take part in an exciting workshop with books and animal encounters!
Year Level:
Preschool, Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Zoo Event - Careers At the Zoo (25th May & 28th June 2017)
Careers Day
Taronga Western Plains Zoo is a large employer within regional NSW. When people initially think about careers in the Zoo, Zoo Keepers come to mind! Taronga also offers employment in many other areas including Human Resources, Marketing/PR, Retail, Conservation and Research, Guiding and Food and Beverage.
Year Level:
Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Year 11, Year 12
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Zoo Event - NAIDOC at Taronga Western Plains Zoo (19th & 20th September 2017)
NAIDOC Fun Day
NAIDOC Week is held each year to celebrate the achievements, history and culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Bring your students to Taronga Western Plains Zoo to celebrate this national event through activities and events such as Aboriginal dance, art, dreamtime stories, bush tucker and animal encounters at the Education Centre.
Year Level:
Preschool, Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Zoo Event - Reconciliation Week
Reconciliation Action Plan Launch-Taronga Zoo
Make reconciliation part of your students' story!
Year Level:
Preschool, Kindergarten, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10, Year 11, Year 12
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Zoo Event - World Rhino Day (22 September 2017)
Black Rhino keepers posing with Wild! Rhino Sculpture
Come and meet our iconic rhinos and learn how we can stop the illegal trade in wildlife
Year Level:
Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Zoo Event - World Toilet Day (17 November 2017)
Giraffe calves' Poo
Bring your toilet humour to the Zoo and learn to love your loo!
Year Level:
Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Zoo Event - World Water Month (March 2017)
World Water Day
International World Water Day is held annually on the 22nd of March and provides an opportunity for us to celebrate the role that freshwater plays in our lives. for 2017, the theme is 'Wastewater'
Year Level:
Year 3, Year 4, Year 5, Year 6, Year 7, Year 8, Year 9, Year 10
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Zoo Event: Future Earth-Science Week at the Zoo (14th-18th August 2017)
Zoo vets working on a Rhino eye
National Science Week provides an opportunity to acknowledge Australian scientists’ contributions to the world of knowledge, encouraging interest in scientific pursuits and getting younger people fascinated by the world in which we live. Taronga's scientists, including zoologists, veterinarians, pathologists and reproductive biologists undertake research both at the zoo and in the field. Celebrate Sustainability Science at Taronga Western Plains Zoo with a focus on this year’s theme: 'Future Earth'
Year Level:
Zoo location:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo